Dr. Laurie Santos

Yeah, I mean, it kind of depends. I think, you know, we and sometimes scientists, philosophers, you know, all of us, you know, we can get really kind of tied up on the specifics, right? You know, is joy a subcomponent of happiness or is it bigger than happiness? What about contentment and things like that? I'm more of the opinion of you kind of know them when you see them, right?

Yeah, I mean, it kind of depends. I think, you know, we and sometimes scientists, philosophers, you know, all of us, you know, we can get really kind of tied up on the specifics, right? You know, is joy a subcomponent of happiness or is it bigger than happiness? What about contentment and things like that? I'm more of the opinion of you kind of know them when you see them, right?

You know, I want a construct that's easy enough that if I give people some sort of self-report measure that they can tell me about it. But beyond that, I don't want to get into a big fight about, well, is it joy? Is it contentment? Is it 45 percent or is it 50 percent? You know, I think you kind of know it when you see it. But but we could probably dig in. I mean, there's nuance there.

You know, I want a construct that's easy enough that if I give people some sort of self-report measure that they can tell me about it. But beyond that, I don't want to get into a big fight about, well, is it joy? Is it contentment? Is it 45 percent or is it 50 percent? You know, I think you kind of know it when you see it. But but we could probably dig in. I mean, there's nuance there.

You know, I want a construct that's easy enough that if I give people some sort of self-report measure that they can tell me about it. But beyond that, I don't want to get into a big fight about, well, is it joy? Is it contentment? Is it 45 percent or is it 50 percent? You know, I think you kind of know it when you see it. But but we could probably dig in. I mean, there's nuance there.

You know, the kind of calm contentment feels different than a kind of manic, excited happiness than, you know, a deep sense of joy. You know, these these are different constructs and maybe importantly so. But overall, what we're going for is as many of those as possible.

You know, the kind of calm contentment feels different than a kind of manic, excited happiness than, you know, a deep sense of joy. You know, these these are different constructs and maybe importantly so. But overall, what we're going for is as many of those as possible.

You know, the kind of calm contentment feels different than a kind of manic, excited happiness than, you know, a deep sense of joy. You know, these these are different constructs and maybe importantly so. But overall, what we're going for is as many of those as possible.

Yeah, well, it's definitely like statistically speaking, made me much happier. You know, I'm a nerd, right? So I take these surveys myself about, you know, how satisfied are you with your life on a scale of one to 10 and stuff like that.

Yeah, well, it's definitely like statistically speaking, made me much happier. You know, I'm a nerd, right? So I take these surveys myself about, you know, how satisfied are you with your life on a scale of one to 10 and stuff like that.

Yeah, well, it's definitely like statistically speaking, made me much happier. You know, I'm a nerd, right? So I take these surveys myself about, you know, how satisfied are you with your life on a scale of one to 10 and stuff like that.

And, you know, on most 10 point scales of both kind of happiness in my life and happiness with my life, I've gone up at least a point since focusing on this stuff. But it's not like magic, right? It's in part just because I'm I'm doing the things that I keep telling my students to do. You know, I'm practicing gratitude. I'm improving my social connection. I'm meditating more.

And, you know, on most 10 point scales of both kind of happiness in my life and happiness with my life, I've gone up at least a point since focusing on this stuff. But it's not like magic, right? It's in part just because I'm I'm doing the things that I keep telling my students to do. You know, I'm practicing gratitude. I'm improving my social connection. I'm meditating more.

And, you know, on most 10 point scales of both kind of happiness in my life and happiness with my life, I've gone up at least a point since focusing on this stuff. But it's not like magic, right? It's in part just because I'm I'm doing the things that I keep telling my students to do. You know, I'm practicing gratitude. I'm improving my social connection. I'm meditating more.

I'm exercising like I'm doing all this stuff in a big list of, hey, if you do these things scientifically, seems like you'll feel better. And now I'm doing those and I'm feeling better. So it kind of makes sense.

I'm exercising like I'm doing all this stuff in a big list of, hey, if you do these things scientifically, seems like you'll feel better. And now I'm doing those and I'm feeling better. So it kind of makes sense.

I'm exercising like I'm doing all this stuff in a big list of, hey, if you do these things scientifically, seems like you'll feel better. And now I'm doing those and I'm feeling better. So it kind of makes sense.

There's also something wonderful about being the happiness professor, because, you know, I have a whole host of students and podcast listeners who, you know, if I'm not doing the right thing, will probably call me out. You know, my students see me. Oh, how's it going? Like, oh, I'm so frustrated. You know, it's such a and they're like, oh, you know, my my students call me head of college Santos.

There's also something wonderful about being the happiness professor, because, you know, I have a whole host of students and podcast listeners who, you know, if I'm not doing the right thing, will probably call me out. You know, my students see me. Oh, how's it going? Like, oh, I'm so frustrated. You know, it's such a and they're like, oh, you know, my my students call me head of college Santos.

There's also something wonderful about being the happiness professor, because, you know, I have a whole host of students and podcast listeners who, you know, if I'm not doing the right thing, will probably call me out. You know, my students see me. Oh, how's it going? Like, oh, I'm so frustrated. You know, it's such a and they're like, oh, you know, my my students call me head of college Santos.