There are many benefits to being an optimist - particularly when things go wrong in our lives. But we aren't all naturally optimistic, so can we learn to adopt the best and most positive behaviours of born optimists?

Through treating New Yorkers caught up in the 9/11 attacks, psychiatrist Dr Sue Varma developed a concept she calls "practical optimism". She shares her tips on how we can all be more optimistic in the face of life's challenges. 

Read more in Sue's book Practical Optimism: The Art, Science, and Practice of Exceptional Well-Being  

Dr Laurie spoke to Sue Varma MD at the 2025 World Happiness Summit. 

Get ad-free episodes to The Happiness Lab by subscribing to Pushkin+ on Apple Podcasts or Pushkin.fm. Pushkin+ subscribers can access ad-free episodes, full audiobooks, exclusive binges, and bonus content for all Pushkin shows. 

Subscribe on Apple: apple.co/pushkin
Subscribe on Pushkin: pushkin.fm/plus

There are many benefits to being an optimist - particularly when things go wrong in our lives. But we aren't all naturally optimistic, so can we learn to adopt the best and most positive behaviours of born optimists?
Through treating New Yorkers caught up in the 9/11 attacks, psychiatrist Dr Sue Varma developed a concept she calls "practical optimism". She shares her tips on how we can all be more optimistic in the face of life's challenges.&nbsp;
Read more in Sue's book <a href="https://www.doctorsuevarma.com/book/">Practical Optimism: The Art, Science, and Practice of Exceptional Well-Being</a> &nbsp;
Dr Laurie spoke to Sue Varma MD at the 2025 <a href="https://wohasu.com/">World Happiness Summit</a>.&nbsp;
<hr>
Get ad-free episodes to The Happiness Lab by subscribing to Pushkin+ on Apple Podcasts or <a href="https://www.pushkin.fm/join-pushkin">Pushkin.fm</a>. Pushkin+ subscribers can access ad-free episodes, full audiobooks, exclusive binges, and bonus content for all Pushkin shows.&nbsp;
Subscribe on Apple: <a href="http://apple.co/pushkin">apple.co/pushkin</a> Subscribe on Pushkin:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pushkin.fm/join-pushkin">pushkin.fm/plus</a>

You might think you know what it takes to lead a happier life… more money, a better job, or Instagram-worthy vacations. You’re dead wrong. Yale professor Dr. Laurie Santos has studied the science of happiness and found that many of us do the exact opposite of what will truly make our lives better. Based on the psychology course she teaches at Yale -- the most popular class in the university’s 300-year history -- Laurie will take you through the latest scientific research and share some surprising and inspiring stories that will change the way you think about happiness.

You might think you know what it takes to lead a happier life… more money, a better job, or Instagram-worthy vacations. You’re dead wrong. Yale professor Dr. Laurie Santos has studied the science of happiness and found that many of us do the exact opposite of what will truly make our lives better. Based on the psychology course she teaches at Yale -- the most popular class in the university’s 300-year history -- Laurie will take you through the latest scientific research and share some surprising and inspiring stories that will change the way you think about happiness.

The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos

Can You Become a "Practical" Optimist?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/9b6fae09-6c74-49f4-9c91-b2c100d22e8b/transcript

We hear a lot about how screens affect our mental health, but time spent on computers and smartphones is having just as much of an impact on our physical health — from brain fog and weakened core muscles to changes in our posture, our sleep, and even the shape of our eyes.

As part of our series on spring cleaning your wellbeing, Dr. Laurie sits down with journalist and podcast host Manoush Zomorodi, author of Body Electric, to explore how modern tech habits are affecting us physically, and what steps we can take to protect our health in a world where screens aren’t going away anytime soon.

Experts Mentioned:
Manoush Zomorodi, journalist, author, and host of NPR's TED Radio Hour
Dr. Keith Diaz, exercise physiologist and Florence Irving Associate Professor of Behavioral Medicine at Columbia University Medical Center
Dr. Maria Liu, Professor of Clinical Optometry at UC Berkeley and founder of the Myopia Control Clinic
Dr. Rick Neitzel, Associate Professor of Environmental Health Sciences at the University of Michigan 
Dr. Peter Strick, Thomas Detre Professor and Chair of Neurobiology at the University of Pittsburgh
Dr. Sahib Khalsa, psychiatrist and neuroscientist at UCLA 

Resources Mentioned:
Body Electric: The Hidden Health Costs of the Digital Age and New Science to Reclaim Your Well-Being, by Manoush Zomorodi (2026)
Body Electric, a six-part podcast series by Manoush Zomorodi (National Public Radio, 2023)
"Breaking Up Prolonged Sitting to Improve Cardiometabolic Risk: Dose-Response Analysis of a Randomized Crossover Trial," by Keith M. Diaz et al. (Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2023)
"The Mind-Body Problem: Circuits That Link the Cerebral Cortex to the Adrenal Medulla," by Richard P. Dum, David J. Levinthal, and Peter L. Strick (PNAS, 2019)
Bored and Brilliant: How Spacing Out Can Unlock Your Most Productive and Creative Self, by Manoush Zomorodi (2017)

Related Episodes:
"How I Stopped Fearing Boredom"
"How Our Screen Habits Impact Our Stress Levels"
"Smell, Taste and Touch: How to Joyfully Awaken Your Senses"
“Sight and Sound: How to Joyfully Awaken Your Senses”

We hear a lot about how screens affect our mental health, but time spent on computers and smartphones is having just as much of an impact on our physical health &mdash; from brain fog and weakened core muscles to changes in our posture, our sleep, and even the shape of our eyes.
As part of our series on spring cleaning your wellbeing, Dr. Laurie sits down with journalist and podcast host Manoush Zomorodi, author of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Body-Electric-Digital-Science-Well-Being/dp/1250411203">Body Electric</a>, to explore how modern tech habits are affecting us physically, and what steps we can take to protect our health in a world where screens aren&rsquo;t going away anytime soon.
Experts Mentioned:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.manoushz.com/">Manoush Zomorodi</a>, journalist, author, and host of NPR's TED Radio Hour</li>
<li><a href="https://www.columbiacardiology.org/profile/keith-diaz-phd">Dr. Keith Diaz</a>, exercise physiologist and Florence Irving Associate Professor of Behavioral Medicine at Columbia University Medical Center</li>
<li><a href="https://optometry.berkeley.edu/people/yue-maria-liu-od-phd/">Dr. Maria Liu</a>, Professor of Clinical Optometry at UC Berkeley and founder of the Myopia Control Clinic</li>
<li><a href="https://sph.umich.edu/faculty-profiles/neitzel-richard.html">Dr. Rick Neitzel</a>, Associate Professor of Environmental Health Sciences at the University of Michigan&nbsp;</li>
<li><a href="https://www.cnup.pitt.edu/people/peter-l-strick-phd">Dr. Peter Strick</a>, Thomas Detre Professor and Chair of Neurobiology at the University of Pittsburgh</li>
<li><a href="https://www.uclahealth.org/providers/sahib-khalsa">Dr. Sahib Khalsa</a>, psychiatrist and neuroscientist at UCLA&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
Resources Mentioned:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Body-Electric-Digital-Science-Well-Being/dp/1250411203">Body Electric: The Hidden Health Costs of the Digital Age and New Science to Reclaim Your Well-Being</a>, by Manoush Zomorodi (2026)</li>
<li><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/body-electric/id1716971321">Body Electric</a>, a six-part podcast series by Manoush Zomorodi (National Public Radio, 2023)</li>
<li><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36728338/">"Breaking Up Prolonged Sitting to Improve Cardiometabolic Risk: Dose-Response Analysis of a Randomized Crossover Trial,"</a> by Keith M. Diaz et al. (Medicine &amp; Science in Sports &amp; Exercise, 2023)</li>
<li><a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1902297116">"The Mind-Body Problem: Circuits That Link the Cerebral Cortex to the Adrenal Medulla,"</a> by Richard P. Dum, David J. Levinthal, and Peter L. Strick (PNAS, 2019)</li>
<li><a href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/bored-and-brilliant/id6754063669">Bored and Brilliant: How Spacing Out Can Unlock Your Most Productive and Creative Self</a>, by Manoush Zomorodi (2017)</li>
</ul>
Related Episodes:
<ul>
<li>"<a href="https://www.pushkin.fm/podcasts/the-happiness-lab-with-dr-laurie-santos/how-i-stopped-fearing-boredom">How I Stopped Fearing Boredom</a>"</li>
<li>"<a href="https://www.pushkin.fm/podcasts/the-happiness-lab-with-dr-laurie-santos/bonus-good-screens-and-bad-screens">How Our Screen Habits Impact Our Stress Levels</a>"</li>
<li>"<a href="https://www.pushkin.fm/podcasts/the-happiness-lab-with-dr-laurie-santos/smell-taste-and-touch-how-to-joyfully-awaken-your-senses">Smell, Taste and Touch: How to Joyfully Awaken Your Senses</a>"</li>
<li>&ldquo;<a href="https://www.pushkin.fm/podcasts/the-happiness-lab-with-dr-laurie-santos/sight-and-sound-how-to-joyfully-awaken-your-senses">Sight and Sound: How to Joyfully Awaken Your Senses</a>&rdquo;</li>
</ul>

What Screen Time Is Really Doing to Your Body with Manoush Zomorodi

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/476ad9c0-5f4e-4577-a21b-b43d01386ec0/transcript

Buying something new can trigger a rush of dopamine, leading to a momentary boost in happiness. But the rush is fleeting, and over time, our possessions can end up weighing us down more than they lift us up.

As part of our series on spring cleaning your wellbeing, Dr. Laurie explores why material things so often fail to make us happier, and why experiences are usually a better investment in our long-term wellbeing. Along the way, she talks with psychologist Bruce Hood, researcher Amit Kumar, and writer Cait Flanders, who reflects on the psychological benefits of shifting from a maximalist lifestyle to a minimalist one.

If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s actually worth the time and effort to clean out your closet, this episode offers some answers.

Experts Mentioned:
Bruce Hood, professor of developmental psychology in society at the University of Bristol
Amit Kumar, assistant professor of marketing and psychology at the University of Texas at Austin
Cait Flanders, author of The Year of Less and Adventures in Opting Out
Richard Easterlin, economist and professor at the University of Southern California, originator of the Easterlin Paradox

Resources Mentioned:
Possessed: Why We Want More Than We Need, by Bruce Hood (2019)
The Year of Less: How I Stopped Shopping, Gave Away My Belongings, and Discovered Life Is Worth More Than Anything You Can Buy in a Store, by Cait Flanders (2018)
“Does Economic Growth Improve the Human Lot? Some Empirical Evidence” by Richard A. Easterlin (Nations and Households in Economic Growth, 1974)

Related Episodes:
"The Unhappy Millionaire"
"Why Giving Money to Others Makes Us Happier"
"You Can't Always Want What You Like"

Buying something new can trigger a rush of dopamine, leading to a momentary boost in happiness. But the rush is fleeting, and over time, our possessions can end up weighing us down more than they lift us up.
As part of our series on spring cleaning your wellbeing, Dr. Laurie explores why material things so often fail to make us happier, and why experiences are usually a better investment in our long-term wellbeing. Along the way, she talks with psychologist Bruce Hood, researcher Amit Kumar, and writer Cait Flanders, who reflects on the psychological benefits of shifting from a maximalist lifestyle to a minimalist one.
If you&rsquo;ve ever wondered whether it&rsquo;s actually worth the time and effort to clean out your closet, this episode offers some answers.
Experts Mentioned:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://brucemhood.wordpress.com/">Bruce Hood</a>, professor of developmental psychology in society at the University of Bristol</li>
<li><a href="https://www.kumar-amit.com/">Amit Kumar</a>, assistant professor of marketing and psychology at the University of Texas at Austin</li>
<li><a href="https://www.caitflanders.com/">Cait Flanders</a>, author of The Year of Less and Adventures in Opting Out</li>
<li><a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=pBYzJL8AAAAJ&amp;hl=en">Richard Easterlin</a>, economist and professor at the University of Southern California, originator of the Easterlin Paradox</li>
</ul>
Resources Mentioned:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/possessed/id1472993321">Possessed: Why We Want More Than We Need</a>, by Bruce Hood (2019)</li>
<li><a href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-year-of-less/id1420584142">The Year of Less: How I Stopped Shopping, Gave Away My Belongings, and Discovered Life Is Worth More Than Anything You Can Buy in a Store</a>, by Cait Flanders (2018)</li>
<li>&ldquo;<a href="https://huwdixon.org/teaching/cei/Easterlin1974.pdf">Does Economic Growth Improve the Human Lot? Some Empirical Evidence</a>&rdquo; by Richard A. Easterlin (Nations and Households in Economic Growth, 1974)</li>
</ul>
Related Episodes:
<ul>
<li>"<a href="https://www.pushkin.fm/podcasts/the-happiness-lab-with-dr-laurie-santos/the-unhappy-millionaire">The Unhappy Millionaire</a>"</li>
<li>"<a href="https://www.pushkin.fm/podcasts/the-happiness-lab-with-dr-laurie-santos/giving-tuesday-why-giving-money-to-others-makes-us-happier">Why Giving Money to Others Makes Us Happier</a>"</li>
<li>"<a href="https://www.pushkin.fm/podcasts/the-happiness-lab-with-dr-laurie-santos/you-cant-always-want-what-you-like">You Can't Always Want What You Like</a>"</li>
</ul>

Why More Stuff Doesn’t Make You Happier

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/2cd84ad8-a301-4096-8315-b43601345a6e/transcript

Our surroundings affect our happiness in ways we often don’t notice. The layout of a room, the amount of clutter in our home, and even small changes to lighting can shape our mood, focus, and relationships.

As The Happiness Lab continues its spring cleaning series, Dr. Laurie sits down with University of Virginia Professor Leidy Klotz, author of In a Good Place, to explore the hidden ways our spaces shape our inner lives. Why do certain places make us feel calm, connected, and grounded, while others leave us distracted or drained?

From creating more connection at home to using our surroundings to remember loved ones we’ve lost, these practical ideas will refresh your space and your wellbeing.

Experts Mentioned:
Leidy Klotz, professor of engineering and architecture at the University of Virginia
Nelson Mandela, anti-apartheid activist and former president of South Africa
Jane Jacobs, writer and urban activist

Resources Mentioned:
In a Good Place: How the Spaces Where We Live, Work, and Play Can Help Us Thrive, by Leidy Klotz (2026)
Subtract: The Untapped Science of Less by Leidy Klotz (2021)
“Spatial Patterns of Solar Photovoltaic System Adoption: The Influence of Neighbors and the Built Environment” by Marcello Graziano and Kenneth Gillingham (Journal of Economic Geography, 2015).
“Fire Drill: Inattentional Blindness and Amnesia for the Location of Fire Extinguishers” by Alan D Castel, Michael Vendetti, and Keith J Holyoak. (Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics, 2012)
“Self-Determination Theory and the Facilitation of Intrinsic Motivation, Social Development, and Well-Being” by Richard M. Ryan and Edward L. Deci (American Psychologist, 2000).
“Neighborhoods and Violent Crime: A Multilevel Study of Collective Efficacy” by Robert J. Sampson, Stephen W. Raudenbush, and Felton Earls (Science, 1997).
“When Choice Is Demotivating: Can One Desire Too Much of a Good Thing?” by Sheena S. Iyengar and Mark R. Lepper (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2000).

Related Episodes:
"Choice Overload" by The Happiness Lab (2019).
"How to Make Better Choices (with Barry Schwartz)" by The Happiness Lab (2025).
"How to Design a More Meaningful Life (with Dave Evans and Bill Burnett)" by The Happiness Lab (2026).

Our surroundings affect our happiness in ways we often don&rsquo;t notice. The layout of a room, the amount of clutter in our home, and even small changes to lighting can shape our mood, focus, and relationships.
As The Happiness Lab continues its spring cleaning series, Dr. Laurie sits down with University of Virginia Professor Leidy Klotz, author of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Good-Place-Spaces-Where-Thrive/dp/0316567361">In a Good Place</a>, to explore the hidden ways our spaces shape our inner lives. Why do certain places make us feel calm, connected, and grounded, while others leave us distracted or drained?
From creating more connection at home to using our surroundings to remember loved ones we&rsquo;ve lost, these practical ideas will refresh your space and your wellbeing.
Experts Mentioned:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://leidyklotz.com/">Leidy Klotz</a>, professor of engineering and architecture at the University of Virginia</li>
<li><a href="https://www.nelsonmandela.org/">Nelson Mandela</a>, anti-apartheid activist and former president of South Africa</li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Jacobs">Jane Jacobs</a>, writer and urban activist</li>
</ul>
Resources Mentioned:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/in-a-good-place/id6749524867">In a Good Place: How the Spaces Where We Live, Work, and Play Can Help Us Thrive</a>, by Leidy Klotz (2026)</li>
<li><a href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/subtract/id1525220124">Subtract: The Untapped Science of Less</a> by Leidy Klotz (2021)</li>
<li>&ldquo;<a href="https://resources.environment.yale.edu/gillingham/GrazianoGillingham_15_SpatialPatternsPVSystems.pdf">Spatial Patterns of Solar Photovoltaic System Adoption: The Influence of Neighbors and the Built Environment</a>&rdquo; by Marcello Graziano and Kenneth Gillingham (Journal of Economic Geography, 2015).</li>
<li>&ldquo;<a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.3758/s13414-012-0355-3">Fire Drill: Inattentional Blindness and Amnesia for the Location of Fire Extinguishers</a>&rdquo; by Alan D Castel, Michael Vendetti, and Keith J Holyoak. (Attention, Perception, &amp; Psychophysics, 2012)</li>
<li>&ldquo;<a href="https://selfdeterminationtheory.org/SDT/documents/2000_RyanDeci_SDT.pdf">Self-Determination Theory and the Facilitation of Intrinsic Motivation, Social Development, and Well-Being</a>&rdquo; by Richard M. Ryan and Edward L. Deci (American Psychologist, 2000).</li>
<li>&ldquo;<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9252316/">Neighborhoods and Violent Crime: A Multilevel Study of Collective Efficacy</a>&rdquo; by Robert J. Sampson, Stephen W. Raudenbush, and Felton Earls (Science, 1997).</li>
<li>&ldquo;<a href="https://faculty.washington.edu/jdb/345/345%20Articles/Iyengar%20%26%20Lepper%20(2000).pdf">When Choice Is Demotivating: Can One Desire Too Much of a Good Thing?</a>&rdquo; by Sheena S. Iyengar and Mark R. Lepper (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2000).</li>
</ul>
Related Episodes:
<ul>
<li>"<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/choice-overload/id1474245040?i=1000455959891">Choice </a><a href="https://www.pushkin.fm/podcasts/the-happiness-lab-with-dr-laurie-santos/choice-overload">Overload</a>" by The Happiness Lab (2019).</li>
<li>"<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-make-better-choices-with-barry-schwartz/id1474245040?i=1000729897270">How to Make Better Choices (with </a><a href="https://www.pushkin.fm/podcasts/the-happiness-lab-with-dr-laurie-santos/how-to-make-better-choices-with-barry-schwartz">Barry</a><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-make-better-choices-with-barry-schwartz/id1474245040?i=1000729897270"> Schwartz)</a>" by The Happiness Lab (2025).</li>
<li>"<a href="https://www.pushkin.fm/podcasts/the-happiness-lab-with-dr-laurie-santos/how-to-design-a-more-meaningful-life-with-dave-evans-and-bill-burnett">How to Design a More Meaningful Life (with Dave Evans and Bill Burnett)</a>" by The Happiness Lab (2026).</li>
</ul>

Your Environment Affects Your Happiness More Than You Think with Dr. Leidy Klotz

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/aef8f3ac-7d73-468d-912b-b42f01495255/transcript

Can You Become a "Practical" Optimist?

In 1 playlist(s)

The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos

Social links

Follow podcast

Recent clips