THE HAPPINESS EXPERT: Stop Chasing Happiness. DO THIS Instead | Sonja Lyubomirsky X Rich Roll
Rich Roll
Sep 23, 2024
Episode description
Sonja Lyubomirsky, Ph.D., is a Distinguished Professor of Psychology at UC Riverside and a pioneering happiness researcher. We discuss evidence-based strategies for lasting happiness, debunk common myths, explore the impact of social connection, and delve into emerging research on psychedelics and well-being. READ MORE👉🏾: https://bit.ly/richroll860
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CHAPTERS
00:00:00 Intro
00:01:58 Near plane crash
00:04:28 Messages from the Dalai Lama
00:13:09 Defining happiness
00:15:41 Pioneering happiness research
00:18:40 The first experiment
00:19:48 Insights from the first experiment
00:21:55 Reception of early research
00:24:30 Mainstream awareness and media interest
00:28:55 Motivation and happiness pursuit
00:31:54 Personal preferences and happiness pursuit
00:34:18 AD BREAK 1
00:34:33 Connection and happiness interventions
00:36:06 Extroversion and introversion study
00:39:17 Social Connection and Happiness
00:45:31 Genetic Component of Happiness
00:48:15 Struggle and Happiness
00:50:47 Transcendence and Happiness
00:53:09 Misconceptions and Happiness
00:59:26 The Strivers Dilemma
01:05:03 Ad Break 2
01:07:55 Aging and Happiness
01:13:17 Enhancing Happiness
01:16:17 Forgiveness and Happiness
01:18:35 Surprising Findings on Happiness
01:20:44 The lockdown pandemic experience
01:22:30 Changes in perspectives on happiness
01:33:34 Challenges with happiness
01:38:00 Ultimate study design
01:39:38 Psychedelics and happiness
01:42:47 Cautious optimism
01:44:11 Benefits and risks of mainstreaming
01:47:18 Key takeaways for happiness
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Hi I'm Rich Roll. I'm a vegan ultra-endurance athlete, author, podcaster, public speaker & wellness evangelist. But mainly I'm a dad of four. If you want to know more, visit my website or check out these two the NY Times articles:
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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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