Episode 185: Happiness Vs. Emotional Flexibility: Which Is Better For Life Satisfaction?

The Evolved Caveman w/ Dr. John Schinnerer

Good vibes only. Think positively. If you’re depressed, you’re just not praying hard enough. Inspiration porn. We are bombarded with messages to be positive and happy on the daily. It is a Western ideal to pursue and prioritize happiness. But can we have too much of a good thing? The answer is yes, we can, according to research. Happiness cannot be pursued directly. It cannot be pursued as an end in and of itself. Ironically, this type of dogged pursuit usually leads to greater UN-happiness. So how DO we pursue happiness? What are some of the scientific findings with regards to increasing life satisfaction, meaning and ultimately, happiness?

Topics Covered:

What is the downside of overfocusing on happiness?

What is emotional flexibility? And how does one become more emotionally flexible?

I often talk about the hedonic treadmill - the phenomenon in which we adapt to anything, good or bad. What is Hedonic Flexibility?

How important is autonomy to life satisfaction?

How does autonomy relate to workplace satisfaction?

About My Esteemed Guest:

Dr. Mike Rucker is an organizational psychologist, behavioral scientist, and charter member of the International Positive Psychology Association. He has been published in publications like the International Journal of Workplace Health Management. His ideas about fun and health have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Fast Company, Psychology Today, Forbes, Vox, and more. He currently serves as a senior leader at Active Wellness and is the author of the book

Where to reach Dr. Mike

https://michaelrucker.com

https://twitter.com/performbetter

https://www.instagram.com/thewonderoffun

https://www.facebook.com/mike.rucker.phd

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelrucker

https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Fun-Habit/Mike-Rucker/9781982159054

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Editing/Mixing/Mastering by: Brian Donat of B/Line Studios www.BLineStudios.com