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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. 

Essays About Happiness: Why is it important to be 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. 

Essays About Happiness: The role of material things in happiness

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 .

an essay on happy

Martin is an avid writer specializing in editing and proofreading. He also enjoys literary analysis and writing about food and travel.

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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.

Happiness Essay

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.

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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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What Is Happiness?

Defining Happiness, and How to Become Happier

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

an essay on happy

Rachel Goldman, PhD FTOS, is a licensed psychologist, clinical assistant professor, speaker, wellness expert specializing in eating behaviors, stress management, and health behavior change.

an essay on happy

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.

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.

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.

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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.

Finley K, Axner M, Vrooman K, Tse D. Ideal levels of prosocial involvement in relation to momentary affect and eudaimonia: Exploring the golden mean . Innov Aging . 2020;4(Suppl 1):614. doi:10.1093/geroni/igaa057.2083

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

1000-Word Philosophy: An Introductory Anthology

1000-Word Philosophy: An Introductory Anthology

Philosophy, One Thousand Words at a Time

Happiness: What is it to be Happy?

Author: Kiki Berk Category: Ethics , Phenomenology and Existentialism Words: 992

Listen here

Do you want to be happy? If you’re like most people, then yes, you do.

But what is happiness? What does it mean to be “happy”? [1]

This essay discusses four major philosophical theories of happiness. [2]

"Mr. Happy" on the beach.

1. Hedonism

According to hedonism, happiness is simply the experience of pleasure. [3] A happy person has a lot more pleasure than displeasure (pain) in her life. To be happy, then, is just to feel good. In other words, there’s no difference between being happy and feeling happy.

Famous hedonists include the ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus and the modern English philosophers Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill. [4] These philosophers all took happiness to include intellectual pleasures (such as reading a book) in addition to physical pleasures (such as having sex).

Although we associate being happy with feeling good, many philosophers think that hedonism is mistaken.

First, it’s possible to be happy without feeling good (such as when a happy person has a toothache), and it’s also possible to feel good without being happy (such as when an unhappy person gets a massage). Since happiness and pleasure can come apart, they can’t be the same thing.

Second, happiness and pleasure seem to have different properties. Pleasures are often fleeting, simple, and superficial (think of the pleasure involved in eating ice cream), whereas happiness is supposed to be lasting, complex, and profound. Things with different properties can’t be identical, so happiness can’t be the same thing as pleasure.

These arguments suggest that happiness and pleasure aren’t identical. That being said, it’s hard to imagine a happy person who never feels good. So, perhaps happiness involves pleasure without being identical to it.

2. Virtue Theory

According to virtue theory, happiness is the result of cultivating the virtues—both moral and intellectual—such as wisdom, courage, temperance, and patience. A happy person must be sufficiently virtuous. To be happy, then, is to cultivate excellence and to flourish as a result. This view is famously held by Plato, Aristotle, and the Stoics. [5]

Linking happiness to virtue has the advantage of treating happiness as a lasting, complex, and profound phenomenon. It also explains how happiness and pleasure can come apart, since a person can be virtuous without feeling good, and a person can feel good without being virtuous.

In spite of these advantages, however, virtue theory is questionable. An important part of being virtuous is being morally good. But are immoral people always unhappy? Arguably not. Many bad people seem happy in spite of—or even because of—their unsavory actions. And a similar point can be made about intellectual virtue: unwise or irrational people aren’t always unhappy, either. In fact, some of these people seem happy as a direct result of their intellectual deficiencies. “Ignorance is bliss,” the saying goes!

But virtue theorists have a response here. Maybe some immoral people seem happy, on the surface; but that doesn’t mean that they are truly happy, at some deeper level. And the same thing can be said about people who lack the intellectual virtues: ignorance may lead to bliss, but that bliss isn’t true happiness. So, there seems to be some room for debate on these issues.

3. Desire Satisfaction Theory

According to the desire satisfaction theory, happiness consists in getting what you want—whatever that happens to be. A happy person has many of her desires satisfied; and the more her desires are satisfied, the happier she is.

Even though getting what you want can be a source of happiness, identifying happiness with desire satisfaction is problematic.

To start, this implies that the only way to become happier is by satisfying a desire. This seems wrong. Sometimes our happiness is increased by getting something we didn’t previously want—such as a surprise birthday party or getting stuck taking care of a neighbor’s cat. This implies that desire satisfaction is not necessary for happiness.

Desire satisfaction is not always sufficient for happiness, either. Unfortunately, it is common for people to feel disappointed when they get what they want. Many accomplishments, such as earning a degree or winning a tournament, simply don’t bring the long-lasting happiness that we expect. [6]

So, even if getting what we want sometimes makes us happy, these counterexamples suggest that happiness does not consist in desire satisfaction. [7]

4. Life Satisfaction Theory

According to the life satisfaction theory, happiness consists in being satisfied with your life. A happy person has a positive impression of her life in general, even though she might not be happy about every single aspect of it. To be happy, then, means to be content with your life as a whole.

It’s controversial whether life satisfaction is affective (a feeling) or cognitive (a belief). On the one hand, life satisfaction certainly comes with positive feelings. On the other hand, it’s possible to step back, reflect on your life, and realize that it’s good, even when you’re feeling down. [8]  

One problem for this theory is that it’s difficult for people to distinguish how they feel in the moment from how they feel about their lives overall. Studies have shown that people report feeling more satisfied with their lives when the weather is good, even though this shouldn’t make that much of a difference. But measuring life satisfaction is complicated, so perhaps such studies should be taken with a grain of salt. [9]

5. Conclusion

Understanding what happiness is should enable you to become happier.

First, decide which theory of happiness you think is true, based on the arguments.

Second, pursue whatever happiness is according to that theory: seek pleasure and try to avoid pain (hedonism), cultivate moral and intellectual virtue (virtue theory), decide what you really want and do your best to get it (desire satisfaction theory), or change your life (or your attitude about it) so you feel (or believe) that it’s going well (life satisfaction theory).

And if you’re not sure which theory of happiness is true, then you could always try pursuing all of these things. 😊

[1] This might seem like an empirical (scientific) question rather than a philosophical one. However, this essay asks the conceptual question of what happiness is, and conceptual questions belong to philosophy, not to science.

[2] Happiness is commonly distinguished from “well-being,” i.e., the state of a life that is worth living. Whether or not happiness is the same thing as well-being is an open question, but most philosophers think it isn’t. See, for example, Haybron (2020).

[3] The word “hedonism” has different uses in philosophy. In this paper, it means that happiness is the same thing as pleasure (hedonism about happiness). But sometimes it is used to mean that happiness is the only thing that has intrinsic value (hedonism about value) or that humans are always and only motivated by pleasure (psychological hedonism). It’s important not to confuse these different uses of the word.

[4] For more on Epicurus and happiness, see Konstan (2018). For more on Bentham and Mill on happiness, see Driver (2014), as well as John Stuart Mill on The Good Life: Higher-Quality Pleasures by Dale E. Miller and Consequentialism by Shane Gronholz

[5] For more on Plato and happiness, see Frede (2017); for more on Aristotle and happiness, see Kraut (2018), and on the Stoics and happiness, see Baltzly (2019).

[6] For a discussion of the phenomenon of disappointment in this context see, for example, Ben Shahar (2007).

[7] For more objections to the desire satisfaction theory, see Shafer-Landau (2018) and Vitrano (2013).

[8] If happiness is life satisfaction, then happiness seems to be “subjective” in the sense that a person cannot be mistaken about whether or not she is happy. Whether happiness is subjective in this sense is controversial, and a person who thinks that a person can be mistaken about whether or not she is happy will probably favor a different theory of happiness.

[9] See Weimann, Knabe and Schob (2015) and Berk (2018).

Baltzly, Dirk, “Stoicism”,  The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy  (Spring 2019 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL = <https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/spr2019/entries/stoicism/>.

Berk, Kiki (2018). “Does Money Make Us Happy? The Prospects and Problems of Happiness Research in Economics,” in Journal of Happiness Studies, 19, 1241-1245.

Ben-Shahar, Tal (2007). Happier . New York: McGraw-Hill.

Driver, Julia, “The History of Utilitarianism”,  The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy  (Winter 2014 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL = <https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/win2014/entries/utilitarianism-history/>.

Frede, Dorothea, “Plato’s Ethics: An Overview”,  The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy  (Winter 2017 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL = <https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/win2017/entries/plato-ethics/>.

Haybron, Dan, “Happiness”, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy  (Summer 2020 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL = <https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/sum2020/entries/happiness/>.

Konstan, David, “Epicurus”,  The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy  (Summer 2018 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL = <https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/sum2018/entries/epicurus/>.

Kraut, Richard, “Aristotle’s Ethics”, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Summer 2018 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL = <https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/sum2018/entries/aristotle-ethics/>.

Shafer-Landau, Russ (2018). The Ethical Life: Fundamental Readings in Ethics and Moral Problems. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Vitrano, Christine (2013). The Nature and Value of Happiness. Boulder: Westview Press.

Weimann, Joachim, Andreas Knabe, and Ronnie Schob (2015). Measuring Happiness . Cambridge: The MIT Press.

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About the Author

Dr. Kiki Berk is an Associate Professor of Philosophy at Southern New Hampshire University. She received her Ph.D. in Philosophy from the VU University Amsterdam in 2010. Her research focuses on Beauvoir’s and Sartre’s philosophies of death and meaning in life.

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Happiness Essay: Definition, Outline & Examples

happiness essay

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A happiness essay is an academic paper that explores the concept of happiness, and how it can be achieved and maintained in our lives. The purpose of a happiness essay is to explore the psychological, social, and cultural factors that contribute to happiness. On this type of essay, students should provide insights into how individuals can cultivate a happy and fulfilling life.

In this article, we will explore the definition of happiness and its various components and outline the key elements of happiness essay structure. Whether you are seeking how to write a happiness essay or want to know more about this feeling, this is the right article. You will also find en example for your inspiration. Struggling with your writing? Say goodbye to stress and let our experts handle your ' write my essay for me ' challenge. Our team of skilled writers is ready to tackle any topic and deliver top-notch papers tailored to your instructions.

What Is a Happiness Essay?

The definition of a happiness essay can differ, but in general, a happiness essay is a paper that examines emotions, experiences, and perspectives related to the pursuit of contentment. Likewise, it may explore the philosophical and psychological aspects of delight and how it is affected by factors like wealth, relationships, and personal circumstances. A happiness essay provides a deeper understanding of enjoyment, how it can be achieved, and its influence on society. It is an opportunity to take readers on a reflective and stimulating journey, exploring the essence of joy. Writing a thematic essay on happiness is also a chance for writers to share their thoughts and observations with other people. Let's dive in and explore what delight really means to you!

Purpose of an Essay on Happiness

The reason for writing an essay about happiness is to explore the concept of delight to understand what it means to different people. For example, many believe it primarily depends on external factors such as wealth, success, or material possessions. However, it can be illustrated that true joy largely comes from internal factors, like one's outlook, personal growth, and relationships, especially with family and friends. A happiness essay helps to dispel common misconceptions about what satisfaction truly is. Writing a paper on this subject can describe a deeper, healthy understanding of this universal pursuit.

Ideas to Write a Happiness Essay on

When you want to write a happiness essay , first, it is important to ask: What is happiness to you? How can it be understood? One approach is to define happiness and examine its various dimensions, such as psychological, emotional, and physiological.  For example, career satisfaction is a crucial factor in achieving contentment. When people enjoy their jobs and feel fulfilled, they tend to report higher levels of delight. It's worth exploring the link between happiness and career satisfaction and how people can find meaning in their work.  Another idea of how to be happy would look at factors like relationships, personal growth, and achievement. Besides, the connection between money and happiness can also be a significant factor in the quality of life. Can you buy satisfaction?  The pursuit of happiness is a fundamental aspect of life, and analyzing its various dimensions can help us gain valuable insights into what leads to a happy life.

Happiness Essay Outline

An outline for a happiness essay serves as a roadmap for writers to keep their paper organized. It helps to break down researched content into manageable sections while ensuring that all necessary information is included.  The essay outline on happiness example might look something like this:

  • Topic definition
  • Topic importance
  • Thesis statement
  • Topic sentence
  • Supporting evidence
  • Concluding sentence, connected to your thesis
  • Summarizing main points
  • Final thoughts and future recommendations
  • Encouraging readers to reflect on their delight

This outline provides a comprehensive format for an essay about happiness, ensuring that articles are well-structured, easy to understand, and cover all the necessary information.

Structure of a Happiness Essay

Happiness essay structure is critical to a successful article because it helps to organize the ideas clearly and coherently. It is easier for readers to follow and understand writers' perspectives on this complex and multifaceted topic if the essay has the following sections: Introduction:  provides context for the topic with a clear thesis statement. Body:  delves into the details while providing evidence to support the thesis. Conclusion:  summarizes the main points while restating the thesis statement in a new way. By following this structure, writers can produce compelling essays on happiness in life that engage and inform readers.

Happiness Essay Introduction

The introduction of a happiness essay is critical to setting the stage for the article’s body. Good introductions should have three key elements: a hook, background information, and a thesis statement.  The hook draws readers in and keeps them engaged, but a boring or generic one may make them lose interest. The background information provides context for the topic and gives the audience a better understanding of why the essay is being written. Lastly, the thesis statement states the writer's stance on contentment, providing a roadmap for the rest of the essay.  An essay about happiness introduction is an important part that sets the tone and lays the foundation for the paper. By following this structure, authors can ensure that the introduction of their paper is well-organized, concise, and effective in drawing the readers into their piece.

Happiness Essay Introduction Example

An introduction to your paper should be engaging, interesting, brief, and to the point. It clearly states the objectives of the research and introduces readers to the key arguments that will be discussed. Here is an example of a happiness essay introduction:

Satisfaction is never a straightforward and easily attainable idea. It has intrigued philosophers, religious figures, and people alike for centuries. Some say contentment is found inside a material wealth lifestyle, and others believe it is a state of mind or a result of spiritual fulfillment. But what is happiness, really? And how can we cultivate it in our own lives?

Happiness Essay Thesis Statement

A happiness essay thesis statement is the backbone of an article and a crucial element in your paper. A good thesis statement about happiness should be arguable, specific, and relevant to the topic. It is important for defining the scope of an article and highlighting its focus while also identifying what it will not cover.  Finally, the thesis statement tells readers the writer's point of view and sets a standard for judging whether the essay achieves its goal. By creating an effective statement, writers can significantly impact their paper's quality by providing direction and focus to the author’s argument.

Happiness Thesis Statement Example

This thesis statement defines the pursuit of delight and outlines its contributing factors. Here is an example of a happiness essay thesis statement sample:

True happiness comes from family, friends, and learning to be content in life, while money can only purchase momentary happiness.

Happiness Essay Body

A happiness body paragraph is a component of the body section of an article that provides evidence, examples, and supporting arguments to develop an essay's central idea. Good paragraphs cover a topic in-depth and engage readers, prompting them to reflect on what brings joy and how to pursue it. A paragraph about happiness should be well-structured and focused, analyzing factors contributing to contentment in a logical and coherent manner. A well-crafted essay body on happiness includes several paragraphs, each focused on specific aspects of enjoyment while supporting an article's overall argument. Following these guidelines, writers can create persuasive essay paragraphs.

Happiness Body Paragraph Example

Body paragraphs should provide a deeper understanding of the topic while engaging readers with relevant, thought-provoking information. Happiness body paragraph example:

Contentment brings a smile to our faces, peace to our hearts, and a skip in our steps. It's what many of us strive for every day, and it turns out it's not just good for our spirits but our health too! Studies have linked contentment to lower stress, reduced risk of heart disease, and elevated life satisfaction. Delight can come from doing what you love, being with loved ones, or having a sense of purpose. Or, it may simply be found in everyday moments like a sunny day, a good meal, or a breathtaking sunset. Although joy can be fleeting and affected by life events, we can still work to cultivate it in our lives.

Happiness Essay Conclusion

A conclusion is the last section of an essay that summarizes the main points while offering a final perspective on the topic. To write a strong conclusion on a happiness essay, consider these key elements: 

  • summarize the main arguments
  • provide closure
  • include a final thought or reflection
  • leave a lasting impression
  • avoid introducing new information.

A good conclusion can make the difference between a forgettable essay and one that stays with the reader long after they've finished. Following these guidelines ensures that your essay conclusion about happiness effectively wraps up the argument and provides readers with memorable final impressions.

Happiness Essay Conclusion Sample

Conclusion helps readers better understand the topic by providing a sense of resolution or insight. Here is an example of a happiness essay conclusion:

In conclusion, delight is a difficult and multi-faceted concept that can influence various factors, including personal relationships, life events, and individual perspectives. The pursuit of contentment is a common initiative for all humans, and it is evident that becoming content requires a perfect balance and order of internal and external factors. This article presents evidence that helps you see clearly that contentment is not a fixed state. It is a journey that needs effort, reflection, and self-awareness to enjoy. I hope this paper has helped you realize a deeper understanding of this topic and become better equipped to embark on your pursuit of joy. 

How to Write an Essay on Happiness?

If you want to write an essay on happiness, remember that it can be a hard yet rewarding experience. Whether you are doing it for a class assignment, a job, a scholarship application, or personal growth, exploring what contentment means to you can be the journey of self-discovery.  You should clearly understand the topic and have a well-structured plan. The steps to effective happiness essay writing include defining satisfaction, conducting research, and organizing thoughts. When writing, it's crucial to consider factors that contribute to delight and obstacles that can hinder the process. Following the steps below, you can craft an article that effectively communicates your perspective on this topic.

1.  Pick a Topic About Happiness

Choosing a topic about happiness essay can be daunting, but with some guidance and creativity, you may find a subject that is both interesting and relevant. When brainstorming for happiness essay topics, follow these steps:

  • Start with a broad idea related to your issue. Narrow the focus to a specific aspect, gather information, list potential cases, evaluate options, refine the matter, and check for relevance to your audience.
  • Gather information, consider the different perspectives, and take note of the arguments you come across.
  • Come up with five to ten potential concerns and evaluate each, asking questions such as if it is interesting, has enough information available, and if you can find a unique approach.
  • Refine your chosen discussion to make it specific, focused, relevant, and interesting to your audience.

2. Do In-Depth Research

Gathering information from credible sources is crucial when writing an essay about happiness. Here are some tips to ensure that you collect accurate and relevant facts:

  • Research from trustworthy sources like academic journals, books by experts, and government websites.
  • Evaluate information's credibility and reliability. When you are reading, take notes on the information that you find. Write down the author, title, and publication date of each source to keep track of your research.
  • Use multiple sources to broaden your understanding of your topic.
  • Organize your research with a citation manager or bibliography.

Following these tips, you can delve into a wealth of credible sources for your happiness essays to elevate your article to new heights of insight.

3. Create an Outline for a Happiness Essay

Crafting an outline is essential in writing an essay on happiness and can give your work the structure and direction it needs to succeed. Here's how to create an effective happiness essay outline:

  • Framework Start by outlining the main sections of your essay - introduction, body, and conclusion.
  • Pinpoint your ideas Determine the key points you want to convey in each section.
  • Supplement with specifics Add details that reinforce and support your ideas under each main point.
  • Follow the guide Use the happiness essay outline example above as a starting point, but feel free to customize depending on the situation.

By following these steps and utilizing an essay outline , you'll have a clear map to guide you as you craft your paper, ensuring that your ideas are coherently organized, and your writing flows effortlessly.

4. Write an Essay About Happiness

In this essay about happiness, we will delve into the elusive and complex nature of this emotion. Here is an example to follow when you write your happiness essay.

Contentment is a subjective experience that varies significantly from person to person. It is often considered the ultimate goal of human life, and many people spend their entire lives searching for it. Despite its elusive nature, it is a crucial component of well-being and has been linked to numerous benefits for physical, mental, and emotional health. The reasons to smile or experience joy are varied and can be both internal and external. Some individuals find joy in the simple things in life, like being with family, pursuing their passions, or exploring new experiences. On the other hand, others may find it through accomplishing personal goals, acquiring material goods, or attaining financial security. Nonetheless, it's crucial to keep in mind that these external sources of happiness may not always be possible and may not alleviate suffering. Conversely, true joy comes from within and is characterized by a sense of being content, satisfied, and with purpose. It can be cultivated through mindfulness, gratitude, and self-reflection. By focusing on personal growth, forming meaningful relationships, and finding meaning and purpose in life, individuals, including children, can develop a deep sense of satisfaction that is not dependent on external circumstances and is not easily disturbed by life's problems. In conclusion, delight is a complex and multifaceted experience that both internal and external factors can influence. While external sources can bring temporary joy, true and lasting contentment can only be found within. Individuals can create a foundation for joy that will endure throughout their lives by focusing on personal growth and cultivating a positive mindset.

5. Proofread Your Happiness Essay

When proofreading your happiness essay, make sure to take your time and approach it methodically. Follow these steps:

  • Read through the entire essay to get a sense of its overall structure and flow.
  • Pay close attention to the introduction, as this sets the tone for the entire piece.
  • Look for typos, grammatical errors, and awkward phrasing .
  • Ensure your paragraphs are well-organized, with clear transitions between ideas. Check that your happy essay accurately reflects your thoughts and clearly conveys the message you want.
  • Finally, read the paper out loud to yourself, or have someone else read it to you.

This can help you pick up on any errors that you might have missed during your initial proofreading. Finally, the article will leave a lasting impression on your reader and enhance your credibility as a writer.

Happiness Essay Examples

If you're looking to write truly captivating happiness essays, it's always helpful to seek inspiration from various sources. Consider checking out these excellent essay examples about happiness:  Happiness essay example 1

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Essay example about happiness 2

Happiness essay sample 3

Essay on happiness example 4

Example of a happiness essay 5

They offer a rich tapestry of perspectives on what enjoyment truly means. Whether you draw on your own experiences or delve into the experiences of others, a happiness essay example will serve as a valuable resource as you strive to make your mark on this timeless topic.

Happiness Essay Writing Tips

When writing a happiness essay, there are key tips to keep in mind to help you create a compelling piece of work. Here are a few suggestions to get you started in happiness essays writing:

  • Explore the concept from a cultural or historical perspective, looking at how attitudes towards your topic have changed over time across different societies.
  • Consider how relationships, community, and social connections shape our enjoyment. How can these factors interact?
  • Weigh the benefits and drawbacks of different approaches, such as positive or negative thinking, mindfulness, and self-care, offering a well-rounded perspective on the topic.
  • Reflect on the connection between happiness and success, considering whether one necessarily leads to the other or can be pursued independently of success.
  • Incorporate humor and lightheartedness into your writing, making your essay entertaining.

By going about integrating these unique tips into your writing day by day, you'll be able to craft essays on happiness that are both original and memorable, capturing the reader's imagination from start to finish. Students can explore a vast range of topics through our platform, from an essay about true friendship  and a  family essay to an illustration essay that will show how to convey complex ideas in a clear and engaging way.

Bottom Line on Happiness Essay Writing

To write a happiness essay, you should consider providing long and in-depth ways to explore what truly brings us joy. Instead of repeating common knowledge, take a personal approach and reflect on the things that delight you. Consider the fact that relationships, gratitude, mindfulness, and activities all contribute to shaping our joy. Your happiness essays should also showcase your introspective side. Examine any challenges or obstacles you have faced in your journey toward contentment. This will make your paper not only unique but also relatable and insightful. The goal is to create a piece that offers a fresh perspective on the concept of happiness and a true reflection of your experiences.

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How to write a thematic essay

What Is Happiness Essay

What is happiness? We can ask hundreds of people, and each of them would probably give different answers. One would say that happiness is to be with a loved one, the second would say that happiness is the stability, and the third, on the contrary, would say that happiness is the unpredictability. For someone, to be happy is to have a lot of money while for others – to be popular. All in all, there are plenty of different understandings of happiness.

Personally, I consider happiness as simplicity and peace when my family and friends are healthy and happy as well. I recognize that they all are dear to me and able to understand what is going on inside me. I know that they will support me in any situation doing everything that depends on them. In return, I am also ready to do much for them. What we do for others, helping them when they need our help, advice, or support and obtaining appreciation, is happiness because helping others, we are doing something very significant and necessary.

What does it mean to be happy? I think it is, primarily, a state of mind, it means to have harmony with yourself and the people around. Happiness is multi-faceted. Perhaps, the word “love” is the most appropriate one to describe my happiness as love is driven by our world. People create wonderful things concerning their job, hobby, or family. Love is life, and I am happy when I realize that I live up to the hilt.

However, some people might be unhappy even though they should be. For example, teenagers who have everything to live a happy life, including healthy family, close friends, and enough money to satisfy basic needs, ask their parents to buy the latest model of IPhone. In the case, parents could not afford it, some teenagers tend to feel unhappy. After all, one can be a successful leader and have millions as well as prestige, but do not have a loving family and emotional harmony.

In my opinion, material values are not a true measure of happiness. Happiness is the ability to be optimistic in spite of difficulties and the ability to overcome them successfully. Finally, challenges should be taken as the lessons that life presents us. Even the negative things teach something, give a new experience, or refer to the correct direction.

I believe that happiness is not a gift and not a given right as every person has its own happiness inside. Moreover, it is never too late to become happy. We can inspire and motivate ourselves and others to be happy. A stranger’s passing smile, warm rays of the sun penetrating the window, or a cup of freshly brewed coffee – happiness is in detail. Everyone chooses and prefers different sources. It is of great importance for people to enjoy moments of life, even the most insignificant ones.

We need to appreciate every moment in our lives remembering that happiness is within us. After all, time passes, and we are getting hurt by the fact that we did not appreciate the time when we had a chance. Therefore, living in peace and harmony with others, helping those who need your help, and avoiding things that you would regret about in future are paramount ways to find happiness and make others happy.

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Happy Lives and the Highest Good: an essay on Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics

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Lear, Gabriel Richardson, Happy Lives and the Highest Good: an essay on Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics , Princeton University Press, 2004, 256pp, $35.00 (hbk), ISBN 069114668.

Reviewed by Julia Annas, University of Arizona

Most of Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics discusses the life of moral virtue, exercised in accordance with practical reasoning, a life taken in the opening passages to be necessary for happiness or eudaimonia , though not sufficient, since some measure of external goods is also required. This is the position regarded as Aristotelian in ancient ethical debate throughout the following period. Our text of the Nicomachean Ethics , however, ends with a passage urging that a life of human happiness lies in contemplation or study ( theoria ) of the highest objects of the intellect.

Can we resolve this puzzle without examining what kind of text our Nicomachean Ethics is? Were the passages we read as Book I and Book X even intended to form part of the same philosophical work? Here we find a range of responses, at one extreme of which is Jonathan Barnes, who in his discussion of the ancient transmission of Aristotle’s works, puts the point with characteristic force: ‘[O]ur EN is an absurdity, surely put together by a desperate scribe or an unscrupulous bookseller and not united by an author or an editor’. 1 Gabriel Richardson Lear assumes that the Nicomachean Ethics is a literary unity; she regards it as containing a progressive argument (p 146) entitling her, for example, to use passages in Book X to illuminate the earlier discussion of to kalon and suggesting that the reason Aristotle is not more informative in the earlier passage is that ‘he is not fully in the position to do so’ until Book X. 2 This puts her at or near the opposite extreme from Barnes, but she nowhere defends her assumptions about the text, and explicitly (p 5) lays aside the relationship of the Nicomachea n to the Eudemian version. Given the very different interpretative assumptions that scholars make about the text, it would have been helpful to have had serious discussion of the literary problems our text offers.

Lear uses Aristotle’s other works to interpret crucial parts of his views on happiness, taking the Nicomachean Ethics to be understood properly only in the context of Aristotle’s physical and metaphysical works, rather than as a self-standing work. She also at several places suggests interesting deep affinities between Aristotle and Plato. This gives her a distinctive approach to the much-fought-over discussion of our final end in the opening passages of the Ethics . She joins the currently growing number of scholars finding Aristotle’s final end to be monistic, rather than inclusivist. Her account of Book I argues that the inclusivist approach is wrong because for Aristotle our telos should be taken to be the ‘technical’ (p 3) notion we find in the Physics and biological works: a normative standard for the performance of an activity. The human telos will thus not be what puts an end to desire but will rather be the goal appropriate to our nature and essence, something which determines the success and value of human activities. Given this account of our telos , we find that when an end is for the sake of another end, this must mean ‘at least that the higher ends provide the criteria of success for the subordinate ones’ (p 17). Lower ends are given their value by their role in contributing to the higher ends. Since happiness is the ‘most final’ end, we are led to an account of our highest end as monistic, with all other ends subordinate to success in achieving it.

Lear follows through the apparently drastic result that there appears to be no place in this conception for what she calls ‘mid-level ends’, ends choiceworthy for themselves and also for their contribution to our final end. She ingeniously finds such a place via the notion of ‘approximation’: ends such as virtuous activity can be choiceworthy for their own sakes and also by virtue of approximating the activity constituting our final end. This notion of approximation is also taken from the physical and biological works, including the way the Prime Mover functions as a final cause and the way that the reproduction of animals approximates the activity of the Prime Mover, at De Anima II 4.

Approximation gives us a way in which a lower end can be related to a higher one that is neither instrumental nor constitutive, and this paves the way for an ingenious solution to the problem of mid-level ends on a monistic interpretation. Morally virtuous activity approximates contemplation, according to Lear, and thus we can reconcile taking contemplation to be our monistic final end with the fact that most of the Ethics is devoted to studying practical reasoning in the exercise of moral virtue. Our final end is contemplation, but the exercise of moral virtue is choiceworthy for its own sake, since it is an approximation of contemplation.

Readers may be worried that, as Lear admits, ‘Aristotle never explicitly says that excellent practical reasoning is good because its essence is defined with reference to wise contemplation’ (p 90). The second half of the book attempts to meet these worries. In Chapter 5 she argues that theoretical and practical reasoning are both to be understood as aiming at truth in different ways, such as precision, in terms of which theoretical reasoning is superior. This is the most speculative part of the book, and, although the ideas are suggestive and interesting, much remains unclear in the claims that Aristotle is talking about ‘living truthfully’ (p 99) and attaining theoretical and practical truthfulness. Lear is clearer in her account of the moral virtues (she deals with courage, temperance and greateness of soul), in a way elucidating how their practice might be understood as an approximation of theoretical contemplation. She focuses on the fine or kalon as the object of virtuous action, giving all virtuous activity an object which is an object of practice determined as what it is by a conception of what is objectively good for humans; this is what she claims as the basis for the way the fine is elsewhere said to be the principle of order, symmetry and boundedness. Each moral choice thus shows that the moral agent has some conception of human flourishing; since this is in fact contemplation, ‘morally virtuous actions will be fine and worth choosing for their own sakes because they are appropriate to the philosopher, whether the virtuous agent understands this or not’. Courageous actions, for example, express a commitment to ‘the excellent rational use of a leisurely citizen’s life’ (p 149, 159); the citizen soldier thinks death in battle worth it because of his commitment as a citizen to the common life of the city; and this in turn is worth it because it allows for leisure, whose best use is contemplation. Only the philosopher will have full understanding of the point of virtuous actions, and this enables Lear in her final chapter to avoid the usual ‘competition’ between the active life and the life of contemplation, since doing everything for the sake of contemplation emerges from a deeper understanding of moral virtue rather than philosophers’ self-interested modification of it.

Lear is quite explicit that the soldier dying on the battlefield may not realize that ‘the exercise of courage approximates contemplation by being structurally similar to it, insofar as it is an exercise of practical reason and truthfulness’ (p 161); only philosophers will understand that. The same is true of any exercise of practical reasoning in virtue: the courageous, the temperate and those with greatness of soul need not understand that what they do is done for the sake of contemplation (though to be virtuous it has to be done for the sake of the fine, something which requires understanding the nature of practical reasoning and its proper aims). Most of us most of the time, even if we make progress in virtue, are thus missing an understanding of what ultimately makes our actions valuable. Lear seems to think that this result is not so strange when we bear in mind that the exercise of practical reason is choiceworthy for itself in being an approximation of theoretical reasoning. But problems remain which Lear’s discussion stimulates without settling.

One is the question of the audience. Lear makes casual reference to Aristotle’s audience ‘who have been raised in fine habits’ (e.g., p 121). On Lear’s view the audience for the Ethics will radically fail to understand it if they attend to it alone. They will understand it only if they come equipped with knowledge of Aristotle’s physical and metaphysical works, and prepared to interpret the work from the beginning in the light of ideas which are expressed only at the end—only if, that is, they come equipped with Lear’s own interpretative batteries. Now this is certainly possible: the fact that the Ethics does not contain the crucial notions in Lear’s interpretation does not mean that we can understand everything in it by studying it alone. Nonetheless, the distance between Lear’s interpretation and interpretations which treat the discussion of moral virtue as self-standing rather than radically underdescribed suggests the need for some attention to the question of how the Ethics was intended to be read, and by whom. These are interestingly different problems from the ones usually thought to arise from the fact that Book X turns up in our Nicomachean Ethics , but they remain problems nonetheless.

The book is rewarding for its close study of several of Aristotle’s most vexed passages in an accessible and imaginative way; particularly worthwhile are the discussions of self-sufficiency (bringing in the related passages from Plato’s Philebus ), the kalon and ‘greatness of soul’. The book is most likely to convince of its main theses those who share its substantial methodological assumptions, and it would have been helpful to have had explicit discussion of these. The book will also be valuable in furthering examination of deep similarities between Aristotle’s ethical thought and that of Plato, which I have not had the scope to examine here.

1 Barnes adds in a footnote: ‘That our EN is not a unity is beyond controversy—the existence of two treatments of pleasure is enough to prove the fact. The only questions concern who invented our text, and when, and from what materials, and for what motives.’ ( p 58-9 of Jonathan Barnes, ‘Roman Aristotle,’ in Jonathan Barnes and Miriam Griffin (eds), Philosophia Togata II:Plato and Aristotle at Rome, Oxford University Press 1997, pp 1-69.)

2 She also claims (apparently on the basis of her overall interpretation) that Book VI has a ‘protreptic’ structure (pp 93-4).

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23 of 25 students admit chatgpt use after professor’s amnesty offer, how to cite a tweet, scite review, things that make me happy essay sample, example.

Johannes Helmold

Essay Sample

Happiness is a subjective feeling that varies from person to person. What makes one person happy might not necessarily make another person happy. However, there are some things that tend to bring joy and satisfaction to most people.

One of the things that make me happy is spending time with my loved ones. Being around people who care about me and whom I care about brings a sense of belonging and warmth that is hard to replicate in other circumstances. Whether it is having deep conversations, sharing a meal, or simply enjoying each other’s company, spending time with family and friends is an essential part of my happiness.

Another thing that brings joy to my life is pursuing my passions and hobbies. Engaging in activities that I enjoy, whether it is reading a good book, playing a musical instrument, or practicing yoga, provides me with a sense of purpose and fulfillment. These activities allow me to enter a state of flow, where time seems to stop and my mind is fully engaged in the present moment.

Being in nature is also something that makes me happy. The beauty and serenity of natural environments, such as the beach, the mountains, or a park, have a calming effect on me. They remind me of the simplicity and purity of life, and they help me appreciate the beauty around me.

Finally, helping others is another source of happiness for me. Volunteering, donating to charity, or simply being kind to strangers all contribute to a sense of fulfillment and purpose in my life. Knowing that I am making a positive impact on someone else’s life is a powerful motivator that brings me joy.

In conclusion, happiness is a complex and multifaceted emotion that is influenced by many factors. However, spending time with loved ones, pursuing passions and hobbies, being in nature, and helping others are some of the things that tend to make people happy. By focusing on these aspects of our lives, we can cultivate a sense of joy and contentment that lasts beyond fleeting moments of pleasure.

You can find more  English 101 Topics  in our weekly digest based on the real market data and research from A*Help.

What is happiness?

Happiness is a subjective emotional state characterized by feelings of joy, satisfaction, and overall well-being. It varies from person to person and can be influenced by a variety of factors, including relationships, hobbies, environment, and acts of kindness.

Why does spending time with loved ones make you happy?

Spending time with loved ones brings a sense of belonging, warmth, and shared understanding. It’s a way to connect deeply with others, share experiences, and create lasting memories, which contribute to feelings of happiness.

How do passions and hobbies contribute to happiness?

Passions and hobbies contribute to happiness by providing a sense of purpose and fulfillment. Engaging in activities you enjoy can lead to a state of flow, where you’re fully engaged and lose track of time. This immersion in a rewarding activity often results in joy and satisfaction.

Why does being in nature make you happy?

Being in nature can instill feelings of peace and calm. The beauty and serenity of natural environments can simplify one’s perspective on life and help one appreciate the world’s inherent beauty, leading to a sense of happiness and contentment.

How does helping others contribute to happiness?

Helping others can create a sense of fulfillment and purpose. Knowing that you’re making a positive impact on someone else’s life can be a powerful source of joy and satisfaction, contributing to overall happiness.

Are these sources of happiness universal?

While these sources of happiness are common, happiness is a highly individual experience. What brings joy to one person might not have the same effect on another. It’s important to understand your unique sources of happiness and cultivate them.

How can one cultivate lasting happiness?

Cultivating lasting happiness often involves focusing on the aspects of life that bring joy and contentment, such as spending time with loved ones, pursuing passions, appreciating nature, and helping others. Additionally, maintaining a positive mindset, practicing gratitude, and taking care of one’s physical health can also contribute to sustained happiness.

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How to Describe Happiness: 100 Phrases

clouds and blue sky | How to Describe Happiness in Writing: A Master List for Writers #ways to describe happiness #how to describe happiness in writing #joy #how to express happiness in a sentence #list of excitement phrases #happy phrases

You’d think figuring out how to describe happiness would be easy…

but when you’re trying to think of how to express happiness in a sentence, it’s easy to draw a blank. That’s why I’m sharing this list of ways to describe happiness, excitement, and joy. I hope these happy phrases help with your novel, story, or whatever you’re writing!

When I shared my Master List of Ways to Describe Anger the other week, on my Facebook author page , one person told me she expected a paywall when she clicked. That was a pretty nice compliment! So I thought I’d do one on how to describe happiness, too. Most of the time, you can express emotions through internal monologue, dialogue, and actions. Once in a while, though, you run into the need to describe the feeling in the point of view of your character.

There are really infinite ways to convey emotion in writing. I have 100 ways here to write about happiness, joy, contentment, hope, and gratitude here. They’re not in any particular order — really, it’s just the order that I thought of them. 🙂

They aren’t all going to be ones you use personally, because every writer is different! Chances are, they’ll make you think of even more words and phrases.

woman holding up her arms in sunset - how to describe happiness in writing

How to Describe Happiness

his heart leaped up for joy

he felt a surge of happiness

I was paralyzed with happiness

their mood lifted

she was bursting with joy

he could hardly contain his happiness

his mood lightened

my spirits brightened

hope bloomed inside her

happiness glowed inside him

he felt a sudden flare of joy

I could barely conceal my delight

they were flabbergasted with joy

sunshine flooded her soul

his spirits were flying high

her hopes soared

she felt like her feet barely touched the ground

joy engulfed me

it cheered her soul

joy took hold of him

inside, she was smiling

she almost jumped for joy

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happiness overtook him

she took a defiant joy in it

happiness streaked through him like a comet

a quiet contentment spread through him

contentment filled her heart

happiness trembled inside of her

his heart dared to hope

happiness swelled within her

gratitude flowed through her

had she ever been happier in her life?

it elevated his mood

he couldn’t think of a time he’d ever been happier

their joy unfolded like a flower

tennis shoes and a daisy on the grass - how to describe happiness in writing

she felt a glimmer of happiness

he felt dizzy with excitement

joy rushed through me

my happiness was so intense it scared me

he thought he would die of joy

her heart was singing

she felt drunk with happiness

he was intoxicated with joy

his heart throbbed with happiness

she burned with a fierce joy

happiness crept over him

it was almost more happiness than she could take

he knew a profound joy

her happiness grew

I was wild with joy

happiness expanded inside him

they were suffused with happiness

joy sparkled inside her

happiness shimmered inside me

happiness danced through her thoughts

he almost collapsed with happiness

it raised his spirits

it brought my spirits up

contentment warmed her from within

happiness radiated through him

he’d never felt more alive

she felt fully and wonderfully alive

I was filled with joyful energy

she could’ve wept for joy

I wanted to shout for joy

he was weak with gratitude

his heart pounded with happiness

she savored the feeling of contentment

a sudden feeling of happiness surprised him

an unexpected happiness consumed her

happiness made me feel invincible

joy rippled through him

gratitude welled up inside her

he felt a flush of happiness

happiness resonated through him

she was transported with joy

it was almost too much happiness to bear

contentment tiptoed into her heart

he was overcome with happiness

he’d unearthed a greater joy than any he’d ever known

her spirits bounded higher

it brought him a ray of happiness

she felt a whisper of happiness

he felt an inkling of joy

she felt a stab of hope

satisfaction settled in his soul

happiness washed over her

his soul took flight

she felt in love with the whole world

he had no words for the gratitude he felt

she was buzzing with happiness

she felt like she was floating

young woman in restaurant blissfully listening to music - how to describe happiness in writing

he was in heaven

she was treasuring every moment

she surrendered to bliss

the weight lifted from my soul

he felt a solemn sense of happiness

joy bubbled up inside of her

his happiness overflowed

my heart almost broke with joy

I’m curious: if you read the whole list straight through, did it make you feel happier? It had that effect on me!

Either way, I hope you’re happy to have the list! And if you you like lists for writers, check out my book Master Lists for Writers, if you haven’t already!

Master Lists for Writers by Bryn Donovan

Do you have some ideas about how to describe happiness? Would you like to share an example of a description of happiness from your own writing? Please go ahead in the comments section below! Thanks for stopping by, and happy writing!

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Share this:

45 thoughts on “ how to describe happiness: 100 phrases ”.

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Bryn, your posts are always filled with such awesome information for the reader and writer in all of us! Thanks so much for taking time out of your busy life to do this. And, yes, I was smiling towards the end!

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Hi, Marcia! Oh, I’m so glad you like them. 🙂

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Yup! U r right!

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I love these lists. I print them out and use them regularly. They help inspire and find the right words. I use them as a cheat sheet.

Constance, I’m so glad they’re helpful! I do think of them as “cheat sheets” (except it’s not really cheating, of course!)

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These are great! And SO helpful!! <3

Hi, Caro! Aw thanks. Hope you’re having a great week!

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You helped me improve in my composition a lot.THANK YOU!???

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I absolutely love your lists. I refer to them all the time when I find myself needing inspiration or repeating too many phrases. Thank you so much for sharing.

Ohh, thank you friend. 🙂

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Wonderful list! Thank you, Bryn.

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Thank you so much. I’m so happy that I’ll no longer spend minutes trying to convey a simple emotion and it’s all thanks to you!

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Thanks, Bryn. These are great descriptions. 🙂 — Suzanne

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Thanks Bryn, I’ve saved this and will use it often. Happiness has crept over me! Cary

How amazing! Where do you get all these ideas from?

Aw thanks! It took me a long time. 🙂

How long????

Thanks for this wonderful list about happiness

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I was wondering on Google and I found this!!! Such a lovely article ? I too write on aintyouliving.blogspot.com from India. Hopefully you’ll find something interesting on my blog. Well, love from India ♥️

This was so useful! I started using a few in my everyday writing and it’s made a huge difference

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This is a great post and a huge help for writers like myself. Amazing information! Thank you.

Hi Margie! Thanks—I am so glad you found it useful!

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Hi! I kind of used this in my writing. Thank you so much!

What I wrote: The room erupted in cheers. People were laughing and smiles were everywhere. Thank GOODNESS! I could barely conceal my happiness. Joy and relief welled up inside of me, and I sighed. I let out the deep breath that I had been holding onto for what seemed like a long time. My job here was done and my dream… had come true.

Ashlyn, so glad it helped. And I love what you wrote! Thanks for sharing!

Wow! Amazing ?! I LOVE it!!!

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what an amazing list of words, enjoyed it thank you!!

they helped me a lot in my creative writings.

Wow,Bryn! Thank you ?! I use it a lot on my Compositions!

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OMG this is priceless, thank you thank you thank you thank you! Bless your soul for this.

thx, my child now gets high marks for her compo

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awww you are soo sweet,you are helpful you are a role modelll:)

thanks this really helped with my compo ???

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my god! Amazing stuff!, huge round of Applause!!

I am Sheema Suroor Mohammad

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Thanks heaps great list!!

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Thank you. This is exactly what i was looking for. Please note that you are helping emerging authors with this your list that i personally refer to as inexhaustible list.

' src=

That is an impressive list! Thanks for sharing!

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Happy to learn happiness in so many words, Wonder how it comprehends so wide! Thank you so much.

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this really helped me and i fucking hate you

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I found this website a couple of days ago, and let me tell you, I love it so much! These are so helpful when trying to make things sound interesting without using the same phrases over and over again! Thank you for making these!

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Guide on How to Write an Essay About What Makes Me Happy

Nothing lasts, nothing is finished, and nothing is perfect 03 nov 2022, creative work cannot be managed 29 may 2023, beautiful code does not make a beautiful product 27 mar 2023, visit best dissertation help website - weeklyessay, how to write a good analysis essay: outline & sample topics, can money buy happiness: argumentative essay, practical advice on how to write an argumentative essay.

When tasked with writing a happiness essay, many students are often overwhelmed by worry and frustration. This is partly due to the low limit of a 'what makes me happy essay.

With the freedom to select your discussion, many students find it hard to gauge the deliverables of the assignment compared to other research and academic papers. This guide will highlight the best tips for writing an essay on what makes you happy and the steps to follow for a quality paper.

Here is our advice on prepping a 'being happy essay without further ado.'

Steps for writing an essay on happiness

It is essential to follow a detailed procedure in a 'what makes you happy essay' for a comfortable writing experience like any academic paper. Some crucial steps for approaching this type of assignment include:

1. Brainstorm and research

Luckily, there are no restrictions on discussing what makes you happy in an essay. For some people, happiness is found in doing well in their fields. For others, it comes with the ability to amass wealth and meet the personal goals they've set.

It is critical to understand your drive and your definition of happiness. Like a research paper, writing on a topic that evokes your interest is crucial as it dictates your overall interest during your writing process.

Next, peruse some happiness essay samples and find out the key agendas to cover in the topic. Some of the significant issues you may discuss include:

  • The purpose of happiness.
  • Determining your source of happiness.
  • The benefits of being happy.
  • The hindrances to happiness.

2. Prepare an outline

Like a map for travel, an outline is critical to ensure that you don't veer off the main topic of discussion. Here, highlight the main points of your paper and organize the points to achieve a smooth flow of your paper.

A sample paper outline on a happiness essay may look like this:

I. Introduction

Hook: Describe my happiness. 

Transition to the thesis: Show how others within my field define their happiness.

Introduce your thesis

II. Body 

Paragraph one:

Topic sentence: Expound on the purpose of happiness in one's life.

Evidence: Story on the cases directly related to the presence or lack of happiness.

Paragraph two:

Topic sentence: How to determine your causes of happiness

Evidence: narrate how you identify the blissful engagements in your day-to-day activities

Paragraph three:

Topic sentence: Determining the hindrances to happiness

Evidence: A case study on the factors that limit your happiness.

3. Writing the introduction of happiness essay

Like any other essay, a happiness essay should start with a hook that resonates with your thesis statement. A great introduction should start with a question, a statement, or a fact that evokes curiosity in your audience.

You may also start your paper by narrating the events that evoke happiness in your day-to-day life. Start with the special events that highlight your day for an engaging paper.

Ideas for writing a 'how to live a happy life essay.'

Here are some ideas to help you decide on the topic to highlight when brainstorming for the content of your essay.

Personal : Here, you can talk about the feelings, emotions, and drive that define happiness for various people. For this, specify your study sample and outline a portion of their undertakings from which they gain happiness.

You might also highlight your happy moments and engage your reader in the process that inspires/ limits your happiness.

Success:  For this, you may define your moments of victory and how they relate to your happiness. Also, try to determine if it's possible to have happiness without success or vice versa. Here, the thesis statement may be: Is happiness related to success?

Writing an essay about what makes you happy does not have to cause you stress. While happiness is subjective, you must base your paper on a specific topic that makes you happy. These tips should come in handy to help you manage your essay writing process.

Sean Grover L.C.S.W.

5 Essential Healthy Habits for a Happier Life

Lasting happiness requires effort, dedication, and practice. .

Updated April 1, 2024 | Reviewed by Michelle Quirk

  • Healthy habits include tasks that you can practice daily to make your happiness stronger and more durable.
  • While transient happiness is excellent fun, happy habits deliver more sustainable, long-term benefits. 
  • Happy-producing habits include practicing gratitude, cultivating quality friendships, and acts of service.

Source: Freddy Mishiki / Unsplash

Everyone wants to be happy. But there’s a catch: The definition of happiness can vary from person to person.

Some people find happiness in family life, business, or romance. Others may find happiness in financial wealth, politics , or athletics. Still others may find happiness in academics, spiritual practices, or the creative arts. (See my new book "Shortcuts To A Happier Life: Essays on Life, Love & Parenting" )

Different Kinds of Happiness

To further complicate matters, there are different kinds of happiness. As a psychotherapist, I’m always considering two significant forms of happiness: transient happiness, that exciting burst of pleasure that flares up but fades quickly—think vacations, holidays, parties, or gifts—or sustainable happiness, the kind of daily happiness that’s long-lasting and enduring, built on your identity , relationships, self-esteem , or unique talents.

While transient happiness is excellent fun, sustainable happiness delivers more long-term benefits.

Cultivating Happiness Habits

Here’s the rude truth: Sustainable happiness requires work—lots of it. Like any skill, it takes effort, dedication, and practice.

The best place to start is focusing on happy habits you can practice daily to make your happiness stronger and more durable.

Essential Happy Habits

Regardless of your lifestyle, habits shape your way of being. Certain habits promote happiness, while others promote misery. (See "Habits That Undermine Happiness." )

Happy-producing habits are reliable because they can improve any challenging situation. These healthy habits include the following:

  • Gratitude : Cultivating a sense of gratitude is essential to lasting happiness. No matter your situation, you can find something to be grateful for. For example, I have a friend who is in critical condition; his doctors recommended hospice and estimated he has a few weeks to live. When I visited him in the hospital, I was shocked to see him in such good spirits. He explains he is grateful for the time he has left and is determined to make the most of it. He also refused hospice and recently returned home. I do not doubt that his sense of gratitude improves and extends his life.
  • Acts of service: Acts of service always give you a boost of happiness. Obsessing about your problems, ruminating on your shortcomings, comparing yourself to others—such choices inevitably undermine your happiness. Helping others reminds you there are plenty of people less fortunate than you. It also gives you the added benefit of cultivating kindness and compassion, two qualities crucial to sustainable happiness.
  • Self-care: Self-care is any activity that enriches your life, lowers stress , and refreshes you. Exercise, gardening, long walks, concerts—whatever it is, it means taking time out for your mental well-being and avoiding burnout , another major enemy of happiness. (See "Keys To Sustainable Happiness." )
  • Friendships: The sad reality of getting older is that people grow apart and lose touch. Cultivating quality friendship is essential to your happiness; it is a resource that will never let you down. When you spend time with a good friend, you leave lighter, refreshed, and inspired. Loneliness undermines happiness; friendships fortify it.
  • Creativity : Bottom line: Consuming media breeds depression . Take time to unplug from your screens and do something creative. Paint, take photos, write, dance; it doesn’t matter what the task is—creativity is the gift you give to yourself. Find a way to be creative, and you’re taking a step toward greater happiness in your daily life.

Sean Grover L.C.S.W.

Sean Grover, L.C.S.W. , is an author and psychotherapist who leads one of the largest group therapy practices in the United States.

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Word lists, cheat sheets, and sometimes irreverent reviews of writing rules. kathy steinemann is the author of the writer's lexicon series..

an essay on happy

More Than 300 Ways to Say Happy: A Word List for Writers

HAPPY WORDS

Writers Offer Diverse Opinions About Happiness

“Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know.” ~ Ernest Hemingway

“A large income is the best recipe for happiness I ever heard of.” ~ Jane Austen

“Happiness can exist only in acceptance.” ~ George Orwell

“To forget oneself is to be happy.” ~ Robert Louis Stevenson

It’s obvious that happiness means different things to different people; so rather than say a character is happy, writers can provide context explaining why. This post will help.

Emotion Beats and Physical Manifestations

Happiness can be revealed by simple body language such as the following.

  • animated voice and dialogue
  • both hands placed over one’s chest
  • bouncing on one’s toes
  • breathy giggles
  • clear skin (long-term happiness)
  • dancing shoulders and pumping fists
  • deep, relaxed breathing
  • enthusiastic handshakes (less common nowadays with fears of disease transmission; offered handshakes could result in confusion, avoidance, or disgust; try an air high-five if appropriate)
  • glowing face
  • holding one’s head high
  • jumping up and down
  • keeping one’s shoulders back
  • maintaining open body language with one’s arms and legs uncrossed
  • making a heart sign with one’s fingers
  • pointing one’s toes upward
  • raising one’s arms, perhaps in prayer
  • relaxed drumming of fingers against one leg
  • strong posture
  • swinging arms while one is walking
  • taking a wide stance and making expansive gestures with one’s arms and hands
  • tears of joy flowing down one’s face
  • tranquil brow free of frown lines
  • twinkling eyes
  • walking with a bounce in one’s step
  • wrinkles (laugh lines) in the corners of one’s eyes

If you need additional beats, consult a body language dictionary . (As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.)

The following descriptors can replace happy as is, and function well in short fiction where word count is limited.

However, show the happiness of characters whenever possible.

Instead of:

Geraldine was delighted with the flowers from her son.

Try something like this:

Geraldine smiled and gave her son a huge hug when he handed her the flowers.

A to F amused, at ease, beatific, blissful, blithe, boisterous, breezy, bright, bubbling, buoyant, carefree, cheerful, cheery, chirpy, comfortable, content, contented, delighted, delirious, ebullient, ecstatic, effervescent, elated, enraptured, euphoric, exhilarated, exuberant, exultant, fun-loving

G to U gay (provide context), glad, gladdened, gleeful, glowing, good-humored, gratified, heartened, high-spirited, jaunty, jocose, jocular, jocund, jolly, jovial, joyful, joyous, jubilant, lighthearted, lively, merry, mirthful, optimistic, overjoyed, perky, pleased, positive, radiant, rapturous, sanguine, satisfied, sparkling, sunny, thrilled, untroubled, upbeat

Similes and Metaphors

Try these idea starters to inspire new figures of speech:

  • a flaming brand of pure joy
  • a smiling inspiration
  • a sunbeam filling everyone with hope on the darkest of days
  • beaming like a personal assistant when the boss is on holiday
  • bubbly as a bottle of champagne
  • bursting with joy, like an engorged leech
  • celebrating like an attorney who has just won a case
  • delighted as an arsonist watching a bonfire
  • ecstatic as the scientist who developed a cure for [_____]
  • elated as a mega lottery winner
  • glowing like the morning sun
  • grinning like a dog eating real bacon, not that artificial crap
  • humming like a bee who has just discovered a flower garden
  • leaping like [a type of athlete] who has just [accomplishment]
  • nodding like an overinsured owner watching the [business, house] go up in flames
  • trilling like a robin after devouring a juicy worm

Clichés such as in the pink show a person’s emotional state with color. You can do the same with clothing and environment. In addition to pink, colors that might indicate a happy character include yellows, oranges, and reds, although they might also signal danger. Provide appropriate context.

See 1000+ Ways to Describe Colors for more options.

Try aromas that emanate from objects in this list, remembering that your characters might react negatively to them. For instance, if someone gets sick on churros while visiting Disneyland, they might be repelled, not happy, when they smell churros or cinnamon.

A to F anise, baby oil, baby powder, baby’s [belly, fingers, neck], bacon, bakery, barbecue, baseball glove, basil, books, brisket, butterscotch, campfire, candy floss, caramel, carnations, cedar, cheese (mention what kind of cheese), cherry blossoms, chocolate, churros, cilantro, cinnamon, citrus, clover, coconut, coffee, crabapple blossoms, crayons, doughnuts, fast food [hamburger, hot dog, hot apple pie], fish and chips, forest, fresh air, freshly baked bread, freshly made bed, freshly mown grass, fried chicken, fruit cake

G to W garden soil, gingerbread, Grandma’s kitchen, grapes, honey, honey-garlic spareribs, honeysuckle, horse, jasmine, lavender, leather saddle, lemons, licorice, marzipan, matches, money, new car, new shoes, new shower curtain, Nutella, peppermint, pillow of [baby, significant other], pine, popcorn, rain, roses, scented candles (mention specific scent), seaside, spearmint, steak, strawberries, sun-dried sheets, tacos, toast, tropical rainstorm, vanilla, wet wood, wine, woodsmoke

The Versatility of Verbs and Phrasal Verbs

A few verbs that might show a character’s happiness include:

A to Y air-kiss, beam, bounce, bubble, cackle, caper, cavort, celebrate, chortle, chuckle, dance, embrace, fondle, frolic, gambol, giggle, glow (with), grin, guffaw, high-five, hoot, hop, hug, hum, jest, joke, laugh, leap, make merry, nod , nuzzle, party, pirouette, prance, rejoice, revel, romp, sing, skip, smile, snicker, snigger, text [happy emojis, jokes], titter, trill, twitter, warble, whistle, wink, yodel

The noun happiness has many synonyms. Amusement or cheeriness could indicate a medium level of happiness, while nouns such as euphoria and rapture would be appropriate for extreme emotion.

A to G amusement, animation, bliss, bounciness, breeziness, brightness, buoyancy, cheerfulness, cheeriness, chirpiness, contentment, delectation, delight, delirium, ebullience, ecstasy, effervescence, elation, enjoyment, enthusiasm, euphoria, exhilaration, exuberance, felicity, gaiety, gladness, good cheer, good humor, good spirits, gratification

H to W high spirits, hilarity, jauntiness, jocosity, jocularity, jocundity, jolliness, jollity, jouissance, joviality, joy, joyfulness, joyousness, jubilance, jubilation, laughter, levity, lightheartedness, liveliness, merriment, merriness, mirth, optimism, perkiness, pleasure, positivity, radiance, rapture, rejoicing, satisfaction, sparkle, sunniness, vivaciousness, wellbeing

What fills you with happiness? a delicious meal? a guitar? country-and-western music? romance?

Decide what delights your characters, and include appropriate props.

How about one of these?

B to D baby, brisk walk, bubblebath, bubblegum, bubblewrap, cat, chocolate, coffee, comedy series on TV, computer game, country-and-western music, delicious meal, discovery of a new element (scientist), discovery of a new planet (astronomer), dog

E to M escape-room mystery, exercising, family reunion, five-star book review, giving a gift, good book, good news about a health crisis, good night’s sleep, guitar, hiking, hobby, holding hands, hugging, kissing, kitten, marathon, money, mountain climbing

N to V new car, new hairstyle, next victim (incompetent surgeon, serial killer, vampire), opera music, parrot, practical joke, pregnancy, prom, publishing contract, receiving a gift, romance, saving a life, ski vacation, standup comedy, sunset, surprise visitors, video game

Clichés and Idioms (1)

This group of phrases doesn’t include the word happy , but it embodies various levels of happiness. In good spirits suggests a moderate level ( cheerful or heartened , perhaps), whereas jumping for joy paints the picture of someone who might be better labelled as ecstatic or euphoric .

Whenever possible, try to replace clichés and idioms like these. Opt instead for emotion beats or adjectives that convey the mood you need for each character.

  • beside oneself with joy
  • blissed out
  • bright and breezy
  • doing handsprings
  • free from care
  • full of beans
  • in a good mood
  • in good spirits
  • in high spirits
  • in seventh heaven
  • in the pink
  • jumping for joy
  • like a dog with two tails
  • on cloud nine
  • on top of the world
  • over the moon
  • pleased as punch
  • shouting for joy
  • tickled pink
  • tickled to death
  • walking on air
  • without a care in the world

Clichés and Idioms (2)

These phrases do include the word happy and can lead to its overuse.

  • happy as a clam
  • happy as a lark
  • happy as a pig in clover
  • happy as a pig in the mud
  • happy as can be
  • happy as the day is long

These and similar phrases could be replaced with adjectives such as:

D to T delighted, ecstatic, elated, euphoric, jubilant, overjoyed, thrilled

Clichés and Idioms (3)

Here are a few more phrases. In most cases, these could be replaced with single words.

  • fat and happy: bursting, gorged, sated, satisfied, stuffed
  • happy accident: break, coincidence (fortunate), fortuity, luck (good), opportunity, providence
  • happy-go-lucky: carefree, casual, easygoing, lighthearted
  • happy hunting ground: afterlife, hereafter, heaven, nirvana, utopia
  • happy juice: alcohol, booze, cocktail, liquor, moonshine, spirits
  • happy medium: agreement, compromise, middle ground
  • happy pill: antidepressant, narcotic, opiate, tranquilizer
  • happy returns: cheer, commendation, encouragement, praise
  • happy warrior: advocate, champion, crusader, supporter
  • none too happy: annoyed, disappointed , displeased
  • slap-happy: carefree, casual, cheerful, easygoing, nonchalant
  • to be happy to do something: eager, enthusiastic, keen, willing
  • trigger-happy: dangerous, militant, scrappy, unpredictable, violent

Are You Interested in More Word Lists and Writing Tips?

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2 thoughts on “ More Than 300 Ways to Say Happy: A Word List for Writers ”

Thanks for sharing this amazing post. I would never have imagined that there were so many ways to say happy. I can imagine that compiling this list took quite some time and large doses of creativity 🙂

Thanks, Rafal. 🙂

Yes, all the word lists here require humongous time investments, but I enjoy helping fellow writers.

Good luck with your writing, and stay safe!

Comments are closed.

Study Paragraphs

My Happiest Memory Essay & Paragraphs for Students

As a kid, I have experienced many wonderful moments that bring me joy. However, one day stands out as my single happiest memory. In this essay, I will share the special details of this incredible experience that left such a happy impression on me. I hope you will understand why it means so much to relive this treasured memory through writing.

Table of Contents

Essay On My Happiest Memory

A perfect picnic.

It was a beautiful summer day when my friend group decided to get together for a picnic. We packed blankets, snacks, and activities, then headed to a shady spot under enormous trees at the park. (Topic sentence) Setting up, I remember giggling at silly inside jokes and anticipating treats like sandwiches and juice boxes. Bright sunshine dappled green grass as we played together carefree like the warmth never intended to leave our skin.

A (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Memorable Treasure Hunt

To entertain ourselves, we devised an epic scavenger hunt around the whole park with riddles we had to solve to find various items to earn points. Racing through tulip patches and playgrounds with others cheering us on brought such glee. (Transition) My friend gave the best clue, hinting at a hidden spot near three oaks, which led me to discover a fake diamond ring – the round goes to me! (Topic sentence) Coming together for play lifted smiles as high as songbirds singing praise.

A Picnic Masterpiece

After working up an appetite with activities, we claimed a spot under willow branches hanging low as curtains to share our feast. Homemade cookies, fruits cut like flowers, and sandwiches cut into star shapes became art on our plates to savor and could not wait to taste. (Transition) Cool lemonade and giggles between bites kept shoulders touching in the shade of a tree aloft, a luminous sphere rising golden through leafy boughs overhead. (Topic sentence) Not a single drop of blue remained in the skies by the picnic’s end, yet its imprint stayed upon my heart.

Day’s End Delight

That afternoon was strung too perfectly with moments meant not to last, so basking in its beauty while daylight still embraced us seemed most wise. Slide down a grassy hill could lift any spirit skyward, then float back down, unraveling laughter’s melody once more. (Transition) Waving goodbye, holding memory near outlined in light spilled across the clouds, and I found refuge under knowing joy’s tune played on within. (Topic sentence) Though years may pass between, not a note could be forgotten of picnic played for keeps upon that summer’s sweetest day.

Cherished Gem

Simply reliving this happiest memory through writing brings my heart the same comfort felt among dear ones that dusk. The carefree play, shared treats, and bonding make it a treasured gem to hold near whenever the skies cloud over. Though many wonderful memories await, precious few may shine as bright as the favorite, happiest picnic’s glow. I am blessed to have such company and moments to revisit wherever life finds me.

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Guest Essay

It’s Not You: Dating Apps Are Getting Worse

an essay on happy

By Magdalene J. Taylor

Ms. Taylor is a writer covering sex and culture.

“The golden age of dating apps is over,” a friend told me at a bar on Super Bowl Sunday. As we waited for our drinks, she and another friend swiped through Bumble and Hinge, hunting for new faces and likes. Across the bar were two young men: phones out, apps open, clearly doing the exact same thing. Never did the duos meet.

What’s lamentable here isn’t only that dating apps have become the de facto medium through which single people meet. Since 2019, three in 10 U.S. adults have reported using them, with that figure rising to roughly six in 10 for Americans under 50 who have never been married. Not only are people not meeting partners in bars or any of the once normal in-person venues — they’re barely meeting them on the apps, either.

Maybe most of us just aren’t as hot as we used to be. Maybe it’s time our inflated egos got knocked down a notch. Maybe the market of people still willing to put themselves out there in an attempt to date has gotten smaller. Or maybe the apps have functionally, intentionally gotten worse, as have our romantic prospects. The more they fail to help us form relationships, the more we’re forced to keep swiping — and paying.

The internet, where so many of us spend so much of our time, has not been spared from the decline in quality that seems to plague so much of consumer life. This phenomenon was described by the writer Cory Doctorow in a November 2022 blog post and is sometimes called “platform decay”: Tech platforms like Amazon, Reddit and X have declined in quality as they’ve expanded. These sites initially hooked consumers by being almost too good to be true, attempting to become essential one-stop shops within their respective spaces while often charging nothing, thanks to low interest rates and free-flowing venture capital funding . Now that we’re all locked in and that capital has dried up, those initial hooks have been walked back — and there’s nowhere else to go.

This is precisely what is happening with dating apps now, too, with much more urgent consequences. What’s worsening isn’t just the technological experience of online dating but also our ability to form meaningful, lasting connections offline.

The collapse of dating apps’ usability can be blamed on the paid subscription model and the near-monopoly these apps have over the dating world. While dozens of sites exist, most 20-something daters use the big three: Tinder, Hinge and Bumble. (Older people often gravitate toward Match.com or eHarmony.) All three sites offer a “premium” version users must pay for — according to a study conducted by Morgan Stanley , around a quarter of people on dating apps use these services, averaging out at under $20 a month. The purpose, many believe, is to keep them as paid users for as long as possible. Even if we hate it, even if it’s a cycle of diminishing returns, there is no real alternative.

In the early heyday of Tinder, the only limits on whom you could potentially match with were location, gender and age preferences. You might not have gotten a like back from someone you perceived to be out of your league, but at least you had the chance to swipe right. Today, however, many apps have pooled the people you’d most like to match with into a separate category (such as Hinge’s “Standouts” section), often only accessible to those who pay for premium features. And even if you do decide to sign up for them, many people find the idea of someone paying to match with them to be off-putting anyway.

“If I don’t pay, I don’t date,” a friend in his 30s told me. He spends around $50 a month on premium dating app subscriptions and digital “roses” to grab the attention of potential matches. He’s gone on 65 dates over the last year, he said. None have stuck, so he keeps paying. “Back in the day, I never would have imagined paying for OKCupid,” he said.

Yet shares (Bumble’s stock price has fallen from about $75 to about $11 since its I.P.O.) and user growth have fallen , so the apps have more aggressively rolled out new premium models. In September 2023, Tinder released a $500 per month plan. But the economics of dating apps may not add up .

On Valentine’s Day this year, Match Group — which owns Tinder, Hinge, Match.com, OKCupid and many other dating apps — was sued in a proposed class action lawsuit asserting that the company gamifies its platforms “to transform users into gamblers locked in a search for psychological rewards that Match makes elusive on purpose.” This is in contrast to one of the group’s ad slogans that promotes Hinge as “designed to be deleted.”

People are reporting similar complaints across the apps — even when they aren’t taking the companies to court. Pew Research shows that over the last several years, the percentage of dating app users across demographics who feel dissatisfied with the apps has risen . Just under half of all users report feeling somewhat to very negative about online dating, with the highest rates coming from women and those who don’t pay for premium features. Notably, there is a gender divide: Women feel overwhelmed by messages, while men are underwhelmed by the lack thereof.

With seemingly increasing frequency, people are going to sites like TikTok , Reddit and X to complain about what they perceive to be a dwindling group of eligible people to meet on apps. Commonly, complaints are targeted toward these monthly premium fees, in contrast to the original free experience. Dating has always cost money, but there’s something uniquely galling about the way apps now function. Not only does it feel like the apps are the only way to meet someone, just getting in the door can also comes with a surcharge.

Perhaps dating apps once seemed too good to be true because they were. We never should have been exposed to what the apps originally provided: the sense that the dating pool is some unlimited, ever-increasing-in-quality well of people. Even if the apps are not systematically getting worse but rather you’ve just spent the last few years as a five thinking you should be paired with eights, the apps have nonetheless fundamentally skewed the dating world and our perception of it. We’ve distorted our understanding of how we’d organically pair up — and forgotten how to actually meet people in the process.

Our romantic lives are not products. They should not be subjected to monthly subscription fees, whether we’re the ones paying or we’re the ones people are paying for. Algorithmic torture may be happening everywhere, but the consequences of feeling like we are technologically restricted from finding the right partner are much heavier than, say, being duped into buying the wrong direct-to-consumer mattress. Dating apps treat people like commodities, and encourage us to treat others the same. We are not online shopping. We are looking for people we may potentially spend our lives with.

There is, however, some push toward a return to the real that could save us from this pattern. New in-person dating meet-up opportunities and the return of speed dating events suggests app fatigue is spreading. Maybe we’ll start meeting at bars again — rather than simply swiping through the apps while holding a drink.

Have you ditched dating apps for a new way to meet people, or are you still swiping left?

Opinion wants to hear your story.

Magdalene J. Taylor (@ magdajtaylor ) is a writer covering sex and culture. She writes the newsletter “ Many Such Cases .”

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips . And here’s our email: [email protected] .

Follow the New York Times Opinion section on Facebook , Instagram , TikTok , X and Threads .

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Essay on Happy Family

Students are often asked to write an essay on Happy Family 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 Happy Family

The essence of a happy family.

A happy family is a pillar of a joyful life. It’s where we learn to love, share, and support each other. The bond in a happy family is strong and unbreakable.

Ingredients of a Happy Family

Trust, understanding, and communication are the key ingredients. These elements foster a nurturing environment where everyone feels valued.

Role of Family Members

Every member plays a crucial role. Parents provide guidance, while siblings offer companionship. Each one contributes to the happiness in their unique way.

In conclusion, a happy family is a treasure. It’s the source of love, support, and endless joy.

250 Words Essay on Happy Family

Introduction.

A happy family is the cornerstone of a healthy society. It fosters a sense of belonging and security, providing a nurturing environment for individual growth and development. The concept of a happy family transcends traditional notions of a nuclear family and embraces diverse family structures.

Elements of a Happy Family

The essence of a happy family lies in its members’ mutual respect, love, and understanding. Open communication is a vital component, promoting trust and enabling conflict resolution. Each member’s individuality is respected, and their unique contributions are valued.

Role of Shared Experiences

Shared experiences, from daily routines to special occasions, strengthen familial bonds. They create shared memories and traditions, fostering a sense of unity. The joy derived from these shared experiences contributes significantly to happiness within a family.

Impact on Society

A happy family, as a fundamental societal unit, influences community wellbeing. By nurturing responsible, empathetic individuals, it contributes to social harmony. Conversely, societal structures and policies can impact family happiness, emphasizing the reciprocity of this relationship.

In conclusion, a happy family is more than just a group of people related by blood or marriage. It is a dynamic entity characterized by love, respect, open communication, and shared experiences. Its happiness resonates beyond its members, shaping society at large. Thus, fostering happy families should be a priority for individuals and society alike.

500 Words Essay on Happy Family

A happy family is a foundation of a stable society, a microcosm that mirrors the broader world. It is a sanctuary where individuals learn to love, respect, share, and understand the complexities of life. It is not merely about living under one roof but about sharing a sense of belonging and emotional connection.

A happy family thrives on the principles of love, understanding, and mutual respect. These are not just abstract concepts but the very pillars that hold the family structure together. Love is the emotional bond that connects family members, giving them a sense of security and belonging. Understanding is the ability to empathize with each other’s feelings, thoughts, and actions. Mutual respect is recognizing and appreciating the individuality and differences among family members.

Communication: The Lifeline of a Happy Family

One of the most significant factors contributing to a happy family is open and honest communication. It fosters trust, mitigates misunderstandings, and strengthens relationships. Communication in a family is not just about exchanging information, but also about expressing emotions, sharing experiences, and resolving conflicts. It is through effective communication that a family can navigate through life’s challenges together, fostering an environment of happiness and harmony.

Shared Values and Beliefs

Shared values and beliefs are the compass that guides a family’s actions and decisions. They form the family’s identity and create a sense of unity. These shared values could range from moral and ethical principles to cultural and religious beliefs. They provide a framework for understanding the world and one’s place in it, thereby fostering a sense of security and belonging.

Importance of Spending Quality Time Together

Spending quality time together is another crucial aspect of a happy family. Engaging in shared activities, whether it’s dining together, playing games, or simply talking about the day, strengthens the family bond. It creates a reservoir of shared memories and experiences that become a source of happiness and comfort.

Resilience: Weathering the Storms Together

A happy family is not one that is free from problems, but one that can face them together with strength and resilience. The ability to support each other during difficult times, to forgive and let go of grudges, and to learn and grow from these experiences, distinguishes a happy family from a dysfunctional one.

A happy family is a confluence of love, understanding, communication, shared values, quality time, and resilience. It is a nurturing environment that fosters individual growth and collective happiness. It is a sanctuary where one can find comfort, support, and unconditional love. It is a microcosm of society that shapes one’s character, values, and worldview. Ultimately, a happy family is not just about being together, but about being there for each other, always.

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

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

  • Essay on Gym
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  • Essay on Government

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How to write email invitations for a birthday party or event

Group of young people celebrating on a balcony

How to write a birthday invitation

  • Name of the guest of honor : Whether you are throwing a party for yourself, a family member, or a friend, it’s important that your guests know who they are celebrating.
  • Location: Even if you are hosting a party at home, be sure to include the full address so people can find it with their GPS. Include any special instructions like where to park or landmarks to look out for.
  • Date and time: Your invitation should always include the date and the starting time of the party, and you can also include an ending time – especially for an event like a children’s birthday party where guests will need to be picked up at the end.
  • RSVP details: If you want people to let you know whether they are coming, tell them specifically how and by when they should RSVP.
  • Brief description of the birthday party: Are you throwing a brunch, a cocktail party, or a group hike? Will food be served? Let your guests know what to expect.
  • Any special instructions: Is there a special dress code for your party? Can the invitees bring a plus one? Should they bring a dish to share? Is this a “no gifts” situation? Be sure to tell your guests so they can plan accordingly.

Birthday party invitation subject lines

  • Save the Date: [Name]’s Birthday Brunch
  • Celebrate with us: [Name]’s birthday party
  • Join us in celebrating [Name]’s special day!
  • Don’t miss [Name]’s birthday extravaganza!
  • You’re invited to [Name]’s birthday celebration

Email invitation templates for your event

Email invitation for an informal birthday party,  email invitation to a child’s birthday party, pro tip: send a free birthday invitation ecard with mail.com.

Screenshot of email invitation created in mail.com

Email invitation to an event

  • Occasion being celebrated
  • Name of the guest of honor
  • Date and time
  • RSVP request
  • Details about activities or theme

Email invitation to golden anniversary celebration

Pro tip: send a calendar invite for your birthday party.

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    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. 3.

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    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.

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    According to virtue theory, happiness is the result of cultivating the virtues—both moral and intellectual—such as wisdom, courage, temperance, and patience. A happy person must be sufficiently virtuous. To be happy, then, is to cultivate excellence and to flourish as a result. This view is famously held by Plato, Aristotle, and the Stoics.

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    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:

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    Happiness is a universal and cherished pursuit that transcends cultural, geographical, and personal boundaries. As individuals, we all have unique sources of joy and fulfillment that contribute to our happiness. In this essay, I will delve into the diverse elements that make me happy, reflecting on the importance of understanding one's own sources of happiness and the pursuit of a fulfilling life.

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    One would say that happiness is to be with a loved one, the second would say that happiness is the stability, and the third, on the contrary, would say that happiness is the unpredictability. For someone, to be happy is to have a lot of money while for others - to be popular. All in all, there are plenty of different understandings of happiness.

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    Conclusion. In conclusion, a happy life is about feeling good about ourselves, having good health, loving relationships, doing what we love, appreciating the small things, and overcoming challenges. It's not about having a lot of money or expensive things. It's about enjoying the journey of life with a positive attitude and a grateful heart.

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    Conclusion. The first part of the essay is the introduction. You have to introduce your topic to the audience, and in the case of a happiness definition essay introduction, you have to do it in a manner every reader will understand what the essay will cover. Needless to say, you should make your topic seem interesting.

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    Being in nature is also something that makes me happy. The beauty and serenity of natural environments, such as the beach, the mountains, or a park, have a calming effect on me. They remind me of the simplicity and purity of life, and they help me appreciate the beauty around me. Finally, helping others is another source of happiness for me.

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    Buy me a coffee! happiness overtook him. she took a defiant joy in it. happiness streaked through him like a comet. a quiet contentment spread through him. contentment filled her heart. happiness trembled inside of her. his heart dared to hope. happiness swelled within her.

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    Here is our advice on prepping a 'being happy essay without further ado.' Steps for writing an essay on happiness. It is essential to follow a detailed procedure in a 'what makes you happy essay' for a comfortable writing experience like any academic paper. Some crucial steps for approaching this type of assignment include: 1. Brainstorm and ...

  20. Essay on Things That Make Me Happy

    Students are often asked to write an essay on Things That Make 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 Things That Make Me Happy Introduction. Happiness is a feeling that everyone enjoys.

  21. 5 Essential Healthy Habits for a Happier Life

    Loneliness undermines happiness; friendships fortify it. Creativity: Bottom line: Consuming media breeds depression. Take time to unplug from your screens and do something creative. Paint, take ...

  22. More Than 300 Ways to Say Happy: A Word List for Writers

    making a heart sign with one's fingers. pointing one's toes upward. raising one's arms, perhaps in prayer. relaxed drumming of fingers against one leg. strong posture. swinging arms while one is walking. taking a wide stance and making expansive gestures with one's arms and hands. tears of joy flowing down one's face.

  23. My Happiest Memory Essay & Paragraphs for Students

    My Happiest Memory Essay & Paragraphs for Students. By Angelina October 2, 2023. As a kid, I have experienced many wonderful moments that bring me joy. However, one day stands out as my single happiest memory. In this essay, I will share the special details of this incredible experience that left such a happy impression on me.

  24. How to Start an Evaluation Essay: Tips & Steps

    Step 2. Crafting a thesis statement. When you think about how to start an evaluation essay, begin with completing a thesis statement. It serves as the backbone of your text, articulating the overarching purpose of the analysis. Within this statement, clearly outline the criteria used to assess the item and establish its value.

  25. Opinion

    Ms. Taylor is a writer covering sex and culture. "The golden age of dating apps is over," a friend told me at a bar on Super Bowl Sunday. As we waited for our drinks, she and another friend ...

  26. Essay on Happy Family

    250 Words Essay on Happy Family Introduction. A happy family is the cornerstone of a healthy society. It fosters a sense of belonging and security, providing a nurturing environment for individual growth and development. The concept of a happy family transcends traditional notions of a nuclear family and embraces diverse family structures.

  27. Economics Of Banking And Finance: Free Essay Example

    Free Essay Examples. Economics Of Banking And Finance: Monetary Policy In The Post Crisis Period. Published 29 Mar 2024. The banking system is intricate and may seem impenetrable to many. However, once an individual grasps its fundamentals, they realize how financial numbers and market dynamics can significantly impact the lives of everyday ...

  28. Happy Easter 2024! Whether you're spending hours on essays, blobbing

    2 likes, 2 comments - writeyouressaywithme on March 30, 2024: "Happy Easter 2024! Whether you're spending hours on essays, blobbing out with hot cross buns and chocolate, or spending time with l ...

  29. Email party invitations for birthdays & events

    For example, you could use the mail.com templates to create an ecard invite. Simply log into your mail.com account on your computer and click Compose E-mail. In the menu bar under the subject line, click Stationery and then select Birthday 1 or Birthday 2. Customize your email invitation with the details of your party - you can even add a ...