What is the nature of happiness?
That question has captured the thoughts and imaginations of great philosophers, writers, artists, world leaders, and countless others throughout time. I love to consider their words and wisdom to find inspiration for today.
The common themes? Happiness is a personal choice that comes from within rather than from circumstances. While some have said that the pursuit of happiness is self-serving, others make the excellent observation that those who are happy can spread joy to others. Personally, I find that a great reason to choose happiness!
A collection of favorite quotes about happiness
Happiness depends upon ourselves.
~Aristotle
Happiness resides not in possessions, and not in gold; happiness dwells in the soul.
~Democritus
A man who as a physical being is always turned toward the outside, thinking that his happiness lies outside him, finally turns inward and discovers that the source is within him.
~Soren Kierkegaard
The Constitution only gives people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself.
~Benjamin Franklin
I am determined to be cheerful and happy in whatever situation I may find myself. For I have learned that the greater part of our misery or unhappiness is determined not by our circumstance but by our disposition.
~Martha Washington
Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be.
~Abraham Lincoln
Happiness isn’t something that depends on our surroundings. It’s something we make inside ourselves.
~Corrie ten Boom
Your success and happiness lies in you. Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties.
~Helen Keller
Happiness doesn’t depend on any external conditions; it is governed by our mental attitude.
~Dale Carnegie
The art of being happy lies in the power of extracting happiness from common things.
~Henry Ward Beecher
It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness.
~Charles Spurgeon
Think of all the beauty still left around you and be happy.
~Anne Frank
Men can only be happy when they do not assume that the object of life is happiness.
~George Orwell
Happiness is a butterfly, which when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp, but which, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you.
~Nathaniel Hawthorne
Whoever is happy will make others happy too.
~Anne Frank
Since you get more joy out of giving joy to others, you should put a good deal of thought into the happiness that you are able to give.
~Eleanor Roosevelt