Emergent happiness is the happiness that results when both your inner world and your outer world contribute to well-being. If you’re facing struggles either within yourself (e.g., endogenous depression) or in the circumstances of your life (e.g., loss or trauma), experiencing full happiness is challenging. The simple idea behind “emergent happiness” is that both matter, and when they both align, the result surpasses what either could create alone.

Recognizing that one’s inner and outer world are both vital for every person’s well-being increases awareness of our interconnectedness and strengthens prosocial sentiments like kindness, compassion, and goodwill. This happens when we acknowledge the role others play in our own happiness… and the role we play in the happiness of others.

A good metaphor for emergent happiness is the sprouting of a plant. Does the seed grow as a result of its genetic code and inner biology? Yes, but that is not enough. Does it grow as a result of nutrients in the soil, water, and sunlight? Yes, but again, those are not enough. Both the inner world of the seed and the outer world around it must interact to generate the plant. When gardeners recognize that both are vital, it changes how they care for their plants. A wilted plant is not the sign of a bad seed. Likewise, a seed that doesn’t sprout isn’t necessarily the sign of a bad environment. The role of seed biology and environment are inseparable.

How does this apply to humans? Money and success, for example, are things in the outer world that many believe will bring happiness. They are not entirely wrong. If you’ve ever endeavored to be happy in the midst of poverty or major career setbacks, you know that money and success can and do influence happiness. Others recognize that inner activities, such as positive thinking, gratitude, and patience, contribute to happiness. They are not wrong either. These inner activities can yield a measure of happiness during times of trouble, but major losses and trauma can overwhelm this inner work, resulting in grief, fear, anger, or depression. Are these responses a sign that something within the person has fallen short? Not necessarily. They are signals that can help us build a better world and strengthen our compassion for others. Whenever suffering is attributed solely to a person’s own mind and not their life circumstances, we lose a bit of our humanity.

Emergent happiness is a collective accomplishment, a group effort, reflecting our interconnectedness. Happiness is not meant to happen alone. Here, “alone” is not meant as solitude. Here, alone means ignoring our connections to others and the environment.

Some Quick Definitions

What does emergent mean?

The term “emergent” has multiple meanings. Its use here was inspired by complexity theory and systems thinking, particularly social systems. Here, it simply means that happiness has multiple, interacting causes—that happiness arises (or emerges) as a result of these interactions that include conditions within you and outside of you.

This may seem like a simple concept, but the implications are profound. When applied to the experience of happiness, it means that emotional suffering is not necessarily a sign that something has gone wrong within the individual. Individuals exist in a larger environment. This environment forms an emotional ecosystem within which people survive and thrive. If we ignore this ecosystem, alleviating suffering and creating happiness becomes more challenging.

What is happiness?

Happiness is an emotional experience that involves positive feelings such as joy and tranquility, but it is inextricably tied to your way of seeing the world and your place in it.

Does happiness come from within? Yes, but that’s only part of the story. Does happiness come from wonderful life circumstances? Yes, but that is also just part of the story. Both the inner and outer forces interact to produce happiness.

A Framework and Set of Tools

Emergent Happiness is also a theoretical framework that includes set of tools and methods for creating the conditions for happiness. These are embodied in the Five Synergies.