Happiness Break: Where Did You Come From? A Guided Reflection Practice

Indigenous artist Dr. Lyla June Johnston leads a 5-minute freewriting exercise about our personal journeys. Autobiographical writing has been shown to help do better in relationships and feel more satisfied in life.

How to Do This Practice:

1. Ground yourself: Sit in a comfortable position and take a few slow breaths. Notice the inhale and exhale without trying to change anything. Let your attention settle into your body and the present moment.
2. Set a simple intention: Bring to mind the idea of observing your story with curiosity rather than judgment. You’re not trying to write something “good,” just something honest.
3. Write the sentence: “I come from a place where…” and pause briefly before continuing. Let the words that follow come from memory, feeling, or imagery—whatever shows up first.
4. Free-write without stopping: Keep your pen moving for several minutes (around 3–5 minutes, or longer if you like). Don’t edit, filter, or worry about grammar or meaning. If you get stuck, repeat the prompt and continue.
5. Notice what emerged: When time is up, read what you wrote slowly. Notice any themes, emotions, memories, or insights that stand out—without trying to fix or interpret them immediately.
6. Reflect and return: Take a moment to acknowledge your experience of the exercise. You might ask: What surprised me? What feels important? Revisit this practice every few weeks or months to notice how your sense of origin and story evolves

Scroll down for a transcription of this episode.

Today’s Happiness Break Guide:

DR. LYLA JUNE JOHNSTON is an Indigenous artist and scholar from the Diné Nation.

Learn about Dr. Lyla June Johnston's work: https://www.lylajune.com/

More Happiness Breaks like this one:

A Compassionate Letter to Yourself: https://tinyurl.com/3j6vtwh3

Finding Yourself in Silence: https://tinyurl.com/3w76t94a

An Affirmation Practice for the New Year: https://tinyurl.com/4f9epzbw

Related Science of Happiness episodes:

How To Tap Your Way to Calm and Clarity: https://tinyurl.com/vtfrt8b7

The Science of Letting Go: https://tinyurl.com/34u2fu48

How Art Heals Us: https://tinyurl.com/88y5r4vr

We’d love to hear about your experience with this practice! Share your thoughts at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod.

Find us on Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap

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Transcription: https://tinyurl.com/36m7wn3m