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Love this podcast and the way it explores the science behind practices that real people employ in an effort to live a happier life.
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Aug 16, 2018
Learn research-tested strategies for a happier, more meaningful life, drawing on the science of compassion, gratitude, mindfulness, and awe. Hosted by award-winning psychologist Dacher Keltner. Co-produced by PRX and UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center.
Episode | Date |
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Happiness Break: Feeling the Awe of Nature from Anywhere
07:03
Host Dacher Keltner leads us through an exercise in feeling the serenity and wonder that nature brings us, no matter where we are. How to Do This Practice:
Dacher Keltner is the host of the Greater Good Science Center’s award-winning podcast, The Science of Happiness and is a co-instructor of the GGSC’s popular online course of the same name. He’s also the founding director of the Greater Good Science Center and a professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley. His new book is Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life. More resources from The Greater Good Science Center: Secrets of the Vagus Nerve: https://tinyurl.com/yzuxtuzp Why We Should Look Up at the Sky (Podcast): https://tinyurl.com/fn3bttw6 What’s the Most Common Sense of Awe? https://tinyurl.com/2p842t8r Happiness Break: How to Ground Yourself: https://tinyurl.com/289ph9cz Happiness Break: Experience Nature Wherever You Are: https://tinyurl.com/yv46xrr4 Why You Should Snap Pictures of Nature: https://tinyurl.com/5fp7bhk6 Could Your Life Be More Awesome? Take our Awe Quiz https://tinyurl.com/2p8mz57f We love hearing from you! Tell us about your experience of awe in nature. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod. Find us on Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap Help us share Happiness Break! Leave us a 5-star review and copy and share this link: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap We're living through a mental health crisis. Between the stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness, burnout — we all could use a break to feel better. That's where Happiness Break comes in. In each biweekly podcast episode, instructors guide you through research-backed practices and meditations that you can do in real-time. These relaxing and uplifting practices have been shown in a lab to help you cultivate calm, compassion, connection, mindfulness, and more — what the latest science says will directly support your well-being. All in less than ten minutes. A little break in your day. |
Jan 26, 2023 |
Why We Should Look Up at the Sky
20:06
When did you last take a moment to really look up at the sky? Shifting your gaze upward can help us be more creative, it improves our capacity to focus - and it's a gateway to awe. Episode summary: Natalie didn’t spend much time finding shapes in the clouds as a small kid. And when she got older, looking up was even worse for her. Natalie spent time in jail, where she spent most of her days indoors under harsh lights. Today, she’s a student at a prestigious university. She tried a practice in looking up for our show. When we look up, our brain gets better at being playful, creative, and thinking critically. We also tend to see vast and beautiful things above our heads, like a canopy of leaves, branches and singing birds, or a starry night sky. Often, looking up is all we need to do to find moments of awe in our day-to-day lives. And that’s a wonderful thing, because feeling awe changes how our brains work in a way that’s really good for us. This is the second episode of The Science of Happiness in a three-part series called The Science of Awe. If you’d like to learn more about awe, our host, Dacher Keltner, has a new book out about it. It’s called Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life. Learn more here: <https://tinyurl.com/3uzk8m5r \](https://tinyurl.com/3uzk8m5r) Practice: Look Up
Today’s guests: Natalie is a student at UC Berkeley and also works with the UC Berkeley's Underground Scholars Program, which creates pathways for formerly incarcerated people to study at universities. We're not sharing Natalie's last name to protect her privacy. Michiel van Elk is a professor at Leiden University in The Netherlands. Learn more about van Elk and his work: https://tinyurl.com/4kc5tycc Resources from The Greater Good Science Center: How Nature Can Make You Kinder, Happier, and More Creative: https://tinyurl.com/yepuxd27 Six Ways to Incorporate Awe Into Your Daily Life: https://tinyurl.com/3emucdez How the Science of Awe Shaped Pixar’s “Soul:” https://tinyurl.com/37z43vrz How a Sense of Awe Can Inspire Us to Confront Threats to Humanity: https://tinyurl.com/3k6xprau More Resources About Awe KQED - Dacher Keltner on Finding Awe: https://tinyurl.com/575v6rvf The Atlantic - The Quiet Profundity of Everyday Awe: https://tinyurl.com/yz623mff NYT - How a Bit of Awe Can Improve Your Health: https://tinyurl.com/4zdzcusk Sierra Club - The Science of Awe: https://tinyurl.com/3pfn23t7 Tell us about your experiences of awe. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod. Help us share The Science of Happiness! Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap |
Jan 19, 2023 |
Happiness Break: Awe for Others
08:42
The communities we create are one of the most awe-inspiring parts of our lives. Host Dacher Keltner guides us in a meditation on awe and togetherness in this week’s Happiness Break. How to Do This Practice:
Today’s Happiness Break host: Dacher Keltner is the host of the Greater Good Science Center’s award-winning podcast, The Science of Happiness and is a co-instructor of the GGSC’s popular online course of the same name. He's also the founding director of the Greater Good Science Center and a professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley. His new book is Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life. More resources from The Greater Good Science Center: Why Do We Feel Awe? https://tinyurl.com/3xms3dm2 How Awe Brings People Together: https://tinyurl.com/2p8m2tyk Eight Reasons Why Awe Makes Your Life Better: https://tinyurl.com/2p8ccav2 Six Ways to Incorporate Awe Into Your Daily Life: https://tinyurl.com/3emucdez How Music Bonds Us Together: https://tinyurl.com/329scmf6 Can a Sense of Awe Improve Our Arguments? https://tinyurl.com/pb2eh8c6 We love hearing from you! Tell us about your experience contemplating your communities. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod. Find us on Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap Help us share Happiness Break! Leave us a 5-star review and copy and share this link: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap We're living through a mental health crisis. Between the stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness, burnout — we all could use a break to feel better. That's where Happiness Break comes in. In each biweekly podcast episode, instructors guide you through research-backed practices and meditations that you can do in real-time. These relaxing and uplifting practices have been shown in a lab to help you cultivate calm, compassion, connection, mindfulness, and more — what the latest science says will directly support your well-being. All in less than ten minutes. A little break in your day. |
Jan 12, 2023 |
How Awe Brings Us Together
19:33
Feeling awe changes your brain. In our first episode in a series about the science awe, we explore how awe can make you a better friend, partner, and community member. Episode summary: When Mirna Valerio tried out hiking for the first time as a young kid, she discovered something she didn’t expect: Being outdoors seemed to bring strangers closer to one another. It was like it somehow fastracked forming meaningful relationships. Today we know that the feeling of awe nature often inspires has something to do with this. Awe is the feeling you get when in the presence of something vast and incomprehensible. When we feel it, our sense of self shrinks – in a good way – and we get better at connecting with others. Today on The Science of Happiness, we explore what it’s like when awe helps us create communities, and the science behind how it works. This episode is part of special series we’re doing on Awe. In the weeks ahead, we’ll share Happiness Breaks to help you contemplate what’s awe-inspiring in your life and explore more dimensions of awe in the stories and science we share on this podcast. Our host, Dacher Keltner, has a new book out about awe. It’s called Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life. Learn more here: https://tinyurl.com/3uzk8m5r Practice: Awe Narrative
Learn more about this practice at Greater Good In Action: https://ggia.berkeley.edu/practice/awe_narrative Today’s guests: Mirna Valerio is an ultra-marathon athlete and author known for her body-positive presence on social media. Follow Mirna on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themirnavator/?hl=en Follow Mirna on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheMirnavator Follow Mirna on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheMirnavator/ Yang Bai is a professor at Peking University in China. Learn more about Bai and her work: https://en.gsm.pku.edu.cn/faculty/ybai/ Resources from The Greater Good Science Center: Six Ways to Incorporate Awe Into Your Daily Life: https://tinyurl.com/3emucdez How the Science of Awe Shaped Pixar’s “Soul:” https://tinyurl.com/37z43vrz How a Sense of Awe Can Inspire Us to Confront Threats to Humanity: https://tinyurl.com/3k6xprau More Resources About Awe The Atlantic - The Quiet Profundity of Everyday Awe: https://tinyurl.com/yz623mff NYT - How a Bit of Awe Can Improve Your Health: https://tinyurl.com/4zdzcusk Sierra Club - The Science of Awe: https://tinyurl.com/3pfn23t7 Tell us about your experiences of awe. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod. Help us share The Science of Happiness! Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap |
Jan 05, 2023 |
Happiness Break: An Affirmation Practice for the New Year
08:40
This New Year, affirm the wonderful qualities you already possess with this meditative writing practice called "I Am." How to Do This Practice:
Today’s Happiness Break host: Chris Murchison is an artist and meditation teacher. Check out Chris’s website: https://chrismurchison.com/ Follow Chris on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrismarcellmurchison/ Follow Chris on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chris.m.murchison More resources from The Greater Good Science Center: How to Be a Remarkable Boss During Lockdown (by Chris Murchison): https://tinyurl.com/yypps3aw Can Self-Awareness Help You Be More Empathic? https://tinyurl.com/eefds36s Do You Have a True Self? https://tinyurl.com/3xasurwp Ten Habits of Highly Creative People https://tinyurl.com/yt83udz6 Make Self-Compassion One of Your New Year’s Resolutions https://tinyurl.com/ymn6m5pp The Dark Side of Self-Help: https://tinyurl.com/4jajdfum
Find us on Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap Help us share Happiness Break! Leave us a 5-star review and copy and share this link: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap We're living through a mental health crisis. Between the stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness, burnout — we all could use a break to feel better. That's where Happiness Break comes in. In each biweekly podcast episode, instructors guide you through research-backed practices and meditations that you can do in real-time. These relaxing and uplifting practices have been shown in a lab to help you cultivate calm, compassion, connection, mindfulness, and more — what the latest science says will directly support your well-being. All in less than ten minutes. A little break in your day. |
Dec 29, 2022 |
How to Make Life More Meaningful
18:59
Chris Sharma is one of the greatest rock climbers of all time, and he's taking on some of the biggest challenges in life: becoming a parent and starting his own business. Chris tries a practice shown to help us craft our own path and purpose in life. Episode summary: Chris Sharma spent his youth traveling the globe and becoming one of the greatest rock climbers of all time. His passion for climbing has filled his life with purpose, but now in middle age, he wants to also focus on other sources of meaning in life that are just as important to him. Chris joins us after trying a practice in life crafting — where you get clear on your values, imagine what your ideal life would look like, and make a plan to get closer to that vision. Later in the show, we hear from Michael Steger, a psychologist and director of the Center for Meaning and Purpose at Colorado State University, about the surprising places in our lives we can find meaning, and the different roads we can take towards living a more meaningful life. Try the Life Crafting Practice:
Learn more about this practice at Greater Good In Action: https://ggia.berkeley.edu/practice/life_crafting Today’s guests: Chris Sharma is an elite rock climber known for traveling the world to find the most beautiful and challenging places to rock climb. His new show The Climb premieres on HBO on January 12. Check out the trailer here: https://tinyurl.com/suz35w8y Follow Chris on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chris_sharma/ Check out his website: http://www.chrissharma.com/ Michael Steger is a professor of psychology at Colorado State University, where he is the director of the Center for Meaning and Purpose. Learn more about Steger’s work: http://www.michaelfsteger.com/ Follow Steger on Twitter: https://tinyurl.com/yc79d6mb Resources from The Greater Good Science Center: Michael Steger: Why We Search for Meaning: https://tinyurl.com/2s469242 Here’s How to Find Meaning in Your Midlife Crisis: https://tinyurl.com/4kpcnr9c What Our Photos Say About Us (Podcast): https://tinyurl.com/y56wvj42 Purpose in Life Quiz: https://tinyurl.com/yz4ztenp Living with a Purpose Changes Everything: https://tinyurl.com/d3ea7afa More On Meaning and Purpose: The Atlantic - The Meaning of Life Is Surprisingly Simple: https://tinyurl.com/2yfucadj Pew - Where Americans Find Meaning in Life: https://tinyurl.com/nek5j6tk Scientific American - To Feel Meaningful Is To Feel Immortal: https://tinyurl.com/yuhe99m9 NPR - What's Your Purpose? https://tinyurl.com/465aknec Harvard Business Review: What Is the Purpose of Your Purpose? https://tinyurl.com/43pjrc6j Tell us about how you find meaning in your life. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod. Help us share The Science of Happiness! Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap |
Dec 22, 2022 |
Happiness Break: Finding Presence Through Your Senses
07:42
Sight, smell, touch, sound, and taste: all of our five senses provide unique pathways to presence and happiness. We spend a few minutes being mindful of each one. How to Do This Practice: Find a comfortable place where you feel safe. Close your eyes or soften your gaze. Take a few deep breths, noticing the sensation of the air as it moves through your nose, into your lungs, and back out again.
More resources from The Greater Good Science Center:
We love hearing from you! Tell us about your experience with the five senses meditation. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod. Find us on Apple Podcast: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap Help us share Happiness Break! Leave us a 5-star review and copy and share this link: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap We're living through a mental health crisis. Between the stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness, burnout — we all could use a break to feel better. That's where Happiness Break comes in. In each biweekly podcast episode, instructors guide you through research-backed practices and meditations that you can do in real-time. These relaxing and uplifting practices have been shown in a lab to help you cultivate calm, compassion, connection, mindfulness, and more — what the latest science says will directly support your well-being. All in less than ten minutes. A little break in your day. |
Dec 15, 2022 |
The Science of Synchronized Movement
17:54
Episode summary: When was the last time you moved in sync with someone else? Dancing, exercising, even just walking in step — for some, it comes easily, for others, it’s a challenge. But can moving to the same beat make all of us kinder to one another? This week, our guest Chris Duffy steps out of his comfort zone to try a practice in Body Music, rhythmically making sounds just by tapping your body, with body percussionist Keith Terry. Later, we learn how tapping in sync with someone else tricks you into thinking you have more in common with them, and can make you more inclined to help them. Practice:
Check out a video of body percussionist Keith Terry performing this practice (and try it with a friend!): Today’s guests: Chris Duffy is a comedian, writer, and host of the TED podcast How to Be A Better Human. Listen to Chris’s podcast, How to Be a Better Human: https://tinyurl.com/bdey9pm5 Follow Chris on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrisiduffy/ Follow Chris on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christopheriduffy Check out Chris’s comedy: https://chrisduffycomedy.com/videos Keith Terry is a body percussionist and creator of the Body Music practice Chris tried today. Learn more about Keith’s work: https://crosspulse.com/keith-terry/ Check out one of Keith’s original compositions: https://tinyurl.com/ybhweyux Piercarlo Valdesolo is a psychologist and Chair of Psychological Science at Claremont McKenna College in California. Learn more about Piercarolo’s work: http://www.valdesolo.com/ Check out the Moral Emotions and Trust Lab: http://www.valdesolo.com/meat-lab Resources from The Greater Good Science Center: How Music Bonds Us Together https://tinyurl.com/329scmf6 To Resolve Conflicts, Get Up and Move https://tinyurl.com/bdf6zswn Five Ways Music Can Make You a Better Person https://tinyurl.com/mwa22r8m How to Train the Compassionate Brain https://tinyurl.com/32nbuh94 More Resources on Synchronized Movement PRX - Body Music with Keith Terry https://tinyurl.com/2p8tz5j3 Scientific American - Moving in Sync Creates Surprising Social Bonds among People https://tinyurl.com/3y3ahfa3 Oxford University - Let’s dance: synchronised movement helps us tolerate pain and foster friendship https://tinyurl.com/c8tvrmdx Science Daily - Social Synchronicity https://tinyurl.com/4mzvahe Tell us about your experiences and struggles with body music or moving in sync. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod. Help us share The Science of Happiness! Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap |
Dec 08, 2022 |
Happiness Break: Tune Into Your Body
07:57
Happiness isn't only in your head — your body is important, too. This week, we're led in a short Japanese calisthenics practice called Radio Taiso. Check out Radha’s video guide to this practice: https://dose.daybreaker.com/videos/microdose-oxytocin-healthy-spine Today’s Happiness Break guide: Radha Agrawal is Japanese-Indian author and a founder of Daybreaker, a company that throws sober dance parties at sunrise all around the world. The Science of Happiness listeners get 100% off their first month of Daybreaker’s Dose, using code GGSC at check out: http://dose.daybreaker.com?code=ggsc Follow Radha on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/love.radha/ Follow Radha on Twitter: https://twitter.com/radhatwin Learn more about Radha and her book, Belong: https://belongbook.com/ More resources from The Greater Good Science Center:
We love hearing from you! Tell us about your experience of trying radio calisthenics. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod. Find us on Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap Help us share Happiness Break! Leave us a 5-star review and copy and share this link: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap We're living through a mental health crisis. Between the stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness, burnout — we all could use a break to feel better. That's where Happiness Break comes in. In each biweekly podcast episode, instructors guide you through research-backed practices and meditations that you can do in real-time. These relaxing and uplifting practices have been shown in a lab to help you cultivate calm, compassion, connection, mindfulness, and more — what the latest science says will directly support your well-being. All in less than ten minutes. A little break in your day. |
Dec 01, 2022 |
How to Practice Gratitude When You're Not Feeling Thankful
16:41
One way to feel more thankful for things is to imagine life without them. Our guest tries a practice for seeing the bright side, even when you feel down. Episode summary: We know that gratitude is good for us. But what can we do when we’re struggling to actually feel thankful? Our guest this week is author and podcast producer Stephanie Foo. Foo built a network of close friends around her in California, where she grew up. As a survivor of child abuse and Complex PTSD, her friends in California became her chosen family. And since she’s moved to New York City, she finds herself often pining for the Golden State and the people she loves there. This week, Foo tries a practice in mental subtraction, which gratitude researcher Ernst Bohlmeijer describes as an antidote to taking things for granted. Imagining her life if she didn’t live in New York helps Foo tap into gratitude even in the depths of winter – when she misses California the most. She even discovers her particular skill in getting the benefits of this practice by leaning into one of her PTSD symptoms. Later in the show, Ernst Bohlmeijer breaks down how keeping a gratitude practice can alter the emotions you’re likely to experience in a given day, and maybe even change you as a person. Practice:
Find the full Mental Subtraction of Positive Events practice at our Greater Good in Action website: https://ggia.berkeley.edu/practice/mental_subtraction_positive_events Today’s guests: Stephanie Foo is a radio producer and author of the book What My Bones Know: A Memoir of Healing from Complex Trauma. Learn more about Stephanie and her book: https://www.stephaniefoo.me/ Follow Stephanie on Twitter: https://twitter.com/imontheradio Follow Stephanie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foofoofoo/ Follow Stephanie on Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/yx6pwdnf Ernst Bohlmeijer is a psychology professor who studies gratitude at the University of Twente in The Netherlands. Learn more about Ernst and his work: https://tinyurl.com/2p92p6vn Resources from The Greater Good Science Center:
More Resources for Mental Subtraction of Positive Events:
Tell us your thoughts about this episode. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod. Help us share The Science of Happiness! Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap |
Nov 24, 2022 |
Happiness Break: 5 Minutes of Gratitude
07:54
Not sure how to start practicing gratitude? Psychologist Dacher Keltner guides you through a practice that can help you see the good things in your life that you might otherwise overlook. How to Do This Practice:
Today’s Happiness Break host: Dacher Keltner is the host of The Science of Happiness podcast and is a co-instructor of the Greater Good Science Center’s popular online course of the same name. He's also a professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley. This practice was created by Dr. Kathy Kemper, who's the director of the Center for Integrative Health and Wellness at the Ohio State University. Learn more about some of her work here: https://mind-bodyhealth.osu.edu/ More resources from The Greater Good Science Center: Try GGSC’s online Gratitude Journal, Thnx4: https://tinyurl.com/2s4e4bx6 Take our Gratitude Quiz: https://tinyurl.com/yhbz6cwv Four Great Gratitude Strategies: https://tinyurl.com/2muyff64 Is Gratitude Good for You?: https://tinyurl.com/ycknm2ru Three Surprising Ways Gratitude Works at Work: https://tinyurl.com/yc2c8y4n How Gratitude Motivates Us to Become Better People: https://tinyurl.com/5n6ejpdy We love hearing from you! Tell us about your experience with practicing gratitude. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod. Find us on Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap Help us share Happiness Break! Leave us a 5-star review and copy and share this link: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap We're living through a mental health crisis. Between the stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness, burnout — we all could use a break to feel better. That's where Happiness Break comes in. In each biweekly podcast episode, instructors guide you through research-backed practices and meditations that you can do in real-time. These relaxing and uplifting practices have been shown in a lab to help you cultivate calm, compassion, connection, mindfulness, and more — what the latest science says will directly support your well-being. All in less than ten minutes. A little break in your day. |
Nov 17, 2022 |
The Emerging Science of ASMR (Encore)
18:23
There are millions of YouTube videos with people crinkling bubble wrap or whispering about folding laundry. Our guest talks about why autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) makes her, and many others, feel more calm and happy. Episode summary: Melinda still remembers the tingling feeling she felt when she first listened to the close-up sound of someone drawing on a TV show at the age of ten. She learned later that the subtle sounds that create soothing sensations for her are called autonomous sensory meridian response, or ASMR. Now, she creates ASMR experiences on her YouTube channel and through her live production company, Whisperlodge — from delicately handling a plastic package to gently stroking a microphone with a makeup brush. In today's show, Melinda demystifies the world of ASMR and how it brings both calm and delight to her and her participants. Later, we hear about the emerging science behind ASMR from Dr. Giulia Poerio, who studies it in her lab at the University of Essex. As it turns out, those tingles might actually benefit our mental health. Today’s Science of Happiness Guests: Melinda Lauw, is the co-creator of Whisperlodge, an immersive ASMR theater experience. Check out some ASMR videos from Whisperlodge's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/Whisperlodge Learn more about Whisperlodge: https://whisperlodge.nyc/ Follow Melinda on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melinda.lauw/ Follow Melinda on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/melindalauw Giulia Poerio is a psychology professor at the University of Essex who studies the effects of ASMR on the mind and body. Learn more about her work: https://www.essex.ac.uk/people/poeri14804/giulia-poerio Resources from The Greater Good Science Center:
More Resources for ASMR:
Tell us your thoughts about ASMR. Do you get tingly sensations? Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod. Help us share The Science of Happiness! Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap |
Nov 10, 2022 |
Happiness Break: Making Space for You
06:01
Consider what you want to make space for in your life in this 6-minute contemplation guided by Alex Elle. How to Do This Practice:
a. “In the presence of fear, I will make space for courage.” b. “In the presence of self-doubt, I will make space for self-belief.” c. “In the presence of hurriedness, I will make space for slowing down.” d. “In the presence of overwhelm, I will make space for rest.” e. “In the presence of overthinking, I will make space for letting go.” f. “In the presence of chaos, I will make space for inner peace.” g. “In the presence of confusion, I will make space for clarity.” h. “In the presence of pain, I will make space for self-compassion.”
Today’s Happiness Break host: Alex Elle is a breathwork coach, author and restorative writing teacher. Her new book, How We Heal, will be published this November. Keep an eye on our Instagram page, @greatergoodmag for a chance to win a copy. Learn more about Alex and her new book: https://www.alexelle.com/about Follow Alex on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alex/ Follow Alex on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@easewithalexl Follow Alex on Twitter: https://twitter.com/alex__elle Follow Alex on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlexElleFB More resources from The Greater Good Science Center:
We love hearing from you! Tell us about your experience of making space for yourself. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod. Find us on Apple Podcast: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap Help us share Happiness Break! Leave us a 5-star review and copy and share this link: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap We're living through a mental health crisis. Between the stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness, burnout — we all could use a break to feel better. That's where Happiness Break comes in. In each biweekly podcast episode, instructors guide you through research-backed practices and meditations that you can do in real-time. These relaxing and uplifting practices have been shown in a lab to help you cultivate calm, compassion, connection, mindfulness, and more — what the latest science says will directly support your well-being. All in less than ten minutes. A little break in your day |
Nov 03, 2022 |
How Humor Helps us Cope
15:15
Hardships in life are a given, but what if we found a way to laugh about it? Our guest shares how he's used humor to cope with the deepest pains in his life. Episode summary: When we go through hardships and struggles, finding the humor in them can help us relieve stress and change our perspective. This week on The Science of Happiness, our guest shares how he’s used humor to triumph over hardship in his life. Kerry Rudd is a former member of the Bay Area Freedom Collective, a re-entry home where formerly incarcerated people can find community and connections. He started performing comedy based on his personal experiences during the 12 years he spent in and out of the prison. Kerry shares with us how processing his experiences by writing jokes about them changes his perspective on his traumatic past and helps him cope. Later, we hear from psychologist Andrea Samson about how humor can help us face down some difficult situations. How to Do This Practice:
Find the full Three Fun Things practice at our Greater Good in Action website: https://ggia.berkeley.edu/practice/three_funny_things Today’s Science of Happiness Guests: Kerry Rudd is a former member of the Bay Area Freedom Collective, a home by and for formerly incarcerated people, which provides resources and support for their re-entry. To learn more about Bay Area Freedom House: https://www.collectivefreedom.org/ or: https://www.facebook.com/bayareafreedom/ To financially support the Bay Area Freedom Collective: https://givedirect.org/freedomcollective/ Andrea Samson is director of the chEERSLab at UniDistance Suisse and the University of Fribourg. She studies how humor helps us deal with one difficult situation and emotions Learn more about Andrea’s research: https://tinyurl.com/3t42rp93 More resources on humor from The Greater Good Science Center:
More resources on humor:
Tell us what you think about using humor as a coping strategy by emailing us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or using the hashtag #happinesspod. Help us share The Science of Happiness! Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or copy and share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap |
Oct 27, 2022 |
Happiness Break: Restore Through Silence
09:43
When was the last time you spent a moment savoring silence? Tricia Hersey, aka The Nap Bishop, guides us through an appreciation of silence and its restorative powers. Scientists have found that spending just two minutes in silence can lower your blood pressure and heart rate, even when compared to listening to slow, relaxing music. How to Do This Practice:
Today’s Happiness Break host: Tricia Hersey is an activist, organizer, and founder of The Nap Ministry. She is also the author of a new book, Rest is Resistance: A Manifesto. Order it here: https://tinyurl.com/5bkk6txk Learn more about Tricia and her work: https://thenapministry.com/ Follow Tricia on Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/thenapministry/\](http:// https://www.instagram.com/thenapministry/) Follow Tricia on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Thenapministry/ Follow Tricia on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thenapministry More resources from The Greater Good Science Center:
More resources on the science of silence:
We love hearing from you! Tell us about your experience of holding silence. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod. Find us on Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap Help us share Happiness Break! Leave us a 5-star review and copy and share this link: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap We're living through a mental health crisis. Between the stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness, burnout — we all could use a break to feel better. That's where Happiness Break comes in. In each biweekly podcast episode, instructors guide you through research-backed practices and meditations that you can do in real-time. These relaxing and uplifting practices have been shown in a lab to help you cultivate calm, compassion, connection, mindfulness, and more — what the latest science says will directly support your well-being. All in less than ten minutes. A little break in your day. |
Oct 20, 2022 |
How to Focus Under Pressure
18:47
Jeopardy! champion Amy Schneider tries a body scan meditation to sharpen her focus and calm her nerves as she prepares for the Tournament of Champions. Episode summary: Amy Schneider is the most successful woman to ever compete on Jeopardy!. Part of her winning strategy was to shut down all her mental chatter and completely focus on the competition. But when the cameras are off, she struggles to find the same calm. For today’s show, Amy tries a body scan practice to connect with her body and quiet her busy mind. Later we hear from Jonathan Greenberg, a Harvard psychology professor. He explains how mindfulness can make us better problem solvers, and how that can benefit our emotional health, too. How to Do This Practice:
Find the full Body Scan Meditation practice at our Greater Good in Action website: https://ggia.berkeley.edu/practice/body_scan_meditation Today’s guests: Amy Schneider is the most successful woman to compete on the quiz show Jeopardy! and won 40 consecutive games. Follow Amy on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Jeopardamy Follow Amy on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeopardamy/ Follow Amy on Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/5b4dyezy Jonathan Greenberg is a psychology professor in Harvard University’s Clinical and Translational Science Center. His research focuses on the role of mindfulness and relaxation. Learn more about Jonathan’s research: https://tinyurl.com/yn7j73au More resources from The Greater Good Science Center:
More resources on body scan meditation:
Tell us about how you feel after trying the body-scan meditation. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod. Help us share The Science of Happiness! Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or copy and share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap |
Oct 13, 2022 |
Happiness Break: How to Awaken Joy
10:42
Cultivate more joy in your life with this practice led by meditation teacher and author Spring Washam. How to Do This Practice:
Today’s Happiness Break host: Spring Washam, is a meditation teacher based in Oakland, California. She is also the author of the forthcoming book, The Spirit of Harriet Tubman: Awakening from the Underground. Learn more about Spring and her new book: https://www.springwasham.com/ Follow Spring on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/springwasham/ Follow Spring on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teacher.springwasham/ Follow Spring on Twitter: https://twitter.com/springwasham Check out Spring’s YouTube channel: https://tinyurl.com/22njyd29 More resources from The Greater Good Science Center:
We love hearing from you! Tell us about your experience of cultivating joy. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or using the hashtag #happinesspod. Find us on Apple Podcast: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap Help us share Happiness Break! Leave us a 5-star review and copy and share this link: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap We're living through a mental health crisis. Between the stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness, burnout — we all could use a break to feel better. That's where Happiness Break comes in. In each biweekly podcast episode, instructors guide you through research-backed practices and meditations that you can do in real-time. These relaxing and uplifting practices have been shown in a lab to help you cultivate calm, compassion, connection, mindfulness, and more — what the latest science says will directly support your well-being. All in less than ten minutes. A little break in your day. |
Oct 06, 2022 |
Why Listen to the Other Side?
16:48
These days, it's hard to imagine befriending people with different politics than your own. But these two men did it using a tried and true practice. Episode summary: When a graphic work of art depicting two men having sex was hung up in a busy hallway on a community college campus, it stirred up a huge controversy. Some students wanted it taken down, while others opposed the idea of censoring art. Instead of retreating to their respective echo chambers, two students who disagreed had a public debate. It was so successful, they actually went on to create a discourse club on campus. We learn the tactics that helped them navigate a divisive topic with their civility and differing values intact. Later, we hear from psychologist Cynthia Wang on how taking someone else’s perspective can bring people of different backgrounds together and disrupt stereotyping. Practice:
Find the bridging differences playbook in our Greater Good in Action website: https://ggsc.berkeley.edu/what_we_do/major_initiatives/bridging_differences Today’s guests: Mark Urista is a professor of communication at Linn-Benton Community College in Oregon. Anthony Lusardi and Steven Olson are former students at Linn-Benton Community College. Learn more about LBCC Civil Discourse Club: https://tinyurl.com/5becxpba Follow the LBCC Civil Discourse Club on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LBCCCivilDiscourse/ Dr. Cynthia Wang is the clinical psychology professor at Northwestern University. She’s also the executive director of the Dispute Resolution Research Center at the Kellogg School of Management. Learn more about Cynthia and her work: https://tinyurl.com/56kebcvw Follow Cynthia on Twitter: https://twitter.com/cynthiascwang Resources for bridging differences from The Greater Good Science Center: Learn more about the Bridging Differences Initiative: https://tinyurl.com/5n6j5e3t Eight Keys to Bridging Our Differences: https://tinyurl.com/ywaay6ux What Will It Take to Bridge Our Differences? https://tinyurl.com/yjvvt622 How to Get Some Emotional Distance in an Argument: https://tinyurl.com/342r4sjz More resources on bridging differences: TED - Bridging Cultural Differences(playlist): https://tinyurl.com/racj5edf NPR - Why We Fight: The Psychology Of Political Differences: https://tinyurl.com/52rxnxwj Tell us about your experiences of bridging differences by emailing us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or using the hashtag #happinesspod. Help us share The Science of Happiness! Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or copy and share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap This episode is supported by Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, as part of the Greater Good Science Center’s Bridging Differences initiative. To learn more about the Bridging Differences initiative, please visit: https://ggsc.berkeley.edu/what_we_do/major_initiatives/bridging_differences |
Sep 29, 2022 |
Happiness Break: Six Minutes to Connect with Your Body
07:05
Dedicating a little time to tune into your body fortifies you to better handle the stresses of daily life. How to Do This Practice:
Find the full Body Scan Meditation practice at our Greater Good in Action website: https://ggia.berkeley.edu/practice/body_scan_meditation More resources from The Greater Good Science Center:
We love hearing from you! Tell us about your experience with the body scan meditation. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or using the hashtag #happinesspod. Find us on Apple Podcast: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap Help us share Happiness Break! Leave us a 5-star review and copy and share this link: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap We're living through a mental health crisis. Between the stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness, burnout — we all could use a break to feel better. That's where Happiness Break comes in. In each biweekly podcast episode, instructors guide you through research-backed practices and meditations that you can do in real-time. These relaxing and uplifting practices have been shown in a lab to help you cultivate calm, compassion, connection, mindfulness, and more — what the latest science says will directly support your well-being. All in less than ten minutes. A little break in your day. |
Sep 22, 2022 |
Nine Steps to Forgiveness
18:35
How do you forgive someone while still holding them accountable? What if that person is yourself? This week, our guest tries a practice in forgiving herself and someone else. Episode summary: Anoosha Syed appreciates her name now, but as a kid, she struggled with feeling different from everyone else. She had friends call her “Annie” and even dyed her hair blonde in an effort to look less Pakistani. Anoosha joins us after trying a practice in forgiveness. Anoosha explores the complexities of forgiving someone who’s in a position of power and privilege and should know better, like the teacher who always mispronounced her name. Then, Anoosha took the practice a step further and directed it inward. She shares what it was like to forgive her younger self for not being as proud of her culture as she is today. Later, we hear from psychologist Dr. Lydia Woodyatt about the power of self-compassion and affirming our important values to release us from destructive self-blame while still holding ourselves accountable when we need to. Practice:
Find the Nine Steps to Forgiveness Practice at our Greater Good in Action website: https://ggia.berkeley.edu/practice/nine_steps_to_forgiveness Today’s guests: Anoosha Syed is a Pakistani-Canadian freelance illustrator and author of the children's book, That is Not My Name. Learn more about Anoosha and her works: http://www.anooshasyed.com/ Follow Anoosha on Twitter: https://twitter.com/foxville_art Instagram: https://tinyurl.com/3pahbn7x YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/anooshasyed Dr. Lydia Woodyatt is an associate professor in Psychology at Flinders University in Australia. She studies wellbeing, justice, emotions, and motivation. Learn more about Lydia and her works: https://tinyurl.com/mrs974by Follow Lydia on Twitter: https://twitter.com/LydiaWoodyatt Resources for forgiveness from The Greater Good Science Center: Listen to an episode of Happiness Break on Self-forgiveness: https://tinyurl.com/3d7sevfs Eight Keys to Forgiveness: https://tinyurl.com/5n82yjkf Is a Grudge Keeping You Up at Night?: https://tinyurl.com/yc7pkdyk More resources on forgiveness: TED - How (and why) to forgive: https://tinyurl.com/mu2zep4f Harvard Health - The Power of Forgiveness: https://tinyurl.com/2p9fden3 10% Happier - Writing a Forgiveness letter: https://tinyurl.com/mr5y624x Tell us about your experiences letting go of a grudge by emailing us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or using the hashtag #happinesspod. Help us share The Science of Happiness! Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or copy and share this link with someone who might like the show: pod.link/1340505607 |
Sep 15, 2022 |
Happiness Break: A Note to Self on Forgiveness
11:11
Letting go of our regrets can motivate us to improve and help us grow. Alex Elle, a certified breathwork and writing coach, guides us through a meditation to forgive and accept ourselves. How to Do This Practice:
Today’s Happiness Break host: Alex Elle is a certified breathwork coach, author and restorative writing teacher. Her new book, How We Heal, will come out soon. Learn more about Alex and her new book: https://www.alexelle.com/about Follow Alex on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alex/ Follow Alex on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@easewithalexl Follow Alex on Twitter: https://twitter.com/alex__elle Follow Alex on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlexElleFB More resources from The Greater Good Science Center:
We love hearing from you! Tell us how letting go of your regret makes you feel. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or using the hashtag #happinesspod. Find us on Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/28hcdfsd Help us share Happiness Break! Leave us a 5-star review and copy and share this link: pod.link/1340505607 We're living through a mental health crisis. Between the stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness, burnout — we all could use a break to feel better. That's where Happiness Break comes in. In each biweekly podcast episode, instructors guide you through research-backed practices and meditations that you can do in real-time. These relaxing and uplifting practices have been shown in a lab to help you cultivate calm, compassion, connection, mindfulness, and more — what the latest science says will directly support your well-being. All in less than ten minutes. A little break in your day. |
Sep 08, 2022 |
When Rumination Is a Good Thing
21:48
When's the last time you made a good memory — intentionally? Our guest tries a practice in cultivating positive experiences and taking time to savor them. Episode summary: Life doesn't always hand us good times, but we can benefit as much or more when we create our own happy memories and take time to appreciate them. This week on The Science of Happiness, our guest tries a practice to intentionally create good experiences and reflect on them. Deandrea Farlow is a member of the Bay Area Freedom Collective, a re-entry home where formerly incarcerated people can find community and connections. Deandrea brings us into his experience with this practice, and shares what it’s like to find strength through the hardest times as well as positive events, like the ones he created for our show. Psychologist Meg Speer explains how ruminating on good times can actually change the way we respond to stress. . Practice: Creating and Recalling Positive Events 1. Do an activity that you enjoy doing alone. 2. With a friend, do something that you enjoy doing with others. 3. Do something that you consider personally important and meaningful. 4. Then take a step back and really think about these three events. Write about how they make you feel. Talk about it with a friend, or just really think about it. Learn more about this practice at Greater Good In Action: https://ggia.berkeley.edu/practice/creating_and_recalling_positive_events Today’s guests: Deandrea Farlow is a member of the Bay Area Freedom Collective, a home by and for formerly incarcerated people, which provides resources and support for their re-entry. To learn more about Bay Area Freedom House: https://www.collectivefreedom.org/ or: https://www.facebook.com/bayareafreedom/ To financially support the Bay Area Freedom Collective: https://givedirect.org/freedomcollective/ Meg Speer is a postdoctoral researcher in the SCAN lab at Columbia University. She studies how autobiographical memories and positive thoughts affect our brain function. Learn more about Meg and her work: https://tinyurl.com/yf39acwk Follow Meg on Twitter: https://twitter.com/mspeer3 Follow Meg on Google Scholar: https://tinyurl.com/9cn3tmbh Resources for Recalling Positive Event: TED —There’s an art to happy memories — you can make more by experiencing more “first”s: https://tinyurl.com/2p8sdsy7 Hidden Brain (NPR) — Nostalgia Isn't Just A Fixation On The Past - It Can Be About The Future, Too: https://tinyurl.com/5d8dej3a Resources from The Greater Good Science Center: Five Ways Nostalgia Can Improve Your Well-Being: https://tinyurl.com/veeraw6u Listen to our episode, “How to Make Time for Happiness” https://tinyurl.com/yhf39awt Listen to our last episode featuring the Bay Area Freedom Collective, “How to Feel Less Lonely and More Connected” https://tinyurl.com/4d6dm9zp We’d love for you to try out this practice and share how it went for you. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or using the hashtag #happinesspod. Help us share The Science of Happiness! Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or copy and share this link with someone who might like the show: pod.link/1340505607 |
Sep 01, 2022 |
Happiness Break: A Meditation to Connect to Your Roots
10:43
When was the last time you thought about your ancestors? This guided meditation by indigenous scholar Yuria Celidwen will help you connect to your heritage and reap the potent benefits of remembering your roots. How to Do This Practice:
Today’s Happiness Break host: Dr. Yuria Celidwen is an Indigenous scholar of Nahua and Maya descent. She also works at the United Nations to advance the rights of Indigenous peoples and environmental sustainability. Learn more about Dr. Celidwen: https://www.yuriacelidwen.com/ More resources from The Greater Good Science Center:
We love hearing from you! Tell us how connecting to your ancestors made you feel. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or using the hashtag #happinesspod. Find us on Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/28hcdfsd Help us share Happiness Break! Leave us a 5-star review and copy and share this link: pod.link/1340505607 We're living through a mental health crisis. Between the stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness, burnout — we all could use a break to feel better. That's where Happiness Break comes in. In each biweekly podcast episode, instructors guide you through research-backed practices and meditations that you can do in real-time. These relaxing and uplifting practices have been shown in a lab to help you cultivate calm, compassion, connection, mindfulness, and more — what the latest science says will directly support your well-being. All in less than ten minutes. A little break in your day. |
Aug 25, 2022 |
Riding The Waves of Anxiety
21:40
Comedian Aparna Nancherla has always struggled with anxiety — can a new technique help her cope? Episode summary: Comedian Aparna Nancherla has always struggled with anxiety. Starting a new task at work, writing her book, talking to a baby — you name it, she worries about it. And while she’s built a career in stand-up comedy making light of her struggles, she still suffers. Aparna joins us to share what it’s like to try a new technique to cope with her anxiety. She tries to see her anxiety through a new lens, and actually lean into it. We also hear from psychologist and anxiety expert Dr. Tracy Dennis-Tiwary about this radical new approach to understanding anxiety and coping with it by understanding it not just as a crucial part of being human, but as a strength unto itself. Practice:
A. Remind yourself: My body is preparing me to do what I need to do. I will be better at what I need to do because of these feelings. Then, do whatever it is you identified in question 2. If you still feel anxious and there’s nothing more you can do right now, go to part B. B. Sometimes there are circumstances in our life that make us feel nervous or scared, and there’s nothing we can do in the moment to change our situation. When that’s the case for you, try a mindfulness practice to ground yourself in the present moment. Here are a few you can try: Today’s guests: Aparna Nancherla is a comedian, writer, and actress in New York City whose stand-up often focuses on her experience living with depression and anxiety. Check out more videos from Aparna: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KR_pr8Pdh84 Follow Aparna on Twitter: https://twitter.com/aparnapkin Follow Aparna on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aparnapkin/ Tracy Dennis-Tiwary is an anxiety researcher and psychology professor at Hunter College. She just published a new book, Future Tense: Why Anxiety is Good For You. Learn more about Tracy and her book: https://www.drtracyphd.com/future-tense Follow Tracy on Twitter: https://twitter.com/tracyadennis Follow Tracy on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.tracyphd/ Resources for Surfing Anxiety TED - How to Cope with Anxiety: https://tinyurl.com/copeanxiety Harvard Health - Anxiety: What it is, What to do: https://tinyurl.com/anxietyhowto 10% Happier - How a Buddhist Monk Deals with Anxiety: https://tinyurl.com/2wpa9pz2 More resources from The Greater Good Science Center: How to Turn Bad Anxiety into Good Anxiety: https://tinyurl.com/goodanxiety Can We Help Young Brains Fight Off Anxiety: https://tinyurl.com/HelpBrains How to Be Yourself When You Have Social Anxiety: https://tinyurl.com/Socialanxious Tell us about your experiences with anxiety by emailing us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or using the hashtag #happinesspod. Help us share The Science of Happiness! Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or copy and share this link with someone who might like the show: pod.link/1340505607 |
Aug 18, 2022 |
Happiness Break: Walk Your Way to Calm (Guided Meditation)
06:06
A few slow, mindful paces can lower your cortisol and make you more at ease. Psychologist Dacher Keltner guides you through this Walking Meditation. How to Do This Practice:
Find the full Walking Meditation practice at our Greater Good in Action website: https://ggia.berkeley.edu/practice/walking_meditation More resources from UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center:
Tell us how this walking meditation made you feel by emailing us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or using the hashtag #happinesspod. Find us on Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/28hcdfsd Help us share Happiness Break! Leave us a 5-star review and copy and share this link: pod.link/1340505607 We're living through a mental health crisis. Between the stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness, burnout — we all could use a break to feel better. That's where Happiness Break comes in. In each bi-weekly podcast episode, instructors guide you through research-backed practices and meditations that you can do in real-time. These relaxing and uplifting practices have been shown in a lab to help you cultivate calm, compassion, connection, mindfulness, and more — what the latest science says will directly support your well-being. All in less than ten minutes. A little break in your day. |
Aug 11, 2022 |
36 Questions to Spark Intimacy
18:08
What if you could fall in love, or forge deep connections in just 45 minutes? Our guests try out 36 questions with their partners to see if they can strengthen their connection. Episode summary: There are 36 questions that have been shown over and over again in lab studies to help people fall in love or form fast connections. In this week’s episode, we bring back Kristen Meinzer and Jolenta Greenberg of By the Book podcast*.* They recruit their husbands to ask and answer these questions and then fill us in on the surprising ways they helped each of their relationships. Later, we hear from psychologists Arthur and Elaine Aron, the married duo who co-created the 36 questions this practice is based on. They explain the principles behind the questions, so you can come up with your own conversation starters to foster closeness with anyone — family, friends, or your partner. Practice: 36 Questions for Increasing Closeness
Find the 36 questions at Greater Good In Action: https://ggia.berkeley.edu/practice/36_questions_for_increasing_closeness Today’s guests: Kristen Meinzer is a pop culture commentator, Royals expert, and co-host of By the Book podcast. She also co-hosts the new podcast Romance Road Test. Jolenta Greenberg is a comedian, pop culture commentator, and aslo co-hosts of By the Book and Romance Road Test. Listen to Romance Road Test: https://tinyurl.com/mr298rwr Listen to By the Book: https://pod.link/1217948628 Arthur and Elaine Aron are two of the leading psychologists studying the psychology of love and close relationships, and they are a married couple. The Arons created the original 36 questions this practice is based on. Resources For Increasing Closeness: The New York Times, Smarter Living - How to Be a Better Friend: https://tinyurl.com/3bpn2bvr NBC News - How to build emotional intimacy with your partner: https://tinyurl.com/bdz84apz Where Should We Begin? with Esther Perel - Twice Married, To Each Other: https://tinyurl.com/mt4r7zw More resources from The Greater Good Science Center: Take our Compassionate Love Quiz: https://tinyurl.com/bdfuucw3 36 Questions That Can Help Kids Make Friends: https://tinyurl.com/2bc42vvt Moments of Love and Connection May Help You Live Longer: https://tinyurl.com/2s3h58yw Tell us about your experience asking and answering these 36 questions by emailing us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or using the hashtag #happinesspod. Help us share The Science of Happiness! Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or copy and share this link with someone who might like the show: pod.link/1340505607 |
Aug 04, 2022 |
Happiness Break: How to Ground Yourself
10:27
Connect to yourself and the land you stand on in under 10 minutes with this grounding practice led by Indigenous scholar Dr. Yuria Celidwen. How to Do This Practice:
Today’s Happiness Break host: Dr. Yuria Celidwen is an Indigenous studies, cultural psychology, and contemplative science scholar of Indigenous Nahua and Maya descent. She also works at the United Nations to advance the rights of Indigenous peoples and the Earth. Learn more about Dr. Celidwen’s work: https://www.yuriacelidwen.com/ More resources from UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center:
Tell us how connecting to the earth beneath you made you feel by emailing us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or using the hashtag #happinesspod. Find us on Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/28hcdfsd Help us share Happiness Break! Leave us a 5-star review and copy and share this link: pod.link/1340505607 We're living through a mental health crisis. Between the stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness, burnout — we all could use a break to feel better. That's where Happiness Break comes in. In each biweekly podcast episode, instructors guide you through research-backed practices and meditations that you can do in real-time. These relaxing and uplifting practices have been shown in a lab to help you cultivate calm, compassion, connection, mindfulness, and more — what the latest science says will directly support your well-being. All in less than ten minutes. A little break in your day. |
Jul 28, 2022 |
How to Feel Less Lonely and More Connected
20:43
When we feel more connected, we're kinder and care more for others. After 21 years of being incarcerated, our guest Simon Liu, of Bay Area Freedom House Collective, tries a practice that helps him remember the profound connections he's made both inside and out of prison // throughout his life. Episode summary: When’s the last time you felt a deep connection with someone, and then really reflected on your connections? This week on The Science of Happiness, our guest tries a writing practice to feel more connected to those close to him. Simon Liu is the co-founder of the Bay Area Freedom Collective, a home where other formerly incarcerated people can find community and connections. Simon talks about the importance of the social connections he made while in prison, and outside. Psychologist David Cwir explains how finding and building connections not only supports our emotional well-being, but can also change our bodies. Practice:
Today’s guests: To learn more about Bay Area Freedom House: https://www.collectivefreedom.org/ or: https://www.facebook.com/bayareafreedom/ To financially support the Bay Area Freedom Collective: https://tinyurl.com/2p93j8x8 David Cwir is an associate professor of psychology at Briercrest College and Seminary. His research has looked at how moments of social connection with strangers can positively affect our bodies and minds. Learn more about this practice at Greater Good In Action: We’d love for you to try out this practice and share how it went for you. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod. Help us share The Science of Happiness! Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or copy and share this link with someone who might like the show: pod.link/1340505607 Resources for Feeling Connected: Harvard Health — Easy daily ways to feel more connected: https://tinyurl.com/5jxykfhb NPR — 4 tips to stay connected when your friends live far away: https://tinyurl.com/2p82en68 The New York Times — Need to Dust Off Your Social Skills? (featuring Dacher): https://tinyurl.com/yckwkmku How to Start Over (The Atlantic) — The Misgivings of Friend-Making: https://tinyurl.com/2ysn7zd2 Invisibilia — Therapy, With Friends:https://tinyurl.com/yvmkkbrs More resources from The Greater Good Science Center: Feeling Connected Makes Us Kind: https://tinyurl.com/f5xd27ue Is Social Connection the Best Path to Happiness? https://tinyurl.com/2v9e9c9n Why You Click With Certain People: https://tinyurl.com/2p8w38rw Why Are We So Wired to Connect? https://tinyurl.com/bddukrxx Listen to our episode, “Who Makes You Feel Connected?” https://tinyurl.com/4pmj775a Listen to our episode, “What Are Your Strongest Reminders of Connection?” https://tinyurl.com/sbs6waha |
Jul 21, 2022 |
Happiness Break: Experience Nature Wherever You Are
07:05
Just a few moments of tuning into nature can make you feel more inspired, connected, and less lonely. Let us guide you through a five-minute noticing nature practice — you don't even have to leave the city. How to Do This Practice:
Find the full Noticing Nature practice at our Greater Good in Action website: https://ggia.berkeley.edu/practice/noticing_nature More resources from UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center:
Tell us about your experiences noticing nature by emailing us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or using the hashtag #happinesspod. Find us on Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/28hcdfsd Help us share Happiness Break! Leave us a 5-star review and copy and share this link: pod.link/1340505607 We're living through a mental health crisis. Between the stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness, burnout — we all could use a break to feel better. That's where Happiness Break comes in. In each biweekly podcast episode, instructors guide you through research-backed practices and meditations that you can do in real-time. These relaxing and uplifting practices have been shown in a lab to help you cultivate calm, compassion, connection, mindfulness, and more — what the latest science says will directly support your well-being. All in less than ten minutes. A little break in your day. |
Jul 14, 2022 |
How to Make Better Decisions (Encore)
18:17
Can practicing mindfulness make us wiser? Judge Jeremy Fogel explores how being present in the moment helps him keep a clear mind and stay connected to his true values. Episode summary: What do you think it takes to become wiser, more compassionate, and more open-minded? This week on The Science of Happiness, we bring you one of our most popular episodes. Former district judge Jeremy Fogel shares his insights on how being present can help us make more mindful decisions. He recounts how, after experiencing stress as a judge, his wife suggested he try an 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction course. After taking the course, Jeremy felt more connected to himself and his surroundings, and decided to make mindfulness a part of his everyday life. The changes Jeremy made had profound impacts on his work as a judge. We also hear from Dr. Shauna Shapiro, a clinical psychologist and professor at Santa Clara University, about how mindfulness affects our moral reasoning. Practice: Mindful Breathing
Learn more about this practice at Greater Good In Action: https://ggia.berkeley.edu/practice/mindful_breathing Today’s guests: Jeremy Fogel is a former district judge in Northern California. Today he’s the executive director of the Judicial Institute at UC Berkeley and is at the forefront of a movement to bring mindfulness practices into the work of judges. Learn more about Judge Fogel’s work: https://tinyurl.com/5yw2fwpp Shauna Shapiro is a professor at Santa Clara University and the author of Good Morning, I Love You, a book on how to cultivate mindfulness and self-compassion. Listen to Dr. Shapiro’s TED talk on the power of mindfulness: drshaunashapiro.com/videos/ Resources for Mindful Decision-Making Harvard Health - Can Mindfulness Change Your Brain? https://tinyurl.com/yzj98cts NPR’s Life Kit - Faced With A Tough Decision? The Key To Choosing May Be Your Mindset: https://tinyurl.com/2ywhzp6m The Atlantic - Mindfulness Hurts. That’s Why It Works: https://tinyurl.com/2y2k2wdm The New York Times - How to Be More Mindful at Work: https://tinyurl.com/mcfd7cze More resources from The Greater Good Science Center: Take our Mindfulness Quiz: https://tinyurl.com/yc4747jx Five Ways Mindfulness Meditation is Good for Your Health: https://tinyurl.com/2fhd3mhb Three Ways Mindfulness Can Make You Less Biased: https://tinyurl.com/3wm69zvc The Mindfulness Skill That is Crucial for Stress: https://tinyurl.com/38dxzhfc Can Mindfulness Improve Decision Making? https://tinyurl.com/b67ae6ck Tell us about your experiences bringing mindfulness to your decision-making by emailing us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or using the hashtag #happinesspod. Help us share The Science of Happiness! Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or copy and share this link with someone who might like the show: pod.link/1340505607 |
Jul 07, 2022 |
Happiness Break: 36 Questions to Feel Connected
08:10
Having close bonds with others is one of the most important things to our happiness. Host Dacher Keltner walks you through a practice you can do with someone else to create new bonds or strengthen old ones. Plus, hear some of his answers to these questions alongside his wife, Molly. How to Do the 36 Questions for Increasing Closeness Practice:
Here’s a sample of the questions: Set I 1. Given the choice of anyone in the world, whom would you want as a dinner guest? 2. Would you like to be famous? In what way? 3. Before making a telephone call, do you ever rehearse what you are going to say? Why? 4. What would constitute a “perfect” day for you? 8. Name three things you and your partner appear to have in common. Set II 14. Is there something that you’ve dreamed of doing for a long time? Why haven’t you done it? 15. What is the greatest accomplishment of your life? 16. What do you value most in a friendship? 17. What is your most treasured memory? 18. What is your most terrible memory? 19. If you knew that in one year you would die suddenly, would you change anything about the way you are now living? Why? 20. What does friendship mean to you? Set III 25. Make three true “we” statements each. For instance, “We are both in this room feeling…” 26. Complete this sentence: “I wish I had someone with whom I could share…” 28. Tell your partner what you like about them; be very honest this time, saying things that you might not say to someone you’ve just met. 29. Share with your partner an embarrassing moment in your life. 30. When did you last cry in front of another person? By yourself? 32. What, if anything, is too serious to be joked about?
More resources from The Greater Good Science Center: Can You Cultivate a More Secure Attachment Style? https://tinyurl.com/2p8ue7n6 Moments of Love and Connection May Help You Live Longer: https://tinyurl.com/3nyfbwwh Listen to our Science of Happiness episode about this practice: https://pod.link/1340505607/episode/f2ca309e37d261b86223bb52eab3ab08 36 Questions to Help Kids Make Friends: https://ggia.berkeley.edu/practice/36_questions_to_help_kids_make_friends Today’s host: Dacher Keltner is the host of The Science of Happiness podcast and a co-instructor of GGSC’s course by the same name. He’s also the founding director of The Greater Good Science Center and a professor of psychology at UC Berkeley. Tell us about your experience asking these 36 questions by emailing us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or using the hashtag #happinesspod. Find us on Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/28hcdfsd Help us share Happiness Break! Leave us a 5-star review and copy and share this link: pod.link/1340505607 We're living through a mental health crisis. Between the stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness, burnout — we all could use a break to feel better. That's where Happiness Break comes in. In each biweekly podcast episode, instructors guide you through research-backed practices and meditations that you can do in real-time. These relaxing and uplifting practices have been shown in a lab to help you cultivate calm, compassion, connection, mindfulness, and more — what the latest science says will directly support your well-being. All in less than ten minutes. A little break in your day. |
Jun 30, 2022 |
How to Say "Sorry" Like You Mean It
17:27
Apologies are key to successful relationships. But are you doing them right? Episode summary: We all have moments when we say or do something we later regret. Then the time comes to make an apology. But a halfhearted “I’m sorry” rarely gets the job done. On this episode of The Science of Happiness, public defender Sam Dugan joins us for a second time to try science-backed tips for making an effective apology. First, she takes a moment to cultivate mindfulness through a mindful breathing practice. Next, Sam invites us in as she apologizes to her husband Nate. Sam reflects on how she took out her stress on Nate, what led her to lash out, and the importance of making a true, heartfelt apology — as opposed to the mindless ones many of us make on a near-daily basis. Then we hear from Sana Rizvi, a professor at the University of New Brunswick, about the science of how mindfulness can make us more apologetic. Practice: Mindful Breathing
Making an Effective Apology
Learn more about this practice at Greater Good In Action: https://ggia.berkeley.edu/practice/mindful_breathing https://ggia.berkeley.edu/practice/making_an_effective_apology Today’s guests: Sam Dugan is a public defender in Salt Lake City, Utah. She and her husband Nate have three dogs, and they were on the show last year to try the Three Funny Things practice. Listen to Sam and Nate on Why Love Needs Laughter: https://tinyurl.com/5s45ps2v Sana Rizvi is a professor in Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management at the University of New Brunswick, in Canada. Learn more about Dr. Rizvi’s work: https://tinyurl.com/4kzs4n4w Resources for Making an Effective Apology Hidden Brain - The Power of Apologies: https://tinyurl.com/bdze6yzz The Verywell Mind Podcast - A Science-Backed Strategy for Making an Effective Apology: https://tinyurl.com/2j6ar3x8 The Atlantic - The Art and Science of Apologizing: https://tinyurl.com/38j2re9d The New York Times - No, You Don’t Have to Stop Apologizing: https://tinyurl.com/3zwns9n3 More resources from The Greater Good Science Center: Can Mindfulness Make You Better at Apologizing? https://tinyurl.com/bdes29w5 The Three Parts of an Effective Apology: https://tinyurl.com/3p273tym A Better Way to Apologize: https://tinyurl.com/34hp2re5 Should You Ask Your Children to Apologize? https://tinyurl.com/4vcrktju Eight Keys to Forgiveness: https://tinyurl.com/3x7v8rj7 Tell us about your experiences and struggles trying to make a mindful and effective apology by emailing us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or using the hashtag #happinesspod. Help us share The Science of Happiness! Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or copy and share this link with someone who might like the show: pod.link/1340505607 |
Jun 23, 2022 |
Happiness Break: How To Be Your Best Self
08:52
Visualize your best possible self and tap into your inherent enough-ness with this guided meditation by Justin Michael Williams. How to Do This Practice:
Today’s Happiness Break host: Justin Michael Williams works at the intersection of social justice, mindfulness, and personal growth — with a touch of music that brings it all to life.
More resources from The Greater Good Science Center:
Tell us about your experience visualizing your best possible self by emailing us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or using the hashtag #happinesspod. Find us on Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/28hcdfsd Find behind-the-scenes material behind this podcast on Pocket, Mozilla’s save-for-later and content discovery app: https://getpocket.com/collections/how-to-access-your-best-possible-self-start-with-your-imagination Help us share Happiness Break! Leave us a 5-star review and copy and share this link: pod.link/1340505607 |
Jun 16, 2022 |
The Questions to Ask Yourself in an Argument
13:43
Our guest explores how reminding yourself that you don't know everything can have a profound impact on your relationships, and our society. Episode summary: Jinho “Piper” Ferreira is a playwright, a rapper, and a former deputy sheriff. His band Flipsyde toured the world, but Jinho wanted to make real change to end police violence against his community – so he became a deputy sheriff himself. He was on the force for eight years before resigning in 2019. Jinho joins us today after trying a practice in cultivating intellectual humility. It asks us to consider how our memories and understanding of the world might be fallible, so we might not have all the answers. When Jinho tapped into the practice during a disagreement with a bandmate, he was able to navigate the conflict and come to a resolution. Check out Jinho’s band, Flipsyde: https://flipsyde.com/ Try this practice: Cultivate Intellectual Humility If you can, write out your answers.
Why do you disagree? Are you making any assumptions about the other person and the source of their opinion? Might those assumptions be wrong? What about your own opinion, how did you come to believe it? Do you really have all of the information?
3. Tap into your intellectual humility:
Today’s guests: Jinho “Piper” Ferreira is a rapper in the Band Flipsyde, a former deputy sheriff, and playwright. Follow Jinho on Twitter: https://twitter.com/pipedreamzent?lang=en Listen to the episode of Snap Judgment podcast about Jinho’s story: https://snapjudgment.org/episode/jinhos-journey/ Elizabeth Krumrei-Mancuso is a professor of psychology at Pepperdine University who studies intellectual humility. Learn more about Dr. Krumrei-Mancuso and her work: https://tinyurl.com/2t6aaa5f Check out Dr. Krumrei-Mancuso’s article on intellectual humility: https://tinyurl.com/526m8b93 More resources about Intellectual Humility: Intellectual humility: the importance of knowing you might be wrong: https://tinyurl.com/m2ct29m7 Five Reasons Why Intellectual Humility Is Good for You: https://tinyurl.com/4dnx5vu4 The Benefits of Admitting When You Don’t Know: https://tinyurl.com/4frk84k8 Share your thoughts on this episode and intellectual humility by emailing us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or using the hashtag #happinesspod. Help us share The Science of Happiness! Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or copy and share this link with someone who might like the show: pod.link/1340505607 This episode was supported by a grant from the John Templeton Foundation, as part of our project on "Expanding Awareness of the Science of Intellectual Humility." For more on the project, go to www.ggsc.berkeley.edu/IH. |
Jun 09, 2022 |
Happiness Break: How to Be Your Own Best Friend
09:10
Take 10 minutes to be guided through a practice of meaningful self-kindness: A self-compassion break with Kristin Neff. How to Do This Practice:
Kristin Neff is the creator of this practice and a professor of psychology at The University of Texas, Austin. She is a pioneer in the study of self-compassion and the author of the book, Fierce Self-Compassion: How Women can Harness Kindness to Speak Up, Claim Their Power, and Thrive. Order Dr. Neff’s book: https://tinyurl.com/yaubmy7v Find the full Self-Compassion Break practice at our Greater Good in Action website: More resources from The Greater Good Science Center: Take Our Self-Compassion Quiz: https://tinyurl.com/yysrf663 Tell us about your experiences and struggles with self-compassion and this practice emailing us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or using the hashtag #happinesspod. Find us on Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/28hcdfsd Help us share Happiness Break! |
Jun 02, 2022 |
Catch Yourself in a Dream
19:56
Have you ever known you're dreaming while you're asleep? Our guests try practices to help induce lucid dreams, and we hear what they can teach us about consciousness. Episode summary: How do you know you’re awake? Are you sure? Practicing lucid dreaming means taking a step back to question your very consciousness — throughout your day, and even when you’re asleep. It’s no wonder lucid dreaming is associated with mindfulness. In this episode, journalists Marylee Williams and Michaeleen Doucleff try a practice to induce lucid dreaming, and researcher Benjamin Baird explains what lucid dreaming is teaching scientists about consciousness, plus how it might benefit our well-being. Lucid dreaming appears to help foster creativity and can boost your mood when you wake up. Try Lucid Dreaming There are a few different ways to induce lucid dreams. All of them take time and practice. Find a brief summary below and more information at this link: https://tinyurl.com/2m86pw7p (i) Reality Testing (RT), a technique that involves checking your environment several times a day to see whether or not you’re dreaming; (iii) MILD, a technique that involves waking up after five hours of sleep and then developing the intention to remember that you are dreaming before returning to sleep, by repeating the phrase ‘The next time I’m dreaming, I will remember that I’m dreaming;’ you also imagine yourself in a lucid dream; (iv) SSILD, a technique that involves waking up after five hours of sleep and then repeatedly focusing your attention on visual, auditory, and physical sensations for 20 seconds each before returning to sleep; this technique is similar to mindfulness meditation but involved repeatedly shifting your focus; More Resources: Lucid Dreaming FAQ by The Lucidity Institute: https://tinyurl.com/2m86pw7p Lucid Dreaming at TEDx: https://tinyurl.com/ywkymhs2 Learn about the cognitive neuroscience of lucid dreaming from today’s expert Benjamin Baird: https://tinyurl.com/mr3anzer More sleep resources from The Greater Good Science Center: Why Your Brain Needs to Dream: https://tinyurl.com/yc3makhp The Influence of Dreams: https://tinyurl.com/p6cfh8n4 How Mindfulness Improves Sleep: https://tinyurl.com/39tk85m9 Your Sleep Tonight Changes How You React to Stress Tomorrow: https://tinyurl.com/2p8zvbjz Dear Christine: Why Can’t I Sleep? https://tinyurl.com/yb88a5z6 Today’s guests: Michaeleen Doucleff f is a science reporter for NPR and author of the book Hunt, Gather, Parent. Check out her reporting: https://tinyurl.com/5de2kyt7 Read her book: https://michaeleendoucleff.com/ Follow Michaeleen on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FoodieScience Mary Lee Williams is an editor and producer on a morning news show in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Check out her website: http://www.maryleewill.com/about Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/marylee_will Benjamin Baird is a Research Assistant Professor at The University of Texas at Austin, where he focuses on consciousness, including lucid dreaming. Check out Dr. Baird’s website: https://www.benjaminbaird.org/ Tell us about your experiences and struggles with lucid dreams by emailing us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or using the hashtag #happinesspod. Help us share The Science of Happiness OR HB! Leave us a 5-star review and copy and share this link: pod.link/1340505607 |
May 26, 2022 |
Happiness Break: A 10-Minute Guided Practice
09:49
How to Do this Three Good Things practice:
Find the full Three Goods Things practice at our Greater Good in Action website: https://ggia.berkeley.edu/practice/three-good-things More resources from The Greater Good Science Center: Take our Gratitude Quiz: https://tinyurl.com/yc3dc53c Why Gratitude is Good: https://tinyurl.com/fr4r2xyw Tips for Keeping a Gratitude Journal: https://tinyurl.com/6khs9k28 Can Gratitude Help You Live More Sustainably? https://tinyurl.com/bdfws2e5 Four Great Gratitude Strategies: https://tinyurl.com/2s4h6z3f How Gratitude Helps Your Friendships Grow: https://tinyurl.com/yc55bvw8 Cultivate more gratitude for the people you love with the Mental Subtraction of Relationships practice https://tinyurl.com/mthra2jd How Gratitude Can Help You Through Hard Times: https://tinyurl.com/m9jz5atd Today’s host: Dacher Keltner is the host of The Science of Happiness podcast and a co-instructor of UC Berkeley’s course by the same name. He’s also the founding director of The Greater Good Science Center and a professor of psychology at UC Berkeley. Tell us about your experiences trying this version of the Three Good Things practice by emailing us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or using the hashtag #happinesspod. Help us share Happiness Break! Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and copy and share this link: pod.link/1340505607 Find us on Amazon Music! |
May 19, 2022 |
The Science of a Good Night's Sleep
20:53
Do you struggle with sleep? This week Drew Ackerman of Sleep with Me podcast tries tips for a good night's sleep, and we explore why it's so important to our well-being. Episode summary: A good night’s sleep can be hard to come by, and beating yourself up over not sleeping enough will only make it worse. On this episode of The Science of Happiness, the host of Sleep With Me podcast Drew Ackerman joins us to try science-backed tips for finding your natural sleep rhythm. Drew, also known as “Dearest Scooter,” talks about his history with insomnia and sleep anxiety, sleep hygiene, and his philosophy on bringing more self-compassion into his approach to trying to fall asleep. Then we hear from sleep scientist Eti Ben Simon about how sleep affects your social life. Practice: Here are four tips to help you sleep from Dr. Eti Ben Simon.
Try a version of this practice with the sleep tips in this article by expert Eti Ben Simon: Today’s guests: Drew Ackerman You might know Drew as his alias, “Dearest Scooter*,”* the host of Sleep with Me podcast. Drew struggles with bedtime worries and has a history of insomnia himself, but he’s great at helping others sleep. Sleep with Me is one of the most listened-to sleep podcasts. On each episode, “Scooter” lulls listeners off to dreamland with meandering bedtime stories intended to lose your interest. Listen to Sleep With Me Podcast: https://pod.link/sleep-with-me Follow Drew on Twitter: https://tinyurl.com/2p8nrhnp Follow Drew on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dearestscooter/ Follow Drew on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Sleepwithmepodcast/ Eti Ben Simon is a sleep scientist and postdoctoral fellow at UC Berkeley, where she works at Matthew Walkers’ Center for Human Sleep Science. Learn more about Eti and her work: https://www.sleepingeti.com/ Follow Eti on Twitter: https://twitter.com/etoosh Follow Eti on Google Scholar: https://tinyurl.com/328aa5yr Resources for A Good Night’s Sleep Psychology Today - What’s Your Sleep Type? Two forces that dictate our sleep, by Eti Ben Simon: https://tinyurl.com/2nesff8t Matthew Walker’s 11 Tips for Improving Sleep Quality: https://tinyurl.com/2kadu7va TED - Sleeping with Science: https://tinyurl.com/23mmbdy3 Harvard Health - 8 Tips to Get a Good Night’s Sleep: https://tinyurl.com/2p8um9z7 BBC - Why Do We Sleep? https://tinyurl.com/2p8z9v2d More resources from The Greater Good Science Center: Four Surprising Ways to Get a Better Night’s Sleep: https://tinyurl.com/2p832bh5 How Mindfulness Improves Sleep: https://tinyurl.com/2p8rhkhj Your Sleep Tonight Changes How You React to Stress Tomorrow: https://tinyurl.com/2p8zvbjz Tell us about your experiences and struggles with falling asleep by emailing us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or using the hashtag #happinesspod. Help us share The Science of Happiness! Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or copy and share this link with someone who might like the show: pod.link/1340505607 |
May 12, 2022 |
Feel Better About Asking For Help
17:43
Episode summary: Emanuel Hahn has never been great at asking for help. He didn’t live with his parents after age 12, and consequently, he says he learned to only rely on himself. But now that he’s launching his first book and juggling a freelance career, he knows he can’t do it all on his own. He tried our Ask for Help at Work practice, which challenges you to make a direct request when you need a hand from someone. “People do get this warm glow from helping,” Bohns says. “People enjoy being helpful.” Try this week’s practice, Ask for Help at Work at GGIA.berkeley.edu Today’s guests: Emanuel Hahn is a freelance photographer and director in Los Angeles. He just released his first book, Koreatown Dreaming, which documents 40 small businesses in LA’s Koreatown as they weather the pandemic and encroaching gentrification. He joins us today after trying a practice where he makes a commitment to ask for help whenever he needs it. Follow Emanuel on Twitter and Instagram. Vanessa Bohns is an associate professor of social psychology at Cornell University and the author of the book You Have More Influence Than You Think. She did an experiment to see why it’s so hard for people to ask for help. Follow Vanessa Bohns on Twitter. More resources from The Greater Good Science Center: How Love and Connection Exist in Micro-Moments Is Stress Making You Withdraw from People? Try Our One-Month Pathway to Happiness Program Tell us about your experiences and struggles with asking for help by emailing us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or using the hashtag #happinesspod. Help us share The Science of Happiness! Copy and share this link: pod.link/1340505607 |
Apr 28, 2022 |
Are You Tired of Being Afraid?
18:26
Fear is a normal part of our lives — but there are ways we can safely challenge and conquer it. Our guest tries a research-backed way to tackle a fear she's had since elementary school. **Vote for The Science of Happiness in The Webby’s!** CLICK HERE to make an account and vote. Or, go to webbyawards.com. Click "Start Voting." Click "categories," then select "Podcasts," then "Limited Series & Specials" at the bottom. Click "Health, Science and Education" and click The Science of Happiness and Music to make an account and vote! |
Apr 14, 2022 |
How to Find Your Spark in Life
16:32
Comedian Marilyn Pittman takes stock of what she really wants in life – and makes a plan to get it. |
Mar 31, 2022 |
Are Your Expectations Too High?
18:21
High expectations can lead to disappointment, but expecting the worst doesn't feel great, either. This week we explore how to find the balance. |
Mar 17, 2022 |
How to Turn Grief into Strength
19:52
Part of life is experiencing pain and loss. And sometimes, finding meaning in it. We explore a writing practice shown to help us come out stronger after difficult times. |
Mar 03, 2022 |
Why You Should Snap Pictures of Nature
18:34
A NYT restaurant critic puts down her pen and grabs her camera to capture the beauty of the outdoors. |
Feb 17, 2022 |
When It's Time to Face Your Fears
20:22
What happens when we feel compassion for the things that scare us? Shabazz Larkin shares what it's like to face some of his deepest fears. |
Feb 03, 2022 |
The Case for Believing in Yourself
17:26
What does your best possible self look like? Our guest tries a practice in optimism by imagining her brightest future. |
Jan 06, 2022 |
How Gratitude Renews Us
19:09
Feeling burned out? Our guest, a nurse, explores how cultivating gratitude helps people in high stress jobs. |
Dec 23, 2021 |
What Our Photos Say About Us
18:52
Can taking a few photos really make you happier? Afghan rocker Sulyman Qardash tries a practice to find meaning through snapping photos of daily life. |
Dec 09, 2021 |
Why We Give Thanks
19:16
Thank you. Gracias. Merci. Every language has a word for gratitude. But why do we feel it? How can we experience more of it? We revisit some of our favorite episodes about the science of gratitude. |
Nov 25, 2021 |
Do You Feel Pressed for Time?
15:46
What happens when we share our time? Our guest, chef and author Bryant Terry, pauses to be present with the ones who matter most. |
Nov 11, 2021 |
Why You Should Make Small Goals
20:15
Comedian Paula Poundstone tries to take on a messy and daunting task, one small step at a time. |
Oct 28, 2021 |
Do You Want to Slow Down?
19:48
Anna Sale, host of Death, Sex, and Money, practices awe as an antidote to her anxiety. |
Oct 14, 2021 |
Can You Mend a Broken Bond?
21:13
They were childhood best friends until one came out as queer. Now, two college students reconnect and try to see the world through one another's eyes. |
Sep 30, 2021 |
100 Good Things
17:53
For our 100th episode, host Dacher Keltner sits in the guest chair and tries one of the most popular happiness practices. |
Sep 16, 2021 |
What Happens When We Play
21:11
When was the last time you went down a slide? Our guest tries a practice to bring more play into his life and explores what that means as a Black man in the U.S. |
Sep 02, 2021 |
How to Not Take People for Granted
16:55
What would life be like without the people you care most about? Our guest tries a practice to help appreciate loved ones. |
Aug 19, 2021 |
How to Tune Out the Noise
18:28
Our guest uses her breath to find calm in some of Los Angeles' noisiest neighborhoods. |
Aug 05, 2021 |
Don't be Afraid of Your Anger
18:03
What happens when we suppress our anger? And what if we tried to work with it instead? Our guest tries a practice to harness her inner fierceness to care for herself. |
Jul 22, 2021 |
How to Enjoy Life More with Michael Pollan
19:36
Michael Pollan tries to get more out of life by temporarily giving up one of his pleasure. |
Jul 08, 2021 |
How to Craft Your Life
19:37
When the world around you changes, so can your goals. This week's guest tries a practice to tap into a new sense of purpose. |
Jun 24, 2021 |
Noticing Nature in the City
21:39
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Jun 10, 2021 |
What Humans Can Learn From Trees
17:53
Trees don't just compete with one another for resources, they also cooperate. Scientist and author Suzanne Simard explains the surprising science of trees. |
May 27, 2021 |
Finding Strength through Gratitude
19:10
A doctor who serves communities in dire need shares how gratitude helps him find light in the darkness. |
May 13, 2021 |
Why Love Needs Laughter
19:36
Focusing on funny things can reduce stress, anxiety, and make us feel more connected to others. Our guests, who were high school sweethearts, learn how humor can also strengthen relationships. |
Apr 29, 2021 |
How Music Can Bridge Cultures
18:45
Have you ever been moved by music sung in a language you don't understand? We speak with Gambian musician Sona Jobarteh about how music can connect us across cultures. |
Apr 15, 2021 |
How Music Soothes Us
17:58
What is it about certain melodies that can relax our nerves and rock us to sleep? We explore the science of calming music with pianist Rosey Chan. |
Apr 01, 2021 |
David Byrne on How Music Connects Us
25:23
Music helped former Talking Heads frontman David Byrne come out of his shell. Hear Byrne's story and learn how music creates social bonds in part one of our series, The Science of Music and Happiness. |
Mar 18, 2021 |
Scheduling Time to Feel Awe(some)
19:38
Feeling awe can boost your mood and make you feel more connected with others. Comedian Chris Duffy learns how to tap into that sense. |
Mar 04, 2021 |
Why We're Drawn to Nature
16:52
What happens when we spend time outdoors? We explore how getting out in nature can restore peace of mind—and make us more creative. |
Feb 18, 2021 |
Are You Setting the Right Goals?
20:30
Setting goals can sometimes feel like setting ourselves up for failure. But journalist Monica Campbell finds there's something magical that happens with certain kinds of goals. |
Feb 04, 2021 |
Healing Through Gratitude
16:38
A stranger helped her through the hardest day of her life. When she expresses her gratitude, our guest encounters the power of true connection. |
Jan 21, 2021 |
How to Talk with Strangers
15:22
The way we interact with people who come in and out of our lives has changed since COVID-19. Our guest tries a practice to connect with strangers while keeping a social distance. |
Jan 07, 2021 |
Happy Again: How to Connect When You Must Stay Apart (Encore)
19:36
Are you unable to be with your friends and family during the holiday season this year? These 36 questions can bring you closer to loved ones, even if you're separated. |
Dec 24, 2020 |
Are You Listening to Your Elders?
21:35
Connecting across generations is one of the oldest happiness practices there is. We explore why to honor your elders, along with other practices from indigenous cultures often overlooked by Western science. |
Dec 10, 2020 |
How to Make Better Decisions
17:41
Can practicing mindfulness make us wiser? Judge Jeremy Fogel explores how being present in the moment helps him keep a clear mind and stay connected to his true values. |
Nov 26, 2020 |
How to Give Up a Grudge
16:17
What does it really take to forgive someone? And why should we do it? Our guest, psychologist Scott Barry Kaufman, tries a practice to let go of anger. |
Nov 12, 2020 |
Why Voting Connects Us
16:54
Why do we vote? We explore the science behind what drives us to the polls, and the benefits we reap for ourselves and communities when we cast our ballots. |
Oct 29, 2020 |
How to Ride With the Pain
19:23
It's easy to be anxious and uncertain about the future—especially if you're eight months pregnant. Our guest tries practices to help her deal with whatever life throws her way. |
Oct 22, 2020 |
If You Want to Be More Productive, Cut Yourself Some Slack
13:30
Feeling hard on yourself? Pinterest co-founder Evan Sharp learns to quiet his inner critic and tap into his highest potential. |
Oct 08, 2020 |
A Cure for Loneliness
18:05
Feeling lonely? Former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy learns why focusing on the quality of our relationships, not the quantity, can be an antidote. |
Sep 24, 2020 |
24 Hours of Kindness
19:27
Why should you be nice? Our guest explores how small, daily acts of kindness can produce meaningful life changes. |
Aug 27, 2020 |
How to Switch Off Your Critics
20:58
Do you obsess over negative feedback? Shereen Marisol Meraji, of NPR’s Code Switch, tries a better way to cope. |
Aug 13, 2020 |
How to Reconnect with Your Partner
19:36
A couple try a practice to bring more excitement and passion into their relationship, even while sheltering-in-place. |
Jul 30, 2020 |
Do You Want to Be More Patient?
21:04
We can be at our worst with the people we love best. Our guests try ways to be more calm and present with those closest to them. |
Jul 16, 2020 |
How to Love People You Don't Like
23:10
Our guest tries a practice to help her feel compassion toward others — even those she disagrees with. |
Jul 02, 2020 |
What's Your "Why" in Life?
23:31
Adrian Michael Green asks big questions designed to help teens — and adults — find more meaning and purpose in their lives. |
Jun 18, 2020 |
From Othering to Belonging
26:01
We speak with john a. powell, director of the Othering & Belonging Institute, about racial justice, well-being, and widening our circles of human connection and concern. |
Jun 11, 2020 |
Taking Small Steps Toward Big Goals
15:50
When our world is turned upside down, how do we keep moving forward? Our guest, award-winning author Christine Day, sets a new path for herself. |
Jun 04, 2020 |
How to Connect When You Must Stay Apart
20:03
Do you want to be famous? What's a favorite memory? These 36 questions can bring you closer to loved ones, even if you're separated. |
May 21, 2020 |
Give Yourself a Break
19:58
Want to calm your inner critic? Our guest tries a practice to find more self-compassion during uncertain times. |
May 07, 2020 |
Helping Kids Think About the Good
19:40
Sheltering-at-home with kids? These questions can help them, and us, focus on the good things in life. |
Apr 23, 2020 |
Remembering to Breathe
15:36
How a doctor stays calm and centered during times of uncertainty, one breath at a time. |
Apr 09, 2020 |
Staying Close While Physical Distancing
16:50
Our guest tries a practice to feel more connected to loved ones, and herself, while sheltering at home. |
Mar 26, 2020 |
Who Would You Be Without Them?
17:12
Think of an important person in your life. Now imagine you never met. Our guest practices counting his blessings by picturing his life without a special person from his past. |
Mar 12, 2020 |
Step Away from Anxiety
20:53
Do you have a hard time calming your nerves? Author Raina Telgemeier tries a practice to get out of her head, one step at a time. |
Feb 27, 2020 |
Who Is Your Rock?
18:28
He survived the mass shooting in Parkland, Florida, two years ago and has been a student mental health advocate ever since. Now Kai Koerber finds a way to thank the person who helped him find his voice. |
Feb 13, 2020 |
What Does It Take To Really Listen To Someone?
17:07
Are you actually listening when someone is talking to you, or just waiting for your turn to talk? Our guest, a veteran of the Iraq War, practices how to truly listen to others. |
Jan 30, 2020 |
Why Shared Goals Can Bridge Divides
18:02
How can people from different groups get on the same page? Our guest, an educator and football coach, tries a strategy for building stronger, more inclusive teams. |
Jan 16, 2020 |
How To Make Time for Happiness
18:16
Her New Year's resolution was to have more joyful and fulfilling experiences in her daily life. Our guest tried a practice to help make that happen. |
Jan 02, 2020 |
How To Get Your Senses Tingling
18:05
There are millions of YouTube channels with people crinkling bubble wrap or whispering about folding laundry. Our guests talks about why autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) makes her, and many others, feel more calm and happy. |
Dec 19, 2019 |
How To Be Less Hard on Yourself
20:37
Do you beat yourself up over every mistake? A high school senior tries to be kinder to himself during an especially stressful time. |
Dec 05, 2019 |
Happy Again: How to Notice What You're Thankful For (Encore)
19:06
Comedian Maz Jobrani tries to be more thankful for the good things in his life by writing them down — and encourages his kids to do the same. |
Nov 28, 2019 |
Can You Find Wonder in the Ordinary?
17:13
When was the last time you felt connected to something bigger than yourself? Award-winning cellist Yumi Kendall looks, and listens, for moments of awe. |
Nov 21, 2019 |
How To Get Your Priorities Straight
19:22
It's easy to lose sight of what matters most. Our guest finds a way to reconnect with her values during stressful times. |
Nov 07, 2019 |
Does Your Doctor Listen to You?
21:44
Doctors are often trained to be emotionally detached. But our guest finds greater meaning in his work as a physician when he tries to connect more deeply with his patients, co-workers, and family. |
Oct 24, 2019 |
Finding Beauty in the Everyday
19:28
A tree next to a bus stop, a flower poking through the sidewalk. Our guest, a veteran of the Iraq War, discovers how awe and wonder can be found anywhere — if you just pay attention. |
Oct 10, 2019 |
How to Find Your Silver Linings
25:44
Do you fixate on what's going wrong in your life? Poet and "recovering pessimist" Maggie Smith practices looking on the bright side. |
Sep 26, 2019 |
Can Margaret Cho Get Any Better?
19:05
She's one of the most accomplished comedians of her generation. But Margaret Cho wants to find a different kind of happiness. |
Sep 12, 2019 |
Can You Humanize a Zombie?
19:12
Should we try to find common ground with the villains in our lives? Comedian Zahra Noorbahksh tries to understand a "zombie" from her past. |
Aug 29, 2019 |
Making Kindness Contagious
15:58
We gave our Happiness Guinea Pig a mission: Do five random acts of kindness in one day. |
Aug 15, 2019 |
Facing Your Fears
16:39
Heights. Public speaking. Death. Our Happiness Guinea Pig explains how she overcomes her fears, one small step at a time. |
Aug 01, 2019 |
How Michael Lewis Finds the Funny
14:06
How can you unearth humor in everyday life? Best-selling author Michael Lewis goes looking for laughs. |
Jul 18, 2019 |
How to Keep Love Alive
20:29
After more than a decade together, our Happiness Guinea Pig tries to bring the spark back into her marriage. |
Jul 04, 2019 |
Who Makes You Feel Connected?
16:04
Our Happiness Guinea Pig, the creator of Cartoon Network's We Bare Bears, finds a way to feel close to a loved one he recently lost. Try this week’s happiness practice: Feeling Connected |
Jun 20, 2019 |
A Better Way to Talk to Yourself
18:39
Her husband has been in prison for 23 years. Our Happiness Guinea Pig tries a new approach to stay strong while working to get him released. |
Jun 06, 2019 |
What to Do When You Feel Like a Failure
17:44
The loss of a job, the pain of a breakup -- it's easy to get down on ourselves when things aren't going well. Find out how our Happiness Guinea Pig tuned down the self-critic in her head. |
Apr 11, 2019 |
Delight in the Unexpected
20:21
A high-five from a stranger, a hummingbird on a busy city street. Poet Ross Gay shares his own happiness practice: savoring the everyday delights in life. ~ Try one of UC Berkeley's Greater Good in Action happiness practices. |
Apr 04, 2019 |
How To Let Go of Anger
15:13
Are you still mad at someone who hurt you in the past? That can eat away at your health and well-being. Our Happiness Guinea Pig tries a new approach to giving up a grudge. |
Mar 28, 2019 |
What Are Your Strongest Reminders of Connection?
12:29
What kinds of objects, images, and words surround your home or office? Our Happiness Guinea Pig surveys her apartment for items that spark connection and kindness. |
Mar 21, 2019 |
Do You Know How to Eat a Raisin?
17:22
Do you have trouble slowing down enough to actually enjoy your life? Our Happiness Guinea Pig, comedian and radio host Luke Burbank, finds a way to break free from his over-scheduled lifestyle. Try this week’s happiness practice: Raisin Meditation |
Mar 14, 2019 |
Finding Awe in Every Step
21:54
How can we feel connected to the world around us? Singer Diana Gameros tries to cultivate a sense of awe in the most unlikely of places. Try this episode’s happiness practice: Awe Walk |
Mar 07, 2019 |
Finding Your Strengths
14:37
Do you fixate on your flaws and shortcomings? Our happiness guinea pig tries the opposite: focusing on her personal strengths. ~ Try this episode’s happiness practice: Use Your Strengths |
Feb 28, 2019 |
Trying Compassion on Capitol Hill
15:16
Can you extend compassion toward a difficult person in your life? Congressman Tim Ryan tries a practice to help him reach across the aisle. |
Feb 21, 2019 |
A Lesson in Thanks and Vulnerability
20:04
A junior high school teacher spent his life defying stereotypes about how men should express their emotions. Here he takes on a new challenge: getting his students to express gratitude. |
Feb 14, 2019 |
Notice the Good in Your Life
18:35
Comedian Maz Jobrani tries to pay more attention to the good things in his life by writing them down -- and encourages his kids to do the same. Try this episodes happiness practice: Three Good Things |
Feb 07, 2019 |
The Power of Expressing Your Deepest Emotions
14:06
He started Afghanistan's first post-Taliban rock band when he was 18 years old. A decade later, our Happiness Guinea Pig takes on another challenge: writing about his emotions. |
Dec 20, 2018 |
Who's Got Your Back?
17:06
How do you build feelings of trust and security? Our Happiness Guinea Pig learns some truths about what it takes to feel supported. |
Dec 13, 2018 |
Being Kinder to Yourself
19:32
When you’re helping others cope with stress and anxiety, how do you deal with your own? Psychiatrist Elizabeth Guinto tries a practice to be kinder to herself. |
Dec 06, 2018 |
W. Kamau Bell’s Thoughts on Awkward Relationships and Bridging Divides
15:44
Comedian W. Kamau Bell discusses the challenges of finding common ground, even with people in your own family. |
Nov 29, 2018 |
Find That Inner Calm
17:44
International megastar Daniel Wu tries a practice that brings him calm amidst the chaos. |
Nov 22, 2018 |
These Words Cause Happiness
16:35
Did you know that you have the power to spark happiness in someone else's brain with just a few simple words? College student Eva Dickerson shares how she spread happiness across her campus, equipped with just her iPhone and some compliments. |
Nov 15, 2018 |
A Simple Recipe for Happiness
21:33
Our Happiness Guinea Pig, children's author Joanne Rocklin, shares her happiness practice: bringing people together to share a meal. It took on a deeper meaning for her after a recent tragedy. |
Nov 08, 2018 |
Can’t Relax? This Will Help
16:43
Why does a bath or swim feel so relaxing? Our guest shares her own happiness practice--spending time in water--which science is finding can make us happier and healthier. |
Nov 01, 2018 |
How to Make a Real Apology
23:08
"I'm sorry you feel that way." Some apologies can actually make things worse. Our Happiness Guinea Pigs, Jolenta Greenburg and Kristin Meinzer of the By the Book podcast, try a more effective way of saying sorry. |
Oct 25, 2018 |
How to Deal with Uncertainty
19:46
How do you respond when you feel threatened or defensive? Our Happiness Guinea Pig, writer Wajahat Ali, discovers a way to keep himself centered amidst the challenges and chaos of life. |
Oct 18, 2018 |
BONUS: The Science of Happiness at Work
57:28
What would make you happier at work? Featuring some of our happiness guinea pigs, we share the latest insights and research on well-being and happiness in the workplace. |
Oct 11, 2018 |
What if You Had Never Met?
15:12
Do you take your partner for granted? Our Happiness Guinea Pig, cartoonist Gene Luen Yang, imagines a life in which he never met his wife. |
Aug 09, 2018 |
Give Yourself Some Distance
16:48
Are you stuck ruminating about the past? Legendary skater Tommy Guerrero tries looking at negative events from a different perspective. |
Aug 02, 2018 |
Listen Like It's Your First Date
28:31
Do you find yourself looking at your phone when you're supposed to be paying attention to a friend? Our Happiness Guinea Pig, The Takeaway's Tanzina Vega trades in her technology for some old school listening. |
Jul 26, 2018 |
Why You Shouldn't Hate Small Talk
13:07
Many of us avoid chatting with strangers – isn't small talk tedious and dull? Listen as our happiness guinea pig discovers its surprising benefits. |
Jul 19, 2018 |
How to Change Your Mind
20:39
Author Michael Pollan, shares his experiences on being a guinea pig for his new book, How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence. |
Jul 12, 2018 |
How to Find Your Purpose in Life
17:12
Did you know what you wanted when you were in high school? Our teen guinea pig takes on the challenge of figuring out her purpose in life. |
Jul 05, 2018 |
What Are You Afraid Of?
19:47
Would you rather swim with sharks or give a speech before thousands of people? Discover how our happiness guinea pig tackled one of his many fears--and lived to talk about it. |
Jun 28, 2018 |
How to Forgive Your Father
17:55
Holding on to a grudge? Hear how our happiness guinea pig tried to let go of deep-seated anger and resentment. |
Jun 21, 2018 |
Feeling Angry? Try This
19:06
For years, Dan Harris of ABC News was plagued by anxiety, depression, and streaks of anger. Here's how he learned to tame the voices in his head and get 10 percent happier. |
Jun 14, 2018 |
Let People Help You
18:35
In hard times, do you seek comfort from others or turn inwards? Find out how our Happiness Guinea Pig emerged from trauma by accepting others' support. Thank you for your emails, calls, and letters! We think your stories will inspire others and we’ll be sharing some of them on the show. So call us at (510) 519-4903 and let us know how doing the Feeling Supported practice went for you! Support for this podcast comes from Sun Basket. We all know that every part of our life is enhanced when we eat nourishing, healthy meals but always eating right can be hard to do. Sun Basket makes it easy. Go to SunBasket.com/SOH today to learn more and get $35 off your first order!
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Jun 07, 2018 |
Is There Someone You Need to Thank?
22:33
Is there someone important you've never properly thanked? Award-winning children's book author, Yuyi Morales, discovers the power of writing a "gratitude letter" to the librarian who changed her life. |
Apr 02, 2018 |
Can You Predict What Will Make You Happy?
20:07
Do memories of your past affect your happiness today? Susannah Cahalan was young and healthy when she was stricken with a mysterious illness. Learn how writing about her “month of madness” in the bestselling book Brain on Fire helped her reclaim her life. |
Mar 26, 2018 |
Find Your Best Possible Self
22:36
Does imagining your future make you more happy--or more anxious? Our happiness guinea pig looks ahead for inspiration to improve her life now. |
Mar 19, 2018 |
How Gratitude Benefits Your Brain
22:10
Can you train your brain to be more grateful? Todd Zwillich of The Takeaway takes on the challenge. |
Mar 12, 2018 |
Krista Tippett on Being Grounded in Your Body
17:31
Are you so stressed that it wears you down physically as well as mentally? Discover how award-winning radio host Krista Tippett brought relief to her mind and body. |
Mar 05, 2018 |
Why a Walk Works Wonders
22:06
Do you dwell on the negative and let moments of joy just pass you by? Discover how the Academy Award-winning director of Inside Out got out of his head and savored the good in his life. |
Feb 26, 2018 |
3 Funny Things
16:28
What should you do when you thought you had it all -- but learn you've had it all wrong? Discover what our happiness guinea pig did to bring more joy and humor into his life. |
Feb 19, 2018 |
How to Fall in Love with Anyone
21:47
Can 36 questions help you fall in love--and stay in love? Best-selling author Kelly Corrigan tries a research-proven technique to feel closer to her husband. Plus, we learn how the same technique can actually reduce racism and prejudice. |
Feb 12, 2018 |
Quieting Your Inner Critic
14:50
Are you too hard on yourself? Our Happiness Guinea Pig spent most of his life behind bars. Discover the research-tested practice that helped him quiet his inner critic. |
Feb 05, 2018 |
3 Good Things
13:24
Do you take the good things in life for granted? You’re not alone, and studies show it's very human. But here’s a way to find more joy in the everyday. |
Feb 05, 2018 |
The Science of Happiness Trailer
01:29
What does it take to live a happier life? Learn research-tested strategies that you can put into practice today. Hosted by award-winning psychologist Dacher Keltner. Co-produced by PRX and UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center. |
Jan 23, 2018 |