logo
episode-header-image
Jun 2024
26m 29s

The Happy Pod Special: The Happiest Coun...

Bbc World Service
About this episode

This week's edition comes from Finland, the country repeatedly crowned the happiest in the world, and the Helsinki Happiness Hacks event introduced people - selected from thousands of applicants across the globe - to Finns willing to share the secrets of their contentment. These include skateboarding, dancing with friends, messy art, walking barefoot, ice cream for breakfast, and of course, a sauna. And we explore how happiness is measured and why a dose of pessimism doesn’t preclude happiness.

Up next
Aug 23
The Happy Pod: Letters from dad - with love
We hear about the Dad Letter Project which was set up by a father and daughter in the US to send handwritten notes of love and support to people all over the world. Rosie wants to share her treasured experience of receiving letters from her dad Buz when she was growing up. They'v ... Show More
28m 9s
Aug 22
UN chief: Famine in Gaza is a 'man-made disaster'
United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, says the famine in Gaza City is a 'failure of humanity' after a UN-backed body raised its food insecurity status in parts of the territory to the most severe. Also: FBI agents search the office and home of President Trump's form ... Show More
28m 22s
Aug 22
A famine has been confirmed in Gaza City
A UN-backed body has confirmed a famine in Gaza City after twenty-two months of conflict and warned it could spread to other parts of the territory by the end of September. The UN says it's been caused by Israel's systematic obstruction of aid deliveries. Israel has denied there ... Show More
32m 37s
Recommended Episodes
May 2024
Which countries are happiest and why? With Lara Aknin, PhD
The 2024 World Happiness Report, which ranks the happiness levels of countries around the world, found that young Americans are less happy than their peers in many other countries. Psychology professor Lara Aknin, PhD, an editor of the report, talks about how the report defines h ... Show More
33 m
Jan 2021
Sofie Sun - Finding Your Purpose in a Foreign Land
Today’s guest is Sofie Sun. Sofie was born in the People's Republic of China in 1986. She came to the Netherlands in 2007 to pursue her degree, and has lived there ever since. After receiving a master’s degree in Dutch Literature, she has gone on and translated more than 100 book ... Show More
35m 50s
Oct 2023
How to Be Happy with Laurie Santos
World-renowned expert on the science of happiness, Dr. Laurie Santos (host of The Happiness Lab; professor of Yale University’s most popular class in history!) takes the time to answer YOUR most submitted questions on happiness this week. From sharing about the most misunderstood ... Show More
1h 19m
Mar 2024
What Can We Learn From the Happiest Country on Earth?
There are certain nations which always top the rankings in the World Happiness Report. What are they doing right, that other countries are getting wrong? And what can you do to make your home country happier? John Helliwell of the World Happiness Report explains how things like w ... Show More
37m 57s
Jan 2019
Lessons in Happiness from Around the World
If anyone is looking for a little more joy and optimism in their life this episode is for you, as Matt and Ella talk to Helen Russell, journalist and author, who has been researching happiness since 2013. We look at a selection of concepts from around the world, each one relating ... Show More
36m 23s
Sep 2022
Move to Your Happy Place
People who live in some places are happier than others. But if you move to a happy country, happy city or happy district, will it make you feel better? And what can do if you can't uproot from your current home, can you make sad spaces happier?   Dan Buettner introduces us to his ... Show More
31m 32s
Mar 2024
Happy World Happiness Day!!!!
The Happiness Lab’s Dr. Laurie Santos brings together other Pushkin hosts to mark the International Day of Happiness. Revisionist History’s Malcolm Gladwell talks about the benefits of the misery of running in a Canadian winter. Dr. Maya Shankar from A Slight Change of Plans talk ... Show More
48m 5s
Apr 2024
How to Make America's Young People Happier Again
The US is sliding down the world happiness rankings - but it's the unhappiness of young people that's really dragging down the average. What has happened to make Gen Z so sad? And what can be done to turn the situation around? Jan-Emmanuel De Neve (director of Oxford University’s ... Show More
37m 25s