Happiness is a state of mind that we all seek. It’s found in the little moments, the connections we build, and the gratitude we feel. Philosophers, writers, and thinkers across the ages have shared their wisdom about what it means to be happy. Here are 100 famous happiness quotes to inspire joy and positivity in your life.
- “Happiness depends upon ourselves.” – Aristotle
- “The purpose of our lives is to be happy.” – Dalai Lama
- “Happiness is not something ready-made. It comes from your own actions.” – Dalai Lama
- “For every minute you are angry, you lose sixty seconds of happiness.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
- “Happiness is a journey, not a destination.” – Buddha
- “Happiness is not what you have or who you are. It is solely dependent upon what you think.” – Buddha
- “Count your age by friends, not years. Count your life by smiles, not tears.” – John Lennon
- “The only way to find true happiness is to risk being completely cut open.” – Chuck Palahniuk
- “Happiness is the secret to all beauty. There is no beauty without happiness.” – Christian Dior
- “The best way to cheer yourself is to try to cheer someone else up.” – Mark Twain
- “Happiness can exist only in acceptance.” – George Orwell
- “The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.” – Marcus Aurelius
- “The most important thing is to enjoy your life—to be happy—it’s all that matters.” – Audrey Hepburn
- “Happiness is not something you postpone for the future; it is something you design for the present.” – Jim Rohn
- “Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.” – Mahatma Gandhi
- “It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness.” – Charles Spurgeon
- “Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” – Abraham Lincoln
- “Happiness is the highest good.” – Aristotle
- “Happiness is only real when shared.” – Christopher McCandless
- “Happiness is a state of activity.” – Aristotle
- “Happiness is not by chance, but by choice.” – Jim Rohn
- “Happiness is the art of never holding in your mind the memory of any unpleasant thing that has passed.” – Unknown
- “Happiness is not in the mere possession of money; it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt
- “Happiness is not having what you want. It is appreciating what you have.” – Unknown
- “The only joy in the world is to begin.” – Cesare Pavese
- “Happiness is not a goal; it is a by-product.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
- “There is only one happiness in this life, to love and be loved.” – George Sand
- “Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt
- “Happiness often sneaks in through a door you didn’t know you left open.” – John Barrymore
- “Happiness depends more on the inward disposition of mind than on outward circumstances.” – Benjamin Franklin
- “True happiness is to enjoy the present, without anxious dependence upon the future.” – Seneca
- “Happiness is the natural flower of duty.” – Phillips Brooks
- “Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life.” – Omar Khayyam
- “Happiness is not a state to arrive at, but a manner of traveling.” – Margaret Lee Runbeck
- “The happiness you feel is in direct proportion to the love you give.” – Oprah Winfrey
- “Happiness is letting go of what you think your life is supposed to look like.” – Unknown
- “The only thing that will make you happy is being happy with who you are.” – Goldie Hawn
- “Happiness is not what happens to us but how we perceive it.” – Unknown
- “Happiness is a choice, not a result. Nothing will make you happy until you choose to be happy.” – Ralph Marston
- “Happiness is like a butterfly. The more you chase it, the more it will elude you. But if you turn your attention to other things, it comes and sits softly on your shoulder.” – Henry David Thoreau
- “The greatest happiness you can have is knowing that you do not necessarily require happiness.” – William Saroyan
- “Happiness grows at our own firesides, and is not to be picked in strangers’ gardens.” – Douglas Jerrold
- “Happiness is the best makeup.” – Drew Barrymore
- “Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence.” – Aristotle
- “Happiness is found in doing, not merely possessing.” – Napoleon Hill
- “Happiness is the interval between periods of unhappiness.” – Don Marquis
- “Happiness depends on being free, and freedom depends on being courageous.” – Thucydides
- “Happiness is a warm puppy.” – Charles M. Schulz
- “Happiness consists more in small conveniences or pleasures that occur every day, than in great pieces of good fortune that happen but seldom.” – Benjamin Franklin
- “Happiness is contagious. When you’re happy, those around you are happy.” – Unknown
- “Happiness is having a large, loving, caring, close-knit family in another city.” – George Burns
- “Happiness is waking up, looking at the clock, and finding that you still have two hours left to sleep.” – Charles M. Schulz
- “Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.” – Mahatma Gandhi
- “The greatest happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved.” – Victor Hugo
- “Happiness is not a possession to be prized, it is a quality of thought, a state of mind.” – Daphne du Maurier
- “Happiness is a direction, not a place.” – Sydney J. Harris
- “Happiness is not found in things you possess, but in what you have the courage to release.” – Nathaniel Hawthorne
- “Happiness is being content with what you have, living in freedom and liberty, having a good family life, and good friends.” – Divyanka Tripathi
- “Happiness consists in giving and in serving others.” – Henry Drummond
- “Happiness depends on ourselves.” – Aristotle
- “Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn, or consumed. It is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude.” – Denis Waitley
- “Happiness comes in waves. It’ll find you again.” – Unknown
- “Happiness is an inside job.” – William Arthur Ward
- “Happiness is a perfume you cannot pour on others without getting some on yourself.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
- “Happiness is not having what you want. It is wanting what you have.” – Rabbi Hyman Schachtel
- “Happiness is only real when shared.” – Christopher McCandless
- “Happiness is not something ready-made. It comes from your own actions.” – Dalai Lama
- “Happiness is a form of courage.” – Holbrook Jackson
- “The secret of happiness is freedom, and the secret of freedom is courage.” – Thucydides
- “Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt
- “Happiness comes from peace. Peace comes from indifference.” – Naval Ravikant
- “Happiness is not out there, it’s in you.” – Unknown
- “Happiness is not a station you arrive at, but a manner of traveling.” – Margaret Lee Runbeck
- “Happiness is found in doing, not merely possessing.” – Napoleon Hill
- “Happiness is a warm blanket.” – Charles M. Schulz
- “Happiness is a choice that requires effort at times.” – Aeschylus
- “Happiness is the natural flower of duty.” – Phillips Brooks
- “Happiness is the highest form of health.” – Dalai Lama
- “Happiness is where we find it, but very rarely where we seek it.” – J. Petit Senn
- “Happiness is holding someone in your arms and knowing you hold the whole world.” – Orhan Pamuk
- “Happiness is a state of mind. It’s just according to the way you look at things.” – Walt Disney
- “Happiness is a direction, not a place.” – Sydney J. Harris
- “Happiness is a warm puppy.” – Charles M. Schulz
- “Happiness is not a goal… it’s a by-product of a life well lived.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
- “Happiness is a choice that you make every single day.” – Unknown
- “Happiness is contagious, so surround yourself with happy people.” – Unknown
- “Happiness is waking up to a sunny day and a new chance at life.” – Unknown
- “Happiness is in the little things, not the grand gestures.” – Unknown
- “Happiness is an inside job. Don’t assign anyone else that much power over your life.” – Mandy Hale
- “Happiness is finding inner peace and contentment.” – Unknown
- “Happiness is knowing you’re on the right path.” – Unknown
- “Happiness is a cup of coffee and a good book.” – Unknown
- “Happiness is seeing someone smile because of you.” – Unknown
- “Happiness is feeling grateful for everything you have.” – Unknown
- “Happiness is a quiet mind and a thankful heart.” – Unknown
- “Happiness is living in the moment and appreciating the present.” – Unknown
- “Happiness is a decision, not a condition.” – Unknown
- “Happiness is a warm hug from someone you love.” – Unknown
- “Happiness is being surrounded by the people who matter most.” – Unknown
- “Happiness is realizing you have everything you need.” – Unknown
Happiness is a gift we can cultivate by focusing on gratitude, kindness, and positivity. These quotes remind us to treasure the simple joys of life and spread happiness wherever we go.