Written by Natalie Glennon

In one way or another, all of the choices we make in our lives contribute toward one overarching desire: to be happy. But what does happiness actually entail? Some might have you believe that you can achieve happiness through what you buy, where you go, or how you look. Although our society might place a lot of importance on those superficial things, they alone cannot bring people happiness. 

Or maybe you think that you’ll finally be happy once you get your dream job, find a partner, or live on your own. While these things can impact your quality of life, happiness is so much more than being able to check something off your bucket list. Happiness has to do with the intentional ways in which we shift our mindsets and behaviors to align with the 5 factors that are essential to our wellbeing.

The 5 Happiness Factors

In positive psychology, experts have broken down the 5 areas of life that contribute to our levels of happiness. Each of these areas produce a unique sense of fulfillment and joy, yet it can be easy to overlook them in pursuit of what might make us superficially happy. Here are those 5 components—ranked in no particular order of importance—and how they might show up in your life.

1. Positive Emotion

The emotions and thought patterns that you experience in everyday life impact your overall sense of happiness. People who practice optimism, gratitude, and self-compassion are more likely to have positive experiences of emotions. But the key word here is “practice.” With intentionality, we can work toward prioritizing and experiencing positive emotions in our lives, even if it’s a habit we have to build.

One way you can work on this is by challenging your negativity bias which produces the tendency to fixate on negative experiences. You can do this through making gratitude lists, practicing mindfulness, or talking to yourself like you would talk to a friend. Gaining these new perspectives on life can help you train your brain to focus on positive emotions, making you more likely to experience them in the future.

1. Engagement

Another core component of happiness involves the level of engagement you feel while doing activities you enjoy. Often referred to as finding “flow,” the ideal level of engagement can involve losing track of time or getting out of your own head. While these activities differ from person to person, they are usually challenging enough that they aren’t boring, but not too challenging to the point where they are frustratingly difficult. Whether you find “flow” while playing a sport, engaging in a creative activity, or working on a passion project, you can prioritize your happiness by dedicating time to this deep sense of engagement.

1. Relationships

You might’ve already guessed that relationships would be on this list. But, like I mentioned before, it’s not simply having certain relationships that contributes to your happiness—it’s the quality of the relationships themselves. Positive, meaningful relationships can be characterized by authentic connection, the ability to express yourself, and a mutual sense of trust and comfort. On the other hand, more surface-level or even toxic relationships can involve superficial connection, a fear of expressing yourself, or feelings of low self-esteem or self-worth brought on by interactions with that person. 

It’s important to distinguish between these types of relationships and take steps to prioritize your most positive connections, as they can greatly impact your mental health and wellbeing.

1. Meaning

Meaning refers to your greater sense of purpose in life. This is the idea that your actions matter and your existence makes an impact on the world or the people around you. You can make an effort to reflect on the ways in which your life has meaning, or you can take action-oriented steps to directly connect with that meaning. You could connect with your sense of spirituality, engage in ethical consumerism, volunteer for your community, or commit a small act of kindness that will brighten someone’s day. Remind yourself that even your small actions have meaning, and try to find the meaning that aligns with your specific values.

1. Achievement

Lastly, having a sense of achievement greatly impacts your level of fulfillment and happiness in life. You can gain this by reaching a significant milestone such as running a marathon, graduating from school, or getting a job. But you can also gain a sense of achievement by accomplishing small goals such as finishing a book, maintaining healthy habits, or noticing personal growth of some kind. It’s important not just to make note of your achievement, but to celebrate it as well. Take time to savor the moment, share your experience with others, and reflect on the pride, joy, and other emotions you feel.

Take a moment to reflect on which of these factors contribute the most to your sense of happiness, and consider which areas might be in need of some attention. Happiness is like a skill you have to work on continuously—by making an effort to prioritize these 5 aspects of life, you open yourself up to joy and fulfillment.