--- --- # How to Live a Happy Life: Louis CK Explains the Science by [Eric Barker](https://time.com/author/eric-barker/) ## Eric Barker Jun 16, 2014 4:01 AM UTC by [Eric Barker](https://time.com/author/eric-barker/) ## Eric Barker Jun 16, 2014 4:01 AM UTC ## Yes, this guy knows the secret to happiness. You’ve probably already seen the following video. It got about 7 gazillion views and for good reason — it’s very funny. **It also sums up what the research says is the most powerful (and easy) way to become happier.** Louis CK? Scientific research? Jokes about rotary phones? Huh? Buckle in, I’ll explain. ## “Everything is amazing right now and nobody’s happy.” Louis CK says that, then he drives it home with this anecdote: --- > “” --- The world is changing quickly. To succeed in a world like this you need to adapt to all that change — and fast. **The problem is that while “adaptation” is a good thing, it’s also pretty much the same as “taking things for granted.”** Taking things for granted is the opposite of gratitude. **And gratitude is one of the few things that nearly all the research shows is part of how to live a happy life.** You want evidence? I’ve got gratitude studies for days:[It](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/was-grandmom-right-about-counting-your-blessi) [will](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/whats-an-easy-way-to-be-much-happier) [make](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/how-to-make-yourself-happier-in-just-a-few-se) [you](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/what-are-two-easy-things-you-can-do-to-be-hap) [happier](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/how-to-quickly-and-easiy-feel-happier-and-mor). It [will](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/whats-a-quick-thing-you-can-do-to-feel-better) [improve](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/does-gratitude-predict-relationship-satisfact) [your](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/whats-an-easy-way-to-make-friends-and-strengt) [relationships](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/how-to-give-your-relationship-a-booster-shot). Louis CK knows this. And your grandparents know this. They tried to tell you. You didn’t listen. ## “When I was a kid we didn’t have…” Growing up you complained about something trivial and heard a version of this story from Grandpa: **When I was your age we didn’t have (** **_fill in amazing modern thing_** **). All we had was (** **_really pathetic substitute that makes you feel guilty_** **). We had to (** **_short anecdote about how difficult life was that, frankly, you can’t relate to at all_** **). And we were happy!** All this story did was make you roll your eyes. But here’s the rub — as Stanford researcher [Laura Carstensen](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005GPSKWE/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B005GPSKWE&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) explains in her TEDx talk (around 3:15), more often than not, [older people are _happier people_](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2010/10/at-what-ages-are-we-happiest/): **Grandpa’s “** **_we had to walk to school uphill, both ways_** **” anecdote was a poor way of saying “show gratitude for what you have.” Don’t take it for granted.** And the research shows this is one of the reasons [old people are happier](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2011/12/will-we-be-happier-when-were-older/). --- > “” --- Research shows taking time to feel gratitude can prevent you from taking things for granted. Via [The Myths of Happiness: What Should Make You Happy, but Doesn’t, What Shouldn’t Make You Happy, but Does](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1594204373/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1594204373&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20): --- > “” --- So how do you work this into your busy life? It’s frighteningly easy. ## The Technique * **Put a notepad and pen by the bed.** * **Before you go to sleep each night, write down three things that happened that day which you’re thankful for.** * **Then write a sentence about why each happened.** That’s it. Really. It takes a few minutes. And it works. This technique has been proven [again](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/was-grandmom-right-about-counting-your-blessi) and [again](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/what-are-quick-little-things-you-can-do-to-in) and [again](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/does-any-of-this-make-yourself-happier-stuff). Here it is, explained by its originator, University of Pennsylvania professor Martin Seligman. Via [Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-being](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1439190763/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&tag=spacforrent-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1439190763): --- > “” --- The military [even teaches Seligman’s gratitude techniques to soldiers](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/04/what-3-techniques-does-the-army-use-to-instil/). And it has worked for me. ## I’ve Tried It Myself Yes, it’s kinda silly. (And before anyone goes in my bedroom you better believe I hide that notepad.) **But after doing it for a few days it was obviously working.** How did I know? It’s really the simplest thing in the world: **I was devoting more time to thinking about things that make me happy.** Yeah, you might do that occasionally too, but are you setting aside a time every day for it? Didn’t think so. **Research shows that savoring — really taking the time to appreciate good things — is** [**one of the secrets of the happiest people**](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2011/11/what-can-we-learn-from-the-happiest-people/)**.** Good things were just more accessible in my head because they were getting dedicated time every single night. It was like [deliberate practice](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/04/interview-author-cal-newport-on-how-you-can-become-an-expert-and-why-you-should-not-follow-your-passion/) but for happiness. More importantly, I started to see patterns. Some things were always on the list, like seeing friends. **It was easy to take this list of good things from the past and make it a to-do list for things I should try to schedule for the future.** I was basically teaching myself how to live a happy life. Daniel Nettle jokingly refers to this as “Pleasant Activity Training” but research shows it works. Via [Happiness: The Science Behind Your Smile](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005WSNPDO/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B005WSNPDO&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20): --- > “” --- Again, it’s stupidly simple. But as [Jennifer Aaker](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/02/happiness-aaker-meaning-interview/) explained in my interview with her, people just don’t consistently do it on their own: --- > “” --- You need the list. And then you need to get it on the calendar: --- > “” --- **Want to know how to live a happy life?** Write down the three things every night. Give it a shot. Here’s [more of the research on happiness](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/08/here-are-the-things-that-are-proven-to-make-y/), and for those of you who are really busy, here are [7 things that can make you happier in 7 seconds](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/04/what-are-seven-things-that-can-make-you-happi/). And keep listening to [Louis](http://www.amazon.com/s/?%5Fencoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=louis%20ck&linkCode=ur2&tag=spacforrent-20). He knows what he’s talking about. Show gratitude. Stop taking things for granted. **Join 45K+ readers.** Get a free weekly update via email [here](http://eepurl.com/o6uAD). Related posts: [What 10 things should you do every day to improve your life?](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/05/what-10-things-should-you-do-every-day-to-imp/) [Here are the things that are proven to make you happier ](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/08/here-are-the-things-that-are-proven-to-make-y/) [Can money buy happiness? 5 smart ways to spend it](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/05/can-money-buy-happiness-2/) _This piece originally appeared on_ [_Barking Up the Wrong Tree_](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/)_._ How to Live a Happy Life: Louis CK Explains the Science ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"OpinionNewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/2859742/how-to-live-a-happy-life-louis-ck-explains-the-science/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/2859742/how-to-live-a-happy-life-louis-ck-explains-the-science/"},"headline":"How to Live a Happy Life: Louis CK Explains the Science","datePublished":"2014-06-16T04:01:46.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-13T08:54:14.959Z","description":"Yes, this guy knows the secret to happiness. 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