Happiness is a universal pursuit, a state of being that transcends culture, time, and circumstance. Through the ages, thinkers, writers, and leaders have distilled their insights into memorable sayings that inspire and guide us. Below are 132 famous quotes about happiness, each a spark of wisdom to brighten your day and deepen your understanding of joy.
132 Famous Quotes About Happiness You’ll Want to Share Now
1. “For every minute you are angry you lose sixty seconds of happiness.”
2. “Folks are usually about as happy as they make their minds up to be.”
3. “Whoever is happy will make others happy.”
4. “Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.”
5. “Count your age by friends, not years. Count your life by smiles, not tears.”
6. “Happiness is not something ready-made. It comes from your own actions.”
7. “The most important thing is to enjoy your life—to be happy—it’s all that matters.”
8. “Happiness is like a butterfly which, when pursued, is always beyond our grasp, but, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you.”
9. “The art of being happy lies in the power of extracting happiness from common things.”
10. “Happiness radiates like the fragrance from a flower and draws all good things towards you.”
11. “Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.”
12. “Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow. It only saps today of its joy.”
13. “Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.”
14. “Happiness held is the seed. Happiness shared is the flower.”
15. “It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness.”
16. “The present moment is filled with joy and happiness. If you are attentive, you will see it.”
17. “A calm and modest life brings more happiness than the pursuit of success combined with constant restlessness.”
18. “Happiness consists more in small conveniences or pleasures that occur every day, than in great pieces of good fortune that happen but seldom to a man in the course of his life.”
19. “Happiness is a gift and the trick is not to expect it, but to delight in it when it comes.”
20. “Happiness is like one of those palaces on an enchanted island, its gates guarded by dragons. One must fight to gain it.”
21. “Everybody in the world is seeking happiness—and there is one sure way to find it. That is by controlling your thoughts.”
22. “Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties.”
23. “Nothing in the world is as contagious as laughter and good humor.”
24. “Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life.”
25. “Happiness shared is happiness doubled.”
26. “No medicine cures what happiness cannot.”
27. “If you want to be happy, be.”
28. “Success is getting what you want, happiness is wanting what you get.”
29. “Learn to value yourself, which means: fight for your happiness.”
30. “Happiness quite unshared can scarcely be called happiness; it has no taste.”
31. “Now and then it’s good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy.”
32. “You will never be happy if you continue to search for what happiness consists of.”
33. “Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know.”
34. “Attitude is a choice. Happiness is a choice. Optimism is a choice.”
35. “It isn’t what you have or who you are or where you are or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about it.”
36. “It’s been my experience that you can nearly always enjoy things if you make up your mind firmly that you will.”
37. “Being happy isn’t having everything in your life be perfect. Maybe it’s about stringing together all the little things.”
38. “Happiness is not something you postpone for the future; it is something you design for the present.”
39. “Happiness comes from you. No one else can make you happy. You make you happy.”
40. “If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.”
41. “Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort.”
42. “Happiness is not a goal … it’s a by-product of a life well lived.”
43. “Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.”
44. “You don’t need too many people to be happy, just a few real ones who appreciate you for who you are.”
45. “Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward.”
46. “Money doesn’t buy you happiness, but it buys you a big enough yacht to sail right up to it.”
47. “Surround yourself only with people who are going to take you higher.”
48. “A sure way to lose happiness is to want it at the expense of everything else.”
49. “Do things that make you happy within the confines of the legal system.”
50. “Everyone else is taken; be yourself.”
51. “Life is not about discovering who we are; it’s about creating ourselves.”
52. “The word impossible tells us everything we need to know: ‘I’m Possible!’”
53. “Criticism is unavoidable, so do what you feel is right.”
54. “To be happy, understand the key to failure: trying to please everyone.”
55. “You only fail when you stop trying.”
56. “I dream things and I say ‘Why not?’”
57. “We’re in love when another’s happiness is essential to ours.”
58. “Happiness is rare in intelligent people.”
59. “You’ll find happiness when you decide to truly live.”
60. “Happiness comes from one’s own actions.”
61. “A person needs only something to hope for, something to do, and someone to love to be happy.”
62. “Happiness is found in meaningful work.”
63. “To be happy, one must have a bad memory.”
64. “Cry and forgive. Let the tears water your seeds of future happiness.”
65. “The one that is at harmony with himself will be in harmony with the rest of the universe.”
66. “If you hope to be happy, simply be.”
67. “Happiness starts with being grateful for everything you already have.”
68. “If you hope to have bliss, don’t chase it.”
69. “We don’t laugh from happiness, we are happy because of our laughter.”
70. “It’s good to have pauses on your pursuit to happiness.”
71. “Want to be happy? Find your peace.”
72. “Freedom is doing what one likes, but happiness is liking what one does.”
73. “If one door to happiness closes, another will open.”
74. “True happiness comes from one’s enjoyment in themselves.”
75. “Happiness is not for any other place or any other hour than this one.”
76. “If one speaks or acts with a pure mind, happiness follows like a shadow.”
77. “The Constitution only guarantees you the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself.”
78. “Knowing something is not as good as liking it. Liking something is not as good as rejoicing in it.”
79. “Happiness is the meaning and purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence.”
80. “The myriad things are complete in us. There is no greater joy than to reflect on ourselves and become sincere.”
81. “The ultimate happiness is wu-wei (doing nothing contrived).”
82. “Action may not bring happiness but there is no happiness without action.”
83. “Happiness is nothing more than good health and a bad memory.”
84. “If there were in the world today any large number of people who desired their own happiness more than they desired the unhappiness of others, we could have a paradise in a few years.”
85. “Some people cause happiness wherever they go, others whenever they go.”
86. “Each morning when I open my eyes I say to myself: I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today.”
87. “Happiness is different from pleasure. Happiness has something to do with struggling, enduring, and accomplishing.”
88. “Happiness is a habit – cultivate it.”
89. “Remember that happiness is a way of travel, not a destination.”
90. “Success is not the key to happiness, happiness is the key to success.”
91. “To live happily is an inward power of the soul.”
92. “Very little is needed to make a happy life. It is all within yourself.”
93. “Happiness is a warm puppy.”
94. “Sanity and happiness are an impossible combination.”
95. “Count your life by smiles, not tears.”
96. “The power of finding beauty in the humblest things makes home happy and life lovely.”
97. “Happiness held is the seed. Happiness shared is the flower.”
98. “Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life.”
99. “The present moment is filled with joy and happiness.”
100. “Happiness is a how; not a what. A talent, not an object.”
101. “Happiness comes in waves. It’ll find you again.”
102. “Sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.”
103. “The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain!”
104. “A sure way to lose happiness is to want it at the expense of everything else.”
105. “Learn to value yourself, which means: fight for your happiness.”
106. “Happiness is not a goal … it’s a by-product of a life well lived.”
107. “Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement.”
108. “You don’t need too many people to be happy, just a few real ones.”
109. “Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward.”
110. “Money doesn’t buy you happiness, but it buys you a big enough yacht to sail right up to it.”
111. “Surround yourself only with people who are going to take you higher.”
112. “Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.”
113. “For every minute you are angry you lose sixty seconds of happiness.”
114. “You will never be happy if you continue to search for what happiness consists of.”
115. “Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know.”
116. “Attitude is a choice. Happiness is a choice.”
117. “It isn’t what you have or who you are or where you are or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy.”
118. “It’s been my experience that you can nearly always enjoy things if you make up your mind firmly that you will.”
119. “Being happy isn’t having everything in your life be perfect.”
120. “Happiness is not something you postpone for the future; it is something you design for the present.”
121. “Happiness comes from you. No one else can make you happy.”
122. “If you want others to be happy, practice compassion.”
123. “Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort.”
124. “Happiness is not a goal … it’s a by-product of a life well lived.”
125. “Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement.”
126. “You don’t need too many people to be happy, just a few real ones.”
127. “Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward.”
128. “Money doesn’t buy you happiness, but it buys you a big enough yacht to sail right up to it.”
129. “Surround yourself only with people who are going to take you higher.”
130. “A sure way to lose happiness is to want it at the expense of everything else.”
131. “Do things that make you happy within the confines of the legal system.”
132. “Everyone else is taken; be yourself.”
Conclusion
These 132 quotes offer a rich tapestry of perspectives on happiness, reminding us that joy is often found in simplicity, gratitude, and the choices we make. Whether through compassion, self-acceptance, or mindful living, happiness is accessible to all who seek it. Let these words inspire you to cultivate your own happiness and share it generously with others.
