How Culture and Policy Shape Wellbeing

As a psychology professor at Yale University, Dr. Laurie Santos witnessed a severe mental health crisis among her students. One in four were too depressed to function on most days, and over 60% felt overwhelmingly anxious. This experience inspired her to create Yale’s most popular course, Psychology and the Good Life, which teaches evidence-based strategies to rewire one’s mindset and find true fulfillment. In this episode, Dr. Laurie dives into the science of happiness and shares practical, research-based techniques to break free from common happiness myths and mental traps that keep us from experiencing true joy. 

In this episode, Hala and Dr. Laurie will discuss:

(00:00) Introduction

(02:10) The College Mental Health Crisis

(05:37) The Scientific Definitions of Happiness

(07:34) How Culture and Mindset Shape Happiness

(12:13) Debunking Common Happiness Myths

(25:25) Savoring Relationships and Valuing Health

(29:08) Turning What We Know Into Everyday Positivity

(38:20) Overcoming the Social Comparison Bias Trap

(41:43) Rewiring Your Mindset for Lasting Fulfillment

(49:24) Expert Takes on Modern Happiness Concepts

Dr. Laurie Santos is a cognitive scientist, psychology professor at Yale University, and host of The Happiness Lab podcast. Her Yale course, Psychology and the Good Life, became the most popular class in the university’s history and has reached millions worldwide. As a leading expert in the science of happiness, Dr. Laurie helps people understand why our brains mislead us and how to rewire our minds for overall wellness and genuine joy.

Sponsored By:

Indeed - Get a $75 sponsored job credit to boost your job's visibility at Indeed.com/PROFITING 

Shopify - Start your $1/month trial at Shopify.com/profiting. 

Mercury streamlines your banking and finances in one place. Learn more at mercury.com/profiting. Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided through Choice Financial Group, Column N.A., and Evolve Bank & Trust; Members FDIC.

Quo - Get 20% off your first 6 months at Quo.com/PROFITING 

Revolve - Head to REVOLVE.com/PROFITING and take 15% off your first order with code PROFITING 

Framer- Go to Framer.com and use code PROFITING to launch your site for free. 

Merit Beauty - Go to meritbeauty.com to get your free signature makeup bag with your first order. 

Pipedrive - Get a 30-day free trial at pipedrive.com/profiting 

Airbnb - Find yourself a cohost at airbnb.com/host 

Resources Mentioned:

Dr. Laurie's Podcast, The Happiness Lab: bit.ly/THL-apple 

Dr. Laurie's Website: drlauriesantos.com/ 

YAP E197 with Scott Galloway: youngandprofiting.co/StrugglngGen  

YAP E247 with Arthur Brooks: youngandprofiting.co/Happiness 

YAP E342 with Mark Manson: youngandprofiting.co/HardTruth 

YAP E29 with Gretchen Rubin: youngandprofiting.co/Secret 

Active Deals - youngandprofiting.com/deals 

Key YAP Links

Reviews - ratethispodcast.com/yap

YouTube - youtube.com/c/YoungandProfiting

Newsletter - youngandprofiting.co/newsletter 

LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/htaha/

Instagram - instagram.com/yapwithhala/

Social + Podcast Services: yapmedia.com

Transcripts - youngandprofiting.com/episodes-new 

Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurship Podcast, Business, Business Podcast, Self Improvement, Self-Improvement, Personal Development, Starting a Business, Strategy, Investing, Sales, Selling, Psychology, Productivity, Entrepreneurs, AI, Artificial Intelligence, Technology, Marketing, Negotiation, Money, Finance, Side Hustle, Startup, Mental Health, Career, Leadership, Mindset, Health, Growth Mindset, Biohacking, Motivation, Manifestation, Brain Health, Life Balance, Self-Healing, Sleep, Diet