--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Happiness is hard because it's very…" description: "\"Happiness is hard because it's very subjective. I know the people that seem happiest to me, but whether they are actually - what they're really like in..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/863/gretchen-rubin-867_happiness_happiness-is-hard-because-it-s-very-subj_641050.png" --- # Happiness is hard because it's very subjective. I know the… ![“Happiness is hard because it's very subjective. I know the people that seem happiest to me, but whether they are actually - what they're really like inside is really hard to say.” quote by Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/863/gretchen-rubin-867_happiness_happiness-is-hard-because-it-s-very-subj_641050.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/863/gretchen-rubin-867_happiness_happiness-is-hard-because-it-s-very-subj_641050.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/863/gretchen-rubin-867_happiness_happiness-is-hard-because-it-s-very-subj_641050.png) > “Happiness is hard because it's very subjective. I know the people that seem happiest to me, but whether they are actually - what they're really like inside is really hard to say.” [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. Happiness is subjective and hard to gauge, making it difficult to assess others' true inner states. **In simple terms:** Happiness varies per person; hard to judge. Key Takeaway Seek personal fulfillment, avoid assumptions. Themes subjectivity well‑being self‑awareness Mood introspective empathetic Type self‑help philosophical When to use this quote - personal goals - mental health - social comparison Key Concepts psychology philosophy Questions to Reflect On - How do you define your own happiness? - What signs indicate genuine contentment? A Different Perspective Assuming happiness can lead to misinterpretation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Subjective](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/subjective/) ## Related quotes > [I think people at most record labels really like music, but it's hard because everything is so subjective, and everyone's so creative in their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nellie-mckay/i-think-people-at-most-record-labels-really-like-music-but-it-s-hard/) [Nellie McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nellie-mckay/) > [You don't know you've got a hit when you write it - because music is all subjective, you know?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-kerr/you-don-t-know-you-ve-got-a-hit-when-you-write-it-because-music-is/) [Jim Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-kerr/) > [Comedy's really subjective, you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-pilkington/comedy-s-really-subjective-you-know/) [Karl Pilkington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-pilkington/) > [People are at their happiest if they are true to themselves. I think that applies to their chosen profession, friends and relationships. It goes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bebe-neuwirth/people-are-at-their-happiest-if-they-are-true-to-themselves-i-think/) [Bebe Neuwirth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bebe-neuwirth/) > [I often think that those people are the happiest who know nothing at all of the world, and sitting in the little empire of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-montagu/i-often-think-that-those-people-are-the-happiest-who-know-nothing-at/) [Elizabeth Montagu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-montagu/) > [People are happiest when they are giving, they are saddest when they are just taking. And that is the core message of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-rudd/people-are-happiest-when-they-are-giving-they-are-saddest-when-they/) [Kevin Rudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-rudd/) > [“I've learned that the most depressed people always seem to be the happiest”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-ve-learned-that-the-most-depressed-people-always-seem-to-be-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I met many kind of people in my life,but the richest people is not the happiest people and the happiest people is the poorest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariane-corbito/i-met-many-kind-of-people-in-my-life-but-the-richest-people-is-not/) [Mariane Corbito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariane-corbito/) > [Miserable people are some of the happiest, most content people I know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/miserable-people-are-some-of-the-happiest-most-content-people-i-know/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I've learned that sometimes the people who seem the happiest, are the saddest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-summers/i-ve-learned-that-sometimes-the-people-who-seem-the-happiest-are-the/) Dustin Summers > [People are happiest when they're trying to achieve goals that are difficult but not out of reach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-gilbert/people-are-happiest-when-they-re-trying-to-achieve-goals-that-are/) [Daniel Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-gilbert/) > [The most oblivious people are often the happiest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-meyer/the-most-oblivious-people-are-often-the-happiest/) [George Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-meyer/) > [We are not here to enjoy the things on earth, but to pass them around. The people who do it are the happiest people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/we-are-not-here-to-enjoy-the-things-on-earth-but-to-pass-them-around/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [“In New Orleans I have noticed that people are happiest when they are going to funerals, making money, taking care of the dead, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walker-percy/in-new-orleans-i-have-noticed-that-people-are-happiest-when-they-are/) [Walker Percy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walker-percy/) > [Stop saying that humorous and funny people are the happiest people you've ever seen. There something behind that huge smile, loud cackle, and large…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernajoy-vaal/stop-saying-that-humorous-and-funny-people-are-the-happiest-people/) [Bernajoy Vaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernajoy-vaal/) ## 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 Happiness quotes > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Remember that your natural state is joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/remember-that-your-natural-state-is-joy/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [Balance suggests a perfect equilibrium. There is no such thing. That is a false expectation… There are going to be priorities and dimensions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-morrison/balance-suggests-a-perfect-equilibrium-there-is-no-such-thing-that-is/) [Denise Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-morrison/) > [“WE CAN'T ALWAYS CONTROL OUR CIRCUMSTANCES BUT WE CAN CONTROL OUR ATTITUDE. WE MUST BE MORE CONCERNED WITH WHAT WE DO WITH WHAT HAPPENS…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-j-ashton/we-can-t-always-control-our-circumstances-but-we-can-control-our/) [MARVIN J. ASHTON](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-j-ashton/) > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [Sometimes we wish for the feel but we never understand that we have to give a lot to get the feel !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reynolds/sometimes-we-wish-for-the-feel-but-we-never-understand-that-we-have/) [Robert Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reynolds/) > [Sing like no one's listening, love like you've never been hurt, dance like nobody's watching, and live like its heaven on earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/sing-like-no-one-s-listening-love-like-you-ve-never-been-hurt-dance/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“It was beautiful. He thought he had never seen anything so beautiful in all his life; that, having seen it, he could die content,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/it-was-beautiful-he-thought-he-had-never-seen-anything-so-beautiful/) [Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/) > [The happy have whole days,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colley-cibber/the-happy-have-whole-days/) [Colley Cibber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colley-cibber/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [I've got nothing to do today but smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-ve-got-nothing-to-do-today-but-smile/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Her dignity consists in being unknown to the world; her glory is in the esteem of her husband; her pleasures in the happiness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/her-dignity-consists-in-being-unknown-to-the-world-her-glory-is-in/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [The size of a man's understanding might always be justly measured by his mirth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-size-of-a-man-s-understanding-might-always-be-justly-measured-by/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Positive thinking evokes more energy, more initiative, more happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/positive-thinking-evokes-more-energy-more-initiative-more-happiness/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) Pancho Barnes [Browse all 40,288 Happiness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Happiness is hard because it's very subjective. 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