Many words have the same meaning and can be used in the same sense, like sadness and depression, anger and rage, etc. But does that mean these words express the same emotion? There are key differences between words like these. Although many people use sad and depressed in the same sense, it is generally discouraged because it minimizes the effects of the validity and seriousness of the condition ‘Depression’. But is it the same for words like joy and happiness? Although movies like ‘Inside Out’ show that joy is responsible for happiness, is it true? What is Joy?Joy is a deep, enduring emotion that arises from a sense of meaning, purpose, and connection. It's a feeling of contentment and fulfilment that often stems from internal factors like personal values, beliefs, and relationships. Joy can be experienced even in the midst of challenges and adversity. You can acknowledge joy even during hard times in your life as it is a complex emotion. What is Happiness?Happiness is a more fleeting emotion that is often triggered by external factors, such as positive experiences, achievements, or pleasurable sensations. It's a temporary state of well-being that can vary in intensity and duration. It is a spontaneous emotion you feel because of one situation or the other like seeing a puppy brings you a lot of happiness. What is the big difference?The key difference between the two is that they are different experiences. Experts say that happiness is sometimes here and sometimes not. Like the example given above, when you see a puppy you feel really happy and fulfilled until it leaves, while joy is sustained. You would say, ‘This brings me a profound sense of joy!’ in situations like you get to keep a puppy and take care of it! According to researchers' joy comes with a sense of fulfilment from a sustained and external relationship like raising a child or creating long-lasting friendships. Another way to explain this is that happiness happens when something unintentional happens that surprises you and makes you happy. That is why there are many people who always say you should do spontaneous things in life because you never know what may bring you happiness in your life! While joy is more of a developed emotion that is cultivated through self-aware practices. Basically knowing what makes you feel at peace and gives you a sense of duty while making you feel ‘happy’, is joy! People use these things as a coping mechanism as well, they will intentionally do things that they know will help them feel better and bring them ‘joy’ like volunteering with animals or spending time reading a book they love. Can You Feel These Emotions Together?Experts say that it is possible to feel these two emotions together in different scenarios. Not only can you feel joy and happiness together, but you can also feel sadness with joy. The thing you may need to practice is, not feeling overwhelmed with these emotions and developing the skill of identifying multiple emotions at one time. There are many people who are active caregivers to their loved ones. While they may feel joy at the fact that they are being useful and taking care of their loved one, they can also feel sad about their condition and stressed about their situation. While no emotion is permanent in life, you can work towards things that make you happy and bring you joy always!