What’s The Difference Between Joy Vs. Happiness?

Many people use the terms joy and happiness interchangeably, but researchers believe that there are actually key differences between the two experiences. Understanding the difference between joy and happiness might help you cultivate more positive feelings and better mental health in your daily life. For support in finding meaning in life, processing your emotions, or addressing mental health symptoms, you might consider working with a licensed therapist online or in person.

Joy vs. happiness: What’s the real difference?

A 2025 study on happiness and joy in British adults published in the International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being illuminates the difference between these two often-conflated emotions.

Specifically, the authors of the study report that joy is a more “intense, transcendent, and deeply felt emotion, often arising spontaneously in response to meaningful experiences or connections.” They also note that joy:

• Often involves reflection, interpretation, and meaning-making
• Can be associated with a sense of meaning and purpose
• Tends to have a more lasting impact than happiness
• May promote greater resilience and more lasting well-being than happiness alone
• May arise in the context of achieving goals, trying something new, appreciating art or nature, or connecting with one’s community

In contrast, the study’s authors define happiness as “a broader, more stable evaluative state associated with life satisfaction.” A person might feel happy when they’ve achieved a goal or are content with where they’re at in life.

For support in understanding or processing your emotions, consider working with an online therapist.

A destination vs. a feeling

Emotions generally are, by nature, transient. However, it may help to think of happiness more as something you work toward over time, like a destination, and joy as a feeling that affects you more suddenly. 

For example, you might feel happy once you’ve found your ideal partner or a close friend. You might feel a flash of joy when you see them laughing or hear them telling you something they’re excited about, which makes you appreciate the close bond you have. Both experiences may be gratifying, but happiness might be more cognitive and joy might be more spiritual or connected to your humanity.

Sources of joy vs. sources of happiness

Identifying different possible sources of joy and happiness may help clarify the difference between these two experiences. Each person is unique, but many individuals find a sense of happiness through things like:

• Spending time with friends
• Being outside on a sunny day
• Enjoying a favorite food
• Feeling glad or pleased with their career or living situation

In contrast, joy may stem from: 

• Building shared meaning over time in close relationships (with family, friends, neighbors, or in a marriage, etc.)
• Contributing to your community or helping others
• Practicing a hobby that you find fulfilling
• Engaging in personal growth or healing

Many people find happiness to be more situational, while joy may be deeper and even spiritual. It may be why many religions center joy over happiness. For instance, followers of Islam are encouraged to strive for sa’adah, or eternal joy and spiritual fulfillment, by living a faithful life rather than chasing temporary happiness. Similarly, Christians are encouraged to look to their faith for a sense of joy rather than living for earthly pleasures. Religious and non-religious people alike often find pursuing joy to be more rewarding than chasing happiness.

When happiness or joy appears with other emotions

The International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being study cited above also mentions that joy “may emerge in unexpected moments, even amid hardship.” The reason is that joy is linked to meaning, and finding a sense of meaning in life may not always be an easy or consistently happy process. 

For example, consider a doctor who has studied for years to be able to provide life-saving care to patients. They may experience a deep sense of purpose and joy from using their skills to help others. This joy may sometimes arise alongside happiness, but it may be accompanied by pain, grief, or stress during more difficult times.

Note that experiencing moments of joy during challenging times is not the same as trying to force yourself to feel good. Instead, it’s an example of how joy can coexist with difficult emotions, which happiness may be less likely to. If you’re struggling with challenging emotions or experiencing a difficult period in life, a therapist may be able to offer emotional support.

How do happiness and joy affect mental health?

Feeling emotions like happiness or joy may positively impact mental health in many ways. Consider the following research findings:

• On joy and mental health: A 2023 study reports that having a sense of purpose is "significantly associated" with lower levels of depression and anxiety, and joy is often associated with a sense of purpose.
• On happiness and longevity: Research from 2019 suggests that increased happiness may make a person more likely to engage in healthy lifestyle habits, which might explain the link between happiness and longevity.
• On joy and resilience: A literature review from 2020 indicates that, in many cases, the experience of joy brings a sense of resilience and may help you keep working toward your goals, even in the face of setbacks.

Making room in your life for both happiness and joy

Both happiness and joy may enrich a person’s life and help promote well-being, so it can be worthwhile to make space for both in your daily routines. The following are a few practices that may help you experience the gift of happiness, joy, or both in your life more often or in a more abundant way.

Take an inventory of your values

Since joy often stems from meaningful experiences, it may be useful to reflect on the types of situations that you personally find fulfilling. Taking an inventory of your core values might help you identify these situations so you can find ways to incorporate them into your life more often.

For example, you might realize that generosity, justice, and community-building are some of your core values. Volunteering or engaging in mutual aid regularly might help you feel joy through a sense of fulfillment and alignment with these values. 

Practice mindfulness

Mindfulness is “the practice of being fully present and aware of your current experience—without overreacting or getting lost in thoughts.” Doing a daily mindfulness meditation is one way to build this skill. While meditation is about noticing and accepting all your present experiences, not just the good parts, it may also empower you to notice and appreciate positive moments more often. 

Practice gratitude

Life satisfaction often brings feelings of happiness, and research suggests that practicing gratitude may increase life satisfaction. A gratitude practice can be as simple as naming or writing down three things you’re thankful for each day. If you’re having trouble thinking of things to feel grateful for, tuning into your senses via mindfulness may help. For example, you might practice listening to any sounds you hear, which may help you recognize your gratitude for birdsong or the shouts of children playing. 

Get or stay socially connected

Many studies have indicated that close relationships may be tied to happiness. Spending quality time with family members, partners, friends, and neighbors may increase our daily happiness and satisfaction with life, and building deep, meaningful relationships may also bring a sense of joy.

Spend time in nature

The American Psychological Association reports that spending time in nature has been linked “to both cognitive benefits and improvements in mood, mental health and emotional well-being.” Regularly connecting with the outdoors—whether that’s through gardening, walking in the park, hiking, or swimming in a natural body of water—may help you cultivate both happiness and joy.

Seek mental health support

A person’s mental health may sometimes impact their ability to feel joy or happiness. For example, anhedonia—the inability to feel pleasure—can sometimes affect people with depression. Similarly, anxious or obsessive thoughts can sometimes feel all-consuming, making it hard to be present and enjoy the moment. 

The above strategies may be helpful to a point when it comes to cultivating joy and happiness, but they’re not a replacement for professional care. If you’re experiencing mental health symptoms, seeking treatment can often be a positive step forward for your well-being. A therapist can offer emotional support and help you build healthy coping mechanisms, and they can also provide treatment options if you’re living with a mental health condition.

Getting mental health support online

In many cases, you can choose between in-person and online therapy, depending on your preferences. In-person therapy may be best if you prefer to build a relationship with your therapist in person. Online therapy may be best if you prefer the convenience of virtual appointments that you can attend from home.

For those looking to explore virtual therapy, BetterHelp is an option to consider. This platform can match you with a licensed therapist depending on the needs and preferences you share in an onboarding questionnaire, and you can then meet with them virtually, via phone, video, or live chat. You can also switch therapists at any time, for any reason, at no additional cost. Plus, online therapy tends to be more affordable than in-person therapy without insurance, which can make care more accessible for many.

Research on the effectiveness of online therapy

Studies have shown promise for therapeutic treatments like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) delivered online, especially for those individuals experiencing symptoms of anxiety and depression. Many people find that the convenience and comfort of at-home appointments outweigh any potential loss of connection from in-person sessions, and some even comment that they feel more connected to their provider in a virtual environment.