VitorMSAlmeida.pt

After my last thought and having talked with a colleague who seeks “contemplative” happiness (tranquility and inner peace), I tried to gather information on the different types of happiness that can exist and where I fit in.
There are several ways to understand and classify happiness. Here are the main “versions” most used in philosophy and psychology:

1. Hedonic Happiness (Pleasure) This is the simplest and most immediate happiness:
Feeling pleasure and avoiding pain. Includes:
– Sensory pleasures (delicious food, sex, comfort)
– Momentary positive emotions (joy, excitement, fun)
This is the type of happiness that most people seek in their daily lives, but it tends to be fleeting (the famous “hedonistic adaptation effect”).

2. Eudaimonic Happiness (Fulfillment / Flourishing)
This comes from Greek philosophy (mainly Aristotle).
It’s not about “feeling good,” but about living well—developing potential, living according to virtues, and having a sense of purpose.
It’s the happiness that comes from:
– Growing as a person
– Accomplishing something meaningful
– Living authentically

3. PERMA Model (Martin Seligman)
One of the most widely used classifications in positive psychology today.
Sustainable happiness would have five pillars:
– Positive Emotion. Positive emotions: Joy, gratitude, hope
– Engagement. Flow – being fully absorbed: Work, hobby, sport
– Relationships. Positive relationships: Friendship, love, connection
– Meaning. Sense and purpose: Feeling that life has meaning
– Accomplishment. Achievement and accomplishment: Goals, skills, status

4. Other important versions
> Cognitive happiness (life satisfaction) This is when you evaluate your life as a whole and conclude: “I am satisfied with the life I have.” It is more rational and stable.
> Momentary happiness vs. Lasting happiness
Momentary = the peak of pleasure.
Lasting = the “baseline level” of well-being that you carry most of the time.
> Social/cultural happiness
In more collectivist cultures (many countries in Latin America and Asia), happiness is usually more linked to relationships and group harmony.
In individualistic cultures, personal fulfillment and freedom weigh more heavily.
> “Tranquil” happiness (serenity)
More common in Eastern traditions (Buddhism, Stoicism). It is not euphoria, but inner peace, acceptance, and equanimity.

Quick summary
– Hedonic. Pleasure and positive emotion: Short-lived
– Eudaimonic. Meaning and growth: More lasting
– Life satisfaction. Rational assessment of life: Stable
– PERMA. Balanced combination: Sustainable
– Serenity. Peace and acceptance: Profound

Most current research shows that the most stable and profound happiness is usually a combination: a little pleasure + a lot of meaning + good relationships + a sense of progress.