5 Types of Happiness You Can Experience in Life

 Happiness is an emotional state, which is characterized by feelings of joy, fulfillment, or satisfaction. But did you know there are different types of happiness? That’s right. Happiness is not a one-size-fits-all emotion.

All happiness is not the same, and there are even stages and levels of happiness. In this article, I will share with you five types of happiness, the stages of happiness, and most importantly, specific actions to create a plan for your happiness.

5 Types of Happiness

Knowing which type of happiness you’re experiencing can help you better appreciate your life, other people, and the things that you have right now. Here are the five types of happiness that you can experience in your life.

1. Pride

Have you ever completed a challenging project? Or have you ever volunteered for a worthy cause you believe in? These events probably evoked a sense of pride within you.

Pride is a form of happiness. Often, we associate pride with over-competitive negative emotions. However, pride in one’s accomplishments is a great form of happiness to savor. You can take pride in your work, your family, or anything which provides a sense of accomplishment.

2. Fostering Relationships

Many firmly believe that money is a secret to a happy life. However, a group of Harvard researchers launched a study in 1938 where they followed 268 male Harvard undergraduates for 75 years.

The unique Harvard Grant Study collected data on the men’s lives through surveys and interviews. They looked at all aspects, including relationships, politics and religion, coping strategies, and alcohol use—and they found surprising results.

Waldinger, in a TED Talk in 2015, also said that “people who are more socially connected to family, to friends, to community are happier. They’re physically healthier, and they live longer than people who are less well-connected.”

3. Contentment

Contentment means to be happy with what you have, who you are, and where you are. It is respecting the reality of the present. It is appreciating what you do have and where you are in life.

Contentment does not mean the absence of desire. It just means that you are satisfied with your present and believe in the best possible outcomes.

Many people today think that life is an absolute race where you must be the best at everything. We must have a fancier car, a bigger house, a better-earning job, or more money. The moment we achieve one thing, the race for the next thing starts. Rarely do many individuals spare a minute to just sit back, relax, and be grateful for all they have achieved.

4. Fun

Just because we’re adults, that doesn’t mean we have to make life all about work. In our hectic, modern lives, many of us focus so heavily on work and family commitments that we never seem to have time for pure fun. Somewhere between childhood and adulthood, we stopped having fun.

When we carve out some leisure time, we’re more likely to zone out in front of the TV or computer than engage in fun. Fun can add joy to life, relieve stress, supercharge learning, and connect you to others and the world around you. Fun brings about positive feelings like excitement, pride, and hope, and of course, positive feelings make us happy.

Most people have hobbies. Hobbies help us cultivate fun in our lives. It doesn’t matter what we do, as long as it provides us with a reasonable amount of fun daily or weekly. It can be sports, cooking, collecting, etc. Either way, it’s a simple way to spice up your life and take a break from the mundane tasks of life.

Many enjoy travel as a form of fun. From enjoying new, unique cultures to sunbathing or skiing, it all comes down to great fun in the end.

5. Gratitude

Gilbert Keith Chesterton, often known as G.K. Chesterton, is a prolific English writer, poet, philosopher, etc. who coined the quote, “I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought, and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.”

Choosing to be thankful may well be an easy and accessible way to boost your happiness. Gratitude has a strong positive impact on psychological well-being as well. It increases self-esteem, enhances positive emotions, and makes us more optimistic.

Start living in the moment, and stop waiting for the perfect time—be spontaneous, and have fun! Take a break, and stop waiting for all the work to be done, the house to be clean, the dog walked, and go have fun! When you think that genuine fun just happens on huge occasions or planned activities, you’re denying yourself the small pleasures of life.

All in all, creating a happy life is a simple matter of putting more of what we enjoy into our lives. You have to cultivate it intentionally if you choose to do so.

Begin today by taking the steps to live a happier life and creating a legacy of joy.