The Happiness of the Long Distance Runner

The Happiness of the Long Distance Runner

Author: Pushkin Industries July 22, 2024 Duration: 33:53

Georgia Bell was a great runner as a child - but in college she fell out of love with the sport. She hung up her running shoes - and they gathered dust until Covid hit and she began to run again for fun. Turns out that aged 30, she's one of the fastest women in the world and is now headed to the Olympics!

Georgia tells Dr Laurie Santos how she regained her enthusiasm for the 1500m race - and reflects on the happiness lessons she's picked up in her dramatic return to the very pinnacle of her sport.  

Check out more Olympics related content from Pushkin Industries and iHeartPodcasts here.

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: 100

The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos
Podcast Episodes
How to Tackle Bad Behaviour (with Dr Becky Kennedy) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:35
Clinical psychologist Dr Becky Kennedy thinks every child is “good inside” even when they’re behaving badly. So to tackle tantrums or rule-breaking, she argues that parents must set clear boundaries for acceptable behavi…
Is a "Viking" Childhood a Happier Childhood (with Helen Russell)? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:56
Nordic countries are known to be happy - so should we all raise our children like the Scandinavians do? British parent Helen Russell moved to Denmark and was shocked that Danish children play outside in all weathers; are…
Reducing the Stress of Parenting with Dr Vivek Murthy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:38
Too many parents feel “exhausted, burned out, and perpetually behind” according to the former US Surgeon General Dr Vivek Murthy. He says more needs to be done to protect parental mental health. Vivek talks to Dr Laurie…
How to Build Resilience (with Ben Walter from The Unshakeables) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:23
In a special episode brought to you by Chase for Business, Dr. Laurie joins Ben Walter—CEO of Chase for Business and host of The Unshakeables podcast—to talk about resilience. Dr. Laurie and Ben explore the story of Benj…
Can You Become a "Practical" Optimist? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:04
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? Thr…
How to Confront the Things that Suck (Live with John Green) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:11:42
Author and vlogger John Green looks around the world and sees a lot of things that suck. But rather than giving in to despair, he's trying to develop a sense of hope. He says the most "punk rock" thing to do is tackle ou…
How to be Awesome  - With Almost no Effort (with John Green) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:02
Best-selling author John Green wants to see less suck in the world and more awesome - and you can help achieve that right now! John's turned his attention to tuberculosis (TB) - a disease that is fixable and yet still ki…
How to Stay Hopeful (Live from SXSW with Michelle Obama) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:25
"What can we do to find hope when times are tough?" That was the question posed to Dr Laurie for a live recording of IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson at the 2025 SXSW festival. Dr Laurie explained what science…
Why You Should Take a Few Months Off Work (Live from SXSW) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:39
Sometimes a two-week vacation just isn't enough - we all might need to leave our jobs for three months, six months or even a year. Taking an extended break can be great for our wellbeing - allowing us to recharge our bat…