Where's my happy dance?

Mudita: Where's My Happy Dance? Celebrating Others

Last week we explored karuna, compassion. Suffering with. Being able to offer space for someone when life is hard.

This week we're exploring mudita, sympathetic joy. The ability to be unabashedly happy for someone else's joy, without feeling jealous or envious.

I came across a study by psychologist Shelly Gable, and I love its title: Will you be there for me when things go right?

Her team watched couples share good news and bad news with each other. It turns out that how they responded to the good news said more about whether they'd still be together two months later than how they responded to the bad news.

So being there through the hard times matters. But it's just as important to offer the oxygen that keeps someone's joy alive.

In our family, we have a happy dance for when something exciting happens for one of us. Hands waving, feet stomping, jumping up and down, saying "yay!" It's all a bit silly, but no one ever doubts we're thrilled for them.

This week on the mat, let's practise being celebrators.

Big love, Em x