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How to Find More Joy in Anything

Welcome to Effective Habits, a weekly newsletter where I share evidence-based strategies and tools to help you live a happy, healthy, and productive life.

Today at a Glance:

• How to Like Everything More

• Using “Atomic Habits” to Reach Your Health Goals

• The Annual Planning Guide

How to Like Everything More
Sasha Chapin

Lights, Camera, ...
Learning to enjoy things more is a skill anyone can improve. It’s not just about being naturally happy or positive—developing a deep appreciation for experiences, whether it's food, music, people, or art, involves honing a range of micro-skills. Many people are advised to "be mindful," but true enjoyment often comes from more than just focused attention. It requires cultivating a mix of curiosity, emotional openness, and perspective. With practice, anyone can raise not just the ceiling but also the floor of their capacity for enjoyment of special and ordinary moments.

Action!

1. Shift Your Focus: Pay attention to overlooked details—like the bassline in a song, the outfit or pronunciation or a person you’re speaking to, or the background actors in a movie. Explore the layers that are easy to miss.

2. Embrace Intensity: Instead of resisting strong stimuli (e.g., screaming vocals, crass humor, or spicy food), approach them with curiosity. Let them wash over you as sensations to explore - framing it as intense instead of annoying.

3. Admire the Creator: Imagine the effort, skill, and dedication behind a work - be it the steady hands of the sushi chef or the knowledge of the author. Develop a sense of appreciation and learn about the creator’s background, the era, or the cultural setting.

4. Turn Up the Dial: Being in a state of absolute enjoyment is an arduous task, but you can probably choose to enjoy anything 10% more by just letting your guard down.

5. Feel It Physically: Notice your body’s response—chills, tingles, or relaxation—and tune into how those sensations enhance your experience.

6. Guess What’s Next: Predict the next twist in a movie or song. Whether you’re right or wrong, it keeps your engagement alive.

7. Obsess Over a Detail: Find a single, tiny aspect of the work to love—like a clever turn of phrase or a brushstroke—and let it anchor your admiration.

8. Commit to Memory: Memorize a line, flavor, or image you love. It allows you to revisit it later for added joy.

9. Find a Different Angle: Don’t limit yourself to like/dislike. Discover new registers—admiration, fascination, or even amused frustration.

10. Pause Before Judging: When your initial reaction to something is negative—like the first scene of a movie, the opening of a song, or a person’s mannerisms—resist the urge to dismiss it immediately. Sit with your reaction for a moment and allow it to soften. Sometimes, what first feels off-putting reveals layers of complexity or beauty if you give it time. But, of course, your initial reaction isn’t always wrong.Using “Atomic Habits” to Reach Your Health Goals

Using “Atomic Habits” to Reach Your Health Goals
Dr. Jess Alderman, Dr. Kathryn Birkenbach & Dr. Peter Attia

Lights, Camera, ...
Achieving your health goals starts with building better habits, as nearly half of our actions are automatic. James Clear's four simple “laws” for habit formation—make it obvious, attractive, easy, and satisfying—offer a powerful framework for turning small changes into lasting routines. By focusing on these steps, you can create a system that supports your goals, enhancing not just your healthspan but potentially your lifespan. As you plan your next steps, consider the atomic habits that will help you bridge the gap between where you are and where you want to be.

Action!

1. Make It Obvious. Identify cues that remind you of the habit you want to build and place them in visible, relevant locations. For example, set your running shoes by the door to encourage morning runs, or keep weights near the couch if you want to start lifting. Make these cues easy to spot and tied to a specific time or routine.

2. Make It Attractive. Surround yourself with people and environments that support your goals. If you want to eat healthier, stock your fridge with appealing vegetable snacks instead of junk food. Want to exercise more? Join a group or involve a friend to make the activity enjoyable and social. Make your habits something you look forward to.

3. Make It Easy. Simplify your habit to its smallest step. Use the “two-minute rule” to start small—like going to the gym without worrying about a full workout—or bring travel-friendly fitness equipment on trips to maintain momentum. The easier and more convenient the habit, the more likely you’ll stick with it.

4. Make It Satisfying. Track your progress and celebrate milestones. Use measurable goals, like monitoring weight loss, muscle gain, or blood sugar stability, to see tangible results. For habits with less obvious progress, reward yourself in meaningful ways—like buying new gear for sticking to a fitness plan—while ensuring your rewards align with your goals.

Just as it’s important to develop good habits, it’s often necessary to break bad ones. Unsurprisingly, the steps for breaking a bad habit are the reverse of the four laws for developing good ones.

The Annual Planning Guide
Sahil Bloom

Lights, Camera, ...
As the year winds down, it’s the perfect time to reflect on the past and set a course for the future. An effective annual planning process combines clear goal-setting, building adaptable systems, and creating strategies to track and adjust along the way. Think of it as calibrating your compass—setting your direction while staying flexible for whatever comes your way. Taking time to plan for 2025 can bring clarity, purpose, and incredible value to the year ahead. Why not start now?

Action!

1. Set Big Goals: Define and write down 1-3 ambitious, specific, and measurable goals in both personal and professional areas. These goals should inspire (and scare) you and serve as your guiding vision for the year.

2. Define Checkpoint Goals: Break each Big Goal into 1-2 achievable, measurable milestones that act as progress markers along the way. Write these beneath their corresponding Big Goals.

3. Establish Daily Systems: Identify 1-3 simple, daily habits or actions that directly support each Checkpoint Goal. These are your consistent steps forward and toward the direction set above. Document these beneath their related Checkpoint Goals.

4. Create Anti-Goals: Pinpoint 1-2 outcomes or sacrifices you want to avoid while pursuing each Big Goal (e.g. sacrificing health or spending a certain amount of time away from family). Consider the worst-case scenarios and use them to define boundaries. Write these under each Big Goal.

5. Use System-Building Tools: Implement execution strategies to stay on track:

   1. ABC System: Set three tiers for daily actions (A: Ideal, B: Moderate, C: Minimal) to ensure progress even on tough days.

   2. Two-Day Rule: Never skip a habit for more than one consecutive day.

   3. 30-for-30 Approach: Commit 30 minutes daily for 30 days to build momentum in key areas.

6. Track and Adjust Monthly: On the last Friday of each month, reflect using three key questions: Are your Big Goals still relevant? Are your Daily Systems effective? Are you staying within your Anti-Goals? Take 30 minutes to assess, document, and recalibrate as needed.

TOOL TIP

Kando: This tool is a cross-platform pie menu for your desktop. It offers an unconventional and fast way of interacting with your computer and launch applications, simulate keyboard shortcuts, open files, and more.

FUN FACT

It takes the International Space Station 92 minutes to orbit Earth. On average, the International Space Station travels at a speed of 17,500 mph at an altitude of 248 miles above Earth. The ISS orbits Earth 16 times a day, so astronauts living and working there experience a sunrise and sunset every 90 minutes.

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Disclaimer: The information provided in this newsletter is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Please consult a medical professional for advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We are not liable for any risks or issues that may arise from using this information.