How to improve happiness in America

“Much of what we think brings happiness is misguided or just plain wrong,” New York Times best-selling author Dan Buettner told Salon’s Alexandra Clinton on Salon Talks.

Buettner is no novice when it comes to the secrets of happiness. His new book “The Blue Zones of Happiness: Lessons from the World’s Happiest People” is a guide to help individuals find maximum fulfillment through a balance of purpose, pleasure and pride. Buettner found and explored the happiest places in the world, which he argues are Denmark, Costa Rica and Singapore, and then distilled which findings and lessons could be applied to our everyday lives.

“What ‘Blue Zones of Happiness’ does is give you about 50 evidence-based ways to reshape your surroundings,” Buettner says.