Matt Bloom is the author of the new book Lasting Wellbeing: Science-Based Practices for Tranquility, Authenticity, Meaning, and Joy. He is an emeritus professor of business at the University of Notre Dame, and is the cofounder of the Ritual app, which focuses on wellbeing.
Q: What inspired you to write Lasting Wellbeing?
A: Over the almost three decades I studied wellbeing, I learned how much people struggle to find the best ways to take care of themselves and the people in their lives. Many said they didn’t really know what wellbeing is, which made it very difficult to know what to do. They told me they are flooded with remedies, advice and information, and they don’t know how to navigate this bewildering barrage.
I’ve heard from hundreds of people who are discouraged because everything they have tried has failed to help. When I asked about their experience, most have been relying on bad advice because they didn’t know where to turn to for good help.
I know that scientific research can provide the guidance we all need to really understand our wellbeing and to find ways to flourish over long periods of time. I wanted to share some of the most important insights to empower people good choices for themselves and help their family and friends do the same. Achieving lasting wellbeing does not have to be complicated and confusing.
Q: The author Alexandra Elle said of the book, “Matt Bloom beautifully blends science-backed practices with accessible guidance, inviting readers into a more aligned way of living.” What do you think of that description, and what do you see as the role of science in your approach?
A: Alex is very generous in her praise, and I am grateful. I think science is the essential foundation for making good choices about our wellbeing, just as it is when it comes to our health. People find it hard to navigate the flood of “advice” and offerings they are exposed to.
The problem is that in that flood contains some really good advice, some worthless ideas, and some insidiously harmful advice. Science can help people identify the good advice and avoid both the bad and the ugly.
Alex’s books and other resources are examples of really good advice, the kind people can count on to help them.
Q: How did you research the book, and what did you learn that especially surprised you?
A: I studied people who work in the helping and healing professions—international aid workers, health care professionals, public school teachers, clergy, among others.
My team and I used large-scale surveys to collect data form thousands of people so we could learn about general patterns in their wellbeing, where the pain-points were in their lives, and what their daily experiences were like.
The richest research came from the deep, qualitative work we did. I spent time in with aid workers in field camps located in places like Afghanistan, the Philippines, Central African Republic, and India.
I worked with physicians in their clinics, and pastors in their churches. I gathered stories about their lives, observed their daily routines, and experienced the challenges they faced firsthand.
It was the combination of quantitative research and data from the field studies that produced the most important discoveries.
Many things surprised me, like how ill-equipped many people felt they were to take care of themselves. I was also surprised about how much the challenges those amazing people faced matched the challenges that the rest of us experience, even though we may think our work and lives isn’t as tough as helping and healing professionals.
One of my biggest takeaways was, as I mentioned above, that the advice and guidance all of these people needed was locked-up in academic journals. My goal with this book is to unlock that treasure trove so folks in the real world can us it.
Q: What impact did it have on you to write this book, and what do you hope readers take away from it?
A: I appreciated the challenge of translating research into helpful resources for people. I learned a lot about how to do this when I was asked to give speeches or lead workshops. I received a lot of good feedback by being face-to-face with people.
But I have often said that I want to help as many people as I can, and help them as much as I can, so writing a book was one way I could reach a larger audience.
I was deeply gratified by the response I received from the people who read early drafts, and am encouraged that this book can make a difference. I hope readers feel more confident that they can make good choices.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: I’m working on several things. One project is a book I am tentatively calling Measuring Up, which is about one of the biggest threats to our wellbeing--all the time and energy we spend comparing ourselves to other people.
The way social comparison takes shape in modern life is often profoundly detrimental to our wellbeing. Cultural forces compel us to measure ourselves against other people in myriad ways — are we successful, beautiful, smart, healthy enough — that can leave us feeling diminished and unworthy.
Chasing after status is one powerful way our culture encourages us to obsess about social comparisons. Our infatuation with competition and achievement, our lionizing of ambition and success, are others. I want to help people escape from the powerful pull of social comparison.
Q: Anything else we should know?
A: I would encourage people to be gentle and patient with themselves. The wellbeing challenges we face didn’t pop up because of one tough day or a single difficult experience. They are the result of an accumulation of tough experiences.
Improving and sustaining wellbeing follows the same process. The best way to do this is use simple, evidence-based practices that take 10 to 15 minutes. Use the practices consistently, and over time, big improvements will happen.
--Interview with Deborah Kalb
No comments:
Post a Comment