Happiness is a bit like a good meal. To thrive, we need balance—a mix of nutrients that nourish our emotional and mental well-being. My personal macronutrients of happiness (derived from but not quite the same as those of Harvard professor Arthur Brooks) are satisfaction, engagement, and enjoyment. Each plays a unique role in how we … Read more
I was sitting in my backyard a few days ago, half playing with Sophie Sunshine, half appreciating the literal sunshine, when I made a major mistake. I picked up my phone and looked at the news. Whoosh, happiness implosion. Five minutes spent looking at the latest from Washington, the newest wildfires, the ongoing wars, and … Read more
Have you ever found yourself lying awake at 2 a.m., replaying a conversation from earlier that day and wondering if you sounded like an idiot? Or maybe you’ve stared at an email for five minutes, overanalyzing the tone to figure out if someone was annoyed with you. Congratulations—you’ve encountered one of evolution’s greatest hits: your brain’s obsession with spotting problems.
Happiness is a lot like bread. You can’t create it without a few key ingredients, and those ingredients are probably not what you imagine they are.
What brings you true joy? Maybe it’s the softness of your dog’s fur as you stroke it. Maybe it’s the sight of a sunset over the ocean. Maybe it’s the smell of baking cookies and the sound of your family talking and laughing nearby. Joy, in all its forms, lights us up from within, but … Read more
What does neuroscience know about happiness? Lots! But the most important info can be summed up in one beautiful acronym: DOSE
The happiness journey begins by deciding to take the trip. But the first step isn’t about your “mental” well-being.
Two professors combine their fascinating and cutting-edge research in behavioral science to explain how money can buy happiness—if you follow five core principles of smart spending.
It’s easy to tie your happiness to goals: landing the dream job, buying the perfect house, or getting that big promotion. But even when you achieve those things, the boost in happiness is temporary. Psychologists call this the “happiness treadmill”—you’re always running toward the next thing, but you never feel like you’ve arrived…
Favorite quote: When you approach life as a sequence of milestones to be achieved, you exist “in a state of near-continuous failure.” Almost all the time, by definition, you’re not at the place you’ve defined as embodying accomplishment or success. And should you get there, you’ll find you’ve lost the very thing that gave you … Read more