My interview with Nataly Kogan, Founder of Happier @ Work and bestselling author of Happier Now

Q: How did you become interested in positive psychology and happiness?

A: I was really struggling to feel content, not even happy, in the present moment. I was incredibly successful in my career -- especially given where I came from as a refugee -- had a great family, and yet, I was overwhelmed and stressed out all the time, never feeling like I was doing quite enough. So I went looking for help and stumbled on some great books, like Delivering Happiness and Flourish, that were my initial introduction.

I share my story a bit more in detail in my TED Talk.

Q: In the last year or so, I have read many articles that say teenagers and young adults (especially young women) are reporting higher levels of anxiety and depression. How do you believe technology and social media have impacted mental health, especially with my generation?

A: There is no doubt that passive endless scrolling through social media, comparing your real life with the pretty and curated life others share on social media is a significant contributor to depression -- I'm a mom of a 15 year old daughter, so believe me, I think about this a lot.

BUT, like with anything else, it's not social media's fault - it's about how we use it. 

Research has shown that when you actively engage on social media by contributing to others -- say, answering questions, making positive comments - you actually feel better. And that's because interacting with other human beings, being socially connected, being kind -- these are all things that help fuel our emotional health. But passively scrolling, never interacting, comparing -- these are behaviors that cause isolation and depression.

Q: What are you currently researching? What are some results that have surprised you? 

A: I focus my research on emotional health skills and their impact in the workplace. (Here's some background.)

What has surprised me is how much work and our workplaces have become void of emotions - and how we've come to see emotional health, human connection skills as soft skills. Yet research shows that when you feel at your best, when you have greatest wellbeing, you perform at your best -- so there is a definitely powerful link between happiness and performance.

This is slowly changing, with some leaders and companies taking the lead, but we've got a long way to go.

Q: If you could offer one piece of advice to a high school student, what would it be and why?

A: Be kind to yourself.

This is what I tell my daughter all the time. There's so much pressure, so much stress, so many expectations and we're not teaching you guys how to treat yourself as a friend. Research shows that when you react to mistakes or failures with self-compassion, you're more motivated to work harder and to succeed -- it's such an important skill and it makes a difference!

Here's a video my daughter made a few years back about this that you might like. 

Q: What’s a book you’ve read recently that opened your mind to new concepts around psychology or something else?

A: https://www.amazon.com/Toward-Psychology-Being-Abraham-Maslow/dp/0471293091 

It's a must read!