Why optimization is a joy blocker, how to find the 'yes' inside the 'no,' and why that restless ache you can't shake is actually your compass.

Kate Bowler, PhD is a four-time New York Times bestselling author, award-winning podcast host, and an Associate Professor of American Religious History at Duke University. She studies the cultural stories we tell ourselves about success, suffering, and whether (or not) we're capable of change. Her newest book is Joyful, Anyway.

In this episode we talk about:

• The dangerous difference between joy and happiness
• Why optimization and self-mastery are quietly killing your capacity for delight
• How to find the "yes" inside every "no" (even when things are genuinely terrible)
• The ache and restlessness you can't shake—and why it's actually your compass, not a problem to solve
• What grace actually looks like when control disappears
• How to stop trying to improve your way into joy
• The "assignment" that changes how you show up for other people
• Why survival isn't the point—living is

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Additional Resources: 

• Everything Happens for a Reason (and Other Lies I've Loved) 
• No Cure For Being Human (and Other Truths I Need to Hear)
• Have a Beautiful, Terrible Day!

Join Dan, Sebene Selassie, and Jeff Warren for Meditation Party, a 3-day immersive retreat at the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, NY, October 16–18. Grab your in-person spot here, or sign up to livestream here!

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This episode is sponsored by: 

BetterHelp: Online therapy, matched to your needs. Get 10% off your first month at www.betterhelp.com/happier.
Gusto: Try Gusto today at gusto.com/HAPPIER, and get three months free when you run your first payroll.