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Happiness

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“Joy is not based on circumstances. You can experience a deep, abiding joy no matter what you have to be happy or unhappy about in your world. Joyful people radiate something deeper, something based in their heart and will. Others sense this joy and feel uplifted. I realized that’s what the phrase Scatter Joy is all about—reflecting that deep and abiding joy to the world.”
Don Soderquist (1934–2016) first seen 2006 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Don Soderquist “Live Learn Lead to Make a Difference, Thomas Nelson, April 2006 p. 61.
“The secret of a joyful life is to live dangerously. A joyful life is an active life - it is not a dull static state of so-called happiness. Full of the burning fire of enthusiasm, anarchic, revolutionary, energetic, daemonic, Dionysian, filled to overflowing with the terrific urge to create - such is the life of the man who risks safety and happiness for the sake of growth and happiness.”
Richard Dawkins (born 1941) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“A lot of people, they think, ‘Oh, I’m only going to be happy when I find a special person who is going to make me happy.’ No. In life, you have to be happy with yourself first, number one. When you’re happy with yourself, you have to find another person who is happy with herself so you can share your happiness.”
Fabio Lanzoni (born 1959) first seen 2015 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Fifteen hours with Fabio (December 23, 2015)
“Worry for others— it does no good in the end. The great Dao, all amid joy, is reborn. In a joyous state, ruler and subject accord, In a joyous home, father and son get along. If brothers increase their joy, the world will flourish. If husband and wife have joy, it's worthy of song. What guest and host can bear a lack of joy? Both high and low, in joy, lose their woe before long. Ha ha ha.”
Hanshan (disputed) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The question ‘Who is the Seer?’ destroys all illusions. It is as if made for us. We have such a longing for sensual experience, physical and emotional joy. We organize our entire lives in such a way as to experience happiness and joy. But happiness and joy are always part of duality, they are always bound up with disappointment and suffering. The seer is beyond duality. He is free.”
Madhukar (1914–1993) said by 1993 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“There is no happiness without knowledge. But knowledge of happiness is unhappy; for knowing ourselves happy is knowing ourselves passing through happiness, and having to, immediatly at once, leave it behind. To know is to kill, in happiness as in everything. Not to know, though, is not to exist.”
Fernando Pessoa (1888–1935) said by 1935 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Why I do things? Because I get great happiness, and happiness is the thing which makes the love flow, which makes me love. I want to be happy. And that is why I consider myself as one of the most happiest men in the world, because I do these things. I give this Knowledge to people free of charge. And people when they get this Knowledge feel great happiness. That makes me happy, too.”
Prem Rawat (born 1957) first seen 1972 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Montrose, Colorado, July 27, 1972
“The way to find out about your happiness is to keep your mind on those moments when you feel most happy, when you really are happy-not excited, not just thrilled, but deeply happy. This requires a little bit of self analysis. What is it that makes you happy? Stay with it, no matter what people tell you. This is what I call "following your bliss.”
Joseph Campbell (1904–1987) said by 1987 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Can any man say with certainty that he was happy at a particular moment of time which he remembers as being delightful? Remembering it certainly makes him happy, because he realizes how happy he could have been, but at the actual moment when the alleged happiness was occurring, did he really feel happy? He was like a man owning a piece of ground in which, unknown to himself, a treasure lay buried.”
Eugène Delacroix (1798–1863) first seen 1854 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: 28 April 1854 (p. 227)
“When I am not joyful, I look at what happened. I don’t mean joyful as in there are no challenges, problems etc., I mean when I’m not like ‘Hey this is great, I’m blessed, I’m doing something I love, I’m grateful’ – when I don’t have that feeling, I know that I’m off; I need to course correct”
Arianna Huffington (born 1950) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Tell your friend, Veronica It's time you celebrate Chanukah I hope I get a harmonica On this lovely, lovely Chanukah So drink your gin and tonic-ah And smoke your marijuani-khah If you really, really wanna-kah Have a happy, happy, happy, happy Chanukah Happy Chanukah”
Adam Sandler (born 1966) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Grosser light vanishes into eternal rays Of all-pervading Cosmic Joy. From Joy we come, For Joy we live, In the sacred Joy we melt.”
Paramahansa Yogananda (1893–1952) said by 1952 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Joy! Joy! I triumph! Now no more I know Myself as simply me. I burn with love Unto myself, and bury me in love. The centre is within me and its wonder Lies as a circle everywhere about me. Joy! Joy! No mortal thought can fathom me.”
Attar of Nishapur (1145–1221) said by 1221 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Extract translated by Robert Alfred Vaughan, Hours with the Mystics: A Contribution to the History of Religious Opinion, 5th ed. (London: John Slark, 1888), vol. 2, p. 21. Titled "The Triumph of the Soul in Margaret Smi…
“Entities other than Brahman can be objects of such cognitions of the nature of joy only to a finite extent and for limited duration. But Brahman is such that cognizing of him is an infinite and abiding joy. It is for this reason that the shruti [scripture] says, `Brahman is bliss’ ( II.6.) Since the form of cognition as joy is determined by its object, Brahman itself is joy.”
Ramanuja (1017–1137) first seen 1017 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Ramanuja. Vedarthasangraha §241, as quoted by Shyam Ranganathan "Rāmānuja (c. 1017 – c. 1137 CE)," at Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Accessed May 20. 2014.
“I find joy in the celebration of Mass. Joy in sharing the Word of Life and the Bread of Life. There is joy in my heart when I witness the love united in marriage, and in pouring saving waters on the heads of little ones. My joy is in conveying to sinners God's forgiveness and in praying with the dying as they prepare to meet their Lord and Savior.”
Thanh Thai Nguyen (born 1953) first seen 2017 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Vietnamese native appointed auxiliary bishop of Orange (October 6, 2017)
“Sajeeb Wazed Joy should be fired and his eyes should be opened and his hands should be touched, let him see what kind of bloodshed happens in the heart of a mother when she plucks out her child's eyes. This procession goes to Karwan Bazar and says Joy and goes to Jatrabari and says Bangla. Sajeeb Wazed Joy, it's not even right to call it a name, its name is Autistic Joy.”
Osman Hadi (1993–2025) first seen 2025 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: 27 November 2025
“The fact is always obvious much too late, but the most singular difference between happiness and joy is that happiness is a solid and joy a liquid.”
J. D. Salinger (1919–2010) said by 2010 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Finding happiness should not be seen as finding a needle in a haystack. Happiness is within. Each day is a blessing that brings an abundance of happiness. Therefore, finding happiness should be like finding a gift in a stack of gifts.”
Steve Maraboli (born 1975) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“One does not discover the absurd without being tempted to write a manual of happiness. "What! — by such narrow ways — ?" There is but one world, however. Happiness and the absurd are two sons of the same earth. They are inseparable. It would be a mistake to say that happiness necessarily springs from the absurd discovery. It happens as well that the feeling of the absurd springs from happiness.”
Albert Camus (1913–1960) said by 1960 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The creed which accepts as the foundation of morals, Utility, or the Greatest Happiness Principle, holds that actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness, wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness. By happiness is intended pleasure, and the absence of pain; by unhappiness, pain, and the privation of pleasure.”
John Stuart Mill (1806–1873) said by 1873 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I Love The Happiness Of My Devotee. That Happiness Is (Itself) The Very (And Most Prior) Consciousness Of every conditionally Manifested being. And Happiness (Itself) Is The Conscious Light Of the world. I Am Happiness (or Love-Bliss) Itself.”
Adi Da (1939–2008) said by 2008 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The world is so unhappy because it is ignorant of the true Self. Man's real nature is happiness. Happiness is inborn in the true Self. Man's search for happiness is an unconscious search for his true Self. The true Self is imperishable; therefore, when a man finds it, he finds a happiness which does not come to an end.”
Ramana Maharshi (1879–1950) said by 1950 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Q: How are peace and happiness related? Is peace the only real happiness? A: When happiness moves beyond the mind, that is happiness.”
Baba Hari Dass (1923–2018) first seen 2016 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: March 26, 2016
“I am someone that long for happiness. Happiness means a lot to me and I am not interested in financial gains. It means absolutely nothing to me. We must work hard to survive and that is what we must do. One cannot buy happiness and I am grateful that I have that happiness today.”
Mabel Oboh (born 1964) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“We call “happiness” a certain set of circumstances that makes joy possible. But we call joy that state of mind and emotions that needs nothing to feel happy.”
André Gide (1869–1951) said by 1951 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Both were so young, and one so innocent, That bathing pass'd for nothing; Juan seem'd To her, as 'twere, the kind of being sent, Of whom these two years she had nightly dream'd, A something to be loved, a creature meant To be her happiness, and whom she deem'd To render happy; all who joy would win Must share it,––Happiness was born a twin.”
Lord Byron (1788–1824) said by 1824 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“• It's O.K. to be ambitious. • It's O.K. to look out for Number One. … • It's O.K. to be a winner. • And it's always O.K. to be rich. A word of caution: people will tell you that success can't buy you happiness. This is true enough, but success is the next best thing to happiness, and if you can't be happy as a success, it's very unlikely that you would find a deeper, truer happiness in failure.”
Michael Korda (born 1933) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Those only are happy (I thought) who have their minds fixed on some object other than their own happiness; on the happiness of others, on the improvement of mankind, even on some art or pursuit, followed not as a means, but as itself an ideal end. Aiming thus at something else, they find happiness by the way.”
John Stuart Mill (1806–1873) said by 1873 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“We can summarize utilitarianism thus: Happiness is what matters, and everyone's happiness counts the same. This doesn't mean that everyone gets to be equally happy, but it does mean that no one's happiness is inherently more valuable than anyone else's.”
Joshua Greene (born 1974) first seen 2013 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Joshua Greene, Moral Tribes: Emotion, Reason, and the Gap Between Us and Them (2013), p. 170
“And we think that this ultimate blessedness differs only in degree from the happy and joyful experiences of our lives. Whereas the truth is that it differs in kind. The joys, not only of the earth, but of any conceivable heaven - which we can conceive only as some happy and fortunate prolongation of our lives in time - are not of the same order as that ultimate blessedness.”
Walter Terence Stace (1886–1967) said by 1967 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I don’t know. Well, I was happy. You know that kind of feeling, a couple of mixed feelings. I was very happy and joyful. At the same time, I just wished my dad was still alive to witness it.”
Adenike Osofisan (born 1950) first seen 2019 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Professor Adenike expressed how she felt when she was inducted into Nigerian Women Hall of Fame in 2019.
“I am happy when my client is happy; it gives me so much joy and makes me forget that they didn’t pay enough because I have so much emotion invested in that, they say the greatest joy for a woman is having a baby but I am yet to experience that.”
Anita Beryl (born 1986) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Unlike joy, which is a momentary experience, localized in specific times and reasons, happiness perhaps has a more general meaning. Aristotle warned that a life can only be judged happy after it has been fulfilled. I would also use another formula, which I like very much and which says: happy is that life which realizes in maturity (or old age) the dream of youth.”
Carlo Sini (born 1933) first seen 2012 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Ivo Nardi, Riflessioni sul Senso della Vita- Intervista a Carlo Sini, Riflessioni.it, June 2012
“Neither ecological nor social engineering will lead us to a conflict-free, simple path . . . Utilitarians and others who simply advise us to be happy are unhelpful, because we almost always have to make a choice either between different kinds of happiness--different things to be happy _about_--or between these and other things we want, which nothing to do with happiness.”
Mary Midgley (1919–2018) first seen 1979 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Beast and Man: The Roots of Human Nature (1979).
“Fear of suffering is a great obstacle to being a happy person in life. God wants us to be happy. Asceticism is not supposed to make us sad. It’s supposed to free us to be able to understand and do what God wants. He wants our happiness. He wants us to bring happiness to others.”
Alfred Clifton Hughes (born 1932) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“You are supposed to, first of all, be happy naturally. But when you now need substance to make you happy, it replaces natural happiness. So you have to be buying happiness.”
Timaya (born 1977) first seen 2024 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Timaya opens up on struggle with drug addiction, says breaking free tough. 9 February 2024, Punch Newspaper.
“I’m me. I am a human being. Many things have been said about me. Many of these things have come from people’s own emotions, good or bad. I’m proud to be a human being. I am very happy that I have this life. I am also happy that I can feel joy and pain like everyone else. I’m happy being me. Some people would love to put labels on me, but I am just me.”
Prem Rawat (born 1957) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“If I seem happy to you . . . You could never say anything that would please me more. For men are made for happiness, and anyone who is completely happy has a right to say to himself, 'I am doing God's will on earth.' All the righteous, all the saints, all the holy martyrs were happy.”
Fyodor Dostoyevsky (1821–1881) said by 1881 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“People often don't appreciate how complex happiness may be. They think that happy people are shallow, which can be so wrong. It's actually far easier to be unhappy than it is to be happy. It requires more effort, more understanding, more character to be consistently happy.”
Alexander McCall Smith (born 1948) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“In management, the first concern of the company is the happiness of people who are connected with it. If the people do not feel happy and cannot be made happy, that company does not deserve to exist... The first order of business is to let the employees have adequate income. Their humanity must be respected, and they must be given an opportunity to enjoy their work and lead a happy life.”
Kaoru Ishikawa (1915–1989) said by 1989 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Kaoru Ishikawa, as cited in: Howard S Gitlow (2000), Quality Management Systems: A Practical Guide. p. 3
“When people hear me sing…I want them to be happy, happy, happy. I don't want them thinking about when there's not any money, or when there's fighting at home. My message is always felicidad - happiness.”
Celia Cruz (1925–2003) first seen 1985 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: On what she hopes for her audience in “CELIA CRUZ: AT THE TOP OF SALSA” in New York Times (1985 Nov 19).
“Look, I'm going to find a way to be happy, and I'd really love to be happy with you, but if I can't be happy with you, then I'll find a way to be happy without you.”
Randy Pausch (1960–2008) said by 2008 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“You all look like happy campers to me. Happy campers you are, happy campers you have been, and, as far as I am concerned, happy campers you will always be.”
Dan Quayle (born 1947) first seen 1989 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Speech to American Samoans (April 1989)
“Happy birthday to me. Happy birthday to me. Happy birthday, dear me. Happy birthday to me. (And 20 more would be nice)”
Chuck Lorre (born 1952) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I'm extremely happy about the appreciation I got for my first film. My parents are very proud of me, and that makes me happy. And I'm very happy about my relationship with Deepika. I'm in a very happy place and I want to be this way all the time.”
Ranbir Kapoor (born 1982) first seen 2008 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: I've been dating Deepika for a few weeks: Ranbir Kapoor". Sify.com. (17 March 2008).
“You say you got a big house out in the country with a ruddy great swimming pool. You say you got a lot of things I never had. That's true. But are you happy? Are you happy? Are you happy? When you get right down to the nitty-gritty, are you happy? You?”
Gilbert O'Sullivan (born 1946) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Evangelion (that we call the gospel) is a Greek word and signifieth good, merry, glad and joyful tidings, that maketh a man's heart glad and maketh him sing, dance, and leap for joy.”
William Tyndale (1494–1536) said by 1536 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Selected Writings (2003) edited by David Daniell
“The adventurous state of / mind is a high house // To enjoy life the adventurous / state of mind must be / grasped and maintained // The essential feature of adventure is that it is a / going forward into / unknown territory // The joy of adventure is unaccountable // This is the attractiveness of / art work. It is adventurous, / strenuous and joyful.”
Agnes Martin (1912–2004) first seen 1973 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: poem before 1973; in a exh. cat., ed. Suzanne Delehanty (1973; repr., Philadelphia: The Falcon Press, 1976), p. 40
“We can see for ourselves that one can live Christian hope and joyful communion with the whole Church, despite the difficult conditions we live in. So we will realize that there is no need to flee, emigrate, and that it is nice to live the gift of Christian joy in the places where we were born, and where we met Jesus, listening to the proclamation of the Gospel.”
Basel Yaldo (born 1970) first seen 2016 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: At World Youth Day in Krakow young Iraqis will pray the 'Our Father' in Aramaic before the Pope (12 July 2016) Fides News Agency
“O Memory ! noble power ! thy reign is here. Strange destiny, how thus, from age to age, Doth man complain of that which he has lost. Still do departed years, each in their turn, Seem treasures of happiness gone by: And while mind, joyful in its far advance, Plunges amid the future, still the Soul Seems to regret some other ancient home To which it is drawn closer by the past.”
Letitia Elizabeth Landon (1802–1838) said by 1838 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source