We’re happy to write about two of our favorite topics in the same blog post, Happiness and weight loss.
Remember, we change by feeling good, by experiencing success. We see a link between happiness and weight loss.
We recently watched Nudgestock festival 2020, a behavioral science conference. It was was held virtually with a phenomenal lineup of speakers.
Among them, Yale professor Laurie Santos, the most popular prof on earth, presented key findings on happiness backed by science.
By the way, her class on the science of well-being on Coursera is a must take.
In her Nudgestock presentation, she focused on 5 key insights on happiness from her popular class.
The key takeaways:
- Beware of miswanting, your mind lies to you about what will make you happy
- Make time for social connections
- Make time for gratitude
- Reduce your mind wandering and become more present
- Become wealthy in time not money, focus on time affluence
The entire class, the science of well-being, further teaches that happiness is also fostered as we use our strengths, exercise, sleep better, reduce stress. We would add ‘eat better’.
These are all areas we have agency over and that support weight loss as well.
Will losing weight make you happier then?
Or is weight loss the ultimate form of miswanting? You firmly believe losing these nagging pounds will make you happier, only to find out you’re not.
The science is not settled. As we researched this topic, we found this good article presenting some of the scientific results.
Systems over goals
At Habitlauncher, we prefer systems over goals.
Achieving a weight loss goal is phenomenal and can be celebrated.
Building the system that works for you even more so.
Therefore, set up a process you enjoy and that makes you happy along the journey.
Make celebrations part of the way.
Remember, one changes by feeling good and by feeling success.
In that sense being happy may help you lose weight, even more than losing weight may make you happy.
Build your system for weight loss, check our e-book here.
It’s now also available on Gumroad here.
Not free, but it’s our best e-book.