The Science Behind the Chair of JOY®: 4 Steps to Joy

Welcome to the third (JQ) installment in my yearlong series on Joy Intelligence™! (JQ)

In this 3rd month of the series, we’re deepening our exploration into the Chair of JOY® (CoJ) Experience, which I introduced last month. This time, we’ll be looking at the science behind each of the 4 steps of the CoJ.

Overview of this Evidence-Based Practice 

SIT: Neuroscience shows pausing activates areas of the brain associated with decision-making and focus.

BREATHE: Controlled breathing lowers cortisol levels and triggers the parasympathetic nervous system for relaxation.

THINK: Practicing gratitude and reflection increases our serotonin and dopamine levels, which stimulates positive brain activity and emotional resilience.

FEEL: Connecting to emotions builds emotional intelligence and mental strength. Specifically, Brain-Heart Coherence explores how the alignment of heart rhythms and brain activity enhances emotional balance. (Check out HeartMath for more on this.)

When practicing each of these steps through the Chair of JOY®, the overall result is a powerful mindfulness experience that has been demonstrated in many studies to improve attention and reduce reactivity. (https://www.mindful.org/the-science-of-mindfulness/)

(Note: There are more links to studies in the YouTube description of the video that accompanies this blog.)

Benefits of this 4-step practice

1. Supports emotional regulation and mental agility.
2. Encourages resilience and improved interpersonal relationships.
3. Provides practical tools for managing stress and boosting productivity.

You can watch the video below to deepen your understanding of the science behind the Chair of JOY®, and experience it for yourself, then join me next month when we’ll play with the “Many Flavors of Joy.”

And finally, in the spirit of encouraging you to really engage with the JOY theme of the month, I invite you to start a Chair of Joy® journal (or maybe add to the JOY journal you began last month) and record the memory that came up for you in the CoJ I guided you through in the video. I’d love to hear about it, too!

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Deborah Roth

Life & Relationship Coach, Deborah Roth, MA is also a Counseling Astrologer, and Interfaith Minister. She leads women’s New Moon Circles and Full Moon TeleMeditations every month and loves designing creative, meaningful rituals for individuals and couples to energize their lives and relationships.