34 Best Happy Quotes That Will Immediately Brighten Up Your Day

What’s the secret to happiness? That’s a tough one. But some of the more famous “happy life” quotes out there contain good hints. For example:

It’s not about how much you have. Rather, as Rosamunde Pilcher wrote in The Shell Seekers, “Happiness is making the most of what you have.” If fact, it’s really not about having things at all. As 19th-century composer Richard Wagner said, “Joy is not in things; it is in us.”

Avoiding life’s pitfalls isn’t the way either. “The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain!” Dolly Parton said. Plus, sometimes the stuff we think is bad turns out to be the good part. Remember Bob Ross: “We don’t make mistakes, just happy little accidents.”

It also matters who we spend time with. “Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom,” wrote Marcel Proust, a French novelist and essayist.

And speaking of people, look in the mirror. Humans are good at getting in the way of their own happiness. “All animals, except man, know that the principal business of life is to enjoy it,” wrote English novelist Samuel Butler.

Let’s be honest, though: That last one is easier said than done. Sometimes our troubles are heavy, and in those times it’s helpful to recall that “In every life we have some trouble, but when you worry you make it double.” Bobby McFerrin sings that line in “Don’t worry. Be happy,” which, by the way, is one of the best feel-good songs to listen to or hum when you need a good mood booster.

Not too bad for an answer, huh? Read on for more quotes about happiness!

More Country Living quote collections to explore:

• Sunshine Quotes to Energize Your Day
• Good Morning Quotes & Texts for a Bright Start
• Short and Sweet Inspirational Quotes