You're going to be. Welcome to the happiness podcast. I'm Dr. Robert Puff. Many years ago, when I was working on my first master's degree at Princeton,

I had an experience that really helped change my life and put me on a new path, a new direction for how to live my life.

Towards the end of my degree, I had made many accomplishments while I was at Princeton. I was graduating with honors. I had won

some awards for some research work that I had done. I had been accepted to one of the top PhD clinical psychology programs in the United States,

and all seemed to be going well.

On a beautiful spring day during my last days there, I decided to go to a park and just hang out

for a few hours. I had not done this at all the entire time I was there. I was very busy achieving things, being involved, being active, but I hadn't really slowed down and just experience the beauty of Princeton, New Jersey.

If you ever get a chance, it truly is a beautiful city,

with lovely parks and open fields all around.

The day was pristine. and opened fields all around.

The day was pristine and I decided to lay on my back on the grass and just look up at the sky

and the trees all around me.

And something happened.

I realize I'd been there now for three years and I'd never done this.

Yet this, yet this activity of just lying on my back and looking up with the sky

was the most beautiful experience

I had had during my entire stay at Princeton.

I had missed out on just being, being present and enjoying nature, enjoying the surroundings

around me. I was so busy achieving that I never just stopped and enjoyed

all the wonders that were there. It was a very sad experience for me, but one that really pushed me forward and helped me to start changing the way I led my life.

Of course it wasn't an overnight change,

but I really did begin to slow down

...