Lorraine Besser, PhD, is a professor of philosophy at Middlebury College, who specializes in the philosophy and psychology of the good life and teaches popular courses for undergraduates on happiness, well-being, and ethics. She is the author of two academic books, The Philosophy of Happiness: An Interdisciplinary Introduction, and Eudaimonic Ethics: The Philosophy and Psychology of Living Well, and dozens of professional journal articles on moral psychology.

In this episode, I talk with Lorraine about her book, The Art of Interesting, and why happiness and meaning aren’t the only paths to a good life. She introduces the concept of psychological richness—how novelty, challenge, and curiosity can transform our daily experiences. We discuss the power of stepping outside our comfort zones, embracing unexpected opportunities, and cultivating a mindset that seeks engagement over mere contentment. If you’ve ever wondered how to make your life more interesting, this conversation will give you fresh insights and practical ways to start living with more curiosity and depth.

In this episode:
(00:00) - Intro
(01:08) - Meet Lorraine Besser
(03:38) - Childhood lessons about money and entrepreneurship
(07:19) - The concept of psychological richness
(14:07) - Markers of psychological richness
(17:49) - What is a psychologically rich experience?
(24:15) - The psychological impact of social media and "busyness" Culture
(27:16) - Investing in experiences
(29:32) - Practical tips for psychological richness
(32:57) - Real-world shopping vs online shopping
(34:58) - Final thoughts and takeaways

Get full show notes and links at https://mindful.money.

ABOUT MINDFUL MONEY:
Do you struggle with money? You’re not alone.

Money is a means, not an end. It’s a necessity of life for sure, but more money does not always guarantee a “good life”. Money enables many aspects of modern life, but as a dominant consideration, it becomes destructive.

The paradox is that more time and energy spent on personal finance does NOT create better outcomes. Unlike many other parts of life, we can’t create better outcomes by being smarter, spending more time, or putting in more effort.

Join Mindful Money author and experienced 40-year investor Jonathan DeYoe as he shares stories from artists, authors, entrepreneurs, and other advisors about how they mindfully minimize their need to think about money and get more out of life.

If you aren’t happy with your finances, feel like money takes more time than it should, or want to place your financial decisions into the broader context of your life, this show is for you.

Each episode will draw the line between the “enough” activities that the academics tell us are additive to family outcomes, and those “little bit more” efforts that take time and sap energy but do NOT improve outcomes.

CONNECT WITH LORRAINE:
Website: https://lorrainebesser.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorraine-besser-0a980212b/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558839725587
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lorbesser/

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🎙️Podcast Production by Turncast: https://turncast.com.