Podcasts about The Pursuit of Happiness

“This is how I spend my life: obeying your commandments.” (Psalm 119:56 NLT) What makes you happy? What brings you peace? Where do you find meaning, purpose, and a sense of fulfillment in your life? One of the biggest tragedies of our modern culture is that many people can’t answer these questions. They may find moments of excitement or distraction. They may have fun. But those moments are fleeting and surfacy. There’s nothing deep or lasting about them. Philosopher Eric Hoffer wrote, “The search for happiness is one of the chief sources of unhappiness.” Someone else once said, “There are two sources of unhappiness in life. One is not getting what you want and the other is getting it.” So, for many people today who are searching for happiness, the cold hard truth is that they will never find it. The news stories we see about celebrities seem to confirm it. For all their accomplishments, fame, and money, many of them lead miserable and empty lives. And that’s because they’re searching for happiness in the wrong way. The psalmist revealed the key to the search when he wrote, “This is how I spend my life: obeying your commandments” (Psalm 119:56 NLT). Genuine happiness is always a byproduct of holiness. Get your life right with God and happiness will soon follow. Several other passages in Scripture confirm this: “You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever” (Psalm 16:11 NLT). “Joyful is the person who finds wisdom, the one who gains understanding. For wisdom is more profitable than silver, and her wages are better than gold. Wisdom is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. She offers you long life in her right hand, and riches and honor in her left. She will guide you down delightful paths; all her ways are satisfying. Wisdom is a tree of life to those who embrace her; happy are those who hold her tightly” (Proverbs 3:13–18 NLT). “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires” (Psalm 37:4 NLT). “Those who listen to instruction will prosper; those who trust the Lord will be joyful” (Proverbs 16:20 NLT). “So I decided there is nothing better than to enjoy food and drink and to find satisfaction in work. Then I realized that these pleasures are from the hand of God. For who can eat or enjoy anything apart from him?” (Ecclesiastes 2:24–25 NLT). Unfortunately, unbelievers will never know true happiness. Instead, they will pursue the devil’s cheap counterfeits, facsimiles that seem to offer what they desire. They won’t recognize until it’s too late that the counterfeits are shallow, because they possess no deep well from which to draw. The world’s concept of happiness is dependent on good things happening. The Christian concept of happiness depends on a good God. Choose God’s way. Reflection question: How can you help unbelievers in your life recognize where genuine happiness can be found? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known." All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie. Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The inalienable right to "the pursuit of happiness" is enshrined in the Declaration of Independence, but what exactly does that phrase mean? While Americans today may associate it with the right to own land, opulence or some other act of acquisition, many prominent founders understood it to mean something quite different. In this episode National Constitution Center President & CEO Jeffrey Rosen returns to the show to give us the full story and discuss his new book The Pursuit of Happiness: How Classical Writers on Virtue Inspired the Lives of the Founders and Defined America.   If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to check out Jeffrey's other appearances on our show in episodes 211 and 350.   Highlighted Resources from the National Constitution Center –The Interactive Constitution (also available as an app in the apple and android app stores) –We The People with Jeffrey Rosen podcast (available anywhere you get The Road to Now) –Educational Video Series If you're in Philadelphia, you can visit the National Constitution Center, which is located just steps from Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. Click here to plan your visit! Thie conversation originally aired on February 5, 2024 as episode 295. This rebroadcast was edited by Ben Sawyer.

Taking care of your health just got easier, thanks to my sponsor Zocdoc, start here at: https://zocdoc.com/drscotteilersThe antidote to depression isn't happiness—it's contentment. I explain why chasing happiness can actually make depression worse, especially when anhedonia makes positive emotions inaccessible or when short-term relief leads to unhealthy decisions.If my podcast has helped, my new book, The Light Between the Leaves, goes even deeperNext Steps:

What if happiness is not waiting at the finish line, but found in the journey itself? In this episode of Inspiration Nation, Lee Kemp, Jose Noya and Ryan Boniface explore ambition, personal growth, money, success and the constant desire to achieve more. Through reflections on career goals, financial security, coaching, gaming and everyday routines, they discuss why reaching one milestone often creates another—and why learning to enjoy the challenge may be more fulfilling than chasing a final state of happiness.The episode's central quote is: “It's not the pursuit of happiness; it's the happiness of the pursuit.” It captures the idea that a meaningful life is built through thousands of ordinary moments, not discovered at one perfect destination. Ask yourself: if someone watched your daily routine, would they believe you are happy with the life you are building? Like the episode, subscribe to Inspiration Nation, and leave a review. Follow the podcast on X at @ListenToIN and visit www.InspirationNation.org.uk.

This meditation was given on August 5th, 2026, at P3: Prayer, Penance, and Pub, which is a weekly time of Exposition of the Most Blessed Sacrament with Confession available followed by young adult pub time. Each Wednesday, Exposition and Confession starts at 6:30pm, a meditation is given at 8pm, followed by Benediction and young adult Pub Time. Pub time will be held outdoors (weather permitting). Beer and wine are available on a donation basis. Cash and Card accepted.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Linktree⁠⁠

Arthur Herman explains the American founders were heavily influenced by the Scottish Enlightenment, particularly the ideas of David Hume and Adam Smith regarding the pursuit of happiness. This subjective right was prioritized over property to potentially allow for the future abolition of slavery. The founding spirit extended to the Northwest Ordinance, creating communities like Marietta, Ohio, that were dedicated to education, religion, and freedom. (10)1738

#PBT #LifeLibertyHappiness #John Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness | John 8, 10, 13 | Pastor BJ VanAmanRecorded June 28, 2026

What did Jefferson mean by “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”? Adam Potkay explains the moral and philosophical world behind the phrase and the important passages that were edited out of the Declaration of Independence. Plus: On the evening of July 4, 1776, the Founding Fathers raced to print 200 copies of the Declaration of Independence for rapid dispersal throughout the colonies. Holly Robertson and George Riser dive into the frantic, midnight race to spread the news of independence. Later in the show: Martha Jefferson is usually portrayed as Thomas Jefferson's beloved wife who died young in childbirth. But Patti Miller and Nicole Brown say that a new biography shows she was actually a highly educated, politically astute woman and a wartime political confidante of Jefferson.

Penn gets a nice mention from The Flying Karamazov Brothers and continues to discover the unexpected joys of performing seated on a stool, Matt performs magic for different audiences in Nashville, the life and legacy of Paul Reubens, unexpected concert tour lineups, and lots more.

Sunday AM sermon.

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As part of our ongoing series of episodes devoted to thecelebration of the 250th Anniversary of the Declaration, we are delighted to bring you an episode devoted to the legal relevance of the Declaration's most famous sentence, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” We'll focus in today's episode particularly on that last phrase. In his Commentaries on the Laws of England, William Blackstone described the pursuit of happiness as a science of jurisprudence by which his students could identify, and then apply, the first principles of the Common Law in their future work in law.  Separately, the American founders includedthe pursuit of happiness as one of only three unalienable rights specifically listed in the Declaration of Independence.  Where do Blackstone and the founders agree and disagree in their understanding of the pursuit of happiness? What practical role (if any) did they suggest the concept could serve in English and early American law and legal philosophy? To discuss these subjects, we are pleased to have Carli N. Conklin with us. She is an associate professor at University of Missouri School of Law, an associate professor of constitutional democracy and former associate director at theKinder Institute on Constitutional Democracy, and director of the School of Law's Center for the Study of Dispute Resolution. She earned her JD/MA and PhD in American Legal History from the University of Virginia, where she received the School of Law's John and Madeleine Traynor prize for outstanding written work. This episode is captured from a jointly-sponsored webinar by the James Wilson Institute and the Center for Religion Culture and Democracy of First Liberty Institute.

The pursuit of happiness has been linked to everything from finding daily balance, self-growth and even the meaning of life. But is being happy the goal? Does happiness provide what you are really looking for?One thing that's wrong with the philosophy of pursuing happiness is that it traps one in the cycle of the pursuit. Happiness tends to be more superficial, fleeting, and circumstantial depending on experience or reward. Pursuing happiness is akin to seeking relief. But relief is not resolution, and there is something much deeper to attain than a feeling of happiness, and that is joy. Thanks for listening! Follow leah on IG, FB & TK @leahthemodernsage for more!

This episode highlights an often-missed story: the Declaration of Independence didn't just shape the U.S. Constitution—it directly shaped state constitutions, many of which echo its natural-rights language more explicitly than the federal charter. Arizona Supreme Court Justice Clint Bolick argues that reading state constitutional provisions through the Declaration can strengthen enforceable limits on government power. The conversation reframes the Declaration from anniversary rhetoric into a practical interpretive tool in living state constitutional law. Bolick traces a two-way influence between the Declaration and early state charters, pointing to founding-era texts like Virginia's 1776 Declaration of Rights as a roadmap for Jefferson's phrasing—and noting that later state constitutions continued to incorporate Declaration principles such as equality, popular sovereignty, and inalienable rights. He then connects those ideas to modern doctrine, arguing that state courts can treat natural-rights provisions as meaningful constraints (or interpretive “prisms”) rather than mere preambles, with recent state supreme court decisions illustrating how the Declaration's ideals can translate into concrete protections today. Connect: Episode Transcripts >>> Stanford Legal Podcast Website Stanford Legal Podcast >>> LinkedIn Page Stanford Constitutional Law Center >> Website Stanford Law School >>> Twitter/X Stanford Lawyer Magazine >>> Twitter/X Chapters: [00:00:26] Chapter 1 — McConnell's framing: the “hidden” constitutional story in state charters The host introduces how state constitutions borrow explicitly from the Declaration and why that matters for modern rights protection. [00:05:59] Chapter 2 — Bolick's thesis: an “enduring symbiosis” between the Declaration and state constitutions Bolick argues the Declaration's influence on state constitutional text and interpretation is deeper and more direct than its influence on the U.S. Constitution. [00:10:46] Chapter 3 — Origins and transmission: Virginia's 1776 rights language and state constitution “laboratories” Bolick explains the two-way borrowing between early state constitutions and the Declaration, including George Mason's Virginia Declaration of Rights. [00:27:57] Chapter 4 — From principles to doctrine: natural-rights clauses as enforceable limits (with cases) Bolick lays out how courts have used natural-rights provisions as substantive protections or interpretive tools, citing key state cases and modern disputes. [00:46:34] Chapter 5 — Ford's recorded response + Bolick rebuttal: state power, natural rights, and the limits of the frame Ford praises state constitutionalism but complicates the natural-rights narrative; Bolick responds, emphasizing both self-government and enforceable individual rights. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This Sunday, Pastor Mike Nolen delivers a message on biblical freedom titled, "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness."

250 years ago, a group of rebels signed their names to words that could have gotten them killed — words that have never stopped being dangerous. What does it really mean to be a conservative in America today? And what if everything you thought you knew about that word was backwards? From Frederick Douglass to Abraham Lincoln to Martin Luther King Jr., generation after generation has reached back to the same founding promise — not as a relic, but as a lifeline. And buried inside that promise is a radical idea about happiness that may be more urgent now than ever. Subscribe:https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943Watch this message on YouTube:https://youtu.be/qzC6LDiTrekGive a donation to help us spread Love Beyond Belief:https://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256Let's connect:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsaAll Souls Church Website: https://www.allsoulschurch.org

"Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness" Pastor Kody Hughes 7.5.26

We welcome back Jim Welch to KMC! On this special breakaway sermon, Jim speaks on the Lord and thoughts on Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. If you prefer to listen, stream, and/or watch, join us and subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@kingwoodmethodist

Over the course of the summer of 2024, we covered CanCon songs for the first time with our pals Ted and Barry joining us for the entire series! We end the CanCon series with a Canadian classic from the late 80's! We will continue with more summer CanCon reviews in the coming weeks!Hosted by @sliiiiip and @megamixdotcom, the Super Hits Podcast reviews a different retro single each episode! We're on all of the usual podcast platforms, so come find us. Come and give us a 5-star review!To correct us if we miss a fact or get something wrong, to request a single, or to just say hello, hit us up at superhitspodcast@gmail.comHere's our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://megamixdotcom.com/super-hits/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Here's our Twitter: @SuperHitsCastHere's our Instagram: @SuperHitsPodcastYou can also find playlists for all of the songs we've covered on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Apple Music. Just search for Super Hits Podcast Playlist!

This message examines the biblical foundations of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness by comparing the Declaration of Independence with the truths of Scripture. Through passages such as Psalm 33, John 10, Galatians 5, and the Beatitudes, we discover that true life is found in Christ, true liberty is expressed through loving service, and lasting happiness comes from living according to God's design rather than the values of the world.

What makes a nation free — and what keeps it free? In this message, we look at Psalm 33:12 and America's founding to see why liberty cannot survive apart from the God who gives it.Website:www.experienceredemption.comFacebook:https://www.facebook.com/experienceredemptionInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/experienceredemption

As we celebrate American's 250 birthday, let's return to some first principles. We speak of the American experiment at times as if we are lucky to have made it this far.  Yet, early Americans understood some things perhaps more recent generations have forgotten.  Take this idea of “The pursuit of happiness.” It didn't mean “live your best life” in terms of having fun and accumulating wealth, but it meant a pursuit of ongoing learning, of embodying virtue, and endearing friendship, the kind that could withstand even the most fervent disagreements.  These more than anything, are the foundation of a long-lasting democracy not only of country, but of spirit.

"How To Be Happy Under Fire"

"How To Be Happy Under Fire"

"How To Be Happy Under Fire"

"How To Be Happy Under Fire"

Joe Nathan joins Jordana to discuss a piece he recently wrote called “July 4 and the ‘Pursuit of Happiness'”. He and Jordana parse through the nuances and interpretations of one of the most iconic phrases in the American lexicon. They speak about the paths to happiness, the pleasure of helping people and modeling behavior for the next generation.

Jesus Turns Water to Wine   Series - The Pursuit of Happiness   Jordan Rice   John 2:1-12   You can't manufacture joy. You can only receive grace, and joy follows wherever grace goes.   Give to support the ministry of Renaissance Church: https://renaissancenyc.com/give   Keep up with Renaissance by filling out a connection card: https://renaissancenyc.ccbchurch.com/goto/forms/5/responses/new

See sermon notes and more at stlukesumc.com/sermons Subscribe to receive our latest messages:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ2n... To support St. Luke's in our mission to be an open, antiracist, justice-seeking church, visit http://stlukesumc.com/give. We are an open community of Christians helping people find and give hope through Jesus Christ - regardless of their gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, nationality, disability or socioeconomic background. —— STAY CONNECTED Website: https://stlukesumc.com St. Luke's UMC Facebook: https://facebook.com/stlukesindy St. Luke's UMC Instagram: https://instagram.com/stlukesindy St. Luke's UMC TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@stlukesindy St. Luke's UMC Twitter: https://twitter.com/stlukesindy St. Luke's UMC YouTube: https://youtube.com/stlukesindy St. Luke's UMC Vimeo: http://vimeo.com/stlukesindy

"Happy To Forgive"

"Happy To Forgive"

What are you willing to do to protect America's freedoms?To help answer that question, we tell two stories of Americans fighting for liberty. First, a Wisconsin artist who watched the government use a pandemic to break the law. Then, Elizabeth A. Fenn, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and author of Pox Americana, takes us back to a rarely discussed epidemic that threatened America's earliest patriots during the Revolutionary War—and how their determination to overcome it helped secure the freedoms you enjoy today.Support the show: https://redpilledamerica.com/support/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Happiness is a complex emotion and mental state that can be achieved through virtue or pleasure. But should it be for the good of the individual or society? Those in favor of virtue point to the Stoics and the Founding Fathers, saying you should strive for a life of moral virtue and rationality. Those in favor of pleasure say everyone should be able to experience it and define their sources of happiness. Now we debate: The Pursuit of Happiness: Virtue or Pleasure?  Arguing Virtue: Jeffrey Rosen, CEO & President of the National Constitution Center; Author of “The Pursuit of Happiness: How Classical Writers on Virtue Inspired the Lives of the Founders and Defined America”  Arguing Pleasure: Roger Crisp, Professor of Moral Philosophy at the University of Oxford; Uehiro Fellow and Tutor in Philosophy at St. Anne's College, Oxford  Nayeema Raza, Journalist at New York Magazine and Vox, is the guest moderator.  Join the conversation on Substack—share your perspective on this episode and subscribe to our weekly newsletter for curated insights from our debaters, moderators, and staff.  Follow us on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, Facebook, and TikTok to stay connected with our mission and ongoing debates.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brian McNeil, classics scholar, and Cicero enthusiast, joins the RockneCast once again. In this episode, we explore the Cicero's concept of "happiness", and the good life. Cicero was a Roman statesman, orator, lawyer and philosopher of happiness. He also heavily influenced the thinking of our nation's Founders, especially Thomas Jefferson and his famous phrase from the Declaration of Independence: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. What did Jefferson mean by that? What did Cicero mean by "happiness"? In this episode, Brian and I explore those questions through the lens of Cicero.

As the United States and those who defend it in uniform celebrate the Nation's Semiquincentennial, Sister Constance Veit of the Little Sisters of the Poor, herself of a military family, reflects on the true meaning of Jefferson's words: "the pursuit of happiness."

Finding Contentment   Series - The Pursuit of Happiness   Jordan Rice   Philippians 4:10-14, 1 Timothy 6:6-10   You don't need a different life. You need a different source of strength.   Give to support the ministry of Renaissance Church: https://renaissancenyc.com/give   Keep up with Renaissance by filling out a connection card: https://renaissancenyc.ccbchurch.com/goto/forms/5/responses/new

Embracing Limitations   Series - The Pursuit of Happiness   Jordan Rice   2 Corinthians 12:7-10   How we relate to our limits will determine our level of happiness.   Give to support the ministry of Renaissance Church: https://renaissancenyc.com/give   Keep up with Renaissance by filling out a connection card: https://renaissancenyc.ccbchurch.com/goto/forms/5/responses/new

President Donald Trump has announced that the United States and Iran have signed a peace deal, so Alex and Ethan rebrand the Strait of Hormuz. Young people are rejecting the “Boomer” ideals of the American Dream, claiming that these ideals no longer fit what newer generations are looking for. Dick Van Dyke shares his secret to a long life just weeks before turning 100.

In the second of two programs created with the podcast Death, Sex, and Money and our live event host Anna Sale, we explore issues of happiness.  Host Meg Wolitzer introduces a satirical romance by Oscar Wilde (did he write any other kind?).  “The Model Millionaire” is read by Peter Francis James.  In Kevin Brockmeier's “Space,” a grieving widower and his son try to get past their loss, looking for light in the darkness.  The reader is Michael Stuhlbarg. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

To the Framers, happiness didn't just mean fun. It meant the pursuit of a good life through hard work, discipline, and constant self-assessment. In Episode 2, National Constitution Center CEO Emeritus Jeffrey Rosen, attorney and author Timothy Sandefur, and Supreme Court advocate Alan Gura tell us what the “pursuit of happiness” meant, how that promise […]

On this episode of Timeless Wisdom, Dennis Prager defends the pursuit of happiness, a concept he believes is often misunderstood. He argues that happiness is not just a feeling that happens to us, but rather a worthy end in itself that can be pursued and achieved. Dennis explores the idea that people often confuse happiness with pleasure or a certain mood, and that true happiness comes from living a meaningful and fulfilling life. He also discusses the importance of knowing what brings happiness and how to pursue it, and shares stories from listeners who have found happiness through their faith and personal growth. Follow on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/timeless-wisdom-with-dennis-prager/id1517302239 Follow us on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4SZEYeH4tuLr2FvG4ok1rl Learn more about Dennis Prager: https://pragertopia.com/ Follow Dennis on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DennisPrager Follow Dennis on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedennisprager/ Follow Dennis on X: https://x.com/DennisPrager Learn more about the Salem Podcast Network: https://salempodcastnetwork.com/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Mike Slater sits down with Richard C. Lyons to unpack what “the pursuit of happiness” really means beyond the common clichés. They explore how modern interpretations often miss the original intent behind the phrase and what it looks like in practice today. The conversation dives into practical insights on fulfillment, purpose, and how to rethink happiness in everyday life.