The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos

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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 — The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos will take you through the latest scientific research and share some surprising and inspiring stories that will change the way you think about happiness.

Most Recent Episode

The Happiness of Subtraction

We often think adding more things to our lives will make us happier - more trips, more activities, more possessions. Sadly our minds find it hard to comprehend that having…

Why the “Good Enough” Relationship Beats the “Perfect Partner”

Fairy tales and Hollywood rom coms have taught us to expect perfection from a soul mate, but sex and relationships therapist Todd Baratz says we need to be more comfortable…

A Supercommunicator’s Guide to Love and Dating

Some people ask searching questions and then really listen to the replies. These so-called supercommunicators make great romantic partners, so can anyone learn to be more like them?   Journalist Charles…

Can Couples Learn to Argue Better?

No matter how much you love your partner, your relationship will never be totally free from disagreement. And nor should it be, say researchers Dr John Gottman and Dr Julie…

Love Lessons from the “Masters of Relationships”

Some people are just good at building and maintaining healthy partnerships. In their "Love Lab," the married researchers Dr. John Gottman and Dr Julie Schwartz Gottman have seen how certain…

The Sweet Smell of Happiness

Does happiness have a scent? Dr Laurie has been trying to remove the bad smells in her life and bring in more fragrances that enhance her wellbeing. But she's noticed…

How Getting Active Can Make You Happier

Busy scientist Adam Aron had too much on his plate to think deeply about climate change - until he read a scary report about what lay in store for the…

Being Green Doesn’t Mean Sacrificing Fun… or Cutting Out Meat

We often think of fighting climate change as a drain on our happiness - it'll mean sacrificing the things we love, like air travel or eating hamburgers. But researchers Jiaying…

Why our Brains Don’t Fear Climate Change Enough

Humans are great at reacting to mortal danger... but only sometimes. Unfortunately, some risks to our safety and wellbeing don't set off alarm bells in our brains. Climate change falls…

When Stalin Killed the Weekend – A Happiness Lab/Cautionary Tales Crossover

Time off work is vital for your happiness. So what would you do if you couldn't take the same rest day as your family and friends? Would you quit your…

Giving Away Cash Makes You Happy… and Transforms Lives

YOU can boost your happiness and transform the lives of people in one African village with a cash gift by going to givedirectly.org/happiness Giving money to others makes you happier than spending…

Make America Happy Again

We're distrustful, unequal and isolated. That's according to the figures showing a decline in happy community feeling since the 1960s. But can we do anything to regain the healthier communal…

Where Everybody Knows Your Name

Cheers was a sitcom hit in the 80s thanks to a theme tune promising that the fictional bar was a place "where everybody knows you name". Venues like pubs -…

Don’t Make Friends Where You Make Your Money?

Work and friendship don't mix, thought Katherine Hu. A recent graduate, she found it harder to form bonds with colleagues than she'd expected. But then she concluded that not having…

Ask for Help… and Spread Happiness

Jia Jiang dreamed of being the next Bill Gates... but an entrepreneur needs the courage and confidence to ask for help. Jia was terrified of rejection - so couldn't fulfil…

The Introvert’s Guide to Extroversion

Jessica Pan hated social gatherings - she cried when her friends threw her a surprise birthday party, and was even too scared to give a speech at her own wedding.…

Text a Friend… Right Now!

When did you last check in on a friend? Maybe the last time you did, their reply was terse or non-existent. Perhaps months or years have passed and you feel…

How to Make Friends and Compliment People

Connecting with people is a sure-fire way to be happier - and you can quickly build relationships with friends and strangers alike just by giving them a sincere compliment. In…

Grover’s Super Solution to Self-Talk

It's not always easy being a podcast host. Dr. Laurie is stressed, making mistakes and blaming herself. When things go wrong, we're often our own harshest critics. So how can…

Big Bird Has Big Feelings

You don't need to be 8 feet tall like Big Bird to have big, big feelings. We all experience emotions of excitement, frustration and sadness that feel overwhelming.  But when…

Dr. Laurie and Sesame Street: Abby Cadabby and the Magic of Gratitude

It's never too early or too late to learn how to be happier. Whether you're aged 3, 23 or 103, we've teamed up with our furry friends from Sesame Street…

Build the Life You Want… Advice from Arthur Brooks and Oprah

Oprah Winfrey and Arthur Brooks want you to be happier - so the TV megastar and the Harvard academic teamed up to write a book setting out the steps you need…

The Unhappy Millionaire ICYMI

Recovering from a car crash that smashed her face, listener Rebecca Kaduru stumbled across an episode of The Happiness Lab in which we interviewed wounded Iraq veteran JR Martinez. His…

‘I woke up in an Ambulance Stuck in Traffic.’ : A Listener’s Story of Recovery

Rebecca Kaduru was driving home... then woke up in an ambulance. She'd been in involved in an accident and her face was smashed. Living in Uganda, she struggled to receive…

Ask Us Anything! Laurie and Gretchen Take Your Questions (Live from Toronto)

What do you do when you enter "survival mode"? How can you become better at forging social connections? Can you be happy in a sad world? Happiness experts Dr Laurie…

With Elmo’s Help… It’s Never Too Early to Learn About Happiness

Not matter if you're aged three or 103, you can learn to be happier using pretty much the same strategies. Sesame Workshop and its furry friends have been teaching "emotional…

Can Spiritual Experiences and Psychedelics Make us Happy? (LIVE from DC)

More than a third of us admit to having had a spiritual experience. We might have been profoundly moved by a sunset or a painting; or felt that we've connected…

Why We’re Mean to Our Future Selves (LIVE from Boston)

Who do we volunteer to run a gruelling half-marathon? Who do we expect to give up sugar, or quit drinking? Who do we demand clears out the garage in the…

The Man Who Invented Happiness Science: Marty Seligman

When Marty Seligman started his long scientific career, psychologists concentrated on studying "misery and suffering" and what made people sad. But Marty wanted to discover what made happy people, well,…

Smell, Taste and Touch: How to Joyfully Awaken Your Senses

Happiness expert Gretchen Rubin was warned that her eyesight was in peril. It shocked her into realising she'd taken all of her five senses for granted - and so she…

Sight and Sound: How to Joyfully Awaken Your Senses

Are you seeing what you look at? Or tuning in to the noises all around you? We take our senses for granted - particularly when it comes to the sights…

Do We Need a New Word for ‘Happiness’? Katie Couric talks to Dr Laurie Santos

Laurie swaps seats in the studio to be interviewed by none other than Katie Couric. In this episode of Next Question with Katie Couric, Laurie's asked to define happiness; outline…

Happiness Lessons of The Ancients: Sikhism and Daily Habits

Following 9/11, Simran Jeet Singh's Sikh family in Texas was subjected to extreme racist abuse. And yet, Simran's father chose to look on the bright side and offer thanks instead…

Happiness Lessons of The Ancients: Sikhism and How We’re All Connected

Educator and author Simran Jeet Singh is Sikh. Most of his fellow Americans have no idea what Sikhism is - causing some to treat Simran with suspicion and hostility. But…

Happiness Lessons of The Ancients: Yoga of the Mind

We often think of yoga as a physical exercise - but a centuries-old Sanskrit text, The Yoga Sutras, share teachings intended to improve both the body and mind. The author,…

Happiness Lessons of The Ancients: The Trauma of Troy

In Virgil's epic poem, The Aeneid, few Trojans survive the destruction of their city at the hands of their Greek enemies. A prince, Aeneas, leads a band of those fleeing…

Happiness Lessons of The Ancients: The Anger of Achilles

Achilles has anger issues. The great Greek warrior sits out most of the Trojan War because he's angrily sulking. When he finally enters battle, he does so in a fit…

Happiness Lessons of The Ancients: Aristotle and Plato ICYMI

The Greek thinker Socrates was put to death for encouraging his students to question everything - from their own beliefs to the laws and customs of Athenian society. But his…

Happiness Lessons of The Ancients: Socrates and Self-Knowledge

Question everything... that's a key insight from the great Greek philosopher Socrates. We may think we know ourselves and what makes us happy... but that's not always true. Yale professor…

The Happiness of Silence

We're surrounded by noise. That "noise" can be actual sounds - but also other annoyances and distractions that make it hard for us to concentrate or think clearly. And it's…

Stop Looking for the Perfect Job – a “Good Enough Job” is Just Fine

We can put huge amounts of physical and emotional energy into our jobs - even basing our self-worth on our achievements at work and letting ourselves be defined by what…

A Daily Workout to Tackle Nagging Self-Criticism

Lots of us hit the gym in January to get fit - but should we also be exercising our minds in preparation for tough times? A daily "self-talk workout" might…

How to Eat Intuitively in 2023

Everyone has a view about what you should eat and how much. We're so bombarded with fad diets, fasting plans and nutritional advice that we can bounce from one way…

Stop Endlessly Chasing the “Next Big Thing” in 2023

We're often looking into the future... hunting for the "next big thing". That could be an exciting new job or a new relationship. We can get so fixated with these…

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