What Is the Difference Between Joy and Happiness?

People often mistake joy and happiness as the same thing, when actually they are quite different. Joy comes from within; it Is part of a lifestyle and is a stronger emotion than happiness and much less common than happiness. Happiness is something we experience from someone or an event. It is an emotion that we feel in the moment, and it can range from being content to extreme excitement.

Happiness is based on more external factors of life. Happiness is something that happens to us, while joy is something that we do on purpose. Happiness is something we seek out in our lives, but it is not a choice we are really in control of. Happiness does not bring you joy. Joy is bigger than happiness. Joy is about internal peace and comfort within us. Joy is a lifestyle, while happiness is in the moment and temporary.

Joy brings meaning to life. It allows the light to shine in the darkness and allows you to have true gratitude when you are going through difficult times. Joy is not an emotion that you can see but rather something you feel. It is with you in every moment of your life. While happiness is momentary, it won’t last forever, it may last a few days or a few weeks, but as fast as it came, it may also go away.

Most people are seeking instant gratification, as they believe that will bring you happiness. It may bring happiness, but for how long? If you truly want to seek out joy in your life, then you need to be more purposeful in your life. Some ways to do this is to help quiet your own negative self-talk and focus on your heart rather than your head. Explore what brings you joy. Cut downtime on social media. It is easy to start comparing your life to those perceptions of what we see on social media. Not to mention all the negativity that we scroll through daily. Try and stick to things that are positive and motivate you daily. Last, try and keep a gratitude journal. This allows you to really focus on the simple things you experience throughout each day and helps bring awareness to your own self. Eventually, this helps you understand how simple things can bring more meaning into your life. Small moments tend to be missed in the everyday hustle of life, but if you can slow down and start to appreciate the simple things that life has to offer, you may find that joy you have been looking for.