--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Just try to be happy. Unhappiness starts…" description: "\"Just try to be happy. Unhappiness starts with wanting to be happier.\" — Sam Levenson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b6/sam-levenson-10469_happiness_just-try-to-be-happy-unhappiness-starts_1104898.png" --- # Just try to be happy. Unhappiness starts with wanting to… ![“Just try to be happy. Unhappiness starts with wanting to be happier.” quote by Sam Levenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b6/sam-levenson-10469_happiness_just-try-to-be-happy-unhappiness-starts_1104898.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b6/sam-levenson-10469_happiness_just-try-to-be-happy-unhappiness-starts_1104898.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b6/sam-levenson-10469_happiness_just-try-to-be-happy-unhappiness-starts_1104898.png) > “Just try to be happy. Unhappiness starts with wanting to be happier.” [Sam Levenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-levenson/) ## 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 undermined by the desire for more happiness, creating a paradox. **In simple terms:** Wanting happiness can cause unhappiness. Key Takeaway Accept contentment without chasing it. Themes contentment selfacceptance paradox Mood calm thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - daily life - mental health - goal setting Key Concepts psychology mindfulness Questions to Reflect On - What does happiness mean to you? - How can you appreciate present moments? A Different Perspective Seeking happiness may lead to perpetual dissatisfaction. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Happy Unhappiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happy-unhappiness-1967008/) [Sadness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sadness/) [Try Happy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/try-happy/) [Unhappiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unhappiness/) [Unhappiness Starts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unhappiness-starts-2915397/) [Wanting Happier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanting-happier-2915398/) ## Related quotes > [“Have you sunk into so deep a stupor that you are happy only in your unhappiness? - Anywhere, Out of this World ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-baudelaire/have-you-sunk-into-so-deep-a-stupor-that-you-are-happy-only-in-your/) [Charles Baudelaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-baudelaire/) > [For many of us we are always wanting more - we would be happier if we had such and such. Maybe we should pause…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-van-buren/for-many-of-us-we-are-always-wanting-more-we-would-be-happier-if-we/) [Abigail Van Buren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-van-buren/) > [“happiness is a different thing altogether. If you try to achieve it, you have every chance of failing. And besides, how would you ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-ois-lelord/happiness-is-a-different-thing-altogether-if-you-try-to-achieve-it/) [François Lelord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-ois-lelord/) > [“Your problem is that you don’t know how to be happy with unhappiness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-breznican/your-problem-is-that-you-don-t-know-how-to-be-happy-with-unhappiness/) [Anthony Breznican](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-breznican/) > [“He was not happy, but he was as happy here in his unhappiness, he accepted, as he was ever going to be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/he-was-not-happy-but-he-was-as-happy-here-in-his-unhappiness-he/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [For once in my life, I don't have to try to be happy because when I'm with you, it just happens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/obviously-me-p/for-once-in-my-life-i-don-t-have-to-try-to-be-happy-because-when-i-m/) [Obviously Me :p](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/obviously-me-p/) > [Happiness keeps you sweet so try n be as happy from within as possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aroha-janet/happiness-keeps-you-sweet-so-try-n-be-as-happy-from-within-as-possible/) [Aroha Janet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aroha-janet/) > [Try to be happy within the context of the life we are actually living. Happiness is not a situation to be longed for or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-coyne/try-to-be-happy-within-the-context-of-the-life-we-are-actually-living/) [Wayne Coyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-coyne/) > [Try to always be happy life's to short](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grube/try-to-always-be-happy-life-s-to-short/) [Grube](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grube/) > [My goal is to try to be as happy as I can - going through every day just as it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-center/my-goal-is-to-try-to-be-as-happy-as-i-can-going-through-every-day/) [Katherine Center](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-center/) > [I like to smile a lot and I always try to be happy, joking around and stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willian/i-like-to-smile-a-lot-and-i-always-try-to-be-happy-joking-around-and/) [Willian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willian/) > [To try to be happy is to try to build a machine with no other specification than that it shall run noiselessly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-robert-oppenheimer/to-try-to-be-happy-is-to-try-to-build-a-machine-with-no-other/) [J. Robert Oppenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-robert-oppenheimer/) > [So, you're telling me that no matter what, you can't be happy? Well, darling, it's no wonder you're miserable. It's what you want...So then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-scott/so-you-re-telling-me-that-no-matter-what-you-can-t-be-happy-well/) [Elizabeth Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-scott/) > [I just try to be happy playing my football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-sanchez/i-just-try-to-be-happy-playing-my-football/) [Alexis Sanchez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-sanchez/) > [“If there are no stars on the sky, you must try to be happy with the shining streetlights!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/if-there-are-no-stars-on-the-sky-you-must-try-to-be-happy-with-the/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) ## More by Sam Levenson > [The Puritans came to America to worship in their way and to force everybody else to do the same thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-levenson/the-puritans-came-to-america-to-worship-in-their-way-and-to-force/) [Sam Levenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-levenson/) > [If you want to kill time, try working it to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-levenson/if-you-want-to-kill-time-try-working-it-to-death/) [Sam Levenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-levenson/) > [You must learn from the mistakes of others. You can't possibly live long enough to make them all yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-levenson/you-must-learn-from-the-mistakes-of-others-you-can-t-possibly-live/) [Sam Levenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-levenson/) > [It's so simple to be wise. Just think of something stupid to say and say the opposite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-levenson/it-s-so-simple-to-be-wise-just-think-of-something-stupid-to-say-and/) [Sam Levenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-levenson/) > [How wise are thy commandments, Lord. Each of them applies to somebody I know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-levenson/how-wise-are-thy-commandments-lord-each-of-them-applies-to-somebody-i/) [Sam Levenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-levenson/) > [You don't have to be in "Who's Who" to know what's what.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-levenson/you-don-t-have-to-be-in-who-s-who-to-know-what-s-what/) [Sam Levenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-levenson/) > [I'm going to stop putting things off, starting tomorrow!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-levenson/i-m-going-to-stop-putting-things-off-starting-tomorrow/) [Sam Levenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-levenson/) > [A woman's place is in the home. Why should she go out and take away a workingman's pay instead of staying home and stealing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-levenson/a-woman-s-place-is-in-the-home-why-should-she-go-out-and-take-away-a/) [Sam Levenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-levenson/) > [Any kid who has two parents who are interested in him and has a houseful of books isn't poor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-levenson/any-kid-who-has-two-parents-who-are-interested-in-him-and-has-a/) [Sam Levenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-levenson/) > [“For attractive lips, speak words of kindness. For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people. For a slim figure, share your food with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-levenson/for-attractive-lips-speak-words-of-kindness-for-lovely-eyes-seek-out/) [Sam Levenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-levenson/) > [At the U.N., any nation that fights back is censored as an "aggressor."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-levenson/at-the-u-n-any-nation-that-fights-back-is-censored-as-an-aggressor/) [Sam Levenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-levenson/) > [The American success formula is first to get a home of your own, then to get a car of your own so you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-levenson/the-american-success-formula-is-first-to-get-a-home-of-your-own-then/) [Sam Levenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-levenson/) > [Never lend money to a friend. It's dangerous. It could damage his memory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-levenson/never-lend-money-to-a-friend-it-s-dangerous-it-could-damage-his-memory/) [Sam Levenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-levenson/) > [How wise are Thy commandments O Lord. Each one of them applies to somebody or other I know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-levenson/how-wise-are-thy-commandments-o-lord-each-one-of-them-applies-to/) [Sam Levenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-levenson/) > [Siblings: children of the same parents, each of whom is perfectly normal until they get together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-levenson/siblings-children-of-the-same-parents-each-of-whom-is-perfectly/) [Sam Levenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-levenson/) [Explore all 65 Sam Levenson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-levenson/) ## 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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pancho-barnes/) [Browse all 40,288 Happiness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Just try to be happy. 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