The Science of Happiness with Arthur Brooks

Listen to this episode from Couple Things with Shawn and Andrew on Spotify. Join us for an insightful conversation with Arthur Brooks, one of today’s leading voices on happiness, purpose, and living a meaningful life. We dive into what truly makes us fulfilled, how to navigate life’s transitions, and practical ways to build a life you love. Whether you’re seeking more joy, clarity, or balance, Arthur shares wisdom drawn from decades of research, teaching, and writing including his bestselling book The Happiness Files. We’d love to hear from you! Comment below with your own experiences, lessons, or questions about happiness and purpose, and share this conversation with someone who might need a little inspiration today :) Love you guys! Shawn & Andrew Subscribe to our newsletter ▶ https://www.familymade.com/newsletter Follow our podcast Instagram ▶ https://www.instagram.com/shawnandandrewpods/ Follow My Instagram ▶ https://www.instagram.com/ShawnJohnson Follow My Tik Tok ▶ https://www.tiktok.com/@shawnjohnson Shop My LTK Page ▶ https://www.shopltk.com/explore/shawnjohnson Like the Facebook page! ▶ https://www.facebook.com/ShawnJohnson Follow Andrew’s Instagram ▶ https://www.instagram.com/AndrewDEast Andrew’s Tik Tok ▶ https://www.tiktok.com/@andrewdeast?lang=en (00:00:00) all about arthur (00:02:36) the academia journey of finding a university (00:03:53) why do you write so many books? (00:07:13) happiness business & loving your enemies (00:09:50) is happiness, meaning? (00:11:18) enjoyment vs. satisfaction (00:15:53) high ambition vs. wanting less (00:21:50) performance-related anxiety (00:25:40) strivers are going to strive (00:27:40) can we learn that things can be fulfilling and also difficult? (00:29:44) money does not = fulfillment (00:31:56) starting at ground level of happiness (00:36:15) do you feel happier? (00:38:07) how to know if your feeling is appropriate in arguments (00:41:33) immediate emotions and emotional reactions (00:46:29) dealing with gloom (00:48:05) how arthur organizes information in his mind (00:54:15) adding faith into the research of happiness (00:58:22) how can you make people curious of a faith-based life? (01:03:10) “is he stronger than daddy” (01:05:00) closing question Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices