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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.

The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos

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-criticism or shame, but self-compassion?
 
To close out our series on how to spring clean your wellbeing, we're revisiting a powerful conversation from The Happiness Lab archives featuring Jessamyn Stanley, author of Every Body Yoga: Let Go of Fear, Get On the Mat, Love Your Body. Dr. Laurie explores how body shame warps our relationship with exercise — and how to rediscover the joy of moving our bodies.
 
If you've ever treated exercise like punishment, this episode offers a happier, kinder way to move through the world. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How to Feel Happier in Your Body with Jessamyn Stanley

Negative emotions like sadness, anger, guilt, and anxiety can feel overwhelming. But what if those uncomfortable feelings aren’t problems to fix, but signals worth listening to?
 
As part of our series on how to spring clean your wellbeing, Dr. Laurie revisits a conversation with Harvard Medical School psychologist Susan David, author of Emotional Agility. Together, they discuss why bottling up difficult feelings doesn’t work, why brooding can keep us stuck, and what our individual emotions are actually trying to tell us about our lives and relationships.
 
If you’ve ever tried to bury a bad feeling, this episode offers a more effective approach to emotional healing.
 
Experts Mentioned:
 
 Susan David • , Harvard Medical School psychologist a
 Viktor Frankl • , psychiatrist, neurologist, and founder of logotherapy
 
Resources Mentioned:
 
 Emotional Agility: Get Unstuck, Embrace Change, and Thrive in Work and Life • , by Susan David (2016)
 
Related Episodes:
 
 • "
How to Identify Your Negative Emotions • "
 • "
Stepping Off the Path of Anxiety • "
 • "
How to be Angry Better • "
 • "
When Guilt is Good... and When it's Not • "
 
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What Your Negative Emotions Are Trying to Tell You

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 take action to improve our lives. 
 
As part of our series on how to spring clean your wellbeing, Dr. Laurie sits down with happiness expert Shawn Achor, author of The Power of Beliefs, to explore how our beliefs about time, work, relationships, and self-worth shape happiness, success, and long-term wellbeing.
 
And if some of your beliefs are holding you back, Shawn shares practical ways to start shifting them. Plus, we learn one delightful fact about fireflies.
 
Experts Mentioned:
 
 Shawn Achor • , positive psychology researcher and author 
 Richard Wiseman • , professor of the public understanding of psychology at the University of Hertfordshire
 Henry Beecher • , anesthesiologist at Harvard Medical School who pioneered research on the placebo effect 
 
Resources Mentioned:
 
 The Power of Beliefs: How Strengthening Seven Core Beliefs Predicts Greater Success and a Better Life • , by Shawn Achor (2026)
 The Happiness Advantage: The Seven Principles of Positive Psychology That Fuel Success and Performance at Work • , by Shawn Achor (2010)
 The Luck Factor: The Scientific Study of the Lucky Mind • , by Richard Wiseman (2004)
 "From Jerusalem to Jericho: A Study of Situational and Dispositional Variables in Helping Behavior," • by John M. Darley and C. Daniel Batson (
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology • , 1973)
 
Related Episodes:
 
 • "
Grateful Expectations • "
 • “
How to Adopt a Growth Mindset • ”
 • “
Happiness Lessons of The Ancients: The Buddha • ”
 • "
Happiness Lessons of The Ancients: Socrates and Self-Knowledge • "
 
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Hidden Beliefs That Shape Your Happiness with Shawn Achor

Struggling to find free time? Feeling constantly busy or burned out? This episode is for you. Dr. Laurie explores the science behind “time famine,” the nagging sense that there’s never enough time in the day.
 
Writer Tom Hodgkinson, author of How to Be Idle, makes a provocative case that doing nothing (napping, daydreaming, even staring out the window) isn’t laziness, but a powerful path to greater happiness and creativity.
 
Plus, Harvard professor Ashley Whillans explains why we keep prioritizing money over time and what that trade-off is really costing us.
 
Experts Mentioned:
 
 Tom Hodgkinson • , founder and editor of 
The Idler • and author of 
How to Be Idle Ashley Whillans • , Harvard Business School professor and author of 
Time Smart Cassie Mogilner • , UCLA professor of marketing and behavioral decision making
 Michael I. Norton • , Harvard Business School professor of business administration 
 John M. Darley • and 
C. Daniel Batson • , psychologists behind the Good Samaritan helping study.
 
Resources Mentioned:
 
 The Idler • , founded by Tom Hodgkinson
 How to Be Idle • , by Tom Hodgkinson (2004)
 Time Smart: How to Reclaim Your Time and Live a Happier Life • , by Ashley V. Whillans (
Harvard Business Review Press, • 2020)
 “Time, Money, and Subjective Well-Being” • , by Cassie Mogilner, Ashley V. Whillans, and Michael I. Norton (
Handbook of Well-Being • , 2018)
 “Buying Time Promotes Happiness” • , by Ashley V. Whillans, Elizabeth W. Dunn, Paul Smeets, Rene Bekkers, and Michael I. Norton (
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences • , 2017)
 “From Jerusalem to Jericho: A Study of Situational and Dispositional Variables in Helping Behavior” • , by John M. Darley and C. Daniel Batson (
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology • , 1973)
 “Valuing Time Over Money Is Associated With Greater Happiness” • , by Ashley V. Whillans, Aaron C. Weidman, and Elizabeth W. Dunn (
Social Psychological and Personality Science • , 2016)
 “Valuing Time Over Money Is Associated With Greater Social Connection” • , by Ashley V. Whillans and Elizabeth W. Dunn (
Journal of Social and Personal Relationships • , 2018)
 “Thinking About Time As Money Decreases Environmental Behavior” • , by Ashley V. Whillans and Elizabeth W. Dunn (
Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes • , 2015)
 “Time Affluence as a Path Toward Personal Happiness and Ethical Business Practice: Empirical Evidence From Four Studies” • , by Tim Kasser and Kennon M. Sheldon (
Journal of Business Ethics • , 2008)
 
Related Episodes:
 
 • “
Are We Born to Work? Or Born to Live? • ”
 • “
Working Your Way to Happiness • ”
 • “
Stop Wasting Your Energy — Here’s What to Do Instead • ”
 • “
The Happiness Lessons Helping Win Olympic Medals • ”
 
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Art of Doing Nothing

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 physical health — from brain fog and weakened core muscles to changes in our posture, our sleep, and even the shape of our eyes.
 
As part of our series on spring cleaning your wellbeing, Dr. Laurie sits down with journalist and podcast host Manoush Zomorodi, author of Body Electric, to explore how modern tech habits are affecting us physically, and what steps we can take to protect our health in a world where screens aren’t going away anytime soon.
 
Experts Mentioned:
 
 Manoush Zomorodi • , journalist, author, and host of NPR's 
TED Radio Hour Dr. Keith Diaz • , exercise physiologist and Florence Irving Associate Professor of Behavioral Medicine at Columbia University Medical Center
 Dr. Maria Liu • , Professor of Clinical Optometry at UC Berkeley and founder of the Myopia Control Clinic
 Dr. Rick Neitzel • , Associate Professor of Environmental Health Sciences at the University of Michigan 
 Dr. Peter Strick • , Thomas Detre Professor and Chair of Neurobiology at the University of Pittsburgh
 Dr. Sahib Khalsa • , psychiatrist and neuroscientist at UCLA 
 
Resources Mentioned:
 
 Body Electric: The Hidden Health Costs of the Digital Age and New Science to Reclaim Your Well-Being • , by Manoush Zomorodi (2026)
 Body Electric • , a six-part podcast series by Manoush Zomorodi (
National Public Radio • , 2023)
 "Breaking Up Prolonged Sitting to Improve Cardiometabolic Risk: Dose-Response Analysis of a Randomized Crossover Trial," • by Keith M. Diaz et al. (
Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise • , 2023)
 "The Mind-Body Problem: Circuits That Link the Cerebral Cortex to the Adrenal Medulla," • by Richard P. Dum, David J. Levinthal, and Peter L. Strick (
PNAS • , 2019)
 Bored and Brilliant: How Spacing Out Can Unlock Your Most Productive and Creative Self • , by Manoush Zomorodi (2017)
 
Related Episodes:
 
 • "
How I Stopped Fearing Boredom • "
 • "
How Our Screen Habits Impact Our Stress Levels • "
 • "
Smell, Taste and Touch: How to Joyfully Awaken Your Senses • "
 • “
Sight and Sound: How to Joyfully Awaken Your Senses • ”
 
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What Screen Time Is Really Doing to Your Body with Manoush Zomorodi

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 possessions can end up weighing us down more than they lift us up.
 
As part of our series on spring cleaning your wellbeing, Dr. Laurie explores why material things so often fail to make us happier, and why experiences are usually a better investment in our long-term wellbeing. Along the way, she talks with psychologist Bruce Hood, researcher Amit Kumar, and writer Cait Flanders, who reflects on the psychological benefits of shifting from a maximalist lifestyle to a minimalist one.
 
If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s actually worth the time and effort to clean out your closet, this episode offers some answers.
 
Experts Mentioned:
 
 Bruce Hood • , professor of developmental psychology in society at the University of Bristol
 Amit Kumar • , assistant professor of marketing and psychology at the University of Texas at Austin
 Cait Flanders • , author of 
The Year of Less • and 
Adventures in Opting Out Richard Easterlin • , economist and professor at the University of Southern California, originator of the Easterlin Paradox
 
Resources Mentioned:
 
 Possessed: Why We Want More Than We Need • , by Bruce Hood (2019)
 The Year of Less: How I Stopped Shopping, Gave Away My Belongings, and Discovered Life Is Worth More Than Anything You Can Buy in a Store • , by Cait Flanders (2018)
 • “
Does Economic Growth Improve the Human Lot? Some Empirical Evidence • ” by Richard A. Easterlin (
Nations and Households in Economic Growth • , 1974)
 
Related Episodes:
 
 • "
The Unhappy Millionaire • "
 • "
Why Giving Money to Others Makes Us Happier • "
 • "
You Can't Always Want What You Like • "
 
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why More Stuff Doesn’t Make You Happier

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 changes to lighting can shape our mood, focus, and relationships.
 
As The Happiness Lab continues its spring cleaning series, Dr. Laurie sits down with University of Virginia Professor Leidy Klotz, author of In a Good Place, to explore the hidden ways our spaces shape our inner lives. Why do certain places make us feel calm, connected, and grounded, while others leave us distracted or drained?
 
From creating more connection at home to using our surroundings to remember loved ones we’ve lost, these practical ideas will refresh your space and your wellbeing.
 
Experts Mentioned:
 
 Leidy Klotz • , professor of engineering and architecture at the University of Virginia
 Nelson Mandela • , anti-apartheid activist and former president of South Africa
 Jane Jacobs • , writer and urban activist
 
Resources Mentioned:
 
 In a Good Place: How the Spaces Where We Live, Work, and Play Can Help Us Thrive • , by Leidy Klotz (2026)
 Subtract: The Untapped Science of Less • by Leidy Klotz (2021)
 • “
Spatial Patterns of Solar Photovoltaic System Adoption: The Influence of Neighbors and the Built Environment • ” by Marcello Graziano and Kenneth Gillingham (
Journal of Economic Geography • , 2015).
 • “
Fire Drill: Inattentional Blindness and Amnesia for the Location of Fire Extinguishers • ” by Alan D Castel, Michael Vendetti, and Keith J Holyoak. (
Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics • , 2012)
 • “
Self-Determination Theory and the Facilitation of Intrinsic Motivation, Social Development, and Well-Being • ” by Richard M. Ryan and Edward L. Deci (
American Psychologist • , 2000).
 • “
Neighborhoods and Violent Crime: A Multilevel Study of Collective Efficacy • ” by Robert J. Sampson, Stephen W. Raudenbush, and Felton Earls (
Science • , 1997).
 • “
When Choice Is Demotivating: Can One Desire Too Much of a Good Thing? • ” by Sheena S. Iyengar and Mark R. Lepper (
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology • , 2000).
 
Related Episodes:
 
 • "
Choice Overload • " by 
The Happiness Lab • (2019).
 • "
How to Make Better Choices (with Barry Schwartz) • " by 
The Happiness Lab • (2025).
 • "
How to Design a More Meaningful Life (with Dave Evans and Bill Burnett) • " by 
The Happiness Lab • (2026).
 
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Your Environment Affects Your Happiness More Than You Think with Dr. Leidy Klotz

Breaking bad habits often feels like a test of willpower. We tell ourselves we’ll stop scrolling, eat better, or exercise more — and then fall right back into the same routines. So why is lasting change so hard?
 
As part of our spring cleaning series, we’re revisiting a powerful episode from The Happiness Lab archives that reveals a surprising truth about behavior change: it’s not about willpower at all. Dr. Laurie Santos sits down with psychologist Wendy Wood to explore what the science of habits really says about why we get stuck — and how we can finally change.
 
Along the way, we hear the remarkable story of American soldiers in Vietnam who abruptly overcame heroin addiction after returning home, offering a powerful clue about how habits really work. If you’re looking to break a bad habit or build a better one, this episode shows how small changes to your environment can make lasting change feel almost automatic.
 
Experts Mentioned:
 
 Wendy Wood • , Provost Professor of Psychology and Business, University of Southern California.
 Dr. Richard Ratner • , Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, George Washington School of Medicine and Health Sciences
 
Resources Mentioned:
 
 Good Habits, Bad Habits: The Science of Making Positive Changes That Stick • , by Wendy Wood (2019)
 • “
How Do People Adhere to Goals When Willpower Is Low? The Profits (and Pitfalls) of Strong Habits • ,” by David T. Neal, Wendy Wood, and Aimee Drolet (
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology • , 2013)
 • “
The Pull of the Past: When Do Habits Persist Despite Conflict with Motives? • ,” by David T. Neal, Wendy Wood, Mengju Wu, and David Kurlander (
Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin • , 2011)
 • “
Ironic Processes of Mental Control • ,” by Daniel M. Wegner (
Psychological Review • , 1994)
 • “
How Permanent Was Vietnam Drug Addiction? • ,” by Lee N. Robins, Darlene H. Davis, and David N. Nurco (
American Journal of Public Health • , 1974)
 CBS News Lottery Draft 1969 • (Archival Footage)
 "G.I. Heroin Addiction Epidemic in Vietnam" • (
The New York Times • , 1971)
 G.I. Junkie • (Documentary, 1971)
 
Related Episodes:
 
 • "
A New Hope • "
 • "
You Can Change • "
 • "
Happiness Lessons of the Ancients: Sikhism and Daily Habits • "
 
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How to Break Up with Your Bad Habits

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’s unfairness can quietly build up over time and take a real toll on our mental and physical health.
 
As The Happiness Lab kicks off a new season on spring cleaning your wellbeing, Dr. Laurie sits down with psychologist Dr. Fred Luskin, director of the Stanford University Forgiveness Project, to explore what research says about forgiveness. Why is letting go of resentment so much harder than it sounds? And what does it really mean to forgive someone?
 
Plus, we revisit a powerful story from the archives that shows what forgiveness can look like in the face of profound loss and why it might be the most radical act of self-care we can take.
 
Experts Referenced:
 
 Dr. Fred Luskin • , psychologist and director of the Stanford Forgiveness Projects
 Miroslav Volf • , Professor of Theology at Yale Divinity School and founder of the Yale Center for Faith & Culture
 Katy Milkman • , Professor at The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania
 
Resources Mentioned: 
 
 "Put Your Imperfections Behind You: Temporal Landmarks Spur Goal Initiation When They Signal New Beginnings," • by Hengchen Dai, Katherine L. Milkman, and Jason Riis (
Psychological Science • , 2015)
 Forgive for Good: A Proven Prescription for Health and Happiness • , by Fred Luskin (2002)
 “Effects of a Group Forgiveness Intervention on Forgiveness, Perceived Stress, and Trait-Anger” • by Alex H. S. Harris, Frederic Luskin, Sonya B. Norman, Sam Standard, Jennifer Bruning, Stephanie Evans, and Carl E. Thoresen (
Journal of Clinical Psychology • , 2006)
 “Forgiveness and Conflict Resolution in Marriage” • by Frank D. Fincham, Steven R. H. Beach, and Joanne Davila 
(Journal of Family Psychology, 2004) Free of Charge: Giving and Forgiving in a Culture Stripped of Grace • , by Miroslav Volf (2006)
 
Related Episodes:
 
 • "
Happiness Lessons of the Ancients: Forgiveness • " (
The Happiness Lab • , 2021)
 • "
A New Hope • " (
The Happiness Lab, • 2020)
 
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why It Hurts to Hold a Grudge — and How to Let Go with Dr. Fred Luskin

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 sits down with Dr. Cass Sunstein, co-author of (00:00:57) Nudge, to explore a new concept from the 2026 World Happiness Report: the “product trap.” Together, they unpack why we keep returning to platforms that make us unhappy — and what it might take to finally break free.
 
Resources mentioned in this episode:
 
Technopoly: The Surrender of Culture to Technology
 
Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness
 
“World Happiness Report 2026”
 
“The Problem of Social Cost”
 
“Valuing Facebook”
 
“The Welfare Effects of Social Media”
 
“When Product Markets Become Collective Traps: The Case of Social Media”
 
“Libertarian Paternalism Is Not an Oxymoron”

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Hidden Beliefs That Shape Your Happiness with Shawn Achor

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