Sources:

http://www.lessons4living.com/joy.htm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4q1dgn_C0AU
http://www.daniellelaporte.com/definition-of-happiness-and-why-its-different-fromjoy/#
https://gotquestions.org/joy-happiness.html
https://www.psychologies.co.uk/joy-vs-happiness
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http://www.chicagonow.com/self-aware-parent/2013/05/what-is-the-differencebetween-happiness-and-joy/
http://www.diffen.com/difference/Happiness_vs_Joy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happiness#Measuring_Happiness
https://www.bigquestionsonline.com/2014/10/21/what-difference-betweenjoy-happiness/
http://www.differencebtw.com/difference-between-happiness-and-joy/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5B9mphcHWo
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http://melrobbins.com/big-difference-happiness-joy/
http://www.helpguide.org/articles/emotional-health/cultivating-happiness.htm
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http://tinybuddha.com/blog/joy-trumps-happiness-3-ways-coax-joy-life/
http://giphy.com/search/happiness
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=67&v=4FpzjPdNXBM

Happiness

Joy

Meaning

Happiness is an emotion in
which one experiences
feelings ranging from
contentment and satisfaction
to bliss and intense pleasure.

Causes

earthly experiences, material

objects

Emotion

outward expression of elation

Time frame

temporary, based on outward

circumstances
In the midst of life's ups and
downs happiness is still
present.

Joy is a stronger, less

common
feeling than happiness.
Witnessing or achieving
selflessness to the point of
personal sacrifice frequently
triggers this emotion. Feeling
spiritually connected to a god
or to people.
Spiritual experiences, caring
for others, gratitude,
thankfulness
inward peace and
contentment
lasting, based on inward
circumstances
Serving others, sometimes
through sacrifice with no
possible personal gain.
Witnessing justice for the less
fortunate. Feeling close to a
god.
Joy is that sudden burst of
happiness. Joy is like the
elevator in that building that
takes you up to higher levels
of happiness only for a small
amount of time and back.
Joy is a byproduct of a moral
lifestyle.

Example

Analogy

Life

Happiness is a state. Think of

it as a 100 story building and
each level corresponds to a
happiness value. And that
happiness will persist
for quite a long time
Happiness can be
experienced from any good
activity, food or company.

Differences in Meaning
Joy is
1. the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something
exceptionally good or satisfying; keen pleasure; elation: She felt the joy of
seeing her son's success.
2. a source or cause of keen pleasure or delight; something or someone
greatly valued or appreciated: Her prose style is a pure joy.
3. the expression or display of glad feeling; festive gaiety.
4. a state of happiness or felicity.
Happiness is
1. the quality or state of being happy.
2. good fortune; pleasure; contentment; joy.

Causes

Happiness may be caused by luck, good fortune, or other person-centric

pleasures. Joy is caused by elation at a moment in time. Joy may not always be
about oneself but be about others' contentment also. Happiness is about the
self's pleasure. Happiness may dwell on materialistic, worldly pleasure while joy
is derived from soul satisfying, emotional well being. While happiness comes
from outside things, joy is about inner self. To quote an example here: If one
wins a lottery of $10,000, they would be very happy but if that person works hard
and sets up his business and earns $10,000, he would feel joy. Though the
ultimate benefit is the same, the cause being different makes the final emotion
different.
In the following video, Harvard psychology professor Dan Gilbert talks about
how happiness can be "synthesized," or created.

Differences in Timeframe

Happiness may be momentary and may not last for a long time. This is because
happiness is caused by reasons that may not influence long term contentment.
Joy, on the other hand is more related to the inner self and may last for a longer
period of time. When one feels happy, then he's happy for sometime over that
subject, but when one is overjoyed by something then that feeling lasts to
content him for sometime. An example to clarify this can be: A person eats a
good meal at a restaurant and likes it, he is happy about it. But he will forget
about it later.
But when one makes that meal themselves for the first time and likes it, then it is
joyous. This joyful feeling will be remembered by that person for a long time.
Emotion

Joy warms a person's heart while happiness merely pleases. This is also
because of the difference in the reasons behind the two feelings. Happiness
brings pleasure but Joy brings true contentment to one's heart.
Examples of happiness vs joy

Winning a lottery brings Happiness to a person. Giving birth to a child will bring
joy to a person.
Antonyms of happiness and joy

One way to understand the difference between joy and happiness is to look at
the opposites of the two feelings. The opposite of joy is fear while the opposite
of happiness is unhappiness and misery.
Picture Gallery: Moments of Joy

Some moments capturing the simple joys and happiness that life has to offer.

Happy kids dancing in the rain

A joyful dad of a newborn child

A joyful pet owner

A happy couple on their weddingday

Tears of joy, daughter surprised to her

dad (from the army) on her 16th
birthday
A happy moment

Happy, cheerful crowd at a game

The joy of being in love

Comments:

From experience jOY is an emotion which moves the nervous system to realize happiness
hence a person may smile for example. Both are feelings but Joy precedes happiness (not
an emotion) and if one develops a high inner awareness than they will notice joy occurs in
the emotional heart which triggers happiness. Hurt as an emotion starts sadness in the

head, fear/anger creates stress in the body, and of course we know what lust does to the
body, etc. Imagine a situation which creates fear and notice where the emotion occurs within
than what the feelings are in the body. This way you will increase awareness of
emotions/location and how to manage them before getting out of control. Bliss is the nature
of the innermost Self and is the gold medal of fulfillment or a life in fulfillment vs just a
fulfilling life (happiness, joy). Bliss is concentrated, continuous and non-localized joy

ultimately experienced from head to toe.

Joy is longer lasting & deeper in the heart, while Happiness is more in the mind. Share JOY
through how You live. I share JOY through organizing Free Hugs Around the World, blowing
bubbles on subways and sharing joyful moments through story. Joy is contagious, let's make
it Viral! HUGS & ooOOOOoooo Bubbles!
:)

The difference between

happiness & joy. And why it
helps to know.
Theres a difference between the definition of happiness and the definition of
joy. Its valuable to be aware of this because when things get tough, logic
might want you to default to despair, or utter sadness or worse, you might
think you have to choose between hardship and joy, or support and
separation, or light and dark.
Consciousness is not an either/or equation. Its about bothness.
The capacity to expand into bothness the awareness of your joy in all
circumstances is so much of what it means to evolve.
I like living. I have sometimes been wildly, despairingly, acutely miserable,
wracked with sorrow, but through it all I still know quite certainly that just to
be alive is a grand thing.
Agatha Christie
Happiness is like rising bubbles delightful and inevitably fleeting. Joy is the
oxygen ever present.
Happiness is always passing through. It can claim your full attention for the
ten seconds it takes to swallow a sip of incredible coffee. Or it can stream
through your being for weeks on end. But happiness cant hold the same

space as sadness, or anger, or the range of so-called negative emotions for

very long. This is why its transitory.
Joy is the fibre of your Soul.
Its the stuff of your essence. And since you, your Soul, can never be
annihilated (yes, that would make you eternal and omnipresent), your access
to joy never vanishes. Because joy is so foundational to your true being,
every other state or emotion can rest on top of joy, it can accommodate
everything.
This means that its possible to grieve with your whole heart, and still sense
your joy. You can feel rage, and be aware of joy waiting patiently for you to
return, and take deep comfort in that.
You can get fired, dumped, dumped on, and pulled through the eye of a
needle, and still feel held by the container of joy the truth of your
existence.
When you arrive at this awareness (youll likely have to go through the
wringer to get there), your logical mind is going to be confused.
Im going through hell. This is the worst thing thats ever happened to me
so whats this mighty warmth I feel within? I must be losing it. I must be in
denial. I should get back to misery.
Stay with the misery. Stay with the mighty warmth emanating from within.
Im aching over this loss, so can this aching gratitude in my core be real?
Am I betraying my memories? Am I denying my pain?
Not at all. Youre expanding.
When you see joy beside the agony, you have the keen vision of a Soul
warrior.
It has never failed that when I have been through the most heart-breaking
passages of my life betrayal, financial hardship, divorce, dreams dashed
the pain brought me to the floor of my being, and what was there to be
found?
The simple joy of being alive. So cosmically basic its mind-blowing: the joy
to be here, connected, animated, breathing, blessed, resilient, to be broken,
to be open, to have what was, whats left, whats coming. The joy just to be
part of reality.
Happiness. Love it when it comes.
Joy. Its the love that lasts no matter what.

Question: "Is there a difference

between joy and happiness?"
Answer: A dictionary definition of happiness is a state of well-being, a pleasurable or satisfying
experience. The definition of the word rejoice, from which our word joy comes, is to feel great
delight, to welcome or to be glad. Depending on the translation, the Bible uses the words happy
and happiness about 30 times, while joy and rejoice appear over 300 times. If we look at some
verses it will help us understand why joy is different from happiness.
Genesis 30:1-13 tells the story of two sisters, Rachel and Leah, and their rivalry over their husband,
Jacob. Each woman tries to have more male children in order to please him, even using their
handmaidens to conceive more offspring. Leahs handmaiden, Zilpah, bore Jacob a second son, and
verse 13 says, Then Leah said, Happy am I! For women have called me happy. So she named him
Asher. Thus the word "happy" comes from the Hebrew root word ashar and means "to set right or
be blessed." We also find the word "happiness" in Deuteronomy 24:5, which says, When a man
takes a new wife, he shall not go out with the army nor be charged with any duty; he shall be free at
home one year and shall give happiness to his wife whom he has taken.
The word joy comes from the Greek root word chara and means "to be exceedingly glad." James
1:2 says, Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials. How could we ever
consider going through difficulties and trials a reason to feel joy? James 1:3-4 gives us a clue when
it says, Knowing that the testing of our faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect
result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. The deep, abiding joy comes as
we persevere through trials, with Gods help, and our faith matures and is strengthened. So
happiness tends to be fleeting and depends upon temporal factors like circumstances or other
people.
Joy, on the other hand, is true contentment that comes from internal factors like our faith in the Lord.
True joy is everlasting and not dependent upon circumstances. The book of Philippians is a great
study in the difference between joy and happiness. Written by the Apostle Paul while imprisoned in
Rome, this book uses the words joy, rejoice, and joyful 16 times and teaches us how to have
true contentment in Jesus Christ, despite our circumstances. In chains and aware that his life was
coming to an end, Paul talks about his faith and trust in Christ and how it had changed his whole
perspective on suffering. In Philippians 1:12-24, Paul says that because of his two-year
imprisonment (Acts 28:30), the whole Roman guard heard the gospel from him, and it had even
spread throughout all of Rome. In verse 18 Paul says, What then? Only that in every way, whether
in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice, yes, and I will rejoice. Paul goes on
to encourage others to have peace knowing that God strengthens us (Philippians 4:13) and
supplies all our needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).
So the Bible teaches that happiness is fleeting because it often depends on things outside of
ourselves, but true joy is eternal because it is based on our relationship with Jesus Christ, which is
itself an everlasting source of joy.

Joy vs Happiness
Joy and happiness are wonderful feelings to experience, but are very different. Joy
is more consistent and is cultivated internally. It comes when you make peace with
who you are, why you are and how you are, whereas happiness tends to be
externally triggered and is based on other people, things, places, thoughts and
events. Lifestyle mentor Rachel Fearnley shows you how to finally find joy.
Through my personal experience and lifelong studies, I've come to realise that
there is a profound difference between joy and happiness. Aiming for joy is more
beneficial, as it is less transitory than happiness and is not tied to external
circumstances. So many of us have lost touch with that feeling, not knowing how to
cultivate joy any more, so we resort to quick fixes like alcohol, drugs and addictive
foods, or find fleeting moments of happiness from other places without truly
experiencing it and cultivating it for ourselves, for example by watching TV.
It can be challenging for us to shift our mindset from one of negative thinking to
one of joy, so here are three things you should be doing to increase the amount of
joy in your life:
1.

Quieten your mind with meditation.

It's important to be able to tap into your heart rather than your head, your intuition
rather than your thinking mind. Quietening the chatter in your mind and creating
space within allows you to listen more closely to what brings you joy.
2.

Cut down on social media.

We are so heavily influenced by what we 'should like/do/have/buy' that this so

often is not in line with what truly brings us joy. For many of us, social media has
become a necessity in our day. If ditching social media altogether is not an option,
think about how you can cut down on it, for example:

Checking social media sites just twice a day, once mid-morning, so youre
not starting your day with social media, and again late afternoon.


Opting for a maximum of two portals of instant messaging
communication that friends and colleagues can contact you on. I recall a time when
an ex-employer was contacting me on text, WhatsApp, Viber, Skype, Facebook
Messenger and regular phone calls. Needless to say, it was far too overwhelming!

Choose the people you follow or who appear in your feed wisely. If you like
to get your daily fix of whats happening around the globe, whether it be in world
affairs, fashion or self-development, opt for those who inspire you, not those who
bring you down.
3.

Keep a journal and practise gratitude for the things that bring you joy.

Cultivate gratitude wherever possible and even have gratitude for the things that
challenge you, as these help you to grow and build strength. This also helps to
define what brings you joy and what doesnt.
In your journal, at the end of each day, write a list of 10 things that you are
grateful for that day, it can be anything. Celebrate and recognise these aspects of
your day. Soon you will see running themes, and when you do, intersperse your day
with more of the good stuff and less of the 'not so good' stuff.
Having an attitude of gratitude makes us more appreciative and trusting, gives us
better self-esteem and helps us bounce back from stress. It allows us to view the
world, and our situation within this world, in a more positive, healthy way.
Just embrace the simple experiences and pleasures. When we're moving at
100mph, we take the simple things for granted. These are often the things that top
up our feelings of joy. When you're more present, the simpler things become joyful;
the food you eat, the air you breathe, the sounds of nature.
As many of my clients have experienced, the more they get in touch with their true
self, the less they feel the need to seek from external influences to experience
momentary happiness. Joy becomes a more constant state of being, it no longer
becomes about what does or doesn't bring you joy, as you begin to cultivate joy
from the inside out.

Is there a difference between joy and happiness?

Yes, yes, and yes! Joy is such a little word, but it explodes with a profound
meaning.

Depending on your translation, the Bible uses joy (or rejoice) over 300 times.
Happiness (or happy) is only used about 30 times. There has to be a distinction
between them, but what is it?
What is Happiness?

I think we all can kind of agree on what happiness means. We all have different
things that make us happy, based on our various personality or life situations. It
makes me incredibly happy to drive to the end of my side street and see that
there is no one coming when I pull out into the highway. It's a tiny thing, but it
makes me happy. Of course, about sixty seconds later, I am not longer even
thinking about that, now wondering if I remembered to bring my lunch.
Happiness, while lovely, is a fleeting thing and really dependent on external
forces.
Let me explain what I mean with some examples of happiness from Scripture:
"Behold how happy is the man whom God reproves. So do not despise the
discipline of the Almighty." Job 5:17
"When you shall eat the fruit of your hands, you will be happy and it will be well
with you." Psalm 128:2
"He who despises his neighbor sins, but happy is he who is gracious to the
poor." Proverbs 14:21
See how each example is dependent on something? Happiness is almost always
an if-then statement. If _________ happens, then happiness happens. If God
reproves a man, then he will be happy. If you are gracious to the poor, then you
will be happy. If there is no traffic, then I will be happy.
Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to say that happiness is bad. Quite the
opposite! Happiness is a gift from God, and a very good thing.
But happiness doesn't last forever.
What is Joy?

Joy comes from the Greek word chara, and it means "to be exceedingly glad."
Take this example from James 1:2-4: "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you
encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces
endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be
perfect and complete lacking in nothing."

Joy comes from a solid factor, an unshakeable fact: your faith in the Lord. True
joy burns within you and is not dependant on external circumstances. Take a few
moments to read Philippians 1:12-24 and then come back. Go on, check it out.
Did you notice Philippians 1:18? "What then? Only that in every way, whether in
pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will
rejoice."
Paul wrote these words while he was in jail and knew his life was nearing the
end. Yet he still had joy; his foundation was in his Savior, and through his
suffering the gospel spread throughout all of Rome. This was no fleeting happy
feeling; it was assurance in God's power to use his life for His glory.
"What if I'm saved, but I don't feel joyful?"

Maybe you're asking the above question right now as you read this. You have a
relationship with Christ, you know your Savior has saved you and loves you, but
you don't feel joy. Don't worry. We all get like that sometimes. This does not
mean you are not saved or a "bad Christian". I want to quote two more verses
for you:
"I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13
"And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ
Jesus." Philippians 4:19
Life is hard, and some days it is harder to hold onto that feeling of joy. But guess
what? Joy is not based on feeling; it is based on knowing. On those days that
everything just feels bleak, remember and know that your Savior loves you and
loved you enough to die for you, and you will never be given more to than you
are capable of handling (1 Corinthians 10:13).
Happiness, although a wonderful gift from God, will always be dependent on
forces outside of ourselves. On the other hand, joy is a deep security based on
our knowledge that God loves us, will take care of us, and has saved us through
Christ (Ephesians 1:13-14).

What is the difference between

happiness and joy?

Happiness is a gift from a friend or a kiss from a child.

Joy is feeling love for someone and noticing when someone loves us.
Happiness is a day when things are going really well.
Joy is finding a way to laugh when things get too scary, or smiling at someone on the
street, even when we are feeling heavy.
Happiness is a good beer and a great Chicago pizza.
Joy is realizing that we have access to food and water, all the time.
Happiness is feeling the sunshine on a beautiful day like today.
Joy is knowing that the sun is always there, even when its cloudy.
Happiness is winning an award or getting a raise.
Joy is waking up every morning and doing what you love.
Happiness comes and goes.
Joy comes and goes, but it's always a choice.
Happiness is an emotion, and emotions naturally change.
Joy is realizing, regardless of how you are feeling, that you are OK and things are going
to be OK.
Happiness comes from things working out the way we planned.
Joy is knowing that the plan is bigger than our immediate desires.
Happiness usually comes from external circumstance.

Joy comes from inside; from being grateful and noticing what's working.
Happiness is a wish.
Joy is a practice.
Happiness can be surface.
Joy runs deep.
Appreciate happiness.
Live joy.

You cannot get happy and stay happy.

Joy connects us to the creative power.

"I just want to be happy!"

Asking most people what they want from life gets
the same answer, "I just want to be happy." There
is a common belief that happiness is something
that can be achieved and held on to it. We look
forward to that time in which we can finally be
happy, but it continually recedes. We want to get to
the top of the Wheel of Life and stay there. When in
high school, we think, "If I can just graduate then I
will be happy." Graduation, however, is not fulfilling,
and we decide "If I go to college then life will be
better." But a college education does not bring
happiness. Maybe it will come upon finding the
right job, or getting married, or having children, or
retiring. The goal remains elusive. The "happiness
that lasts" is never found because it is actually
impossible to get happy and stay happy. If life is
based on obtaining happiness, then we will always
fall short because life is always changing as the
wheel turns.
Joy versus Happiness
It is far better to seek "joy." Joy is related to
happiness, but it is a deeper experience. In the
search for happiness the individual focuses upon
himself, but joy moves a person out of a selfcentered preoccupation and provides an orientation
towards others. Joy is an experience which
connects us to that which is "Greater" than we are.
It connects us to the creative power that is more
than the "I" or ego. Joy gets us out of ourselves
and in contact with this "Other" and with others. Joy
can sustain us throughout the four phases of life. If
we are willing to give up the search for happiness,
we may find joy. It exists near the center of the
wheel where happiness and suffering meet and
intermingle.
To make such a move off the rim from happiness
into suffering requires faith. Faith is also found at
the center of the Wheel of Life. It is where Loss and
Hope intersect. Faith comes from the action of
moving towards the center. It is not that we have

faith first and then act. We act first. Moving towards

hope in the midst of loss gives birth to faith. This is
a move that engages rather than avoids suffering.
The creative power at the center of the wheel
brings into being Faith and Joy. They exist in the
context and container of Love, which is also at the
center of the wheel. To love is to respect and value
ourselves while breaking out of limited self interest
and reaching out to others. It is Love, Joy, and
Faith that give meaning to life, and they arise from
being centered.

When we are centered we may find peace.

Seeking the Center

In seeking joy, faith, and love we must move off of
the rim of the wheel towards the center. The
creative power of the wheel will be found at the
center. Here is the energy that actually turns the
wheel. What is the nature of this power? It is the
power that is over and above the ego. It is the point
of integration that is greater than the ego. It is often
referred to as God. God is at the still point -the
axis- where the wheel is set into motion and is
continually turned. Such an image of the "Wheel
Turning God" can be distressing to many people. It
seems to show God "causing" bad things to
happen. It really means that God is always present
at the heart of all things no matter what is
happening. Even in the worst of times God is
present. If we can be centered in God, that which is
Greater, then we are strengthened.

What Is the Difference Between Joy and

Happiness?
To miss the joy is to miss all, wrote Robert Louis Stevenson in his essay The
Lantern-Bearers (1887).[1] No matter what we possess or experience and
irrespective of how we act, if we miss joy we have missed all. Stevensons
bold and perhaps exaggerated claim is a distant and garbled echo of the
accolade the Master in one of Jesus parables gave to the good and
trustworthy servant: Enter into the joy of your Master! (Matthew 25:22).
Here joy is thereward for a job well done and a hefty return on investment
achieved, which is to say, the reward for a life well lived. The best benefit the
Master is able to bestow and the servant could hope to receive is joy in a
world of joy!
Should joy, all its delights notwithstanding, get such a pride of place in
human life? Can what seems like an elusive feeling pull toward itself the
noblest human strivings? Might not joy be to a good life what sugar is to
nutritious and richly flavored food? Isnt joy rather much like what we today
call happinessa feeling of pleasureand therefore a dubious candidate for
the good life? According to the Oxford English Dictionary (2014) joy is just
that, with some intensity added: A feeling of great pleasure and happiness.
But defining joy as a feeling of great pleasure and happiness is like
describing champagne as a bubbly liquid, but forgetting all about its golden
color, whiffs of ripe pear and fresh baked bread in its aroma or traces of
apple, vanilla, yeast, and nuts in its flavor, and, of course, its capacity to
intoxicate.
What are some smells and flavors of joy? To spare you disappointment, I
should note that I am not about to take you to a joy-tasting event. As it turns
out, no such event can be set up. You cant swish little sips of various joys on
your emotional palate; as I will note later, when joy comes, it mostly
supervenes on the complex system of thoughts, actions, dispositions,
practices, situations, events, etc. that together can be summed up in two
phrases: life being led well and life going well. Instead, I am taking you into a
laboratory where I hope to identify and analyze joys component parts. For
reasons that I dont fully understand, joy, an emotion that ranks close to the
top in the hierarchy of emotions, is also the least studied. Psychologists and
philosophers dont bother much about it; religious scholars, as distinct from
preachers and spiritual masters, mention it in passing; even Wikipedia, which

has entries on everything, has a disambiguation page instead of an article on

joy. I trust that by the time our somewhat arduous lab work is done, you will
be persuaded that joy is much richer than the feeling of happiness, even
great happiness, and that the authentic joy, though not itself the good life, is
the emotional substance and manifestation of the good life.
Sketching Joy
What is joy?
First of all, joy is an emotion, not a mere feeling. Feelings are bodily
reactions, and they have causes: a feather under my nose causes a tickle, for
instance. Emotions are active responses, and they have objects; a child is
born, and I rejoice over the event. That said, joy certainly does involve
positive feelings. It is a positive affective response to having something good
happen to those for whom we care or, as Thomas Aquinas writes, joy is a
response to having been united with what we love. Depending on the
intensity of the feeling, joy can range from exuberance (say, over ones team
winning the World Cup) to calm delight (say, over a quietly sleeping child)
Joy involves the construal of the object of joy as good; it is tied to how I
perceive things rather than to what things are in themselves. I can perceive
an eventthe birth of a child, for instanceas something good or as
something unbearably burdensome. I will rejoice over it only if I perceive it as
good. Equally importantly, joy construes its objects as wondrous, un-owed;
joy wells up in me when I see myself or those for whom I care as having had
a good fortune or having been blessed. For instance, I rejoice over a bonus
but not over getting regular pay (unless I consider myself blessed to have a
job at all), or I rejoice over creation if I construe it as a wonder and a gift but
not if I think of it as mere nexus of causes and effects.
Related as it is to intentional objects, joy depends both on the more objective
character of things and on my subjective construal of them. If I find a
desirable item on my table and construe it as a gift, I will rejoice; if I construe
it as a bribe, I will become disturbed. On the one hand, joy is not entirely selfgenerated; because it has an object and is a response, it comes partly from
outside, from the character of the world I encounter. On the other hand, I can
rob myself of joy by failing to perceive good things as good things and to
respond to them properly. I can be in a perfect world with the fruit of all trees
but one available to me, but if I construe it as not good enough because the
fruit of that one tree is withheld from me, I will not rejoice.
With its four structural elements (intentional object, perception of the object
as good, experience of the object as un-owed, and a positive hedonic
response), we can define joy as emotional attunement between the self and
the worldusually a small portion of itexperienced as blessing. To

complete the sketch of joy, I need add that for the most part we dont
experience joy as an all-or-nothing affair. It is neither a matter of having a
perfect joy or no joy at all, nor is it a matter of joy either overriding all our
emotions or of it being entirely absent. Whether joy is intense or gentle,
simple or complex, episodic or enduring, joy is mostly partial and overlaps
with other emotions. As the experience of joy at a funeral of one who lived
life well attests, we can rejoice and grieve at the same time.
We are now about half way into our joy lab work. By now we should be able
to pick out joy from among other aspects of human life and experience. That
suffices to establish that joy is an emotion much richer than happiness
understood as feeling of pleasure. But to understand the connection between
joy and the good life, we need to stay a bit longer in the laboratory and take
a brief look at some additional and surprising features of joy.
Fleshing out Joy
The claim that it is possible to rejoice in the midst of suffering will surprise
nobody. Some people rejoice while others suffer, even because they suffer,
and some people suffer so that others can rejoice (J. S. Bachs of Jesus
passion: Your bitter suffering brings thousands of joys). Suffering and joy
are here divided among different individuals. But can a person who suffers
rejoice? Surprisingly, the answer is, yes: we can suffer and rejoice at the
same time. Of course, we dont rejoice because of suffering, either of our
own suffering or somebody elses; such joy would be either masochistic or
mean. When we rejoice while suffering it is because of some good that is
ours despite the suffering (for instance, Gods character, deeds, and the
promise of redemption) or because of a good the suffering will produce (for
instance, a child for a mother in childbirth). Put more abstractly, joy
despite is possible on account of joy because.
Some joys are morally neutral, but many have a positive or
negative moral valence. Joy can be corrupt (with eyes wide open I construe
an object of joy as good, but it is in fact profoundly wicked); joy can be selfabsorbed (I rejoice only in my own good); joy can be indifferent to others (I
rejoice with gusto over my distant friends fortune but am unmoved by the
pain at my doorstep); joy can be perverse (I rejoice in the misfortune of
others); joy can be generous (I rejoice in the good of others or, to quote New
Testament, I rejoice with those who rejoice); joy can be attuned to the
suffering of others (as when, in a period of intense joy, we continue to be
mindful of those who grieve).
Since joy has a moral dimension, rejoicing can be an obligation (for instance,
a command of God, as in the Hebrew Bible and in the New Testament). True,
we have little control over feelings of joy; as a rule, they simply well up
inside us when we perceive that some un-owed good has happened to us or
to those we care for. But we do have significant control over how

we construea situation and whether we are properly attentive to these unowed goods. The command to rejoice presupposes a belief that objectively a
given situation ought rightly be construed as good. Absence of joy can then
amount to an untruthful rendering of that situation. Yet, though joy can be
commanded, joy cannot be imposed. A person himself or herself must
engage in a construal of a situation and positive feelings must well up inside
them for there to be joy. Joy is either free or it isnt joyand thats true even
of commanded joy.
Perhaps the most surprising, joy has an activist dimension. Surprising,
because joy doesnt explicitly advocate any values or social ideals; it doesnt
seek to persuade others and to embody those values and ideals in social
institutions. But joy wants something; all emotions do. They project
themselves into the future and motivate action. What kind of future does joy
want? As it projects itself into the future, joy doesnt aim directly at changing
the world; it simply delights in and celebrates the good that is and proclaims,
implicitly, that it is good for that good to continue to be. All joy wants
eternitywants deep, deep eternity, wrote Friedrich Nietzsche.[3] Like love,
joy is one of the eternity seeking emotions. It wills itself as a permanent
state. But just for that reason it also wills all the objects which give it rise.
In this willing joy sets itself tacitly against features of the world over which
one cannot or should not rejoice, and does so without resentment and
judgment. As such, joy is both the beginning and the end of authentic
personal, social, and political transformation.
Joy is best experienced in community. Joy seeks company (come and rejoice
with me) and the company of those who rejoice feeds the joy of each.
Feasts and celebrations both express and nourish joy. As feasts and
celebrations illustrate, though joy is irreducibly personalnobody can rejoice
in my place!joyfulness can also be an aura of a social space, whether a
household or a larger community, so that when we enter such a space, we
enter into joy, and, often, joy enters into us.
Finally, joy is not a self-standing emotion, isolated from the character and
circumstances of a person rejoicing. As a form of attunement between the
self and the world perceived as blessing, joy is, ultimately, the emotional
dimension of the good life, of a life that is both going well and is being lived
well; complete and lasting joy is the emotional side of the ultimate good.
Joy and the Good Life
With our lab work completed and the key features of joy identified, we can
return to the relation between joy and the good life. In contemporary, late
modern cultures, many define the good life as a life that feels good, in which
pleasure overshadows the pain (happiness as pleasure). Others think of the
good life as life that goes well, a life marked either by some objective
indicators of well-being or by a more subjective assessment that life is
satisfying (happiness as well-being or life-satisfaction). Still others, today

perhaps a minority, think of the good life as the life that is lived well, in
accordance with our nature or following divine commandments (happiness as
excellent life). Advocates of these three basic ways of understanding the
good life debate their positions intensely. I dont need to wade into this
debate here, except to note that in my judgment, any plausible candidate for
the good life has to incorporate all three: life is truly and fully good when (1)
it goes well, (2) we lead it well, and (3) when it is pleasurable. Of course, to
be a plausible candidate for the good life isnt yet to be a compelling one.
How compelling a plausible candidate for the good life is will depend on how
each of its three dimensions are construed and related to one another.
A remarkable thing about joy is that, as a single emotion, it integrates all
three essential dimensions of the good life. How does it accomplish this
extraordinary feat? Though in no way reducible to pleasurable feeling, joy,
one of the most pleasurable emotions, arises when a portion of our life goes
well (some good has happened to us) and when we relate well to ourselves
and to that portion of our lives (we perceive it as a blessing and are grateful,
and, for the moment at least, content). Note that joy isnt a mere affective
add-on to having led our lives well and to something good having happened
to us, like a cold beer at the end of a successful hard day or a blissful spa
weekend at the end of good month. As I have noted earlier, joy isnt a selfstanding emotion; it is even less a self-standing feeling. It is integrally related
to (a portion of our) life going well and our life being lived welland, as I
have noted earlier, it is so even when we rejoice in the midst of suffering and
in response to a command. We receive a clean bill of health (or are offered a
dream job offered, or our marriage proposal is accepted), we experience
ourselves as blessed, we feel pleasure over these thingsthats joy. Of
course, the doctors may have failed to detect some life threatening illness or
the job may turn out to be a nightmare or our partner may walk away a week
before the wedding, and then our joy will have proven to have been false.
But in all true joy, the three dimensions of the good life are integrated.
Could joy, then, be a candidate for a one-word definition of the good life,
perhaps in the way some people think happiness is? Indeed, could it be
better able to integrate in itself the requisite conditions for our thriving and
our responsibility for it? Could the good life be described as the life of joy, as
the Parable of the talents might be read to suggest? Not quite. Joy is a bit like
a crown. Wearing a crown wont make you into a monarch; a child can wear
one, as can a usurper. If you arent a monarch already, even if what is set on
your head looks like a crown, it isnt actually a crown. For the crown is a
symbol of royal authority. It is similar with joy. Joy isnt the good life; it is one
part of it, the one dependent on the other two. If there isnt any good, either
perceived or actual, to rejoice overno good circumstances or active stances
happy feelings you might have may look and feel like joy, but they will not
be joy. As an emotion, joy is always over something (perceived) as good, and
it presumes proper relation to some (perceived) goodwhich means

that true joy presumes proper relation to some actual good. At the same
time, the crown is not merely external to royal authority. In a crown, royal
authority comes to expression; wearing it, a monarch is publicly manifest as
monarch. It is similar with joy. Joy is not merely external to the good life, a
mint leaf on the cakes whipped cream. Rather, the good life expresses and
manifests itself in joy. Joy is the emotional dimension of life that goes well
and that is led well, a positive affective response to life going well and life
being led well; all three in their interpenetrating unitylife going well, life
being led well, and joyare the good life.
For the most part, segments of our life, often entire chunks of it, arent going
well and much of it we dont live well. Given that joy attaches to life going
well and being led well, must joy be lost to us? It need not be. We can rejoice
over the many small goods we experience, and for those of us who are
religious, we can find joy in the One Good that is both the source and the
goal of our existence. Though fragmentary, all small joys celebrate goods in
our lives that are and remain wonderful, at times no more than tender plants
in the cracks of our otherwise heavily cemented and gray lives. And in all
true joys we yearn for, and perhaps also faintly experience, a world in which
all things and all manner of things shall be well.
Authors note: I am grateful to the Templeton Foundation for awarding the
Yale Center for Faith and Culture the planning grant for the theology of joy; to
the dozens of participants in our exploratory discussions of joy who all
helped clarify for us the character of joy and its relation to the good life; to
researchers at the CenterJustin Crisp, John Hartley, Ryan McAnnally-Linz,
and especially Matthew Croasmunfor conversations and comments on
written versions of this text.
[1] Robert Louis Stevenson, The Lantern-Bearers, in The Lantern-Bearers
and Other Essays, ed. Jeremy Traglown (New York: First Cooper Square Press,
1999), 234. In On a Certain Blindness in Human Beings (in On Some of
Lifes Ideals [New York: Henry Holt and Co., 1912],16) William James quotes
from Stevensons essay extensively and with approval.
[2] Friedrich Nietzsche, Thus Spoke Zarathustra, edited by Adrian Del Caro
and Robert B. Pippin, translated by Adrian Del Caro (New York: Cambridge
University Press, 2006), 264.
Discussion Questions
1.
What are enhancers of joy?
2.

What are inhibitors of joy?

3.

Do we live today in societies in which there is more fun but less joy?

Difference between Happiness and Joy

Main Difference

Happiness and joy are emotions and the feelings of satisfaction. Both terms are
used alternatively but may differ from each other. There is difference between
happiness and the joy based upon the nature and cause of the feeling of
satisfaction. Happiness is the temporary feeling of satisfaction for few inutes, days
or weeks. Joy is the permanent feeling of satisfaction for a long time.
Happiness
Happiness is the temporary feeling of
satisfaction for few minutes, days or weeks.
Happiness is like the rising bubbles which
ends up with time. While taking a tea, the
taste of tea is good. It will make you happy
but this happiness will last just for the cup of
tea. Happiness is from external things and
influences.

Joy
Joy is the permanent feeling of satisfaction for
a long time. Joy is like oxygen which always
surrounds you. Joy is the feeling inside your
soul. Joy depends upon your faith. It do not
depends upon external factors but is from the
core of your heart and soul.

Key Differences

Happiness is a temporary feeling of satisfaction while joy is a permanent feeling.

Happiness belongs to material objects while joy belongs to caring for others and
gratitude.

Happiness belongs to earthly experiences while joy belongs to spiritual experiences.

Happiness is from the outward expression of elation while joy is from inward peace.

Happiness is based upon outward circumstances while joy is based upon inward
circumstances.

You may feel the joy any time from your inside while happiness may comes to you
external means any time.

Happiness can be experienced from any activity or food while joy is byproduct of
life.

Joy may belongs to your relation or faith upon God while happiness is from material
things.

Joy is like oxygen which is with you always while happiness is like rising bubbles
which ends up with time.

Happiness And Joy: Whats

The Difference?
Christians have given happiness a bum rap. Youve probably heard something like
this from the pulpit: Happiness is a temporary emotion based on circumstances,
but joy is an ongoing contentment based on our relationship with God.
Sounds nice, but is it true?
As someone with a masters degree in English, I appreciate nuance, and Id usually
agree with making such thoughtful distinctions. I once heard a poet say a stone is
not a rock. A stone is something the river glides over and makes smooth
something you hold in your hand, or skip across the water. But a rock is something
that stands tall against crashing waves; its what you build on and break things
against. Ive always stood by these distinctions: a stone is a stone, and a rock is a
rock.
But pitting happiness against joy? Im not feeling it.
Only in church settings do we perpetuate the myth that happiness and joy are
different. In his excellent book Happiness, which I review here, Randy Alcorn writes,
an ungrounded, dangerous separation of joy from happiness has infiltrated the
Christian community. Until very recently, he says, happiness had a place right
alongside joy in the Christian faith. From Church Fathers to Puritans, Christian
writers have used happiness and joy in the same way the dictionary does, and in
the same way we do in everyday conversation: synonymously. Even the Bible itself
makes no distinction. In a chapter devoted to this very topic, Alcorn gives a couple
dozen examples of where Scripture uses forms of happiness and joy side by side
pairings that occur more than 100 times in various translations!
Even so, church folks continue to say happiness and joy are different emotions and
experiences. I think there are two reasons for this great divorce.

1. They want to make a clear distinction between worldly pleasures and godly
pleasures. So they attach happiness to worldly pleasures, which are shallow and
fleeting, and joy to godly pleasures. As a result, well-meaning Christians say
things like, Were not supposed to be happy; were supposed to have joy!
Although the intentions behind it are good, this false dichotomy has consequences
for both believers and unbelievers.
For believers, we begin to fear happiness. Instead, we search for joy something
weve been told isnt an emotion and therefore (not surprisingly) doesnt FEEL
joyful. We start to believe God doesnt want us to be happy, which simply isnt the
case. The Bible is filled with commands to be happy. Dare we tell Christians NOT to
pursue the very thing God desires of us?
For unbelievers, the separation of happiness and joy can be a roadblock to believing
the gospel. Imagine telling someone, Jesus cant give you happiness, but he can
give you joy. That makes no sense to me, much less to an unbeliever. (I imagine it
makes no sense to God either!) Happiness is the ONE THING every person is
searching for, and Jesus is the ONE PERSON who can offer it. Why on earth would
it not be part of our message?
2. They know God calls us to rejoice in suffering to consider it all joy when we
face various trials and they try to describe this tension using terms that the
Church has deemed appropriate. So, for example, when a loved one dies someone
might say, Im grieving, but I still have joy in Christ. Thats because theyve been
told joy isnt an emotion, its something more like peace or hope. But we could just
as easily say, Im grieving, but I still have happiness in Christ. Does that change the
meaning? For me, the paradox of Christians being called to rejoice in suffering isnt
a good enough reason to redefine happiness and joy as though theyre not what
the Bible says they are, and what we, deep down, know they are: one and the same.
If Christians continue to believe theres a difference between happiness and joy,
well lose out on both. We need to reclaim happiness not just the word, but also
the experience as a vital part of the Christian faith.

Joy

Joy is more than happiness, just as happiness is more than pleasure. Pleasure is in
the body. Happiness is in the mind and feelings. Joy is deep in the heart, the spirit,
the center of the self. The way to pleasure is power and prudence. The way to
happiness is moral goodness. The way to joy is sanctity, loving God with your whole
heart and your neighbor as yourself. Everyone wants pleasure. More deeply,
everyone wants happiness. Most deeply, everyone wants joy. Freud says that
spiritual joy is a substitute for physical pleasure. People become saints out of sexual
frustrations. This is exactly the opposite of the truth. St. Thomas Aquinas says, "No
man can live without joy. That is why one deprived of spiritual joy goes over to
carnal pleasures." Sanctity is never a substitute for sex, but sex is often a substitute
for sanctity. The simplest, most unanswerable proof that Aquinas is right and Freud
is wrong, is experience. It is not a matter of faith alone. It has been proved by
experience by many, many people, many, many times. You can repeat the
experiment and prove it to yourself. You can be absolutely certain that it is true, just
as you can be certain that fire is hot and ice is cold. Millions of people for thousands
of years have tried the experiment, and not one of them has ever been cheated. All
who seek, findthis is not just a promise about the next life, to be believed by faith,
but a promise about this life, to be proved by experience, to be tested by
experiment. No one who ever said to God, "Thy will be done" and meant it with his
heart, ever failed to find joynot just in heaven, or even down the road in the future
in this world, but in this world at that very moment, here and now. In the very act of
self-surrender to God there is joy. Not just later, as a consequence, but right then. It
is exactly like a woman's voluntary sexual surrender to a man. The mystics often
say all souls are female to God; that's one reason why God is always symbolized as
male. Of course it's only a symbol, but it's a true symbol, a symbol of something
true. The symbolism is not "sexist" either. It holds for a man's soul as well. Only
when lovers give up all control and melt helplessly into each other's bodies and
spirits, only when they overcome the fear that demands control, do they find the
deepest joy. Frigidity, whether sexual or spiritual, comes from egotism. We've all
known people who are cold, suspicious, mistrusting, unable to let go. These people
are miserable, wretched. They can't find joy because they can't trust, they can't
have faith. You need faith to love, and you need to love to find joy. Faith, love, and
joy are a package deal. Every time I have ever said yes to God with something even
slightly approaching the whole of my soul, every time I have not only said "Thy will
be done" but meant it, loved it, longed for it I have never failed to find joy and
peace at that moment. In fact, to the precise extent that I have said it and meant it,
to exactly that extent have I found joy. Every other Christian who has ever lived has
found exactly the same thing in his own experience. It is an experiment that has
been performed over and over again billions of times, always with the same result.
It is as certain as gravity. It sounds too good to be true. It sounds like pious
exaggeration, a salesman's pitch. Instant joy? All you have to do is surrender to
God? What's the catch? There is a catch. It's a big one, but a simple one: you have
to really do it, not just think about it. To do it completely requires something we
dislike very much: death. Not the death of the body. The body is not the obstacle.

The ego is. Self-will is. We fear giving that up even more than we fear giving up our
body to deatheven though that ego, the thing St. Paul calls "the old man" in us, or
the Adam in us, is the cause of all our misery. That old self has sold itself to the
devil. It's his microphone. It sits there behind our ears chattering away. When we're
about to give ourselves to God, it instantly whispers to us: "Careful, now. Hold back.
Don't get too close to him. He's dangerous. In fact, he's a killer." The voice speaks
some truth. Even the devil has to begin with some truth in order to twist it into a lie.
It's true; God is a killer. If you let him, he will kill your old, selfish, unhappy, bored,
wretched, mistrusting, loveless self. But he will do it only if you want him to; and he
will do it only as much as you want him to. God is a gentleman. He will never rape
your soul, only woo it. And when he does, you understand one of the reasons why
sex is so different, so special, so holy: it is an image of this, of heaven, of the
ultimate meaning and destiny and purpose of your life. Even the tiny foretaste of
heaven that we can all have here on earth by surrendering to God is as much more
joyful than the greatest ecstasy sex can give, just as being with your beloved is
more joyful than being with her picture. You either believe all this, or you don't. If
you do, then do it! If you don't, then try it. You'll like it.

Cultivating Happiness
Five Tips to Get More Satisfaction and Joy Out of Life
We all want to be happy. The right to pursue happiness is even written into our countrys bill of
rights. But how does one do that? Is it even possible to become a happier person? And if so,
whats the best way to go about it? Researchers in the field of positive psychology have been
studying these questions and the answers are encouraging. Turns out you can genuinely increase
your happiness and overall satisfaction with lifeand it doesnt require a winning lottery ticket
or some other drastic change of circumstances. What it takes is an inner change of perspective
and attitude. And thats truly good news, because its something that anyone can do.

What won't make you happy

Do you, like many people, have a mental list of things you think you need in order to be truly
happy? There are many externals our society teaches us to chase: success, wealth, fame, power,
good looks, romantic love. But are they really the key to happiness?
The research says no, at least when it comes to long-term happiness. A prestigious award, a big
raise, an exciting new relationship, a fancy new car, losing weight. These things can make us feel
great at first, but the thrill doesnt last very long. Human beings are quick to adapt to new

circumstancesa quality that has helped us survive and thrive. But it also means that the good
things that initially make us happier soon become our new normal and we return to our old
happiness baseline.

Myths and facts about happiness

Myths and facts about happiness

There are a lot of myths out there about what will make you happy. So before we embark on a tour of
do work for boosting happiness, lets dispense with the things that dont.

Myth: Money will make you happy.

Fact: Its stressful when youre worried about money. In order to be happy, you do need enough of it to

needs: things like food, shelter, and clothing. But once you have enough money to be comfortable, get

isnt going to make much of a difference in how happy you are. For example, studies of lottery winners
relatively short period of time, they are no more happy than they were before their win.

Myth: You need a relationship in order to be happy.

Fact: Being in a healthy, supportive love relationship does contribute to happiness, but its not true tha

happy and fulfilled if youre single. Indeed, singles who have meaningful friendships and pursuits are h

in mismatched romantic relationships. Its also important to note that even a good marriage or romanti

doesnt lead to a permanent, intense happiness boost. Expecting your partner to deliver your happily-e

actually harm the relationship in the long-run. Younot your partner or your family membersare res
own happiness.

Myth: Happiness declines with age.

Myths and facts about happiness

Fact: Contrary to popular belief, people tend to get happier with age. Study after study confirms that s

more positive emotions and fewer (and less intense) negative emotions than young people and middle

whole, older adults are also more satisfied with their lives, less sensitive to stress, and more emotiona
with the losses that come with age, it is the happiest time of life for many people.

Myth: Some people are just happier than others and theres nothing you can do to change that

Fact: Genetics do play a role in happiness. Current research suggests that people are born with a cer

point. But that only accounts for about half of our happiness level. Another 10% is due to life circumst
40% that is determined by your actions and choices. Thats a lot of control!

Tip 1: Train your brain to be more positive

Our brains are wired to notice and remember the things that are wrong. Its a survival
mechanism that helped keep our cave-dwelling ancestors safe in a world where there
were many physical threats. But in todays comparatively safe world, this biological
predisposition to focus on the negative contributes to stress and unhappiness.
While we cant change our nature, we can train our brains to be more positive. This
doesnt mean putting on a smiley face and whistling a happy tune no matter whats
going on. You dont have to ignore reality or pretend things are wonderful even when
theyre not. But just as dwelling on negative things fuels unhappiness (and plays a big
role in depression and anxiety), choosing to notice, appreciate, and anticipate goodness
is a powerful happiness booster.
Express gratitude
Teaching yourself to become more grateful can make a huge difference in your overall
happiness. The research shows that gratitude helps you experience more positive

emotions, decrease depression, feel better about yourself, improve your relationships,
and strengthen your immune system. A recent study revealed that gratitude even makes
you smarter about how you spend your money.
There are a number of simple exercises you can take advantage of to increase and
cultivate an attitude of gratitude.
Give sincere thanks to others. When someone goes above and beyond or does
something to make your day easier, be quick to verbalize your thanks and appreciation.
Not only will it make the person feel good, it will give you a happiness lift, too. Its an
instant reward to see how expressing gratitude makes a positive difference in someone
elses day. It makes you realize that were all connected and that what you do matters.
Keep a gratitude journal. It may sound cheesy, but writing down the good things that
happened to you during the day really works. Research shows that keeping a gratitude
journals is a powerful technique that instantly makes you feel happier, more connected
to others, and genuinely appreciative.
Count your blessings. Make it a habit to regularly reflect on the things you have to be
thankful for. Bring to mind all the good people, experiences, and things in your life, both
now and in the past. Focus on the blessings both big and small, from the people who
love you to the roof over your head and the food on your table. You will soon see its a
pretty long list.
Write a letter of gratitude. Think of someone who did something that changed your life
for the better who you never properly thanked. Write a thoughtful letter of gratitude
expressing what the person did, how it affected you, and what it still means to you. Then
deliver the letter. Positive psychology expert Martin Seligman recommends reading the
letter in person for the most dramatic increase in happiness.
Find the positive in a negative event from your past. Even the most painful
circumstances can teach us positive lessons. Reevaluate a negative event from your
past with an eye for what you learned or how you became stronger, wiser, or more

compassionate. When you can find meaning in even the bad things youve experienced,
you will be happier and more grateful.

Tip 2: Nurture and enjoy your relationships

Relationships are one of the biggest sources of happiness in our lives. Studies that look
at happy people bear this out. The happier the person, the more likely that he or she
has a large, supportive circle of family and friends, a fulfilling marriage, and a thriving
social life.
Thats why nurturing your relationships is one of the best emotional investments you can
make. If you make an effort to cultivate and build your connections with others, you will
soon reap the rewards of more positive emotions. And as you become happier, you will
attract more people and higher-quality relationships, leading to even greater positivity
and enjoyment. Its the happiness gift that keeps on giving.
Make a conscious effort to stay connected. In our busy society, its easy to get
caught up in our responsibilities and neglect our relationships. But losing touch with
friends is one of the most common end-of-life regrets. Dont let it happen to you. Make
an effort to stay connected to the people who make your life brighter. Take the time to
call, write, or see each other in person. Youll be happier for it.
Invest in quality time with the people you care about. Its not just the time spent with
friends and family that matters; its how you spend it. Mindlessly vegging out together in
front of the TV isnt going to make you closer. People who are in happy relationships talk
a lot. They share whats going on in their lives and how they feel. Follow their example
and carve out time to talk and enjoy each others company.
Offer sincere compliments. Think of the things you admire and appreciate about the
other person and then tell them. This will not only make the other person happier, it will
encourage him or her to be an even better friend or partner. As a practice of gratitude, it
will also make you value the relationship more and feel happier.

Seek out happy people. Research shows that happiness is contagious. You can
literally catch a good mood (you can also catch a bad mood, but thankfully, sadness is
less contagious than happiness). So make an effort to seek out and spend time with
happy people. Before you know it, youll be feeling the happiness, too.
Take delight in the good fortune of others. One of the things that truly separate
healthy, fulfilling relationships from the rest are how the partners respond to each others
good fortune and success. Do you show genuine enthusiasm and interest when your
friend or family member experiences something good? Or do you ignore, criticize, or
downplay the achievement, feel envious or threatened, or say a quick, Thats great,
and then move on? If youd like closer relationships, pay attention when the other
person is excited. Ask questions, relive the experience with the other person, and
express your excitement for him or her. Remember, happiness is contagious, so as you
share the experience, their joy will become yours.

Tip 3: Live in the moment and savor lifes pleasures

Think about a time when you were depressed or anxious. Chances are, you were either
dwelling on something negative from the past or worrying about something in the future.
In contrast, when you focus on the present moment, you are much more likely to feel
centered, happy, and at peace. Youre also much more likely to notice the good things
that are happening, rather than letting them pass by unappreciated or unobserved. So
how do you start to live more in the moment and savor the good things life has to offer?

Meditate
Mindfulness meditation is a powerful technique for learning to live in and enjoy the
moment. And you dont have to be religious or even spiritual to reap its benefits. No pan
flutes, chanting, or yoga pants required.
Simply speaking, meditation is exercise for your brain. When practiced regularly,
meditation appears to decrease activity in the areas of the brain associated with
negative thoughts, anxiety, and depression. At the same time, it increases activity in the
areas associated with joy, contentment, and peace. It also strengthens areas of the

brain in charge of managing emotions and controlling attention. Whats more, being
mindful makes you more fully engaged in the here-and-now and more aware and
appreciate of good things.
Here are a few mindfulness exercises that can help you get started:
Body scan Body scanning cultivates mindfulness by focusing your attention on
various parts of your body. Like progressive muscle relaxation, you start with your feet
and work your way up. However, instead of tensing and relaxing your muscles, you
simply focus on the way each part of your body feels without labeling the sensations as
either good or bad.
Walking meditation You dont have to be seated or still to meditate. In walking
meditation, mindfulness involves being focused on the physicality of each step the
sensation of your feet touching the ground, the rhythm of your breath while moving, and
feeling the wind against your face.
Mindful eating If you reach for food when youre under stress or gulp your meals
down in a rush, try eating mindfully. Sit down at the table and focus your full attention on
the meal (no TV, newspapers, or eating on the run). Eat slowly, taking the time to fully
enjoy and concentrate on each bite.
Notice and savor small pleasures
If you adopt a mindfulness meditation practice, you will automatically begin to notice and
savor lifes pleasures more. But there are other things you can do to increase your
awareness and enjoyment.
Adopt enjoyable daily rituals. Build moments of enjoyment into your day with
pleasurable rituals. These can be very simple things like lingering over a cup of coffee in
the morning, taking a short stroll in the sunshine during your lunch hour, or playing with
your dog when you get home. It doesnt matter what you do, as long as you enjoy and
appreciate it.

Minimize multi-tasking. Savoring requires your full attention, which is impossible when
youre trying to do multiple things. For example, if youre eating a delicious meal while
distractedly surfing the Internet, youre not going to get as much pleasure out of the food
as you could have. Focus on one thing at a time in order to truly maximize your
enjoyment.
Stop to smell the roses. It may be an old clich, but its good advice. Youll appreciate
good things more if you stop whatever youre doing for a moment to appreciate and
luxuriate in them. It will enhance your pleasure, even if you can only spare a few
seconds. And if you can share the moment with others, even better. Shared pleasure is
powerful.
Replay happy memories. You dont have to limit your savoring to things that are
happening now. Remembering and reminiscing about happy memories and experiences
from your past leads to more positive emotions in the present.

Tip 4: Focus on helping others and living with meaning

There is something truly fulfilling in helping others and feeling like your actions are
making a difference for the better in the world. Thats why people who assist those in
need and give back to others and their communities tend to be happier. In addition, they
also tend to have higher self-esteem and general psychological well-being.
Here are some ways to live a more altruistic, meaningful life:
Volunteer. Happiness is just one of the many benefits of volunteering. Youll get the
most out of the experience by volunteering for an organization that you believe in and
that allows you to contribute in a meaningful way.
Practice kindness. Look for ways to be more kind, compassionate, and giving in your
daily life. This can be something as small as brightening a strangers day with a smile or
going out of your way to do a favor for a friend.
Play to your strengths. The happiest people know what their unique strengths are and
build their lives around activities that allow them to use those strengths for the greater

good. There are many different kinds of strengths, including kindness, curiosity, honesty,
creativity, love of learning, perseverance, loyalty, optimism, and humor.
Go for the flow. Research shows that flow, a state of complete immersion and
engagement in an activity, is closely associated with happiness. Flow happens when
youre actively engaged in something that is intrinsically rewarding and challenging yet
still attainable. Anything that completely captivates you and engages your full attention
can be a flow activity.

Tip 5: Take better care of your health

You can be happy even when youre suffering from illness or bad health, but that doesnt
mean you should ignore the aspects of your health that are in your control. Exercise and
sleep are particularly important when it comes to happiness.
Make exercise a regular habit
Exercise isnt just good for the body. It also has a powerful effect on mental well-being.
People who exercise regularly are happier across the board. Plus, theyre also less
stressed, angry, anxious, and depressed.
It doesnt really matter what kind of exercise you do, so long as you do it regularly. For
best results, aim for an hour of exercise at least five days a week. If you find something
you enjoy, youll be more likely to stick to it. So dont think youre limited to going to the
gym or strapping on jogging shoes. Find something that suits your lifestyle and
preferences. It could be taking a dance class, shooting hoops, walking in nature, joining
a community sports league, playing tennis, running with your dog, swimming laps at the
pool, hiking, biking, or doing yoga in the park. If youre having trouble thinking of
activities you enjoy, think back to when you were a kid. What sports or games did you
like to play?
Get the sleep you need
Getting quality sleep every night directly affects your happiness, vitality, and emotional
stability during the day. When youre sleep deprived, youre much more susceptible to

stress. Its harder to be productive, think creatively, and make wise decisions. How much
sleep do you need? According to sleep scientists, the average person needs at least 7.5
9 hours each night.

Confusing Joy With Happiness

My topic for today joy is not something we often talk about in the
business and professional world. We commonly speak about happiness and
being happy, whether it concerns finalizing a contract, attracting a new
client, making a sale, receiving a promotion or a pay raise, or finding a new
job we feel certain will be more fulfilling and rewarding. Such events make us
happy. But when was the last time you heard someone speak about
experiencing joy?

Recently some friends and I were talking about these two seemingly similar
words, joy and happiness. However, during the course of our discussion we
realized that in important ways, they are very different. Happiness, for
example, has a lot to do with what is happening at the moment. I can feel
happy because it is not raining, or I might become unhappy simply because
my coffee got cold. Joy, on the other hand, is more about attitude. Joy is a
way of life, how we approach everyday events, both good and bad, while
happiness typically is situational. Joy also can be more of a personality trait,
an inner quality of well-being that permeates every part of persons life.

An observation that came from our discussion was how our level of joy can
have an effect on what brings us happiness. For example, if we are joyful, we
tend to see the good in many things: little pleasures will make us happy, and
problems can be viewed as challenges rather than as insurmountable
obstacles. People without joy in their lives will have a lot of trouble finding
happy moments, and every problem they encounter will be perceived as a
major hassle.

I consider myself joyful, which means even seemingly inconsequential things

can make me happy. I am fortunate that every business I have been involved
in was designed to make people happy. Whether as an entertainer, photo
finisher, coffee house owner, or most recently, a restorer of old photos, I
have seen most people I have worked with leave with big smiles on their
faces. A good cup of coffee can bring a smile to a coffee lovers face, but not
nearly as much as seeing old family pictures brought back to life.

Interestingly, the Bible says little about happiness, but it speaks

extensively about joy. Here are a few things it tells us about how we should
approach each day, whether we are at work, in our homes, or pursuing our
favorite interests and hobbies:

Joy should be a constant companion. If someone tells you they are

always happy, be skeptical. Because everyone faces unpleasant situations in
life. But inner joy is a quality that is not dependent on outward
circumstances. So we are told to, Be joyful always (1 Thessalonians 5:16).

Joy is not defined by circumstances. If someone told you, Be happy, no

matter what happens, would you agree? And yet the Bible instructs
us, Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many
kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops
perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature
and complete, not lacking anything (James 1:2-4).

Joy is dictated by our faith and trust in God. Another passage, also
written by the apostle Paul, who was no stranger to adversity, declares joy a
byproduct of growing faith in God. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of
God we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering
produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character,
hope(Romans 5:2-5).

Reflection/Discussion Questions
1.

Based on your understanding, what is the difference between

happiness and joy? Do you agree that it is possible to possess joy, even if
circumstances are making you unhappy? Why or why not?

2.

Can you think of a person you know who seems to exhibit a sense of
joy, even when he or she is facing times of hardship or adversity? If so, how
would you describe that person and what do you think makes that
individual that way?

3.

Describe a situation at work in which you might be able to experience

the inner quality of joy, as Mr. Mathis describes it, even if what is occurring at
the moment might not be filling you with happiness?

4.

What difference would it make, in your view, to be able to cultivate a

sense of joy on a consistent, everyday basis, regardless of how stressful or
demanding things might get at work?

Why Joy Trumps Happiness (and 3

Ways to Coax It Into Your Life)
Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every
day. ~Henri Nouwen
Once upon a time I was on a relentless hunt for happiness. Id root around for it in romantic
relationships, search for it in visits to exotic locales, and scour self-help sections of bookstores,
hoping to run across a volume that, once and for all, would reveal its thorny secrets.
The books I read said happiness couldnt be found outside of me, but I was always skeptical of
that advice. I longed to believe that if I got what I wanted in life Id be like a winner on The Price
is Rightjumping up and hugging perfect strangers.
When I turned forty, I had the chance to test that theory: Through a series of incredible
circumstances, I got almost everything Id ever wished for. I met and married an amazing man,
came into inheritance, and achieved my lifelong goal of publishing a novel.
I was surprised to discover that my happiness still depended on outside events in my
life.

Great book review? Crack open the bubbly! Bad day at the stock market? Sequester myself in
the bathroom with a package of Fudge-Covered Oreos. But, to be honest, my life was so fastpaced and drama-filled that I didnt have the time or the inclination to think about the matter too
deeply.
Fast forward five years and my winning streak came to an end. I found myself without a new
book contract, my grown son sank into a deep depression, and my dearest and oldest friend
and I grew apart.
My slew of bad luck forced me to slow down and become a seeker again. I continued to
investigate the happiness conundrum and eventually came across this quote from Danielle
LaPorte, Happiness is like rising bubblesdelightful and inevitably fleeting. Joy is the oxygen
ever present.
Bingo! All my life Id been stalking the wrong thing. Instead of chasing after happiness, I needed
to find ways to allow more joy into my life.

1. Living in the present moment.

Over the next few months I devoured at least a dozen metaphysical books, and I undertook a
variety of spiritual practices: visualization, affirmations, gratitude journals, vision boards, and a
few other things a little too woo-woo to mention.
While I found value in many of those activities, I didnt experience drastic change until
I practiced mindfulness. Now I meditate fifteen minutes daily and make a point to be mindful
throughout the day.
Chores I used to dislike are now exercises in staying in the present moment. Instead of my
usual kvetching about laundry (who goes through ten towels in three days?) I slow down and
pay attention to the task and the accompanying sensory details, i.e., the lemony smell of the
detergent, the comforting warmth of the clothes out of the drier, the swishing rhythm of the
agitator.
When grumbles arise, I note their existence but try not to get caught up in them.
Zen masters clang gongs to remind students to be mindful; I use a timer on the computer. I set it
every twenty-five minutes, and when it buzzes, I check in on myself.
This is great habit to start. When the timer goes off, ask yourself, am I present? Or am I
embroiled in regrets about the past or schemes about the future? The more time we spend in
the present moment, the more joyful we feel.

2. Avoiding the dramas of the ego.

It used to be that when something went haywire in my life, Id fly to the phone or Facebook,
eager to broadcast my wounds. I didnt think there was anything wrong with venting. Wasnt that
healthier than letting my injuries fester?
Not necessarily. Through my mindfulness practice Ive learned that its best not to get caught up
in the egos drama.
When something goes wrong in my life (that guy cut me off in traffic!), my ego loves to rush to
the scene, causing a commotion. Now I keep a journal of my egos triggers so I know when Im
most likely to be yanked into its mischief-making.
Three centering techniques have worked for me: First, pay attention to your breathing, noting
inhales and exhales.
Next, get in touch with your body, connecting with the energy within and staying alert to any
automatic responses. Is your throat constricted? Are your shoulders tense? Is there smoke
coming out of your ears?
Finally, listen. Can you hear the refrigerator running or the traffic outside?
These three practices slow us down so we can avoid getting entangled in ego-based thoughts.
Additionally we might want also want to refrain from complaining or gossiping, even about
piddling things. It may seem harmless to say to a friend Could this grocery line get any longer?
And whats with the woman buying ten cartons of Ben and Jerrys?
Unfortunately, such behavior strengthens the ego. The limited rewards we get from gossiping
and griping are outweighed by the joy well find when we eliminate them from our lives.

3. Deep listening.
When I quit complaining and prattling on about other people, I thought, Whats left to talk
about? Recently I found the answer: Whenever Im in the company of others, I practice deep
listening.
Deep listening requires total attention to what the other person is saying, and its so focused it
involves the entire body. Our own thoughts will constantly arise, eager to butt in, but try using
one of the previously mentioned centering techniques to shush them.
If we practice deep listening our interactions with other people will become much more authentic
and yes, far more joyful.

The Rewards of a Joyful Life

Ive been inviting joy in my life now for almost two years. Does that mean I shun happiness? Of
course not. Happiness is always welcome.
Its penny candy raining from a piata. Its the burst of light from a sparkler. Its the magicians
bouquet of flowers, blossoming into a dove. But I now understand happinesss limitations and
am no longer expecting more from it than it can give.
Ive also come to discover that joy, unlike happiness, is not elusive or subject to the whims of
fate. Joy is what kindles within us once we give up our resistance to the present moment and
our demands that life do our bidding.
Ironically, when we quit expecting life to be a certain way, life seemed to naturally align itself
with our preferences.
In fact, in recent months, my sons psychological problems receded, two books contracts
materialized, and my relationship with my best friend healed. However, even if nothing had
changed or if my fortunes had soured, it wouldnt be a disaster.
If we allow joy into your lives, well no longer be buffeted about by lifes circumstances. As
Eckhart Tolle says, You can only lose something that you have, but you cannot lose something
that you are.
Joy is our natural state; we all have access to it, no matter what craziness happens in our lives.

The 4 Keys to Creating Lasting Prosperity, Happiness and

Joy in Your Everyday Life
Typically, when people think of prosperity, they think of monetary prosperity. They think of
how much they have in their bank accounts or how much their car or home is worth.
But monetary prosperity is only
one kind of prosperity, and even though its definitely the one people seem most concerned
with, its rarely the most important.

Prosperity is about so much more than the contents of your bank account or investment
portfolio. Prosperity is about what we achieve and how we look at reality. Its about
choosing to operate from a space of knowing that you are enough. You arent lacking.
If we can acknowledge and accept who we are and where we come from, and operate
from there, we are better equipped to overcome any challenges we may face.
In our consumer-driven economy, we tend to measure our self-worth in terms of net
worth. Of course, having money makes life easier, but it does not make life. Its our
friends, family, and health that make life worth living.
The dictionary defines prosperity as a successful, flourishing, or thriving condition,
especially in financial respects; good fortune. Although this is accurate, its not
complete. At its root, prosperity is about happiness. In my experiences with clients and
in my own life, Ive come to create another definition of prosperity as being the
successful pursuit of happiness; a thriving and flourishing state of being.

All we need to pursue in life is

happiness.
Prosperity is overcoming your fear and doubt, making the choice to actively step
into your ideal self.

1. Purpose and Prosperity

One of the most important steps toward prosperity is acknowledging and discovering
our purpose. Our purpose in life is more than pursuing that 9-to-5 job, paying off the
mortgage, or counting how many friends we have. Our purpose in life, the meaning of
life, is to be happy.
Thats it. All we need to pursue in life is happiness [Editors Note: see the two
prosperity exercises at the end of this article to help you amplify your
happiness greatly]. Through happiness, we will discover prosperity encompassing all
the aspects it entailsfamily, friends, financial, health, and career.
We know our purpose by knowing what brings us joy.
As we search for our true purpose, every choice before us should be simplified down to
one question: Does this align with my joy?
If youre living a purpose that doesnt bring you joy, its not your true purpose.

2. The Mind and Prosperity

Throughout our evolution as a species, the human brain has become the perfect
observer.
We can use our five senses to deduce almost everything about our environment, which
likely evolved as a way to protect us from predators. It is also a fine-tuning of the
problem-solving skills we already had. Our minds are excellent observers, and we can
further our journey to prosperity by allowing the mind to fulfill that role and that role
alone. Our five senses were honed through survival and fear. We learn to do things, or
not do them, because it helps our survival in one way or another.
In some regards, the brain is very similar to a three-year-old child. A three-year-old
doesnt know not to touch the hot stove until he uses his senses to deduce that touching
it hurts, and threatens his health or survival. Instead of allowing the three-year-old child
to be in control of our feelings and actions, we need to allow our spirit to lead the way.
As human beings in the modern world, we have a habit of pushing ourselves too hard,
of putting too much pressure on the brain to be perfect, to succeed, to have all the

answers, even while we are learning something new. Would you tell a three-year-old
that he was unintelligent because he didnt grasp a new idea immediately, and because
of that, he was incapable of succeeding? No, of course not! He is just a child, and he
doesnt know any better.
Yet this is exactly what we do to our own minds, and its just as unfairand keeps us
from experience greater prosperity in our lives.
We need to be patient with our minds and give them time to adjust and consider new
ideas. If we allow our spirit, our intuition, to lead the mind, to guide it gently through
decisions and desires, we have a greater chance of being on task and on purpose, than if
we drag our mind kicking and screaming into a whole new way of looking at things.

3. Transcending Fear
As we evolve, we develop new skills to overcome fear. Its my honor to be able to share
with you another way to deal with and move through the emotion of fear with more
ease than what most people experience and as a result, tap into even more prosperity,
happiness and joy in your life.
The idea of fear itself can be challenging. Even just thinking about the things we fear can
cause our heart rate to spike and our breath to quicken. Many people who experience
anxiety can relate to the immediate adrenaline rush that can come from an upcoming
deadline.
What if I were to tell you that fear isnt bad or goodthat its just the mind (our inner
three-year-old) trying to protect itself from something its unfamiliar with?

Fear, whether of failure or success, is

just an emotion. Its not rooted in
reality.

Well, thats exactly what fear is. We can better understand fear when we choose to think
less and feel more. It seems kind of backward, right? But by thinking less and letting
our intuition and feelings guide us more often, we can observe the fear instead of
reacting to it.
Fear, whether of failure or success, is just an emotion. Its not rooted in reality. If youre
afraid of something and you succeed at it anyway, nothing has really changed, except
your perception of yourself.
A number of authors and teachers, such as Lissa Rankin, have written about how fear
affects us and holds us back in life, keeping us from experiencing greater prosperity in
many different ways. There seem to be four main types of fear that most people
experience: fear of failure, fear of success, fear of the unknown, and fear of losing
something. None of these can hold their own outside of our minds once we step outside
of our thinking, and realize that there is no such thing as the unknown. We all come
from universal energy. We all come from the stars. What we consider to be the
unknown is simply energy the mind has forgotten about.
Success is feedback that helps us discover which experiences we do want more of.
Thats all it is! Doesnt this simple shift in perspective feel so much better than the
pressure and fear people carry around about success and failure?
What you refer to as failure doesnt make you less of a person, just because you
experienced it. Creating what you dont want actually blesses you with the awareness of
what you do want to create in life.
Trusting in the Universe eliminates any need for fear. If you can put your trust in the Universe
and follow your intuition you are well on your way to a fear-free, prosperity-filled life!

4. Qualities, Not Specifics

People arent always sure about what makes them happy. Even after remembering what
made them joyful during childhood, and trying to focus more on what actively makes
them happy now in their daily life, this can still be a bit of a challenge for some people.

One trick Ive learned is to focus on the qualities that make you happy, the
essence of what you enjoy. Looking at the qualities instead of the specifics of your
desires can quickly bring to light what youd like to experience more of.
For example, if your desire is to have a million dollars, thats a specific form. Asking
yourself, What does a million dollars provide me with? can open your eyes to the
qualities that youre searching for and will bring you true prosperity and happiness. In
this case, a million dollars might provide you with the qualities of security, flexibility, or
freedom of choice. Examining the qualities of what we wantand our reasons for
wanting itopens us up to be more available to the blessings coming our way, because
were not so fixated on the specific what, where, when, and how of our desires.
When we focus on the overall goal instead of the specifics, we successfully open
ourselves up to more opportunities and hence more prosperity, because we arent
bogged down by a narrow set of outer circumstances.
Focusing on qualities allows us the freedom to pursue the full essence of what we want,
not just limited forms of it.
Many of my clients have indicated that this goes against many common teachings that
focus on picturing the literal, specific goal in mind. That method can definitely have
benefits, especially if youre a person who needs a specific goal in order to get yourself
moving. But once youve gained that momentum, losing the specifics and focusing on
the qualities creates openings for a broader range of creative solutions.

Prosperity Processes: Finding Your Happiness

Exercise: The Joy List
This exercise will help you to realize and focus on the things in life that bring you
happiness and joy and as a result increase your prosperity. For this process, Ill need
you to get a piece of paper and a pen or pencil.
STEP 1: At the top of the page, title your list The Joy List or Things That Make My
Heart Sing.

STEP 2: Take a moment to reflect on some of the things in your life that make you
happy. This might mean thinking back to when you were a kid, when you loved to
climb trees. It might be enjoying the perfect cup of hot cocoa.
STEP 3: Write those things down.
STEP 4: Start to implement one, if not more, of the items on this list in your daily life.
If you like to read, maybe you can set aside 30 minutes every day to enjoy reading a
good book.
This list doesnt have to be created in one sitting. It is a living, breathing document. You
can add and subtract items from it as you travel through your prosperity journey. The
list also doesnt have to be exclusive to work or personal life it can contain both or just
one. You could have multiple lists, as long as the items on them make you truly happy.
Exercise: The Quality List
Making a Quality List can help us to focus on what we would like more of in our lives
and that leads to greater prosperity as a result. By looking at the bigger picture of our
desiresthe root of our desireswe can better judge what will help us to achieve them.
A Quality List will help us to refocus our energy on the inside, so we are better able
to attract the right kind of energy on the outside.
STEP 1: Gather a couple of pieces of paper and a pen or pencil. Find somewhere to sit
where you wont be disturbed.
STEP 2: Write a list of qualities you want to embody qualities your life could use
more of, such as stability, freedom, happiness, flexibility, etc.
STEP 3: Write out a short list of things that you would like in your life, such as a
relationship, more money, or a vacation.
STEP 4: With those things in mind, ask yourself, What quality does __________
provide for me? and write down the answers. For instance, if youre asking for a
relationship, it might provide comfort, affection, intimacy, and friendship.
STEP 5: Looking at the list of qualities that youve determined, ask yourself, Where
does my life already exhibit these qualities? Example: Just because you arent in a

romantic relationship right now doesnt mean that your life is lacking in love and
support. Write down some of the positive aspects of your non-romantic relationships,
and the gifts that you are already receiving from them. During this process, focus on
expansive, not constricting thoughts. Ask what you can do to promote these qualities
and where they are already working in your life.
Concentrate on what does exist, not on what doesntthis is one of the secrets of
prosperity thinking.
Focusing on the inner qualities we want, instead of the outer specifics, opens us up to
blessings beyond anything we could have ever imagined for ourselves.

Happiness vs joy
1. 1. THE STORY OF HAPPINESS Payam Shoghi http://payamshoghi.com/
2. 2. WHAT IS HAPPINESS? Happiness comes from the root word hap, which means
chance. . . Derived from the same root as the word happening Happiness is
circumstantial and depends on certain things that happen around us. So, happy
things happen and they make us happy
3. 3. WHAT MAKES US HAPPY? An extra scoop of ice cream. Eating the food that
we like. Winning a lottery. A giftlike a new I-pod or mobile phone. Praise, and
nice things being said about us. New and attractive clothes. Good looks.
Agreeable company. Etc., etc. . .
4. 4. WHAT MAKES US HAPPY? But sometimes there are other things that make us
feel happy: Exercising power and control over others. Teasing others. Bullying
and ragging. Showing off what we have and others dont. Defying and
challenging authority. Damaging school/public property. Doing what we feel like
doing at that moment. Etc., etc. . .
5. 5. HAPPINESS. . . It is for us to decide what should bring us happiness. But, no
matter what happens to us, and what we do, our happiness is not going to last
forever. The happiness that lasts is never found because it is actually
impossible to get happy and stay happy! And we keep doing different things in
quest of this elusive, everlasting happiness.

6. 6. A TWIST IN THE TALE OUR STORY DOES NOT END HERE

7. 7. A SUPERIOR FEELING There exists a feeling that is much more superior than
happiness. It is called JOY
8. 8. JOY. . . At first glance, joy and happiness may seem similar but, really, they are
quite different. Joy is related to happiness, but it is a deeper, richer experience.
9. 9. JOY. . . Have you ever fed a pet, or little animals and birds in the park? How did
it feel? That feeling is the feeling of Joy.
10. 10. JOY. . . Have you ever helped a younger brother or sister with his/her
homework? How did it feel? That feeling is the feeling of Joy.
11. 11. JOY. . . Have you ever shared something that you treasured with someone less
deprived? How did it feel? That feeling is the feeling of Joy.
12. 12. JOY. . . How do you feel when you think of somebody who you love very
muchlike a grand parent? That feeling is the feeling of Joy.
13. 13. JOY. . . A mother feels great joy when she feeds her child, even though she
may herself go hungry. A farmer experiences joy when he sees the fruit of his
hard work, even though it may not mean much materially. Teachers feel great joy
when their students excel at school. Students feel joy when their hard-work is
rewarded with higher grades.
14. 14. HAPPINESS V/S JOY We feel happy when we are receiving. But joy comes from
giving and sharing. The greatest joy is when we give happiness to others; or
when we make others happy.
15. 15. HAPPINESS V/S JOY. . . And the best part is that: WE CAN ALWAYS REMAIN
JOYOUS and JOYFUL Depending on our actions, and the choices that we make
16. 16. JOY MOTIVATES Let us learn to differentiate between joy and happiness. Try
and recognise the feeling of joy which comes from within as against the feeling of
happiness which comes from outside Our quest for real joy can become a
powerful source of motivation in life for us helping us achieve excellence.

Happiness Versus Joy In The Workplace

There is a lot of discussion about happiness at work and how it can change an organization. There
is even a science to happiness. Id like to clarify the definition between happiness and joy because
it is often misinterpreted or misunderstood.
According to the dictionary, joy is:
the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or
satisfying; keen pleasure; elation

a source or cause of keen pleasure or delight; something or someone greatly valued or

appreciated
And happiness is:

the quality or state of being happy

good fortune; pleasure; contentment; joy

They sound very similar but there are some distinct differences.

Joy comes from within, an inner sense of peace, as well as enthusiasm, excitement, passion
and optimism, long lasting, an attitude of the hearta state of being

Happiness is external, being happy with the situation, circumstances, more temporary in
naturea positive emotion
There is an entire segment of research and academics that are studying the Science of Happiness.
An acclaimed psychotherapist, Martin Seigelman is the founder of positive psychology and has
created the PERMA model. We find the PERMA model encompasses all the elements when you
have joy in your life. PERMA in short is Positive emotions, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning,
and Accomplishment.

Positive emotions
For us to experience well-being, we need positive emotion in our lives. Any positive emotion like
peace, gratitude, satisfaction, pleasure, inspiration, hope, curiosity, or love falls into this category
and the message is that its really important to enjoy yourself in the here and now
Engagement
When were truly engaged in a situation, task, or project, we experience a state of flow: time seems
to stop, we lose our sense of self, and we concentrate intensely on the present.
Relationships
As humans, we are social beings, and good relationships are core to our well-being. People who
have meaningful, positive relationships with others are happier than those who do not. Relationships
matter!
Meaning
Meaning comes from serving a cause bigger than ourselves. Its the way that we contribute to the
world and make a positive difference. There needs to be a higher purpose to what we do and we
need to know what that is.
Accomplishment/Achievement
We feel good when we have set goals and have accomplished them. This gives us the road map to
do what we do, and to measure it by whatever standards we give it. We can think big with our
dreams, and then break it down into smaller goals, and then plan the action steps to accomplish
what we set out to do.
Whether you choose to focus on happiness or joy isnt so relevant because they are so similar. But
finding joy is a longer lasting state of being and not dependent on the external circumstances. It
comes from within and therefore is a deeper and more authentic way of living.
It is possible to change your perspective of how to view the world from conditioned negative
tendencies to a more positive outlook. What you focus on is what you will see in your life. Imagine
that you are skiing through the trees. Instead of being afraid of hitting the trees, focus on the spaces
between the trees and youll glide through the forest. When you change your focus from being afraid
to hit the trees to going through the space between the trees, youll get down the mountain
unscathed. Life works the same way!
Imagine that you enjoy your work and feel excited to contribute each day to your business.
Reaching a state of joy means learning to feel good now. That means finding those things in your
life now that you can appreciate and focus on, just like that space between the trees.

Look at whats working well instead of whats wrong

What you focus on will expand in your life. Its a matter of reconditioning the brain by understanding
how its possible and through practicing simple exercises this works in ALL scenarios: individuals,
families, and companies. Some very small shifts in thinking can make radical changes in a persons
life and in an organization. Then youll be able to bypass many of the problems that might otherwise
hold you back.

The Difference between Happiness and Joy

Most people have a hard time understanding the difference between Happiness and
Joy. When it comes to nourishing our soul, Happiness is like a candy bar (not very
nutritional), and Joy is like a plate of meat, potatoes, and vegetables (fills you up and
is good for you too!).
Happiness is when we are delighted and pleased with good fortune (often outside
forces which we dont control) such as good health, good relationships, a good job, a
good house, and plenty of food and clothing.
Joy on the other hand runs much deeper than happiness. Joy is a matter of our soul, it
runs deep into the core of us and radiates throughout our being. Joy is the response to
something bigger, something eternal and often comes from conquering oneself and
willingly enduring suffering, insults, pain, humiliation, or hardships for a virtuous cause.
Joy is based on the permanent unshakeable knowledge that in the big picture..all
will be well with your soul.
If we look at the messages coming from our post modern media, we could easily
conclude that being happy is the most important thing in the world. TV and magazine
ads scream that we have to buy this product or that service because it will make us
happy and after all, dont we deserve to be happy? In movies and television shows,
characters leave their partners, change their lives, and break the rules all in a quest
for happiness. The pursuit of happiness dominates our society, but the worlds
happiness is often shallow and empty.
True Joy nourishes our soul even when our lives are often difficult and filled with
hardship. This kind of joy has little to do with buying the right car, clothes, or cologne. It
has nothing to do with leaving your partner for a younger, better-looking person, or
making millions of dollars in the stock market. The promises of happiness that the
world tries to sell are futile, empty, and destructive. True Joy doesnt depend on having
all the material things you want. It isnt connected to having an easy life. Instead, its a
deep and powerful emotion that comes from inside, uplifting and sustaining us even
when it appears as though the world is crashing down around us. The seeds of true joy
are sprouting in us even when we experience hardship, suffering, and pain. We decide,
by controlling our human nature whether to let these seeds grow into joy or not. True
Joy is something we choose. Every time we make the choice to be contented, to be
thankful, to celebrate the good in life rather than complaining about all thats wrong, we
are choosing to experience true Joy.

Our temporal lives will always be filled with pain and hardship. You may be suffering
from a chronic illness, or perhaps from depression; you may be trapped in an unhappy
marriage, you could be jobless, facing crippling financial problems, or you may be
experiencing the illness or death of a loved one. Happiness wont do much to change
these circumstances, other than maybe provide a quick fix (enter drugs, alcohol, sex,
consumerism). But real, Spirit-filled joy is possible, no matter what the world throws at
you. Its something that nothing and no one can take away from you.
How important is it to be happy? If by happy you mean the momentary contentment
that results from having all our desires met, then the answer would be that that kind of
happiness is not very important. But if you are referring to true Joy, the feeling that
comes from suffering through the worlds pain and hardships and choosing to not
complain about it, being thankful for what you do have, and celebrating your
blessings..then its very important.

Scientists Tickle Rats to Learn

About Joy
Rats release an inaudible giggle when tickled.
Research published Tuesday has found that giggling rats can shed light on how the human
brain experiences joy.
For the study, scientists from the Humboldt University of Berlin tickled a series of rats to
identify the nerve cells that make rats giggle.
The researchers attached electrodes to the rats and measured which parts of their brain were
activated when tickled.
Tickling the rats was surprisingly easy, study coauthor Shimpei Ishiyama told Science News.
The scientists simply put their hands in the cage and rubbed the rats back, tail and belly the
most sensitive part of a rats body.
When rats were tickled they released an inaudible ultrasonic 50-kilohertz giggle, said Ishiyama.
The rats also performed Freudensprnge, literally jumping for joy.
With this information, the researchers found that nerve cells in the somatosensory cortex were
activated. Inversely, the rats giggled when their somatosensory cortex was stimulated.
This is the first time an experiment has shown laughter can result by stimulating the
somatosensory cortex not through physical touch, neuroscientist Elise Wattendorf of the
University of Fribourg in Switzerland told Science News.

The results, published in Science, hoped to provide insight into the mechanics of human
happiness, a topic Ishiyama believes is underrated.
While many research projects study depression, few, said Ishiyama, study happiness. People
really underrate the positive things fun, happiness, joy.

Andre, C. (2012). Feelings and Moods. Cambridge: Polity Press.

Ortony, A. et. Al. (1988). The Cognitive Structures of Emotion. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press.
Snyder C.R. & Lopez, S.J. (2007). Positive Psychology: the Scientific and Practical Explorations of
Human Strengths. United States of America: Sage Publications, Inc. pp. 128-148.

INCREASING HAPPINESS IN YOUR

LIFE
1. Realize that enduring happiness doesnt come from success.
Wealth is like health. Its utter absences breeds misery, but having it
(or any circumstances Ive long for) doesnt guarantee happiness.
2. Take control of your time.
Happy people feel in control of their lives, often aided by mastering
their use of time. It helps set goals and breaks them into daily aims.
3. Act happy.
We can sometimes act ourselves into a frame of mind. Manipulated
into a smiling expression, people feel better; when they scowl, the
whole world seems to scowl back. Going through the emotions can
trigger emotions
4. Seek work and leisure that engages your skill.
Happy people often are in a zone called flow, absorbed in a task that
challenges them without overwhelming them.
5. Join the movemen movement.
Aerobic exercise promotes health & energy and is an antidote for mild
depression and anxiety. Sound minds reside in sound bodies
6. Give your body the sleep it wants.
Happy people live active vigorous lives yet reserve time for renewing
sleep & solitude.
7. Give priority to close relationships.
Intimate friendships with those who care deeply about you can help

you weather difficult times. Confiding is good for soul and body.
Resolve to nurture your closet relps: to not take those closest for
granted, to display to them the sort of kindness you display to others,
to affirm them, to play and share together.
8. Focus beyond the self.
Reach out to those in need
Happiness increases helpfulness
(Those who feel good do good)
but doing good also makes one feel good
9. Keep a gratitude journal.
effect: heightened well being
10.
Nurture your spiritual self
For many people, faith provides a support community, a reason to
focus beyond self, and a sense of purpose and hope.