Redefining Happiness: Wisdom From History’s Greats

March 20 is the International Day of Happiness, which makes this month a great time to reflect on what happiness means to you.

To be happy is defined as “feeling or showing pleasure or contentment,” “satisfied with the quality or standard of” or “having a sense of trust and confidence in (a person, arrangement or situation).”

Now is a better time than ever to focus on creating joy for yourself and others. According to CBS, the U.S. is in the lowest spot it’s ever stood on the World Happiness Report, an annual survey conducted on the International Day of Happiness.

Finding out what happiness means to you is a big question with various definitions based on who you are, what your goals are, and how you process your experiences. Happiness might mean fulfillment, joy or self-care.

Don’t know where to start when you think about happiness in your life? We’ve collected a few quotes from philosophers and historical thought leaders to provide context on what happiness meant to them.

“Happiness flows not from physical or external conditions, such as bodily pleasures or wealth and power, but from living a life that’s right for your soul, your deepest good.” – Socrates

“Happiness and freedom begin with a clear understanding of one principle: Some things are within our control, and some things are not.” – Epictetus

“Happiness is like a butterfly, the more you chase it, the more it will evade you, but if you notice the other things around you, it will gently come and sit on your shoulder.”  – Henry David Thoreau

“I say that man is entitled to his own happiness and that he must achieve it himself. But that he cannot demand that others give up their lives to make him happy.” – Ayn Rand

“Happiness is not something ready-made. It comes from your own actions.”  – Dalai Lama

“Since you get more joy out of giving joy to others, you should put a good deal of thought into the happiness that you are able to give.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

“True happiness is not attained through self-gratification, but through fidelity to a worthy purpose.”  – Helen Keller

“Even a happy life cannot be without a measure of darkness, and the word happy would lose its meaning if it were not balanced by sadness. It is far better to take things as they come along with patience and equanimity.”  – Carl Jung

“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.”  – Mahatma Gandhi

Whether happiness means finding fulfillment, chasing joy, serving greater purposes or focusing inward to create your own light, find a way to craft more happiness this March! It contributes to your intricate, unique picture of wellbeing.

Source:

“Happy,” Merriam‑Webster, merriam‑webster.com/dictionary/happy, Accessed February 10, 2026.

“2025 World Happiness Report Shows U.S. in Lowest‑Ever Spot on List,” CBS News, cbsnews.com, Accessed February 10, 2026. [cbsnews.com]