In our fast-moving world, we rarely get the chance to stop and think about the forces that drive our happiness and our sense of purpose. Sure, we can find books, podcasts, and blog posts detailing a zillion things that can immediately get our serotonin flowing, yet it may still remain a mystery. But the truth is, our lives are full of wonderful moments — we just sometimes need to be reminded of them.
Thankfully, Redditor MyForever_NameNow thought we could all use a little joy when they reached out to ‘Ask Reddit’ with a wholesome question: “What’s the happiest you’ve ever felt?” The thread immediately became a hit as people typed out a host of funny, uplifting, and heartwarming stories to brighten each other’s day.
Below, you’ll find some of the best responses that prove everyone has a different idea of what it means to be happy, and that’s completely fine! Get ready for a wave of positivity as you continue reading through these stories, and scroll down to find our in-depth interview about the role of happiness with psychologist Joshua Klapow, Ph.D. Then hit upvote on your favorite entries and share this post with anyone who might need a bit of a boost!
#1
I had recently come out of the closet to my grandmother. At the time she said she still loved me, but she wouldn’t want to meet a boyfriend. OK.
She called me a few days later, crying. She told me she had been wrong, she would be happy to meet anyone who loved me, and hoped I would feel welcome to bring them to her. The joy I felt was…indescribable.
Image credits: hestermoffet
#2
Oh gosh
Most recently,
Trying to keep up with my dog and boyfriend as they ran along the beach chasing the dolphins that were in the water. I was laughing so hard I couldn’t breathe. It was a sunny March day so nobody up and down for miles, just us. The bright blue sky and glimmer coming off the ocean – the salty mist while the waves crashed and the cold ocean at our feet.
God I haven’t ever felt so alive in my whole life. It was one of those moments where I wished I could have it burned into my memory. Like I could tuck it away and live in it forever.
That was a good day.
Image credits: anon
#3
1st: when I found out I wasn’t going to be homeless
2nd: when I sold a copy of my novel to someone that wasn’t family or friends 👍
#4
I feel it every time I’m alone on the open road with a good playlist and no watch or need to know what time it is. When the windows are down and the weather is nice and I’m on my way to explore a new town. That is when I feel the happiest.
#5
The day my daughter was born. 5 years trying and 5 cycles of IVF. Worth every tear.
Image credits: Gozomo-Uzbek
#6
When my family got the word that my grandma was going to beat her cancer
#7
The first time I kissed the girl that is now my wife.
Image credits: jamie831416
#8
This might be weird but I keep thinking back to this and how I will never have this experience again:
I was 13, nerdy, loved to draw, grew up rural. My Grandma lived close to a big city. Went to visit her in the Summer and then went to an Japanese culture fest in said city. I was overwhelmed by the experience. Bought two super sweet Neon Genesis Evangelion artbooks.
When I went back to Grandma’s place by train, I missed the stop and got off one stop later. It was quite late already, but a warm summer night. Next train back would come in 2hrs.
These two hours, alone during a summer night with two artbooks at a tiny, rural train stop surrounded by trees and absolutely nobody else around were pure bliss. A weird feeling of peaceful, ‘liminal’ joy that I can’t properly explain.
Different happiness than love, etc.
I haven’t really told this story to many people because I know nobody would truly understand the feeling, and that would kinda ruin my memory.
Image credits: SkyPirateVyse
#9
now
5 years sober
Image credits: Feels2old
#10
Once I was driving from Philly to Las Vegas. On one leg of the trip, I got a bit of a late start and I really wanted McDonalds breakfast (this was before they served it all day).
My clock said 10:22, and I was about 15 miles from the next exit, so I knew I would never make it. Then I crossed over a time zone and my clock changed.
Image credits: lump77777
#11
I remember being in 8th grade watching a movie at my girlfriends house and we were giggling and commentating on the movie the whole time and just remember thinking I would marry her someday. I’m now 29 and we still giggle and commentate on every movie just like we did when we were kids, but that “young love” feeling is a very happy feeling for the first time, I’m just so lucky to still have those feelings 15+ years later
Image credits: Lets_Huff_Paint
#12
When a friend invited me as an accompanying person to her friend’s New Year’s Eve party. All the people there treated me like an ordinary person, not a hideous worm.
in junior high school, I was one of the most disliked people at school, I was persecuted by students and the teacher. These experiences caused me a kind of fear of other people and the conviction that I am the worst abomination. But at this party I was treated like an ordinary person, it was the nicest thing I experienced.
Really, nothing nicer happened to me.
#13
Grew up kind of poor, didn’t go on my first vacation until I met the woman who’d become my wife. We went to Tennessee and got a cabin with a hot tub and some good muscadine wine. It was night time, gently thundering and raining, little bit of a mist coming in to the high rise porch we were on where the hot tub was, just relaxing, buzzing. To me it felt like the perfect setting, perfect feeling.
Tied with that, she’s the first person I saw the ocean with. Took over 6 hours to drive there, we unpacked, walked out to the ocean about knee deep, holding hands. The sound of the waves and the seagulls. The look of happiness on her face as she stared out.
Image credits: IROBotNeverDies
#14
Camping. waking up early to gather kindling and firewood to start a fire, getting some water to boil for coffee. getting ready for a hike or stroll through the woods and just being able to breathe and hear the sounds of nature. It’s my happy place.
Image credits: Trogdor6291990
#15
When I finished the final training exercise in Marine boot camp (The Crucible). Proudest moment of my life because I never would’ve thought in a million years I would’ve made it through.
I now know how dumb that was to think, but still. The sense or pride I had in myself that day is unmatched to this day.
Image credits: AHeadlessHat
#16
When I asked my crush out on a date and she said yes. It was the second time I asked someone out, but my first yes. I was so incredibly happy and relieved that I couldn’t stop shaking (I have tremors), I had to take an extra dose of my meds to calm down a bit. I was on Cloud9 for about a day until she texted me saying she was busy etc etc, so essentially a rejection. The date never happened, but for 24hrs I had the greatest euphoria I’ve ever felt and wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.
Image credits: SadAnxiety5491
#17
I was working at a call centre and living in a basement.
I literally have no idea why I was so happy.
It lasted for like a month. Strange times.
#18
Me and my crush were hanging out one time, and all I could say was. “I like you… a lot.” And she just smiled and said “Me too.” Has to be the happiest day of my life so far.
Image credits: Mrcoolguy900
#19
When we bought our house. I thought I’d always live in apartments. It meant so much to me to have a final last place to live.
Image credits: prettysouthernchick
#20
That first week when I first separated from the military.
I felt so free and happy it was unreal. I’m very happy these days, but I don’t think I can reach that peak happiness again.
Image credits: pineappledaddy
#21
When I turned around to see my fiancée in her wedding dress at the end of the aisle. Makes me happy every time I think of it
#22
I was with my ex in northern Thailand. We rented an old stick shift land cruiser. I was driving and my ex fell asleep. I had the music on and was driving through miles and miles of mountain roads and rice fields. No one on sight just us. It still is one of my most treasured memories.
#23
Sitting on a roof with my best friend, smoking a joint and listening to some music. Can’t explain why exactly, but it was magical
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Image credits: mentalityman
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