The Happiness Strategy

Learn to be happy and you will find reasons to celebrate.

Approach a mountain with joy and you will climb over it.

You will break down every wall, you will melt every stone heart.

Happiness is not an outcome; it is a strategy for life.

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The Happiness Dynamic

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By Tzvi Freeman

From the wisdom of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, of righteous memory; words and condensation by Rabbi Tzvi Freeman. Subscribe and get your dose daily. To order Rabbi Freeman’s latest book, Wisdom to Heal the Earth, click here.

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12 Comments

Feigue Cieplinski Middletown March 16, 2025

Happiness is possible if one happened to be contented with the lot that H' provided us. Yes, it is not always good but that is the issue: we don't have control over many things that happen. That is the advice to hold: saying to oneself:of this I don't have control since it is not in my hands and I can't fix it. I must let this go. By making our load easier this way we are left with the issue that we do have control, and if there is need to fix by all means do that. Happiness is contentment, it can't be in a high level all the time. Reply

S March 13, 2024

Recently i was adviced to say mizmor letodah 8 times a day and can say I am quite amazed by the effect that gratitude apparantly has on happiness (among other very positive effects this psalm has on me) Reply

Leeza Joachim March 12, 2024

Just saying be happy doesn't help anyone. How do I be happy if it's not inside. Give me something practical. Reply

Jeremy M Tsfat March 13, 2024

in response to Leeza Joachim:

For me physical motion tends to work to get in touch with joy.. A walk, jumping up and down a few times...a rabbi here in Tsfat said waving your arms around a few times(like a conductor who wants the choir loud or the tai chi "windmill exercise") will do it. Reply

Mariab USA March 8, 2022

Thanks. Reply

Brenda Ontario, Canada February 28, 2019

Happiness Global Strategy In this globally connected world a happiness strategy must be all inclusive. We can't focus on self-happiness when we are all connected in one system. Happiness can't be bought on the ruin or harm of another. Egoistic happiness is not an option anymore.

As we witness a world in free fall, we recognize how our selfish motives for happiness lead to bitter divisiveness, conflict and suffering. The mountain we need to climb is to rise above our self to reach the sublime level of cooperation and mutual help for the other.
Then we will all feel the greatest happiness when the Light dwells between us. Reply

Anonymous New Jersey February 28, 2019

Learn to be happy? How? It’s all great “ learn to be happy” How do you learn to be happy? How does one learn to be happy? Reply

Rabbi Tzvi Freeman for Chabad.org February 28, 2019

in response to Anonymous:

Yes, you can learn to be happy. It’s just that for many of us it’s a long, uphill task. Not easy, but there’s no arguing that it’s worth it.

How do you learn? Thought, speech and action. You think good thoughts and banish negative, pessimistic ones. You speak good, uplifting words and avoid dark ones. And you do the things happy people do and act as they act—even if you don’t yet feel that way.

Above all this is the big general principle: Think less about yourself and your situation and more about your mission in life, what you are needed for and about those that need you. Reply

Medric Magann March 6, 2022

in response to Rabbi Tzvi Freeman for Chabad.org:

Your advice is perfect. Banishing negativity and pessimism is the best tonic for every malady and affects everyone else for the better. Reply

Leeza Joachim March 12, 2024

in response to Rabbi Tzvi Freeman for Chabad.org:

How do you banish a negative thought when the thought is precipitated by negative things happening in your life ? What if all I think about is how I'm going to take care of my family? I'm not thinking of myself. I've tried the whole fake it till you make with happiness. What do I do when I am still not happy and my life is getting worse? What do you do when you feel like there is nothing left inside? Reply

Baruch London, UK March 13, 2024

in response to Rabbi Tzvi Freeman for Chabad.org:

Thank you Rabbi,

But do you have any strategies for determining one's mission? Reply

Linda March 16, 2025

in response to Leeza Joachim:

Leeza, not everything is brought about by spiritual problems, it could be physical. Perhaps a chemical imbalance or maybe the "negative things in your life" caused PTSD, if your amygdala has been injured it can cause serious depression.
I live with it daily, it helps me to know that I'm not to blame, I use self talk by remembering that there are those periods of time after the triggers that brought me to that point will play itself out if I don't begin to blame myself. Hope this helps, I feel your pain and understand what you are going through. Reply

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