[3 minute read]

Happiness is something we all want. Though sometimes our own ideas surrounding Happiness prevent us from achieving it.

It made me think, what if we could re-wire what Happiness meant to us?

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1. What makes a good life? Lessons from the longest study on happiness- Robert Waldinger- 12 minutes

After an impressive 75 year study, Robert Waldinger shows us to live a happy life we must have positive social connections. This didn’t mean perfection. As long as healthy relationships are maintained, Happiness took hold and transformed the subjects health.

According to Campaign to End Loneliness, research by the British Red Cross and The Co-op shows over 9 million adults of all ages report feeling lonely always or often. Waldinger’s advice could be the answer to a loneliness epidemic.

2. There’s more to life than being happy- Emily Esfahani Smith- 12 minutes

Upon chasing happiness, Emily Esfahani Smith came to her own conclusion of ‘the four pillars of happiness’: Belonging, Purpose, Transcendence and Storytelling.

Smith’s elements to a fulfilled life are similar to the recently popular Japanese concept, Ikigai . A code to happiness where you combine a mission, passion, vocation and profession to find purpose. Maintaining equal balance in life could be key to overall happiness.

3.Happiness is all in your mind- Gen Kelsang Nyema- 15 minutes

Buddhist nun, Gen Kelsang Nyema, teaches that Happiness shouldn’t be controlled or affected by external sources. She teaches that Happiness is a state of mind and therefore can be controlled in the mind only.

Headspace and Calm meditation shares many techniques to help people lead a more balanced life without judgement, the aim being that the less judgemental you are of our situation the more patient and calm you will become.

4. Less stuff, more happiness- Graham Hill- 5 minutes

Writer, designer and business owner of LifeEdited; Graham Hill focuses on the concept of less is more. By owning less, like we would when travelling, we may feel more free and relaxed.

A similar point of view that took the world by storm was by Marie Kondo with her book ‘The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up’, which encouraged people to consider if their possessions ‘spark joy’

5. Why our screens make us less happy- Adam Alter- 9 minutes

As a writer and an Associate University Professor at New York University’s Stern School of Business, Adam Alter uncovers how modern screen addiction is limiting our happiness by taking away our precious personal time.

Alter noticed many people in tech companies limited their use on the digital products they were endorsing. It’s time to ask the question, what are our screens really doing to us?

Final Thoughts.

Even without watching all five talks, each speaker had a unique approach to Happiness: Social connections, Personal fulfilment, Mindfulness, Material Possessions and Habits . All five give talks also uncover the importance of happiness as a discipline, it only works if you do.

[all media, apart from youtube videos, are my own unless otherwise stated]