Posts
Author: Jean Crissien, PhD
June 2026
When Your Body Becomes a Cage: How Physical Health Affects Happiness
Chronic pain and metabolic dysfunction don't just wreck your body. They quietly dismantle happiness by stealing autonomy, energy, and mood.…
May 2026
Is Gen-Z Less Happy, Or Just Really Into Therapy?
Are Gen Z really the unhappiest generation, or just the most willing to say so? Four research-backed surprises about youth…
April 2026
Yes, Christians are happier. But not because of Jesus.
Christians really do report being happier than non-religious people. But the data shows the cause isn't faith—it's friendship, meaning, and…
April 2026
The $100,000 Question: Can Money Buy Happiness?
Show me the money! Rod Tidwell’s mantra in Jerry Maguire stuck with me. Great movie, an underdog tale about making…
January 2026
Health, Hope, & Harmony: The 3 Pillars of Happiness
From China to America, San Diego to Maine, and red state to blue state, we widely agree on one thing:…
November 2025
Why Paternity Leave is Critical for a New Dad’s Happiness
Many parents express that the birth of their first child is the happiest moment of their lives. My older brother…
November 2025
Why marriage makes you miserable….until it doesn’t.
Growing up, my impression of marriage was somber. I came up in West Phoenix, which was overwhelmingly working class, brown,…
November 2025
Why a flexible job may be the key to happiness
When I was in the throes of getting my PhD, the idea of “work flexibility” simply wasn’t on my radar.…
October 2025
The Surprising Truth About Age & Happiness
Our cultural take on age is aggressively biased toward an assumption: Youth is strong and joyful, while old age is…
October 2025
Which comes first, dream job or dream life?
There’s a prevailing narrative about happiness and work that’s worth picking apart. We are told by well-meaning mentors, from parents…