Comments on: The Difference Between Joy and Happiness

By: Samuel Brown

Samuel Brown — Tue, 12 May 2009 01:48:01 +0000

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.

By: Irene Koontz

Irene Koontz — Tue, 05 May 2009 22:48:01 +0000

I enjoyed your post. I liked your definition of happiness–it just happens! Joy is a decision! Irene

By: BUDKA!

BUDKA! — Tue, 05 May 2009 16:54:03 +0000

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”.

By: Bobbi Schmitt

Bobbi Schmitt — Tue, 05 May 2009 15:44:39 +0000

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!

By: Carla Noble

Carla Noble — Tue, 05 May 2009 15:20:37 +0000

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.