Happiness is not a luxury. It is a necessity. When we are happy

The financial sage Suze Orman, who has long spoken about money and the spirit behind it, once said: “Happiness is not a luxury. It is a necessity. When we are happy, we are in the best possible place to be good to ourselves and those we love.” Though her words come from the modern world of finance, their heart beats with an ancient rhythm—the understanding that happiness is not a decoration of life, but its very foundation. To live without joy is to build a palace upon sand; no matter the wealth or power one gathers, the soul crumbles without contentment.

The meaning of Orman’s words runs deeper than comfort or pleasure. She calls happiness a necessity, not a reward to be earned after toil, nor a treasure bought with riches. Happiness, in her wisdom, is the strength that nourishes virtue. When the spirit is content, it is generous; when the heart is at peace, it is kind. The happy person becomes a wellspring, from which love and goodness flow naturally. In contrast, one who is miserable, fearful, or resentful finds it difficult to give or care for others. Thus, Orman teaches that to seek happiness is not selfish—it is an act of responsibility, for it makes us capable of love, compassion, and goodness.

The origin of this philosophy lies not only in her own teachings but in the timeless insights of sages before her. The Stoics of ancient Greece—Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius among them—taught that happiness (or eudaimonia) is not born from possessions, but from harmony within the soul. The Buddha spoke of happiness as the fruit of balance and mindfulness. And so Orman, though speaking from a modern platform, carries this same ancient torch into a world obsessed with material gain. She reminds us that no account balance, no success, can fill the emptiness left by neglecting one’s own inner well-being.

History offers living proof of this truth. Consider Abraham Lincoln, who, amid the agonies of civil war, once said that “most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” Despite grief and conflict surrounding him, Lincoln knew that to lead with justice, he must first master his own heart. His happiness was not laughter or ease, but resilience—the peace that arises from purpose. Because he found balance within, he could bear the sorrow of the nation without being consumed by it. Like Orman’s words suggest, his inner harmony became his greatest act of service to others.

In our own lives, we often treat happiness as an afterthought—a luxury to pursue once duties are done, debts are paid, and success is achieved. But Orman’s insight challenges this illusion. She insists that happiness itself is the fuel of success. A weary heart cannot build wisely, a bitter soul cannot sustain love, and a joyless life cannot nurture others. To be good to those we love, we must first be whole within ourselves. This is not indulgence; it is self-preservation for the sake of others.

True happiness, however, requires courage. It asks that we free ourselves from guilt, from the belief that joy must be earned, and from the fear that peace is fleeting. It requires honesty with the self—to listen to what we need, to rest when weary, to forgive when wounded. It also demands gratitude, for happiness is not found by reaching farther, but by seeing more deeply into what we already have. The one who wakes each day with gratitude in their heart has already found what the world endlessly seeks.

The lesson, then, is clear: make happiness your daily practice. Guard it as you would your health, your honor, or your livelihood. Take time for silence, for laughter, for love. Let your joy be a light to those who walk beside you. As Suze Orman teaches, when we are happy, we are at our strongest—capable of giving, healing, and creating. Happiness is not the prize of life; it is the power that sustains it.

And so, let this wisdom be passed down: do not wait to be happy—choose it, cultivate it, protect it. For happiness is not the luxury of the fortunate; it is the duty of the wise. When your heart is whole, your life becomes a blessing not only to yourself, but to all who share your journey. In the joy you nurture within, you will find the strength to love the world as it was meant to be loved.