what makes you happy in life essay

Essays About Happiness: 5 Essay Examples and 6 Writing Prompts

Being happy and content is essential to living a successful life. If you are writing essays about happiness, start by reading our helpful guide.

Whenever we feel positive emotions rushing through our heads, chances are we are feeling happy. Happiness is what you feel when you enter the house, the smell of your favorite food being cooked or when you finally save up enough money to buy something you’ve wanted. It is an undeniably magical feeling. 

Happiness can do wonders for your productivity and well-being; when you are happy, you are more energetic, optimistic, and motivated. So it is, without a doubt, important. However, do not become caught up in trying to be happy, as this may lead to worse problems. Instead, allow yourself to feel your emotions; be authentic, even if that means feeling a little more negative.

5 Top Essay Examples

1. causes of happiness by otis curtis, 2. how to be happy by tara parker-pope, 3. reflections on ‘happiness’ by shahzada sultan.

• 4.  Happiness is Overrated by John Gorman

5. Toxic positivity by Suhani Mahajan

6 prompts for essays about happiness, 1. why is it important to be happy, 2. what is happiness to you, 3. the role of material things in happiness, 4. how does happiness make you more productive, 5. is true happiness achievable, 6. happiness vs. truth.

“If you don’t feel good about yourself you will have a similarly negative attitude towards others and education is one way of having good self-esteem, as it helps you to live life successfully and happily. Education is one way of getting that dream job and education is an essential cog in the wheel to living comfortably and happily. One English survey that included over 15,000 participants revealed that 81 percent of people who had achieved a good level of education had a high level of life satisfaction.”

Based on personal beliefs and research, Curtis’ essay describes different contributing causes to people’s happiness. These include a loving, stable family and good health. Interestingly, there is a positive correlation between education level and happiness, as Curtis cites statistics showing that education leads to high self-esteem, which can make you happier. 

“Socratic questioning is the process of challenging and changing irrational thoughts. Studies show that this method can reduce depression symptoms. The goal is to get you from a negative mindset (“I’m a failure.”) to a more positive one (“I’ve had a lot of success in my career. This is just one setback that doesn’t reflect on me. I can learn from it and be better.”)”

Parker-Pope writes about the different factors of happiness and how to practice mindfulness and positivity in this guide. She gives tips such as doing breathing exercises, moving around more, and spending time in places and with people that make you happy. Most importantly, however, she reminds readers that negative thoughts should not be repressed. Instead, we should accept them but challenge that mindset.

“Happiness is our choice of not leaving our mind and soul at the mercy of the sways of excitement. Happiness cannot eliminate sorrow, suffering, pain or death from the scheme of things, but it can help keep fear, anxiety, sadness, hopelessness, pessimism and other fathers of unhappiness at bay.”

Sultan discusses what happiness means to her personally. It provides an escape from all the dreariness and lousy news of daily life, not eliminating negative thoughts but keeping them at a distance, even just for a moment. She writes that to be happy; we should not base our happiness on the outcomes of our actions. We cannot control the world around us, so we should not link our happiness to it. If something doesn’t go our way, that is just how the world works. It is useless to be sad over what we cannot control.

4.   Happiness is Overrated by John Gorman

“Our souls do float across the sea of life, taking on water as they go, sinking ever so slightly — perhaps even imperceptibly — into despair. But our souls are not the bucket. Happiness itself is. And it’s the bucket we use to pour water out our souls and keep us afloat. What we really need is peace. Peace patches the holes in our souls and stops the leaking. Once we have peace, we will no longer need to seek happiness.”

In his essay, Gorman reflects on how he stopped trying to chase happiness and instead focused on finding peace in life. He writes that we are often so desperate looking for happiness that our lives become complicated, chaotic, and even depressing at times. He wants readers to do what they are passionate about and be their authentic selves; that way, they will find true happiness. You might also be interested in these essays about courage .

“That’s the mindset most of us have. Half of toxic positivity is just the suppression of 200% acceptable feelings such as anger, fear, sadness, confusion, and more. Any combination of such feelings is deemed “negative.” Honestly, mix ‘em up and serve them to me in a cocktail, eh? (Fine, fine, a mocktail. I reserve my right to one of those little umbrellas though.)

But by closing ourselves off to anything but positivity, we’re experiencing the same effects as being emotionally numb. Why are we doing this to ourselves?”

Mahajan writes about the phenomenon known as “toxic positivity” in which everyone is expected to be happy with their lives. It trivializes people’s misfortunes and sufferings, telling them to be happy with what they have instead. Mahajan opposes this, believing that everyone’s feelings are valid. She writes that it’s okay to be sad or angry at times, and the stigma around “negative feelings” should be erased. When we force ourselves to be happy, we may feel emotionally numb or even sad, the exact opposite of being happy. 

Many would say that happiness aids you in many aspects of your life. Based on personal experience and research, discuss the importance of being happy. Give a few benefits or advantages of happiness. These can include physical, mental, and psychological benefits, as well as anything else you can think of. 

Happiness means different things to different people and may come from various sources. In your essay, you can also explain how you define happiness. Reflect on this feeling and write about what makes you happy and why. Explain in detail for a more convincing essay; be sure to describe what you are writing about well. 

Happiness has a myriad of causes, many of which are material. Research the extent to which material possessions can make one happy, and write your essay about whether or not material things can truly make us happy. Consider the question, “Can money buy happiness?” Evaluate the extent to which it can or cannot, depending on your stance.  

Happiness has often been associated with a higher level of productivity. In your essay, look into the link between these two. In particular, discuss the mental and chemical effects of happiness. Since this topic is rooted in research and statistics, vet your sources carefully: only use the most credible sources for an accurate essay.

In their essays, many, including Gorman and Mahajan, seem to hold a more critical view of happiness. Our world is full of suffering and despair, so some ask: “Can we truly be happy on this earth?” Reflect on this question and make the argument for your position. Be sure to provide evidence from your own experiences and those of others. 

In dystopian stories, authorities often restrict people’s knowledge to keep them happy. We are seeing this even today, with some governments withholding crucial information to keep the population satisfied or stable. Write about whether you believe what they are doing is defensible or not, and provide evidence to support your point. 

For help with this topic, read our guide explaining “what is persuasive writing ?”

For help picking your next essay topic, check out our top essay topics about love .

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Essay on Happiness

List of essays on happiness, essay on happiness – short essay (essay 1 – 150 words), essay on happiness – for kids and children (essay 2 – 200 words), essay on happiness – 10 lines on happiness written in english (essay 3 – 250 words), essay on happiness (essay 4 – 300 words), essay on happiness – ways to be happy (essay 5 – 400 words), essay on happiness – for school students (class 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 standard) (essay 6 – 500 words), essay on happiness – ways of developing happiness (essay 7 – 600 words), essay on happiness – sources of suffering, happiness and conclusion (essay 8 – 750 words), essay on happiness – long essay on happiness (essay 9 – 1000 words).

Happiness is defined by different people in different ways. When we feel positive emotions we tend to feel happy. That is what happiness is all about. Happiness is also regarded as the mental state of a person in an optimistic manner.

Every person defines happiness in his/her own manner. In whatever manner you may define happiness; the truth is that it is vital for a healthy and prosperous life.

In order to make students understand what true happiness is all about, we have prepared short essays for students which shall enlighten them further on this topic.

Audience: The below given essays are exclusively written for school students (Class 3, 4 ,5, 6 and 7 Standard).

Introduction:

Happiness is a state of mind and the feeling expressed when things are going great. It is what we feel when we get our first car, buy a new house or graduate with the best grades. Happiness should be distinguished from joy. When joy is a constant state of mind, happiness depends on events in our lives.

Importance of Happiness:

The opposite of happiness is sadness which is a state of negativity in the mindset. When we remain sad for an extended period of time it can lead to depression. To avoid this state of mind we must always remind ourselves of happenings in our lives that made us happy.

Conclusion:

Though life throws countless challenges at us on a daily basis, if we drown in those challenges we would definitely become depressed. It is important that we find positive things in our daily lives to get excited about and feel the happiness.

Happiness is a state of mind which makes you feel accomplished in life and having everything in this world without a single reason to repent. Well, although there can be no perfect definition of happiness; happiness is when you feel you’re at the top of the world where a sense of complete satisfaction prevails.

The meaning of happiness is relative and varies from people to people. For some, happiness is when you experience professional success, reunions with family and friends, eating out, reading books or watching good movies. While for others, happiness can be accomplished by some weekend activities which might help you de-stress and get the satisfaction of mind.

If you involve yourself in social activities where you help the needy and provide support to the weaker section of the society, you can experience happiness if not anything else. When a young boy flies a kite, plays with mud, and watches the nature, for him, that is the greatest happiness in the world.

The happiness of mind is often considered quite contrary to jealousy and anger which you experience once you have failed or unaccomplished any desired goal. You should always try to rehearse the ways of keeping yourself satisfied and keeping away from negativity to experience peace and happiness in life. True happiness begins where desire ends!

What is happiness? It is a state of being happy. But it does not mean to be happy all the time. Happiness is a feeling of something good that is happening in our life. We feel happy when we achieve something. But happiness is spread when our dear one is happy as well. Some people find true happiness in playing with their pets, while some may find happiness in staying engaged in creative work.

Happiness is often derived from channelizing thoughts to positive thinking. However, it is not as simple as it may sound.

To achieve the state of complete happiness one has to practice on improving the state of life by:

1. Staying contended in life with what you have. Cribbing and grumbling never lead to happiness.

2. Staying focused on the current life instead of daydreaming of the good days or old days.

3. Stop blaming for something that went terribly wrong in life. The life is all about moving on. Stop worrying and set new goals in life.

4. Being thankful to God for all the good things that you have in your life.

5. Having good people around you who can boost up positivity in your life.

Everyone desires to be happy in life. Happiness cannot be achieved without establishing complete control of one’s thoughts as it is very easy to be carried away by the waves of thoughts and emotions surrounding us. Remind yourself of the good things of your life and be thankful about it.

What is happiness? Some would state that happiness implies being well off. Others would state that for them, happiness intends to be sound. You will discover individuals saying that for them happiness implies having love in their life, having numerous companions, a great job, or accomplishing a specific objective. There are individuals, who trust that the want of a specific wish would make happiness in their life; however, it may not be so. Having true happiness is something which is desired by all.

The Path to Happiness:

There are small things which when incorporated into our daily lives, can lead us to the path of happiness. For instance, instead of thinking about problems, we should actually be thinking about the solutions. Not only will we be happier but we shall also be able to solve our problems faster. Similarly, once in a while, you start the day with the longing to achieve a few targets. Toward the day’s end, you may feel disappointed and miserable, in light of the fact that you haven’t possessed the capacity to do those things. Take a look at what you have done, not at what you have not possessed the capacity to do. Regularly, regardless of whether you have achieved a ton amid the day, you let yourself feel disappointed, due to some minor assignments you didn’t achieve. This takes away happiness from you.

Again, now and then, you go throughout the day effectively completing numerous plans, yet as opposed to feeling cheerful and fulfilled, you see what was not cultivated and feel troubled. It is out of line towards you.

Each day accomplishes something good which you enjoy doing. It may tend to be something little, such as purchasing a book, eating something you cherish, viewing your most loved program on TV, heading out to a motion picture, or simply having a walk around the shoreline. Even small things can bring great levels of happiness in our lives and motivate us for new goals.

Happiness is not what you feel from outside, rather it is something which comes from your inner soul. We should find happiness in us rather than searching for it in worldly desires.

Happiness is defined by different people in different ways. Some find happiness in having a luxurious life while some find it in having loving people around them rather than money. True happiness lies within us and our expectation of happiness. It is something that should be felt and cannot be explained in words.

Even though this simple word has a lot of meaning hidden in it, many fail to understand the real one or feel the real happiness. Finding happiness in the outer world is the main reason for this failure. Nothing can buy you happiness, whether be the favorite thing you desire for or the person you love the most or the career you build, unless and until you feel it within yourself.

Ways to be Happy:

Bring happiness and soulful life to yourself rather than expecting it from the outside world like things, money, etc. Being happy is not as easy as advised to be one happier person. To be content and happy with whatever you have and yourself it takes time and patience. You should practice to be a happier person in all moments and eventually you will notice that no sorrow can sink you down.

Whatever good or bad happened in your past shouldn’t bother your present. Learn to live today with more happiness than yesterday and forget about your past sadness for a harmonious life. Thankfulness to the life you got is another important character you should acquire to be happy. If you compare yourself with someone with better luxurious life, then you will never be happy or content and do it the other way.

Don’t depress your mind with bad and negative thoughts about yourself and around. Try to find every goodness in a situation you face and accept the things that already happened, whether good or bad. Never forget to choose merrier and positive people to be closer to you so that their vibes will also help you in being one merrier person.

Whenever you feel low and depressed never hesitate to go to those around you to find happiness. But be aware of those negative ones that may pull you even deeper into the bad thoughts. Always surround yourself with positive thinking and motivating people so that you can rise higher even from the deepest fall.

Happiness is nothing but a feeling that will be seeded into your soul only if you wish to and nothing other than yourself can indulge this feeling in you. Don’t spoil your life finding happiness somewhere else.

Happiness is a very complicated thing. Happiness can be used both in emotional or mental state context and can vary largely from a feeling from contentment to very intense feeling of joy. It can also mean a life of satisfaction, good well-being and so many more. Happiness is a very difficult phenomenon to use words to describe as it is something that can be felt only. Happiness is very important if we want to lead a very good life. Sadly, happiness is absent from the lives of a lot of people nowadays. We all have our own very different concept of happiness. Some of us are of the opinion that we can get happiness through money, others believe they can only get true happiness in relationships, some even feel that happiness can only be gotten when they are excelling in their profession.

As we might probably know, happiness is nothing more than the state of one being content and happy. A lot of people in the past, present and some (even in the future will) have tried to define and explain what they think happiness really is. So far, the most reasonable one is the one that sees happiness as something that can only come from within a person and should not be sought for outside in the world.

Some very important points about happiness are discussed below:

1. Happiness can’t be bought with Money:

A lot of us try to find happiness where it is not. We associate and equate money with happiness. If at all there is happiness in money then all of the rich people we have around us would never feel sad. What we have come to see is that even the rich amongst us are the ones that suffer depression, relationship problems, stress, fear and even anxiousness. A lot of celebrities and successful people have committed suicide, this goes a long way to show that money or fame does not guarantee happiness. This does not mean that it is a bad thing to be rich and go after money. When you have money, you can afford many things that can make you and those around you very happy.

2. Happiness can only come from within:

There is a saying that explains that one can only get true happiness when one comes to the realisation that only one can make himself/herself happy. We can only find true happiness within ourselves and we can’t find it in other people. This saying and its meaning is always hammered on in different places but we still refuse to fully understand it and put it into good use. It is very important that we understand that happiness is nothing more than the state of a person’s mind. Happiness cannot come from all the physical things we see around us. Only we through our positive emotions that we can get through good thoughts have the ability to create true happiness.

Our emotions are created by our thoughts. Therefore, it is very important that we work on having only positive thoughts and this can be achieved when we see life in a positive light.

Happiness is desired by every person. However, there are very few persons that attain happiness easily in life.

It is quite tough to get happiness in life as people usually link it with the things and the people around them. The simple fact is that happiness usually starts as well as finishes with your own life. All those people who understand this fact easily get the true happiness in their life.

Happiness in Relationships:

There are lots of people who link happiness with the money and there are few others also who link it with the personal relations. It is very important to know that if you are not happy with yourself then, it is not possible to remain happy in your relationship as well.

The problems in the relationship have been increasing speedily and the main cause behind it is the huge amount of expectation that we have from the other individual. We always want them to make us feel happy. For example, some people feel happy if their partner plans a surprise for them or if he/she buy them a new dress. But all these things are not a true source of happiness in life.

Ways of Developing Happiness:

The lack of happiness in the relationship not only exists in couples but also in the relationship of friends, sister – brother or parent-child.

The following are the few ways that help in creating happiness in the relationships:

1. Pay Attention to Yourself:

You should always pay attention to yourself to get happiness. You should not give importance to any other person in your life in comparison to yourself and also expect the same from that person. Giving too much importance to the other and not receiving anything back from them makes a person disappointed and happiness gets lost.

2. Have some Initiative:

You can make the plan of traveling outside yourself. Don’t wait for your parent, partner or kid to take you outside. You can ask them to come along with you if they want. But, if they decline your offer then, don’t get discouraged and carry on your trip plan along with full happiness.

3. Provide some Space:

It is necessary to provide some amount of space to every individual and spend some time with oneself. It helps in creating happiness.

Happiness is Necessary for Good Life:

It does not matter that whether you are a working expert, a schoolchild, a retired person or a housewife, happiness is necessary for everybody to live a good and happy life. Happiness is essential for an individual’s emotional comfort. A person who is not fit emotionally will feel an impact on his complete health that will drain very soon.

Unluckily, despite the fact that happiness is tremendously necessary, people do not give so much importance to all those habits which can keep them happy. They are so excessively captivated inside their professional lives as well as other nuts and bolts of life that they overlook to relish the happy memories of their life. It is also the main reason that problems like anxiety, stress, and depression are increasing gradually in people’s lives today.

Happiness is an internal feeling. It is a healthy emotion. Happiness helps us to stay fit both mentally and physically. Happiness helps in lowering stress and keeping away from any health issues. The reason of happiness may be different for different person. You just need to find out what actually makes you happy. So, if you want real happiness in life then, you need to understand that only you can make yourself happy.

“There is no way to happiness, happiness is the way” this sentence has been attributed to Buddha. Well, at least that’s what it says on one sticker in my dorm room. The fact is that man has occupied himself with the path to happiness for millennia. Something happened during our evolution that made us deeply question the purpose of our existence. People like Buddha are part of the answer, or at least they try to give us the answer.

Since these questions have troubled us there have been many who sought to answer them and by doing so, they formed philosophies and religions. The search for earthly happiness will make many do incredible deeds but if this energy is used in the wrong way it can cause great suffering. How can we know which recipe for happiness is the best one and what we should devote our time and attention to? The trick is, there is no right answer and as the first sentence of this essay states, there is no way to be happy because being happy is the way. That’s how I got my head around this problem, let me explain some more.

Source of Suffering:

At the expense of sounding Buddhist, when you think about most of the things that make us unhappy are material in nature. They are the things that we really do not need but they make us feel happy. This notion is not just something the wise man from the 6 th century BC India expressed but many more have said this before and after him. Socrates and Jesus to name just a few.

What I find interesting in the struggle for happiness is the paradox present in the instructions to reach it. One has a  thought all through life to be good and hard working so he can get the things he wants and needs later on in life but then as you start to struggle for the money you realize that your life is turning into a money grabbing game. So, the source of happiness and stability becomes the source of all your anxiety and aggression. Naturally, we can see how some people thought that all material things stand on the path to our happiness.

But what about the immaterial, what if you are in love with someone you are not supposed to love? The above instruction would tell you to surrender your heart’s desire and you will be free from constraints. Is this happiness? Or is it the struggle to do and achieve the impossible the real source of happiness?

Source of Happiness:

People often forget that they are animals and like all of them they have a logic to their nature and their own specific needs. Like all the other animal’s people are caught in the struggle for existence and sometimes surviving the day can be a real ordeal if you get caught in the wrong circumstances. Men has made himself safe from most of the things that could have harmed him in nature but in doing so he forgot what he has made.

Think about the present from a historical perspective. Even a hundred years ago most people lost up to 80% of all their children to diseases, clean water was a rarity for most of our existence, and people actually had to labor to make food and to have enough to feed their family all through the year. The fact is we have a lot to be grateful for in the present age and the fact that some of us are unhappy because we do not have all our heart’s desires is just a symptom of collective infancy. Having all of your loved ones around you, with a roof to shelter under and with lots of delicious food is the only source of happiness man needs everything else should just be a bonus.

Happiness cannot be found by rejecting everything that is material or by earning more money then you can spend. The trick is to find balance by looking at yourself and the lives of people around you and by understanding that there is a lot to be grateful for, the trick is to stop searching for a path and to understand that we are already walking on one. As long as we are making any type of list of the prerequisite for our life of happiness, we will end up unsatisfied because life does not grant wishes we are the ones that make them come true. Often the biggest change in our lives comes from a simple change of perspective rather than from anything we can own.

Happiness is the state of emotional wellbeing and being contented. Happiness is expressed through joyful moments and smiles. It is a desirable feeling that everybody want to have at all times. Being happy is influenced by situations, achievements and other circumstances. Happiness is an inner quality that reflects on the state of mind. A peaceful state of mind is considered to be happiness. The emotional state of happiness is mixture of feelings of joy, satisfaction, gratitude, euphoria and victory.

How happiness is achieved:

Happiness is achieved psychologically through having a peaceful state of mind. By a free state of mind, I mean that there should be no stressful factors to think about. Happiness is also achieved through accomplishment of goals that are set by individuals. There is always happiness that accompanies success and they present feelings of triumph and contentment.

To enable personal happiness in life, it is important that a person puts himself first and have good self-perception. Putting what makes you happy first, instead of putting other people or other things first is a true quest towards happiness. In life, people tend to disappoint and putting them as a priority always reduces happiness for individuals. There is also the concept of practicing self-love and self-acceptance. Loving oneself is the key to happiness because it will mean that it will not be hard to put yourself first when making decisions.

It is important for an individual to control the thoughts that goes on in their heads. A peaceful state of mind is achieved when thoughts are at peace. It is recommended that things that cause a stressful state of mind should be avoided.

Happiness is a personal decision that is influenced by choices made. There is a common phrase on happiness; “happiness is a choice” which is very true because people choose if they want to be happy or not. Happiness is caused by circumstances and people have the liberty to choose those circumstance and get away from those that make them unhappy.

Happiness is also achieved through the kind of support system that an individual has. Having a family or friends that are supportive will enable the achievement of happiness. Communicating and interacting with the outside world is important.

Factors Affecting Happiness:

Sleep patterns influence the state of mind thus influence happiness. Having enough sleep always leads to happy mornings and a good state of mind for rest of the day. Sleep that is adequate also affects the appearance of a person. There is satisfaction that comes with having enough sleep. Enough rest increases performance and productivity of an individual and thus more successes and achievements are realized and happiness is experienced.

Another factor affecting happiness is the support network of an individual. A strong support network of family and friends results in more happiness. Establishing good relationships with neighbors, friends and family through regular interactions brings more happiness to an individual. With support network, the incidences of stressful moments will be reduced because your family and friends will always be of help.

Sexual satisfaction has been established to affect happiness. It is not just about getting the right partner anymore. It is about having a partner that will satisfy you sexually. There is a relationship between sex and happiness because of the hormones secreted during sexual intercourse. The hormone is called oxytocin and responsible for the happiness due to sexual satisfaction. Satisfaction also strengthens the relationships between the partners and that creates happiness.

Wealth also plays a significant role in happiness. There is a common phrase that is against money and happiness: “money cannot buy happiness” is this true? Personally, I believe that being financially stable contributes to happiness because you will always have peace of mind and many achievements. Peace of mind is possible for wealthy people because they do not have stressors here and then compared to poor people. Also, when a person is wealthy, they can afford to engage in luxurious activities that relaxes the mind and create happiness. For a person to be wealthy, they will have had many achievements in life. These achievement make them happy.

A good state of health is an important factor that influences the happiness of individuals. A healthy person will be happy because there are no worries of diseases or pain that they are experiencing. When a person is healthy, their state of mind is at peace because they are not afraid of death or any other health concerns. Not only the health of individuals is important, but also the health of the support system of the person. Friends and family’s state of health will always have an impact on what we feel as individuals because we care about them and we get worried whenever they are having bad health.

Communication and interactions are important in relation to an individual’s happiness. Having a support system is not enough because people need to communicate and interact freely. Whenever there are interactions like a social gathering where people talk and eat together, more happiness is experienced. This concept is witnessed in parties because people are always laughing and smiling in parties whenever they are with friends.

Communication is key to happiness because it helps in problem solving and relieving stressors in life. Sharing experiences with a support system creates a state of wellbeing after the solution is sought. Sometime when I am sad, I take my phone and call a friend or a family member and by the time the phone call is over, I always feel better and relieved of my worries.

Happiness is an important emotion that influences how we live and feel on a daily basis. Happiness is achieved in simple ways. People have the liberty to choose happiness because we are not bound by any circumstances for life. Factors that influence happiness are those that contribute to emotional wellbeing. Physical wellbeing also affects happiness. Every individual finds happiness in their own because they know what makes them happy and what doesn’t.

Emotions , Happiness , Psychology

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Happiness Essay for Students and Children

500+ words essay on happiness.

Happiness is something which we can’t describe in words it can only be felt from someone’s expression of a smile. Likewise, happiness is a signal or identification of good and prosperous life. Happiness is very simple to feel and difficult to describe. Moreover, happiness comes from within and no one can steal your happiness.

Can Money Buy You Happiness?

Every day we see and meet people who look happy from the outside but deep down they are broken and are sad from the inside. For many people, money is the main cause of happiness or grief. But this is not right. Money can buy you food, luxurious house, healthy lifestyle servants, and many more facilities but money can’t buy you happiness.

And if money can buy happiness then the rich would be the happiest person on the earth. But, we see a contrary image of the rich as they are sad, fearful, anxious, stressed, and suffering from various problems.

In addition, they have money still they lack in social life with their family especially their wives and this is the main cause of divorce among them.

Also, due to money, they feel insecurity that everyone is after their money so to safeguard their money and them they hire security. While the condition of the poor is just the opposite. They do not have money but they are happy with and stress-free from these problems.

In addition, they take care of their wife and children and their divorce rate is also very low.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Happiness Comes from Within

As we now know that we can’t buy happiness with money and there is no other shortcut to happiness. It is something that you feel from within.

In addition, true happiness comes from within yourself. Happiness is basically a state of mind.

Moreover, it can only be achieved by being positive and avoiding any negative thought in mind. And if we look at the bright side of ourselves only then we can be happy.

Happiness in a Relationship

People nowadays are not satisfied with their relationship because of their differences and much other reason. But for being happy in a relationship we have to understand that there are some rules or mutual understanding that keeps a relationship healthy and happy.

Firstly, take care of yourself then your partner because if you yourself are not happy then how can you make your partner happy.

Secondly, for a happy and healthy relationship give you partner some time and space. In addition, try to understand their feeling and comfort level because if you don’t understand these things then you won’t be able to properly understand your partner.

Most importantly, take initiative and plan to go out with your partner and family. Besides, if they have plans then go with them.

To conclude, we can say that happiness can only be achieved by having positive thinking and enjoying life. Also, for being happy and keeping the people around us happy we have to develop a healthy relationship with them. Additionally, we also have to give them the proper time.

FAQs about Happiness

Q.1 What is True Happiness? A.1 True happiness means the satisfaction that you find worthy. The long-lasting true happiness comes from life experience, a feeling of purpose, and a positive relationship.

Q.2 Who is happier the rich or the poor and who is more wealthy rich or poor? A.2 The poor are happier then the rich but if we talk about wealth the rich are more wealthy then the poor. Besides, wealth brings insecurity, anxiety and many other problems.

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Essay on What Makes Me Happy

Students are often asked to write an essay on What Makes Me Happy in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on What Makes Me Happy

Spending time with family.

Being with my family makes me very happy. We eat meals together, play games, and share stories. When I’m with them, I feel loved and safe. Their laughter and smiles fill me with joy.

Playing with My Pet

Doing what i love.

I love drawing and reading. When I draw, I create my own world. And reading takes me on adventures I could never imagine. Doing these activities always puts a big smile on my face.

Helping Others

Helping someone in need or just being kind makes me happy. When I see someone smile because of something I did, it makes me feel good inside. Knowing I made a difference, even if it’s small, is very rewarding.

250 Words Essay on What Makes Me Happy

Being in nature has a calming effect on me. Whether I’m hiking in the mountains, walking through a forest, or just sitting in my backyard, being surrounded by nature helps me to relax and appreciate the beauty of the world around me.

Doing things that I enjoy, like reading, writing, and playing music, makes me happy. These activities allow me to express myself creatively and challenge myself intellectually. They also help me to relax and de-stress.

Accomplishments

Achieving goals, no matter how small, gives me a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. It makes me feel good about myself and motivates me to keep going.

Helping others makes me happy because it makes me feel like I’m making a difference in the world. Whether it’s volunteering my time, donating to charity, or just being a good friend, helping others makes me feel good about myself and the world around me.

500 Words Essay on What Makes Me Happy

Having good friends.

Having friends is one of the most important things that makes me happy. I have a group of close friends who I can always count on. We laugh together, cry together, and support each other through thick and thin. I know that I can always talk to them about anything, and they will always be there for me.

Doing Things I Love

I am also happy when I do things that I love. I love to play sports, read, and write. I also love spending time outside. When I am doing something that I enjoy, I feel relaxed and content.

Learning New Things

I also love learning new things. I am always trying to expand my knowledge and learn new skills. I find that learning new things helps me to grow as a person and makes me more interesting to be around.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

Happy studying!

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What Does Happiness Really Mean?

It's not the same for everyone

Verywell/ Jiaqi Zhou

How to Cultivate Happiness

How to be a happier person.

Happiness is something that people seek to find, yet what defines happiness can vary from one person to the next. Typically, happiness is an emotional state characterized by feelings of joy, satisfaction, contentment, and fulfillment. While happiness has many different definitions, it is often described as involving positive emotions and life satisfaction. 

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:

• The balance of emotions: Everyone experiences both positive and negative emotions, feelings, and moods. Happiness is generally linked to experiencing more positive feelings than negative ones.
• Life satisfaction: This relates to how satisfied you feel with different areas of your life including your relationships, work, achievements, and other things that you consider important.

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.

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:

• Feeling like you are living the life you wanted
• Going with the flow and a willingness to take life as it comes
• Feeling that the conditions of your life are good
• Enjoying positive, healthy relationships with other people
• Feeling that you have accomplished (or will accomplish) what you want in life
• Feeling satisfied with your life
• Feeling positive more than negative
• Being open to new ideas and experiences
• Practicing self-care and treating yourself with kindness and compassion
• Experiencing gratitude
• Feeling that you are living life with a sense of meaning and purpose
• Wanting to share your happiness and joy with others

One important thing to remember is that happiness isn't a state of constant euphoria . Instead, happiness is an overall sense of experiencing more positive emotions than 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," says Hannah 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."

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: hedonia and eudaimonia.

• Hedonia: Hedonic happiness is derived from pleasure. It is most often associated with doing what feels good, self-care, fulfilling desires, experiencing enjoyment, and feeling a sense of satisfaction.
• Eudaimonia: This type of happiness is derived from seeking virtue and meaning. Important components of eudaimonic well-being including feeling that your life has meaning, value, and purpose. It is associated more with fulfilling responsibilities, investing in long-term goals, concern for the welfare of other people, and living up to personal ideals.

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 to engagement . 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:

• Joy: A often relatively brief feeling that is felt in the present moment
• Excitement: A happy feeling that involves looking forward to something with positive anticipation
• Gratitude: A positive emotion that involves being thankful and appreciative
• Pride: A feeling of satisfaction in something that you have accomplished
• Optimism: This is a way of looking at life with a positive, upbeat outlook
• Contentment: This type of happiness involves a sense of satisfaction

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 of intrinsically-motivated goals 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 natural negativity 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.

Avoid Social Comparison

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.

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.

• Positive emotions increase satisfaction with life.
• Happiness helps people build stronger coping skills and emotional resources.
• Positive emotions are linked to better health and longevity. One study found that people who experienced more positive emotions than negative ones were more likely to have survived over a 13 year period.
• Positive feelings increase resilience. Resilience helps people better manage stress and bounce back better when faced with setbacks. For example, one study found that happier people tend to have lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol and that these benefits tend to persist over time.
• People who report having a positive state of well-being are more likely to engage in healthy behaviors such as eating fruits and vegetables and engaging in regular physical exercise.
• Being happy may make help you get sick less often. Happier mental states are linked to increased immunity.

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 support is 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.

Find a Sense of Purpose

Research has found that people who feel like they have a purpose have better well-being and feel more fulfilled.   A sense of purpose involves seeing your life as having goals, direction, and meaning. It may help improve happiness by promoting healthier behaviors. 

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

• Explore your interests and passions
• Engage in prosocial and altruistic causes
• Work to address injustices
• Look for new things you might want to learn more about

This sense of purpose is influenced by a variety of factors, but it is also something that you can cultivate. It involves finding a goal that you care deeply about that will lead you to engage in productive, positive actions in order to work toward that goal.

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.

Not Seeking Social Support

Social support means 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.

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

The hierarchy of needs suggests that people are motivated to pursue increasingly complex needs. Once more basic needs are fulfilled, people are then motivated by more psychological and emotional 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 of positive 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.

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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. L ink 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 .

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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

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By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

Essay On What Makes Me Happy

There are many things in life that make us happy, but what makes us the happiest? There is no one answer to this question, as everyone has different values and priorities that make them happy. However, there are some things that are common to all people who are happy – they enjoy doing things that make them feel good, they have strong relationships with family and friends, and they find meaning in their lives. In this essay, we will explore each of these topics in greater detail and look at what makes each of them so important to us.

Table of Contents

Short Essay On What Makes Me Happy

Happiness is a feeling that we all strive for in life, and what makes each person happy can be different and unique. For me, there are several things that bring joy and happiness into my life, and I would like to share a few of them.

First and foremost, spending time with loved ones is what makes me the happiest. Whether it is going out for a meal, taking a walk, or simply having a chat, being surrounded by people I care about is what brings me the most joy. Spending quality time with family and friends creates memories and strengthens bonds, and I find that this is what brings me the most happiness in life.

Another thing that brings me happiness is traveling and exploring new places. I love experiencing new cultures, trying new foods, and seeing new sights. Traveling broadens my horizons and provides a sense of adventure and excitement, which I find extremely fulfilling. Whether it is a road trip, a weekend getaway, or a longer trip abroad, exploring new destinations always brings a smile to my face and joy to my heart.

In addition, I find that engaging in hobbies and activities that I am passionate about also brings me happiness. Whether it is photography, reading, or playing a musical instrument, these activities allow me to escape from the stress of daily life and focus on something that brings me joy and fulfillment. Pursuing my hobbies provides a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction, and it is a way for me to express my creativity and individuality.

Finally, volunteering and giving back to others is something that brings me happiness and a sense of purpose. Whether it is helping at a local food bank, volunteering at a local animal shelter, or simply lending a helping hand to someone in need, helping others is a way to make a positive impact on the world and feel good about oneself.

In conclusion, there are many things that bring happiness into my life, and each person’s list will be different. For me, spending time with loved ones, traveling, engaging in hobbies, and giving back to others are all things that bring a smile to my face and joy to my heart. These are the things that make me happy, and I believe that they are the key to a fulfilling and happy life.

Long Essay On What Makes Me Happy

I believe that there are a few qualities that make me happy. One of the things that makes me happy is when I am able to help others. Another thing that makes me happy is spending time with my family and friends. Additionally, I enjoy doing activities that I love or have always loved. Lastly, I am also very grateful for all the blessings in my life.

How have my past experiences made me happy?

I have had a lot of experiences that have made me happy. Some of these experiences were things that I did myself, while others were things that happened to me. Regardless of how they occurred, every single experience has contributed to making me the person I am today.

One example of an experience that I enjoyed myself was when I took my first cooking class. It was a new challenge for me and it was rewarding to learn something new and make something delicious for someone else in the class. Another experience that made me happy was when I got accepted into my dream school. It was a hard process but it was worth it when I got the acceptance letter in the mail.

Some of the happiest moments in my life have come as a result of other people doing things for me. One such moment occurred when my grandma gave me a birthday present that she had been saving up for years – her entire collection of cookbooks! Another time, my friends organized an impromptu party at my house after I got back from travelling overseas and everything went smoothly thanks to their planning.

The list could go on and on, but ultimately what makes me happy is simply experiencing various things in life and feeling grateful for all the good that has come my way. Every little thing – no matter how small – contributes to creating a happiness inside of me which is difficult to shake off even once those special memories have faded away.

What do I need to do to increase my chances of happiness?

There is no single answer to this question, as everyone has different needs and wants. However, some things that may help increase your chances of happiness are: spending time with loved ones, enjoying hobbies or activities you enjoy, maintaining healthy personal relationships, and working towards goals that make you happy. Additionally, it’s important to be mindful of your surroundings and take in all the beauty around you. Happiness can come from small moments as well as larger ones. Be sure to savor both!

Happiness is an elusive concept, but for me, it comes down to a few simple things. I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, enjoying nature whenever possible, and indulging in my favorite hobbies. These are all things that make me happy and help me rid myself of stress. If you can find something that makes you happy on a regular basis then I believe you will be just as content as I am. So go out there and find what makes you smile – it might just be the key to happiness!

Manisha Dubey Jha is a skilled educational content writer with 5 years of experience. Specializing in essays and paragraphs, she’s dedicated to crafting engaging and informative content that enriches learning experiences.

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What Makes You Happy? 10 Different Answers With Examples

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Updated on October 15, 2023

• Appreciating simple joys can spark instant happiness.
• Engaging in activities we love provides mental health benefits.
• Finding contentment in what we have leads to genuine happiness.

Have you ever been asked the question, “What makes you happy?” When you put some thought into it, I’m sure that you’ll come up with a wide range of answers. Having your favorite meal might come to mind, or getting that dream job might be at the top of the list.

Happiness is something that every person seeks, yet it can be elusive and difficult to define. What brings happiness to one person may not necessarily bring happiness to another. However, understanding the factors that contribute to happiness can help us to live more fulfilling lives. 

In this article, we will explore different answers to the question, “What makes you happy?” By examining the different sources of happiness, I hope to provide insights for individuals seeking to cultivate greater happiness and well-being in their lives!

Sources of happiness

My own answer to happiness, 1. appreciating the small things, 2. spending time with our loved ones, 3. expressing love and feeling loved, 4. doing our favorite activities, 5. experiencing new things, 6. achieving our goals, 7. taking care of ourselves, 8. giving back, 9. living our purpose, 10. feeling content, wrapping up.

We all have various sources of happiness. But to help you reflect on what truly makes you happy, breaking them down into categories can make the process easier.

According to a book entitled Happiness: A Very Short Introduction by philosophy professor Dr. Haybron, there are 5 key sources of happiness which are as follows:

• Security: Experiencing a sense of stability and predictability in our lives can lead to feelings of calmness, contentment, and happiness.
• Relationships: Spending time with family and friends, building strong social connections, and having a supportive partner are all sources of happiness for many people.
• Outlook: Practicing gratitude and focusing on the positive aspects of life can increase happiness levels and reduce stress and anxiety.
• Autonomy: Making independent choices and having control over one’s life, has been found to be a significant source of happiness and fulfillment.
• Skilled and meaningful activity: Engaging in activities that allow us to find a sense of purpose can increase overall life satisfaction and happiness.

These are just a few examples of the many sources of happiness, and what brings happiness to one person may not necessarily bring happiness to another. Ultimately, happiness is a subjective experience that can be influenced by a variety of factors, both internal and external.

When I think about what makes me happy, I’d like to go for things that don’t take too much effort or cost me a lot.

For example, being happy in a relationship doesn’t have to mean grand expressions of love. It can be cooking our favorite meal together on a Tuesday night, or receiving a compliment at a random moment.

When I think about happiness in my everyday life, it can be as simple as feeling the warm sun on my skin or seeing a baby smile at me on the bus. It’s those tiny encounters that instantly lift my mood.

When I find joy in humble and innocent moments like these, it creates a positive change in my perspective on life. I realize that life can be pure bliss when we know the value of contentment!

💡 By the way : Do you find it hard to be happy and in control of your life? It may not be your fault. To help you feel better, we’ve condensed the information of 100’s of articles into a 10-step mental health cheat sheet to help you be more in control. 👇

Don’t Miss Out On Happiness

Find happiness with this 10-step mental health cheat sheet.

10 answers to the question “What makes you happy?”

If you’re exploring the ways to respond to this question, here are some examples worth reflecting on:

Enjoying simple pleasures, such as reading a good book, basking in the morning sun, or looking out at a nice view, can instantly spark our happiness.

Appreciating the simple joys that life brings can help us to be fully present in the moment and enjoy the experience to its fullest. Most of the time, finding happiness doesn’t have to cost us anything at all!

Loved ones can provide emotional and social support, which can help us cope with stress and adversity. This sense of social support can lead to greater happiness and well-being .

When we share experiences with the people we care about, it can also create good memories and strengthen our relationships. Whether it’s special occasions or pure quality time, making time for our loved ones can surely give us a good dose of positivity.

When we show our love to someone and we know that we’ve made them happy, it can give us a sense of fulfillment. In the same way, feeling their love in return can certainly provide the kind of joy that’s priceless.

Knowing that the people we love feel the same way can also boost our self-esteem and sense of self-worth, which can lead to greater confidence and happiness!

Whether it’s enjoying our hobbies or pursuing the work that we love, doing what makes us happy can do wonders for our mental health and overall life satisfaction.

Engaging in activities that we enjoy can also act as a form of stress relief, helping us to relax and live an easy-going life. Keep in mind that you don’t need a lot of reasons to do something but to make yourself happy!

Ever had one of those “bucket lists” of things you want to try before you reach a certain age? Surely, ticking things off this list can bring adventure and excitement to your life.

Oftentimes, we can get lost in the grind of our daily lives, and one way to break such monotony is by immersing ourselves in new experiences. So, step out of your comfort zone and enjoy all the excitement and happiness that the world has to offer!

Most of us find happiness through a sense of accomplishment. By setting goals and working towards achieving them , we attain positive feelings such as pride, satisfaction, and growth.

While it’s great to be goal-driven, it’s also important to note that true happiness is not a destination. Rather, paying close attention to our journey can help us find more meaning in everything that we choose to do.

Self-care is fundamental to our happiness and overall well-being. When we take care of ourselves , we are more capable of doing the things we love, spending time with the people we care about, and pursuing our passions in life.

Health, in all aspects, can help us experience happiness to our maximum potential. So, make sure to rest and recharge before you go back to chasing that adrenaline rush!

For some of us who have already achieved all sorts of happiness in life, contributing to other people’s happiness and welfare can further fuel our sense of purpose.

Whether it’s getting involved in charitable work or dedicating ourselves to helping our communities, knowing that we’ve made a positive impact on other people’s lives can bring us incomparable joy .

Discovering our purpose is essential to finding our own happiness. When we know what we’re most passionate about and we pursue it, we gain a sense of direction and fulfillment.

Living with purpose can also make us feel like we’re needed and that we have a place in the world. These positive beliefs can ultimately lead us to live a happy and healthy life.

Contentment is often associated with a sense of acceptance and gratitude for what one has, rather than a focus on what one lacks or desires.

People can sometimes have the tendency to keep wanting more and never feel satisfied with what they have. But, to be truly happy, we must learn a valuable lesson: that good enough is good enough. Only when we find contentment will we achieve genuine happiness.

💡 By the way : If you want to start feeling better and more productive, I’ve condensed the information of 100’s of our articles into a 10-step mental health cheat sheet here. 👇

This Cheat Sheet Will Help You Be Happier and More Productive

Thrive under stress and crush your goals with these 10 unique tips for your mental health.

Happiness can feel different for everyone. From spending time with loved ones to achieving our goals, experiencing new things, and living our purpose, there are many factors that can contribute to our overall sense of well-being and fulfillment.

By exploring and embracing what brings us joy and contentment, we can create a life that is truly filled with happiness and meaning.

When someone asks you what makes you happy, how would you answer? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

Writer and advocate for young people’s mental health. Firm believer of validating one’s feelings, prioritizing the inner-self, and finding happiness in a plate of chicken curry.

2 thoughts on “What Makes You Happy? 10 Different Answers With Examples”

Nothing makes me happy at the moment

I’m sorry to hear, Mimi. I hope you’re pulilng through and find something to be happy about soon.

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Essay on What makes me Happy

The word happiness when comes to our mind displays the images of a smiling or a laughing face in front of us. Isn’t it true? This is the fact that no one in this world wants to be sad. We all are in search of happiness. The way of finding happiness is different in every person in this universe. There are many things in this world that bring smiles and satisfaction to the face of people.

Short and Long Essays on What makes me Happy in English

Find here some essays of your interest:

10 Lines Essay on What makes me Happy (100 – 120 Words)

1) The thing that gives people enjoyment and pleasure makes them happy.

2) Listening to music makes me happy.

3) I love music and also sing very well.

4) Music gives me peace and relaxation.

5) When I feel bored or alone, music becomes my partner.

6) Music soothes my mind and improves my mood.

7) I feel energetic on listening to my favorite music.

8) Music is a great way to keep me motivated.

9) Music makes me happy even when I am full of anger.

10) Music and musical instruments give me internal joy and happiness.

Short Essay – 300 Words

Introduction

Happiness is referred to as a good state of mind and body. People often smile, sing, and dance when they are happy. The perspective of happiness is different for everyone in this world. We all must try to find out and note down the things that can make us happy. We can do those things for getting happiness whenever we are in a bad mood or sad.

Happiness lies in enjoying small things in life

It is presumed that happiness lies in doing big things. Many of us think that earning a lot of money and holding a nice position is necessary for getting happiness. It is true that success brings happiness but it does not mean that it is only the way to be happy. In reality, happiness lies in enjoying small-small things in our life. The happiness that we get by doing these things is a very beautiful experience. I feel happy when I help my mother in her kitchen work, water the plants, eat my favorite dish, go for a walk, listen to music, play with pets, spend time with family, gossip with friends, etc. We need to find ways of getting happy instead of waiting for it to come by itself.

The beauty of nature and melody of music enhances the feeling of happiness

We must try to listen to music or feel the beauty of nature when we are happy. Happiness is enhanced when enjoyed in nature with the melody of music. Music has the power to reduce the pain of sadness. We have often noticed that people listen to music when they are very sad or depressed. It helps them in ending the pain of their sorrow and makes them feel better.

The best way to keep ourselves stress-free is to be happy. Therefore we must try to find ways to be happy and make others happy too.

In the long essay, I will be sharing some important things in my life that provide happiness to me. I hope that you all would be having such experiences in your life too. This essay will be an aid to the students in getting an idea about writing an essay, assignment, or project on this topic.

Essay on Things that make me Happy – Long Essay (1000 Words)

Life involves both, sometimes happiness and sometimes sadness. One can never be always happy or sad in their life. Happiness is always followed by sadness. Becoming happy is not very difficult but depends totally upon our perceptions. We can be happy by a number of activities like traveling, reading, shopping, cooking, etc. Our mind is full of excitement and satisfaction when we are happy and this really gets depicted on our faces.

What is Happiness?

Happiness is about getting inner satisfaction and well being of body and mind. Happiness is certainly a great feeling. It is expressed in the form of joy, excitement, pride, gratitude, etc. We all are doing some or the other thing in our lives. Everything we do in our life is only to attain happiness. I think nobody ever does anything to be sad or unhappy. When we are happy everything around us seems to be happy with us. Nothing in this world can be as beautiful as we feel when we are happy. This happiness can be gained because of numerous things in our life.

Happiness makes us optimistic as the negativity in our mind is the exchange by positive thoughts. This positive attitude makes us more enthusiastic and determined for our goals in life. Happiness is also a key to good health and success in our life.

Things that make me Happy

I strongly believe in the idea of simple living and high thinking. When it comes to the question that what makes me feel happy I am really confused. It is because I find my happiness in very small-small things in life. It will be very difficult to enlist those entire things that make me happy but I will be enlisting few important things that provide greater happiness to me.

• My Family – Our Parents are the most precious gift by god to us on the earth. According to me, I have never seen god and therefore my parents on this earth are the form of god for me. The quality time that I spend with my family members makes me feel most happy. The intense care and love they provide us are incomparable to anything in this world. Many of the time when my parents are facing some problems or are tensed, it is also depicted on my face too. The smiling faces of my parents make me happy.
• Some Voluntary Deeds – I used to feed dogs when I was 5 years old. Since then it came into my habit to feed the dogs and cows roaming on the roads. The day I could not feed makes me sad and worried. I find great pleasure in feeding them. I also keep some grains and water in a small bowl on my roof every day to feed and quench the thirst of the birds. This deed makes me happy and I love doing this daily.

I along with some neighborhood friends teach the poor students living nearby our colony. We teach them free of cost. I have learned about this thing from my school. In my school, some of the teachers were said to take evening classes for the poor students without any fee and therefore I thought of starting this work near my house too. This work gives me inner satisfaction that I am going a good job. The happiness that I get in this work cannot be expressed in words.

• The Beauty of Nature with Music – I love enjoying the beauty of nature with music. The trees, birds, small animals, and their activities make me happy. Music is something that heals my every pain of life. During the morning and evening walks, I feel very happy as I am connected with nature along with the music. It is a great joy to watch the activities in nature with the melodies music. As I am fond of singing so many times I sing because of joy and excitement in my garden. I have visited and love going to the places like waterfalls, wildlife parks, and sanctuaries, and to my village. These places make me closer and connected to Mother Nature and provide immense happiness to me.

Is it Necessary to Gain Wealth and Success to be Happy in Life?

Happiness is about the feeling or emotion of the mind. We can be happy with different things in our life. It is totally a misconception that wealth and success are necessary for being happy. If it would be true then the richest people in this world would only be the happiest ones. We can find happiness in our daily routine life with very small things. It totally depends upon us to search out reasons for becoming happy in our life. Happiness arises from the things that we love to do in our life. It can never be bought with money as many times we see that even after having everything in life people are not happy. It is because they are not having those things in life they love to do or far from things that provide them the happiness.

We can find happiness in every moment we live our life. We can say that when we are happy it is easy for us to be directed towards our goal and get success in life. As positive thoughts will make you more enthusiastic and determined for your aim. It will drag every type of negativity from your mind. Success and wealth are about what have we achieved in our life but happiness is something that is felt.

Happiness lies in accepting the truth of our life and living it most gracefully by enjoying every moment of life. There will be some moments created that will make us feel happy. We love and like to live our life by doing the things that make us happy or reside with ones that make our lives a happier one. It helps in getting a peaceful mind and a healthy body. We are also enriched with positive thoughts when we are happy. It is the most beautiful feeling in this universe.

FAQs: Frequently asked Questions

Ans . It simply means getting rid of sadness and gaining the satisfaction of mind and body.

Ans . The most powerful emotion is love that ultimately makes us happy.

Ans . According to the World Happiness Report 2020, Finland is the happiest country in the world.

Ans . The International Day of Happiness is celebrated on 20th March every year since 2013.

Ans . India is ranked at 144th happiest country among 156 countries in the World Happiness Report 2020.

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Essay on What makes you Happy

December 13, 2017 by Study Mentor 1 Comment

Being happy is a feeling that each and every human being wants. It’s in human being’s nature to crave happiness. There is nothing wrong in being happy. As a matter of fact, a person should be happy to have a healthy life. There are different people, animals or pets and things that make a person happy.

Each and every human being has different things in which they found happiness. The things may not be of importance to others or look stupid from other’s point of view but for the person, to whom these things belong, knows that they are irreplaceable and for them its value cannot be measured by money. Happiness is a feeling that money cannot ever buy.

Happiness is something that just lights up a person’s whole world in a matter of seconds. Happiness makes a person want to smile always. There are no words that can describe the feeling of happiness properly. It is something that can only be felt by someone. Sometimes the emotion happiness comes out from the eyes in the form of tears. These tears are called as happy tears.

In my life there are a lot of things that makes me happy starting with my family, friends and ends with many non-living thing. I respect each and every thing that makes me happy. However there are two particular things that make me happy the most.

Those two things are listening to music while going for a long walk all by myself. It is weird that these two seemingly unimportant things can give me happiness beyond imagination. But for me these two things are something I treasure from the bottom of my heart and are very important to me.

Music is something that refreshes my mind and keeps me in peace where as walking always calms me down and keeps me relaxed. When I combine walking and listening to music, I am left with relaxed body and refreshed mind which helps me waltz through my day with absolute ease.

From ancient days music is used as a means to calm someone’s mind. Music has always been there. Music can be of different kinds and people can twist music the way they please and create a song. Music has no particular tunes. Different people give different tunes and all of them are music.

I love the way people play with tunes and turn them into something amazing that we call song. These songs are what refresh my mind. Songs are beautiful melodies that are created by people. Every people love songs but not the same songs as people have different types of taste in music.

The kinds of songs that I like are slow songs where the melody is soothing and the lyrics are meaningful. The soothing music is capable of even calming down an angry animal. That is why I like music the most. Listening to music sometimes makes me feel like it is cleansing my soul.

Walking is good for health. A long walk relaxes my body. It makes me feel free of bounds. While walking I can feel the scenery around me. I enjoy walking very much. Walking is also a good exercise and it keeps my body in shape without working out.

While walking my mind wander off to different directions. I get lost in my thoughts often. I think about the problems in my life while walking and walking helps me to make decision in cool and calm mind and free from pressure.

Making important decisions while a person is in a relaxed state, makes the decision important as while the person is relaxed, he or she is free from all the tensions and external pressures and thinks about all the pros and cons of the decision thoroughly before taking it. This helps me in creating a balance in my life.

When I mix music and walking together, I find true peace. I stop thinking about my problems while walking and listening to music and just lose myself in the music and just enjoy a time with myself that I often don’t get. Spending time with me has been a benefit in my case.

In today’s date, each and everyone go through a hectic schedule and don’t get enough holidays to go for a short trip and because of that we don’t get to relax and spend some time with ourselves as much. So, I find some time out from my busy schedule to relax and to spend some time with myself.

Normally, it is not possible for me to relax so I use walking and music to relax. I love doing both individually but as I don’t get much time to do it, I do both of them together and it has benefited me till today and will keep on giving me benefit in the future also.

Whenever I go for a walk to take a break, I listen to music and I am in a hill station and am walking barefoot in a field which is filled with soft grass and the weather is just perfect that is not too warm neither too cold. When I think this, I can almost feel the grass underneath my feet. Yes, all of this is my imagination but this feels me with such happiness that no words will be able to describe that feeling.

Music always soothes me and in my imagination it acts like a back ground soft sound that is emitted throughout the hill to make me addicted to that feeling. This is how it relaxes my mind and body. It is really difficult for me to relax my mind but walking and music has done that for me.

Going for a walk while listening to music every day, has a positive effect on my mind and soul. It makes me happy and allows me to stay calm throughout the whole day. Each day I look forward to the time that I can spend all by myself by taking a break from the busy schedule.

As I mentioned above, the time I spend with myself only happen when the combination of walking and music happens. This is something I won’t ever give up at any cost. It makes me happy specially when I lose myself in the music of the song and think that I am visiting a hill station for a short break.

This is how I release all my frustration and pent up energy. The music flows throughout my body like water and relaxes my muscles too.

Reader Interactions

January 14, 2021 at 11:48 pm

i realy love the all word that you write . please give me some advince to do some writing like this .

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Greater Good Science Center • Magazine • In Action • In Education

How Does Your Personality Affect Your Happiness?

Many of us don’t necessarily have the kind of lives we want. We may not enjoy intimate relationships, jobs that fulfill us, the ideal home, or enough income to do what we want to do.

But do these circumstances dictate our happiness? According to a new study led by René Mõttus of Edinburgh University and the University of Tartu in Estonia, they don’t—at least not exclusively. Instead, our personalities play a significant role in determining how satisfied we are with our life, and changing our circumstances doesn’t really matter as much as we think.

“You can think, Oh, if I get these 10 papers published and I get this promotion, that’ll make things much better , but probably not,” says Mõttus.” You will be happier if something more broadly changes in you.”

What personality traits lead to happiness

In this study, over 21,000 European and British adults (many of them Estonians or ethnic Russians living in Estonia) reported on how satisfied they were in different domains of their lives (like their work, health, relationships, and finances). They also filled out a detailed personality survey that measured several aspects of personality, including the “Big Five” traits or how extroverted (outgoing and energetic), conscientious (efficient and organized), neurotic (sensitive and nervous), agreeable (friendly and compassionate), and open to experience (inventive and curious) they were. And the survey measured other aspects of personality, such as how envious, competitive, loyal, narcissistic, or spiritual someone was.

To get a less biased view of each person’s personality, participants designated someone they knew well to assess their personality traits, too, and the researchers used these to verify self-reports. Ultimately, Mõttus and his team found that people who were less neurotic, more extraverted, and more conscientious tended to be more satisfied with life in all domains, while agreeableness and openness to experience were hardly related to life satisfaction at all.

To Mõttus, these results weren’t too surprising, especially how life satisfaction was higher in people who were less neurotic and more extraverted. But, by looking more granularly into their data, he found that certain specific traits were much more strongly associated with life satisfaction than the Big Five.

For example, people who were risk takers, found it easy to apologize, felt committed to their family, were loyal, respected authority, liked to visit new places, and were working on self-improvement tended to be more satisfied with life, whereas the opposite was true of people who made enemies easily, told lies, often forgot things, and cried easily.

In fact, when they looked at scores on just three of the more nuanced personality factors—how much someone felt understood, excited by life, or able to make decisions easily—they found that these alone predicted life satisfaction with 80% accuracy. Of the three, though, feeling understood was the most strongly predictive of all.

“The single most important thing from which you can recognize somebody with low life satisfaction is if they feel that other people don’t understand them,” says Mõttus. “That’s the thing that really stood out. . . . It was by far the most consistent predictor.”

Does this mean that creating greater understanding between people might increase life satisfaction more widely, then? Maybe feeling understood could help people feel less lonely or isolated.

But given his findings, Mõttus isn’t willing to conclude that. Personality traits tend to be stable over our lifetimes, which is what classifies something as an aspect of personality, and that will likely still influence how people respond to social situations.

“Relationships don’t just happen to people; people choose relationships and work for them. And they can screw up relationships by, for example, constantly going around showing that they feel misunderstood,” he says. So, personality is important to consider, even in our quest for more satisfying relationships.

Though these findings are based on a very large number of people, they don’t necessarily prove that someone’s personality causes them to have high or low life satisfaction. To get at that, Mõttus and his team looked at a smaller group of the participants who had also been surveyed about their personalities and life satisfaction 10 years earlier.

The Science of Happiness

What does it take to live a happier life? Learn research-tested strategies that you can put into practice today. Hosted by award-winning psychologist Dacher Keltner. Co-produced by PRX and UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center.

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What they found surprised Mõttus: Even if someone’s life satisfaction had dipped a bit over time, it could still be pretty accurately predicted just by looking at personality traits measured 10 years earlier.

“Whatever the link between personality and life satisfaction is, it persists over time,” says Mõttus. “If we wanted to predict someone’s life satisfaction in 10 years, we could just as well predict it from their personality traits now.”

Of course, that’s not 100% true. Even Mõttus says that they couldn’t predict life satisfaction well for one out of four people. Perhaps in some cases, he says, a change in their life somehow knocked their stability out of whack, and their personality was no longer a strong driver of their life satisfaction.

But, in general, many of the things that happen in our ordinary lives don’t affect our happiness as much as we think, he says. And that has relevance for us all.

Can personality change?

While this message may seem disheartening—that our personalities strongly influence our happiness—Mõttus doesn’t think it’s all bad news. Sure, having certain personality traits may make you feel less satisfied with life no matter what happens. But, on the flipside, other traits may buffer you through difficult times. For example, if you are low in neuroticism, you may be able to see the silver linings and not become overwhelmed, even in stressful circumstances.

It’s also possible that people can affect their life satisfaction deliberately through specific behaviors or practices, making it less tied to their personality. For example, research has found that many well-being practices —like gratitude and self-compassion , for example—can shift people’s life satisfaction without consideration of their personality type, per se.

Similarly, even though we tend to think of personality as fixed, more and more research suggests that personalities can evolve via specific effort, says Mõttus, and this gives him some (guarded) hope.

“I’ve been very skeptical about personality change research, but I’m really changing my mind,” he says. “There is a reason we should try these things, and the initial findings are pretty encouraging.”

However, he cautions, shifting from being neurotic to not neurotic at all might be difficult. Instead, it could be more realistic to just learn to worry a little less or feel a little less misunderstood. Those more nuanced traits might be more malleable and a better target for change than the “Big Five,” he says.

To that end, he and his team have been developing a toolkit that could be widely available as a phone app and would allow people to choose personality traits to work on. He hopes to test it in the years ahead to see if it helps people make the changes they want.

In the meantime, we can keep in mind that, while getting that great job or relationship we’ve been wanting won’t necessarily make us happier, having bad things happen won’t necessarily permanently tank our happiness either. And there is some solace in that.

“Circumstances just happen—they come and go,” says Mõttus. “On the positive side of this, if negative things happen, they probably don’t matter that much. You can be happy based on your personality, and you will probably bounce back pretty quickly.”

About the Author

Jill Suttie

Jill Suttie, Psy.D. , is Greater Good ’s former book review editor and now serves as a staff writer and contributing editor for the magazine. She received her doctorate of psychology from the University of San Francisco in 1998 and was a psychologist in private practice before coming to Greater Good .

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How Happy Are You? Why Should You Know and How You Can Tell

To effectively improve your happiness, have a valid way to verify your progress..

Posted July 26, 2024 | Reviewed by Abigail Fagan

• No one can effectively improve on anything without a way to measure and verify progress.
• To succeed as a happiness seeker, you should know how happy you are, and how much happier you want to become.
• The Edo Questionnaire is our new tool for measuring happiness, both objectively and subjectively.

Imagine enrolling in a physical fitness class and, like all the other students, you have promptly begun the daily exercises as instructed by the coach. However, you have no idea how much you currently weigh in pounds or kilograms—prompting the reasonable question: What is your target body weight?

Knowing how much you currently weigh and having a preferred target weight in mind is necessary for your determination, resilience , and perseverance to evolve and matter—as you seek physical fitness.

Similarly, imagine that you are pursuing happiness —striving day and night to become happier but have no idea how happy you currently are. A very reasonable question is: When and how will you know you are “happier” and, “happier than what” would that be?

Just like in the pursuit of physical fitness, common sense strongly suggests that before starting any new endeavor, you should self-assess to know where you currently are and where you’d like to be. Thus, pre-testing and re-testing for happiness is a must since no one can effectively improve on anything without a way to measure, quantify, and verify progress.

The Edo Questionnaire , our tool for measuring happiness—aka the PISA Scale—is now available for happiness seekers, happiness advocates, coaches, researchers, human resource directors, and wellness officers to use (Obayuwana, 2024).

The Edo Questionnaire

The Edo Questionnaire (or PISA Scale) is a 12-item self-assessment tool for measuring happiness. It can differentiate and identify happy, unhappy, very happy, languishing, or flourishing individuals in any given cohort. It is a perfect tool for rating happiness for whatever purpose or reason—when and wherever accurate measurement of happiness is desired. It is particularly suitable for testing and re-testing when monitoring progress or confirming improvements. It is short and precise, easy to administer and score, with no issues whatsoever about social desirability bias .

Its unit of measure is PHI (or P ersonal H appiness I ndex)—which ranges from 0.125 on the languishing end of the scale to 8.0 on the flourishing end of the scale. The questionnaire has good internal consistency with an alpha value of 0.88. The content validity ratio is 0.85—with five SMEs used in calculating the CVR. Test-retest reliability is 0.95

Why Know Your PHI?

PHI is a true measure of your well-being—objectively determined and subjectively verifiable. It is much like weighing yourself, determining your height, or taking your own blood pressure, and temperature—objectively performed by yourself, using the right tool.

For all adults, whether a peasant or a millionaire, rural or urban, and regardless of age, gender , language, culture, geography, annual income, or national GDP, the PHI is a valid way to tell objectively when you are “happier” and also, how much “happier than what”. The following case report is very illustrative.

The Case Report of AJ

AJ was a forty-three-year-old female who was the assistant principal of a middle school. She attended one of my presentations and subsequently privately requested one-on-one happiness coaching services from me.

During stage two of our one-on-one happiness coaching sessions, her PHI was calculated to be 0.932, which is in the “unhappy” zone. At stage four of our coaching sessions, a customized PDR (or personal daily routine) that was unique to her circumstances was designed and given to her for actualization. AJ was to return after six weeks of performing and actualizing her PDR. Instead of six weeks, she showed up three months later with copious apologies for her tardiness. When she was re-tested, she had a PHI of 2.314—a very impressive progress. She moved from the “unhappy” Zone C straight to “very happy” Zone A—bypassing the “happy” Zone B.

That was an unusual progress but much welcome. As I was quietly marveling about what an effective happiness coach I had become, AJ smiled broadly and said she had some good news to share: “I have been promoted to the rank of a full principal, and guess what? I also have a wedding engagement” as she flashed a diamond ring on her finger. At that moment, I realized why she had taken three months instead of six weeks to return for stage five of our client-coach relationship. I also realized that her impressive rise in PHI might have very little to do with my coaching efficacy.

Although it remains questionable how consequential I truly was, as a coach, in AJ’s progress; the Edo Questionnaire very accurately captured her progress. Without the use of the Edo Questionnaire, there was no way to objectively and accurately quantify the progress she made.

For Whom Is the Edo Questionnaire?

Without exceptions, we all want to be happier and there is a myriad of happiness-promoting methods and exercises recommended to us—but without any proven tool to objectively verify progress.

Therefore, the Edo Questionnaire is recommended for use by happiness seekers, happiness coaches, research psychologists, chief happiness officers, directors of human services (or resources), happiness advocates, and those policymakers, who are directly or indirectly involved in the “business” of happiness.

The Happiness Formula, A Scientific Groundbreaking Approach to Happiness and Personal Fulfillment (Obayuwana, 2024).

Alphonsus Obayuwana, M.D., Ph.D. , is a physician and retired major in the US Air Force. He has been on the faculty of Johns Hopkins and Eastern Virginia Medical School. He founded the Triple-H Project and authored The Five Sources of Human Hope and The Happiness Formula.

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How to be Happy in Life Essay in English

How to remain happy. Once a person went to a wise-man and said, “I want happiness.” The wise-man simply said, “Remove ‘I’ from your life, it is your ego and it makes you disable. Remove ‘Want’, as it makes you restless and what remains behind is ‘Happiness’!”

So, today we will discuss some really simple but influential practices to make your life better and worth living.

Table of Contents

Smile and Silence

Be satisfied with what you have.

One of the biggest reasons for our sad life is that we never remain happy with what we have; instead we burn ourselves with the fire of jealousy by seeing the material things of others. If you ever go through such situation, then visit a beggar or a handicapped person or a poor or someone ill and you will be proud of what you have.

Do What You Enjoy When You Are Idle

When idle always try to do what makes you blissful. E.g. gardening, articles writing, poetry etc. These things really have a positive effect on your mind. If you don’t have such interests then just discover what makes you happy by doing new and innovative experiments.

Belief in Almighty

Whenever you are depressed or not feeling good, meditate and pray to Almighty. While in solitude try to share your emotions with Almighty and you will surely feel relief and euphoria. Belief in Almighty is one of the best cures of depression. You may gather tonnes of money, yet peace of mind lies in the remembrance of Almighty.

Writing Down Your Virtues on Notebook

Aside from writing down your virtues, you can also write quotes. Quotes or mottos in life can help guide and inspire you to be at your best. Many legendary people, such as scientists, business tycoons, philanthropists, and heroes have shared their quotes to the world, which are also their driving force or guide to the right path. 

Quotes can reflect your virtues too. You can read inspirational quotes here to be more motivated to write your own personal quotes in a journal. When you start creating your own quotes, you’ll be more inspired to add more whenever you like it, such as in a long-haul flight.

Help Others

Donating in charities or doing volunteer works in community events or outreach programs are also great ideas. When you help others, you also help yourself because you’ll feel good doing it, boosting your morale.

Expectations Lead to Depression

Read self-helo books.

Try these simple steps for just a few days and you will you changed life!

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How to Live a Happy Life: 101 Ways to Be Happier Essay

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Every human being wants to be happy. This is what we are born for on this earth. This is what every person is striving for during his/her lifetime.

Nowadays, the quest for happiness is something that millions of people are obsessed with. Go to any book store, and you will see hundreds of “guides” written by reputable psychologists and unknown authors on how to be happy. Can they really teach how to be happy and live a joyful life? Should we take them seriously?

I will try to answer these questions in my paper. A guide that I took as an example is called How to Live a Happy Life – 101 Ways to Be Happier . The book was written by Michele Moore. Its first edition was published in 2007. One of the special features of the book is a Happiness Quiz at the end that you can do, define what happiness actually means to you, and develop your personal plan on how to be happy.

So, what is the author’s main idea? What was the major purpose of writing the book? The author claims that all those who want to be happy should turn happiness into a habit. What is a habit? It is something that we do automatically without even noticing it. Habits come naturally, and happiness should be the same natural part of our daily lives as well.

At a glance, turning happiness into a daily habit seems to be extremely complicated, for someone, probably, even impossible. What Michele Moore suggests to start with is defining happiness (Moore, 2007, p. 17). Needless to say, everybody would have own definition. For somebody, happiness means financial stability and overall success. For others, happiness means having a beloved one and be happy with him/her. Finally, there are people who view happiness in such things as alcohol, drugs or shopping, being popular, etc.

In other words, one’s happiness depends greatly on personal traits, values, priorities. Every person is happy in own way. This statement, in fact, is supported by other researchers. For example, Dr. Alan Carr also draws parallels between personal traits and happiness, and states that because of personal traits, some people even will never be able to achieve happiness (Carr, 2004, p. 16).

To define own way to happiness, Michele Moore recommends just to put everything on paper in order to have a clear vision of your goals and your happiness (Moore, 2007, p. 17). What is one of the biggest problems of people who want to be happy but cannot reach it? They simply have a vague understanding of their own happiness. If you go and ask somebody “What makes you happy”, you will not always hear a clear and precise answer.

Therefore, if you want to be happy, first visualize your happiness, imagine yourself as a happy person. Then, set up particular goals or steps that you need to take to achieve your happiness. It should be a conscious process, some concrete goals, and concrete ways of accomplishing them.

Another important claim that Moore (2007) makes is “Truly happy people are never evil” (p. 37). How can one be happy if he/she has something evil in mind, wants to hurt somebody, or simply wants another person to be unhappy? Happiness in other words can be defined as niceness, as an ability to cooperate with others, help people, make friends, etc. A happy person lives in harmony with the outside world and all people.

The same idea is shared by Dr. Carr. He says that happiness correlates with close relations and friendship. In his work, he describes a study of the happiest college students. Results of this study show that active and rich social life, friends play a great role in lives of the happiest college students (Carr, 2004, p. 23).

Another extremely significant, from my point of view, idea that Michele Moore develops in the book refers to emotional independence. Have you ever notices how emotions of other people almost automatically make you feel the same way? If your friend is angry or depressed, very soon you will feel the same mad or distressed.

This is what happy people do not allow other people do. Nobody can control other person’s emotions and feelings. Nobody should down your spirits. Happy people are just independent from negative people and their negative emotions or some outside circumstances that can make them feel bad (Moore, 2007, p. 43).

Yet, it should be mentioned that not all scholars agree with this position. For example, Eric G. Wilson, a professor of English at Wake Forest University, North Carolina, says Americans are too addicted to positive thinking and happiness, while melancholy and depressive moods are an integral part of our lives, our lives that are so filled with troubles and negative events (Wilson, 2008, p. 29). He does not support people in their addiction to happiness, he disagrees with all those self-help books (by the way, like the one I am discussing right now). According to Wilson (2008), “Melancholy is the muse of great literature, painting, music, and innovation” (p. 34).

Well, probably, melancholy is one of the aspects of Mr. Wilson’s happiness. We have already discussed that personal traits can affect how happy or unhappy a person can be. Anyway, I am not going to judge Professor Wilson, but simply will say that such way of thinking is not for me.

What else do I want to add about Michele Moore’s How to Live a Happy Life – 101 Ways to Be Happie r? First, the book is written in a simple and clear language, which already can make the reader happy. Comparing to other studies of happiness, particularly, those I have used, the book is very easy and exciting to read.

At the end of the book, the author provides bibliography, which is not always typical for self-help books. One of the sources mentioned in the list belongs to the spiritual leader of Tibet Dalai Lama. It is his famous work The Art of Happiness: A Handbook for Living . However, I should point out that Moore does not use some reputable researches in Psychology.

A few words should be added about Michele Moore. She is not only the author of How to Live a Happy Life – 101 Ways to Be Happier , but also of the Happiness Blog, produces Happy Life TV.

What is my overall impression from reading the book? At the first sight, it may look like hundreds of other books of this kind, but I am sure reading this particular guide to happiness can be useful. Why? I have several reasons for that:

• As I have already mentioned, the book is written in a simple language. You do not have to think about the meaning of some words, but just get your benefit from reading;
• The author, actually, talks about some simple laws and eternal truths that have been known thousands of years ago, e.g. do not harm others, make goodness, and others. These laws have been proven to be effective.
• Finally, the book is written in a very positive and enthusiastic way. As for me, it is really inspiring, and I believed Michele Moore from the very first lines.

To sum everything up, I will recommend the book to all those who want to change their lives. Definitely, everything depends on how seriously one will take the book, but I guess it will not help skeptics or materialists. To all those who, at least, a little believe in miracles I will say “Give it a try!”

Reference List

Carr A. (2004). Positive Psychology: The Science of Happiness and Human Strengths. East Sussex: Brunner-Routledge.

Moore M. (2007). How to Live a Happy Life – 101 Ways to Be Happier. Atlanta, Georgia: Happiness Habit Press.

Wilson E. G. (2008). Against Happiness In Praise of Melancholy. New York: Sarah Crichton Books.

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IvyPanda. (2021, March 18). How to Live a Happy Life: 101 Ways to Be Happier. https://ivypanda.com/essays/how-to-live-a-happy-life-101-ways-to-be-happier/

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IvyPanda . 2021. "How to Live a Happy Life: 101 Ways to Be Happier." March 18, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/how-to-live-a-happy-life-101-ways-to-be-happier/.

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What Makes You Happy?

One of the most popular psychological studies is the study of happiness. Thousands of renowned intellectuals have been thoroughly studying this subject for decades. Also known as Hedonists, these people that study the pursuit of happiness have thought of some very valid points. Happiness ranges from comparing the potential happiness between two completely different organisms and specifically finding the solution to happiness for one certain person. The topic that will be discussed in this synthesis is simply the question “What makes an individual in today’s society happy?” This question will be answered simply by comparing experiential happiness and materialistic happiness. Or is it so simple?

When someone says that money does not buy happiness, they are wrong. Studies show that the direct relationship between money and happiness is blatantly clear. Although, yes, money does buy happiness, it does not buy as much as one might think. It is true that, to a degree, the more money a person has, the more they can afford to make themselves happy. For example, wealthier people can afford better nutrition, medical care, as well as more leisure time with people they love. This is not even including all the more material items a wealthier individual could obtain, but that will be mentioned later. Knowing that this is true, is there a cap on how much money can make someone happy? Or is it simply the wealthier someone is, the happier they are? To save the suspense, there actually is a limit on the correlation between wealth and happiness.

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Research shows that a yearly wage of 75,000 dollars or more is all the same. In other words, someone that makes 75,000 dollars a year has the same happiness potential as someone that makes 20 million. One might not agree with this thinking “the more money someone has the more they can buy, therefore more happiness.” It sounds that simple but, sadly like everything else in the world, it is not. Relaying off the fact that there is a limit to how much happiness one can buy, this is supported by research results showing that most people buy their happiness the wrong way. “Research suggests that people are often happier when they spend their money on experiences rather than things.” [438] An example, of how someone could make this simple mistake, would be someone going out and purchasing a new car after they have had a bad break-up.

There is no doubt that a new car will temporarily make anyone happier. The catch is that the happy feeling does not last for very long, it eventually wears off. On the other hand, studies suggest that someone that buys a new experience for example goes bungee jumping or climbs a mountain is more likely to be happier for a longer time. Firstly, this is because an experience that one could buy is going to be different than the life that they are used to, automatically making it more fun. Second, in the future following the experience, the person’s thoughts of this experience will continue to result in happiness, compared to the new car that will only last for a certain amount of time, eventually wearing off. To support this study a sample of over a thousand Americans were tested on whether they were happier with material objects or experiences. 57 percent of the respondents reported that they were happier after their experiences versus a small 34 percent reporting that materials made them happier. (Obviously not the whole sample of Americans responded) Now that the facts have been reported, it is time to understand which path to happiness is the better of the two.

There is no debate that both experiences and materials make a person happy; but what makes experiences better than objects? The main reason why experiences are so much better is simply because people adapt to items so quickly in today’s society. Here is an example. Say someone spends hours in Nebraska Furniture Mart to finally find a nice new oak table for their kitchen. The first week or maybe even a month after owning this table, the person might take great pride in the new addition to the kitchen and clean it every day because it looks so nice and shiny. It is very doubtful that after a year of owning that table it will be kept as shiny as the first week it was owned. It will most likely be faded and have a few scratches; and the item that once made the person so happy will eventually just be a large piece of wood that the family eats off of. Substitute the oak table with any item, maybe a new car or a plasma TV that was once oh so popular.

Now it should be easier to understand why things do not make a person happier than an experience in the long run. “Did you have a happy childhood? Do you remember Christmas morning or your birthday, when you woke up and knew there were presents just for you waiting around the corner? Do you remember the lights on the tree or the candles glowing atop the birthday cake as your family and friends serenaded you? Did you feel happy? Let’s consider the presents themselves.

What did you get for, say, your eighth birthday? Don’t try to think too hard; in fact, you might find that the things that elevated you to the pinnacle of happiness at the age of 8 only created a fleeting pleasantness that faded within a short time. Actually, researchers have pinned down just how long material objects make us happy and it’s only between six and 12 weeks [source: Landau]. As much as you may have desired a certain toy, once you had it, you grew bored or accustomed to it, and the pleasure you derived from it faded.” The quote may be lengthy, but it does a great job explaining why experiences do a much better job of making someone happy compared to items. To reinforce the fact, think about the same experiences. Are memories of good times not often discussed multiple times in the future following the event? What results in these thoughts of wonderful past times? A great guess would be happiness. If it makes anyone feel better, it is guaranteed that the memory of a couple’s Valentine’s Day dinner will last much longer than the flowers and chocolate given to the spouse.

Some might argue that materials are a much better buy considering an expensive vacation obviously does not last near as long as a new car. Although the statement is true, the topic being discussed here is happiness, not bargains. Referring to the beginning of the synthesis, most of these examples would be demonstrated by people that can afford all of the things to maximize ones happiness, in other words, no one is keeping a close eye on their checkbook. Just because most of these examples are blown out of proportion to better clarify happiness at its full potential, does not mean that people who make only 45,000 dollars in a year cannot apply the same concept to themselves. Another example of why some ignoramuses decide to side with materialism is because the items last much longer than the experiences.

A good example would be a new phone. It is something that people use multiple times a day and lasts for quite a long time. How could going on a one day hiking trip possibly make someone happier when it only lasts a day compared to the nice new phone that lasts up to months? Yes, we have all gone through the experience of purchasing a new phone and being awed by all of the new features and applications. It is true that this will make any normal person quite happy for a period of time; but think five months down the road. Either that person could be reminiscing the great time he had with his or her friends at the top of the mountain, or the same person could be dreading the phone bill that has to have paid by the end of the week. All of the arguments supporting materialism have valid points that are true to a reasonable degree, but in the end they are no match for the facts that support experientialism.

All of the examples comparing materialism and experientialism are blatantly clear. If someone wants to achieve their maximum amount of happiness, putting a majority of efforts towards experiences is the way to go. This does not mean that someone should never go and buy a new car or needs to keep away from the furniture store because it is the wrong thing to do. It just means that if someone is trying to recover from a bad break up or just got laid off, maybe they should reconsider before they purchase that new flat screen TV. Find exciting events to attend with some friends. If someone is not deathly afraid of heights, why not go bungee jumping? That is a memory that would last a lifetime. To conclude the synthesis, after reading this, everyone should understand that in order to achieve maximum happiness stick to the good experiences in life and live a little.

Works Cited

• Dunn, Elizabeth; Gilbert, Daniel; and Wilson Timothy “If Money Doesn’t Make You Happy, Then You Probably Aren’t Spending It Right” Reading and Writing across the Curriculum.
• Ed. Sara Gordus. New Jersey: Pearson, 2013. 247-249. Print. Clark, Josh. “What makes people happier objects or experiences?” 04 June 2009. HowStuffWorks.com. 04 October 2013.

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I wasn’t anxious about back-to-school because of my kids. It was the other moms

As the summer drew to a close, I felt the usual anxiety rise up inside me. And it wasn’t just because of the whirlwind of back-to-school duties I’d now have to complete. It was because I’d be around those have-it-all-together perfect mom types.  

I’d been free of them for two glorious months, and it was heaven.

I knew I shouldn’t judge them. It was hard enough being judged by society for everything we did: working, not working, helicopter, free-range — our every move evaluated with such intensity. It was maddening. I hated myself for resenting them. But I did.

It wasn’t just their sideways glances and passive-aggressive comments directed at me because I’d missed a school email about pajama day or a donation for the PTA that made me feel like I was failing as a mother. Nor the times I’d run into them at the bus stop with their sparkling white teeth holding a container of cut-up fruits for the teacher’s breakfast, flanked by their kids in matching outfits, their hair done like they just stepped out of a salon.

No, it was their very existence. The way they made it look so easy, so natural, so right. While I struggled to do it all — to be a good mother, wife, daughter, friend … but kept falling short of every single one. I couldn’t seem to do anything the way I thought I should. 

I savored those summer days where I didn’t have to walk into school with my hair in its usual messy bun and Target yoga pants I’d never used for actual yoga, only to run into one of them carrying homemade gluten and nut-free vegan cupcakes for my son’s class.

I savored those summer days where I didn’t have to walk into school with my hair in its usual messy bun and Target yoga pants I’d never used for actual yoga, only to run into one of them carrying homemade gluten and nut-free vegan cupcakes for my son’s fourth grade class. And instead of being grateful for her effort and happy my son had a classmate whose mom cared about his class, I resented her, stewing in my own feelings of inadequacy. 

As the days to the start of school crept closer, my panic set in. I knew I’d have to shake myself out of my schedule-free daze and deal with my to-do list, which was getting longer than a CVS receipt. And my inbox, which was filling up each day with more forms, notes, reminders and obligations.  

Despite my efforts to will it not to, the first day of school inevitably arrived. And as much as I tried to prepare for the stress and stave off my insecurities, they still came flooding back.  

I rushed the kids out of bed and hustled them to the bus stop. That’s when I saw the first one. She was standing there in her full glory, looking fresh and ready, with her kids by her side. I smiled and waved, trying my best to push down the green monster raging inside me. She had everything organized and was happy to chat with me about it.  

“Hey, how was your summer? By the way, I signed up to be class mom for our kids’ class. Have you signed up for any of the volunteer stuff yet?” she asked.  

“Umm, not … yet. I’ll have to take a look,” I said, as I noticed that my kids were chasing each other up and down the sidewalk. “Guys, stop. The bus is almost here,” I said through clenched teeth, embarrassed that they weren’t as well behaved as her children, who were quietly standing by her side.

She shared that her son and daughter had been reading high school level books for fun and doing math problems during dinner. I’m pretty sure my kids hadn’t done a single math problem the whole summer. 

I forced a smile as I tried to push down the bile rising in my throat. As I looked at her kids’ faces and their adorable new outfits with equally sweet backpacks, she’s a good  mom, you’re a bad mom , kept swirling in my head.

Watching her put her arm around her daughter as she looked down the street to see where the bus was, I thought back to our morning. I’d woken up later than I’d planned, yelled up the stairs for the kids to get ready, then stuffed string cheese, crackers and might-have-expired granola bars into their banged-up lunch boxes. Once they finally got downstairs with their mismatched outfits, I rushed them out the door, desperately hoping we wouldn’t miss the bus. 

When it finally came, Good Mom bent down, brushed a stray hair behind her daughter’s ear and tightened her son’s shoelace before hugging and kissing them both goodbye. Distracted by the picture-perfect scene, I missed my own kids getting on the bus. No hug, no kiss, no tightening of shoelaces. Just the smoke from the exhaust as the bus left.

Good Mom and I stood and waved to our kids as we watched the bus get smaller down the tree-lined road. Then she bid me farewell as she dashed off to her SoulCycle class in a spanking new matching Lululemon outfit. I waved, boiling inside, hating myself for being so jealous of her … everything. 

After the parents dispersed, I sat on the worn wooden bench under the maple tree, my body still buzzing with the adrenaline of the first morning routine and my bad mom baggage. 

Looking down the empty street, with only the rumbling of an engine in the distance and the chirping of birds overhead, something inside of me snapped. I slumped over, holding my head in my hands as a sound came out of my mouth I didn’t recognize. It was like a desperate pain leaving my body, a combination of a cry and a whimper. I felt tears filling my eyes.

What are you doing , I thought. Why do I let myself get twisted up in the senseless comparisons year after year? Why do side glances of other moms and their seemingly perfect parenting break me so easily? 

“Stop it.” The words came tumbling out. I said them again, this time louder. “Stop it!” I could hear my breath going in and out of my nose as I looked around to make sure I was still alone.

My body felt like an empty sack, worn and depleted. Stop doing to yourself and to those other moms what society does to so many mothers, I told myself. Judging, comparing, scrutinizing. It’s none of your business what they do or don’t do. You don’t know their life, their pain, their stories. You have no idea what they’re going through behind those shiny surfaces. 

Then it hit me, like a hard snowball to the face. Instead of thinking about my kids, I’d spent the entire morning twisted up in my own dark self-doubts. I’d lost those precious moments with them — the excitement of the first day of school, their joy as they ran around with each other, their scramble to find their favorite seats when they got on the bus. 

I’d lost those precious moments with them — the excitement of the first day of school, their joy as they ran around with each other, their scramble to find their favorite seats when they got on the bus.

Did they look at me through the window to give me a toothy smile? I was so distracted by my obsession with another woman’s life that I missed my own children’s sweet faces as they left me to go out into the world. And this wasn’t the only moment I’d lost. If I was being honest, I’d wasted countless hours, days and weeks comparing myself to other moms, hate-scrolling through snapshots of their seemingly happy lives on social media, and being hurt by slights that shouldn’t have taken my attention away from my family. 

As I watched the leaves swaying with the light morning gust, tears rolled down my face as my sorrow rose inside me. 

I said it one more time, but now in a whisper. “Stop it.”

Walking home in my pajama pants and stretched out T-shirt, I felt a heaviness in my chest and a mountain of regret I didn’t know how to digest.

Then as soon as I opened the front door and saw the line of little shoes tattered from running around in parks and playgrounds, I knew things would have to change. 

So, I made myself a promise. That I would find a way to be kinder to myself and other women as we navigated this complicated, overwhelming and beautiful thing called motherhood. That no matter how hard things got, I’d fight against my feelings of inadequacy and not-good-enoughness, and instead of giving in to those doubts, I’d fill those moments with grace, for myself and others.

I can’t say that I’ve kept that promise every day, but I have kept it more days than not. And that’s something good. Something that’s helped me find peace, gratitude and love as I continue to navigate the incredible privilege of being a mother.

Rebecca Morrison is a lawyer and writer. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, TODAY, NBC News, Salon, HuffPost and Newsweek, among others. Her middle-grade novel, "The Blue Dress," based on her childhood as an Iranian immigrant trying to fit into her family and her new American homeland, is coming out with Farrar Straus Giroux Books in winter 2026. You can find her at  www.rebeccakmorrison.com .

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5 ways to find friends that make you happy.

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For happiness, you need friends who are different than you.

Friends can be a terrific source of happiness, but a new study finds that there are key aspects of friendships that can provide higher levels of joy and feelings of connectedness.

It’s a critical time to foster friendships—because wellbeing and mental health are plummeting and loneliness is at a record high . In addition, people are increasingly polarized and stressed—and the strength of your friendships can create an important safety net to ensure both health and happiness.

It turns out that if you have more friends who are different than you—in terms of age, race, income or education—you’ll tend to have higher life satisfaction and a greater sense of connectedness, according to the new study.

How Friends Make You Happy

Specifically, when up to 50% of your friends are different than you, you’re less likely to feel worry, unhappiness or depression.

In addition, having a more diverse friends is linked with greater feelings of social cohesion with neighbors. People reported a sense of belonging and experienced it in terms of being able to get advice, borrow things, talk regularly, work together to improve communities and commit to the staying within the community. All of this was according to a study of 40,000 households published in Psychological Science .

Interestingly, you also need friends who are similar to you—providing a sense of comfort and familiarity. The sweet spot for happiness and social cohesion was having about 50% of friends who are different.

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Expand your happiness by inviting new people into your friend groups.

How To Find Friends That Make You Happy

There are a number of ways you can use the science to increase your happiness.

1 - Find Friends by Joining Up

One of the primary ways you can build relationships with people who are different than you is to join groups that are unfamiliar. Look for groups that are adjacent to your interests—but represent something new.

If you love painting or sculpting, join a group of people who knit to connect with another aspect of your artistic self, but with people who hold interests that are different than your own. If you love to hike, find a kayaking club to tap into your outdoorsy athleticism in a new way. If you’ve been learning a second language, join the local association that plans a festival each year to celebrate that ethnicity.

The key is to find something that’s within the realm of your interests, but also new to you—and likely to provide access to people you may not have met before.

2 - Find Friends by Leveraging Your Work

Work is one of the primary places people make friends —especially their more diverse friends. Seek out the team member you don’t know as well and invite them for coffee. Or volunteer to work on the project that is outside of your department.

Also look for affinity groups or employee resource groups focused on things that are new to you. Perhaps you’ve always been a walker and you can join a company running group to push your limits and expand your networks.

Reach out and connect with colleagues virtually if you work remote or in person when you’re in the office.

3 - Find Friends by Being Curious and Empathetic

Another way to foster more diverse relationships is to be curious. When you’re around people, strike up conversations , ask questions and be curious about their experiences and what makes them unique.

Demonstrate empathy by seeking to understand where they’re coming from and what they must be thinking or feeling. That person you always see at yoga class may seem a lot like you, but when you get to know them, they may have plenty of life circumstances that are different than your own.

4 - Find Friends by Investing Time

Whether you’re building more diverse relationships or deepening connections with those who are more similar to you, you’ll need to invest effort. In fact, real friendship takes about 60 hours to build , and it requires consistent connections and continuity over time, according to studies.

5 - Find Friends by Inviting People In

Another surefire way to expand your network of all kinds of friends is to be inclusive and invite people in. Ask a newer team member to join you and an old friend for lunch. Invite someone new into your book group or suggest that the person who has just moved to your area join your professional women’s group.

Taking this approach allows you to embrace time with the people you know, and to welcome newer people into the fold as well—and to benefit from their perspectives in the process.

Nurture Familiar Friends

In addition to making diverse friends, you’ll also want to nurture those who are familiar. Stay in touch with people you know well and maintain your network. According to the research, you’ll want to be with people who offer you different perspectives, but also those who share your passions or quirks.

Like so many things, it’s a balance. You’ll want to expand your horizons by getting to know people who are different than you, but also maintain the comfort of those you know well and who are similar to you. All of this will contribute to your wellbeing, health and happiness.

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From grief to leadership: building a movement in mike brown’s memory (guest column).

Ten years after the police killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri sparked a nationwide civil rights and police reform movement — and the release of a new short film about his life, 'Happy Birthday MikeMike' — Brown's mother Lezley McSpadden-Head writes about honoring his life and impact with The Michael O.D. Brown We Love Our Sons & Daughters Foundation.

By Lezley McSpadden-Head

Lezley McSpadden-Head

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Shelley duvall and me, the family trauma that went into '3 body problem' (guest column).

There is an annual memorial for Mike, and this year made the tenth. But it’s difficult for me to attend. It feels eerily reminiscent of the day he died — the day he was killed. I still mourn my son, and without accountability, “MikeMike” is killed again, making this a decade of no accountability, justice or peace. Instead of losing myself in the grief of his death, I celebrate his life and birthday instead, because the life he lived is more important than his tragic end. And there’s one thing I’ve learned since that day: I haven’t made plans since 2014. They say when you make plans, God laughs because He’s already made His own. I never understood that until Aug. 9, 2014, when a single phone call shattered my plans, changed my life and, in retrospect, changed the world. To this day, that call set me on a relentless fight for justice that would take me to the United Nations (UN), exposing the world to the brutal injustice my family faced. I’m still on a mission to reopen Mike’s case and demand the accountability he deserves.

I founded The Michael O.D. Brown We Love Our Sons & Daughters Foundation in 2015 to create a safe space for mothers like me. It was a way for me to work through the grief and loneliness I felt. There were a lot of demands on me suddenly. People crowned me “The Mother of a Movement.” Then, they said I wasn’t doing enough. But I wasn’t prepared for that. My heart was destroyed. I could barely breathe, and I felt like an unbearable weight was crushing me. Every anniversary of his death gets overstimulating. Everybody wants to talk about it again, and it seems like some have capitalized on the tragedy for their own fundraising. And that’s not right, because Mike gets lost in all of that.

I didn’t ask for my son to leave this earth before me, or for my family to become the faces of a national tragedy. I was consumed by rage, hopelessness and confusion all while trying to be respectable and strong for everyone else — just hanging on by a tattered thread. So, the first program I launched was Rainbow of Mothers for women of all ethnicities who have lost a child to violence. I’d learned while previously traveling for support that though Black people are killed nearly three times as much as other ethnicities, there were women of every background grieving like me.

Everything I do is in Mike’s honor, and his life has inspired the foundation’s four pillars: health, justice, family and education.

I initially worked with law students at Howard University for five years to push for legislative changes, like promoting the Mike Brown bill reintroduced by Congresswoman Cori Bush (H.R.8914). This bill increases access to mental and behavioral health services for people affected by violent encounters with law enforcement. It’s to change public perceptions and raise awareness about systemic issues, especially systemic racism.

We offer grief management and self-care programs for mothers. We also provide support groups and financial assistance to help families heal and rebuild after loss.

For children, we run tutoring, mentorship and financial literacy programs like Camp Brown Kids and Brown’s Cousin’s Candy, teaching them about entrepreneurship, finances and budgeting. I also created a Memorial Scholarship. Mike had just graduated high school the year Wilson killed him, and he could have received a scholarship like the one my foundation just awarded to 15 students. The requirements mirror his passion for the performing arts. They also include an interest in social justice/activism and were available for students with a minimum 2.5 GPA. We gave away $45,000 this year and are looking to grow to give more.

But honoring Mike goes beyond scholarships and programs; it also involves tackling the mental health challenges that have deeply affected our family.

Even more shocking was his choice of a church in Ferguson. I think that’s brave of him and am proud of him for overcoming his trauma and embracing his faith.

We’ve all faced mental health challenges, each of us going through therapy at various points. My daughter initially went to college, but when other students discovered who she was, it became overwhelming, and she quit to come back home. I still have my moments, waves of grief that pull me down, but I do my best to cope. The world may have moved on, but the emptiness is our constant presence. I fill it by pouring it into others daily. Amid this personal struggle, the racism we faced only intensified our pain and isolation.

Racism is still alive and well; the harassment I faced and the division I experienced after Mike’s death made that clear. The first time I was called the N-word was after I lost Mike. Ferguson itself was once a “sundown town,” a place where Black people weren’t welcome after dark. Bob McCulloch, who was the seven-term St. Louis County Prosecutor, was known for never prosecuting a cop or letting Black people get due process because a Black man had killed his father (who was also a police officer) years ago.

I want people to know that we need to fight for laws that protect us as Black people, and we need them before the next tragedy strikes. If we really want to be valued as a whole person and not three-fifths of a person, we must tell them. If we want equality, we must demand that. If we want justice, we must go after it. The fight for Mike is a fight for justice that he and others deserve. I will not rest until my son’s legacy is one of change, unity, and hope for all families.

Lezley McSpadden-Head is a renowned author and social justice advocate, best known as the mother of Michael O.D. Brown, the African-American teenager whose tragic death at the hands of police officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Missouri, on August 9, 2014, became a catalyst for the Black Lives Matter movement. Born and raised in a close-knit community, McSpadden-Head was just 16 when she welcomed her son, affectionately known as “Mike Mike,” into the world. His untimely death shook her to the core and propelled her into the national spotlight. In her memoir, Tell the Truth & Shame the Devil , McSpadden-Head reflects on her journey as a mother and the deep connection she shared with her son, offering a poignant narrative that highlights her unwavering strength and resilience. Through her powerful storytelling, she continues to advocate for justice and reform, amplifying the voices of those affected by systemic inequalities.

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To Become the GOAT, Simone Biles First Had to Be a Turtle

She sealed her legacy with four medals at the Paris Games. She created it by being herself and going at her own pace.

Credit... Daniel Berehulak/The New York Times

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By Juliet Macur

Juliet Macur, who has covered Simone Biles’s career since Biles was 18, reported from Paris.

• Aug. 5, 2024

To end the Olympics she once thought would never happen for her, Simone Biles began her floor exercise routine on Monday and did what she was made to do: flip and twist and thrill an arena filled with people there to watch her.

Every time Biles, the most decorated gymnast in history, landed one of her wildly difficult tumbling passes, the crowd seemed to shout, “Wow!” all at once. And when she was done, standing alone on the floor in her sparkly leotard, the spectators rose to honor her — perhaps as much for her entire career as for a brilliant but flawed floor routine.

Biles stepped out of bounds twice during the routine, which was by far the most difficult that any of the finalists attempted. As a result, she did not win, as expected. Instead, she received the silver medal, while Rebeca Andrade of Brazil, her rival, won the gold by just over three one hundredths of a point. The American Jordan Chiles, one of Biles’s close friends, won the bronze.

When Chiles’s bronze medal was announced, she cried — and Biles smiled and laughed while hugging her.

Three years earlier, Biles withdrew from nearly all of her events at the Tokyo Games after becoming disoriented in the air, a moment that prompted her to consider quitting the sport. On Monday, she finished the Paris Games with three gold medals and one silver. (Earlier in the day, she finished fifth on the balance beam after losing points because of a fall.)

Her imperfect final performances did little to dull her luster at these Games. On each day she competed, celebrities dotted the stands, making gymnastics — already a marquee sport of the Olympics — seem like the hippest club in Paris. There were Lady Gaga, Tom Cruise and Ariana Grande, and sports legends like Serena Williams, Michael Phelps and Stephen Curry. After a day at the water polo venue, Flavor Flav, the rapper, said how much he admired Biles and wanted “to meet her, shake her hand and give her a hug and tell her how proud I am of her.”

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