INDEXTHE ATLANTIC

All Atlantic Articles

Arthur C. Brooks · The Atlantic · “How to Build a Life” (2020–2025) · newest first

The author archiveArthur C. Brooks at The Atlantic ↗

266 “How to Build a Life” column essays enumerated (April 2020 – October 2025), plus 15 episodes of the companion How to Build a Happy Life podcast and 2 verified magazine features — 283 Atlantic items in all. The column list was built by walking The Atlantic’s own How to Build a Life project index page-by-page (cursor pagination followed to the very first entry) and cross-checking ~60 Wayback Machine snapshots of that page; every row links to a real theatlantic.com article seen in one of those sources. It may still be incomplete — the index can silently drop a week, and the author archive is paywalled and blocks crawlers. Brooks’s other Atlantic pieces (earlier magazine features and op-eds) are mostly not here. For the authoritative, complete list, see the live author archive.

From April 2020 to October 2025, Brooks wrote “How to Build a Life” — a near-weekly Atlantic column that turns the science of happiness into one habit you can start this week. This is the full index of that run, grouped by year, each essay linked to the original. (In late 2025 Brooks moved his weekly column to The Free Press; the Atlantic column’s last entry is the October 2025 piece at the top of this list.)

The counts below are what The Atlantic’s own index still lists — a deep, near-complete capture of the column rather than a guaranteed-exhaustive bibliography. A week the index dropped won’t appear here.

2025 44 essays

OctWhy You Should Keep an Open Mind on the Divine OctWhat True Wealth Looks Like OctFeeling Desolate? There Is a Cure for That. OctThe Happiness of Choosing to Walk Alone OctThe Mind-Altering Effect of a Good Workout Routine SepIf I Work Harder, Will You Love Me? SepHow Spinoza Overcame 17th-Century Cancel Culture SepSix Ways to Start Early and Lift Your Mood SepHow to Turn Anxiety Into Adventure AugWhat Social Science Knows About the Value of Diversity AugFive Baha’i Lessons for a Happier Life AugA Management Anti-Fad That Will Last Forever AugResist the Snark and Be Happy JulHow to Know You’re Not a Phony JulThe Psychological Secret to Longevity JulHow to Be More Charismatic, but Not Too Much More JulHow to Keep on the Sunny Side of Life JulThe Ciceronian Secret to Happiness JunThe Ultimate Career Advice: Make Your Work Your Calling JunThe Strength You Gain by Not Taking Offense JunDare to Act Differently and Be Happier JunWhy Wittgenstein Was Right About Silence MayA Way to Understand Pope Leo XIV’s Mission of Love MayThe Beauty That Moral Courage Creates MayHow to Take Charge of Your Family Inheritance MayThe Bliss of a Quieter Ego MayWhy Are Young People Everywhere So Unhappy? AprThe Knowledge That Brings True Happiness AprThe Key to Critical Self-Awareness AprA Defense Against Gaslighting Sociopaths AprTo Be Happier, Stop Resisting Change MarYou Can Do Leisure Better, Seriously MarTo Make Someone Happy, Ask for Help MarHow to Avoid the Creative-Narcissist Trap MarThe Ultimate German Philosophy for a Happier Life FebMy Mom’s Guide to the Art of Living FebThe Ultimate Antidote to Toxic Behavior Online FebHow to Realize Your Own Love Supreme FebDon’t Make Small Talk. Think Big Talk. JanThe Benefit of Doing Things You’re Bad At JanHow My Struggle With Wittgenstein Can Make You Happier JanThe Right Way to Look for a New Job JanYou’re Going to Die. That’s a Good Thing. JanWhy an Early Start Is the ‘Quintessence of Life’

2024 52 essays

DecThe Big Thing to Know About Pain DecPostpone Your Pleasures DecThe Virtuous Circle of a Happy Personality DecUnburden Yourself of Secret Shame and Feel Happier NovThree Ways to Handle an Awkward Thanksgiving NovThree Ways to Become a Deeper Thinker NovThe Secret to Thinking Your Way Out of Anxiety NovHow to Deal With Disappointment OctWhy You Might Need an Adventure OctAre You a Platonist or an Aristotelian? OctWhy Humility Is the Key to Well-Being OctGet Off the Family Plan OctEnhance Your Mood With Schopenhauer’s Playlist SepHow to Stop Self-Obsessing and Be Happier SepThe Right Way to Say the Unsayable SepWhat John Stuart Mill Knew About Happiness SepHow to Be Manifestly Happier AugHow to Influence People—And Make Friends AugThe Ultimate Happiness Diet AugA Compliment That Really Means Something AugThe Best Therapy for Our Anxiety Epidemic AugInoculate Yourself Against Social Contagion JulFyodor Dostoyevsky’s Five Principles of Personal Freedom JulWhy You Should Trust Your Gut JulWhy You Should Want to Be Alone JulDeclare Your Independence—From Misery JunThe Tchaikovsky Cure for Worry JunAn Emersonian Guide to Taking Control of Your Life JunHow to Take—And Give—Criticism Well JunYou’re Not Perfect MayWhy It’s Nice to Know You MayWhat Monastic Mystics Got Right About Life MayHow to Be Your Best Despite the Passing Years MayWhat You Need to Know About Making a Good Impression MayWhy a Bit of Restraint Can Do You a Lot of Good AprHow to Find Your Faith AprHow to Be Less Busy and More Happy AprJung’s Five Pillars of a Good Life AprThe One Big Thing You Can Do for Your Kids MarHow Not to Be Bored When You Have to Wait MarWhatever You Do, Don’t Do the Silent Treatment MarDon’t Let Your Disgust Be Manipulated MarFive Teachings of the Dalai Lama I Try to Live By FebOverwhelmed? Just Say ‘No.’ FebThe Happy Way to Drop Your Grievances FebWhat to Do If the Course of True Love Is Not Running Smoothly FebSchopenhauer’s Advice on How to Achieve Great Things FebWhy You’re Better Off Not Borrowing JanThink Twice Before Taking the Top Job JanHow to Spot a Frenemy—And Be a Real Friend JanKierkegaard’s Three Ways to Live More Fully JanHow to Worry Less and Be Happier

2023 49 essays

DecHow to Be Happy Growing Older DecA Seasonal Guide to Better Well-Being DecWhy You Might Want to Toss Out Your Trophies DecHarness the Power of Suggestion for Your Happiness NovThree Ways to Tell If Research Is Bunk NovFour Ways to Be Grateful—And Happier NovWhy You Maybe Shouldn’t Write a Memoir NovSleep More and Be Happier NovThree Paths Toward the Meaning of Life OctI Love Candy. But Does It Make Me Happy? OctThe Sociopaths Among Us—And How to Avoid Them OctWhy the Most Successful Marriages Are Start-Ups, Not Mergers OctThe Red Pill of Humility SepEight Ways to Banish Misery SepFeeling Burned Out? Here’s What to Do. SepThree Myths and Four Truths About How to Get Happier SepA Knockout Technique for Achieving More Happiness AugHow to Pick the Right Sort of Vacation for You AugHow to Get the Most Happiness From Your Social Life AugHow to Apologize Like a Pro AugAristotle’s 10 Rules for a Good Life AugTo Get Happier, Choose to Read This Column JulHow to Have Your Most Fulfilling Vacation Ever JulBeing Anxious or Sad Does Not Make You Mentally Ill JulFour Ways to Make Grief More Bearable JulGoogle Isn’t Grad School JunThe Triumph of Coming in Third JunThe Happy Art of Grandparenting JunThe Path to Happiness Is Narrow but Easy JunThe Happiest Way to Change Jobs JunDon’t Avoid Romance MayThink About Your Death and Live Better MayThe Only Career Advice You’ll Ever Need MayChoose the Activism That Won’t Make You Miserable MayWhat Rainn Wilson Knows About God AprMake Yourself Happy: Be Kind AprA Crucial Character Trait for Happiness AprThe Not-So-Secret Key to Emotional Balance AprParasocial Relationships Are Just Imaginary Friends for Adults MarThere’s Exactly One Good Reason to Buy a House MarHow Smart People Can Stop Being Miserable MarMake a To-Don’t List MarNostalgia Is a Shield Against Unhappiness MarHow to Find Joy in Your Sisyphean Existence FebHappiness Is a Warm Coffee FebAn Old Romantic Custom We Should Bring Back FebThe Hidden Link Between Workaholism and Mental Health JanNothing Drains You Like Mixed Emotions JanHow We Learned to Be Lonely

2022 49 essays

DecHow to Make the Most of Bad Gifts DecBreakups Always Hurt, but You Can Shorten the Suffering NovDoes Overindulgence Make You Happy? NovMeetings Are Miserable NovMarriage Is a Team Sport NovHow to Love People Who Love Conspiracies OctHow to Make Life More Transcendent OctEnvy, the Happiness Killer OctIf You Want Success, Pursue Happiness OctWhy We Do Things We Know We’ll Regret SepTechnology Can Make Your Relationships Shallower SepDon’t Objectify Yourself Sep11 Ancient Solutions for Modern Malaise SepWhat’s Missing From Empathy SepDon’t Teach Your Kids to Fear the World AugA Shortcut for Feeling Just a Little Happier AugHonesty Is Love AugTo Get Out of Your Head, Get Out of Your House AugHow to Embrace Doing Nothing JulHow to Be Happy in a Recession JulA Happiness Columnist’s Three Biggest Happiness Rules JulThe Trouble With Zooming Forever JulThe Magic of a Little Danger JunDon’t Surround Yourself With Admirers JunHow to Make the Baggage of Your Past Easier to Carry JunHow to Stop Dating People Who Are Wrong for You JunThe Case for Mindful Cursing JunWhy It’s So Easy to Feel Like a Hot Mess MayThe Two Choices That Keep a Midlife Crisis at Bay MayMindfulness Hurts. That’s Why It Works. MayThe Key to a Good Parent-Child Relationship? Low Expectations. MayBen Franklin’s Radical Theory of Happiness AprHow to Stop Freaking Out Apr10 Practical Ways to Improve Happiness AprSports Are Great Because They’re Pointless AprA Gentler, Better Way to Change Minds MarWhat the Second-Happiest People Get Right MarChoose Enjoyment Over Pleasure MarTrolls Aren’t Like the Rest of Us MarFind More Ways to Be an Outsider MarThe Kind of Smarts You Don’t Find in Young People FebWhy Success Can Feel So Bitter FebThe Seven Habits That Lead to Happiness in Old Age FebThe Common Dating Strategy That’s Totally Wrong FebThe Problem With ‘No Regrets’ JanArt Should Be a Habit, Not a Luxury JanLive Like the Ancient Cynics JanHow to Succeed at Failure JanListen to Your Own Advice

2021 52 essays

DecGive Your Money. Give Your Time. Don’t Tell Anyone. DecThe Cure for Holiday Blues DecProcrastinate This, Not That DecWhat You’re Really Worried About When You’re Worried About Money DecWhen You Can’t Change the World, Change Your Feelings NovHow to Be Thankful When You Don’t Feel Thankful NovQuit Lying to Yourself NovNo One Cares! NovWhat Winter-Haters Get Wrong OctThe Disguises We Wear Every Day OctThe Meaning of Life Is Surprisingly Simple OctTo Be Happy, Hide From the Spotlight OctHow to Break a Phone Addiction SepA Profession Is Not a Personality SepThe Difference Between Hope and Optimism SepGo for a Walk SepStop Waiting for Your Soul Mate SepThe Secret to Happiness at Work AugThe Real Reason Kids Don’t Like School AugFake Forgiveness Is Toxic for Relationships AugThe Link Between Happiness and a Sense of Humor AugWhich Pet Will Make You Happiest? JulWhat Immigrants Know About Happiness JulThose Who Share a Roof Share Emotions JulDifferent Cultures Define Happiness Differently JulThe Link Between Self-Reliance and Well-Being JulThe Happy Patriot, the Unhappy Nationalist JunPlan Ahead. Don’t Post. JunDads Just Want to Help JunThe Lie We Tell Ourselves About Going to Bed Early JunHow to Escape the Happiness Guilt Trap MayDon’t Approach Life Like a Picky Eater MayWhat Introverts and Extroverts Can Learn From Each Other MayA Once-in-a-Lifetime Chance to Start Over MayHow Adult Children Affect Their Mother’s Happiness AprStop Spending Time on Things You Hate AprDon’t Wish for Happiness. Work for It. AprHow to Buy Happiness AprThe Best Friends Can Do Nothing for You AprThe Hidden Toll of Remote Work AprYou Might Not Realize How Much You Miss the Office MarAre You Dreaming Too Big? MarHere’s 10,000 Hours. Don’t Spend It All in One Place. MarChanging Your Mind Can Make You Less Anxious MarA Counterintuitive Way to Cheer Up When You’re Down FebGo Ahead and Fail FebWhat You Gain When You Give Things Up FebThe Type of Love That Makes People Happiest FebThe Subtle Mindset Shift That Could Radically Change the Way You See the World JanThere Are Two Kinds of Happy People JanStop Keeping Score JanFind the Place You Love. Then Move There.

2020 20 essays

DecNew Year’s Resolutions That Will Actually Lead to Happiness DecDon’t Isolate Yourself This Holiday Season DecMeasuring Your Happiness Can Help Improve It NovSedentary Pandemic Life Is Bad for Our Happiness NovHow to Cope With Election Agony OctAre We Trading Our Happiness for Modern Comforts? OctReading Too Much Political News Is Bad for Your Well-Being SepWhat to Do When the Future Feels Hopeless SepThe Clocklike Regularity of Major Life Changes AugWhy It’s So Lonely at the Top AugHow to Navigate a Midlife Change of Faith Jul‘Success Addicts’ Choose Being Special Over Being Happy JulLove Is Medicine for Fear JulA College Degree Is No Guarantee of a Good Life JunSit With Negative Emotions. Don’t Push Them Away. JunThe Best Way to Handle Your Decline Is to Confront It Head On May4 Rules for Identifying Your Life’s Work MayWhy So Many People Are Unhappy in Retirement AprTwo Errors Our Minds Make When Trying to Grasp the Pandemic AprThe Three Equations for a Happy Life, Even During a Pandemic

Podcast — How to Build a Happy Life 15 episodes

The column’s companion audio series (2021–2022), hosted by Brooks and indexed alongside the column in The Atlantic’s project page.

Nov 22A New Formula for Happiness Nov 22The Right Choices in Parenting Oct 22Subtraction as a Solution Oct 22How to Spend Time on What You Value Oct 22The Complexities of Human Love Oct 22When Virtues Become Vices Sep 22How To Season 3: When Expectations Don’t Meet Reality Dec 21When’s the Last Time You Felt Truly Happy? Nov 21How to Identify What You Enjoy Nov 21How to Live When You’re in Pain Nov 21How to Find the Secret to Meaningful Work Oct 21How to Know That You Know Nothing Oct 21How Not to Be Your Own Worst Enemy Oct 21How to Know You’re Lonely Oct 21How to Be Self-Aware

Selected features outside the column verified sample

Brooks wrote for The Atlantic before and beyond the column. These two signature magazine features are not a complete list — they’re here because each was verified against both the live article and the Wayback Machine. For the rest, see the author archive.

2022How to Want Less 2019Your Professional Decline Is Coming (Much) Sooner Than You Think