Joy, in contrast, is a pleasurable feeling. It is an emotion. It is in the moment, while happiness is more of a net effect, over time, of mental health and fitness and personal flourishing. Joy is a building block of happiness. A happy life is made up of many moments of joy. While happiness doesn’t mean every moment is pure joy, there is no such thing as a joyless path to happiness. The ability to access joy on demand enabled me to build a happy life. In this sense, joy leads to happiness.
