Download the slideshow for all sessions here.
SESSION 1: Introduction
SESSION 2: Exploring Happiness
SESSION 3: Pursuing Happiness
SESSION 4: Your Happiness Plan
RELEVANT RESOURCES
- What does happiness mean to you?
SESSION 2: Exploring Happiness
- What is contextualized knowledge?
- Read "Conflicting Advice"
- What are popular theories of happiness?
- Download the Theories of Happiness handout here
SESSION 3: Pursuing Happiness
- What does pursuing happiness mean?
- How is happiness measured? How do you know if you are happy?
- Does the government have a responsibility to promote the happiness of its citizens?
SESSION 4: Your Happiness Plan
- Based on what you explored and discussed with your peers, has your definition of happiness changed? Or has it been reinforced?
- How will your definition of happiness inform your decision-making?
- What will you do to promote happiness in your life, even when faced with disappointment?
RELEVANT RESOURCES
2026
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Happiness is about finding joy in the everyday occasions. While grand experiences bring fleeting enjoyment, happiness is found in the long term through the people close to you and the continuity which makes you comfortable without realizing.
Happiness is a state of enjoyment that occurs involuntarily as a reaction.
Happiness is something people should always be hoping for in pursuit of because hoping is what keeps people going in life.
Happiness is all around you and if you find what makes you happy, you will be happy.
Happiness is in the little moments in life and the things you love. Happiness is different for everyone so you should just follow your heart and your passion.
Happiness is living and leading a life of fulfillment, passion, and direction, without letting obstacles bring you down.
Happiness is the embrace of your surroundings and circumstances. Making the best of your life regardless of what’s going on in your life and being able to embrace the good and little things.
Being happy is a state of being where one has a positive outlook on life and is supported in what they do by the people that they hold dear. You get this from being in a good state of mind and surrounding yourself with friends.
Being happy means that you are able to love someone, occupy your time, and to have something to hope for.
Happiness is to always have something to do that makes you excited. Something to look forward to. No worry, stress, issues. Smiling, trust, togetherness, and more.
Happiness is a state of well being oftentimes stemming from experiences, others, but also one’s self.
Happiness is feeling joy, loved, and supported, while recognizing its all around you and in everything you do. You pursue this by taking a moment to notice it.
Happiness is a feeling that occurs when something you’ve been working for finally comes to you and things you’re passionate about and surrounding yourself with the things you love.
Happiness is the trust you put for hope. Rather than focusing on the wrong, you hope for the better, or what there is to come.
Happiness is what you decide to make of certain situations and it is the feeling that everything is what you want it to be.
Happiness is the state of being in which the individual experiences positive feelings and emotions.
Happiness is about what you’re willing to be grateful for.
Happiness is having joy and releasing dopamine.
Happiness is the feeling of clarity and relaxation, coming to peace with surroundings. It can be perceived through building relationships and finding peace in anything.
Happiness is what comes naturally from inside you, the true finding of yourself—the thoughts and feelings in your soul.
Happiness is the love of yourself, your experiences, and the things surrounding you.
Happiness is having something to look and try for.
Happiness is the love for yourself, others and God.
Happiness is feeling completely content and set with yourself and who you surround yourself with.
Happiness is the process of finding who and what you want to be.
Happiness is a feeling that comes from deep down, and is only truly felt after you experience the happiness and don’t know it at that moment until afterwards.
Happiness is something that you don’t notice in the moment. It is something you seek for when it’s gone, but it is found through hope. Hope is the thing that keeps us going; without it, we flounder.
Happiness is the emotion or expression of comfort or joy. Happiness is the journey to the goal.
Happy things can happen to anyone and everyone. It’s all perspective. It’s one of the most beautiful things about the earth and this planter. So many things can create happiness, but it’s all within.
Happiness is the feeling that is so unique to everyone because we all view it different.
Happiness is maximizing one’s values and potentials as a human being, while balancing one’s duties to their surroundings, finding greater pleasure and maximizing it.
Happiness is the sense of purpose and feeling like you belong. It’s being with friends and family and not giving up when something bad happens.
Happiness is when you feel a sense of joy and satisfaction.
Happiness is not a feeling but an embrace and enlightenment of one’s self.
Feeling comfortable, fulfilled, and accomplished no matter your current situation, with hope and goals for the future.
Happiness is being healthy and having people you care about close by.
Happiness is being satisfied, content, and at peace with yourself. Pursuing it comes from learning to like yourself and following your passions. It also means reframing things to see them in a way that makes you happy.
Happiness is surrounding yourself with people who you care for and who care for you. It is finding joy and appreciation in our lived experiences, and those to come.
Happiness is the perspective that meaning and optimism can stem from both the good and the bad. It is achieved by being open-minded, reflective, grateful, and understanding.
Happiness is derived from finding value in one’s purpose, struggles, and the manner in which they pursue life.
Happiness is the realization that one’s lived life is consistent with how they believe their life should be lived. This fulfillment is closely tied to gratitude for pursued decisions taken, attitudes held, and people helped. The only way that this can reasonably be accomplished is through crafting a set of values and experiences for oneself that are both fundamentally important and practically feasible.
Happiness is the state of enjoying and being proud of all aspects of your life that you can control. Not allowing yourself to be bothered with things that don’t matter and surrounding yourself with positivity to protect your own peace and cultivate personal happiness.
Happiness is a state of enjoyment that occurs involuntarily as a reaction.
Happiness is something people should always be hoping for in pursuit of because hoping is what keeps people going in life.
Happiness is all around you and if you find what makes you happy, you will be happy.
Happiness is in the little moments in life and the things you love. Happiness is different for everyone so you should just follow your heart and your passion.
Happiness is living and leading a life of fulfillment, passion, and direction, without letting obstacles bring you down.
Happiness is the embrace of your surroundings and circumstances. Making the best of your life regardless of what’s going on in your life and being able to embrace the good and little things.
Being happy is a state of being where one has a positive outlook on life and is supported in what they do by the people that they hold dear. You get this from being in a good state of mind and surrounding yourself with friends.
Being happy means that you are able to love someone, occupy your time, and to have something to hope for.
Happiness is to always have something to do that makes you excited. Something to look forward to. No worry, stress, issues. Smiling, trust, togetherness, and more.
Happiness is a state of well being oftentimes stemming from experiences, others, but also one’s self.
Happiness is feeling joy, loved, and supported, while recognizing its all around you and in everything you do. You pursue this by taking a moment to notice it.
Happiness is a feeling that occurs when something you’ve been working for finally comes to you and things you’re passionate about and surrounding yourself with the things you love.
Happiness is the trust you put for hope. Rather than focusing on the wrong, you hope for the better, or what there is to come.
Happiness is what you decide to make of certain situations and it is the feeling that everything is what you want it to be.
Happiness is the state of being in which the individual experiences positive feelings and emotions.
Happiness is about what you’re willing to be grateful for.
Happiness is having joy and releasing dopamine.
Happiness is the feeling of clarity and relaxation, coming to peace with surroundings. It can be perceived through building relationships and finding peace in anything.
Happiness is what comes naturally from inside you, the true finding of yourself—the thoughts and feelings in your soul.
Happiness is the love of yourself, your experiences, and the things surrounding you.
Happiness is having something to look and try for.
Happiness is the love for yourself, others and God.
Happiness is feeling completely content and set with yourself and who you surround yourself with.
Happiness is the process of finding who and what you want to be.
Happiness is a feeling that comes from deep down, and is only truly felt after you experience the happiness and don’t know it at that moment until afterwards.
Happiness is something that you don’t notice in the moment. It is something you seek for when it’s gone, but it is found through hope. Hope is the thing that keeps us going; without it, we flounder.
Happiness is the emotion or expression of comfort or joy. Happiness is the journey to the goal.
Happy things can happen to anyone and everyone. It’s all perspective. It’s one of the most beautiful things about the earth and this planter. So many things can create happiness, but it’s all within.
Happiness is the feeling that is so unique to everyone because we all view it different.
Happiness is maximizing one’s values and potentials as a human being, while balancing one’s duties to their surroundings, finding greater pleasure and maximizing it.
Happiness is the sense of purpose and feeling like you belong. It’s being with friends and family and not giving up when something bad happens.
Happiness is when you feel a sense of joy and satisfaction.
Happiness is not a feeling but an embrace and enlightenment of one’s self.
Feeling comfortable, fulfilled, and accomplished no matter your current situation, with hope and goals for the future.
Happiness is being healthy and having people you care about close by.
Happiness is being satisfied, content, and at peace with yourself. Pursuing it comes from learning to like yourself and following your passions. It also means reframing things to see them in a way that makes you happy.
Happiness is surrounding yourself with people who you care for and who care for you. It is finding joy and appreciation in our lived experiences, and those to come.
Happiness is the perspective that meaning and optimism can stem from both the good and the bad. It is achieved by being open-minded, reflective, grateful, and understanding.
Happiness is derived from finding value in one’s purpose, struggles, and the manner in which they pursue life.
Happiness is the realization that one’s lived life is consistent with how they believe their life should be lived. This fulfillment is closely tied to gratitude for pursued decisions taken, attitudes held, and people helped. The only way that this can reasonably be accomplished is through crafting a set of values and experiences for oneself that are both fundamentally important and practically feasible.
Happiness is the state of enjoying and being proud of all aspects of your life that you can control. Not allowing yourself to be bothered with things that don’t matter and surrounding yourself with positivity to protect your own peace and cultivate personal happiness.
2025
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2024
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To experience every emotion to it's fullest potential, and embrace love, while staying true to your own ideals and values.
Happiness is the ability to genuinely ignore negative emotion (grief, envy, anger) and live life in appreciation of what you are and have at all times.
Happiness is the ability to sustain.
Happiness is the intersection of peace and satisfaction with oneself, their environment, and their life.
Happiness is walking a fine line between order and chaos; it is walking with God through the worst situations without worries or fears but rather peace and love.
Happiness for me is you finding the positive within you and the positive things in your life that brings you joy.
Happiness is not eternal, and no matter how much you try, it never will be. Happiness is a complex, primarily positive feeling that comes from participating in actions that have been evolutionarily favorable for homo sapiens.
Happiness is the natural byproduct of living according to our values and doing what we love.
Finding peace with everything; finding peace everywhere.
Happiness is the fulfillment of one's heart.
Happiness is when something or someone makes you forget about all the bad things and allows you to enjoy the current moment of life. Happiness is only temporary.
Happiness is the state where there is general peace of mind and tranquility, allowing one to pursue their own desired and goals.
Happiness is when your state of mind is positive thoughts.
Happiness is the purest and most true sensation of satisfaction.
Happiness is a content feeling as a result of living life to the fullest.
Happiness is the big things and the little things, old friends and new, success and failure, love and loss, you and me. Happiness is wherever you look for it.
Happiness for me is to have the ability to do things I want to do when I want to do them.
Long-term joy due to positive circumstances which make you feel content and fulfilled in life.
An old dog, lying on his back, four legs in the air, offering a gift.
The ability to live without regret.
Happiness for me is small moments of joy built up, along with a state of comfort.
Happiness is the ability to genuinely ignore negative emotion (grief, envy, anger) and live life in appreciation of what you are and have at all times.
Happiness is the ability to sustain.
Happiness is the intersection of peace and satisfaction with oneself, their environment, and their life.
Happiness is walking a fine line between order and chaos; it is walking with God through the worst situations without worries or fears but rather peace and love.
Happiness for me is you finding the positive within you and the positive things in your life that brings you joy.
Happiness is not eternal, and no matter how much you try, it never will be. Happiness is a complex, primarily positive feeling that comes from participating in actions that have been evolutionarily favorable for homo sapiens.
Happiness is the natural byproduct of living according to our values and doing what we love.
Finding peace with everything; finding peace everywhere.
Happiness is the fulfillment of one's heart.
Happiness is when something or someone makes you forget about all the bad things and allows you to enjoy the current moment of life. Happiness is only temporary.
Happiness is the state where there is general peace of mind and tranquility, allowing one to pursue their own desired and goals.
Happiness is when your state of mind is positive thoughts.
Happiness is the purest and most true sensation of satisfaction.
Happiness is a content feeling as a result of living life to the fullest.
Happiness is the big things and the little things, old friends and new, success and failure, love and loss, you and me. Happiness is wherever you look for it.
Happiness for me is to have the ability to do things I want to do when I want to do them.
Long-term joy due to positive circumstances which make you feel content and fulfilled in life.
An old dog, lying on his back, four legs in the air, offering a gift.
The ability to live without regret.
Happiness for me is small moments of joy built up, along with a state of comfort.
2022
What does happiness mean to you?
Happiness is a sense of fulfillment that comes from living in the moment and simply focusing on the joy that is present at any given time.
To be loved unconditionally and have full freedom to outside what gives you purpose.
Being in a mental state that is positive and constructive.
The comfortability, confidence, and ability to Joy, and properly embrace it.
I define happiness as finding peace with where you are in life, and creating a life for yourself that is fulfilling.
Happiness is a feeling of being content as you are (either in location or thought processes).
Happiness is when you are content [and] enjoy your life as it is.
It is also feeling you get when doing something that not only makes you feel good but makes you feel whole.
Happiness is an emotion that you get when something really pleases you [or is something] you enjoy. You can’t really explain it.
Happiness is living according to values you have defined for yourself.
I define happiness as feeling the sense of satisfaction by doing what you love, which can include helping other to be happy.
Happiness is feeling content, satisfied and fulfilled with your life. This can stem from your accomplishments, fulfilling and healthy relationships, and from just being at peace with yourself, other and your environment.
Happiness is not the joy and highs of life. It is the understanding of the flexations and lows of joy and sadness, and the ability to be content with the balance that exists. It is the understanding of your future, both immediate and far.
To me happiness means fulfillment and inner peace. To be enriched and do what you love. To be secure with yourself and be able to return to a state of inner peace and joy even when people or the world oppose you.
Happiness is a really elated feeling for me, but can be different for everyone.
I do not know.
Happiness is to be able to live freely and without burden, make choices based on free will. Not controlled.
Happiness is the feeling of tranquility and calm, and a place where one can be still and feel the warmth in yourself, it’s also the sound of rhythm and your soul dances. Happiness is inside yourself and is yourself, being how you truly are and overall, a safe place.
Happiness is a state of general content with one’s circumstances; satisfaction with both the pleasant and unpleasant facets of daily life.
My definition of “happiness” is “being free of stress and filled with joy.”
Happiness is a sense of fulfillment that comes from living in the moment and simply focusing on the joy that is present at any given time.
To be loved unconditionally and have full freedom to outside what gives you purpose.
Being in a mental state that is positive and constructive.
The comfortability, confidence, and ability to Joy, and properly embrace it.
I define happiness as finding peace with where you are in life, and creating a life for yourself that is fulfilling.
Happiness is a feeling of being content as you are (either in location or thought processes).
Happiness is when you are content [and] enjoy your life as it is.
It is also feeling you get when doing something that not only makes you feel good but makes you feel whole.
Happiness is an emotion that you get when something really pleases you [or is something] you enjoy. You can’t really explain it.
Happiness is living according to values you have defined for yourself.
I define happiness as feeling the sense of satisfaction by doing what you love, which can include helping other to be happy.
Happiness is feeling content, satisfied and fulfilled with your life. This can stem from your accomplishments, fulfilling and healthy relationships, and from just being at peace with yourself, other and your environment.
Happiness is not the joy and highs of life. It is the understanding of the flexations and lows of joy and sadness, and the ability to be content with the balance that exists. It is the understanding of your future, both immediate and far.
To me happiness means fulfillment and inner peace. To be enriched and do what you love. To be secure with yourself and be able to return to a state of inner peace and joy even when people or the world oppose you.
Happiness is a really elated feeling for me, but can be different for everyone.
I do not know.
Happiness is to be able to live freely and without burden, make choices based on free will. Not controlled.
Happiness is the feeling of tranquility and calm, and a place where one can be still and feel the warmth in yourself, it’s also the sound of rhythm and your soul dances. Happiness is inside yourself and is yourself, being how you truly are and overall, a safe place.
Happiness is a state of general content with one’s circumstances; satisfaction with both the pleasant and unpleasant facets of daily life.
My definition of “happiness” is “being free of stress and filled with joy.”
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