Matters of Meaning

The Power of the Humble Smile - with Aldous Hicks

“Give a smile to someone who needs it.” Can a single, repeated sentence change how you move through the world? To wrap up Series 2 of Matters of Meaning, host Olivia Hicks is joined by a very special guest: their father, Aldous Hicks. For years, this simple phrase was the final thing Olivia heard every morning before school. It was a small daily ritual, but as it turns out, its impact was anything but small. In this bonus episode, Olivia and Aldous sit down to unpack these words and explore why such a simple habit can be a radical act of empathy. Together, they explore how this phrase when used habitually has the power to foster greater empathy, connection, and kindness.  This episode is a celebration of the small, intentional rituals that shape our daily lives. It’s a reminder that while meaning in life can be complex and studied from many angles, sometimes it starts with something as simple and powerful as a humble smile.

How to Live Meaningfully: Practices for Work, Ritual & Community – with Jeffrey Hanson

If happiness isn’t the goal, what practices actually make life meaningful? In Part 2 of my conversation with philosopher Jeffrey Hanson, we move beyond definitions to explore how meaning is actually cultivated in the messy reality of daily life. We discuss why a meaningful life is often the opposite of a purely productive one, and why “getting more done” is rarely the answer to feeling fulfilled. In this episode, we explore: * The Work Trap: Why “workism” threatens flourishing, and how “job crafting” can help us reconnect our work to a larger sense of purpose. * The Infrastructure of Meaning: Why habits, rituals, and even seemingly “pointless” activities like play are essential structures that anchor us in coherence. * The Power of the Collective: The surprising link between shared rituals and wellbeing, and why community is indispensable for a meaningful life. * The Role of Struggle: Why meaning doesn’t require constant happiness, but does require embracing difficulty, growth, and coherence over time. Jeff offers a refreshing, no-nonsense look at how we can anchor ourselves in a distracted world through the very things we often overlook: our work, our rituals, and each other. Further resources (from Parts 1 and 2) * Global Flourishing Study – a large international longitudinal study (≈220,000 participants across 22 countries) led by the Harvard Human Flourishing Program. * Hanson, J. & Tyler VanderWeele (2021). The Comprehensive Measure of Meaning: Psychological and Philosophical Foundations. * Harvard Human Flourishing Program – interdisciplinary research on human flourishing. * Joshua Seachris – What Makes Life Meaningful? (2020) * Roy Baumeister – foundational psychological work on meaning, purpose, and narrative. * Susan Wolf – Meaning in Life and Why It Matters (2010) * Jeffrey Hanson – Imagination, Suffering, and Perfection: A Kierkegaardian Reflection on Meaning in Life (2011), drawing on Søren Kierkegaard. * Hannah Arendt – The Human Condition (1958) * Thomas Nagel – The View from Nowhere (1986) * Hanson, J. et al. (2022). Suffering, authenticity, and meaning in life: Toward an integrated conceptualization of well-being (Frontiers in Psychology).

What Makes a Life Meaningful, Really?

Is meaning a mystery — or something we can actually measure? In Part One of this special series on Matters of Meaning, Olivia Hicks is joined by philosopher Jeffrey Hanson, Senior Fellow at the Harvard Human Flourishing Program, for a deeply human and surprisingly practical conversation about what really makes life meaningful. We often talk about “finding meaning” as if it were a lucky accident or an elusive and private inner feeling. But what if meaning has a structure — one that can be studied, clarified, and even measured? Jeff introduces the Comprehensive Measure of Meaning, which he co-developed with Tyler VanderWeele at the Harvard Human Flourishing Program. The framework shows that meaning is not simply a by-product of happiness, but is built from three essential dimensions: * Coherence — making sense of your life and how its pieces fit together * Significance — feeling that your life genuinely matters * Motivational direction — having a sense of aim or purpose Together, Olivia and Jeff explore how these dimensions work in tandem, why wellbeing alone is only part of the picture, and how this research can help us better understand what actually sustains us through complexity, uncertainty, and change. A grounding and eye-opening conversation with one of today’s leading thinkers on meaning and human flourishing. Further resources (from Parts 1 and 2) * Global Flourishing Study – a large international longitudinal study (≈220,000 participants across 22 countries) led by the Harvard Human Flourishing Program. * Hanson, J. & Tyler VanderWeele (2021). The Comprehensive Measure of Meaning: Psychological and Philosophical Foundations. * Harvard Human Flourishing Program – interdisciplinary research on human flourishing. * Joshua Seachris – What Makes Life Meaningful? (2020) * Roy Baumeister – foundational psychological work on meaning, purpose, and narrative. * Susan Wolf – Meaning in Life and Why It Matters (2010) * Jeffrey Hanson – Imagination, Suffering, and Perfection: A Kierkegaardian Reflection on Meaning in Life (2011), drawing on Søren Kierkegaard. * Hannah Arendt – The Human Condition (1958) * Thomas Nagel – The View from Nowhere (1986) * Hanson, J. et al. (2022). Suffering, authenticity, and meaning in life: Toward an integrated conceptualization of well-being (Frontiers in Psychology).

The Power of Everyday Creativity — with Camille Sharara

When was the last time you created something just for yourself — without the pressure of a deadline, a grade, or an audience? In this episode of Matters of Meaning, host Olivia Hicks sits down with sustainable business strategist and artist Camille Sharara. Together, they dismantle the myth that creativity is reserved for “professional artists” and explore it as a vital human process for healing, connection, and meaning. Whether you consider yourself creative or haven’t picked up a creative practice in years, this conversation is an invitation to rediscover making as a way of coming back to yourself. In this episode, we explore: * Reclaiming your natural state: shifting from the need to be “an artist” to embracing our innate drive to create * The emotional superhighway: how small, everyday acts of creativity support emotional processing and healing * Process over perfection: letting go of judgement and outcome-driven thinking to find true flow * Fostering meaning through creativity: easy, low-pressure ways to weave creativity into a busy life * Vulnerability and play: how rediscovering play helps us reconnect with our inner child and release the stresses Further resources * Big Magic — Elizabeth Gilbert * The Artist's Way — Julia Cameron Connect with us - Guest: Camille Sharara’s poetry — @words.onwonder - Podcast Instagram: @matters.of.meaning Subscribe to Matters of Meaning so you don’t miss future episodes.

Life’s “Third Dimension”: Why Happiness and Morality Aren’t Enough — with Susan Wolf

What if happiness isn’t enough… and morality isn’t either? Philosopher Susan Wolf argues that a meaningful life can’t be reduced to feeling good or being “good.” So what actually is meaning, and why do we need it? Welcome back to Matters of Meaning. I’m Olivia Hicks, and today I’m joined by one of the most influential philosophers of our time: Susan Wolf. A Professor at UNC–Chapel Hill and author of the modern classic Meaning in Life and Why It Matters, Susan argues that meaningfulness is a distinct and vital dimension of a life well-lived. In this warm and wide-ranging conversation, we explore: * The Fitting Fulfillment View: Why meaning arises when subjective attraction meets objective attractiveness. * The Trap of “Moral Saints”: How chasing moral perfection can lead us to overlook crucial non-moral goods. * The Role of Love: Why devoting ourselves to things “worthy of love” shapes our existence. Susan is as insightful as she is down-to-earth, and I hope this joyous conversation offers you as much clarity as it did for me. Further Resources * Meaning in Life and Why It Matters — Susan Wolf * Moral Saints (essay) — Susan Wolf * Sisyphus: The Meaning of Life — Richard Taylor * Freedom and Fulfillment: Philosophical Essays (1992), especially “Absurd Self-Fulfillment” — Joel Feinberg