047 - The Happiness Agenda

“Chug! Chug! Chug!” Yes, we believe that drinking water will help us with our happiness, but so do pink spandex shorts. Welcome to the Bettys podcast

 

Mary and Lexy talk about growing up ‘off-the-grid,’ and how there wasn’t a lot to do in Logan, Utah when we were growing up. Even though our kids may be super busy these days, we are very much fans of seatbelts and helmets. And Doritos.

 

Mary references an article from the New York Times about “The Finnish Secret to Happiness.” The article references the fascinating 2023 Happiness Report and “The Happiness Agenda” which talks about the ethos, habits and conditions that are most associated with life satisfaction and population tendencies that most often lead to happiness and well-being. 

 

We discuss the importance of a social “safety net,” which can really help people–especially caregivers–make ends meet. Professor Arto O. Salonen of the University of Eastern Finland said: “when you know what is enough, you are happy.” So what is enough for us? As our friend Alison Faulkner says, “Enough is a decision, not an amount.”

 

Mary also talks about author Meg Conley, who writes about Homeculture, and the undervaluing of caregiving (read her excellent article in Harper’s Bazaar here).

 

Our Better Betty Challenge for this week is to get rid of 10 things from your closet. Simplify a little bit. We could all do better with recognizing what we have, and where we are finding our happiness.

 

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Thank you for listening, Bettys and Jacks. We are so happy to call you our friends. And please remember that we love you more.