Kathleen's Blog

Just saw Dr Laurie Santos speak at the Long Beach Speaker Series – she teaches a course on the science of happiness at Yale – I’d like to thank Dr. Santos for weaponizing science against my entire identity.

Key learnings (aka the part where research chose violence):

• My brain is not on my team. It is a hype man for bad decisions

• “I’ll be happy when things slow down” is a lie I tell myself every year like it’s tradition

• Being busy is not a personality, a flex, or a coping strategy (devastating)

• Hustle culture is just anxiety wearing a blazer

• My brain thinks buying things will fix me. It will not.

• Inbox Zero is a scam invented by Big Email

• Comparison is stealing joy from yourself and handing it to strangers

• Social media is a happiness mirage with premium lighting and zero substance

• Multitasking is just stress cosplay

• Rest is not something you earn by suffering long enough

• My brain adapts to good things immediately but keeps bad memories like receipts

• Loneliness is dangerous, but somehow still socially acceptable

• Gratitude works even when you’re doing it through gritted teeth

• Acts of kindness help me feel better, which feels like cheating but I’ll allow it

• Happiness does not care how packed my calendar is, how fast I reply, or how “productive” I look

Also confirmed: happiness does not come from

– Buying the upgrade

– Clearing the inbox

– Winning the argument

– Or being right on the internet

It does come from sleeping, moving your body, connecting with actual humans, and doing less on purpose. Which feels suspiciously simple and frankly offensive.

I went in expecting inspiration and left personally attacked by charts, data, and a PhD who showed no mercy.

So anyway, I’m now aggressively practicing joy by:

• Saying no without a justification essay

• Treating sleep like a biological need instead of a character flaw

• Seeing friends instead of “meaning to”

• And not refreshing my inbox like it owes me money

10/10 talk. Would recommend. Science says this works, which is annoying