THREE MACRONUTRIENTS OF HAPPINESS
And how to get more of them. Inspired by the work of Arthur C. Brooks.
Why does happiness sometimes feel like it slips through our fingers like sand? It’s there, and then before we know it, it’s gone.
Arthur Brooks, a Harvard professor and happiness researcher, talks about three macronutrients of happiness: enjoyment, satisfaction, and meaning.
The takeaway? Happiness isn’t somewhere you arrive one day after you’ve ticked all the boxes. It’s something you keep cultivating throughout your life.
We all have a different recipe for happiness, but these three ingredients are worth paying attention to.
And an important note: mindless scrolling (while it may feel enjoyable in the moment) probably isn’t doing much for sustained happiness. Sorry, TikTok fans!
Here are three things you can try:
ENJOYMENT
Make time to do things with people you care about. Go for a walk, share a meal, sit together over coffee. Put your phone away and give the experience (and the people you’re with) your full attention. Even when you feel the urge to check your phone, see if you can ride out that urge and really be in that experience.
SATISFACTION
Satisfaction comes from working toward something meaningful and appreciating your accomplishments. Maybe it’s a fitness goal or something at work.
But Brooks also talks about managing our wants. We’re often so busy wanting the next thing that we forget to enjoy what we already have.
Try two things:
Do something that challenges you and notice the satisfaction of making progress. Hooray for you! Yes, allow yourself that celebration too.
And practice wanting what you already have. Think of something in your life that you once really wanted. Take a moment to appreciate that you have it now.
Try the ABUNDANCE exercise in WISH.
MEANING
Do something kind for another person. It doesn’t have to be a grand gesture. Help someone carry their bags, check in on a friend, or make your partner, friend, or roommate a cup of tea.
These three ingredients don’t mean life will always feel good. Effort, disappointment, uncertainty, and challenge are part of being human too.
The idea is to keep finding ways to bring more enjoyment, satisfaction, and meaning into the life you’re living.
Go for it!
Inspired by the work of Arthur C. Brooks.