Dr Rangan ChatterjeeHow To Find True Happiness (What 36 Years of Research Reveals) | Sonja Lyubomirsky
Episode Details
EPISODE INFO
- Released
- September 30, 2026
- Duration
- 1h 59m
- Channel
- Dr Rangan Chatterjee
- Watch on YouTube
- ▶ Open ↗
EPISODE DESCRIPTION
Get your FREE Break Free from Stress guide - Feel calmer, starting today. Go to https://drchatterjee.com/feelcalmer This episode is brought to you by: BBON CHARGE: Save 20% off all Bon Charge products with code LIVEMORE https://boncharge.com/livemore DO HEALTH: Join thousands who have already started their Do Health journey. Sign up today. Go to https://dohealth.co/livemore and use code LIVEMORE. What if true happiness has less to do with what happens to us, and more to do with how connected and loved we feel? In this episode, I’m joined by happiness researcher Sonja Lyubomirsky to explore what 36 years of research can teach us about happiness, connection and feeling loved. Sonja explains why the things we think will make us happy, like more money, a better job or a new relationship, often only make us happier for a short time. We explore the idea of hedonic adaptation, why happier people tend to be more successful, and what the research tells us about happiness and health. We also explore Sonja’s most important finding: that many of the things that reliably make us happier work because they help us feel more connected and loved. She explains the difference between being loved and feeling loved, and why feeling known by others is so important. Sonja shares five mindsets that can help us feel more loved, including radical curiosity, sharing, listening to learn, having an open heart and seeing people as more than a single trait or behaviour. We try some of her practical exercises for building deeper connection and talk about how changing your next conversation could change your relationships. We also discuss gratitude, forgiveness, judgement, curiosity, cultural differences in happiness, what Sonja learned from meeting the Dalai Lama, and why he told her, “Love is not a feeling. Love is a decision.” If you’ve ever found yourself thinking “I’ll be happy when…”, or wondered why you can be loved and still not feel loved, this conversation offers a different way to think about happiness and practical ways to bring more connection into your life. 🌱 Want to feel better and live more? Subscribe for new conversations that could change how you think about your health and your life. ________________________________________ Episode Chapters 00:00 INTRO 00:15 The Biggest Myths About Happiness 01:47 Money and Happiness: What’s the Link? 09:57 Happiness and Your Health 11:49 How Culture Changes Happiness 17:16 What Is Happiness, Really? 19:10 The Key to Happiness: Connection 24:30 Why Feeling Loved Makes Us Happy 26:37 Bon Charge ad 28:04 Mighty Stress PDF 30:18 How to Feel More Loved 38:18 5 Mindsets for Happiness 40:18 Questions That Build Connection 47:56 Do Health 49:24 Why Curiosity Makes You Happier 56:21 The Open Heart Mindset 1:03:47 The Dalai Lama’s Advice on Happiness 1:08:18 Is Happiness a Science? 1:15:12 Gratitude and Happiness 1:20:12 The Dalai Lama’s Biggest Lessons 1:26:42 Why Being Less Judgmental Makes You Happier 1:34:40 How Understanding Others Makes You Feel Loved 1:38:17 How to Practise Acceptance 1:44:52 How to Feel More Loved and Happier 1:49:42 Final Thoughts on Happiness #feelbetterlivemore Connect with Sonja: Website https://sonjalyubomirsky.com/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sonjalyubomirsky/?hl=en Sonja’s book: How to Feel Love UK https://link.amazon/B0fDma28r US https://link.amazon/B0azaRpbf #feelbetterlivemore #feelbetterlivemorepodcast ------- The Thrive Tour: Transform Your Health and Happiness, a live show: Book Your Tickets https://drchatterjee.com/live ----- Follow Dr Chatterjee at: Website: https://drchatterjee.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drchatterjee Twitter: https://twitter.com/drchatterjeeuk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drchatterjee/ Newsletter: https://drchatterjee.com/subscription DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.
SPEAKERS
Dr. Rangan Chatterjee
hostMedical doctor and podcast host of "Feel Better, Live More" who interviews experts on health and wellbeing.
Sonja Lyubomirsky
guestPsychologist and happiness researcher known for research on wellbeing and evidence-based “happiness interventions.”
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Dr Rangan Chatterjee, featuring Dr. Rangan Chatterjee and Sonja Lyubomirsky, How To Find True Happiness (What 36 Years of Research Reveals) | Sonja Lyubomirsky explores 36 years of happiness research: feeling loved drives lasting wellbeing Sonja Lyubomirsky argues that the biggest happiness myth is “I’ll be happy when…,” because hedonic adaptation makes most external upgrades temporary.
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