Can Happiness Be Measured?

After more than a decade of working with thousands of clients in one-to-one sessions, there’s one theme I’ve heard over and over again:

“I just want to feel happier.”

It sounds so simple. And yet, when I gently ask,

“What will let you know that you're feeling happier, more of the time?”

…there’s often a pause. Silence. A furrowed brow. And then something like,

“I’m not sure.”

And it’s not because people don’t want happiness—they absolutely do.

It’s because we’ve been so conditioned to focus on what we don’t want.

• I don’t want to feel anxious
• I'm done with overthinking and constantly being in my head
• I don't want to keep waking up with this feeling of dread in my stomach
• I don't want to stay in this job for the next 5 years
• I have no energy to do any of the things I used to enjoy
• I don’t want to work all the hours under the sun
• I'm tired of feeling guilty about when I try to prioritise my own needs

We become experts at listing what we want to avoid.

However, when I ask someone to imagine waking up tomorrow, and it's like a miracle has occurred overnight and you're waking up feeling happy, what will let you know?  What's the first thing that will let you know you're happy? What will you see, hear or be aware of that lets you know you're in this state of being?

That’s where things get interesting!

When people begin to describe that new reality, they’ll often default back to the familiar:

“But the problem is…”
“But I just can’t imagine it.”
“But what if it doesn’t last?”

And when I gently bring them back to their vision of their 'happy self', they’ll often laugh and say, “It's so hard not to think negatively!"

And they’re right. Because for most of us, our minds have been so well trained to focus on what’s wrong, what’s missing, what hasn’t been solved yet.

When delivering employee wellbeing webinars on the topic of happiness, I share;

If you’ve been asking yourself whether happiness can be measured… the answer is yes. But not in the way you’ve been taught.

So… Can Happiness Be Measured?

Yes. But not with data points. Not with metrics.

Some organisations look to measure happiness in their employee engagement surveys, but the truth is;
Happiness is a feeling. And feelings don’t live in spreadsheets.

You either feel happy in the moment, or you don’t.

We tend to associate happiness with big moments like holidays, weddings, special occasions. But my view is that happiness is a series of moments in time. 

And from the angle of consciousness, it's having the self-awareness to recognise when you’re in alignment with that feeling, and when something, such as a thought, belief or perception, is blocking you from accessing the feeling.

Happiness is like the sun, it's always there for you, but thoughts are like clouds, which prevent you from experiencing the feel of the sunshine.

The Difference Between Self Awareness and Consciousness is a FABULOUS read that dives deeper into how your current level of consciousness is impacting your moment-to-moment experience - including your happiness!

The fact is, happiness isn't something you create. Happiness is something you return to.

Happiness is innate within you.

Just like peace. Calm. Joy. Contentment.

These states of being are always there because that's the truth of who you are - your natural state. 

The Teddy Bear Effect

Let me give you a simple example I often share when delivering wellbeing webinars.

Imagine a small child with their favourite teddy bear (or recall your favourite teddy bear you had as a child!).

A child hugs the bear and instantly feels safe. Calm. Reassured. Happy.
They believe—wholeheartedly—that the bear is causing those feelings.
That, without the bear, those feelings don't exist.

Fast forward to use as adults, and you can see that the feeling isn't coming from the teddy bear (either you can or I've just created a teddy bear trauma!).

The feeling isn't coming from the stuffing, the stitching or the fluff.
The feelings are coming from the child. The teddy bear just serves as a symbol, a trigger, a reminder of safety, because the brain is an association machine.

Now here’s where things get even more thought-provoking...

We’ve just swapped teddy bears for more “grown-up” versions—

The job.
The house.
The partner.
The money.
The car.
The body.
The holidays.

We believe those things are the source of our happiness.

But the truth is, they’re not - They’re teddy bears in disguise.

The real source of happiness is always within you.

The Trap of “I’ll Be Happy When…”

We live in a world that feeds the illusion that happiness lives in the future.
That you’ll feel happy once you’ve…

Got the promotion
Bought the house
Lost the weight
Met your soulmate
Published your book
Earned six figures
“Made it”

And sure, those things feel great - but they aren't the source of the happiness. You simply allowed yourself to generate feelings of happiness and associated them with these external events.

And that's why we fall into the 'I'll be happy when trap'.

Many people report reaching their goals, experiencing an initial hit, which is dopamine, and then shortly after, find themselves sliding back into their habitual thoughts and feelings.  The brain decides, maybe this wasn't the thing that will make me happy, maybe it's the next job, relationship, house, holiday - you get the picture.

It’s a treadmill disguised as a path.

And don’t get me wrong—there’s nothing wrong with wanting more.
But when happiness is contingent on the next thing, it becomes endlessly out of reach.

What If Happiness Is Already Here?

Several years ago, I spent a month in Bali.
I remember thinking, “I’ve never met so many genuinely happy people in my life.”

At first, I wondered if they were just being polite. But over time, I saw it wasn’t a performance—it was a presence.

They had very little in material terms. And yet their smiles were wide. Their spirits were grounded. Their joy was real.

It made me realise how deeply we’ve been conditioned to believe we need more to be happy.

More status. More stuff. More certainty.

Maybe, the real question isn’t “What will make me happy?”
…but rather: “What’s taking me away from the happiness that’s already here?”

5 Powerful Ways to Tap Into Your Innate Happiness

Through my work with thousands of clients, I’ve seen the same truth again and again:

Happiness isn’t something you need to find. It’s something you need to come home to.

Here are five ways to start returning to it.

1. Reframe Where Happiness Comes From

The teddy bear analogy is a perfect reminder that feelings come from within you—not from the object itself.

Try this simple practice:

• Bring to mind someone or something you love deeply or simply appreciate.
• Place your hand on your heart.
• Take your focus of attention down into your heart and breathe in and out for the count of 5 - this creates brain and heart coherence
• Smile as you feel into that image.
• Let yourself linger in that feeling as you experience your heart opening.

Your body responds by producing oxytocin—the love hormone. And with that comes a natural sense of warmth, connection, and (you guessed it)… happiness.

This isn’t wishful thinking. It’s neurochemistry.
And it’s always available to you.

2. Practise Gratitude (Genuinely)

Gratitude is one of the quickest paths back to happiness—not because it’s a trend, but because it works.

Dr. Robert Emmons, a leading researcher on gratitude, found that people who regularly practice gratitude experience higher levels of optimism, energy, and emotional wellbeing.

Start small.

When you wake up, list three things you’re grateful for.

• The warmth of your bed.
• The softness of your pillow.
• The sunlight coming through the window (unless you live in Scotland like me and you might have to imagine it!)

It’s not about grand gestures—it’s about presence and consistency.  Where you place your focus of attention is where your energy flows.

3. Understand Where Your Experience Comes From

Much like the teddy bear effect, we often think our emotions are coming from outside events:

“That email stressed me out.”
“That comment ruined my day.”
“That situation made me feel anxious.”

But the truth is, your thoughts create your feelings. Always.

That doesn’t mean your emotions aren’t valid—it means they’re internally generated, not externally imposed.

Your brain is constantly filtering and interpreting the world.
Once you start to see this, everything changes.

You realise that you’re not at the mercy of life—you’re in conversation with it.

4. Change the Story You’re Telling

Do you spend more time talking about what’s not working than what is?

We all do it—retelling the stressful story, venting, spiralling into “what ifs.”
But every time you repeat that narrative, your body responds. Your chemistry shifts.

Words matter. Attention matters. These are great journaling points;

“What do you want instead?”
“What would that feel like?”
“What becomes possible from that place?”

These questions act like keys—unlocking a new experience from the inside out.

5. Reconnect with the Natural World

Nature isn’t just good for the soul—it’s vital for your nervous system.

Even 10 minutes of fresh air can re-regulate your energy.
Sunlight boosts serotonin. Movement activates endorphins.
And being in a natural setting gives your mind a break from the constant scroll.

Put your phone down. Step outside.
Listen to the birds. Feel the air. Watch the trees. Let your system settle.

This is presence. This is connection. This is happiness—without needing anything to change.

So... How Do You Measure Happiness?

Not by your job title. Not by your bank account. Not by someone else’s standards.

You measure happiness by how you feel—when the noise quiets and your true self emerges.

💼 When Your People Aren’t Happy, Everything Suffers

If your team is feeling flat…
If employee engagement is low…
If burnout is quietly spreading behind the scenes…

We can help.

Our Employee Wellbeing & Resilience Webinars go beyond surface-level strategies—
We guide your people back to presence, clarity, and emotional wellbeing.

Because when people reconnect with their true sense of happiness, everything shifts—from performance to culture.

👉 Click here to enquire about booking an employee wellbeing webinar for your organisation