What Is Happiness? Understanding the Science and Sources of Happiness

“Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof — because I’m happy; clap along if you feel that happiness is the truth because I’m happy.”

“Happy” by Pharrell Williams

Happiness seems to be this imaginary place where we get to when we find the right person or get the ______ (fill in the blank) that we always dreamed about. There are literally industries built on creating the dream of happiness, as well as many movies and books that show the happily ever after. I dare you to listen to the song Happy without smiling.

Being the researcher that I am, I decided to investigate happiness: what it is and how we get it.

Definition

There are many definitions for happiness, but here are some that I thought really helped me understand just what we are talking about. One feature emphasized by psychologists is that happiness is a “state, not a trait.” In other words, happy people are not always happy but tend to experience happiness more often than others.

Other words used in definitions include joy, satisfaction, fulfillment, contentment, and well-being. The feeling that one’s life is meaningful and worthwhile also seems to be an important element.

Who Is Happy?

When looking at research on who considers themselves happiest, some studies have found differences in reported happiness across age and gender. The relationship between income and happiness is also more complicated than simply assuming that more money always means more happiness.

Some characteristics associated with greater well-being include regular social connection and having a sense of autonomy or direction in your life. These ideas have contributed to the development of various formulas and frameworks for thinking about happiness.

Happiness Formulas

There is a whole industry around telling you how to be happy, with books, podcasts, and organizations offering different formulas and methodologies for reaching this elusive state. Here are a few examples:

1. The Happiness Project sets out a formula for happiness that emphasizes genetics, circumstances, and voluntary action, suggesting that some aspects of happiness may be outside our direct control.
2. The Good Men Project has presented a formula emphasizing more personal characteristics, including attitude, presence, resilience, and faith.
3. Arthur Brooks, in his book The Art of Happiness, explores the idea that happiness is influenced by a combination of circumstances, habits, relationships, and personal choices.

Brooks also breaks down areas of life and habits that can contribute to happiness. These include:

• Faith – Belief in things beyond the self and spirituality.
• Family – Close ties to your family.
• Friendship – Community, charitable work, and relationships beyond family.
• Work – Earned success, serving others, and creating value through your life.

These areas may change over someone’s lifetime as faith, family, friendships, and work evolve, but they can remain important sources of meaning and well-being.

My Take

The surprise for me about these formulas is that they suggest that some aspects of our happiness may be outside our control. However, they all leave room for us to influence how we experience our lives.

I think Arthur Brooks is right that we can cultivate greater happiness through a combination of inner beliefs, loving relationships, purpose, and meaning in our lives. What do you think? What contributes most to your happiness?