Professor reveals 4 things the happiest people do every day
The happiest people around don’t just stumble into a state of joy by accident - they build it by design and with intention. That's according to author and social scientist Arthur C. Brooks, anyway. He says that lasting happiness is less about chasing fleeting pleasures and more about tending to four essential areas each and every day. Each pillar he names brings its own kind of mental and spiritual nourishment. And together they create a balanced, meaningful - and most importantly happy - life (Picture: Getty Images)
Neglecting any one of these areas can quietly drain joy from our daily living. While nurturing all four, Brooks claims, simultaneously leads to a richer, more resilient sense of wellbeing. Brooks’ approach is all about emphasising attention, not distraction. And meaning, not mere comfort. It’s a philosophy that invites people to live with depth - by keeping what matters most at the centre of their daily choices. Here are the four main tenets he shared during an appearance on Fox News to discuss his new book 'The Happiness Files', which he says - if attended to every single day - should lead to an uptick in your happiness levels… (Picture: Getty Images)
1. Family
Family is an almost irreplaceable source of belonging and unconditional love to most of us. It’s often the anchor that keeps us grounded when life shifts unexpectedly. Strong family bonds create a foundation of trust and support, where shared history and mutual care provide both comfort and strength. Investing time and presence here pays dividends in resilience and joy (Picture: Getty Images)
2. Friendship
True friendship is built on mutual affection, not utility. It’s a relationship where love, trust and shared joy are ends in themselves. These connections enrich life in ways that material success just can't, offering laughter in good times and a steady presence, reassurance, guidance and a shoulder to cry on in hard ones. Friendships like this don’t just happen - they grow through consistent care and reciprocity. Built and nurtured properly, good friendship groups can operate just like families, with all the enrichment and positives that come with them (Picture: Getty Images)
3. Work
Work can - and should - be more than just a salary. It’s an arena for purpose and service, if you treat it as such. After all, we all need a purpose in life. Something to aim for and achieve. Work can be tedious and the means to an end, of course it can. But it can also be the place where where effort meets achievement. Where contributing to something larger than yourself can bring deep satisfaction. The happiest workers see their roles not only as means of earning a living but also as opportunities to grow, help others and leave a mark on the world (Picture: Getty Images)
4. Transcendence
This is the element that reminds you how small you are in the grand scheme of things, whether it’s religious faith, a life philosophy, or just - say - the awe of nature’s beauty. It offers perspective, quietens down the ego and brings a sense of connection to something that's greater than ourselves. In moments of difficulty, this transcendence can become something of a compass, helping to frame struggles within a larger, more hopeful context and narrative (Picture: Getty Images)
'One of the things people get wrong is that they think that happiness is just a feeling that comes and goes. It's not true.' Brooks says. 'Happiness and feelings are related, but kind of like how the smell of your turkey and your Thanksgiving are related - the turkey and the smell are not the same thing. Your feelings are not your happiness. Your happiness is more tangible. It's about your enjoyment of life, your satisfaction with your accomplishments and the sense of meaning that you get in your life' (Picture: Getty Images)
Brooks has a tangible piece of advice to a quick fix when it comes to improving our happiness and family relationships: ditch our phones. Not completely, but he says we need to cut down our time spent on them, especially in the company of our families. 'Devices are highly addictive and actually take us away from real family relationships. We are ignoring our families while we are using them. We need to take back the meaning in our lives by actually putting down our phones and only pick them back up at certain times' (Picture: Getty Images)
Brooks’ message is actually pretty straightforward, really. Happiness isn’t a passive state, but the product of deliberate investment in what truly matters in life. By honouring the transcendent, cherishing family, cultivating friendships and approaching work with purpose, life becomes fuller, more stable and much more rewarding. The secret isn’t in chasing joy, but in tending the sources that make it flourish. It may take a little work, but when the reward is contentment and joy? It's worth the effort, surely (Picture: Getty Images)
