The Pursuit of Happiness


25618Nearly all of us buy into what UC Riverside psychology professor Sonja Lyubomirsky calls the myths of happiness — beliefs that certain adult achievements (marriage, kids, jobs, wealth) will make us forever happy and that certain adult failures or adversities (health problems, divorce, having little money) will make us forever unhappy.

In this presentation for the Stein Institute for Research on Aging, she explains that it’s not so simple and that research shows that there is no magic formula for happiness and no sure course toward misery.

Similarly, we also tend to believe that happiness declines with age, falling more and more until we are old and miserable. Lyubomirsky shows that in fact older people are actually happier than younger people. Recent research shows that the well-being peak takes place in mid to late 60s.

No matter where you are in life, this talk is a fascinating look at happiness and what things affect that sought after feeling of well-being.

Watch The Science and Practice of Happiness Across the Lifespan.

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