SH42: Why Our Expectations are So Bad (Well-Being 2)

Why is it that no matter how hard you try, you can’t seem to be happy? Are there neurological reasons? What can you do to overcome them? Should you fly first-class? These are just a few of the questions the humans are here to answer.

In this episode, the humans continue The Science of Well-Being by Dr. Laurie Santos, an online course offered by Yale. This week is all about the annoying features of the mind that prevent you from being happy and strategies you can use to overcome them.

Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.

Shownotes:

The Science of Well-Being by Dr. Laurie Santos

Headspace - Mediation App Aidan uses

Our strongest intuitions are often totally wrong

• Miswanting - the act of being mistaken about how much you will like something in the future

Reference Points

• If your co-workers make more money than you do, then you will be less satisfied with your job

• This book excerpt tells us reference points mess up good salaries - for every $1.00 increase in your actual income, your “required income” increases by $1.40

Hedonic Adaptation

• The Reticular Activating System explained

• This paper tells us that we adapt to earning more money

• This book states, “wonderful things are especially wonderful the first time they happen, but their wonderfulness wanes with repetition”

We don’t realize our minds get used to stuff

• This paper tells us we overestimate our emotions and getting bad grades won’t make us feel as bad as we think they will

• Immune Neglect - People are generally unaware of their the psychological immune system which is why they tend to overestimate their emotional reactions to negative events

Savouring - This paper tells us savouring positive experiences makes you happier

Gratitude - This paper tells us that gratitude, counting the good things in our lives, makes us happy

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