Happiness Lab

• Social connections are one of the most important for wellbeing. Harvard Study for Adult Development tracked ~700 adults from 1938 until this day. Study found that the best predictor of health, long life and happiness was the quality of social connections. People who are still living from the experiment are in their 90's and large majority of them maintained and cared about their social life.

• Counterintuitive happiness. People they predict that buying a wellness treatment for themselves rather than for a friend would boost their happiness. However the latter is more impactful. If you want selfishly focus on your own happiness you need to focus on sharing and giving.

• Gen-Z mental health crisis
• from 2019 National College Survey: 40% report to depressed to function most days (doubled since 2009), 50% report that they regularly feel hopeless, 2/3 report that they are overwhelming anxious, 10% seriously consider suicide (to the point they thought how they are gonna do it)
• National Freshman Survey: Is Financial Achievement important? 2019 – around 100% confirmed, 1960's – 50% confirmed. Is developing meaningful philosophy of life important? 2019 – 40% confirmed 1960's 80-90% confirmed

Sources: this summary was written based on Laurie Santos on Sam Harris Show #196