Psychologist: The ability to feel joy is often a conscious choice

Psychologist, art therapist and supervisor Ilze Dreifelde said on the Latvian Radio programme "Vai tas ir normāli" that joy is just as important and significant an emotion as any other, including those that help people survive and adapt to their surroundings.

According to Dreifelde, the value of joy lies not only in personal well-being but also in its social role — the emotion allows people to grow closer to one another, build and maintain relationships, and feel a sense of togetherness and belonging.

Joy as a skill

Dreifelde pointed out that being able to feel joy is not something automatic or self-evident — it is something a person needs to learn. In her view, the capacity to experience and express joy is frequently not a random state but rather a conscious choice that a person can make and cultivate.

This perspective suggests that joy can be treated as a skill that can be nurtured and developed, rather than something to simply wait for. During the programme, the psychologist encouraged listeners to reflect on their own attitude toward the possibility of feeling joy in everyday life.