The Difference Between Joy and Happiness

Joy and happiness are positive emotions that are part of the human experience. While both feel good they are different in origin and importance to emotional wellbeing. The biggest difference between joy and happiness is consistency verses transient and internal verses external.

Happiness is transient because it is based on external influences. People, things and events are the source of our happiness. We have less control on cultivating happiness for ourselves. Unhealthy quick fixes like drugs and alcohol are the most desperate attempts at trying to create happiness.
Cultivating joy is more beneficial because it comes from the inside out when you are at peace with yourself. Joy is not dependent on the inconsistencies of the world. So how do you leave the negativity behind and increase joy in your life?
Here are some suggestions:

 More Meditation. Create a quiet time and space to focus on your heart instead of your head. Listen to the intuition of your heart for joy not the thoughts in your mind.

 Less Social Media. Spend less time comparing yourself and your life to the posts on social media. Limited yourself to the number of times a day you check social media to once in the morning and once in the afternoon. Cut back on the number of social media portals you are connected to daily. Choose inspiration over information as the bulk of your connections.

 Practice Gratitude. Keeping a journal about the things for which you are grateful helps clarify what truly brings you joy. Joy becomes more of a constant state of being when you more appreciative.
Start your pursuit of joy today.

When given the choice, always choose Joy over Happiness.