Quantifying Happiness In 2026

Summary

---

What A Day – "Quantifying Happiness In 2026"

Podcast by Crooked Media | Host: Jane Coaston | Air Date: Dec 17, 2025

---

Episode Overview

This episode explores why Americans are reporting lower happiness, the science behind measuring and improving well-being, and what individuals and society can do to reverse the trend. Jane Coaston speaks with Michael Plant, founder and director of the Happier Lives Institute, to unpack why happiness has declined, what makes people happy, and specific recommendations for boosting happiness as we enter 2026.

---

Main Interview: The State and Science of Happiness

Guest: Michael Plant — Founder/Director, Happier Lives Institute

1. Defining Happiness

• [02:00–02:10] Jane expresses skepticism about happiness research, asking what happiness means scientifically.
  • Michael: "Happiness is feeling good overall. In the science of well-being, there are quite a few different measures of happiness. The standard one is life satisfaction—how do you feel about your life overall? ... Then there's a kind of experiential measure, how good or bad you feel."
    (02:10)

2. Measuring Something So Abstract

• [02:38–03:12]
  • Michael: "Researching happiness is much easier than people think. If you want to find how happy someone is, you just ask them, 'how happy are you? 0 to 10.' It's the sort of solution hiding in plain sight. ... We often try and work out how people's lives are going by looking in their wallets and then telling them how their lives are."
    (02:43)
• Emphasizes shortcomings in relying solely on GDP and income as proxies for social well-being.

3. The Political & Economic Context of Unhappiness

• [03:12–04:38]
  • Jane reiterates U.S. economic and political turmoil.
  • Michael: "America has been getting steadily less happy since records began... I would be bold enough to say that probably part of the reason that you have your current president is because happiness has been going down."
  • He cites World Happiness Report findings:

    "When people are dissatisfied with their lives, they're more likely to vote for populist presidents. If you have low trust in other people, you're more likely to vote for right wing populists. If you have high trust but are dissatisfied, you're more likely to vote for left wing populists." (03:55)

  • Dissatisfaction fuels desire for political change, rather than maintaining the status quo.

4. Moving Beyond Material Measures

• [04:38–05:51]
  • Jane asks how societies like the U.S. and UK might shift away from material measures.
  • Michael: "In the U.S. Declaration of Independence, 'Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness'... Thomas Jefferson said in 1810 that human happiness and the care of life are the only legitimate objects of good government. ... We should get back to happiness. We got sidetracked in the 20th century focusing on GDP. ... Most of the world's wealthiest countries, with I think the exception of America, measure well-being as part of their national statistics."
  • Measuring well-being is crucial: "If you don't measure it, you can't capture it and you won't make it a priority." (05:23)

5. What Makes People Happy?

• [05:51–06:37]
  • Michael: "It's things like having good mental and physical health, having a job, having a job you enjoy, being in a relationship, exercise, friendship... Income has a surprisingly low effect in happiness research compared to things like mental health."
  • Happiness research captures human aspects missed by economic metrics.

6. Beyond Essentials—What Boosts Happiness?

• [06:37–07:59]
  • Michael: "Then your attitude is going to play quite a big role. Do you find things to be grateful for? Do you connect with others? Do you live a life which you feel is meaningful?"
  • He challenges contemporary self-help that focuses solely on ignoring others:

    "Our lives are happier if we feel useful to other people. And if we feel connected, we feel part of something larger than ourselves." (07:14)

  • Suggests volunteering, political participation, or work that feels impactful.
  • Material upgrades like salary and cars bring only temporary happiness.

7. Are Some People Naturally Happier?

• [07:59–08:55]
  • Jane: "Are there some people who are naturally happy or naturally unhappy?"
  • Michael: "You have differences in personality traits... there is some heritability to your happiness, but you can change how you think about life. So yeah, some people get an unfair start in terms of how happy they are, and the rest of us have to work at it."

8. Advice Heading Into 2026

• [08:55–10:43]
  • Jane: What would Michael say to people struggling with happiness going into 2026?
  • Michael:
    • "If you're seriously unhappy, you might want to go and talk to a doctor. Mental health is very serious."
    • For most, suggest realistic and enjoyable goals:

      "If you aren't a marathon runner, then don't say to yourself, 'I'm now going to run a marathon,' because you'll just end up being disappointed. ... Maybe you want to go dancing, making clay pots, or drawing art, but ideally something that allows you to connect with other people and do something useful." (09:29–10:17)

    • Calls out rising social isolation in the U.S.:

      "Ask a colleague out for lunch, try and talk to other people, think about how you can interact with people on a daily basis, and I think you will find that that makes you happier and that helps other people as well." (10:23)

  • Jane (to Michael): "It made me really happy actually for you to join me, so thank you." (10:43)

---

Notable Quotes

• Michael Plant:

  • "If you want to find how happy someone is, you just ask them, 'how happy are you? 0 to 10.' It's the sort of solution hiding in plain sight." (02:43)
  • "Income has a surprisingly low effect in happiness research compared to things like mental health." (06:14)
  • "Our lives are happier if we feel useful to other people. And if we feel connected, we feel part of something larger than ourselves." (07:14)
  • "Some people get an unfair start in terms of how happy they are, and the rest of us have to work at it." (08:39)
  • "Ask a colleague out for lunch, try and talk to other people ... I think you will find that that makes you happier and that helps other people as well." (10:23)

• Jane Coaston:

  • "What do we do about it? And I mean that. What can we do as individuals and as a society to be happier besides flipping the House and Senate? Believe me, I got there before you did." (00:58–01:15)

---

Key Timestamps

| Segment | Description | Timestamp | |-----------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------| | Opening, context setting | Jane lays out current U.S. malaise, introduces topic | 00:02–01:59 | | Defining happiness | Michael explains measures, limitations of GDP as a happiness measure | 02:00–03:12 | | Political, economic impact | How declining happiness shapes politics, populism | 03:12–04:38 | | Non-material metrics | History of happiness in U.S. policy, argument for renewed focus | 04:38–05:51 | | Sources of happiness | What really makes people happy | 05:51–06:37 | | Meaning and connection | Importance of purpose, connection; meaning vs. material upgrades | 06:37–07:59 | | Nature vs. nurture in happiness | Inherited happiness, individual agency | 07:59–08:55 | | Practical advice for 2026 | Michael’s tips for realistic, social happiness improvements | 08:55–10:43 |

---

Tone and Memorable Moments

• Jane's sardonic wit is present throughout (ex: "What can we do... besides flipping the House and Senate?").
• Michael’s warmth and optimism, balanced with scientific nuance and practicality.
• Mutual rapport:
  • Jane, after the interview: "It made me really happy actually for you to join me, so thank you." (10:43)

---

Summary of Key Insights and Takeaways

• Happiness is measureable through self-reporting—ask people directly.
• Material measures like GDP matter less than expected; social connection, meaningful work, and good health play major roles in well-being.
• Declining happiness correlates with political dissatisfaction and volatility; widespread malaise often fuels populism, on both left and right.
• Policies and societies benefit from tracking and prioritizing happiness, not just economic growth.
• Attitude, purpose, and social bonds boost happiness beyond material comfort.
• Some of happiness is genetic, but there’s significant room for agency.
• For those feeling isolated or struggling: Seek professional help if necessary, but also focus on small, achievable goals—especially those that involve social connection or new activities.

---

This summary provides a comprehensive guide to the episode’s content, tone, and main takeaways, making it accessible and informative for those who haven’t listened.

Transcript

[A]

It's Wednesday, December 17th. I'm Jane Coastin and this is what a day. The show saying thank you to White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles for deciding. You know what, I'm going to talk to a writer From Vanity Fair 11 times this year and just tell him everything. I'm thinking about President Donald Trump's, quote, alcoholics personality and Elon Musk's drug use. And oh, by the way, Trump being in the Epstein files, nothing's off limits. I sure this will all go great. It did. On today's show. Unemployment surges to its highest rate in four years, which is sad. And the deadline to extend Affordable Care act subsidies draws dangerously near. Also very sad. But let's start with happiness. I know it's a weird topic to talk about right now when there is so much to be justifiably unhappy about. As I said, unemployment is up. Two thirds of Americans have recently struggled with the rising cost of groceries, and the President of the United States has occupied his time attempting to start a land war in Venezuela, posting on the Internet and blowing up the East Wing of the White House. Times are tough. It's no wonder then that the Common Good Institute, a nonpartisan public policy think tank fair, found that the US fell from 11th place to 24th place in global happiness rankings between 2012 and 2025. More and more Americans are deeply, profoundly unhappy, especially younger Americans. So what do we do about it? And I mean that. What can we do as individuals and as a society to be happier besides flipping the House and Senate? Believe me, I got there before you did. To find out, I spoke to Michael Plant. He's the founder and director of the Happier Lives Institute and a nonprofit that researches the most cost effective ways to improve well being around the world. Michael, welcome to Wataday.

[B]

Thank you for having me on.

[A]

So I'm a little skeptical of a lot of the happiness studies I've seen. So let's start at a very basic level. What has your research led you to believe happiness is?

[B]

Well, happiness is feeling good overall. But in the science of wellbeing, there are quite a few different measures of happiness. So the sort of standard one is life satisfaction. How do you feel about your life overall? So you're probably familiar with the idea the Nordic countries are the happiest on earth. That's based on this measure of life satisfaction. And then there's a kind of experiential measure. That's what we tend to mean in happiness. In ordinary language, that's how good or bad you feel. Those are the main two how do.

[A]

You research or scientifically analyze something that feels so abstract?

[B]

Actually, researching happiness is much easier than people think. It turns out that if you want to find how happy someone is, you just ask them, how happy are you? 0 to 10. It's the sort of solution hiding in plain sight. And this contrasts with how we often try and work out how people's lives are going, which is effectively we look in their wallets and then we tell them how their lives are. And this generalizes to our approach to social welfare, where we think that what makes a society going well or badly is just its level of gdp.

[A]

I think to that point, as you know, we're at a pretty tumultuous time in the U.S. a lot of people are fighting just to afford basic necessities. And you mentioned that in the UK as well, the political climate is volatile and lawmakers are not delivering fixes for the issues Americans care about the most. And they're just screaming at each other all the time, generally on the Internet. How much do things like the economy and politics play into our happiness?

[B]

Yeah, so it's an important role. What we're sensitive to is how we feel like our circumstances are changing again compared to our expectations. So America has been getting steadily less happy since records began. Where records began was 1972, the US General Social Survey. And I think I would be bold enough to say that probably part of the reason that you have your current president is because happiness has been going down over that time period. So there's new research that came out this year in the World Happiness Report, which finds that when people are dissatisfied with their lives, they're more likely to vote for populist presidents. If you have low trust in other people, you're more likely to vote for right wing populists. If you have high trust in other people but you're dissatisfied with life, you're more likely to vote for left wing populists. So that's kind of Trump and maybe Sanders, perhaps. So if people felt like their lives were going better, they would want to keep the status quo. But if you feel like your life is going poorly, then you're prepared to have a swing with something else.

[A]

In a society like the US or the uk, how do you refocus on non material things as a meter or metric for happiness?

[B]

That's a great question. So if you remember the US Declaration of Independence, what are some of the key words that we have? These inalienable rights?

[A]

Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

[B]

Liberty and the pursuit of happiness. And Then Thomas Jefferson said in 1810 that human happiness and the care of life are the only legitimate objects of good government. So I think we should get back to happiness. We got sidetracked in the 20th century where we focused on GDP in the economy. But now there is a new happiness of science that really started in the 70s. It's grown up since most of the world's wealthiest countries, with I think the exception of America, measure wellbeing as part of their national statistics. That might not sound very exciting, but if you don't measure it, then you can't capture it and you won't make it a priority. So if we can start to put happiness first in our lives, in our government policies, then that will eventually translate to people's lives improving, to our societies feeling more kind of civil and harmonious. So I think a better future is possible.

[A]

What do happy people have in common?

[B]

Well, there are quite a few things which are there, research shows as the main determinants of happiness. It's things like having good mental and physical health, having a job, having a job that you enjoy, being in a relationship, it'll be exercise, friendship, these sorts of things. So the things we think are important are borne out by happiness research. What happiness research does show us is that there's differences between how important we think these things are. So income has a surprisingly low effect in happiness research compared to things like mental health. And you can capture better the impact of the human aspects of life than you would do if you were just looking at sort of standard economic measures like gdp.

[A]

And if all of that is established, you have a job, you exercise, you eat right, you get enough sleep. What has your research found that can make people actually happy beyond those essentials.

[B]

Then your attitude is going to play quite a big role. So do you find things to be grateful for? Do you connect with others? Do you live a life which you feel is meaningful? So lots of the kind of current discourse around self help, what's the popular book? The let them theory is quite focused on just focus on your own life and forget about other people. And that's really not what the happiness research says. Our lives are happier if we feel useful to other people. And if we feel connected, we feel part of something larger than ourselves. You can think about volunteering, participating in political activity, in work where you feel like you're making a difference. So Jane, you probably feel like you're doing a job which matters, so you can have jobs which matter. So different people search for happiness advice in different circumstances. But if your life is going quite well and you're thinking, oh, I'm not really happy. It's probably because you don't have enough meaning or purpose in your life. And getting yourself a larger salary, a nicer car, a fancier iPhone is only going to make a temporary difference to how you feel.

[A]

I think a question I've always had is, are there some people who are naturally happy or naturally unhappy? Because I think that we've all met someone who is just kind of like, even in really difficult situations or something really bad happened, they seem to stay on an even keel and be comparatively happy. And then we've also met people who could be, you know, like the President of the United States, who could have literally everything he wants and then has to get on his phone and deride talk show hosts and famous movie directors. Are there just people who are just naturally unhappy?

[B]

Yeah, I mean, you have differences in personality traits, there's links between people's genetics, twin studies. So yeah, there is some heritability to your happiness, but you know, you can't change your genes, but you can change how you think about life. You can change your activities. So yeah, some people get an unfair start in terms of how happy they are, and the rest of us have to work at it.

[A]

As we head into 2026, you've already given suggestions on how people can work towards happiness, but what would you say to people who are struggling to find happiness right now?

[B]

So a couple of different thoughts. If you're seriously unhappy, you might want to go and talk to a doctor. Mental health is very serious. That's more than just unhappiness. That's a particular kind of long lasting unhappiness. In that case, you probably want to find a therapist. So that's if you're like really at the kind of low end. But I would say as we're getting into 2026, you want to think about what differences do you want to make to your life? Think about things which are actually you're going to enjoy, are going to make you happier and that you're likely to achieve. So, you know, if you aren't a marathon runner, then don't say to yourself, I'm now going to run a marathon, because you'll just end up being disappointed. You should be realistic. But instead you might want to think about something like, okay, what's an activity I think I would enjoy but I just haven't got around to like, maybe you want to go dancing or you know, making clay pots or drawing art or whatever it is. But ideally something that allows you to connect with other people and to do something where, again, it feels useful, but probably something that you haven't tried before. And then something I would say, particularly to Americans, is that part of what's related to the lowering of happiness in the US Is that people are more socially isolated. So if you look at the number of people who are eating alone, that's shot up in the US over the last couple of decades. So ask a colleague out for lunch, try and talk to other people, think about how you can interact with people on a daily basis, kind of improve the social fabric, and I think you will find that that makes you happier and that helps other people as well.

[A]

Michael, it made me really happy actually for you to join me, so thank you.

[B]

You're welcome.

[A]

That was my conversation with Michael Plant, founder and Director of the Happier Lives Institute. We'll get to more of the news in a moment, but if you like the show, make sure to subscribe. Leave a five star review on Apple Podcasts, watch us on YouTube and share with your friends. More to come after some ad. What a day is brought to you by Zebiotics Free Alcohol from holiday parties to festive toasts by the fire, the holidays are full of moments to share a drink with friends and family. Whether you're celebrating a year's end win or just relaxing after a busy day, being ready for the next Morning still matters. ZBiotics Pre alcohol probiotic Drink is the world's first genetically engineered probiotic. It was invented by PhD scientists to tackle rough mornings after drinking. Here's how it when you drink, alcohol gets converted into a toxic byproduct in the gut. It's a buildup of this byproduct, not dehydration, that's to blame for rough days after drinking. Pre alcohol produces an enzyme to break this byproduct down. Just remember to make pre alcohol your first drink of the night. Drink responsibly and you'll feel your best tomorrow. Every time I have pre alcohol before drinks, I do notice a difference the next day. Even after a night out or a holiday party, I can confidently plan on working out without worry. Make the most of every toast this holiday season. Just don't forget to bring pre alcohol along for the ride. Go to zbiotics.com wad to learn more and get 15% off your first order when you use code wad at checkout. Zebiotics is backed with a 100% money back guarantee, so if you're unsatisfied for any reason, they'll refund your money, no questions asked. Remember to head to zobatix.com wad and use the code WOD at checkout for 15% off.

[C]

Ah, DSW Earth, place of the humble. Brag here. The shoes are so good no one would ever know how little you paid if you didn't go telling everyone that is. And with never ending options for every style, mood and occasion, all at really great prices, we'll definitely give you something to brag about. So go ahead, stock up on fresh sneakers from your favorite brands or try those boots you always secretly knew you could pull off. Find the shoes that get you at prices that get your budget at DSW stores [e-mail] Let us surprise you.

[D]

A Better Help Ad the holidays are a time of traditions, like making your grandmother's pudding recipe or watching that movie you've seen a thousand times. Incorporating therapy into your life can help you take time for yourself during what can be a joyful but sometimes tough time of year. And by caring for yourself, you can show up more for the important moments this December. Start a new tradition by taking care of you. Visit betterhelp.com today for 10% off.

[A]

Here's what else we're following today. Header lines.

[E]

President Trump last week gave.

[A]

His economy a grade of A plus plus plus plus what grade would you give the economy today?

[D]

A.

[A]

Hmm. One less plus Suspicious job numbers are finally in, and despite the confidence exuding from Vice President J.D. vance about the economy, data shows the labor market is losing momentum. The unemployment rate rose to 4.6% last month, the highest since 2021, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The US lost 105,000 jobs in October and then gained 64,000 jobs in November. The new data, published Tuesday, comes after delays due to the government shutdown. National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett told cnbc it's best to squint your eyes and look at the October and November numbers combined.

[E]

And if you do that, then you're looking at private sector gains of about 120,000, maybe 121. And then we dropped about 160,000 government workers, federal government workers. Who are the people who took the buyout that, you know, we began that program in the spring and gave people to the fall to step aside. And so I think that from the private sector point of view, it's just about what we've been getting all year. It's, it's solid upward trajectory.

[A]

You know, if you just sort of ignore the actual numbers, the numbers are great. President Trump echoed the sentiment on Truth Social Tuesday writing, quote, the best is yet to come. Maybe in two weeks.

[F]

After 11 months again, the average American family is $1,000 richer than they were 11 months ago. Now, if you had $3,000 taken out of your pocket by the Biden administration, of course you're still struggling to get by. Rome was not built in a day.

[A]

And neither was that explanation. Vice President J.D. vance asked for patience from Americans during a speech in Pennsylvania on Tuesday. The stop in Lehigh Valley was part of a larger White House attempt to get its economic story straight as voter frustration over high costs continues to chip away at Republican standing ahead of the 2026 midterms. Unlike Trump, who appeared in the state a week earlier, Vance generally stayed on message and avoided calling affordability itself a hoax. But he didn't forget the one man dying to solve the problem he thinks isn't real.

[F]

I promise you, there is no person more impatient to solve the affordability crisis than Donald J. Trump, the President of the United States.

[A]

Vance is right. We unearthed recent footage of Trump barely containing his efforts to solve the affordability crisis. I think it'll be one of the great ballrooms anywhere in the world. It's about $300 million, just like Vance said, rebuilding Rome one brick at a time. The House is expected to hold a vote on a GOP healthcare package today. What is not as certain as of Tuesday evening is whether House Speaker Mike Johnson will allow a vote on an amendment to extend Affordable Care act subsidies, which some moderate Republican lawmakers are advocating for. The enhanced subsidies are set to expire at the end of the year, all but guaranteeing higher health insurance premiums for millions of Americans. New York Republican Representative Mike Lawler told reporters the decision not to have a vote on extending the subsidies is, quote, absolute bullshit. House Speaker Mike Johnson said during a press conference that Lawler fights hard for.

[G]

New York, but the districts are different. They have different priorities and ideas. But we do have there's about a dozen members in the conference that are in these swing districts who are fight fighting hard to make sure that they reduce costs for all of their constituents. And many of them did want to vote on this Obamacare Covid era subsidy the Democrats created. We looked for a way to try to allow for that pressure release valve and it just was not to be.

[A]

Johnson, though, appears to be a little wishy washy on the subject. According to the New York Times, the House speaker later said, quote, there's a real possibility to get a vote on it, adding, quote, I've certainly tried my best to provide for that so we'll see what happens. Inspiring. Breaking Abraham Lincoln has been assassinated again. I'm talking, of course, about the decision back in November to officially end production of the penny bearing his face. Well, it turns out there's a difference between a face and face value, because according to Stacks Bowers Galleries, a California coin auctioneer, sets of the final minted pennies were auctioned off for more than $16.7 million last week. The United States Mint said The auction featured 232 sets of three coins, each pairing two Philadelphia minted 2025 pennies, one standard and one made of 24 karat gold. For some reason, because who doesn't want a gold penny? And then another penny from the Denver Mint. The three coin sets, marked with an Omega symbol to denote the penny's final run, sold for an average of $72,000, with the very last set fetching $800,000. That means for three pennies someone paid the equivalent of 80 million pennies. That's 26.6 million pennies per penny. So in 2025, a penny's net worth is either $0.01 or 26.6 million cents. Huh. I guess there isn't a middle class when it comes to the penny either. Before we go, check out Crooked's Legal podcast Strict Scrutiny. Each week, Melissa, Leah and Kate break down the court decisions and legal fights that actually shape how this country is run. This week, they're digging into a major Supreme Court case that could give Trump more control over the federal government, along with other legal battles tied to power, accountability and who gets to make the rules. Listen to Strict Scrutiny wherever you get your podcasts or watch on YouTube. That's all for today. If you like the show, make sure you subscribe, leave a review, learn more about an app that's basically tinder for cows and tell your friends to listen. And if you're into reading and not just about the Herd plus app developed by the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation, which helps dairy farmers find their cows their perfect genetic match. Like me, what a Day is also a nightly newsletter. Check it out and [e-mail] subscribe I'm Jane Costen, and how does one swipe with hooves? What a Day is a production of Crooked Media. It's recorded and mixed by Desmond Taylor. Our producer is Kaitlyn Plummer. Our associate producers are Emily Foer and Chris Allport. Our video editor is Joseph Dutra. Our video producer is Johanna Cates. We had production help today from Greg Walters and Matt Burke. Our senior producer is Erica Morrison and Our senior vice president of news and politics is Adrienne Hill. We had help from the Associated Press. Our theme music is by Colin Gilliard and Kashaka. Our production staff is proudly unionized with the Writers Guild of America East.

[H]

Not sure if you have the experience to start your dream job? Good news. These days, it's the skills that count. Udemy can help you get those in demand. Skills? Want to be an AI mastermind? Learn with us Game developer. We've got you covered. AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner. We can help you prep. You'll learn from real world experts who love what they do so that you can love what you do. Go to udemy.com for the skills to get you started and get set for your dream job.

[C]

Come to DSW for the shoes. Stay for the fun. Because let's be honest, if shoe shopping isn't fun, are you even doing it right? So go ahead. Try something new. Try something different.

[A]

Good different.

[C]

Try something that feels like you, you know, thrill you. And then definitely brag about it later. Because at DSW you've got unlimited freedom to play. Find the shoes that get you at prices that get your budget. At DSW stores [e-mail] let us surprise you.