Blog

Different Types of Happiness

01-10-2018

This month we are taking a look at happiness, and will be posting a blog article each week on what it truly means to be happy and how we can live happier and fuller lives.

Aristotle said; “Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence”.  Of course, there are a number of different types of happiness and each person has different things in life that make them happy and unhappy.  It is important for people to be self-aware and to truly understand what makes them happy and content as individuals.  Take a look at the different types of happiness below and think about the things in your life that make you happy.

 

Broadly speaking, however, there are 3 main types of happiness, these being related to; pleasure, passion and purpose.

 

Pleasure:  Pleasure is important to us as human beings but its related benefits are relatively short term.  A delicious meal, a nice meeting with friends or listening to our favourite music all produce endorphins and offer us happy moments that can be the highlights of our day.  However, these singular moments don’t equate to long-term satisfaction.

 

Passion:  Being passionate about something whether a hobby, cause or group activity and actively being involved with it can be a great source of happiness.  These activities deliver contentment in the medium term and provide a sense of achievement and variety in life.

 

Purpose:  Feeling like you are part of something bigger than yourself and that your actions really matter can lead to a deep sense of fulfillment and long-term happiness.  We all like to think that our lives have meaning and if you can find your “calling” or be part of a great team, group or organisation that are making a difference then chances are you will be truly happy.

 

Join us again next week when we will look at suggestions on how to achieve these 3 different types of happiness.

 

Why not spread the happiness around and click here to post on our Facebook page what makes you happy about studying in the UK!