EPISODE · Nov 12, 2014 · 26 MIN
#8: The bizarrely unexpected secret to lasting happiness
from Dr Justin Coulson's Happy Families · host Dr Justin Coulson
We usually think that we’ll be ‘happy’ when we get that thing. It might be a job, a degree, a child, a child at school, a car, the house, the holiday, or something else we’re pining for. In this week’s Positivity Podcast, we take a look at something a little bit bizzare. While those things can – and do – make us happy, there’s something else much bigger, much more powerful, and far more life-changing that boosts our positivity AND makes the world (and the lives of others) phenomenally better. Also in today’s positivity podcast, I’ll chat with you about taming toddler tantrums. What to do, what not to do, and why. Show notes In today’s podcast there really aren’t any “tips” for me to share. However, you may be interested in the following links to articles that describe the research I’ve discussed here. Note, I’m not linking to the scholarly work if I’ve been able to find a simpler version to share. For more about giving money, see this article by Dunn and Norton. For more about how we spend our time (hedonic or eudaimonic behaviour), see this article by Mike Steger and Todd Kashdan. To know how helping helps make us happier when we are not being ‘controlled’, see this article by Netta Weinstein and Rich Ryan.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
What this episode covers
We usually think that we’ll be ‘happy’ when we get that thing. It might be a job, a degree, a child, a child at school, a car, the house, the holiday, or something else we’re pining for. In this week’s Positivity Podcast,
NOW PLAYING
#8: The bizarrely unexpected secret to lasting happiness
No transcript for this episode yet
Similar Episodes
Mar 19, 2026 ·34m
Feb 18, 2026 ·11m
Feb 11, 2026 ·45m
Nov 12, 2025 ·35m
Oct 17, 2025 ·40m