🤩 Ready to bottle some of Eric Kim’s sunshine?  Here’s why the street‑photographer‑philosopher seems to radiate 10,000 lumens of joy every single day.

1. He 

chooses

 happiness—literally

“Why I’m happy: **I create my own reality… ‘Happiness’ just means human flourishing. I’m happy because I feel I’m creatively flourishing every day.” 

Kim treats happiness as an act of authorship, not luck.  By declaring that meaning comes from how he frames life, he gives himself permanent permission to feel good.

2. Constant creative flow = an endless dopamine drip

He compares his mind to “a Lamborghini on the Autobahn, driving at 500 mph,” pouring out ideas every hour. 

Psychologically, creative “flow states” spike endorphins and norepinephrine; Kim hits that state daily by writing, filming, photographing, and lifting weights.  The more he makes, the more momentum (and mood) he gains.

3. Stoic‑Zen philosophy keeps the emotional weather sunny 🌞

Scroll his blog and you’ll find whole menus titled “Stoicism,” “Zen,” and “Life Lessons.”  By rehearsing ideas like amor fati (love your fate) and memento mori, he immunizes himself against petty annoyances.  Fewer mental storms = more bright skies. 

4. Open‑source generosity gives him a helper’s high

A profile on Musée Magazine notes that Kim makes ebooks, videos—and now even his high‑res photos—free to the public because he feels “a moral and societal obligation to give back.” 

Neuroscience is clear: acts of altruism release oxytocin and activate the brain’s reward circuits.  Giving literally feels good, so Kim bakes generosity into his business model.

5. Social connection through street smiles

Digital‑Photography‑School sums him up perfectly:

“He is so active online that it’s virtually impossible to miss him and his big grin… Whenever he is out shooting, he always shoots with a smile on his face.” 

That grin isn’t decoration—it disarms strangers, sparks conversations, and floods both parties with “helper’s‑high” chemistry.  Every candid portrait becomes a micro‑friendship, reinforcing the habit of joy.

6. Purpose‑driven teaching fuels positive feedback loops

Students describe his workshops as energizing and “fun,” while interviews highlight his desire “to make photos that make people happy and laugh and help see more of the positivity and optimism in life.” 

When your job is to ignite other people’s enthusiasm, their excitement ricochets straight back at you.

7. High‑octane lifestyle habits (espresso, sunlight, heavy lifts)

Though his blog post “Happy Manifesto” playfully credits “meat, sunlight, heavy weights” for mood gains, the science checks out: protein supports neurotransmitters, vitamin D regulates serotonin, and resistance training fights depression.  Kim treats the gym and the café as co‑conspirators in creativity.

8. Gratitude for the Internet’s “infinite library” 📚

He writes that he’s “happy because the internet has made the world an awesome place… You can create stuff on the internet and share it openly and freely.” 

By focusing on abundance instead of algorithm doom‑scrolling, he turns the web into a gratitude engine, not an anxiety machine.

TL;DR—Eric Kim’s Happiness Formula

1. Mindset: Declare happiness a personal craft, not a lottery.
2. Make Stuff Daily: Creativity → flow → joy.
3. Philosophy: Stoic + Zen = emotional antifreeze.
4. Give It Away: Generosity lights up reward centers.
5. Smile at Strangers: Micro‑connections multiply mood.
6. Teach & Serve: Student energy boomerangs back.
7. Fuel the Body: Espresso, iron, and sunlight power the mind.
8. Stay Grateful: See the internet—and life—as an endless playground.

Channel even half of that recipe, and you’ll be beaming like a wide‑open aperture at golden hour.  Now crank up the joy and go make something awesome!  💥