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Essay on Happiness

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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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What Is Happiness? - My Essay On Defining Your Happiness

Updated on January 29, 2023

Happiness is probably the most pursued factor in life, above wealth, health, and good relationships. We all want to be happy, above everything else, right? Who cares about money when you're not happy? Who cares about friends when you're not happy with who you are? Who cares about good health if you're lonely and depressed?

Happiness is the thing that most people want, yet it is one of the most difficult aspects of life to quantify. How do we measure happiness? How do we define happiness? What is happiness!? This is an essay that explores the many different faces of happiness. As you'll learn, happiness doesn't have a single universal definition. Its definition is unique for every single human being out there. Including you.

After reading this essay, you'll know exactly what happiness is, how to define it for yourself, and even how to find it based on actionable advice.

Definition of happiness

Happiness synonyms, different kinds of happiness, a happy balance, why eternal happiness doesn't exist, why eternal happiness can still be pursued, defining your own happiness, closing words, what is happiness.

Before starting this essay about happiness, we must at least have a broad idea of what happiness is. Let's first have a look at how happiness is defined across the web.

Definitions of happiness vary quite a bit across multiple sources. Google thinks happiness is defined as follows:

The state of being happy

happiness definition google

You can see how Google is pretty vague about the definition of happiness. Furthermore, it quickly follows with a long list of synonyms.

Wikipedia has a much more interesting definition of what happiness is.

The feeling of an emotion such as pleasure or joy, the appraisal of life satisfaction or the quality of life, subjective well-being and eudaimonia.

happiness definition wikipedia

Lesson learned? It is really difficult to find a universally correct and agreed-upon definition of what happiness really is.

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Think of all the synonyms that we use to describe feelings that are similar to happiness.

What I like about Google is that it shows synonyms of happiness to people that are looking for its definition.

It's like they're saying: "Hey, we don't know exactly how to define happiness, but here are a couple of concepts that we believe are very much similar!"

The list of synonyms is quite big:

I think there is a lot we can learn just from the fact that happiness has so many synonyms.

Why? Because these synonyms are all specific variants of what happiness means to me. And I bet you feel the same.

All these different emotions are part of what happiness truly is. And that's what makes happiness so incredibly difficult to define and measure. It's a weighted average of all these different synonyms, and the equation of happiness truly changes per person . I'll even go as far as to say that the happiness equation changes per person per day.

If pleasure makes me happy today, it doesn't mean that that same amount of pleasure makes me happy tomorrow.

If short-term satisfaction made me happy yesterday, then it won't necessarily make me happy next week.

happiness definitions and synonyms

What I want you to realize is that your personal definition of happiness is unique. What makes you happy doesn't necessarily make another person happy. In fact, your definition of happiness is likely a combination of satisfaction, cheeriness, merriment, and jollity.

But the way you personally define happiness will likely change from day to day as well.

And that's one of the most critical aspects of happiness. That's also why it's supposedly so hard to measure and quantify. Here's an entire article I wrote recently about how difficult it is to define happiness, but you can still try for yourself !

Still with me? Good, because I'm going to add yet another reason why happiness is such a difficult thing to measure!

There are different kinds of happiness. Not just in the way we define happiness, but also in the way we experience it.

As part of this essay, I want to introduce the concepts of short-term and long-term happiness.

Short-term happiness

Short-term happiness is relatively easy to explain. It's based on small and easy to obtain, yet rather unsustainable happiness. When looking at the list of happiness synonyms, I think the following concepts are clearly centered around short-term happiness:

You see, short-term happiness is based on the release of the chemical dopamine in our brain . This organic chemical is released whenever we are stimulated by things that please us. Some examples are sex, having a laugh with friends, finishing a race, watching a funny video online, or watching an exciting game of football. A more extreme example is drugs.

These things result in short-term happiness because dopamine is released based on a single event. When this event is over, the pleasure is gone. That's why I consider this to be short-term happiness.

And then there is long-term happiness.

Long-term happiness

Long-term happiness is a little bit harder to explain because it revolves around other concepts of happiness. Instead of joy, pleasure, and ecstasy, the concepts that make up long-term happiness are:

I hope you can spot the difference here. Long-term happiness is created by feeling happy about your purpose in life, the successes that you've had and/or the satisfaction of who you are and what you've accomplished. Long-term happiness is based on concepts that are not created by a single event. For example, I'm happy at the moment because I'm grateful for the life that I have right now. This happiness is not caused by something I'm doing at this very moment. No, I'm happy because I work hard and have achieved things that I am proud of. I have created a situation in which I am happy by default, without having to rely on single events.

happiness long-term vs short-term balance

Now that you are aware of these two different kinds of happiness, I want you to picture some scenarios.

You might have guessed it, but this scenario is focused exclusively on short-term happiness. And the simple fact is that pursuing nothing but short-term happiness does not lead to a sustainable happy life.

Now picture the following scenario:

This is another extreme example of happiness. You can probably see how this person is very likely unhappy. He is spending the best years of his life making sacrifices in anticipation of what he eventually wants to become. For a lot of people, this sounds like a logical decision. But to me, this sounds like a huge mistake. You might feel satisfied with the progress you're making, but are you truly happy? If you get in a fatal car crash tomorrow, would you have any regrets?

I want you to think about this for a moment since a lot of people in industrialized countries have the urge to constantly be planning for the future. And while this is not a bad thing in principle, we often take it too far. As a result, we are constantly sprinting from one deadline to the other. Sure, you want to plan for a happy future, but what's the point of all of this when you're not happy in the process itself?

The thing is, these extreme examples are not something that you should want. You can only lead a truly happy life when you actively pursue both short-term and long-term happiness.

It's important to find out what your perfect balance is.

I'm not here to tell you that you should focus 50% of your attention on short-term happiness and the other 50% on long-term happiness. No. I'm here to tell you that you should be aware of your own happiness. Every single person on this planet has a different definition of happiness. You need to find out what happiness means to you, and how you want to pursue it.

They say happiness is a journey and not a destination. I think happiness can - and should - be both.

For me personally, I often notice how much short-term happiness I'm sacrificing in anticipation of long-term happiness. Some examples:

These are some real examples of how I've been sacrificing my short-term happiness for long-term happiness. I want you to think of a couple of examples for yourself. Have you ever made a bad decision that resulted in a decreased level of happiness?

Think about some real scenarios that you've experienced and whether you should have acted differently.

I'm not saying that sacrificing short-term happiness for long-term happiness is bad. I just want you to know that you need to find a balance. For example, I do actually want to finish my next marathon within a decent time, but I'm not going to make myself miserable by pushing myself to the limit in preparation. That's not the balance that I'm after.

The thing is, realizing the difference between short-term and long-term happiness makes it easier for us to pursue happiness in our lives.

Pursue happiness, you ask?

Yes! I believe that happiness can actively be pursued and that you can steer your life in the best direction possible by doing this. However, there are a number of people that believe that pursuing happiness is a loser's game. These people argue that by pursuing happiness , you'll be more tempted to choose short-term happiness over long-term happiness. This is where the hedonic treadmill will quickly evaporate whatever happiness you've created for yourself.

The hedonic treadmill

Imagine something that you would really like to do right now.

What did you think of? Taking a long warm bath? Drinking wine with your friends? Going to an amusement park?

Wouldn't it be great if you could do that right now? That would definitely have a positive influence on your happiness, right?

Now think about doing that exact thing every day, for the rest of your life, until the day you die.

Do you think you'd still be happy from doing that same thing after the 10th time? Or the 100th time? Or the 1000th time?

The answer is probably no. Even though this example is extreme, the theory of diminishing returns applies here. When repeated, the effect of the same event on your happiness will diminish to zero. That's because the norms of what defines your happiness are constantly adapting. Your happiness equation transforms with your changing life, whether it's for better or worse.

One of the best examples of this hedonic treadmill is the following:

Think of a big salary bump. You receive a raise of 50%! Congratulations, you now have money to spend on all kinds of things that make you and your family happy ! Will that happiness sustain into the future? Unfortunately not. Instead of appreciating the luxury of your raise, you will grow accustomed to this extra money and will slowly take it for granted. This adaptation is known as the hedonic treadmill , and it is generally conceived as the arch-enemy of happiness.

what is happiness essay hedonic treadmill

Now that you know what this hedonic treadmill is, it might seem like a waste of time to continue reading this essay, right?

NO! While the hedonic treadmill is very much real - I'll never deny that - I don't want you to think that greater happiness can't be achieved. You just need to be willing to actively look for it in the right places.

See, nobody on the internet will be able to define happiness for you. What makes you happy is a constantly changing equation that is unique in every way. Why would you believe some scientist when he or she claims that happiness is impossible to pursue? What does that scientist know about you? Nothing!

It's up to you to define what makes you happy.

How to find your own happiness

By now, you should know 3 things:

Let's combine this knowledge. I want you to realize that you can learn more about your own happiness equation. You can find out what it is that makes you happy.

Got it? Good, because the next step is to define what the difference is between short-term and long-term happiness. You have to find out how much you value your happiness on the journey itself and how much of that happiness you want to sacrifice by investing in a potentially happier future.

Now, what if I told you that a perfect balance between long-term and short-term happiness can limit the effect that the hedonic treadmill has on you?

Yes, by consciously varying the pursuit of short-term and long-term happiness, you can vary the factors in your life in a way that leads to greater happiness. If you are aware of your own happiness equation, you're able to pursue happiness in the areas where it matters the most.

What I want you to do is consider your personal happiness again for a moment.

Think back at the last week, and remember what things or events had a positive influence on your happiness. Think of the things that really made you smile or feel satisfied with where you were or how you acted.

What came to your mind? Was it work? Was it your relationship? Was it that silly movie you watched? Was it a nice sunny day spent outside? It could be literally anything! What I want most of all now is that you realize how you just measured a part of your happiness.

You see, even though happiness is claimed to be the factor of life that's the most difficult to measure, you can still measure what is currently part of your happiness equation. It's simple. For me personally, when I think back to yesterday, I remember that I really enjoyed spending time with my girlfriend, walking through the woods on a sunny day, and just relaxing (a.k.a. doing nothing!)

These are happiness factors that were a vital part of my happiness equation yesterday. It was a weekend day after a long and busy week at work, so I was really trying to find some short-term happiness. The things that I did yesterday were perfect, as it was a very happy day for me.

You should not be surprised if I told you that I was consciously trying to be happy by spending my day doing things that satisfied my short-term happiness.

You can do exactly the same. All you need to do is to define your own happiness.

And with that said, I want to conclude this essay about happiness. Happiness is different for every single human being on this planet. If you arrived at this essay without having a clear idea of what happiness is, I hope you now know that your personal happiness can be defined, measured, and quantified. But only YOU can do this, no one else will be able to tell you what happiness really is. If you are willing to actively pursue greater happiness, I believe you can steer your life in the best direction.

Now it's time to hear from you! How do you define your own happiness right now? What has been your biggest happiness factor last week? Do you think you can learn from your own happiness?

I'd love to hear all about it in the comments!

Hugo

Hi! I'm from the Netherlands, love skateboarding, ran 5 marathons, with one of them in under 4 hours (3:59:58 to be exact). I consider myself to be a data junkie and have tracked my happiness for over 10 years.

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179 Happiness Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

😊 key points to use to write an outstanding happiness essay, 🏆 best happiness topic ideas & essay examples, 📌 most interesting happiness topics to write about, ⭐ simple & easy happiness essay titles, 👍 good research topics about happiness, 💡 interesting topics to write about happiness, ❓ research questions about happiness, 💯 free happiness essay topic generator.

Writing a happiness essay may seem easy at first, but many students fail to achieve a high grade because their responses are too general. To avoid falling in this trap, read this post and take note of the key points to write about.

The Meaning of Happiness

The word “happiness” means various things to various people, and it would be a good idea to explore this topic in your paper. To get some perspectives, you could ask your friends or family members what happiness is to them. Alternatively, browse sample essays on happiness online. Once you’ve done your research, consider the following:

The Importance of Happiness

This is probably among the most important happiness essay titles because there is a lot to talk about here. You would likely be surprised to find out that not all people view happiness as a crucial goal in life. In fact, most people live their days without considering whether or not they are happy. These are a few questions that you could think about:

Sources of Happiness

The third point you could cover in your paper is the relationship between happiness and achievements. People often believe that they will be happy when they achieve certain things and their life. Some examples are starting a profitable business, marrying their loved one, having kids, and traveling the world. If you want to examine the correlation between happiness and other factors, these questions should give you some ideas:

Happiness and Money

The link between happiness and money is possibly one of the most popular happiness essay ideas and titles. Many people think that wealth has a direct influence on happiness, but others disagree. You could explore this theme in your paper using the following questions to guide your thoughts:

Regardless of what you choose to write about, be sure to maintain a good essay structure throughout your paper. To assist you with this, create a detailed outline and stick to it while writing. Start your paper with a happiness essay hook, a sentence to draw the reader’s attention to your work. Support your thoughts with relevant examples or research where applicable. Finally, make sure to close off your paper with a happiness essay conclusion. If you want to learn more about essay structure, browse our website – we also have a good selection of essay topics and other useful materials!

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Happiness Essay

the essay happiness

Happiness And Happiness

the attitude people are supposed to hold themselves to. Most people assume that Joy is the same as happiness, but people do not get the option to be happy. This is one of many reasons that Joy is not correlated to Happiness. You do not need to be happy to be joyful because Joy is a mindset, it is not based on emotions, and is permanent and internal. While, many of us think of Joy as happiness, happiness is a not a mindset. Joy is a choice, and a mindset. Joy is an attitude and has to be wanted. An example

Happiness And Happiness : The State Of Happiness

Happiness. The only known definition to branch off of this word is, “the state of being happy”. Happiness. Is there only one definition of what happiness truly is? As we indulge in the world of We, we are often confronted with this theme and must decipher the meaning ourselves. Constructed and constricted happiness follows this dystopian society as the protagonist records his daily occurrences in each chapter. Stripped of individuality, these people live in homes made of glass so they can be monitored

Happiness And Happiness In The Art Of Happiness

You should never stress about being happy, happiness is in everyone deep in down we just have to do certain things in order to let it shine. According to McMahon in order to be happy there's no need to think about it. McMahan states in paragraph eleven, “Those who are happy,” he came to believe, “who have their minds fixed on some object other than their own happiness; on the happiness of others, on the improvement of mankind, even on some art of pursuit, followed not as means, but as itself an ideal

Happiness And Happiness: Are The Problem Of Happiness

Happiness. Is it really as elusive as some might say? Are the problems of the world, or even just the ones in your own life, enough to steal your happiness and joy? I don't think so. Happy is a choice you make every moment and in every circumstance. You can choose to be miserable and depressed, or you can choose to look at life from a 'glass half-full' perspective. The nice thing about a glass that's only half full is there's still room for more! You've got enough, and that's great; but what else

Happiness And Happiness : The Sources Of Happiness

topic of Happiness is brought up to our dining table. His Holiness the Dalai Lama, author of “The Sources of Happiness” starts to converse about happiness. He mentions how people should be grateful and happy with what they have and not with what they wish or desire, since that’s not what makes a person’s happiness. As the conversation continues, he claims that happiness is within one’s mind and not with natural phenomena. In addition, he discusses how money doesn’t build a person’s happiness. On the

Happiness And Happiness : The Definition Of Happiness

had theories on how to fulfill human flourishing which is known as happiness. All this thoughts in their minds happened way back in 400 BC. Looking at present, a person like Chris McCandless made a decision to do a hitchhiking journey in order to pursue happiness. Happiness cannot be measured or beneficial but everyone else in the world are seeking to have the feeling of being pleased. Every person knows that they have happiness in them but it's very hard to achieve even though it’s easy to say

Happiness And Happiness : The Need Of Happiness?

Everyone is seeking happiness. This is a truth that supports the food, drug, entertainment, self-help, retail, automotive, and every other industry. People are seeking happiness; and, when they can't find it, they seek to escape their discomfort. Of course, there are those who are seeking happiness through misery; and some who are miserable no matter what they do - but happiness is the ultimate point. And happiness is right here, right now - not someplace else, or sometime in the future. People who

immensely pondering the sincere meaning of happiness. What produces such a feeling, I could not wrap such an ambitious argument around my head. I could not process the result of this reaction and to what extent it had on one’s demeanour as a whole. An ample amount of people affirm that happiness comes from ambition and success. Whereas, others assert to that it is truly derived from seeking your passions and dreams. However, my own definition of happiness has been vastly altered from what I have always

Happiness And Happiness: The Balance Of Happiness

definition and balance of happiness. Some may argue that happiness is the key to living a healthy and successful life; however, expressing sadness, fear, and anger are just as important as expressing happiness according to Susan David in her article “Don’t Worry Be Gloomy”. A balance of positive and negative emotions assist in human development because without our emotions we would not be able to correctly make important life decisions and develop as an individual. Happiness is defined differently throughout

Happiness And Happiness Essay : The Pursuit Of Happiness

Pursuit of Happiness Americans constantly find themselves desiring happiness. However, what is happiness and how does someone achieve it? According to Webster-Dictionary.org, happiness is “An agreeable feeling or condition of the soul arising from good fortune or propitious happening of any kind; the possession of those circumstances or that state of being which is attended with enjoyment”. Every American seeks happiness, but achieving it is the struggle. Americans search for fleeting happiness, therefore

Happiness And Happiness : My Path To Happiness

Everyone has their own idea to what happiness truly is. Some believe that happiness comes from the heart while others believe money contributes to it. Pursuing a career in any field anyone wants to specialize in can bring happiness as well. As I read many different articles about whether money or spirituality have anything to do with someone’s happiness, I concluded that my happiness does depend on these two important topics. Also, there are laws in this country that forbids their citizens to be

Happiness : How Important Is Happiness To Happiness?

How important is happiness to humanity? With no formal definition, the word ‘happiness,’can only be described when felt (“Happiness Definition - What is Happiness.”). In everyday life, positive emotion comes from a pleasureable action or item. When such meaningful experiences occur, happiness is the scientific and socialistic reward gained. In an article called The Brain Chemicals That Make You Happy, Kaia Roman states: “Neurochemicals, hormones, and neurotransmitters generated in the brain are

The Concept Of Happiness : Good Happiness And Happiness

being there or is there something more to this strange phenomenon? Breaking down this enigma, the question would be: “What is happiness?” There may be no single answer to this inquiry, but one can create a conclusion upon various perspectives, situations and stories to respond to why a goofy looking good luck charm can bring so much joy to a little boy. In other words, happiness is the summation of multiple emotions that push to better an individual’s well-being. Throughout various forms of media, several

Happiness Vs Happiness

Is happiness a choice or a feeling? Happiness is the quality or state of being happy. Misery besieges a person that chose to let worldly things affect happiness. It’s much more than just an adjective. The array of opportunities it can bring leaves most people pondering as to why they haven’t accustomed themselves to it all along. Happiness is a mixture of a number of different emotions including excitement, anticipation, and love. Although happiness consists of these things, today's world is the

Happiness And Overcoming Happiness

When I was only 10 years old, in order to achieve the ultimate happiness, I could want, I would look to others. At only ten years old, I enjoyed when others would fill my happiness with either gifts or coming over to play. Yet, today my life has sort of slowly slipped away from that. I feel and see happiness when I work to improve myself, put myself in a position to impact others, and to work hardest to create opportunities to give others a smile. My mother and father use to tirelessly attempt to

The Importance Of Happiness And Happiness

Happiness, one of the most desired things among people in our world, is relatively easy to achieve. Though this is true there is a common misconception when one is looking for happiness. This is that money buys happiness, though you may feel as if you need money to be happy you would be completely wrong. There is lots of other things that can make the human soul happy, the thousand of other factors of happiness range from nature to certain experiences. We can see this when we read the six titles

The Characteristics Of Happiness And Happiness

stated “money has never made man happy, nor will it, there is nothing in its nature to produce happiness. The more of it one has the more one wants.”. In turn that quote has been a center of debates for centuries. Conversing over the debatable topic in which happiness does or does not extend from money. In a society such as the twentieth century, happiness is evidently reflected by wealth. Therefore, happiness is influenced by the amount of wealth that corresponds to the way one uses their money. Money

The Causes Of Happiness And Happiness

Money. It can determine a lot of things for people; social ranking, how others think of you, and even happiness. Many people think that when you have money you also have happiness. Yes that can be true, but just how true is it? Money can be the cause of happiness and also sadness, needless to say money have a huge impact on every single person. Everyone wants money I think it's safe to say, everyone wants to feel stable. Yes its great to have money; you can do more things, travel more, and make family

Essay On Happiness And Happiness

According to Wikipedia, happiness is defined as a “mental or emotional state of well-being which can defined by, among others, positive or pleasant emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy”. Now don't get me wrong, everyone's definition of happiness may be different but most are on or in the chase for happiness. For example, there have been many articles stating that money may be linked to a person’s happiness which has heightened one’s wellbeing. Can money buy happiness though? I don’t believe

Happiness is an emotion that many individuals try to search for throughout their lives, whereas people view happiness as an essential factor in living a quality life. All over the world, there are individuals who believe that they can find true joy through distancing oneself from social interactions and by living life independently. Many believe that this is true because you are allowed to make your own choices when living independently. When we are independent, we tend to make choices that surround

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Happiness Essay | Essay on Happiness for Students and Children in English

June 2, 2020 by Prasanna

Happiness Essay: There is no one hard and fast definition for the term happiness. Happiness differs from person to person; different people have different perceptions and conceptions of being happy. Whatever that may be, Happiness is an essential feature of human life. Without it, life holds no meaning at all. It is not possible at all for a person to live their lives devoid of joy and Happiness.

The topic of Happiness is of the utmost importance. It is also treated as a crucial and popular topic on which students are asked to write compositions. For the convenience of school students, we have compiled a collection of one extended Essay and one short Essay on the topic of Happiness. Additionally, a set of ten lines on the subject is also provided.

You can read more  Essay Writing  about articles, events, people, sports, technology many more.

Long and Short Essays on Happiness for Students and Kids in English

Below, you can find a 600-word Happiness essay as well as a 200-word Happiness essay for students and schoolchildren. Long Essay on Happiness is helpful for students of classes 7,8,9 and 10. Short Essay on Happiness is helpful for students of classes 1,2,3,4,5, and 6.

Long Essay on Happiness 500 Words in English

Happiness is subjective. There is no one way in which the term can be defined. For different people, Happiness holds different connotations. For some, it implies a state of mind; for others, it might mean a standard of lifestyle. Each human being is an independent, free-thinking individual. Everyone has an outlook on life that is different from the other. Hence, the definition of Happiness is also variable for people. However, whatever may be the definition of Happiness, there is no denying that Happiness is an integral part of our lives. Without it, there is no point in living or going about in life.

There is a common phrase that goes: “Money cannot buy happiness.” To some extent, it can be heralded as being valid. However, some people may find it to be false. For a specific section of society, Happiness is defined by wealth. These people tend to consider wealth as the measuring rod for their joys in life. For them, Happiness in life comes from material possession and well-being. Riches, money, jewels, gold, and wealth make them happy; they remain content with these in their lives.

For another section of society, wealth does not act as the agent for Happiness in their lives. Many consider Happiness to be a peaceful and calm sense of joy that occurs within one’s mind. For them, it cannot be measured in terms of worldly things. Happiness tends to become a feeling, that can be grasped through the satisfaction of the mind and soul, and not through the pleasure of the body. Happiness, for some, can also imply success. Being ambitious, hardworking, and successful often become ways in which a person obtains Happiness in life.

Whatever be our modes and methods of becoming happy, it tends to keep changing over time. No feeling is absolute. It might happen that the things used to make us comfortable during our childhood, no longer hold the same significance in our lives. This happens because our priorities and our goals change over time. As we grow up, our outlook and vision in life mature, and we no longer base our Happiness on things we used to love previously.

Thus the state of being happy largely depends upon what a particular person wants from life. It depends upon a person’s desires and goals in life. Above all and in most cases, indulging in the things that one loves the most becomes the key to a happy life. Hence, love and Happiness are directly linked. Without love, Happiness does not persist. Likewise, without Happiness, love does not persist.

As mentioned, a variety of things make a variety of people happy. There is no right or wrong way to obtain Happiness. Different people have different methods by which they can derive Happiness. All of them are valid; none of them are false or incorrect. Judging people based on what they love and what they hate is not justifiable. We all have different priorities in life, and not all of those are similar. They can be different, but that doesn’t mean they are wrong. Doing anything that makes one feel happy inside out should be considered as valid and rightful.

Short Essay on Happiness 150 Words in English

The key to happiness lies in doing what one loves. A lot of people end up having a remorseful life, filled with regrets; this happens because they settle for something that they do not genuinely like. Irrespective of what the society imposes on us, we must indulge in only that which makes us feel happy and joyous.

One cannot achieve complete and untainted happiness. Someone can’t dwell in a state of utmost bliss and Happiness. All of us have our fair share of miseries and regrets in life. But there also occurs moments of indefinite and immeasurable joys. We should all cling to those moments of joy and cherish them wholeheartedly to have a happy life in the grand scheme of things.

10 Lines on Happiness Essay in English

FAQ’s on Happiness Essay

Question 1. How to lead a happy life?

Answer: To lead a happy life, one must dwell in a positive and encouraging environment. Taking up that which one loves doing as one’s profession and source of livelihood is also the key to a happy life.

Question 2. How to stay happy?

Answer: There is no hard and fast method of staying happy. One cannot remain satisfied all the time. We all have our depressing and sorrowful episodes. But life also gives us moments of joy and Happiness.

Question 3. Is Happiness important?

Answer: Yes. Happiness is important. Happiness Is probably the most significant aspect of one’s life.

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COMMENTS

  1. Happiness Essay for Students and Children

    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.

  2. Essay on Happiness

    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:

  3. What Is Happiness?

    - My Essay On Defining Your Happiness By Hugo Updated on January 29, 2023 Happiness is probably the most pursued factor in life, above wealth, health, and good relationships. We all want to be happy, above everything else, right? Who cares about money when you're not happy? Who cares about friends when you're not happy with who you are?

  4. 179 Happiness Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

    The Meaning of Happiness The word “happiness” means various things to various people, and it would be a good idea to explore this topic in your paper. To get some perspectives, you could ask your friends or family members what happiness is to them. Alternatively, browse sample essays on happiness online.

  5. Happiness Essay

    Happiness is the quality or state of being happy. Misery besieges a person that chose to let worldly things affect happiness. It’s much more than just an adjective. The array of opportunities it can bring leaves most people pondering as to why they haven’t accustomed themselves to it all along.

  6. Happiness Essay

    Happiness Essay: There is no one hard and fast definition for the term happiness. Happiness differs from person to person; different people have different perceptions and conceptions of being happy. Whatever that may be, Happiness is an essential feature of human life. Without it, life holds no meaning at all.