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.
274 episodes transcribedWhat 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...
Breaking bad habits often feels like a test of willpower. We tell ourselves we’ll stop scrolling, eat better, or exercise more — and then...
Forgiveness might sound simple, but it's hard to let go of the anger that comes with being deeply hurt. Grudges, bitterness, and frustration with life...
Why is social media so hard to quit? We waste hours scrolling, feel worse when we log off, and still find ourselves going back for more. Dr. Laurie si...
Over the past decade, rates of depression and loneliness have surged among young people. Many researchers point to one major change: th...
Work doesn’t end when the workday does. Even after we close our laptops, our minds keep replaying awkward meetings, looming deadlines, and unfin...
