Tal Ben-Shahar || The Science of Happiness

Happiness is not about being happy all the time. A happy life is not about experiencing a constant high all the time. In fact, it's about embracing painful emotions—accepting the fact that they're part and parcel of every life ... When we accept and embrace painful emotions, that's when we open ourselves up to more happiness.

Levels of empathy among 20-year-olds today [are]... 40% lower than empathy levels of 20-year-olds from 20 years ago. In other words, over a period of 20 years, empathy levels went down by 40%.

Meaning is not happiness. At the same time, a person without a sense of meaning in life would be really stretched or probably impossible to find happiness. So, meaning is a necessary but not sufficient condition for happiness.

The reason why levels of depression are so high among teenagers is because they're spending more and more time on the smartphone, technology. The number one addiction today—not alcohol, not drugs, not gambling; it's technology. And we're paying a high price for it.

When we increase or improve our mood, when we experience more positive, pleasurable emotions, we are more likely to think outside the box.

The foundation of happiness is first allowing in unhappiness.

I think that there is an advantage in being at the onset, or the beginning of a field when there isn't that much content because... it forces one to be creative, and it forces one to be eclectic—and there is a lot of value in eclecticism. There's a lot of value in the need to look outside your field.

Curious people actually live longer, all other things being equal.

I'm a big believer in Carl Rogers' claim that what is most personal is most general.