You might think you know what it takes to lead a happier life… more money, a better job, or Instagram-worthy vacations. You’re dead wrong. Yale professor Dr. Laurie Santos has studied the science of happiness and found that many of us do the exact opposite of what will truly make our lives better. Based on the psychology course she teaches at Yale -- the most popular class in the university’s 300-year history -- Laurie will take you through the latest scientific research and share some surprising and inspiring stories that will change the way you think about happiness.
279 episodes transcribedYour brain is changing all the time, whether you realize it or not. Everything from your hobbies and chores to the media you consume can physical...
When we’re struggling to reach a goal, most of us assume the answer is to buckle down and try harder. But what if all that white-knuckling is ac...
It’s hard to focus on wellbeing when we’re expected to work nonstop until retirement. Taking a break from time to time should be a given,...
Most of us hate asking for favors. We worry about being a burden, coming across as needy, or facing rejection for asking too much. But what if our fea...
In recent years, we've heard a lot of unsettling news about the loneliness epidemic and the dangers of social isolation. But could all this talk about...
What would it take to make you happier? A raise? A promotion? Getting into your dream school? Winning the lottery? It turns out that we’re surpr...
Men today are spending less time with friends, and many have no close friendships at all. Research shows that this lack of social connection can lead...
Most of us default to small talk. It's polite, familiar, and feels like the safest way to start a conversation. But it may also be one of the biggest...
In this special live episode, Dr. Laurie takes the stage at Dartmouth College for a conversation with happiness historian Darrin McMahon. Together, th...
The “pursuit of happiness” is one of America’s founding ideals. But what if chasing happiness is actually making us feel worse? In h...
We’ve all had moments we wish we could do over: the relationship we stayed in too long, the opportunity we didn’t take, the thing we said...
We hear a lot about rising rates of anxiety, depression, and fragility among kids today. But when Harvard researcher Alexis Redding uncovered a forgot...
We’re kicking off a new season of The Happiness Lab with some happiness hot takes — bold claims that challenge conventional wisdom about w...
As summer begins, many of us are bombarded with messages about how our bodies aren't good enough. But what if we embraced movement not out of self-cri...
Negative emotions like sadness, anger, guilt, and anxiety can feel overwhelming. But what if those uncomfortable feelings aren’t problems to fix...
Our beliefs shape more than we realize. They influence what we notice, how we respond to setbacks, how connected we feel to others, and whether we tak...
Struggling to find free time? Feeling constantly busy or burned out? This episode is for you. Dr. Laurie explores the science behind “time...
We hear a lot about how screens affect our mental health, but time spent on computers and smartphones is having just as much of an impact on our physi...
Buying something new can trigger a rush of dopamine, leading to a momentary boost in happiness. But the rush is fleeting, and over time, our possessio...
Our surroundings affect our happiness in ways we often don’t notice. The layout of a room, the amount of clutter in our home, and even small cha...
