Better breaks, better business
Ships from
Amazon.com
Amazon.com
Ships from
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Returns
FREE 30-day refund/replacement
FREE 30-day refund/replacement
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Ingrid Fetell Lee
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness Paperback – June 8, 2021

by Ingrid Fetell Lee (Author)

Purchase options and add-ons

Make small changes to your surroundings and create extraordinary happiness in your life with groundbreaking research from designer and TED star Ingrid Fetell Lee.

Next Big Idea Club selection—chosen by Malcolm Gladwell, Susan Cain, Dan Pink, and Adam Grant as one of the "two most groundbreaking new nonfiction reads of the season!"

"This book has the power to change everything! Writing with depth, wit, and insight, Ingrid Fetell Lee shares all you need to know in order to create external environments that give rise to inner joy." —Susan Cain, author of Quiet and founder of Quiet Revolution

Have you ever wondered why we stop to watch the orange glow that arrives before sunset, or why we flock to see cherry blossoms bloom in spring? Is there a reason that people—regardless of gender, age, culture, or ethnicity—are mesmerized by baby animals, and can't help but smile when they see a burst of confetti or a cluster of colorful balloons?

We are often made to feel that the physical world has little or no impact on our inner joy. Increasingly, experts urge us to find balance and calm by looking inward—through mindfulness or meditation—and muting the outside world. But what if the natural vibrancy of our surroundings is actually our most renewable and easily accessible source of joy?

In Joyful, designer Ingrid Fetell Lee explores how the seemingly mundane spaces and objects we interact with every day have surprising and powerful effects on our mood. Drawing on insights from neuroscience and psychology, she explains why one setting makes us feel anxious or competitive, while another fosters acceptance and delight—and, most importantly, she reveals how we can harness the power of our surroundings to live fuller, healthier, and truly joyful lives.
Read more
Previous slide of product details
  1. Print length
    368 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Little, Brown Spark
  4. Publication date
    June 8, 2021
  5. Dimensions
    5.5 x 1.3 x 8.25 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0316399272
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0316399272
Next slide of product details
Books%20with%20Buzz
Books with Buzz
Discover the latest buzz-worthy books, from mysteries and romance to humor and nonfiction. Explore more

From the brand

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Joy is the most basic building block of happiness, and this mesmerizing book reveals where to find it -- and how to create it. Ingrid Fetell Lee's blockbuster debut will open your eyes to all the places where joy is hiding in plain sight. And it just might cause you to become more joyful too."―Adam Grant, New York Times bestselling author of Originals, Give and Take, and Option B with Sheryl Sandberg

"A completely original treatment of a completely new and original idea: we all have within the power to design joy into our lives. Joyful is an inexhaustible and exciting guide to what makes life good."―Arianna Huffington, New York Times bestselling author of Thrive, founder and CEO of Thrive Global, and founder of The Huffington Post

"I've never reached out to an author to request their permission to endorse their book...until now. Ingrid Fetell Lee invites us into a dimension of the human experience that was, ironically, hidden to most of us. She shows us how we can mindfully see joy in the simple aesthetics of our surroundings --and it has already changed my everyday life. If I'm feeling blue, I remember to look at the new leaves on the tree outside my window. It is simple but profound. Joyful is irresistibly compelling. The idea of Joyful fills me with joy."―Amy Cuddy, New York Times bestselling author of Presence

"This book has the power to change everything! Writing with depth, wit, and insight, Ingrid Fetell Lee shares all you need to know in order to create external environments that give rise to inner joy."―Susan Cain, author of Quiet and founder of Quiet Revolution

"Joyful overturns conventional wisdom about happiness: that it comes from within, and that experiences -- not things -- make us happier. Ingrid Fetell Lee's delightful book evokes the same positive feelings she describes. It is full of whimsy, wonder, energy, and joy. I loved it."
―Sonja Lyubomirsky, Professor of Psychology, University of California, Riverside, and author of The How of Happiness

"Joyful is a delightful book with a powerful message: joy is easy to find if you know where to look. In Joyful, designer Ingrid Fetell Lee explains why some experiences are laden with joy, explores how we can cultivate these experiences every day, and shows us how to identify the most joy-inspiring people, places, and objects in our lives."

―Adam Alter, New York Times bestselling author of Irresistible and Drunk Tank Pink

"Joyful reveals the powerful notion that joy can be cultivated to flourish within all of us. This idea can change the world."―David Kelley, founder of the design and innovation company IDEO

"Joyful is an invaluable field guide to discovering delight in all its forms. It's hard to look at the world -- and your place in it -- quite the same way again."
―Bianca Bosker, New York Times bestselling author of Cork Dork

"A tender and moving book about one of our most important feelings -- joy."―Johann Hari, New York Times bestselling author of Lost Connections

"Blending science and tips, Lee shows readers that looking outward -- at flowers in a vase or fireworks in the sky -- can brighten our days."―Real Simple

About the Author

Ingrid Fetell Lee is a designer and the founder of the blog The Aesthetics of Joy. She has been featured as an expert on design and joy by outlets such as the New York Times, Wired, PRI's Studio 360, CBC's Spark, and Fast Company, and her 2018 TED talk received a standing ovation.

Lee was formerly Design Director at global innovation firm IDEO, and was a founding faculty member in the Products of Design program at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. She holds a Master's in Industrial Design from Pratt Institute and a Bachelor's in English and Creative Writing from Princeton University.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Little, Brown Spark
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 8, 2021
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ Reprint
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 368 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0316399272
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0316399272
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 1.3 x 8.25 inches
  • Best Sellers Rank: #39,773 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Ingrid Fetell Lee

Ingrid Fetell Lee

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Ingrid Fetell Lee is a Brooklyn-based designer and writer whose work focuses on the way that design affects our health and happiness. As founder of The Aesthetics of Joy and in her role as IDEO fellow, she empowers people to find more joy in daily life through design.

Ingrid has over twelve years of experience in design and branding, most recently as Design Director of IDEO's New York office, having led design work for Target, Condé Nast, Eileen Fisher, American Express, Kate Spade, Diageo, Pepsico, and the US government, among others. She has been featured as an expert on design and joy by outlets such as The New York Times, Wired, PRI's Studio 360, CBC's Spark, Psychology Today, and Fast Company. She was a founding faculty member in the Products of Design program at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. Her design work has been exhibited at imm Cologne, Germany.

Ingrid holds a Master’s in Industrial Design from Pratt Institute and a Bachelor’s in English and Creative Writing from Princeton University. Her first book, Joyful, will be published in North America by Little, Brown in September, 2018. She loves pancakes, polka dots, and rainbow sprinkles, and has an extensive repertoire of happy dances for any occasion.