What is Happiness
Defining happiness is just as difficult as defining life because it is an abstract concept. Because of this, it makes it even more difficult to find happiness in life. After all, how can you search for or achieve something that you cannot even fully define? Happiness can have a lot of definitions. Religion, science, psychology, and philosophy have their own definition of happiness. Each person also has his own personal definition of happiness based on his own experiences, values, and beliefs. This makes happiness a fuzzy word that seems very elusive not only to achieve but also to understand.
Let’s discuss the many definitions of happiness according to different fields of study. First and foremost, happiness is defined in the dictionary as a state of mental or emotional well-being that is accompanied by positive or pleasant feelings and experiences such as intense joy or contentment. Happiness is considered one of the most fundamental of human emotions, and is in fact considered a basic right according to the United States Declaration of Independence, which states that every American has a right to “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.†It is considered one of the universal goals that every human being should strive to have.
Religious thinkers and philosophers describe happiness as living a life worth living. Happiness is to flourish. It is not merely a positive feeling or emotion. Most religious thinkers and philosophers differentiate true happiness from hedonistic pleasures, where the former is living a full and satisfying life and the latter is seeking pleasure at all times and trying to avoid any experiences that are deemed unpleasant. The definition of happiness in religion and philosophy focuses on the question “how happy are you with your life in general?†that will elicit a deeper answer, and not on the much simpler question “how happy are you right now?†that will give an answer related to the person’s current emotion or feeling.