Happiness can be considered subjective for many people. But for author Arthur Brooks, it’s clear that happiness is something everyone can achieve, especially people of faith. In a rare sit-down interview with Christian Headlines and Crosswalk, Brooks makes the case for the whys and hows of achieving happiness within the ever-changing culture and times we live in.
Brooks, who is not shy about his faith, believes that having a relationship with God is not only the most important thing in his life, but it also needs to be central to everyone in achieving and understanding happiness. and connect the dots.
Brooks: At its core, the science of happiness is about principles for improving human behavior and life. As social scientists, this topic offers a unique lens into our natural tendencies and, importantly, how we can overcome our earthly urges to live fuller, more virtuous lives. It’s infinitely more appealing.
But on a personal and spiritual level, this also has great benefits. Since dedicating my life to the science of happiness, I have become a happier person. It is also interesting to see how social science discoveries follow Biblical wisdom. For example, research points to the power of love to increase happiness across our faith, family, friends, and work, which is closely related to how the Bible speaks about love.
CH: Do you consider yourself a happy person?
Brooks: I myself happier I am happier than before.
For 10 years, I was president of a large think tank in Washington, DC. Although this job was fun, it brought unique stress to my life. After retiring, I followed his wife’s advice and returned to academia to teach the science of happiness. Perhaps I was being a bit selfish to improve my own well-being.
Fortunately, it worked. Over the past four years of teaching the principles of happiness, I have become a better husband, father, grandfather, and friend. I have made a lot of effort to control my abnormally high level of negative emotions and improve my relationships. Science has been a great blessing to me.
CH: How can we help people find their true passion and calling in living a fulfilling life?
Brooks: Living a fulfilling life begins and ends with four main pillars: faith, family, friends, and work. His first three pillars are essential for people to live a fulfilling life. Our duty as churchgoers is to live a life of faith and teach the scriptures to those who will listen.
We should also raise our children to respect and enjoy the bonds of family and friends. Especially because research shows that it’s nearly impossible to be happy without these loving relationships.
Alternatively, helping others find their passion or calling primarily centers around the “work” pillar. Research shows that people who are happiest in their jobs, and those who have a high level of passion and calling, generally have jobs that are successful and serve others.
This can take many forms. I’ve met bank regulators who feel their work deeply helps the economically disadvantaged, and I’ve met custodians who take serious pride in their labor. I met. For young people seeking their passion, we should encourage them to pursue careers where they feel they are contributing to society and, importantly, where their efforts are rewarded.
CH: You’ve been open about your faith journey. How important is faith to you?
Brooks: My Christian faith is the most important aspect of my life. I go to Catholic Mass every day (my wife and I go when I’m not out). My wife and I pray every day. The principles of my faith guide my behavior toward friends, family, co-workers, and strangers.
I have such a busy life that I have found that my faith helps remind me of who I really am: a beloved child of God. It also helps us follow God’s will during times of trial.
CH: Do you have anything to do with people who are happy and have faith as part of their daily lives?
Brooks: Of course. Studies have repeatedly found that people with a religious worldview have less anxiety and depression, higher life satisfaction, more meaning in life, higher self-esteem, and are better able to cope with negative life events. I am.
These numbers increase if you are a frequent religious follower, meaning you go to church once a week and pray every day. Furthermore, people who belong to a church tend to have stronger family and community ties, and children raised in religious homes tend to score higher on mental health indicators than children raised in secular environments. There is.
CH: Lately I wrote a book with Oprah Winfrey.. What was that experience like?
Brooks: It was an amazing experience to get a call from Oprah Winfrey out of the blue. After all, Oprah was a regular reader of my weekly column. atlanticAnd she wanted to team up to bring the science of happiness to a wider audience.
So over the course of many months, she and I started writing. build the life you want.
It’s no secret that Oprah and I are very different people. I’m a university professor who writes, speaks, and teaches. She is, of course, a global icon who has spent most of her life in the media. But interestingly, as we spent more time together, we realized that we had the same mission, even in completely different lives. It is about lifting people up with bonds of love and happiness.
We wrote this book in that spirit, and it was one of the most exciting experiences of my professional life. I am very happy to be able to say that I have made some wonderful friends.
CH: What do you enjoy about the writing process?
Brooks: The writing process is very personal to me. I work with ideas, and every idea is born from serious thought. I have found that writing is the best way to organize my thoughts, deepen and expand my arguments, and explain my ideas on a larger scale.
I spend about three hours uninterrupted at my desk most mornings writing. A great way to start your day. Often I’m in a flow state and 3 hours feel like 3 minutes.
CH: Author David Brooks recently told me that our world is becoming meaner and angrier. How can we as believers turn this trend around?
Brooks: David Brooks makes this argument very eloquently. He tends to think that the main cause of our meanness and anger is our abandonment of moral education, and sadly I also believe that to be true. Thankfully, people of faith should not see this as an unsolvable problem, but rather as an opportunity.
To eliminate a culture of meanness and anger, we need to make people more trusting and loving. This starts with trusting and loving yourself more. But teaching these virtues also requires a stronger effort.
We should teach our children and leaders the virtues and wisdom outlined in the Gospel. For example, we must love our neighbors regardless of their differences. Our political opinions, race, class, and gender should not influence the radical love we teach our youth. Promoting stronger moral education will improve the culture.
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Prostock-Studio
