The Art of Happiness with Arthur Brooks

17. Life: Part 2

Ricochet Audio Network — Tue, 24 Nov 2020 17:36:29 +0000

In the Western world, we have celebrations to mark life events in the first half of our lives--graduations, weddings, baby showers--but, we don't celebrate becoming middle-aged. Instead, we often bemoan the "midlife crisis." Turns out, that's the wrong way of looking at middle age. In this episode, Arthur is joined by Chip Conley, founder of the Modern Elder Academy, who has dedicated his life to helping people through the transition to the second half of life. They discuss how "middlescence" can be a joyful and fruitful time, if managed well and share some advice for having an even happier second half of life than the first.

References and further reading:

Wisdom at Work: The Making of a Modern Elder | Chip Conley

Emotional Equations: Simple formulas to help your life work better| Chip Conley

Wisdom Well: Chip's Blog | Chip Conley

About Modern Elder Academy

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16. Curbing Post-Election Suffering

Ricochet Audio Network — Mon, 09 Nov 2020 19:43:41 +0000

The happiness effect of competitive elections is real: Losing an election hurts. In fact, research shows that in presidential elections, having your candidate lose can depress happiness for months. How are you feeling post-election? In this episode, Arthur and Ceci explore the research on happiness and post-election suffering. Also, Arthur shares some much-needed advice for those attempting to cope with Trump's loss; but for those celebrating a Biden victory, Arthur has some advice for you, too.

References and further reading:

How to Cope with Election Agony| Arthur Brooks

Losing Hurts: The Happiness Impact of Partisan Electoral Loss |Pierce, L., Rogers, T., & Snyder, J.

Presidential Elections, Divided Politics, and Happiness in the USA |Pinto, S., et al.

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15. Politics and Unhappiness

Ricochet Audio Network — Mon, 26 Oct 2020 12:00:28 +0000

With Election Day looming, it's hard to tune out the nonstop political coverage across all platforms--from cable news to social media. Can you pay less attention while still being an engaged citizen? Should you be tuning out for the sake of your happiness? In this episode, Arthur and Ceci discuss why it's necessary for the political junkies among us to attempt a political detox and share some practical tips on how we can avoid letting politics dominate our thinking and ruin our happiness and relationships.

References and further reading:

Reading Too Much Political News Is Bad for Your Well-Being | Arthur Brooks

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14. Happy Monkey

Ricochet Audio Network — Mon, 12 Oct 2020 18:54:03 +0000

Are you struggling to find peace in your life? Does the future seem grim? Tibetan Buddhists attribute this sense of restlessness and pessimism to your "monkey mind." With this understanding, finding peace and happiness is tricky, like training a frenetic monkey that you can't get to sit still. In this episode, Arthur is joined by Dr. Martin Seligman, positive psychology expert and author of Learned Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and Your Life. They share practical advice for how you can calm your monkey, better understand the future, and move from pessimism to optimism in your daily life.

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References and further reading:

What to Do When the Future Feels Hopeless|Arthur Brooks

The Hope Circuit| Martin Seligman

Learned Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and Your Life| Martin Seligman

Why Lawyers are Unhappy | Seligman, M., Verkuil, P., & Kang, T.

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13. Searching for Spirituality

Ricochet Audio Network — Tue, 29 Sep 2020 01:25:19 +0000

The evidence is clear that people find happiness and greater life satisfaction in faith and spirituality. But what do you do if you have no experience with faith or have fallen away from the religion of your childhood as you've grown older? In this episode, Arthur and Ceci discuss overcoming common obstacles to exploring your spiritual side, particularly if you're feeling religious stirrings for the first time. But Arthur also shares advice for those who are more traditionally religious on how to elevate their practice amid the busyness of everyday life.

This episode is brought to you by Talkspace, Feetures, and The American Story podcast.

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References and further reading:

How to Navigate a Midlife Change of Faith | Arthur Brooks

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12. The Falling Tides of Life

Ricochet Audio Network — Mon, 14 Sep 2020 15:26:53 +0000

As we enter a new season, we're facing the reality that the pandemic is not a temporary affliction, but an involuntary transition from one way of life to another. In this episode, Arthur and Ceci discuss the psychology behind why transitions--whether voluntary or involuntary--can be so uncomfortable and why our natural reaction is to resist them. Most importantly, Arthur shares how instead of working against them, we can embrace these periods of "falling tides" in our lives and reap the benefits.

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References and further reading:

The Clocklike Regularity of Major Life Changes | Arthur Brooks

Sponsored by Noom

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11. A Look into Your Future

Ricochet Audio Network — Tue, 01 Sep 2020 13:00:18 +0000

Imagine you had the ability to predict how people's actions in their 20s or 30s would affect their lives in their 70s and 80s. You'd have a pretty good idea of how to crack the happiness code, right? Turns out, for 80 years, Harvard researchers have been doing just that in one of history's longest studies of happiness, the Harvard Study of Adult Development. In this episode, Arthur is joined by psychiatrist Bob Waldinger, the current director of the study, to learn about the origins of the project and the enduring lessons on happiness, aging, and relationships that it

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References and further reading:

Harvard Study of Adult Development

What makes a good life? Lessons from the longest study on happiness | TED Talk | Bob Waldinger

Sponsored by American Story, Talkspace, The Bradley Foundation

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10. Overcoming the Success Addiction

Ricochet Audio Network — Mon, 17 Aug 2020 19:41:42 +0000

Would you rather be special, than happy? If so, you might be a success addict. In this episode, Arthur and Ceci discuss why success can be so addictive and explain some of the key attributes of those who Arthur deems "success addicts." No matter your stage in life, Arthur shares three tips for overcoming your success addiction and living a happier, more balanced, and fulfilling life.

This episode is brought to you by Talkspace and The Bradley Speaker Series.

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References and further reading:

'Success Addicts' Choose Being Special Over Being Happy | Arthur Brooks

Trading Health Risks for Glory: A Reformulation of the Goldman Dilemma| González, et al.

Drinking: A Love Story | Caroline Knapp

Sponsored by Talkspace, The Bradley Foundation

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9. Managing Transitions in Life

Ricochet Audio Network — Tue, 04 Aug 2020 13:00:10 +0000

The coronavirus epidemic and the residual economic effects are spurring life transitions for a lot of people, from small changes to more dramatic "lifequakes." How can you effectively manage life transitions of any magnitude? In this episode, Arthur is joined by New York Times bestselling author Bruce Feiler to discuss his new book, Life is in the Transitions: Mastering Change at Any Age. Together, they outline some practical strategies for optimizing life's inevitable changes.

This episode is brought to you by Skillshare, Talkspace, and The American Story.

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References and further reading:

Life is in the Transitions: Mastering Change at Any Age | Bruce Feiler

Sponsored by American Story, Skillshare, Talkspace

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8. Curing the Epidemic of Fear

Ricochet Audio Network — Mon, 20 Jul 2020 18:19:17 +0000

What are you afraid of? We're facing a fear epidemic in America, and it's not just due to the coronavirus. In this episode, Arthur and Ceci take a deep dive into fear--including how to understand, manage, and even neutralize it. Most importantly, Arthur shares some actionable tips for building your defenses against fear and learning to love and live courageously.

This episode is brought to you by Noom, Bound by Oath, and Conceived in Liberty, The Bradley Speaker Series.

Visit Bradleyfdn.org/Liberty to watch the most recent episode of Conceived in Liberty, The Bradley Speaker Series.

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References and further reading:

Love Is Medicine for Fear | Arthur Brooks

Fear Can Make You a Better Person | Arthur Brooks

Sponsored by Bound By Oath, Noom, The Bradley Foundation

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7. The Good Side of Bad Feelings

Ricochet Audio Network — Mon, 06 Jul 2020 17:06:01 +0000

We all have the tendency to want to avoid bad feelings--pain, anger, sadness, and disgust. But is it right to simply push them away? In this episode, Arthur and Ceci discuss the biological importance of bad feelings, as well as how to manage your unhappiness and even benefit from the inevitable pain and suffering that are a normal part of life.

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References and further reading:

Sit With Negative Emotions, Don't Push Them Away | Arthur Brooks

PANAS Questionnaire | Measuring Positive and Negative Affect

It's a Terrible Day in the Neighborhood, and That's O.K. | Mariana Alessandri

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6. Happiness from Eastern Wisdom

Ricochet Audio Network — Mon, 22 Jun 2020 13:00:25 +0000

To be effective in your life and work, you must be willing to expand your happiness horizons beyond your own culture. In Arthur's own life, he's often looked to India as a source of inspiration on how best to combine material knowledge with metaphysical insight. In this episode, he is joined by Professor of Practice at Columbia Business School and Mentora Institute founder, Hitendra Wadhwa, for a discussion on how blending Eastern and Western philosophies can help you discover your full potential and build a life on the foundations of moral living, spiritual practice, and wisdom.

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References and further reading:

The Three Shifts of Leadership Mastery | Hitendra Wadhwa

Staying Inspired in Times of Tumult | Hitendra Wadhwa

An Open Letter to America | Hitendra Wadhwa

The Bet, 2020 - A Parable for our Pandemic Times | Hitendra Wadhwa

About Mentora and Hitendra's organizational consulting and training work

Subscribe to Hitendra's Newsletter and stream his weekly webcasts, Intersections

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5. Love Your Enemies

Ricochet Audio Network — Mon, 08 Jun 2020 17:22:16 +0000

What do you do when the world is on fire? Drawing on lessons from his national bestseller, Love Your Enemies, in this episode, Arthur shares some recommendations for curing the culture of contempt that's left our country bitterly divided. He and Ceci discuss the type of leaders our country needs and how the secret to more healing love--within families, among friends, and even towards our enemies--lies in overcoming our fears.

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References and further reading:

Love Your Enemies | Arthur Brooks

America's crisis of contempt: Remarks from the 68^th National Prayer Breakfast | Arthur Brooks

The U.S. is in a crisis of love | Arthur Brooks

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4. Meaning and Purpose in Life and Work

Ricochet Audio Network — Mon, 25 May 2020 19:33:23 +0000

Although this graduation season looks much different than years past, 2020 graduates are still faced with the same question that we've all had to answer (or for some of us, are still trying to answer): what vocation will add value and meaning to my life? In this episode, Arthur talks with Stanford Business School professor and behavioral scientist Jennifer Aaker about distinguishing between meaning and happiness in life and work. They also discuss the psychology of humor and how AI just might help improve our well-being.

References and further reading:

Some key differences between a meaningful life and a happy life | Jennifer Aaker

It's Not Going to Be That Fun: Negative Experiences Can Add Meaning to Life | Jennifer Aaker

The Shifting Meaning Of Happiness | Jennifer Aaker

Unhappiness and Age | David G. Blanchflower

Cracking a Joke at Work Can Make You Seem More Competent | Alison Wood Brooks

The Dragonfly Effect: Quick, Effective, and Powerful Ways To Use Social Media to Drive Social Change | Jennifer Aaker

Humor, Seriously: Why Humor Is a Secret Weapon in Business and Life (and How Anyone Can Harness It. Even You.) | Jennifer Aaker

4 Rules for Identifying Your Life's Work | Arthur Brooks

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3. Building a Lifetime of Happiness

Ricochet Audio Network — Mon, 11 May 2020 13:00:36 +0000

How does happiness change over a lifetime? What common mistakes do successful people make when faced with professional decline? In this episode, Arthur and Ceci discuss how our lives tend to follow the trajectory of the legendary monomyth, the hero's journey, and Arthur shares how to conquer the oft-forgotten last stage, when our successes and triumphs are behind us and we find ourselves grappling with feelings of irrelevance and misery.

References and further reading:

Our Narrative of Success Leads to Unhappy Retirements | Arthur Brooks

Your Professional Decline Is Coming (Much) Sooner Than You Think | Arthur Brooks

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2. Three Equations for a Happy Life

Ricochet Audio Network — Mon, 27 Apr 2020 18:18:44 +0000

What better time to contemplate our lives more deeply and reflect on the true sources of happiness than in the midst of global pandemic? In this episode, Arthur and show co-producer Ceci Gallogly discuss his "three equations for happiness" and share how you can develop the habits for living a better life, even in a pandemic. Arthur also shares some practical advice on coping with the growing uncertainty and disappointment caused by the ongoing Coronavirus lockdown.

References and further reading:

The Three Equations for a Happy Life, EvenDuring a Pandemic | Arthur Brooks

Two Errors Our Minds Make When Trying to Grasp the Pandemic | Arthur Brooks

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1. Love In The Time of Corona

Ricochet Audio Network — Mon, 13 Apr 2020 13:00:15 +0000

Amid the outbreak of the coronavirus and weeks of social isolation, many people are feeling anxious and grappling with loneliness. In the inaugural episode of The Art of Happiness, Arthur talks with Claremont Graduate University professor Paul Zak, the pioneer of the field of neuroeconomics and leading expert on oxytocin, the "love molecule." They discuss the brain science of human connection, social distancing, and the power of hugs, and share three steps to take today to be less lonely in quarantine.

References and further reading:

How Permanent was Vietnam Drug Addiction?

Oxytocin reduces food sharing in capuchin monkeys by modulating social distance | Paul Zak

The Neuroscience of Trust | Paul Zak

Trust Factor: The Science of Creating High-Performance Companies | Paul Zak

How social distancing could ultimately teach us how to be less lonely | Arthur Brooks

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The Art of Happiness

Ricochet Audio Network — Sun, 01 Mar 2020 16:48:26 +0000

You want to be happy. So why are you leaving it up to chance? There exists a wealth of knowledge that can help you live a life that has more joy, satisfaction, and purpose--and help you share these gifts with others. Harvard professor, PhD social scientist, bestselling author, and columnist Arthur Brooks is your teacher on the art and science of living a better life. In each episode, you will hear about research in the worlds of science, philosophy, theology, art, and literature. Then, Arthur will tell you how to use the wisdom of the experts in your own life, starting today.

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