What You'll Discover In This Episode:
Doesn’t it seem that the more we seek happiness, the more elusive it becomes?
My guest on this week’s episode of Productivity Straight Talk posed that question and I’ve gotta say… well, yes. That’s because chasing happiness is retrospective. It takes into account all of your past experiences in which you didn’t feel happy and leaves you focusing on that. Plus, as clinical psychologist Jennifer Barbera, PhD said, “When you’re seeking happiness and it goes unsatisfied, it can fuel a person's inner critic, which can increase depression and anxiety.”
Happiness also feels increasingly just out of reach. According to therapist Susan J. Buniva, MSW, LCSW, “Happiness is transient. We cannot grasp at it without it becoming more elusive or creating a fragile false and shallow kind of happiness that will not sustain us.” Ugh. So depressing.
Thankfully, there’s an easy fix. And it’s a fix that will make you a healthier individual, a more productive business owner, and a more joy-filled person. So what is it? It’s giving up your goal of being happy and instead, making subtle shifts in your behaviors to intentionally transform otherwise mundane or energy-draining activities into fun and pleasurable ones (yes, especially during your workday!)
After a trifecta of unfortunate events led my guest, Mike Rucker, to start living in the moment and searching for joy and pleasure, the benefits of that change started flowing and the quality of his life significantly improved. His pursuit of joy and fun over happiness became an effortless and actionable habit and today, Mike wants to share what he has learned with you.
In this episode of Productivity Straight Talk, I sit down with the organizational psychologist, behavioral scientist, and charter member of the International Positive Psychology Association, Mike Rucker to dive into what it takes to stop chasing elusive happiness and instead, find joy and fun in the here and now whether you’re at work or off “the clock.”
Episode Links & Resources:
About Guest:
Mike is an organizational psychologist, behavioral scientist, and charter member of the International Positive Psychology Association. He has been academically published in publications like the International Journal of Workplace Health Management. His ideas about fun and health have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Fast Company, Forbes, Vox, Thrive Global, Mindful, mindbodygreen, and more. He currently serves as a senior leader at Active Wellness and is the author of the upcoming book The Fun Habit, available January 2023 (On pre-order now).
