Dr. Rangan Chatterjee is the happiest he's ever been. The doctor, author and podcaster has reframed what happiness means to him over the last few years, and now finds himself at his most content during a slow day at home with his family.
"Hand on heart, I'm as happy and content as I've ever been. A few years ago, I realised I'd ticked all the boxes of societal success and I still didn't feel content," Dr. Rangan told HELLO! "This helped me understand that success and happiness are not the same thing.
"It dawned on me that no amount of success, Instagram followers, podcast downloads and book sales are worth jeopardising my relationship with my wife and kids."
© Paul Cooper/ShutterstockSince realising this, Dr. Rangan has tried to protect his time more, explaining: "It's very easy for the enormous busyness of the week to permeate into our weekends, and I've certainly been guilty of this in the past.
"I'm making a real conscious effort to protect my weekends and try and live them at a slower pace than the week."
Here, the 46-year-old shares his Happy Hitlist with HELLO!, revealing how his priorities have changed, leading the way for a happier life.
My happy place…
"If you'd asked this five years ago, I would have said Chamonix in France. But I've changed a lot and I would have to say my happy place these days is being at home.
"I think one of the reasons I feel so happy now is because I don't need to escape from my life to have fun. I feel really content and happy when I have time at home with my wife and kids."
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My happiest memory…
"Being a kid at home on a summer's day, playing cricket with my brother and pretending we were playing a test match between England and India.
"It reminds me of the time when life was carefree. When you have no responsibilities, playing barefoot on the grass with your big brother, not even thinking about the future and being present in the moment and just having fun."
© Chris TerryMy happiest song…
"Right now, 'Midnight Sky' by Miley Cyrus. A few weeks ago, I went skiing for five days with my 13 year-old-son.
"We've never been away just the two of us before, and he put this song on every morning as we were getting our ski clothes on. Whenever I hear this track, I'll always think of that five-day break with my son and getting ready for skiing."
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My happiest scent…
"An incense stick. My mum and dad were immigrants from India to the UK and every day at home, Mum would do her prayers and she'd go around the house with an incense stick, so I have a memory of being a child and the house having this gorgeous smell of a fragrant incense stick, which reminds me of happy times."
My happiest meal…
"It's hard to beat my mum's prawn coconut curry with rice. She'd often make it for me on my birthday, so it was a special treat."
My happiest day…
"A lazy, relaxed Sunday makes me so happy.
"I'm an early riser, I like getting up at 5 a.m. every day. On Sundays, my family stays asleep and I have a bit of time to myself, making a gorgeous pot of coffee and sitting with my journal writing down my thoughts and reflecting on the week.
"It's very difficult to be content with your life if you don't take time to step outside of it and reflect on it. We're straight on our emails and social media when we wake up, and that continues all day, even when we're in bed at night, so we never have any time to just be with our own thoughts and reflect on how are we living. Journalling helps remind me that I am content.
"Once my wife and children wake up, we have a nice, lazy long breakfast with no rush, then go out for a long walk in nature.
"We pop in to see my mum on the way home and then spend time together in the afternoon, playing cards or playing board games or having a family meal."
My happiest achievement…
"I can say, hand on heart, that my biggest and my happiest achievement is the fact that I've managed to do a job that I love, but at the same time nurture and nourish my most important relationships with my wife and children."
Visit HELLO!'s Happiness Hub for inspiration on living a happier life
