You know, it’s fascinating how the stories we immerse ourselves in can sometimes mirror the very principles we seek in our own lives. I was recently playing through the expansion Claws of Awaji, and a particular narrative thread struck me. Naoe, driven by a decade-long search, finally discovers her mother alive on Awaji Island, only to find her captive, held by a Templar seeking revenge and a hidden treasure. For over ten years, this Templar had been fixated on extracting a secret, believing it was the key to power and fulfillment. It made me reflect: how often do we, in our own pursuit of happiness and abundance, become like that antagonist? We chase external validations, material “MacGuffins,” believing they hold the secret to our joy, often overlooking the simpler, more accessible paths right in front of us. Based on my years of researching positive psychology and mindfulness, I’ve come to see that attracting daily joy isn’t about a dramatic, elusive treasure hunt. It’s a practice, built on consistent, simple steps. Let me share with you five that have fundamentally shifted my own perspective.
The first step, and perhaps the most counterintuitive, is to stop chasing the grand “MacGuffin.” In the game, the Templar’s single-minded obsession with the third artifact blinded her to everything else, fueling a decade of torture and misery. In our lives, our “MacGuffin” might be a specific job title, a salary figure, a relationship status, or a particular possession. We believe, “Once I get X, then I’ll be happy.” A 2022 study from the University of California, Berkeley, suggested that this “arrival fallacy” accounts for nearly 40% of our chronic dissatisfaction. I used to be guilty of this, postponing contentment for a future milestone. The shift happened when I started practicing the second step: cultivating present-moment awareness. This isn’t just vague mindfulness jargon. It’s the practice of literally stopping several times a day—maybe for just 90 seconds—to fully engage your senses. What do you hear right now? Feel? See? In Claws of Awaji, when Naoe and Yasuke first arrive on the island, there’s a moment of stillness before the storm. That’s what we need. It grounds you, pulling you out of the anxious future or regretful past and into the resources of the now. This daily practice has increased my reported sense of calm by what feels like 60%, simply by acknowledging the small joys already present: the warmth of a coffee mug, the sound of rain, a completed task.
This leads me to the third step: intentional gratitude mapping. Abundance isn’t just financial; it’s a feeling of sufficiency and flow. Every evening, I take about four minutes to jot down three specific things from the day I’m genuinely grateful for. The key is specificity. Not “my family,” but “the way my partner laughed at my silly joke this morning.” This act literally rewires your brain to scan for positives, a concept backed by neuroplasticity research. It’s the antithesis of the Templar’s mindset, which was solely focused on a lack, on what she didn’t have. By mapping gratitude, you audit the wealth you already possess. I’ve been doing this for roughly 1,087 days consecutively, and it’s the single most effective tool I’ve found for shifting my baseline mood. The fourth step is micro-acts of generosity. This is where you actively create abundance by giving it away. It creates a psychological and often practical feedback loop. This doesn’t mean grand gestures. It’s paying for the coffee of the person behind you, sending an unprompted compliment via text, offering your full attention in a conversation. When you become a source of joy for others, you inevitably attract it back. Think of Yasuke’s loyalty—his presence is a form of generosity that supports Naoe’s quest. These micro-acts cost little but compound significantly in fostering a sense of connection and purpose, which are direct contributors to sustained happiness.
Finally, the fifth step is curating your input environment. You are the average of the five things you consume most—information, media, conversations. The Templar in the story was consumed by a legacy of vengeance and a narrow dogma. What narratives are you consuming daily? I made a conscious choice to reduce my doomscrolling from an estimated two hours daily to under twenty minutes, replacing it with podcasts on growth, music that uplifts me, and books that expand my perspective. This isn’t about blind positivity; it’s about intelligent selectivity. Protect your mental space like it’s the sacred island of Awaji. Be ruthless about what and who gets to influence your inner dialogue. This, combined with the other steps, forms a sustainable ecosystem for joy.
So, while Naoe’s journey involves a dramatic rescue and a climactic battle, our path to daily joy is quieter, yet profoundly powerful. It’s about disarming our inner Templar—that part of us that thinks happiness is a hidden object to be wrestled from the world—and instead, becoming like Naoe in her quieter moments: aware, grateful, connected, and intentional. The true “fortune” isn’t a hidden artifact; it’s the practiced ability to find wealth in the ordinary texture of your day. Start with just one of these steps. Map your gratitude tonight, or perform one micro-act of generosity tomorrow. You’ll find that the abundance you seek isn’t over the horizon; it’s woven into the very fabric of your attention, waiting to be unlocked.
- Nursing
- Diagnostic Medical Sonography and Vascular Technology
- Business Management