The Belgian suffered a miserable dip in form last season, as Jose Mourinho departed and Chelsea went on to finish 10th in the Premier League.
But with the enjoyment these days comes the knowledge that he needs to be a leader at Chelsea.
Hazard has hit 17 goals this season but it is the overall revival in his play under Antonio Conte that has elevated the Belgian back into an elite group of players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
The Chelsea forward is 26 and has been at Stamford Bridge for five years.
He is no longer the exciting kid who might turn a match with one elusive dribble, one electric run - he is the one who is expected to.
John Terry’s departure from the Blues at the end of this season has, as Chelsea prepare for the FA Cup final against Arsenal at Wembley today, raised the question of where the next generation of leaders at Stamford Bridge are going to come from.
And Hazard says he is ready to take up that mantle.
Propelled by the hard-work regime of Conte, this season has been entirely different.
The Blues picked up the Premier League trophy last Sunday - and they are going for the Double today.
Hazard said: “This is football. Sometimes you are at the top and sometimes not. People are always talking, but I don’t care about that.
“I try to be the best I can. I don’t know if I am top five, top 10, top 20 in the world. It’s not my target. I just want to enjoy my football.
“Players like Ronaldo and Messi are leaders. People that want to be better every day. That’s why they have been at the top for the last 10 years.
“They need to prove, we all need to prove every day. But I don’t think too much about that. I just concentrate on myself, on football, on the pitch, on the training ground. Then I see what comes.
“When I signed for Chelsea in my head it was to win titles. Maybe not like this - I have already won two Premier Leagues, one League Cup, one Europa League.
“It’s not bad - but it can be better. The FA Cup and Champions League, why not?”
As for leaders, Hazard admitted: “We have a couple of players who can be leaders. I am in my fifth year at Chelsea. We have some guys who have a lot of experience, so we are ready.
“I try to be a leader on the pitch. John is a legend for us, the club, for all the fans.
“Next season he’s not here anymore, but some of the guys are ready to take this opportunity.”
Hazard believes a win at Wembley would lay down a marker for what Chelsea hope to achieve next season.
He said: “We have this new manager, we have a couple of young players so everything is ready to build something.
“The last 10 years in Chelsea have been great. Now it’s like a new generation. Frank Lampard is finished, Didier Drogba is finished, Ashley Cole, and now John.
“It’s a new generation, and we want to prove that the club is one of the best in the world.
“For next season, the FA Cup is a good opportunity to put pressure on Arsenal and all the other opponents. To show what we can do next season.
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