Mudita
As we journey through the alphabet of mindfulness, today we arrive at M. Until now we mainly looked at how we can create a mindful life and maintain it by focusing on our selves. M is for Mudita and it is about others and how we can extend our mindful way of living and being beyond our selves.
What is Mudita?
Mudita (pronounced moo-dee-tah) is a Sanskrit word often translated as "sympathetic joy" or "vicarious happiness." It's the ability to take genuine delight in the success, well-being, and happiness of others — without envy or comparison.
While our culture often trains us to compete, compare, or even feel threatened by others’ wins, Mudita invites us to soften, open, and celebrate together.
It’s one of the Four Immeasurables (or Brahmaviharas) in Buddhist teachings, alongside loving-kindness (metta), compassion (karuna), and equanimity (upekkha).
Why Practice Mudita?
It frees you from jealousy and comparison.
It nourishes your relationships — when people feel your genuine joy for their success, trust grows.
It rewires your brain for abundance, not scarcity.
It helps you find happiness more often — not just in your own achievements, but in the happiness of others.
Practical Ways to Cultivate Mudita
Here are simple, doable practices to bring more Mudita into your everyday life:
1. Joy Journaling for Others
Each evening, write down one thing that brought joy to someone else — and allow yourself to feel happy for them. It could be as simple as your friend getting good news, or a stranger smiling at their coffee.
2. “I’m Happy For You” Meditation
Sit quietly and bring to mind someone who recently experienced something good — a promotion, a creative win, healing, or joy. Repeat silently:
“I am happy for your happiness. May your joy continue.”
Start with someone easy (a loved one), and over time, expand to neutral people or even those you're envious of — gently, over time.
3. Interrupt Envy with Curiosity
The next time you feel jealousy arise, pause and ask:
What exactly am I envying?
Is this something I could learn from or be inspired by?
Then silently bless them: “I’m glad they’re experiencing this. May I learn from their light.”
4. Celebrate Aloud
When someone shares good news, resist the urge to diminish it or compare it to your own situation. Instead, say:
“That’s wonderful — tell me more!”
“I’m so happy for you.”
“You deserve this joy.”
Practicing this out loud strengthens your Mudita muscle and makes others feel seen and valued.
A Mudita Mindset Shift
"Happiness never decreases by being shared." — The Buddha
Mudita reminds us: another person’s light doesn’t dim your own. It reflects what’s possible, what’s growing in the world, and what might bloom in you too — in your own time.
Mudita in Daily Life: Mini Moments
At work: When a coworker is praised, take a breath and smile instead of comparing.
On social media: Replace scrolling envy with joyful acknowledgment. Leave a kind comment or say a silent “yes” for their happiness.
In friendships: Create space for others’ joy without bringing your own story in immediately.
Daily Affirmation
“I celebrate the joy and success of others, knowing that joy grows when shared.”
Tomorrow, we move to N, but for today, may you walk with Mudita — light-hearted, open-hearted, and joyful for the joy around you.