Each spring, one of the highlights of our spring ethics seminar is a visit from our friend Deb Levy. Deb is a life coach and a person who knows a lot about what it means to be happy.

Money can help us buy luxuries or diverting experiences, but new things and fun times do not create lasting happiness. In their 2005 study, Martin Seligman, Tracy Steen and Christopher Peterson defined three types of happiness – pleasure, engagement and meaning - and found that an engaged and meaningful life produces far more lasting well-being than a pleasant one.

We can find happiness in the simple practice of gratitude. Seligman, Steen and Peterson tested a variety of simple interventions to see if they produced a measurable increase in happiness. They suggest that you write and deliver a letter to thank someone in your life. People who try it feel measurably happier, and the change can still be seen a month later. The folks at Soul Pancake created an engaging short video about this practice. Check it out here - and have an extra Happy Thanksgiving!