If asked to define the difference between happiness and joy, could you? You're not alone in thinking they're pretty much the same thing. After all, if you look up the definitions of both words, you'll often find each word within the definition of the other word. So when we came across an article from Goop, titled, "Forget Happiness - Pursue Joy" we were intrigued.

According to Ingrid Fetell Lee, author of Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness, happiness is something that we measure over time, while joy is about feeling good in the moment. Happiness tends to be a broad evaluation of how we feel about our lives in full - our relationships, our work, our sense of purpose. Joy is simpler and more immediate - it can be measured by physical expression.

Kids seems better at experiencing joy - or being open to experiencing it. If you watch a child, you'll see that he or she experiences joy almost effortlessly, for the smallest reasons. Adults tend to lose that capability as they become more serious and more cynical. But, you can work to create moments of joy in your life...and you should, based on the simple fact that joy can boost your well-being. It can reduce stress levels, which can in turn have a positive effect on your cardiovascular system. It can sharpen your mind, improve your relationships, and even make you appear more attractive!

It’s widely known and accepted that Americans grow happier as they grow older. Yang Yang, Assistant Professor of Sociology at the University of Chicago, says this is due to the "age as maturity hypothesis", which happens as people age and make gains in self-integration and self-esteem, which leads to increased feelings of contentment and happiness.

However, baby boomers may be the exception to this rule. Recent data published in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science claims that boomers are actually less happy than other generations, notably Generation Y. Yang says, “this is probably due to the fact that the generation as a group was so large, and their expectations were so great, that not everyone in the group could get what he or she wanted as they aged due to competition for opportunities. This could lead to disappointment that could undermine happiness.”

Here are three super easy tips for us boomers to live a happier life:

1. Give more and expect less
2. Have some fun- schedule and dedicate time to “play”
3. Focus on the big picture, not the day-to-day issues

Also, there are certain things that have been shown to elicit joy, such as bright colors, curves, symmetry and balance. So, go ahead and dress in your favorite color, paint a room that bright teal blue you love, and put something on your work desk that reminds you of a joyful time.