5 ways to spark joy in your student life

“We can only transform our lives if we sincerely want to. Small changes transform our lives.” Marie Kondo

Bestselling author and Netflix star Marie Kondo has become an international household name for her “KonMari Method” a popular, new approach to tidying up living spaces. This method aims to help people create a house of items that “spark joy” or add value to their lives.

But the idea of sparking joy isn’t limited to tidying up our spaces. It can actually extend into a mindset for life and the things that we can do to create happiness. Here are five ways you can spark joy in your life, as a student and beyond.

Be proud of the small wins

It’s important to think big and create long-term goals for yourself – maybe that’s getting your dream job, being captain of a sports team or owning your own business someday. To get there, it takes chipping away at smaller goals and keeping a positive attitude, even when it gets challenging. Keeping track of your progress, whether through a journal, list or planner can help you stay focused, especially if you take time to look back and appreciate the milestones.

Be grateful for growth

Learning is a student’s main focus. With the mix of classes, clubs and activities, it’s easy to miss all of the incredible growth made along the way. Practice a moment of gratitude each day for your own personal growth. This not only helps you reframe negative thoughts, but also reassures you that actually learned and grew a lot along the way.

Build offline connections

As much as we all love Instagram Stories and YouTube videos, it’s important to reserve space for real human connections. Learning is a human interaction and making real social interactions will set you up with lifelong people skills you’ll need for the future. Set social media boundaries and make time to share a meal with friends or call your family.

Learn to let go

Books, paperwork, clothes, stationary – these things can all start to pile up and make your space – and energy – feel cluttered and unorganized. At the end of each season, take time to go through your things and ask yourself if it sparks happiness. If not, thank it and say goodbye. You’ll feel relieved and centered.

Remember to say “thank you”

One of the keys to the KonMari Method is remembering to say “thank you”. While Kondo’s method generally refers to thanking objects before letting them go, this can certainly translate to a practice for life. Say “thank you” to your family, teachers, friends, mentors and anyone who’s helping you reach your goals. You’ll probably make their day and you’ll feel positive energy from the exchange.

Learning small ways to spark joy is a great way to de-stress, stay focused and remember what’s important through life’s journey.