What Makes People Happy, According to 2025's World Happiness Report

This week, we’re tackling some wild stats—like how 46% of Gen Z would choose to be "severed" to avoid experiencing their workday (as inspired by Apple TV's Severance).  We're also looking at the World Happiness Report where Finland is still the happiest (obviously), and the U.S. is now chilling at 24th place even though the current admin would have us believe we're #1. Since happiness is impacted by lacking social connections and eating too many meals alone, we chat about how the emphasis on solo travel and dining in recent years may be contributing to the loneliness epidemic. Another important way to boost happiness? Getting real about moving your body! We share our own experiences, whether we’re crushing it at home or the gym, and what some of our biggest challenges for consistency are. We also talk being intimidated by going to the gym, and we have some good news: it’s not all gym bros and sexy LA-types there, and fitness is for every BODY! And as always, we've got all the best recs for y'all: Don't sleep on your local community center gym (Pam), Meetup groups for dining, (Andrew), and Fitness Blender for free work out routines (Laura). And in this week's installment of After Dark, Andrew spills some tea he's been sitting on for a hot minute that we can only discuss behind the paywall. Pam and Laura offer some helpful (and maybe a little toxic) suggestions, but Andrew is PROTECTING HIS PEACE thank you very much! Head on over to our Patreon to listen in! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices