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Instead Of “Getting Happier,” Change Your Environment
Back in the day, I used to write a lot about happiness, including an article entitled “Happiness is bullshit.” (Don’t worry — I argued for “contentment” instead.) I also once spoke of the “U-Curve” of happiness.
Not that you should give a flying fuck, but it’s interesting to me to look back on these. I don’t think I was actually happy at the time. I moreso am now. Interesting. OK. That got deep.
At a broader level, though, I wouldn’t say society is very “happy.” You spend a lot of time at work, right? Most people do. Well, 85% of people in a global study don’t like their job. That’s a lot of time being unhappy.
Plus, we’ve got research that:
- Loneliness is on the rise
- So is isolation
- We’re all a bunch of nervous wrecks
- Might be more true for guys than anyone
Doesn’t seem like a lot of happiness is walking through that door. Maybe we need a new approach.
Cue Blue Zones
Written about them once too! I think some of their stuff is trash, but in general it’s a good model for how to live longer, be successful, be happier, etc. Their founder just wrote a…
