Loretta Graziano Breuning, founder of the Inner Mammal Institute, challenges the cultural myth of constant happiness. Drawing on her work examining how "happy chemicals"—dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, and endorphins—evolved in animals,

Breuning explains that our brains are naturally wired for emotional peaks and valleys, which serve the purpose of survival. She discusses how the pursuit of constant "jackpot dopamine" leads to unhealthy habits, and instead advocates for finding contentment through small, consistent steps. She also addresses the complexities of modern dating, rejection, and the "cortisol pathways" of stress.