Emily Esfahani Smith is the author ofThe Power of Meaning: Finding Fulfillment in a World Obsessed with Happiness. She writes about psychology, culture, and relationships. Her writing has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Time, The Atlantic, and other publications.

Emily is also a columnist for The New Criterion, as well as an editor at the Stanford University’s Hoover Institution, where she manages the Ben Franklin Circles project, a collaboration with the 92nd Street Y and Citizen University to build meaning in local communities.

Born in Zurich, Switzerland, Emily grew up in Montreal, Canada. She graduated from Dartmouth College and earned a master of applied positive psychology from the University of Pennsylvania.

In this podcast:

• The Power of Meaning
• What she learned that changed the way she thought about her life
• Pursuit of Happiness
• The rise of despair has been predicted by a lack of meaning in life
• Meaningful life and a happy life
• Meaningful life is associated with being a giver
• What she created in her life for more meaning

What are the building blocks of a meaningful life 4 pillars of meaning:

• Belonging – in relationships feeling valued and cared for, both are invested
• Purpose
• Transcendance
• Storytelling – the story you tell yourself about yourself, how you became you

The one thing she wants you to get out of her work is about a meaningful life is about love.

Inspired Round Q&A:

• Most Inspiring Book-
  • She keeps poetry books by her bed stand
  • Elizabeth Bishops Collected Poems
• Favorite Song-
  • Sunday Candy, Donny Trumpet
• Best Resource-
  • Cereal, she loves Puffins, Honey Nut Cheerios, All bran. When she’s on the run it’s her go to.
• Surprising Fact About Emily- 
  • Loves to cook even though she has a reputation for being a bad cook. She loves cooking around the holidays.
• Most Important Thing to Know About Emily-
  • She’s curious, she loves to learn and loves to learn the stories of other people. She loves to hear from people.
  • Impact of her work- people to know they have the power to create meaning with their lives. She wants to help create cultures of meaning in the world. If you have a meaning mindset in the different cultures it will help create a path and a footing.

 Interview Links:

• Book:
  • The Power of Meaning: Finding Fulfillment in a World Obsessed with Happiness
• Website:
  • www.emilyesfahanismith.com
• Facebook:
  • www.facebook.com/authoremilyesfahanismith/
• twitter:
  • @EmEsfahaniSmith

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