Happiness

Rafa Euba, a retired consultant psychiatrist, argues that happiness is a vague and abstract concept that is hard to quantify. He suggests accepting that suffering and pain are a normal part of life. An attainable goal for one's life is to attempt to minimize pain, and pursue balance and contentment rather than a false ideal of permanent bliss.

The study form Pew Research Center found richer countries on average tend to be happier. However, after a certain point, wealth matters less for satisfaction. Other matters, such as strong health, education, and social and political stability play important roles in individuals' life satisfaction.

Psychiatrist Robert Waldinger breaks down findings from research following the lives of 724 men for decades, beginning in 1938. The sample included both Harvard students and young boys in poor areas of Boston who continuously participated in interviews and medical studies. Waldinger shares that the strongest takeaway is that good relationships keep us happier and healthier.

Dr. Laurie Santos from Yale University explains that our brains aren't necessarily wired to keep us happy. We tend to incorrectly assume that fame or money will bring us satisfaction, when in reality, factors such as being social, generous, and physically active are the better practices to focus on to feel good in life.

In today's society, SpongeBob's life as a single man, line cook, and town fool may not seem appealing. But SpongeBob is perhaps the happiest creature in Bikini Bottom, because he understands that happiness doesn't come from external factors like money, recognition, or power.

Psychology professor Dr. Laurie Santos explores ideas such as social media's impact on children's mental health, burnout from work, and healthy practices in romantic relationships, while sitting down with other experts. Her research often highlights how many people's habitual routines actually work against their personal contentment.

This video argues that Eastern philosophy tends to emphasize that contentment comes from maintaining control over our minds and reducing mental disturbances, while Westerners tend to believe happiness comes from conquering the world and building capital.

An analysis of a survey from Pew ResearchCenter indicates that people who are active in a religious community tend to be happier and more civically engaged than their religiously unaffiliated or inactive counterparts. Studies show that Americans who regularly attend religious services also tend to live longer, however, other studies have indicated higher rates of obesity among highly religious Americans.

Stoics define being virtuous as living according to human nature, which involves being social and thinking well. One of the most important lessons is that we should focus on matters we can control and accept matters we can't control for our own mental health. We cannot always control how much money we have or what others think of us, but we can control how we treat ourselves and others.