What is Happiness ? Understanding Happiness

Happiness is characterised by the experience of more frequent positive affective states than negative ones as well as a perception that one is progressing toward important life goals. Certain kinds of environmental factors or conditions have been found to be associated with happiness and include such things as individual income, health, family, social relationships, moral values and many others.

Ultimately, in the pursuit of understanding happiness, there are two main perspectives which focus on addressing the question of what makes people feel good and happy. These are the hedonic and eudaimonic approaches to be Happy.

Hedonic wellbeing is based on the notion that increased pleasure and decreased pain leads to Happy. The pleasure that comes with, say, a good meal, an entertaining movie or an important win for one’s sports team falls in this category and tends to be short-term and fleeting.

Eudaimonic happiness is based on the premise that people feel happy if they experience life purpose, challenges and growth. Raising children, volunteering or going to medical school may be less pleasurable day to day. But these pursuits give a sense of fulfilment, of being the best one can be, particularly in the long run and hence us happy.

We can also understand ‘what is Happiness’ by these beautiful quotes about happy life.

“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.” —Mahatma Gandhi 

“Happiness is not doing fun things. Happiness is doing meaningful things. ” Maxime Lagacé

“Happiness is a state where nothing is missing.” Naval Ravikant

“Happiness is a gift and the trick is not to expect it, but to delight in it when it comes.” Charles Dickens

“If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.” Dalai Lama

“Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties.” —Helen Keller

“Happiness, not in another place but this place…not for another hour, but this hour.” Walt Whitman

“Happiness is inversely correlated with desire.” Unknown

“There is only one happiness in this life, to love and be loved.” George Sand

“Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort.” Franklin D. Roosevelt

“Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude.” Denis Waitley

“People are unhappy when they get something too easily. You have to sweat – that’s the only moral they know. ” Dany Laferrière

“True happiness is not attained through self-gratification, but through fidelity to a worthy purpose.” Helen Keller

Also read – ‘The Pursuit of Happyness’ Quotes About Life & Success

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