243 // Happiness and the Hedonic Treadmill
The Mindful Kind
Rachael Kable
4.6 • 636 Ratings
🗓️ 27 August 2020
⏱️ 10 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Hello and welcome to episode 243 of The Mindful Kind podcast.
In this episode, you'll learn why exciting changes and experiences don't necessarily lead to long-term happiness thanks to a theory called the "hedonic treadmill."
However, I've also found some strategies that can enhance long-term happiness, including:
- Knowing that material things don't always create real happiness
- Engaging in regular self-care
- Trying to accept that all emotions are temporary
- Practicing mindfulness and gratitude
And, you'll hear some exciting news about two courses I've created, including a free online self-care mini-course and an amazing mindfulness online course! My newsletter subscribers will be the first to hear when the courses launch, so make sure you're signed up at rachaelkable.com/subscribe.
Thank you so much for listening and I hope you have a wonderful week, Mindful Kind!
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | Hello and welcome to the Mindful Kind podcast. |
| 0:06.4 | I'm your host, Rachel Cable, author of the Mindfulkind book, Mindfulness Teacher and blogger at |
| 0:12.0 | Rachelcable.com. |
| 0:13.8 | Each week this podcast will bring meaningful tips, tools and strategies so you can manage stress |
| 0:19.2 | and live more mindfully in the modern world. |
| 0:24.4 | Hello and welcome to episode 243 of the Mindful Kind podcast. I'm feeling genuinely excited about |
| 0:32.3 | this episode. It's a bit more on the personal side because I wanted to share some real experiences with you, |
| 0:39.2 | but I think this topic is really important, especially if you want to be happier in your |
| 0:44.2 | everyday life. |
| 0:45.8 | And make sure you keep listening because at the end of the episode, I have a very exciting announcement. |
| 0:52.0 | But first, let's dive into the episode. |
| 0:57.1 | So I grew up thinking that new things and positive changes would turn me into a happier person. If I got a new car, I'd be |
| 1:03.3 | more grateful. If I worked a job that made me feel aligned and purposeful, I'd feel more fulfilled. |
| 1:10.1 | If I got married, I'd feel more satisfied. |
| 1:12.9 | I believed that with each new thing and every positive change, my happiness levels would also |
| 1:19.3 | creep up and up. But it turns out happiness doesn't usually work that way. There's a theory |
| 1:26.0 | called the hedonic treadmill, also known as hedonic adaptation, |
| 1:30.5 | which says that people return to a relatively stable level of happiness, no matter what |
| 1:35.8 | happens to them. For example, a study found that 18 months after their win, major lottery |
| 1:42.5 | winners weren't happier than people who hadn't won the |
| 1:45.9 | lottery. While the lottery winners initially felt happier, their emotions weren't long-lasting |
| 1:52.0 | and they gradually returned to their previous levels of happiness. Another study found that when |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Rachael Kable, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of Rachael Kable and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2025.