6 types of happiness

Well-being is not an absence of mental illness. Just like depression isn’t the opposite of happiness. It is an inner/mental and outer/physical^[1] reality that includes^[2] avoiding pain, adapting to the environment and stress, quality of daily functioning, realizing one’s potential, happy feelings, pleasure, social aspects, personal growth, satisfaction, and meaning in life.

You can think of 6 types of happiness based on how they contribute to your well-being.

1. Eudaimonic well-being (Eudaimonia): Focuses on self-realization, meaning and purpose, and quality of functioning in life. High Eudaimonic well-being typically means better life satisfaction.
2. Hedonic well-being: Focuses on gratification, pleasure, and pain avoidance. High hedonic well-being means a person has short-term happiness and pleasure.
3. Psychological well-being: Focuses on personal mastery, autonomy, personal growth, positive relationships, meaning, and self-acceptance. High psychological well-being contributes to long-term happiness.
4. Subjective well-being: Focuses on improving life satisfaction, positive emotions, and negative emotions. It is the cognitive and emotional evaluation of one’s physical and mental life. High subjective well-being contributes to the feeling that life is satisfying.
5. Objective well-being: Focuses on wealth, health, education, social connections, and adjustment to one’s environment. Higher objective well-being comes from a person’s accumulation of financial, educational, and social resources.
6. Psychological richness: Focuses on a variety of interesting and perspective-changing experiences. Higher psychological richness is an important part of a good life with less boredom, more memorable experiences, and excitement.