• Home
  • Common Issues
    • Mood
      • Depression
      • Anxiety
      • Panic
      • Social Anxiety
    • Relationships
      • Couples Counseling
      • Physical Intimacy Issues
      • Finding the Right Relationship
      • Family Issues
    • Coaching
      • Career
      • Life Coaching
      • Weight Management & Fitness Coaching
    • Other
      • Medicare and Senior Issues
      • Child and Adolescent
      • Christian Counseling
      • Chronic Pain and Medical Issues
      • Medication Evaluation and Management
  • About Therapy
    • Session Formats
      • Individuals
      • Couples
      • Kids and Teens
      • Families
      • Canine Counseling
    • Therapy Styles
      • Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
      • Family Systems (Psychodynamic)
      • Christian Counseling
      • Meditation and Mindfulness Training
      • Hypnosis Therapy Technique
    • FAQs
      • What is the difference between a psychologist and a counselor?
      • What is your confidentiality policy?
      • Does therapy really work?
      • How long will I need to be in therapy?
      • How often should I come?
      • How can I measure my progress in therapy?
      • What if I don’t share the same belief system or life circumstances as my therapist?
      • Can I use my insurance?
  • Inspiration
    • Articles
      • Blog
        • Getting Ahead of Your Anxiety

        • Raising Respectable Children – Am I Parenting the Right Way?

        • Superheroes – Why Do We Love Them

        • Combating Negativity to See the Big Picture

        • 8 Ways to Unstick Yourself and Find Motivation

    • Quotes
      • InstagramInstagram has returned invalid data.
    • Videos
      • Videos
        • Understanding Guilt and How It Works

        • Sexual Dissatisfaction

  • Checklist
    • Adult ADHD Self-Evaluation
    • Anxiety Self-Evaluation
    • Bipolarism Self-Evaluation
    • Depression Self-Evaluation
    • Panic Attack Self-Evaluation
    • Relationship Health Self-Evaluation
    • Social Anxiety Self-Evaluation
    • Sexual Dysfunction Self-Evaluation
  • About Us
    • Whole Life Philosophy
    • Staff
      • Heather Robbins, Ph.D., LP
      • James Robbins, MA., LPC
      • Leslie Scott, MS, LPC
      • Steve Reedy, MA, LPC, RMT, NMT
      • Breanna Katz-Estrada, MSW, LCSW
      • Emily McGlothlin, MS, LPC
      • Jon Johnston, MA, LPC
      • Kelly Kay Wynn, MS, MSW, LCSW
      • Marilyn Powell, Ph.D.
      • Diane Williams, MSW, LCSW
    • News
    • Blog
  • Contact Us
    • Rates
    • Insurance
      • Fees & Insurance
      • Medicare Part B
      • Blue Cross and Blue Shield
    • Location
    • Appointments
      • Schedule a Consultation
      • Scheduling Hours
      • Scheduling Policy
  • Social & Contact
    ‪(972) 755-0996

Dallas Whole Life Counseling

Licensed Psychologist and Therapists

Top 10 psychologists in Dallas, TX 2016 Top Counseling & Mental Health in Dallas

Schedule a Consult

What Arthur Brooks Can Teach Us About Happiness

January 8, 2014 by James Robbins, M.A., LPC

Happiness Research

An acquaintance of mine recently sent me a link to a very interesting video clip. In this clip, Arthur Brooks, president of the American Enterprise Institute, summarizes the last four decades of research regarding happiness.

Among the many fascinating tidbits Mr. Brooks shares, one especially grabbed my attention. He described a study examining the overall happiness of individuals before and after becoming quadriplegic. According to this study, six months after becoming quadriplegic, these individuals had achieved an overall baseline of happiness only slightly lower than their able-bodied baseline. This same study compared the overall happiness of individuals before and after winning the lottery. Six months after winning the lottery, these individuals reported a somewhat lower baseline of happiness than they had enjoyed pre-lottery.

What does this suggest? Well, it suggests that people are much more resilient than you might assume.  And it suggests that getting the Big Win—that shiny luxury car, that huge promotion, that enormous mansion—doesn’t satisfy for long. More generally, the study suggests that happiness isn’t about carefully avoiding the Really Bad Things in life, nor is it about rushing full-steam ahead for the Next Big Pleasure in the Sky. It’s about living your life in the Here and Now, connecting to each simple moment as it is.

Filed Under: Blog, Newsletter, Videos Tagged With: American Enterprise Institute, Arthur Brooks, happiness, Happiness Research, research, satisfaction, study

About James Robbins, M.A., LPC

James Robbins is a licensed professional counselor, published author and co-owner of Dallas Whole Life Counseling. He has over 15 years of experience helping people in various life stages that come from a wide variety of cultural, economic and family backgrounds. Learn more about his background by clicking here.

Search the Site

Latest Blog Posts

  • Getting Ahead of Your Anxiety
  • Raising Respectable Children – Am I Parenting the Right Way?
  • Superheroes – Why Do We Love Them
  • Combating Negativity to See the Big Picture
  • 8 Ways to Unstick Yourself and Find Motivation

Contact Us

North Dallas Location
6380 Lyndon B Johnson Freeway
Suite 299
Dallas, TX 75240

Plano Location
Legacy Place II
5700 Tennyson Parkway
Suite 300
Plano, TX 75024

Phone & Email
‪(972) 755-0996‬
contact@dallaswholelife.com

Office Hours
Mondays: 9:00AM – 8:00 PM
Tuesdays: 9:00AM – 8:00 PM
Wednesdays: 9:00AM – 8:00 PM
Thursdays: 9:00AM – 8:00 PM
Fridays: 9:00AM – 5:00 PM
Saturdays: 9:00AM – 5:00 PM
Sundays: Closed

Common Issues

  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Couples Counseling
  • Physical Intimacy Issues
  • Panic
  • Senior Issues
  • Child & Adolescent
  • Christian Counseling
  • Career Coaching
  • Life Coaching
  • Social Anxiety
  • EMDR
  • Family Issues
  • Grief Counseling
  • Weight & Fitness
  • Eating Disorders
  • Chronic Pain
  • Medical Issues

Dallas Office Hours

Main Office: (972) 755-0996
Mondays: 9:00AM – 8:00 PM
Tuesdays: 9:00AM – 8:00 PM
Wednesdays: 9:00AM – 8:00 PM
Thursdays: 9:00AM – 8:00 PM
Fridays: 9:00AM – 5:00 PM
Saturdays: 9:00AM – 5:00 PM
Sundays: Closed

Follow Us

Contact Us

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Dallas Whole Life Counseling | 6380 Lyndon B Johnson Fwy., Suite 299 | Dallas, TX 75240 | (972) 755-0996Copyright © 2022. All Rights Reserved. Website by Rokkit Marketing.