Small Steps to Happiness: The Science of Mindful Living with Laurie Santos | From The One You Feed

Small Steps to Happiness: The Science of Mindful Living with Laurie Santos | From The One You Feed

Author: Pushkin Industries September 25, 2026 Duration: 1:06:58

Today we're sharing author Eric Zimmer’s interview with Dr. Laurie on The One You Feed podcast. 

In this episode, Dr. Laurie Santos discusses the importance of taking small steps to happiness and the science of mindful living. She reminds us that happiness is not a destination, but a practice. By understanding the science behind well-being and implementing small, consistent changes, we can learn how to apply these insights to our own lives to find greater joy and fulfillment.

Key Takeaways:

  • Embrace the power of small, consistent actions in shaping our happiness
  • Understand how our environment and social connections influence our behavior
  • Learn the common misconceptions about what truly makes us happy
  • Discover strategies for overcoming loneliness and building meaningful connections

If you like what you hear, find The One You Feed wherever you get podcasts.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.


We often chase after things we believe will bring us joy-the next promotion, a perfect vacation photo, a bigger house-only to find the feeling is fleeting. The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos digs into the surprising psychology behind why our instincts about happiness are so frequently wrong. Dr. Santos, a Yale professor, doesn't just offer vague self-help advice; she translates the rigorous research from her record-breaking university course into practical, actionable science. Each episode feels like a personal conversation, where she breaks down complex studies and shares stories from people who've applied these lessons, revealing how counterintuitive changes in our daily routines and mindset can have a profound impact. This Pushkin Industries podcast moves beyond the surface of wellness trends, offering a grounded look at what genuinely improves our well-being across our social lives, personal health, and cultural expectations. Tuning in, you'll hear not just theory, but the tangible steps you can take to rewire your habits, backed by evidence that often contradicts our modern chase for more. It’s a refreshing take that makes the science of a better life accessible and genuinely useful, episode by episode.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 50

The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos
Podcast Episodes
What We Still Get Wrong About Happiness (Live at Dartmouth) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:11
In this special live episode, Dr. Laurie takes the stage at Dartmouth College for a conversation with happiness historian Darrin McMahon. Together, they break down some of the biggest misconceptions about happiness in mo…
Why the “Pursuit of Happiness” Is a Bad Idea [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:36
The “pursuit of happiness” is one of America’s founding ideals. But what if chasing happiness is actually making us feel worse? In honor of the 250th anniversary of American independence, Dr. Laurie travels to Independen…
Why “No Regrets” Is Bad Advice [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:57
We’ve all had moments we wish we could do over: the relationship we stayed in too long, the opportunity we didn’t take, the thing we said that we can’t unsay. Regret can feel awful. So it’s no surprise that “no regrets”…
Are Kids Today Really Worse Off? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:08
We hear a lot about rising rates of anxiety, depression, and fragility among kids today. But when Harvard researcher Alexis Redding uncovered a forgotten trove of interviews with college students from the 1970s, she foun…
The Surprising Case for Oversharing [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:01
We’re kicking off a new season of The Happiness Lab with some happiness hot takes — bold claims that challenge conventional wisdom about what it really takes to feel happier. Today's hot take is all about oversharing. We…
How to Feel Happier in Your Body with Jessamyn Stanley [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:46
As summer begins, many of us are bombarded with messages about how our bodies aren't good enough. But what if we embraced movement not out of self-criticism or shame, but self-compassion? To close out our series on how t…
What Your Negative Emotions Are Trying to Tell You [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:43
Negative emotions like sadness, anger, guilt, and anxiety can feel overwhelming. But what if those uncomfortable feelings aren’t problems to fix, but signals worth listening to? As part of our series on how to spring cle…
The Hidden Beliefs That Shape Your Happiness with Shawn Achor [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:05
Our beliefs shape more than we realize. They influence what we notice, how we respond to setbacks, how connected we feel to others, and whether we take action to improve our lives. As part of our series on how to spring…
The Art of Doing Nothing [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:17
Struggling to find free time? Feeling constantly busy or burned out? This episode is for you. Dr. Laurie explores the science behind “time famine,” the nagging sense that there’s never enough time in the day. Writer Tom…
What Screen Time Is Really Doing to Your Body with Manoush Zomorodi [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:34
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 ou…