It was 2014, and my research team—including the GGSC’s Dacher Keltner—was studying a remote group of former nomads high in the Himalayas of Eastern Bhutan. This was a place that no outsider had ever ...

I remember vividly the day I spoke at a senior citizen luncheon with about 75 people in attendance. It was an enthusiastic group, and I gave a rousing presentation about successful aging. I presented ...

Many of us seek happiness as a guiding aim in our lives. But what about being content? Are feelings of contentment just a lesser, diluted form of happiness—or something distinct and valuable to pursue ...

Much has been written about happiness. Encyclopedias of advice, viral think pieces, TED Talks, Instagram affirmations—all converge on a single premise: that happiness is the apex of human ambition, ...

Striving for constant contentment is like striving to eat only ice cream; both will leave you feeling miserable. I say this because most of us are striving to be contented. I said most of us because I ...

Contentment is a temporary state based on your perceived successful completion of a task, then you move on. But as you age, contentment becomes increasingly externalized. Source: Calm. Contented.

Quote of the day by Socrates, “He is richest who is content with the least; for content is the wealth of nature” Socrates remains the peak of Western intellect. In 2026, 62% of people face extreme ...

The relentless pursuit of happiness often overshadows the more subtle yet profound emotional state of contentment. While happiness may be a fleeting high, contentment is the gentle hum of satisfaction ...

As the Portuguese writer Jose Saramago once said, “If I'm sincere today, what does it matter if I regret it tomorrow?” And, it’s true. By making decisions only after being emotionally and cognitively ...

Many of us spend our lives chasing happiness, believing that this is the key to a fulfilled life. However, human emotions are inherently transient. They’re supposed to change from moment to moment. It ...