--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Contemporary research shows that happy…" description: "\"Contemporary research shows that happy people are more altruistic, more productive, more helpful, more likable, more creative, more resilient, more int..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/944/gretchen-rubin-867_citizens_contemporary-research-shows-that-happy-p_3090222.jpg" --- # Contemporary research shows that happy people are more… ![“Contemporary research shows that happy people are more altruistic, more productive, more helpful, more likable, more creative, more resilient, more interested in others, friendlier, and healthier. Happy people make better friends, colleagues, and citizens.” quote by Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/944/gretchen-rubin-867_citizens_contemporary-research-shows-that-happy-p_3090222.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/944/gretchen-rubin-867_citizens_contemporary-research-shows-that-happy-p_3090222.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/944/gretchen-rubin-867_citizens_contemporary-research-shows-that-happy-p_3090222.jpg) > “Contemporary research shows that happy people are more altruistic, more productive, more helpful, more likable, more creative, more resilient, more interested in others, friendlier, and healthier. Happy people make better friends, colleagues, and citizens.” [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Happy people tend to be more generous, productive, creative, resilient, sociable, and healthy, benefiting themselves and those around them. **In simple terms:** Happy people are more giving and successful. Key Takeaway Cultivate happiness to improve personal and social outcomes. Themes happiness altruism productivity creativity health Mood optimistic uplifting Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - workplace - friendships - community projects - healthcare Key Concepts psychology well‑being social impact Questions to Reflect On - How can you increase daily happiness? - What habits boost both joy and productivity? A Different Perspective Happiness may be influenced by genetics and circumstances beyond personal control. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Better Friends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-friends/) [Colleagues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/colleagues/) [Creative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Happy people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happy-people/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Research](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/research/) [Resilient](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resilient/) ## Related quotes > [“Epicurus wrote, “We must exercise ourselves in the things which bring happiness, since, if that be present, we have everything, and, if that be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/epicurus-wrote-we-must-exercise-ourselves-in-the-things-which-bring/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [I think it's healthier to be happy with yourself instead of trying to beat yourself up all the time, which I had been constantly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-evans/i-think-it-s-healthier-to-be-happy-with-yourself-instead-of-trying-to/) [Lee Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-evans/) > [Happiness is native to the human mind and its physical machine. We think better, perform better, feel better, and are healthier when we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxwell-maltz/happiness-is-native-to-the-human-mind-and-its-physical-machine-we/) [Maxwell Maltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-maltz/) > [Happiness is a critical factor for work, and work is a critical factor for happiness. In one of those life-isn't-fair results, it turns out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/happiness-is-a-critical-factor-for-work-and-work-is-a-critical-factor-2/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [Your unhappiness doesn't help anyone else - and in fact, as I mentioned in another answer, happy people are more altruistically inclined. So happiness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/your-unhappiness-doesn-t-help-anyone-else-and-in-fact-as-i-mentioned/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [Happiness is a critical factor for work, and work is a critical factor for happiness. In one of those life-isn’t-fair results, it turns out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/happiness-is-a-critical-factor-for-work-and-work-is-a-critical-factor/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [Happy people make people happy, but I can’t make someone be happy, and no one else can make me happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/happy-people-make-people-happy-but-i-can-t-make-someone-be-happy-and/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [“Happy people generally are more forgiving, helpful, and charitable, have better self-control, and are more tolerant of frustration than unhappy people, while unhappy people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/happy-people-generally-are-more-forgiving-helpful-and-charitable-have/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [We need better government, no doubt about it. But we also need better minds, better friendships, better marriages, better communities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/we-need-better-government-no-doubt-about-it-but-we-also-need-better/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [A good laugh makes us better friends with ourselves and everybody around us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orison-s-marden/a-good-laugh-makes-us-better-friends-with-ourselves-and-everybody/) [Orison S. Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orison-s-marden/) > [Its better to be yourself and have no friends, than it is to be like your friends and have no self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-singh/its-better-to-be-yourself-and-have-no-friends-than-it-is-to-be-like/) [Nishan Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-singh/) > [Dogs make for better friends than people do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dogs-make-for-better-friends-than-people-do/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I made better friends in a year at college than I did in four during high school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-made-better-friends-in-a-year-at-college-than-i-did-in-four-during/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think Taj and Nina were better friends, because they get along, they have a lot of fun and they laugh. But it seems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/delta-goodrem/i-think-taj-and-nina-were-better-friends-because-they-get-along-they/) [Delta Goodrem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/delta-goodrem/) > [Boys make way better friends then girls...I have like no friends that are girls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/boys-make-way-better-friends-then-girls-i-have-like-no-friends-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Gretchen Rubin > [“Second Splendid Truth One of the best ways to make yourself happy is to make other people happy. One of the best ways to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/second-splendid-truth-one-of-the-best-ways-to-make-yourself-happy-is/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [Knowing what you admire in others is a wonderful mirror into your deepest, as yet unborn, self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/knowing-what-you-admire-in-others-is-a-wonderful-mirror-into-your/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [Being taken for granted is an unpleasant but sincere form of praise. Ironically, the more reliable you are and the less you complain, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/being-taken-for-granted-is-an-unpleasant-but-sincere-form-of-praise/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [“one Secret of Adulthood is “Never start a sentence with the words ‘No offense’”? “And”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/one-secret-of-adulthood-is-never-start-a-sentence-with-the-words-no/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [One of the findings that really interests me is that, although we think we ACT because of the way we FEEL, we often FEEL…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/one-of-the-findings-that-really-interests-me-is-that-although-we/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [We all want to get along well with other people, and one way to do this is to help people feel good about themselves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/we-all-want-to-get-along-well-with-other-people-and-one-way-to-do/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [During my study of happiness, I noticed something that surprised me: I often learn more from one person's highly idiosyncratic experiences than I do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/during-my-study-of-happiness-i-noticed-something-that-surprised-me-i/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [There is a preppy wabi-sabi to soft, faded khakis and cotton shirts, but it's not nice to be surrounded by things that are worn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/there-is-a-preppy-wabi-sabi-to-soft-faded-khakis-and-cotton-shirts/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [“There are times in the lives of most of us,” observed William Edward Hartpole Lecky, “when we would have given all the world to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/there-are-times-in-the-lives-of-most-of-us-observed-william-edward/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [“I started thinking more about music. I thought I'd accepted the fact that, as part of "Being Gretchen," I didn't really like music, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/i-started-thinking-more-about-music-i-thought-i-d-accepted-the-fact/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [If you've had something for more than six months, and it's still not repaired, it's clutter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/if-you-ve-had-something-for-more-than-six-months-and-it-s-still-not/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [“The pleasure of doing the same thing, in the same way, every day, shouldn't be overlooked. The things I do every day take on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/the-pleasure-of-doing-the-same-thing-in-the-same-way-every-day/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [Although we often assume that feelings inspire actions, in fact, actions also inspire feelings. By pushing myself to act happier, I make myself feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/although-we-often-assume-that-feelings-inspire-actions-in-fact/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [I love finding - or inventing - ways to categorize people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/i-love-finding-or-inventing-ways-to-categorize-people/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [“After someone's death, how strange to see the value drain away from his or her possessions; useful objects such as clothes, or dish towels,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/after-someone-s-death-how-strange-to-see-the-value-drain-away-from/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) [Explore all 346 Gretchen Rubin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) ## More Citizens quotes > [Politics is not an issue whether you like or dislike , but every citizen must involve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khem-veasna/politics-is-not-an-issue-whether-you-like-or-dislike-but-every/) [Khem Veasna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khem-veasna/) > [I will be a model prisoner, as I have been a model citizen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-edwards/i-will-be-a-model-prisoner-as-i-have-been-a-model-citizen/) [Edwin Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-edwards/) > [The language we share is at the core of our identity as citizens, and our ticket to full participation in American political life. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-i-hayakawa/the-language-we-share-is-at-the-core-of-our-identity-as-citizens-and/) [S. I. Hayakawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-i-hayakawa/) > [Jeff Chu's pilgrimage across America to discover his own place as a gay man in the Christian church as well as attitudes about being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-freitas/jeff-chu-s-pilgrimage-across-america-to-discover-his-own-place-as-a/) [Donna Freitas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-freitas/) > [“The police ultimately pay the price for poor customer service when citizens become fearful of them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-police-ultimately-pay-the-price-for-poor-customer-service-when/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [Worship isn't destructive, Martin. I know that. I don't. I only know it's the core of his life. What else has he got? He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-shaffer/worship-isn-t-destructive-martin-i-know-that-i-don-t-i-only-know-it-s/) [Peter Shaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-shaffer/) > [No greater victory can be won by citizens or soldiers than to transform temporary foes into permanent friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-jennings-bryan/no-greater-victory-can-be-won-by-citizens-or-soldiers-than-to/) [William Jennings Bryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-jennings-bryan/) > [Let us at all times remember that all American citizens are brothers of a common country, and should dwell together in bonds of fraternal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/let-us-at-all-times-remember-that-all-american-citizens-are-brothers/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [A free society depends upon a high degree of mutual trust. The public will not give that trust to officials who are not seen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archibald-cox/a-free-society-depends-upon-a-high-degree-of-mutual-trust-the-public/) [Archibald Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archibald-cox/) > [My dreams were always small and puny. All I ever needed was a little house with a little picket fence by the sea. Little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imelda-marcos/my-dreams-were-always-small-and-puny-all-i-ever-needed-was-a-little/) [Imelda Marcos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imelda-marcos/) > [The average ordinary citizen can do a lot of different things when it comes to the climate crisis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-bender/the-average-ordinary-citizen-can-do-a-lot-of-different-things-when-it/) [Lawrence Bender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-bender/) > [I think most of us are raised with preconceived notions of the choices we're supposed to make. We waste so much time making decisions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-bullock/i-think-most-of-us-are-raised-with-preconceived-notions-of-the/) [Sandra Bullock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-bullock/) > [Without the ability to talk about government power, there's no way for citizens to make sure this power isn't being misused.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-swartz/without-the-ability-to-talk-about-government-power-there-s-no-way-for/) [Aaron Swartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-swartz/) > [Consequently, citizen legislators, rotating back to their communities after a short period of public service—considered an indispensable and routine characteristic and design of representative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/consequently-citizen-legislators-rotating-back-to-their-communities/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [What I will stand up for is what I think is right and for the best interests of the citizens of the state of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-judge/what-i-will-stand-up-for-is-what-i-think-is-right-and-for-the-best/) [Patty Judge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-judge/) Browse all 4,189 Citizens quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Contemporary research shows that happy people are more altruistic, more productive, more helpful, more likable, more creative, more resilient, more interested in others, friendlier, and healthier. 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