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Office Hours with Arthur Brooks: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Arthur Brooks
Hi Friends, I’m Arthur Brooks, a social scientist, Vanderbilt professor, and columnist at The Free Press. I write, speak, and teach about the science of human happiness, blending neuroscience, behavioral science, philosophy, and religion for insights on how to live better and be happier. Each week on Office Hours, you’ll get a glimpse into the research on happiness and explore how to use it to improve your life—and share what you learn with those you love.
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- 4 days ago43 min
How to Be Real in a Fake World
When I was a kid, I loved Halloween—I mean who doesn’t love candy and dressing up for a night? It turns out, October 31 is not the only day we wear a disguise. Today, I’m talking about the masks we wear the other 364 days of the year. In this episode of Office Hours, I explore the psychology behind why we wear masks in our daily lives and the emotional cost of hiding our feelings. More importantly, I share three ways we can take off the mask and live more honestly, so that we can give and receive the love we need most.***Are you interested in helping others through the science of happiness? I have a new three-day program—learn more here. —Brought to you by:• LMNT—A science-backed electrolyte drink mix that helps you feel and perform your best, without sugar, artificial ingredients, or gimmicks. Get a free sample pack at DrinkLMNT.com/Arthur —Where to find Arthur Brooks: • Website: https://arthurbrooks.com/• In-person Retreats: https://retreats.arthurbrooks.com/ • Newsletter: https://www.arthurbrooks.com/newsletter • X: https://x.com/arthurbrooks• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arthurcbrooks/• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArthurBrooks/• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGuyFRjJQFGCKzfHTBvWM6A• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arthur-c-brooks/• Email: officehours@arthurbrooks.com—Timestamps: Intro Activation vs. inhibition When masking becomes a problem Why honesty matters more than avoiding conflict #1. Take a break from yourself #2. Take your mask off around loved ones #3. Make sure you like what’s behind the mask Q&A: The difference between satisfaction and happiness Q&A: Coping with disappointment Q&A: Reconciling belief in God with suffering—Referenced: • The Meaning of Your Life: Finding Purpose in an Age of Emptiness: themeaningofyourlife.com• Arthur’s newsletter: https://www.arthurbrooks.com/newsletter • The Happiness Scale: https://learn.arthurbrooks.com/the-happiness-scale • The Pursuit of Happiness with Arthur Brooks: https://www.thefp.com/s/the-pursuit-of-happiness-with-arthur</
- 1 weeks ago45 min
2 Ways to Sleep Better and Be Happier
We all know how important sleep is for our health and happiness. So why do we resist going to bed, even when we know we should?In this episode of Office Hours, I explore the science of sleep and how it affects our well-being. I explain why we sometimes sacrifice sleep for a little extra time to ourselves, a phenomenon known as "revenge bedtime procrastination," and what it reveals about our need for control. I also share two ways to change your relationship with sleep, along with my own nightly routine. —Brought to you by:• Noble Mobile—With Noble, there is only one plan: The No-Bull Plan. It’s simple. It’s transparent. And if you use less data, you get cash back. Get an exclusive offer at: https://noblemobile.com/arthurbrooks.—Where to find Arthur Brooks: • Website: https://arthurbrooks.com/• In-person Retreats: https://retreats.arthurbrooks.com/ • Newsletter: https://www.arthurbrooks.com/newsletter • X: https://x.com/arthurbrooks• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arthurcbrooks/• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArthurBrooks/• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGuyFRjJQFGCKzfHTBvWM6A• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arthur-c-brooks/• Email: officehours@arthurbrooks.com—Timestamps: Intro The sleep deprivation epidemic How sleep affects your health and well-being Four common barriers to sleep Bedtime procrastination Revenge bedtime procrastination #1. Quell your inner tyrant #2. Go from physical to metaphysical My personal sleep routine Q&A: Dealing with shifting ambition Q&A: Why men struggle more with friendship than women—Referenced: • The Meaning of Your Life: Finding Purpose in an Age of Emptiness: themeaningofyourlife.com• Arthur’s newsletter: https://www.arthurbrooks.com/newsletter • The Happiness Scale: https://learn.arthurbrooks.com/the-happiness-scale • Retreats: https://retreats.arthurbrooks.com• Huberman Lab: https://www.hubermanlab.com• About Sleep: https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/about/index.html• Changes in Sleep Duration, Quality, and Medication Use Are Prospectively Associated With Health and Well-being: Analysis of the UK Household Longitudinal Study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28364423• The role of sleep in cognition and emotion: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19338508• ...References
- 2 weeks ago49 min
My 3-Step Protocol for Managing Anxiety
If you struggle with anxiety, you might wish you could get rid of it altogether. But your brain’s alarm system exists for a reason. The trouble is that the way we live today can set it off far more often than it should.In this episode of Office Hours, I break down what anxiety actually is and what chronic anxiety does to your body. The key is understanding when anxiety is hurting us and when it can help us. I share three simple but powerful strategies to manage your anxiety and create more opportunities for happiness, adventure, and meaning in your life.—Brought to you by:• Noble Mobile—With Noble, there is only one plan: The No-Bull Plan. It’s simple. It’s transparent. And if you use less data, you get cash back. Get an exclusive offer at: https://noblemobile.com/arthurbrooks.• Helix Sleep—A mattress designed for every body. Go to helixsleep.com/brooks for 27% off sitewide for their Labor Day Sale—an exclusive offer for listeners of Office Hours. —Where to find Arthur Brooks: • Website: https://arthurbrooks.com/• In-person Retreats: https://retreats.arthurbrooks.com/ • Newsletter: https://www.arthurbrooks.com/newsletter • X: https://x.com/arthurbrooks• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arthurcbrooks/• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArthurBrooks/• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGuyFRjJQFGCKzfHTBvWM6A• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arthur-c-brooks/• Email: officehours@arthurbrooks.com—Timestamps: Intro What anxiety is Why we need anxiety and when it becomes too much Why anxiety is rising among young people What devices do to your brain Why trying to eliminate anxiety falls short Some positives of anxiety #1: Accept your anxiety #2: Reframe your anxiety #3: Lean into the source of your anxiety Q&A: Struggling with addiction as a Poet PANAS type Q&A: Modifying protocols for your health and lifestyle Q&A: The value of daydreaming —Referenced: • The Meaning of Your Life: Finding Purpose in an Age of Emptiness: <a href="https://www
- 3 weeks ago47 min
3 Ways to Stop Letting Your Past Control Your Life
Are painful memories keeping you from enjoying your life today? Maybe you avoid a particular place or person because of an experience you can’t seem to let go of.In this episode of Office Hours, I explore how memory works, why our recollections are less reliable than we think, and how the past shapes the future we imagine. As always, I share practical steps to help you find more happiness, meaning, and gratitude as you move forward.—Brought to you by:• Noble Mobile—With Noble, there is only one plan: The No-Bull Plan. It’s simple. It’s transparent. And if you use less data, you get cash back. Get an exclusive offer at: https://noblemobile.com/arthurbrooks.• Magic Mind—Magic Mind is a mental performance shot with vitamins and clinically-backed ingredients like Ashwagandha and Lion’s Mane for a sharper mind and sustained energy. Get 50% off your first order at magicmind.com. —Where to find Arthur Brooks: • Website: https://arthurbrooks.com/• In-person Retreats: https://retreats.arthurbrooks.com/ • Newsletter: https://www.arthurbrooks.com/newsletter • X: https://x.com/arthurbrooks• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arthurcbrooks/• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArthurBrooks/• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGuyFRjJQFGCKzfHTBvWM6A• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arthur-c-brooks/• Email: officehours@arthurbrooks.com—Timestamps: Intro The science of human memory Why memories are unreliable Why memories shift #1. To reconstruct your past: Keep a database of positive memories #2. Focus on gratitude #3. Look for meaning and learning Q&A: Teaching lessons from The Meaning of Your Life to kids Q&A: Handling uncertainty about AI replacing jobs—Referenced: • The Meaning of Your Life: Finding Purpose in an Age of Emptiness:https://www.arthurbrooks.com/the-meaning-of-your-life • Arthur’s newsletter: https://www.arthurbrooks.com/newsletter • The Happiness Scale: https://learn.arthurbrooks.com/the-happiness-scale • The Pursuit of Happiness with Arthur Brooks: https://www.thefp.com/s/the-pursuit-of-happiness-with-arthur• Self-Reliance:
- Sep 28, 202651 min
4 Ways to Avoid Your Professional Decline
What happens when the abilities that brought you professional success start to decline?In this episode of Office Hours, I explore how our strengths change with age and how to be happier as they do. Drawing on my book From Strength to Strength, I explain fluid and crystallized intelligence and contrast how Darwin and Bach responded to professional decline. As always, I leave you with practical steps to help you navigate this transition and find more happiness, meaning, and fulfillment as you age.—Brought to you by:• LMNT—A science-backed electrolyte drink mix that helps you feel and perform your best, without sugar, artificial ingredients, or gimmicks. Get a free sample pack at DrinkLMNT.com/Arthur• Helix Sleep—A mattress designed for every body. Go to helixsleep.com/brooks for 27% off sitewide for their Labor Day Sale—an exclusive offer for listeners of Office Hours. —Where to find Arthur Brooks: • Website: https://arthurbrooks.com/• In-person Retreats: https://retreats.arthurbrooks.com/ • Newsletter: https://www.arthurbrooks.com/newsletter • X: https://x.com/arthurbrooks• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arthurcbrooks/• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArthurBrooks/• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGuyFRjJQFGCKzfHTBvWM6A• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arthur-c-brooks/• Email: officehours@arthurbrooks.com—Timestamps: Intro How happiness changes with age Who is happiest after 70 The inevitability of age-related decline in our abilities Lessons on aging from the lives of Darwin and Bach Why our abilities decline with age #1. Jump to the new curve #2. Serve other people #3. Develop your life philosophy #4. Connect more deeply with others Q&A: Navigating relationships with adult children Q&A: Finding meaningful ways to spend retirement Q&A: How to handle “deal” friends —Referenced: • The Meaning of Your Life: Finding Purpose in an Age of Emptiness: https://www.arthurbrooks.com/the-meaning-of-your-life • Arthur’s newsletter: https://www.arthurbrooks.com/newsletter• The Happiness Scale:<a href="https://learn.
- Sep 21, 202656 min
How to Be More Optimistic with Simon Sinek
Simon Sinek is an optimist, bestselling author of Start with Why, and founder of The Optimism Company.In this special episode of Office Hours, part of the Be Hope podcast takeover during the United Nations General Assembly, Simon joins me to explore what optimism really requires. We discuss how optimism differs from hope, why relationships help us sustain a belief in a better future, how our expectations shape others, and why pessimism has become so powerful. We also explain how leaders can turn optimism into action through a clear vision, and how each of us can become more optimistic by creating space to imagine a better future and finding a vision worth pursuing.—Brought to you by:• Noble Mobile—With Noble, there is only one plan: The No-Bull Plan. It’s simple. It’s transparent. And if you use less data, you get cash back. Get an exclusive offer at: https://noblemobile.com/arthurbrooks.• Magic Mind—Magic Mind is a mental performance shot with vitamins and clinically-backed ingredients like Ashwagandha and Lion’s Mane for a sharper mind and sustained energy. Get 50% off your first order at magicmind.com. —Where to find Simon Sinek: • X: https://x.com/simonsinek• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonsinek• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simonsinek• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/simonsinek• Podcast: https://simonsinek.com/podcast • Website: https://simonsinek.comWhere to find Arthur Brooks: • Website: https://arthurbrooks.com/• In-person Retreats: https://retreats.arthurbrooks.com/ • Newsletter: https://www.arthurbrooks.com/newsletter • X: https://x.com/arthurbrooks• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arthurcbrooks/• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArthurBrooks/• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGuyFRjJQFGCKzfHTBvWM6A• LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/arthur-c-brooks/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopene
- Sep 14, 202650 min
5 Ways to Kill Your Envy and Get Happier
Dante had a particularly gruesome punishment for the envious: their eyes were wired shut. In this episode of Office Hours, I explore why envy is such a powerful happiness killer—and how to stop feeding it in your own life.—Brought to you by:• Noble Mobile—With Noble, there is only one plan: The No-Bull Plan. It’s simple. It’s transparent. And if you use less data, you get cash back. Get an exclusive offer at: https://noblemobile.com/arthurbrooks—Where to find Arthur Brooks: • Website: https://arthurbrooks.com/• In-person Retreats: https://retreats.arthurbrooks.com/ • Newsletter: https://www.arthurbrooks.com/newsletter • X: https://x.com/arthurbrooks• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arthurcbrooks/• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArthurBrooks/• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGuyFRjJQFGCKzfHTBvWM6A• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arthur-c-brooks/• Email: officehours@arthurbrooks.com—Timestamps:00:00 Intro7:15 Dante’s Divine Comedy11:56 Definition of envy and its purpose18:46 Benign and malicious envy24:13 The effects on the brain when you’re feeling envy28:30 What people envy33:25 5 ways to be less envious and much happier45:06 Q&A: Four classic temperaments46:34 Q&A: Developing your PhD research question48:40 Q&A: Romantic love: addiction or happiness?—Referenced: • The Meaning of Your Life: Finding Purpose in an Age of Emptiness: https://www.arthurbrooks.com/the-meaning-of-your-life • Arthur’s newsletter: https://www.arthurbrooks.com/newsletter • The Happiness Scale: https://learn.arthurbrooks.com/the-happiness-scale• Dante’s Purgatorio, Canto 13: http://dantelab.dartmouth.edu/reader?reader%5Bcantica%5D=2&reader%5Bcanto%5D=13• Josef Epstein. Envy: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00VQVKUPC?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback •Envy: An Adversarial Review and Comparison of Two Competing Views: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1754073919873131•The Role of Subjective and Objective Social Status in the Generation of Envy: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.513495/full•When your gain is my pain and your pain is my gain: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19213918/ •Is envy harmful to a society's psychological health and wellbeing?: <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.n
- Sep 7, 202650 min
What Is the Happiest Personality? (It Actually Might Be Yours)
If you’re an introvert, you might not like what the research has to say: Extroverts tend to be happier. But before you start striking up conversations with strangers in the elevator, there’s more to the story. In this episode of Office Hours, I explore how your personality might shape your happiness, what introverts and extroverts can learn from each other, and why understanding your natural tendencies can help you cultivate habits towards a more connected and, therefore, happier life.—Brought to you by:• Noble Mobile—With Noble, there is only one plan: The No-Bull Plan. It’s simple. It’s transparent. And if you use less data, you get cash back. Get an exclusive offer at: https://noblemobile.com/arthurbrooks• LMNT—A science-backed electrolyte drink mix that helps you feel and perform your best, without sugar, artificial ingredients, or gimmicks. Get a free sample pack at DrinkLMNT.com/Arthur—Where to find Arthur Brooks: • Website: https://arthurbrooks.com/• In-person Retreats: https://retreats.arthurbrooks.com/ • Newsletter: https://www.arthurbrooks.com/newsletter • X: https://x.com/arthurbrooks• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arthurcbrooks/• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArthurBrooks/• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGuyFRjJQFGCKzfHTBvWM6A• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arthur-c-brooks/• Email: officehours@arthurbrooks.com—Timestamps: Intro Personality traits and genetics Jung’s work on personality The Big Five personality traits (OCEAN) Eysenck’s theories on introversion and extroversion Why extroverts tend to have a happiness advantage What introverts can learn from extroverts What extroverts can learn from introverts Happiness homework for introverts and extroverts Q&A: Budgeting, vacations, and happiness Q&A: Dealing with romantic failure —Referenced: • The Meaning of Your Life: Finding Purpose in an Age of Emptiness: themeaningofyourlife.com• Meaning
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About Office Hours with Arthur Brooks
Hi Friends, I’m Arthur Brooks, a social scientist, Vanderbilt professor, and columnist at The Free Press. I write, speak, and teach about the science of human happiness, blending neuroscience, behavioral science, philosophy, and religion for insights on how to live better and be happier. Each week on Office Hours, you’ll get a glimpse into the research on happiness and explore how to use it to improve your life—and share what you learn with those you love.
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