In this episode we talk about happiness and where it comes from. But don't worry, you must be in your happy place because you are now listening to tiny leaves. Big change. Today's song is droplets by Viccento and I chose this song because I'm a big fan of pretty much anything that uses vocal glitches effectively.

And for those not in the know, a vocal glitch is that cool thing you hear with the chopped up vocals.

It's also a great feeling for a Monday morning, don't you think?

Anyway, check out the song and let's get into the show.

Welcome to another episode of Tiny Leaps, Big Changes, where I share simple research-backed strategies

you can use to get more out of your life.

My name is Greg Klunis and we all want to be happy. Call it

the greatest ambition that we all share and it makes sense. We've already

mastered survival for the most part. As a species, we've created a world in which we don't need to go hunting.

We don't need to worry about food and we don't need to worry about survival.

The very fact that I'm speaking to you on this podcast and you have the technology

to listen to it, it's astounding when you really think about it. And it's a testament to how little

we really need to worry about in life. So what do you get the species that has everything? Well, happiness.

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, 6.8% of all Americans over the age of 18

suffer from a major depressive disorder every year. 18% suffer from some kind of anxiety disorder.

We have everything we need, but we're more stressed, more anxious, and more unhappy than ever.

So what gives? Well, as you probably know, material wealth or success doesn't lead to

happiness by itself. But for many of us, especially here in the United States, we've grown up in a system that is built around the pursuit of those things.

Now, this isn't a knock against capitalism. Trust me, I want to be rich just as much as the next person.

But the numbers don't lie, and these numbers tell us one thing for certain.

This system has left more of us stressed, anxious, and depressed than at any other time in history.

We are taught in school to have big goals for our lives, to pursue more than what

...