Quotes About Happiness

This planet has - or rather had - a problem, which was this: most of the people living on it were unhappy for pretty much of the time. Many solutions were suggested for this problem, but most of these were largely concerned with the movement of small green pieces of paper, which was odd because on the whole it wasn't the small green pieces of paper that were unhappy.

I'd far rather be happy than right any day.

The grateful world is a world of joyful people.

Happy marriage is the greatest wealth a man can possess, and one that a peasant can have as easily as a king.

"Happy marriage" is a contradiction in terms.

I swallowed hard. Was I ready for the Wager of Love? It was still a gamble and there would be no guarantee of happiness, but I would not remain one of the Cowards of Love scattered around me. I knew that one could not be the Empire's greatest lover without truly knowing how to love. And yet I no longer even aspired to this hollow title. I wanted only what every common husband can achieve--to be the greatest lover of my very own wife.

and ah . . . pop my cork, so to speak.

Kira knew that contrary to popular belief, humans were happiest, not during lengthy periods of leisure, but when they were growing as people. When they were achieving. When they were striving to overcome difficult and worthwhile challenges, and then overcoming them. When they were feeding a sense of accomplishment and self-esteem through effort. Even the accomplishments of menial labor brought a sense of personal satisfaction far greater than most realized.

Yeah. Last week was a good year for wine," she replied with a grin. "I

Human evolution favors anxiety over happiness.

another problem is that many of us are addicted to news itself. And this is a drug that can eat away at rationality and happiness both. No matter how much the news alarms someone with this addiction, or depresses them, or makes them absolutely miserable with the unfairness of the world, or puts them in a state of perpetual rage, they can't help but seek out even more news. And this news stokes even more outrage, and exposes them to even more dire warnings of coming catastrophes.

Make your utopia too utopian and boredom would set in. And malaise. Some would continue to work hard and challenge themselves at every turn—even if all of their physical and financial needs were taken care of. But many more would fall into the trap of being lulled into a low energy state of endless leisure—and little true happiness. A state of dependence without any real sense of progress, or growth, or accomplishment. A slow poisoning of the soul of the species.

What is good? All that heightens the feeling of power in man, the will to power, power itself. What is bad? All that is born of weakness. What is happiness? The feeling that power is growing, that resistance is overcome." —Friedrich Nietzsche, Philosopher (1844-1900)

What is good? All that heightens the feeling of power in man, the will to power, power itself. What is bad? All that is born of weakness. What is happiness? The feeling that power is growing, that resistance is overcome." —Friedrich

Because we aren't wired for utopia. Evolution didn't drive us to the top of the food chain by allowing us to be content. Human evolution favors anxiety over happiness. Happiness dulls our sharpness. Anxiety, on the other hand, ensures we maximize our attention to possible threats to our survival.

humans were happiest, not during lengthy periods of leisure, but when they were growing as people. When they were achieving. When they were striving to overcome difficult and worthwhile challenges, and then overcoming them. When they were feeding a sense of accomplishment and self-esteem through effort. Even the accomplishments of menial labor brought a sense of personal satisfaction far greater than most realized.

So a key ingredient to achieving happiness is to become engaged in activities that consume our concentration, that don't give our imaginations room to find new things to worry about. If we're totally focused on something we enjoy, living in the moment, like every other animal in the animal kingdom, we're alive, electric—and happy. Especially if we're challenging ourselves, overcoming obstacles, improving, achieving.

Smile, it's better than a poke in the eye.

To buy happiness is to sell soul.

Happiness in the present is only shattered by comparison with the past.

Smile, it's free therapy.

Happiness grows at our own firesides, and is not to be picked in strangers' gardens.

And most dreams can only be fulfilled by yourself. It's a bit like happiness: you can never depend on someone else for that elusive state of being. In the end we are all directly responsible for our own happiness... or lack thereof.

And yet there she was. The possible felicitous future. The hope we all crave. Can we do this? Can we somehow find a way of making each other happy? And, in turn, remind ourselves: we are not alone in the dark. It's what we all want. Isn't it?