The Three Equations for a Happy Life, Even During a Pandemic

A column by Arthur Brooks in The Atlantic examines what makes for a happy life.

One segment that stands out:

EQUATION 2: HABITS = FAITH + FAMILY + FRIENDS + WORK

This is my summary of thousands of academic studies, and to be fair, many scholars would dispute it as too crude. But I am convinced that it is accurate. Enduring happiness comes from human relationships, productive work, and the transcendental elements of life.

A little bit of clarification is in order here. First, faith doesn’t mean any faith in particular. I practice the Catholic faith and am happy to recommend it to anyone, but the research is clear that many different faiths and secular life philosophies can provide this happiness edge. The key is to find a structure through which you can ponder life’s deeper questions and transcend a focus on your narrow self-interests to serve others.