The Difference Between Happiness and Joy, and Why It Matters

Hey guys! Chris and Melissa here; recently, Chris had a conversation with a friend about finding happiness. It got him thinking about the actual definition of what it means to be happy. When we think of it, most of us think of it in terms of our kids. You’ve heard it before, “I just want them to be happy.” Maybe you have even said it yourself. 

But what is the difference between temporary happiness and lasting joy? 

If you’ve been listening for a while, you know that we believe in leading by example. For us, this was a moment where we could really dig into how and why joy is different from happiness. We talk about Chris’ family and history with substance abuse and how it has affected the saying “I deserve happiness.” Of course, we don’t think that people shouldn’t be happy, but there are different types of happiness if you think about it. It’s similar to if you want the pleasure of eating a delicious piece of cake now or if you want the confidence of a healthy and strong body. Both are good, but one is better.

Listen in as we discuss our thoughts on joy and how understanding the true definition can help raise stronger, happier, and more confident kids. We talk about examples in our own lives of finding joy even in the toughest of times and a moment when prioritizing our own happiness actually caused more damage. You’ll learn what we think are the biggest differences between joy and happiness and how we plan to start defining it to our kids. We discuss the concept of sacrificing temporary happiness now to get lasting joy later and how we can be the best example of that to our kids as parents. 

So this week, take some time to examine your life and see where you might be choosing temporary happiness over lasting joy. The journey of internal happiness starts with you. So go out, find joy, and we’ll be right there with you!

To learn more about the articles on the joy we mentioned or follow us on social media, check out the links below! 

More of What We Talk About:

• Finding home wherever you are
• Learning the difference between joy and happiness
• The slippery slope of substance abuse
• Finding joy in the hardest times
• Why happiness has a shelf life
• The importance of teaching your kids the difference 
• Introducing the different levels of happiness
• Experiencing the meaning of a moment
• Looking at the source 
• How sacrificing happiness now may bring more joy later
• Two ways you can find the joy in your life
• And much more!

LINKS:

• Article: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/07/opinion/happiness-joy-emotion.html
• Article: https://pediaa.com/difference-between-joy-and-happiness/

Website:

• Article: https://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/17/fashion/the-family-stories-that-bind-us-this-life.html
• Article: https://www.aspentimes.com/news/childrens-hospital-colorado-declares-state-of-emergency-for-pediatric-mental-health
• Article: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-stories-our-lives/202104/remembering-pandemic-time
• Article: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-stories-our-lives/202106/have-kids-run-out-resilience

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Episode Minute By Minute:

• 0:02 – Quick update with us
• 1:55 – Here’s what we cover
• 6:18 – The dangers of prioritizing your happiness
• 10:53 – How to explain this concept to your kids
• 15:43 – Our takeaways 
• 17:54 – One more thought

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