The Difference Between Joy and Happiness
Joy, oh I love talking about joy. I’ve done hundreds of interviews where I have the opportunity to talk about joy and I tell people all the time that I’m thrilled and proud to work with an organization that values joy. Joy is our second core value and we live it everyday.
Many people often struggle with what joy is. How does joy affect your everyday life and how can you make sure that are pursuing it? Joy is a word that’s taken for granted and often gets confused with happiness. So stop and think about it for second. What’s the difference between joy and happiness?
Well, I would argue that happiness is something that you find in the moment. You can be happy because you’ve had a great sale or you can be happy because you did something good or your kids did something that’s really positive. And that’s good. Happiness is determined by your circumstances.
The difference is that you can experience joy in spite of your circumstances. In our definition, joy comes from within. It’s a choice that you make everyday. Joy runs deep. I always say if you have a flat tire, are you happy about it? Probably not. But can you maintain joy? Absolutely. It goes back to choosing to make that a part of your life, choosing to make that a part of your world. I encourage you to do so.
Why? Joy is the root of enthusiasm. People that choose to live their life with joy have lots of enthusiasm to do lots of wonderful things and have a big impact on the world. Joy is an important component of living life to the fullest. So I encourage you to choose to be joyful about your life and the circumstances you find yourself in.
I would love to hear about what you think the difference between joy and happiness is. Post a comment below.
Be Free!
Leah Simpson
Instructor
Leah, I think the difference between joy and happiness is a question of degree. Joy being the superlative, happiness being shorter and more fickle. If joy is more abiding, then we should think of it less like heel kicking in the air with a big Snoopydog grin and more like….like what…Snoopy curled by the fire with a one-fang grin and little happy paws chasing a dream rabbit.
Comment by Carla Noble — May 5, 2009 @ 10:20 am
I like your post Carla! I do believe there is a difference between Joy and Happiness, but I always thought of it the other way around. Either I’m a happy person or I’m not…I choose to be happy! ‘The Art of Happiness’ by the Dalai Lama talks about this. I love that book!
Comment by Bobbi Schmitt — May 5, 2009 @ 10:44 am
I love the flat tire analogy and the reminder that joy tends to be a constant, feeling based, no matter what the circumstance. This distinction between the two (joy & happiness) has taken some time for me to really get it. It seems like joy would be the overall feeling you have when you reflect on your life as a whole vs. the day-to-day routines and circumstances that can be good, better, sometimes even better… Joy comes through when people ask you how you are doing and you can honestly say, from the heart, “Great”.
Comment by BUDKA! — May 5, 2009 @ 11:54 am
I enjoyed your post. I liked your definition of happiness–it just happens! Joy is a decision! Irene
Comment by Irene Koontz — May 5, 2009 @ 5:48 pm
Joy, happiness, sadness, and disappointments are integral aspects of life. In order for you to have and maintain a balance and healthy life you must be able to endure sadness and disappointments with the same temperament you display your joy and happiness. One without the other is only an illusion. Life is about experiencing varied emotions. In psychology when a person exhibits extreme excitement about their good fortunes or what they define as happiness, but always express an inability to handle disappointment by acting out their frustrations can be viewed as histrionics.
People who are most often described as stable and happy appear to maintain an even temperament amid adversity. Accomplishing true happiness within our short span of life is about self awareness, personal growth, and feeling fulfilled or satisfied with your personal identity.
Comment by Samuel Brown — May 11, 2009 @ 8:48 pm