Mo Gawdat, a former Google executive who researches and writes books about happiness, says fulfillment comes from removing stressful elements from your life.

Feeling depressed can be a vicious cycle: You’re feeling sad or unmotivated, so you skip activities that make you happy. Friends invite you out, but you’re in no mood, so you stay in.

Feeling happy for others is called mudita, or “ empathetic joy” in Buddhist practice. And it does take practice. It’s worth it, though, because feeling happy for others makes you feel happy.

“Happiness” might be undefinable, but think of this quiz as a tool to help you assess what it looks like in your own life — and to figure out which kind of well-being you tend to value most.

Give yourself permission to feel happy. Keep in mind, too, that it’s normal to sometimes feel uncomfortable with pleasurable feelings, particularly if you experience depression and anxiety.

Happiness is simpler than that, expert Mo Gawdat said on a June 24 episode of Simon Sinek's "A Bit of Optimism" podcast. Crossing off goals on a wish list won't make you feel better long-term.

Feeling happy for others is called mudita, or “ empathetic joy” in Buddhist practice. And it does take practice. It’s worth it, though, because feeling happy for others makes you feel happy.