What Does Happiness Really Mean?

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSignsTypesHow to Cultivate HappinessImpactHow to Be a Happier PersonChallengesHistory

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Signs

Types

How to Cultivate Happiness

Impact

How to Be a Happier Person

Challenges

History

When most people talk about the true meaning of happiness, they might be talking about how they feel in the present moment or referring to a more general sense of how they feel about life overall.

Because happiness tends to be such a broadly defined term, psychologists and other social scientists typically use the term ‘subjective well-being’ when they talk about this emotional state. Just as it sounds, subjective well-being tends to focus on an individual’s overall personal feelings about their life in the present.

Two key components of happiness (or subjective well-being) are:

Another definition of happiness comes from the ancient philosopher Aristotle, who suggested that happiness is the one human desire, and all other human desires exist as a way to obtain happiness. He believed that there were four levels of happiness: happiness from immediate gratification, from comparison and achievement, from making positive contributions, and from achieving fulfillment.

Happiness, Aristotle suggested, could be achieved through the golden mean, which involves finding a balance between deficiency and excess.

Arrival Fallacy: Will Reaching a Goal Make You Happy?

Signs of Happiness

While perceptions of happiness may be different from one person to the next, there are some key signs that psychologists look for when measuring and assessing happiness.

Some key signs of happiness include:

One important thing to remember is that happiness isn’t a state of constanteuphoria. Instead, happiness is an overall sense of experiencing morepositive emotionsthan negative ones.

Happy people still feel the whole range of human emotions—anger, frustrastion, boredom, loneliness, and even sadness—from time to time. But even when faced with discomfort, they have an underlying sense of optimism that things will get better, that they can deal with what is happening, and that they will be able to feel happy again.

“Even people who have experienced terrible trauma can still also experience happiness,” saysHannah Owens, LMSW, “though it is important to recognize that it might be more difficult for them to obtain the balance generally associated with overall happiness, and that their happiness might look very different from others' who have not had to deal with such challenges.”

The Benefits of Optimism

Types of Happiness

There are many different ways of thinking about happiness. For example, the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle made a distinction between two different kinds of happiness:hedoniaandeudaimonia.

Hedonia and eudemonia are more commonly known today in psychology as pleasure and meaning, respectively. More recently, psychologists have suggested the addition of the third component that relates toengagement. These are feelings of commitment and participation in different areas of life.

Research suggests that happy people tend to rank pretty high on eudaimonic life satisfaction and better than average on their hedonic life satisfaction.

All of these can play an important role in the overall experience of happiness, although the relative value of each can be highly subjective. Some activities may be both pleasurable and meaningful, while others might skew more one way or the other.

For example, volunteering for a cause you believe in might be more meaningful than pleasurable. Watching your favorite tv show, on the other hand, might rank lower in meaning and higher on pleasure.

Some types of happiness that may fall under these three main categories include:

What Are the Types of Happiness?

While some people just tend to be naturally happier, there are things that you can do to cultivate your sense of happiness.

Pursue Intrinsic Goals

Achieving goals that you are intrinsically motivated to pursue, particularly ones that are focused on personal growth and community, can help boost happiness. Research suggests that pursuing these types ofintrinsically-motivatedgoals can increase happiness more than pursuing extrinsic goals like gaining money or status.

Enjoy the Moment

Studies have found that people tend to over earn—they become so focused on accumulating things that they lose track of actually enjoying what they are doing.

So, rather than falling into the trap of mindlessly accumulating to the detriment of your own happiness, focus on practicing gratitude for the things you have and enjoying the process as you go.

Reframe Negative Thoughts

When you find yourself stuck in a pessimistic outlook or experiencing negativity, look for ways that you can reframe your thoughts in a more positive way.

People have a naturalnegativity bias, or a tendency to pay more attention to bad things than to good things. This can have an impact on everything from how you make decisions to how you form impressions of other people. Discounting the positive—a cognitive distortion where people focus on the negative and ignore the positive—can also contribute to negative thoughts.

Reframing these negative perceptions isn’t about ignoring the bad. Instead, it means trying to take a more balanced, realistic look at events. It allows you to notice patterns in your thinking and then challenge negative thoughts.

Another way to cultivate happiness and to make sure that you are able to maintain your happiness, Owens says, is to stop comparing yourself to others.

“No two lives are alike, and focusing on what others have is a sure-fire way to feel envy and regret. Focus on the good things in your own life, and you’ll be more likely to find contentment in them,” she says.

What Is Cognitive Reframing?

Impact of Happiness

Why is happiness so important? Happiness has been shown to predict positive outcomes in many different areas of life including mental well-being, physical health, and overall longevity.

Some people seem to have a naturally higher baseline for happiness—one large-scale study of more than 2,000 twins suggested that around 50% of overall life satisfaction was due to genetics, 10% to external events, and 40% to individual activities.

So while you might not be able to control what your “base level” of happiness is, there are things that you can do to make your life happier and more fulfilling. Even the happiest of individuals can feel down from time to time and happiness is something that all people need to consciously pursue.

Cultivate Strong Relationships

Social supportis an essential part of well-being. Research has found that good social relationships are the strongest predictor of happiness. Having positive and supportive connections with people you care about can provide a buffer against stress, improve your health, and help you become a happier person.

In the Harvard Study of Adult Development, a longitudinal study that looked at participants over 80 years, researchers found that relationships and how happy people are in those relationships strongly impacted overall health.

So if you are trying to improve your happiness, cultivating solid social connections is a great place to start. Consider deepening your existing relationships and explore ways to make new friends.

Get Regular Exercise

Exercise is good for both your body and mind. Physical activity is linked to a range of physical and psychological benefits including improved mood. Numerous studies have shown that regular exercise may play a role in warding off symptoms of depression, but evidence also suggests that it may also help make people happier, too.

In one analysis of past research on the connection between physical activity and happiness, researchers found a consistent positive link.

Even a little bit of exercise produces a happiness boost—people who were physically active for as little as 10 minutes a day or who worked out only once a week had higher levels of happiness than people who never exercised.

Show Gratitude

In one study, participants were asked to engage in a writing exercise for 10 to 20 minutes each night before bed. Some were instructed to write about daily hassles, some about neutral events, and some about things they were grateful for. The results found that people who had written about gratitude had increase positive emotions, increased subjective happiness, and improve life satisfaction.

As the authors of the study suggest, keeping a gratitude list is a relatively easy, affordable, simple, and pleasant way to boost your mood. Try setting aside a few minutes each night to write down or think about things in your life that you are grateful for.

Want to Relieve Stress ASAP? Write in a Gratitude Journal

Find a Sense of Purpose

Some things you can do to help find a sense of purpose include:

How to Find Your Purpose In Life

Challenges of Finding Happiness

While seeking happiness is important, there are times when the pursuit of life satisfaction falls short. Some challenges to watch for include:

Valuing the Wrong Things

Money may not be able to buy happiness, but there is research that spending money on things like experiences can make you happier than spending it on material possessions.

One study, for example, found that spending money on things that buy time—such as spending money on time-saving services—can increase happiness and life satisfaction.

Rather than overvaluing things such as money, status, or material possessions, pursuing goals that result in more free time or enjoyable experiences may have a higher happiness reward.

Social supportmeans having friends and loved ones that you can turn to for support. Research has found that perceived social support plays an important role in subjective well-being. For example, one study found that perceptions of social support were responsible for 43% of a person’s level of happiness.

It is important to remember that when it comes to social support, quality is more important than quantity. Having just a few very close and trusted friends will have a greater impact on your overall happiness than having many casual acquaintances.

Thinking of Happiness as an Endpoint

Happiness isn’t a goal that you can simply reach and be done with. It is a constant pursuit that requires continual nurturing and sustenance.

One study found that people who tend to value happiness most also tended to feel the least satisfied with their lives. Essentially, happiness becomes such a lofty goal that it becomes virtually unattainable.

“Valuing happiness could be self-defeating because the more people value happiness, the more likely they will feel disappointed,” suggest the authors of the study.

Perhaps the lesson is to not make something as broadly defined as “happiness” your goal. Instead, focus on building and cultivating the sort of life and relationships that bring fulfillment and satisfaction to your life.

It is also important to consider how you personally define happiness. Happiness is a broad term that means different things to different people. Rather than looking at happiness as an endpoint, it can be more helpful to think about what happiness really means to you and then work on small things that will help you become happier. This can make achieving these goals more manageable and less overwhelming.

How to Set SMART Goals

History of Happiness

Happiness has long been recognized as a critical part of health and well-being. The “pursuit of happiness” is even given as an inalienable right in the U.S. Declaration of Independence. Our understanding of what will bring happiness, however, has shifted over time.

Psychologists have also proposed a number of different theories to explain how people experience and pursue happiness. These theories include:

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

At the peak of the hierarchy is the need for self-actualization, or the need to achieve one’s full potential. The theory also stresses the importance of peak experiences or transcendent moments in which a person feels deep understanding, happiness, and joy.

Positive Psychology

The pursuit of happiness is central to the field ofpositive psychology. Psychologists who study positive psychology are interested in learning ways to increase positivity and helping people live happier, more satisfying lives.

Rather than focusing on mental pathologies, the field instead strives to find ways to help people, communities, and societies improve positive emotions and achieve greater happiness.

How to Find Happiness In Your Life

17 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Finley K, Axner M, Vrooman K, Tse D.Ideal levels of prosocial involvement in relation to momentary affect and eudaimonia: Exploring the golden mean.Innov Aging. 2020;4(Suppl 1):614. doi:10.1093/geroni/igaa057.2083Kringelbach ML, Berridge KC.The neuroscience of happiness and pleasure.Soc Res (New York). 2010;77(2):659-678.Panel on Measuring Subjective Well-Being in a Policy-Relevant Framework; Committee on National Statistics; Division on Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education; National Research Council; Stone AA, Mackie C, editors.Subjective Well-Being: Measuring Happiness, Suffering, and Other Dimensions of Experience[Internet]. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US).Lee MA, Kawachi I.The keys to happiness: Associations between personal values regarding core life domains and happiness in South Korea.PLoS One. 2019;14(1):e0209821. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0209821Hsee CK, Zhang J, Cai CF, Zhang S.Overearning.Psychol Sci. 2013;24(6):852-9Carstensen LL, Turan B, Scheibe S, et al.Emotional experience improves with age: evidence based on over 10 years of experience sampling.Psychol Aging. 2011;26(1):21‐33. doi:10.1037/a0021285Steptoe A, Wardle J.Positive affect and biological function in everyday life.Neurobiol Aging. 2005;26 Suppl 1:108‐112. doi:10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2005.08.016Sapranaviciute-Zabazlajeva L, Luksiene D, Virviciute D, Bobak M, Tamosiunas A. Link between healthy lifestyle and psychological well-being in Lithuanian adults aged 45-72: a cross-sectional study.BMJ Open. 2017;7(4):e014240. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2016-014240Costanzo ES, Lutgendorf SK, Kohut ML, et al.Mood and cytokine response to influenza virus in older adults.J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2004;59(12):1328‐1333. doi:10.1093/gerona/59.12.1328Lyubomirsky S, Sheldon KM, Schkade D.Pursuing happiness: The architecture of sustainable change.Review of General Psychology. 2005;9(2):111–131. doi:0.1037/1089-2680.9.2.111The Harvard Gazette.Good genes are nice, but joy is better.Zhang Z, Chen W.A systematic review of the relationship between physical activity and happiness.J Happiness Stud20, 1305–1322 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-018-9976-0Cunha LF, Pellanda LC, Reppold CT.Positive psychology and gratitude interventions: a randomized clinical trial.Front Psychol. 2019;10:584. Published 2019 Mar 21. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00584Ryff CD.Psychological well-being revisited: advances in the science and practice of eudaimonia.Psychother Psychosom. 2014;83(1):10‐28. doi:10.1159/000353263Whillans AV, Dunn EW, Smeets P, Bekkers R, Norton MI.Buying time promotes happiness.Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2017;114(32):8523‐8527. doi:10.1073/pnas.1706541114Gulacti F.The effect of perceived social support on subjective well-being.Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences. 2010;2(2):3844-3849. doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2010.03.602Mauss IB, Tamir M, Anderson CL, Savino NS.Can seeking happiness make people unhappy? [corrected] Paradoxical effects of valuing happiness[published correction appears in Emotion. 2011 Aug;11(4):767].Emotion. 2011;11(4):807‐815. doi:10.1037/a0022010

17 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Finley K, Axner M, Vrooman K, Tse D.Ideal levels of prosocial involvement in relation to momentary affect and eudaimonia: Exploring the golden mean.Innov Aging. 2020;4(Suppl 1):614. doi:10.1093/geroni/igaa057.2083Kringelbach ML, Berridge KC.The neuroscience of happiness and pleasure.Soc Res (New York). 2010;77(2):659-678.Panel on Measuring Subjective Well-Being in a Policy-Relevant Framework; Committee on National Statistics; Division on Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education; National Research Council; Stone AA, Mackie C, editors.Subjective Well-Being: Measuring Happiness, Suffering, and Other Dimensions of Experience[Internet]. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US).Lee MA, Kawachi I.The keys to happiness: Associations between personal values regarding core life domains and happiness in South Korea.PLoS One. 2019;14(1):e0209821. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0209821Hsee CK, Zhang J, Cai CF, Zhang S.Overearning.Psychol Sci. 2013;24(6):852-9Carstensen LL, Turan B, Scheibe S, et al.Emotional experience improves with age: evidence based on over 10 years of experience sampling.Psychol Aging. 2011;26(1):21‐33. doi:10.1037/a0021285Steptoe A, Wardle J.Positive affect and biological function in everyday life.Neurobiol Aging. 2005;26 Suppl 1:108‐112. doi:10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2005.08.016Sapranaviciute-Zabazlajeva L, Luksiene D, Virviciute D, Bobak M, Tamosiunas A. Link between healthy lifestyle and psychological well-being in Lithuanian adults aged 45-72: a cross-sectional study.BMJ Open. 2017;7(4):e014240. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2016-014240Costanzo ES, Lutgendorf SK, Kohut ML, et al.Mood and cytokine response to influenza virus in older adults.J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2004;59(12):1328‐1333. doi:10.1093/gerona/59.12.1328Lyubomirsky S, Sheldon KM, Schkade D.Pursuing happiness: The architecture of sustainable change.Review of General Psychology. 2005;9(2):111–131. doi:0.1037/1089-2680.9.2.111The Harvard Gazette.Good genes are nice, but joy is better.Zhang Z, Chen W.A systematic review of the relationship between physical activity and happiness.J Happiness Stud20, 1305–1322 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-018-9976-0Cunha LF, Pellanda LC, Reppold CT.Positive psychology and gratitude interventions: a randomized clinical trial.Front Psychol. 2019;10:584. Published 2019 Mar 21. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00584Ryff CD.Psychological well-being revisited: advances in the science and practice of eudaimonia.Psychother Psychosom. 2014;83(1):10‐28. doi:10.1159/000353263Whillans AV, Dunn EW, Smeets P, Bekkers R, Norton MI.Buying time promotes happiness.Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2017;114(32):8523‐8527. doi:10.1073/pnas.1706541114Gulacti F.The effect of perceived social support on subjective well-being.Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences. 2010;2(2):3844-3849. doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2010.03.602Mauss IB, Tamir M, Anderson CL, Savino NS.Can seeking happiness make people unhappy? [corrected] Paradoxical effects of valuing happiness[published correction appears in Emotion. 2011 Aug;11(4):767].Emotion. 2011;11(4):807‐815. doi:10.1037/a0022010

Finley K, Axner M, Vrooman K, Tse D.Ideal levels of prosocial involvement in relation to momentary affect and eudaimonia: Exploring the golden mean.Innov Aging. 2020;4(Suppl 1):614. doi:10.1093/geroni/igaa057.2083Kringelbach ML, Berridge KC.The neuroscience of happiness and pleasure.Soc Res (New York). 2010;77(2):659-678.Panel on Measuring Subjective Well-Being in a Policy-Relevant Framework; Committee on National Statistics; Division on Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education; National Research Council; Stone AA, Mackie C, editors.Subjective Well-Being: Measuring Happiness, Suffering, and Other Dimensions of Experience[Internet]. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US).Lee MA, Kawachi I.The keys to happiness: Associations between personal values regarding core life domains and happiness in South Korea.PLoS One. 2019;14(1):e0209821. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0209821Hsee CK, Zhang J, Cai CF, Zhang S.Overearning.Psychol Sci. 2013;24(6):852-9Carstensen LL, Turan B, Scheibe S, et al.Emotional experience improves with age: evidence based on over 10 years of experience sampling.Psychol Aging. 2011;26(1):21‐33. doi:10.1037/a0021285Steptoe A, Wardle J.Positive affect and biological function in everyday life.Neurobiol Aging. 2005;26 Suppl 1:108‐112. doi:10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2005.08.016Sapranaviciute-Zabazlajeva L, Luksiene D, Virviciute D, Bobak M, Tamosiunas A. Link between healthy lifestyle and psychological well-being in Lithuanian adults aged 45-72: a cross-sectional study.BMJ Open. 2017;7(4):e014240. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2016-014240Costanzo ES, Lutgendorf SK, Kohut ML, et al.Mood and cytokine response to influenza virus in older adults.J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2004;59(12):1328‐1333. doi:10.1093/gerona/59.12.1328Lyubomirsky S, Sheldon KM, Schkade D.Pursuing happiness: The architecture of sustainable change.Review of General Psychology. 2005;9(2):111–131. doi:0.1037/1089-2680.9.2.111The Harvard Gazette.Good genes are nice, but joy is better.Zhang Z, Chen W.A systematic review of the relationship between physical activity and happiness.J Happiness Stud20, 1305–1322 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-018-9976-0Cunha LF, Pellanda LC, Reppold CT.Positive psychology and gratitude interventions: a randomized clinical trial.Front Psychol. 2019;10:584. Published 2019 Mar 21. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00584Ryff CD.Psychological well-being revisited: advances in the science and practice of eudaimonia.Psychother Psychosom. 2014;83(1):10‐28. doi:10.1159/000353263Whillans AV, Dunn EW, Smeets P, Bekkers R, Norton MI.Buying time promotes happiness.Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2017;114(32):8523‐8527. doi:10.1073/pnas.1706541114Gulacti F.The effect of perceived social support on subjective well-being.Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences. 2010;2(2):3844-3849. doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2010.03.602Mauss IB, Tamir M, Anderson CL, Savino NS.Can seeking happiness make people unhappy? [corrected] Paradoxical effects of valuing happiness[published correction appears in Emotion. 2011 Aug;11(4):767].Emotion. 2011;11(4):807‐815. doi:10.1037/a0022010

Kringelbach ML, Berridge KC.The neuroscience of happiness and pleasure.Soc Res (New York). 2010;77(2):659-678.

Panel on Measuring Subjective Well-Being in a Policy-Relevant Framework; Committee on National Statistics; Division on Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education; National Research Council; Stone AA, Mackie C, editors.Subjective Well-Being: Measuring Happiness, Suffering, and Other Dimensions of Experience[Internet]. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US).

Lee MA, Kawachi I.The keys to happiness: Associations between personal values regarding core life domains and happiness in South Korea.PLoS One. 2019;14(1):e0209821. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0209821

Hsee CK, Zhang J, Cai CF, Zhang S.Overearning.Psychol Sci. 2013;24(6):852-9

Carstensen LL, Turan B, Scheibe S, et al.Emotional experience improves with age: evidence based on over 10 years of experience sampling.Psychol Aging. 2011;26(1):21‐33. doi:10.1037/a0021285

Steptoe A, Wardle J.Positive affect and biological function in everyday life.Neurobiol Aging. 2005;26 Suppl 1:108‐112. doi:10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2005.08.016

Sapranaviciute-Zabazlajeva L, Luksiene D, Virviciute D, Bobak M, Tamosiunas A. Link between healthy lifestyle and psychological well-being in Lithuanian adults aged 45-72: a cross-sectional study.BMJ Open. 2017;7(4):e014240. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2016-014240

Costanzo ES, Lutgendorf SK, Kohut ML, et al.Mood and cytokine response to influenza virus in older adults.J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2004;59(12):1328‐1333. doi:10.1093/gerona/59.12.1328

Lyubomirsky S, Sheldon KM, Schkade D.Pursuing happiness: The architecture of sustainable change.Review of General Psychology. 2005;9(2):111–131. doi:0.1037/1089-2680.9.2.111

The Harvard Gazette.Good genes are nice, but joy is better.

Zhang Z, Chen W.A systematic review of the relationship between physical activity and happiness.J Happiness Stud20, 1305–1322 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-018-9976-0

Cunha LF, Pellanda LC, Reppold CT.Positive psychology and gratitude interventions: a randomized clinical trial.Front Psychol. 2019;10:584. Published 2019 Mar 21. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00584

Ryff CD.Psychological well-being revisited: advances in the science and practice of eudaimonia.Psychother Psychosom. 2014;83(1):10‐28. doi:10.1159/000353263

Whillans AV, Dunn EW, Smeets P, Bekkers R, Norton MI.Buying time promotes happiness.Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2017;114(32):8523‐8527. doi:10.1073/pnas.1706541114

Gulacti F.The effect of perceived social support on subjective well-being.Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences. 2010;2(2):3844-3849. doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2010.03.602

Mauss IB, Tamir M, Anderson CL, Savino NS.Can seeking happiness make people unhappy? [corrected] Paradoxical effects of valuing happiness[published correction appears in Emotion. 2011 Aug;11(4):767].Emotion. 2011;11(4):807‐815. doi:10.1037/a0022010

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Signs of Happiness#

Types of Happiness#

Pursue Intrinsic Goals#

Enjoy the Moment#

Reframe Negative Thoughts#

Avoid Social Comparison#

Impact of Happiness#

Cultivate Strong Relationships#

Get Regular Exercise#

Show Gratitude#

Find a Sense of Purpose#

Challenges of Finding Happiness#

Valuing the Wrong Things#

Not Seeking Social Support#

Thinking of Happiness as an Endpoint#

History of Happiness#

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs#

Positive Psychology#