This month I’ve decided to share with you the blogs I find most informative regarding the science of happiness and happiness psychology.
There are currently very, very few blogs that contribute robustly to this topic, and because of this limited choices to pick from, this list is very small.
Blogs are an interesting and new phenomenon. The reason I think they are great is because they allow people with a genuine interest in a topic to share their research, thought processes and opinions on different topics.
As I’ve mentioned before, I believe the study of happiness to be of extreme importance, and I regard it a skill in the same way I regard cooking, sports, creativity and every else a skill.
Regular research and study allows you to develop your understanding of that subject deeply which in turn develops your ability to implement what you know into your own life with better reason and justification.
****Cautionary note: Please remember these are only my favourite blogs, it’s important to note assume there are not also other excellent blogs online. I simply have a preference to very thorough, long-form, practical, and non-controversial style articles.
So here are my ‘go-to’ blogs at the moment (likely to change in future as blogs always change themselves – I’ll be sure to let you know if updated):
Note: If you would like to download this list as a PDF for later reading, please click here.
1. Greater Good: Science of a Meaningful Life
Well, it says it all in the title! I love this blog, it really lives up to it’s label, and it definitely does what it says on the tin. The content is so good here that I’ve referenced articles from this site in my own articles many times in the past.
What I love about this blog: This blog shares the work from the Greater Good Centre which is based within the University of California in America. Therefore, this blog is highly scientific, very educational, never seeks to create drama or layer it’s blog with clickbait titles.
Why this blog is unique: Many of the articles are written by highly regarded professionals within the space of psychology, therefore it’s well referenced and shares unique studies that are often not found anywhere else (and sometimes they have full PDFs of studies which are impossible to find elsewhere).
Recommended article: The New Science of Forgiveness – I referenced this piece in one of my earlier articles. My goodness – what an article. Often the study of happiness seems to fall back on the same topics of gratitude, giving, exercise etc. Forgiveness is rarely talked about, but this article would make you wonder why!
2. Positive Psychology Program
This website is extremely comprehensive. Partly it’s included here because of it’s blog but even more so because of the other information on the website, which for those specifically interested in the field of positive psychology will find extremely helpful.
What I love about this blog: The blog mainly have shorter articles, but also has the occasional in-depth, long-form articles too. All of their articles are based on science and they cover a wide variety of topics. In addition, it has by far the best resource list of positive psychology courses (accredited) available online.
Why this blog is unique: As far as I am aware they are the one website with the complete list of accredited courses for those interested in studying positive psychology at university level or by other routes.
Recommended article: Benefits of Nurturing Mindfulness in School – This article shares a wide array of proven benefits of including mindfulness practice in a persons younger years, and just goes to show how the vast majority of schools in the world are missing out on this little, simple to implement and effective strategy.
3. Mappalicious
This is one of the funnest blogs to read. Again, very focused on the topic of positive psychology with a unique view from a personal writer, Nico Rose, who is also completed the Master of Applied Positive Psychology course from the prestigious University of Pennsylvania.
What I love about this blog: This blog, above many others, has an aura of fun associated with it. Sometimes Nico will often share unique style content not seen elsewhere such as an infographic or quote, and it’s all done in a way that just exudes an obvious passion for the topic.
Why this blog is unique: Mappalicious publishes a weekly update post called Positive Psychology News Digest which is absolutely fantastic. Nico takes the time to vet all the best articles on the science and study of happiness from all over the web. It’s a one-stop shop for updates on the research articles published online. Simply brilliant.
Recommended article: 22 Positive Psychology-Infused Articles Every (HR) Leader Should Know – Before the weekly News Digest began Nico had published this incredible compilation of research studies (fully referenced) specifically regarding the relationship between leadership and positive psychology.
4. Fulfillment Daily
Fulfillment Daily is an extremely well presented blog with very regularly updated articles on everything related to happiness psychology, subjective wellbeing and associated topics.
What I love about this blog: The blog is open to guest authors, so it contains articles from a large number of writers. This allows a spectrum of different people to share their knowledge in certain niche topics, and it includes a variety of well-known researchers, writers and professors.
Why this blog is unique: Every article published here begins with a wonderfully easy to read summary, including 3 sentences under the subtitles The Challenge, The Science and The Solution, a great breakdown before you dig deeper into the post.
Also, each blog post is given a word limit. Although this is not suitable for all occasions, for a blog with many authors like this it’s great because it allows the reader to have a certain consistency as they spend time on the site, and it allows us to know what to expect, which can be very helpful. Each article is science-based and well referenced.
Recommended article: Why Working Less, Being Messy & Procrastinating Will Actually Make You More Productive – This great piece busts some huge myths especially regarding procrastination and daydreaming – what you’ll find will surely open your eyes and at the same time reassure you of any so-called ‘bad habits’ you may have when working.
5. Happier Human
Happier Human is one of the most incredible blogs on the internet, in my opinion. I should let you know, however, there has not been any recent publications on the site for a while now. I am not sure of the reason, but I am still recommending it strongly because the articles which have already been published are simply world-class.
What I love about this blog: No other blogger I have seen writes more comprehensive and detailed posts on happiness than Amit (owner/writer at the blog).. The only thing comparable to his articles are actual full research studies in journals.
Why this blog is unique: This blog dedicates a post to one topic and digs as deep as physically possible, often with great humour and a lot of scientific backing.
Recommended article: The 31 Benefits of Gratitude You Didn’t Know About: How Gratitude Can Change Your Life – This behemoth of a blog post dissects with unreal depth the benefits of gratitude. I would go as far as to say you wouldn’t need to read any other article on gratitude for the next year after reading this, and it’s associated links, just once.