7 Thich Nhat Hanh Quotes That Will Spark Joy

Use these quotes to make every day more joyful

Would you like to experience more joy in your life?

The contemporary Zen Buddhist teacher and peace activist Thich Nhat Hanh says peace can exist only in the present moment. I believe that thought can be extended to joy as well.

You know yourself, thinking too much about the past can bring feelings of sorrow, pain, or regret. And projecting into the future can trigger fear, worries, and anxiety. Either mental habit tends to deplete joy.

But still, on any given day, how much time do you spend in the past or future? How much in the present moment?

If joy only exists in the present moment, let’s explore how you can bring yourself there more and more.

One way is to use these inspirational quotes from Thich Nhat Hahn as a reminder to return to the present moment, and once there, to touch into joy.

Read them to yourself every day. Put your favorites in a visible place so you see them often. Pin them to a bulletin board, stick them on your bathroom mirror, or place them behind a magnet on the door to your fridge.

Write one in your journal or daily planner. Make it a practice to do this everyday.

Embrace these inspirational quotes deeply through journaling about each one. Journal one a week for seven weeks. Journal what it means to you, and write about both your positive and challenging experiences related to the quote.

Get to know them well so when you feel pulled to the past or present, one immediately surfaces in your mind and prompts you, “Be here now!”

Let’s take a look at each quote and what it means. I’ve also interwoven a few mindfulness tips to enrich your practice.

“When you contemplate the big, full sunrise, the more mindful & concentrated you are, the more the beauty of the sunrise is revealed to you.”

When you watch a sunrise, don’t just see with your eyes; engage as many senses as possible. As you delight in the brilliant colors, notice what you hear, feel, smell, or taste too.

Perhaps you hear waves lapping, feel a cool breeze on your shoulders as the temperature gradually drops, smell the fragrance of nearby flowers, and taste the salty air.

Mindfulness means keeping all your senses wide-open.

Also, when Thich Nhat Hahn says “concentrated,” he means fully present, not overly concentrated. Too much concentration brings tension, a common mistake made by those new to mindfulness or meditation.

Instead, learn to balance an alert mind with a relaxed mind for best results in your mindulness practice.

“Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.”

Feeling blue? Smiling can elevate your mood. This 2010 study found that intentionally smiling when you feel down can boost your mood and increase positive thoughts.

Make it a practice to smile, even when you’re alone.

We all know that smiling is contagious. It’s something you can do for yourself and others. Never fake it, of course. But remember, your smile could make a profound difference in someone’s day.

“Smile, breathe and go slowly.”

Don’t equate mindfulness with only moving like a turtle. After all, you have to be extremely mindful to successfully drive a race car.

But in modern times, when most of us multi-task at the speed of light, wouldn’t it be healing to slow down, get out of your head, and open yourself to the present moment?

Smiling can improve your mood. Breathing can reduce stress. Going slowly gives you a chance to notice all the beauty and goodness around you.

What a powerful trio!

“The most precious gift we can offer anyone is our attention. When mindfulness embraces those we love, they will bloom like flowers.”

We all need connection. Even introverts desire connection albeit with just one or a few people at a time.

When you attune to another through your mindful presence, they feel seen and heard. They feel affirmed and acknowledged. Attuned connection also calms the nervous system, relieving stress.

Connection naturally sets the stage for more joy.

“Anxiety, the illness of our time, comes primarily from our inability to live in the present moment.”

Anxiety and depression have skyrocketed in the last year.

According to The Best Brain Possible: “The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported in August of 2020 that symptoms of anxiety had tripled and depression symptoms had quadrupled among a group of 5,470 adults as compared with a similar sample from 2019.”

A lack of mindfulness may not be the primary cause in clinical level anxiety and depression, but it can contribute to it. This 2010 study suggests that mindfulness based therapy is a promising intervention for treating anxiety.

We all have worries that block our joy, even if they aren’t at the level of clincally diagnosed anxiety.

If you feel anxious or worried when lost in past memories or anticipating the future, learn to bring your mind home to the present moment. Then reconnect with something in your environment that sparks joy.

“We do not need to escape reality to harness the joy and peace that is possible with every breath we take — the power of mindfulness can heal us from the suffering caused by the many stresses that surround us.”

Addiction is also a growing epidemic. It’s one of the main ways we attempt to escape reality. It may bring a transitory high, but so many troubles go along with it.

You might not be addicted to drugs or alcohol, but beware of binging on Netflix, constant browsing on the internet, shopping sprees, or reaching for a box of cookies. These are other ways you may be numbing yourself from feeling uncomfortable emotions.

What if you chose to be present to those feelings instead?

You can start by consciously choosing to be present to uncomfortable feelings with an atitude of warmth and kindness towards yourself.

Simply stay present to the feeling and how it manifests in your body, without self-judgment. Notice the sensations without adding to the story that initally triggered the emotion. Feel the core emotion and observe how it might change into other feelings or dissolve altogether.

This won’t be easy at first. Begin with tiny increments to do this successfully. If you can be present to a challenging emotion for 20 seconds, that’s a good start.

The more you repeat this process, the more you begin to see the transitory nature of thoughts and emotions. Where do they come from? Where do they go to? It’s all a mystery!

As you develop the ability to be mindful and present to your emotions, they will slowly lose their power — even the difficult ones. Yes, this takes time and practice, but it’s surely the path to greater joy.

“The moment you wake up, right away, you can smile…. You are aware that a new day is beginning, that life is offering you twenty-four brand new hours to live, and that that’s the most precious of gifts.”

Decide to smile immediately upon waking. Take a moment to appreciate the gift of this life before you get out of bed. Make it a daily practice. That will set the stage for a more positive and joyful day, every day.

Can you imagine how you will feel after 365 days of waking up and choosing joy?

Joy is not a random event that happens to you only on special occasions.

Joy is an inner emotion that can be cultivated. Like a seedling that grows into a redwood with the right conditions, joy can become a gigantic and powerful force in your life.

In these inspiring quotes, Thich Nhat Hanh encourages us to be present in each moment, and to allow ourselves more peace and more joy. But ultimately, it’s not about seeking our own happiness alone.

When we realize that everyone wants happiness and no one wants to suffer, your heart opens more and more. It’s an act of loving kindness to wish all beings have happiness and the causes of happiness. And loving-kindness begins with wishing happiness for one’s self, and that includes joy.

What Now?

Here are a few things to take away from this story:

• Joy only exists in the present moment.
• The more time you spend in the past or in the future, the less likely you’ll feel joy.
• Use these seven inspirational quotes from Thich Nhat Hanh to remind you to return to the present moment and connect with something in your environment that sparks joy. Read them aloud every day or put them in visible places so they become a constant reminder.
• When you feel joy, spread it to others.

Wishing you more joy!