The Main Idea
Happiness comes from four main brain chemicals that evolved to help us survive.
We can’t be happy all the time (that’s normal!), but we can build better habits to trigger these chemicals in healthy ways.
The Happy Chemical Squad 💫
Each of four chemical has a specific survival purpose.
1. 🎯 Dopamine (the achievement chemical)
- Rewards you for finding what you seek
- Makes you feel excited about goals
- Only releases in SHORT bursts – that’s why you keep wanting more!
2. 🤗 Oxytocin (the bonding chemical)
- Released during social trust and connection
- Helps build relationships and alliances
- Makes you feel safe with your “tribe”
3. 👑 Serotonin (the status chemical)
- Triggered when you feel respected/important
- Helps you navigate social hierarchies
- Every mammal cares about status (even if they say they don’t!)
4. 💪 Endorphin (the pain masking chemical)
- Helps you push through physical pain
- Triggered by exercise (runner’s high)
- Small amounts from laughing/crying
Key Takeaways 🔑
🔑 1. Your brain isn’t broken – it’s doing exactly what it evolved to do
- Seeking rewards
- Avoiding threats
- Always looking for the next opportunity
🔑 2. You can’t be happy 24/7 because:
- Happy chemicals come in brief spurts
- They’re meant to reward survival behaviors
- Your brain quickly returns to “alert mode”
🔑 3. Building new habits takes time because:
- Old neural pathways are like superhighways
- New pathways are like tiny trails
- It takes 45 days of repetition to build a strong new pathway