Post Reports – “Can you choose to be happy?”

Date: October 18, 2025
Host/Reporter: Maggie Penman
Guests: Alday Trepka (filmmaker, “Are You Happy?”), Dr. Fuchsia Siwa (Professor of Social and Health Psychology, Durham University)
Theme: Exploring the complexities of happiness, whether it is a choice, and actionable science-backed ways to cultivate a happier outlook.

Episode Overview

This episode centers around the question, “Can you choose to be happy?” Host Maggie Penman interviews filmmaker Alday Trepka, whose viral documentary series and nonprofit “Are You Happy?” has gathered candid responses about happiness from strangers worldwide. The conversation explores what Trepka has learned, including surprising stories that challenge assumptions about happiness. In the second half, Dr. Fuchsia Siwa discusses the science behind optimism, the power of gratitude, and tangible steps individuals can take to increase their sense of well-being, while acknowledging the limits of these strategies.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The “Are You Happy?” Project: Inspiration & Evolution

• Alday Trepka's Motivation

  • Trepka was inspired by the 1960 French documentary Chronicle of a Summer, where strangers were asked, "Are you happy?"
  • He decided to modernize this concept, traveling globally to ask people the same question, capturing their answers on film.
  • The project began in 2019, just before the COVID-19 pandemic, and quickly went viral on social media.
  • [02:06] Alday Trepka:

    “My name is Alde Trepka, and I am the creator of ‘Are You Happy?’, which is a documentary series where I travel around the world and ask strangers if they’re happy. It’s also turned into a nonprofit...”

• Unexpected Responses & Universal Themes

  • Despite years of filming, every individual’s answer remains unique, even as familiar themes of food, relationships, and daily events recur.
  • [03:54] Alday Trepka:

    “Even though we’ve been doing this now for going on five years, every answer is still unique and every perspective is different. And it’s always still very exciting for me to ask people.”

2. Happiness in the Face of Adversity

• Perspectives from Strangers

  • Some people seem outwardly content, but reveal struggles beneath the surface.
    • Example: A young man in Miami who appears put-together admits he isn’t happy, feeling adrift after moving and working a stressful job. ([05:33])
  • Others express happiness even amid immense hardship—such as a father with stage four cancer, who finds happiness simply in being able to watch his son skateboard.
    • [06:41] Interviewee:

      “I have stage four rectal cancer... I guess I am [happy] because I’m happy that I even get to sit here and watch and do all this… I do think happiness is a choice. And it’s a choice we have to make every day…”

• Happiness as a Choice?

  • Trepka observes that the happiest people he’s encountered are often those who’ve faced real sadness and have chosen to process and find joy despite adversity.
  • [05:54] Alday Trepka:

    “The happiest people I’ve met have often...gone through the most unhappiest things you can imagine, and they’re able to process what happened...and I think, you know, happiness has to come with some amount of sadness.”

  • [07:28] Maggie Penman:

    “I struggle a little bit with the idea that happiness is a choice...it can be really reductive…”

3. The Science of Optimism & Positive Psychology

With Dr. Fuchsia Siwa ([10:50–16:54])

• Optimism and Well-being

  • Research shows that optimism (the expectation that outcomes will be positive) leads people to take more action towards their goals and supports mental health—even for those with chronic illnesses.
  • [11:21] Dr. Fuchsia Siwa:

    “Even people dealing with really distressing chronic condition can have an optimistic viewpoint...It doesn’t mean you sit back and wait...you’re more likely then to take action and do the sorts of behaviors that will support that belief.”

• Shifting Mindsets—Practical Advice

  • Actively focusing on positives is key since exclusively dwelling on negatives leads to depression and demotivation.
  • Getting out of black-and-white thinking helps; seeing “grayscale” allows acknowledgment of both positives and negatives in any situation.
  • [12:56] Dr. Fuchsia Siwa:

    “For every negative you can see, there are positives...training your mind to notice those positives...is about resetting your mindset...”

• The Power of Gratitude ([12:56–16:54])

  • Practicing gratitude—such as keeping a journal of three good things per day—effectively trains the brain to spot positives and cultivate optimism.
  • Research indicates long-lasting mindset shifts from making regular gratitude lists.
  • [16:07] Dr. Fuchsia Siwa:

    “They found that just engaging in gratitude lists and journaling...the effects persisted for six months later in terms of shifting people to become more grateful...it’s a tool to train your mindset.”

4. Realistic Limitations & Professional Care

• Not a “Cure-All”
  • Gratitude and self-compassion are valuable but not substitutes for professional help with moderate to severe depression or other mental health issues.
  • [17:00] Dr. Fuchsia Siwa:

    “If somebody is having moderate to severe depression...those are always best treated by professionals first...just telling somebody who’s really depressed to find something positive...they tune right out.”

5. Happiness As a Practice and a “Muscle”

• Building the Happiness “Muscle”

  • Trepka likens happiness to a muscle you can train through practice and mindset shifts, allowing positive perspectives to become habitual.
  • [17:48] Alday Trepka:

    “Happiness is almost like a muscle…if you work that muscle and you start to change the chemistry in your brain to turn negatives into positives...that’s just kind of who you become.”

• The Importance of Relationships

  • Trepka credits his support system—family and friends—as his paramount reason for happiness, suggesting that strong connections are foundational.
    • [18:28] Alday Trepka:

      “If you have that [family and support], you really are...in the top one percentile of the happiest people in the world...that’s like paramount to happiness.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• [02:41] Alday Trepka:

  “In the early 1960s, there was a documentary film...in France called Chronicle of a Summer. And...one of those questions was, are you happy?”

• [05:54] Alday Trepka:

  “The happiest people I’ve met have oftentimes gone through the most unhappiest things you can imagine...I think happiness has to come with some amount of sadness.”

• [06:41] Anonymous Interviewee (stage four cancer):

  “I do think happiness is a choice. And it’s a choice we have to make every day and throughout the day...decide if something that goes wrong...is going to be a negative or is going to be a positive.”

• [11:21] Dr. Fuchsia Siwa:

  “Optimism...is defined as having the expectation that outcomes will be positive...if you think there’s hope...you’re going to do whatever you can to help that along.”

• [16:07] Dr. Fuchsia Siwa:

  “Gratitude lists...are a tool. You’re retuning your brain to think—notice those positives a bit more—and it soon becomes a habit.”

Important Timestamps

• 00:02–04:19 – Introduction and origins of “Are You Happy?” project
• 05:13–06:41 – Profound responses: happiness amid struggle (Miami man, father with cancer)
• 07:52–08:11 – Introduction to positive psychology and optimism research
• 10:45–12:56 – Dr. Fuchsia Siwa on optimism and actionable mindset shifts
• 12:56–16:54 – Practical advice: moving out of negative thinking, gratitude exercises, research findings
• 17:00–17:40 – Acknowledging limitations; importance of professional mental health care
• 17:48–18:46 – Trepka reflects on happiness as practice and the value of relationships

Conclusion

This episode reveals that happiness is deeply individual, often unexpected, and at times a resilient choice in the face of adversity. Alday Trepka’s street interviews and Dr. Fuchsia Siwa’s research together suggest that while not everyone can “choose” happiness in every circumstance, we can all train our minds to notice the positives, cultivate gratitude, and build supportive relationships—foundational steps toward a happier and more hopeful life.