THE HAPPINESS EXPERT: Stop Chasing Happiness. DO THIS Instead | Sonja Lyubomirsky X Rich Roll
Rich Roll
Sep 23, 2024
Mindsip insights from this episode:
Practice kindness to enhance gene expression and immune health
Performing acts of kindness for others can change your RNA gene expression, leading to a healthier immune profile with less pro-inflammatory gene expression.
Utilize psychedelics to explore connections in social psychology
A new frontier in research is 'psychedelic social psychology,' which proposes using substances like MDMA to understand the brain pathways of feeling loved and connected.
Eliminate major negatives to boost happiness
The biggest value-add for increasing happiness is often getting rid of the major negatives in your life, such as a terrible job or a bad relationship.
Pursue activities that sustain your happiness
A useful definition of happiness is simply the state where you want to continue doing what you are currently doing.
Navigate happiness challenges from ages 14 to 28
Research shows that people are generally least happy between the ages of 14 to 28, with happiness levels tending to increase into their 50s and 60s.
Pursue intrinsic goals for true happiness
While people who strive for extrinsic goals like wealth and fame are less happy, people who actually possess these things are happier than those who don't.
Reconsider pursuit of happiness for deeper fulfillment
Contrary to popular belief, not everyone should be pursuing more happiness, as some people are happy enough or value being 'right' about the world's problems more.
Reconsider gratitude practices for severely depressed individuals
For severely depressed individuals, practicing gratitude can backfire by reinforcing their feeling of being a burden, which is a risk factor for suicide.
Act extroverted to boost happiness
In a study, both introverts and extroverts reported feeling significantly happier during a week when they were instructed to act more extroverted.
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