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The 5 Types of Happiness and How to Find Them in Retirement

November 1, 2023 · Expert Tips
types of happiness

Happiness is the one thing that all of us want to achieve. It is the ultimate emotional state because the fulfillment that it brings is considered the meaning of life by many individuals. But did you know that there are more types of happiness?

Yes, happiness is definitely not a one-size-fits-all emotion. People can experience happiness in many ways, and we are here today to help you find out what type of happiness you identify with the most.

Life has a variety of circumstances, and because of this, happiness can manifest in a lot of ways. Now that we have more specific information thanks to research, we can better understand how to achieve these many types of pleasure in our lives.

Read on and discover the different types of happiness.

types of happiness
Photo by Cast Of Thousands from Shutterstock

1. Pride

When was the last time you accomplished something you wished for? You have struggled a lot, and you finally achieved your goal. How did it feel? Or even a better question: How did you feel about yourself?

Generally, people see pride as a negative thing, and people with pride are perceived as competitive and smug. But if you have accomplished something you really wished for, pride can be a type of gratitude. It can be gratitude that is turned inward, and this can bring a lot of happiness into the lives of many people.

You may be proud of your job and your loved ones, your house and yourself, and whatever else you put time, effort, and love into.

If you don’t let pride take over, it can be beneficial for you and, in the end, for those around you. You can develop a healthy sense of pride by using some techniques. One of these techniques is journaling. You can have a notebook in which you can write down all of your achievements and all of your “wins.” You can choose a time span, for example, a week or a month, and write all of the things that made you proud.

This isn’t the same as boasting or being “full of yourself.” You’re recognizing that you’re a better version of yourself and enjoying this fact, rather than declaring that your achievements make you superior to others.

2. Love

Love and happiness go hand in hand because love can be an unlimited source of happiness, and in the end, happiness can be perceived as a form of love. But depending on how you look at things, you can realize that both of them—love and happiness—are essential in your life.

Many times when people talk about love, they refer to that absolute romantic love, the so-called “true love,” but did you know that you can find love everywhere around you?

Focusing on all the relationships you have around you may significantly improve your life. Friends, family, and even pets can all be sources of love. This type of happiness may last forever if you learn how to find it and how to appreciate it.

While stressful relationships can drain our happiness, supportive, healthy relationships can be an infinite, long-lasting source of happiness that we should embrace no matter what. Try to learn how to improve your relationship skills, and in this way, you will be more able to cultivate the relationships that bring happiness into your life.

3. Excitement

Since there are more types of happiness, we are here to tell you that excitement is also one of them. Yes, when you feel excited about something, what you feel can be described as happiness.

This emotion can have the power to motivate you to go big every time you begin to do something. Maybe you are excited about your next road trip, or maybe you are incredibly eager to start a new relationship. This feeling can make you want to work harder and make more effort to achieve what you wish for.

Even more, this kind of excitement can be really helpful when you need to cope with the anxiety you can have in these types of situations. You know what we are talking about. When you get the jitters, Excemnta can transform them into a force you can use to do better.

The only thing about this emotion is that it can go away rather quickly. It doesn’t last for too long. But enjoy it while it lasts, and you will surely feel the difference.

The good sensations you have while engaging in an activity can also be prolonged by excitement. The enjoyment of a trip might last for days or even weeks before you even depart if you concentrate on your exciting feelings of anticipation.

It’s also not too hard to find excitement, so going for this is simple. Take on fresh challenges. Make a bucket list. When a significant event is approaching, allow yourself to enjoy the anticipation.

4. Optimism

This might be a word you hear quite often. “Be more optimistic! Try to embrace the optimism in your life!” and so on. These are some phrases we hear from time to time, but what is the meaning of them? Can optimism bring happiness into your life? Is optimism one of the types of happiness?

Yes, optimism is one of the types of happiness, and there are numerous studies that have managed to connect greater outcomes in life with optimism. Those who are optimistic frequently think positively and feel a mixture of gratitude and pride.

They have a great sense of gratitude for the opportunities life offers, take pride in their capacity to use these resources, and have strong faith in their own talents to succeed in whatever it is that they set out to do.

Optimists have a tendency to downplay disappointment when it occurs, identify areas for improvement in the future, and identify mitigating circumstances that contributed to their poor results.

When they do well, they are proud of themselves and see it as a portent of better things to come. Compared to other types of happiness, optimism is less temporary since it tends to be a way of life.

types of happiness
Photo by Fida Olga from Shutterstock

5. Joy

Joy is such a beautiful feeling, and it is also one of the types of happiness you can find throughout your life. Joy can be described as a river that runs deep and then overflows and, generally, sneaks up on you, and after that, it disappears as quickly as it came.

You can find joy in a lot of day-to-day activities. You can try listening to your favorite music, doing some yoga, or going to an amusement park. Take a walk in a place you love or go hiking with your dog. They may seem like small things, but all of them can bring you joy.

Because of all of this, joy is described as the most accessible type of happiness. It is not hard to achieve, and even if it lasts just a few moments, it can totally change your day, making it better.

Try not to analyze joy too much, because in this way you can miss its magic. Just enjoy it while it lasts, and try to find out as many activities that can bring you joy as possible.

So, have you ever experienced all five types of happiness? Tell us in the comments about your experience!

Did you know that the Danish people have discovered the secret of happiness, which is called Hygge? This book can help you learn more about it: Hygge: Discovering The Danish Art Of Happiness

You should also read: Having Trouble Earning Respect From Others? These 7 Simple Behaviors Could Explain It

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One response to “The 5 Types of Happiness and How to Find Them in Retirement”

  1. ALEX says:
    December 24, 2023 at 10:59 pm

    Thank you for that insightful and thoughtful presentation. Yes, many times when people talk about love and happiness, they refer to that absolute romantic love, the so-called “true love”, and maybe about having a loving spouse and children. But these may not happen or be very temporary things in many people’s lives.
    While the other types of happiness described above may be achieved by all.

    Reply

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