I dislike the word “happy”. To me, happiness is a transitory emotion triggered by short term changes in conditions. Contentment, positivity, or optimism are more stable states.
You can sustain them for months. You can’t stay consistently happy or joyous for months.
“Joy” is another word I’m not keen on, despite the good book of that name. It has the same transitory connotation to me, plus it’s a bit cheesy.
At Teal Unicorn, we focus on helping employees thrive, flourish, and blossom. It’s a better perspective.