You might be wondering why happiness is considered such an important aspect of life. You may be thinking, “Sure, it’s great to be happy, but that’s not what life is about!” In some ways, the science would agree with you; although life satisfaction , meaning, and well-being often go hand-in-hand with happiness, that is not always the case. Further, many researchers have found people to be more content with a life of meaning and purpose than a life of happiness. Happiness is not necessarily the overarching goal for everyone in life. However, happiness is so important because it has some undeniably positive benefits and co-occurring factors. June Silny at Happify outlines 14 answers to the question, “ What’s so great about happiness, anyway? ”: Happy people are more successful in multiple life domains, including marriage, friendship, income, work performance, and health. Happy people get sick less often and experience fewer symptoms when they do get sick. Happy people have
Given our definitions, what does a happy life look like? Of course, what it looks like will depend on the individual—a happy life for one person may be another’s nightmare! However, there are a few examples that can display a wide range of lives that can be conducive to happiness: A woman who lives alone, has excellent relationships with her nieces and nephews, gives to charity, and finds meaning in her work. A man who is happily married with three healthy children and a relatively low-paying job. A widow who enjoys regular visits with her children and grandchildren, along with volunteering for local charities. A cancer patient who has a wonderful support system and finds meaning in helping others make it through chemotherapy. A social worker who works 70-hour works with no overtime pay in order to ensure the children on her caseload are in good hands. An unmarried man in a monastery who has no earthly possessions and no salary to speak of, but finds meaning in communing with h
