The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos - My Personal Struggle to be Happy (Coming June 3)

Episode Date: May 27, 2024

Sometimes the happiness teacher flunks her own class. In a deeply personal new season, Dr Laurie Santos opens up about the things she really, really struggles with. Things like crippling perfectionism, chronic stress and a paralyzing fear of death.  With the help of world-class experts, a Hollywood star and a host of normal people who grapple with the same issues, Dr Laurie will face up to her own happiness demons and try to defeat them.  Coming June 3, wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pushkin. You see, I've finally taken the courage to let down my defenses and share the story of how the happiness teacher sometimes comes in at the bottom of the class. Can you hear me now? Okay. I'm going to explore topics that are dear to my heart with people that are dear to my heart, like my mom. Wait a minute, let me put the TV off. I'll be finding out why I personally struggle so badly

with even simple things like sitting still and doing nothing. This is a whole episode about boredom because I feel like I'm pretty bad at boredom. You are. But I feel like I'm bad at boredom because you're bad at boredom. Yeah, no, I didn't do well with doing nothing. I'll ask why I let stress ruin my health. Your stress could be viewed in a debilitating way. Your heart is racing, your palms are sweaty, your butterflies in your stomach. In that circumstance, it feels self-evident that stress is bad, that it's a sign your body is preparing for damage and defeat. Why perfectionism sometimes pushes me to the breaking point.

I was having no human contact. I didn't go outside for 10 days once before final exams. And what it is about death that paralyzes me with fear. This is for a whole episode about, is it thanatophobia? Is that how you say it? Thanatophobia. I say thanatophobia because I have really terrible thanatophobia. I'm like really spooked about death. And when I find out why these things affect me so badly, I'm hoping to do something about it. I think you're doing much, much better. I mean, I'm just glad you've kind of confronted it. So join me, Dr. Laurie Santos, on this very personal journey.

Available from June 3rd, wherever you get your podcasts.