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Happiness Quote by Virginia Woolf

“Very gently and quietly, almost as if it were the blood singing in her veins, or the water of the stream running over stones, she became conscious of a new feeling within her. She wondered for a moment what it was, and then said to herself, with a little surprise at recognising in her own person…” quote by Virginia Woolf
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““Very gently and quietly, almost as if it were the blood singing in her veins, or the water of the stream running over stones, she became conscious of a new feeling within her. She wondered for a moment what it was, and then said to herself, with a little surprise at recognising in her own person so famous a thing: is happiness.””

Virginia Woolf

About This Quote

Source Novel: Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf, 1925

A character becomes aware of an unfamiliar, profound sensation and identifies it as happiness, highlighting the subtle, internal discovery of joy.

In simple terms: She notices a new feeling and realizes it is happiness.

Key Takeaway

Pay attention to subtle inner signals of joy.

Themes

self‑discovery emotion identity literature

Mood

contemplative introspective

Type

literary philosophical

When to use this quote

  • personal reflection
  • creative writing
  • therapy
  • mindfulness

Key Concepts

consciousness subjective experience psychology

Questions to Reflect On

  • What subtle feelings might you be overlooking?
  • How can you name an unexpected emotion?
A Different Perspective

Happiness can be fleeting and hard to define, making it difficult to capture fully.

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