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Shownotes
Welcome to the inaugural episode of Office Hours with Arthur Brooks. I’m thrilled to start this podcast with a topic I’ve devoted much of my life to: how we can be truly happier.
This episode draws from my new book, The Happiness Files (amazon.com/Happiness-Files-Insights-Arthur-Bro…), a collection of essays from my How to Build a Life (theatlantic.com/projects/how-build-life) column in The Atlantic. But more importantly, it’s grounded in science, drawing on a 2020 study where top researchers ranked the most practical and effective ways to get happier.
Today I discuss:
• The top 5 research-backed ways to improve your well-being
• Why investing in your close relationships is the single most powerful thing you can do to be happier
• How joining a club or values-based community can restore your sense of belonging
• The link between lifelong learning and growing happiness over time • Why transcending your ego through faith, philosophy, or awe brings clarity and peace
• How physical exercise reduces unhappiness (and why that matters more than you think)
• Why self-esteem alone won’t make you happy—but understanding your emotions might
• The three elements of a real happiness strategy (and how to build your own)
• How to move on from heartbreak (and why sad music really does help)
• And much more!
Since it’s the very first episode, we’d love to hear any feedback you have. Please email us at officehours@arthurbrooks.com. And please leave a review on Apple or Spotify. Thanks for listening!
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Where to find Arthur Brooks:
• Website: arthurbrooks.com
• X: x.com/arthurbrooks
• Instagram: instagram.com/arthurcbrooks
• Facebook: facebook.com/ArthurBrooks
• YouTube: youtube.com/channel/UCGuyFRjJQFGCKzfHTBvWM6A
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/arthur-c-brooks
• Email: officehours@arthurbrooks.com
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Timestamps
() Intro
() Introducing The Happiness Files and “10 Practical Ways to Increase Your Happiness”
() Principle #1: Invest in your relationships
() Principle #2: Join a club
() Principle #3: Be a lifelong learner
() Principle #4: Focus on something bigger than yourself
() Principle #5: Get more physical exercise
() Recap of principles 1–5
() How to craft your own happiness plan
() Strategy #1: Deepen your understanding
() Strategy #2: Practice regularly
() Strategy #3: Crystallize your learning by teaching others
() Q&A: Getting over a breakup and Arthur’s most surprising research finding
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Referenced:
• The Happiness Files: Insights on Work and Life: amazon.com/Happiness-Files-Insights-Arthur-Bro…
• Leadership and Happiness course: hbs.edu/coursecatalog/1885.html
• How to Build a Life: theatlantic.com/projects/how-build-life
• What the Longest Study on Human Happiness Found Is the Key to a Good Life: theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/01/harvard-…
• Ways to Greater Happiness: A Delphi Study: link.springer.com/journal/10902
• The Harvard Study of Adult Development: adultdevelopmentstudy.org
• The Drive with Peter Attia: peterattiamd.com/podcast
• Huberman Lab: hubermanlab.com/podcast
• America’s Declining Social Capital: psycnet.apa.org/record/1981-25768-001
• The Best Friends Can Do Nothing for You: theatlantic.com/family/archive/2021/04/deep-fr…
• Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community: amazon.com/Bowling-Alone-Collapse-American-Com…
• Daily Stoic: dailystoic.com/podcast
• Johann Sebastian Bach: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Sebastian_Bach
• Vipassana Meditation: dhamma.org
• Insight Meditation: insightmeditation.org
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