--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Joy and happiness don't strengthen…" description: "\"Joy and happiness don't strengthen relationships - difficulty does.\" — Chris Sullivan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2b/chris-sullivan-11700_does_joy-and-happiness-don-t-strengthen-relat_3076008.jpg" --- # Joy and happiness don't strengthen relationships… ![“Joy and happiness don't strengthen relationships - difficulty does.” quote by Chris Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2b/chris-sullivan-11700_does_joy-and-happiness-don-t-strengthen-relat_3076008.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2b/chris-sullivan-11700_does_joy-and-happiness-don-t-strengthen-relat_3076008.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2b/chris-sullivan-11700_does_joy-and-happiness-don-t-strengthen-relat_3076008.jpg) > “Joy and happiness don't strengthen relationships - difficulty does.” [Chris Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sullivan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Shared challenges strengthen bonds more than easy moments, as adversity reveals character. **In simple terms:** Hard times build stronger ties. Key Takeaway Embrace challenges together. Themes relationships adversity strength character Mood thoughtful hopeful Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - team projects - family crises - friendship tests Key Concepts resilience theory social bonding Questions to Reflect On - How have challenges deepened your relationships? - When might ease be better than strain? A Different Perspective Not all difficulties are constructive. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy/) [Joy and happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy-and-happiness/) [Relationships](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relationships/) ## Related quotes > [Difficulty does not deter me. In fact, I find challenges exciting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farhan-akhtar/difficulty-does-not-deter-me-in-fact-i-find-challenges-exciting/) [Farhan Akhtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farhan-akhtar/) > [If, on the other hand, happiness depends on a good breakfast, flowers in the yard, a drink or a nap, then we are more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/if-on-the-other-hand-happiness-depends-on-a-good-breakfast-flowers-in/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [You find true joy and happiness in life when you give and give and go on giving and never count the cost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-caddy/you-find-true-joy-and-happiness-in-life-when-you-give-and-give-and-go/) [Eileen Caddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-caddy/) > [Happiness lies not in the mere possession of money; it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/happiness-lies-not-in-the-mere-possession-of-money-it-lies-in-the-joy-2/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [The secret to happiness is to find a congenial monotony.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-o-casey/the-secret-to-happiness-is-to-find-a-congenial-monotony/) [Sean O'Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-o-casey/) > [I think happiness is what makes you pretty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-barrymore/i-think-happiness-is-what-makes-you-pretty/) [Drew Barrymore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-barrymore/) > [I love acting, of course, but being with my husband and my children always brought me the greatest joy and happiness in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meryl-streep/i-love-acting-of-course-but-being-with-my-husband-and-my-children/) [Meryl Streep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meryl-streep/) > [I have just one day, today, and I'm going to be happy in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/i-have-just-one-day-today-and-i-m-going-to-be-happy-in-it/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [I truly am living out what true joy and happiness means.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-white/i-truly-am-living-out-what-true-joy-and-happiness-means/) [Jessica White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-white/) > [The more you go within, the more you understand your true nature, and the more joy and happiness you feel in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-weiss/the-more-you-go-within-the-more-you-understand-your-true-nature-and/) [Brian Weiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-weiss/) > [This is the difference between joy and happiness;joy is an attitude but happiness is an emotion, emotions come and go while attitudes come and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pascals-einstein/this-is-the-difference-between-joy-and-happiness-joy-is-an-attitude/) [Pascals Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pascals-einstein/) > [Do you want a world with . . . more joy and happiness? Then find your own joy and happiness and contribute to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-lozoff/do-you-want-a-world-with-more-joy-and-happiness-then-find-your-own/) [Bo Lozoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-lozoff/) > [If you don't enjoy getting up and working and finishing your work and sitting down to a meal with family or friends, then the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/if-you-don-t-enjoy-getting-up-and-working-and-finishing-your-work-and/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [I'm totally drunk with joy and happiness when I'm with you!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-totally-drunk-with-joy-and-happiness-when-i-m-with-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [But it's only through joy and happiness that life has any value or purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pitchford/but-it-s-only-through-joy-and-happiness-that-life-has-any-value-or/) [Randy Pitchford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pitchford/) ## More by Chris Sullivan > [As we've learned on a logistical level, anything is possible in the 'This Is Us' world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sullivan/as-we-ve-learned-on-a-logistical-level-anything-is-possible-in-the/) [Chris Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sullivan/) > [The interesting part about being an artist is that the ways in which you express yourself are not always readily available.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sullivan/the-interesting-part-about-being-an-artist-is-that-the-ways-in-which/) [Chris Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sullivan/) > [Everybody has to take curveballs as they come in life and hopefully have the ability to adjust their plans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sullivan/everybody-has-to-take-curveballs-as-they-come-in-life-and-hopefully/) [Chris Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sullivan/) > [Our hair and makeup team at 'This Is Us' had made me a mohawk to wear. I couldn't apply it correctly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sullivan/our-hair-and-makeup-team-at-this-is-us-had-made-me-a-mohawk-to-wear-i/) [Chris Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sullivan/) > [Frugality was my side hustle. I was really good at it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sullivan/frugality-was-my-side-hustle-i-was-really-good-at-it/) [Chris Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sullivan/) > [I kind of love that British style: two seasons of tight, compact, good television. The more episodes you have, the thinner the episodes get.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sullivan/i-kind-of-love-that-british-style-two-seasons-of-tight-compact-good/) [Chris Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sullivan/) > [Romance means making yourself vulnerable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sullivan/romance-means-making-yourself-vulnerable/) [Chris Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sullivan/) > [The interesting thing about depression and anxiety is that, it's not always wholly negative things that bring them on. Often times, those heavy swings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sullivan/the-interesting-thing-about-depression-and-anxiety-is-that-it-s-not/) [Chris Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sullivan/) > [I joke that the beard does 40 percent of the job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sullivan/i-joke-that-the-beard-does-40-percent-of-the-job/) [Chris Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sullivan/) > [I've always dressed very loudly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sullivan/i-ve-always-dressed-very-loudly/) [Chris Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sullivan/) > [Michael Rooker is like the Merle Haggard of the acting world. Never a dull moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sullivan/michael-rooker-is-like-the-merle-haggard-of-the-acting-world-never-a/) [Chris Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sullivan/) > [Making a killer breakfast burrito? I got game. Washing the car? Love it. Doing the dishes? I love it more than washing the car.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sullivan/making-a-killer-breakfast-burrito-i-got-game-washing-the-car-love-it/) [Chris Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sullivan/) > [Generally speaking, talk to any stand-up comedian, the people in this world who are the brightest and have the biggest smile often are struggling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sullivan/generally-speaking-talk-to-any-stand-up-comedian-the-people-in-this/) [Chris Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sullivan/) > [You can't develop full relationships with anybody unless you're fully honest about who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sullivan/you-can-t-develop-full-relationships-with-anybody-unless-you-re-fully/) [Chris Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sullivan/) > [The experience with 'The Knick' is a singular experience. That experience taught me a lot about acting and about being on camera for extended…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sullivan/the-experience-with-the-knick-is-a-singular-experience-that/) [Chris Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sullivan/) [Explore all 58 Chris Sullivan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sullivan/) ## More Does quotes > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [I wonder: when a Jehovah's Witness dies and goes to Heaven, does God hide behind the door and pretend He's not home?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-celio/i-wonder-when-a-jehovah-s-witness-dies-and-goes-to-heaven-does-god/) [Brian Celio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-celio/) > [Life does not owe me a shred.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-harper/life-does-not-owe-me-a-shred/) [Valerie Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-harper/) > [Everything affects hip-hop. The question is, how does it affect the money that corporations are going to invest to put out different kinds of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-i-am/everything-affects-hip-hop-the-question-is-how-does-it-affect-the/) [will.i.am](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-i-am/) > [I does wat I does](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-does-wat-i-does/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't see myself being married more than once, but who does?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-mcconaughey/i-don-t-see-myself-being-married-more-than-once-but-who-does/) [Matthew McConaughey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-mcconaughey/) > [Mother Nature does not do bailouts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/mother-nature-does-not-do-bailouts/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [A conversation does not have to be scintillating in order to be memorable. I once met a president of the United States, and his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cavett/a-conversation-does-not-have-to-be-scintillating-in-order-to-be/) [Dick Cavett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cavett/) > [I love James Cameron. I love what he does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zal-batmanglij/i-love-james-cameron-i-love-what-he-does/) [Zal Batmanglij](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zal-batmanglij/) > [Instruction does much, but encouragement everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/instruction-does-much-but-encouragement-everything/) [Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [I think I have a lot of internal energy, which does need to come out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-serkis/i-think-i-have-a-lot-of-internal-energy-which-does-need-to-come-out/) [Andy Serkis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-serkis/) > [Liberty does not exist where rights are on one side and power on the other. To be liberty, rights must be armed with vital…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lamar-ii/liberty-does-not-exist-where-rights-are-on-one-side-and-power-on-the/) [Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lamar-ii/) > [How does a project get to be a year late? One day at a time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/how-does-a-project-get-to-be-a-year-late-one-day-at-a-time/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“How much does an elephant weigh? ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhonda-patton/how-much-does-an-elephant-weigh/) Rhonda Patton > [I have many moments of self doubt. Everybody does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-robbie/i-have-many-moments-of-self-doubt-everybody-does/) [Margot Robbie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-robbie/) Browse all 3,556 Does quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Joy and happiness don't strengthen relationships - difficulty does.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Chris Sullivan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sullivan/joy-and-happiness-don-t-strengthen-relationships-difficulty-does/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Does" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sullivan/joy-and-happiness-don-t-strengthen-relationships-difficulty-does/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2b/chris-sullivan-11700_does_joy-and-happiness-don-t-strengthen-relat_3076008.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2b/chris-sullivan-11700_does_joy-and-happiness-don-t-strengthen-relat_3076008.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2b/chris-sullivan-11700_does_joy-and-happiness-don-t-strengthen-relat_3076008.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Joy and happiness don't strengthen relationships - difficulty does.” — Chris Sullivan", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Chris Sullivan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sullivan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Joy and happiness don't strengthen relationships...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sullivan/joy-and-happiness-don-t-strengthen-relationships-difficulty-does/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sullivan/joy-and-happiness-don-t-strengthen-relationships-difficulty-does/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```