By Angelica Ribeiro, PhD

“Should you listen to music more often?” The answer is yes, and here’s why: to create moments of joy. Kelly McGonigal, author of The Joy of Movement, says, “Listening to music that you love is one of the simplest ways to produce joy.” What’s impressive is that the benefits of joy go beyond making you feel good. According to McGonigal, “Joy also affects things like your motivation.

So, when people have a fleeting moment of joy, they

• want to take on the challenges in their lives,
• want to pursue their personal goals, and
• are more willing to take action and exert themselves.

Also, after a moment of joy, people are more likely to be pro-social. So, they are more interested in being good, doing good, and making a difference, and more likely to help people. Joy, basically, makes you the best version of yourself.”

Needless to say, I’ve been listening to music more often to create moments of joy and try to be the best version of myself. What’s one thing you can do to create a moment of joy?

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Angelica Ribeiro is a writer, researcher, and professor. She is the author of How to Create Happiness at Work, Running into Happiness, and My Happiness Habit Journal. She holds a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction with a focus on English as a second language from Texas A&M University. She has taught English learners and preservice teachers in the United States and Brazil for over 25 years. Angelica has several publications on second language acquisition. She works as a professor in higher education and helps others benefit from her happiness research. When she was a Ph.D. student, Angelica struggled with balancing her academic commitments and personal life, which motivated her to embark on a journey to increase happiness. Her journey was so successful that now she encourages others to create happiness in their busy lives by sharing science-based strategies. Visit https://www.creatinghappiness.today