Happiness, it turns out, is not about avoiding pain but learning to coexist with it. Buddhist philosophy likens joy to a calm lake—serene even when ripples appear. Similarly, psychologist Martin Seligman’s PERMA model (Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishments) suggests that sustainable happiness comes from living a life of purpose, not just pleasure.

Here’s a surprising finding: volunteering or helping others can significantly boost your happiness. A 2019 study published in Nature Human Behaviour found that people who spent money on others reported greater happiness than those who spent it on themselves. This is why buying your friend coffee feels better than buying yet another latte for yourself.