The Science of Happiness

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. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/2kwpfu7a 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 [email protected] 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

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. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/3mrd6247 How to Do This Practice: Bring your attention to the center of your chest, allow the chest to open, and relax. Notice an open space in your chest when you breathe in. Pause before exhaling, resting your awareness in the space between breaths, then breathe out. Contemplate the pause that connects the constant flow between openings and returning. In that pause, contemplate your lineage. Think about the origin stories of your elders, their own elders, and their own elders, moving back in time. Think about those elders and the lands that touched their feet. Imagine bringing that land into the center of your chest, into the pause between breaths. 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: Listen to Dr. Yuria Celidwen on The Science of Happiness episode about listening to your elders: https://tinyurl.com/ykn8euhc Try the grounding practice led by Dr. Yuria Celidwen from Happiness Break: https://tinyurl.com/24kdurc4 Why Telling Our Own Story Is So Powerful for Black Americans: https://tinyurl.com/2nvcxpam We love hearing from you! Tell us how connecting to your ancestors made you feel. Email us at [email protected] 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.

Comedian Aparna Nancherla has always struggled with anxiety — can a new technique help her cope? Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/33y2hta5 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: Ask yourself: what am I feeling anxious about? What do I want to happen? Take a few minutes to write out your answer. Next, ask yourself: Is there something I can do right now to get closer to the outcome I described in question 1? If the answer is yes, go to part A. If the answer is no, go to part B. 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: Noticing Nature Walking Meditation Mindful Breathing Body Scan Meditation Savoring Walk 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 Tell us about your experiences with anxiety by emailing us at [email protected] 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

A few slow, mindful paces can lower your cortisol and make you more at ease. Psychologist Dacher Keltner guides you through this Walking Meditation. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/5cxymy8e How to Do This Practice: Find a relatively peaceful space that allows you to walk back and forth for 10-15 paces, where you won’t be disturbed or observed. Begin to walk forward slowly, lifting one foot first, then placing it gently on the floor or ground ahead of you, heel first. Notice your weight shift as you lift your back heel, then the whole foot, and then place it down heel first in front of your first foot. Walk 10-15 paces this way, then reverse directions. As you walk, try to focus your attention on one or more sensations that you would normally take for granted, like your breath, the movement of your feet and legs, or how the pressure on the bottom of each foot shifts throughout each step. If you notice your mind wandering, simply bring it back to noticing those sensations, without judgment. Repeat this practice as often as you’d like, ideally for at least 10 minutes twice a week. 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: How to Cultivate Awe With a Walking Meditation: https://tinyurl.com/yckz7hu8 How to Choose a Type of Mindfulness Meditation: https://tinyurl.com/2u6rfzhb Can Meditation Help You with Depression? https://tinyurl.com/3ny8jjhj A Walk in the Park: https://tinyurl.com/58v6d9k2 Why You Should Take a Relaxing Lunch Break: https://tinyurl.com/8kckdhmx How Resting More Can Boost Your Productivity: https://tinyurl.com/2p97yfff Four Tips for Sticking to a Meditation Practice: https://tinyurl.com/5b22pynt Tell us how this walking meditation made you feel by emailing us at [email protected] 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.

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. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/3vxdzmnv 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 Identify someone with whom you’d like to become closer. Find a time when you both have about 45 minutes to meet in person. Take 15 minutes answering the questions in Set I below. Each person should answer every question, but alternate who answers first. If you don’t finish the set in 15 minutes, move on to Set II. Repeat the steps above for sets II and III. 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 [email protected] 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

Connect to yourself and the land you stand on in under 10 minutes with this grounding practice led by Indigenous scholar Dr. Yuria Celidwen. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/mwkzku66 How to Do This Practice: If possible, go outside and find some natural ground, like grass or dirt. If you're wearing shoes or socks, take them off and place the soles of your feet directly on the ground. Bring your attention to the earth beneath you. Allow it to hold you, paying attention to how it feels — soft, firm, reliable. Imagine you're starting to grow roots from the tip of your toes, digging deep into the earth. Visualize energy and wellness flowing through your roots to your toes, into the soles of your feet, your thighs and knees, then base of the spine and upwards into your chest, expanding the whole center of your chest. Take a full, deep breath and contemplate the openness you feel in your chest. Look up towards the sky and open your eyes, allowing all of your senses to awaken to the sounds, smells, colors, and life around you. Feel their presence. 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: Listen to Dr. Yuria Celidwen on The Science of Happiness episode about listening to your elders: https://tinyurl.com/yr2ydk43 Does Nature Make You More Mindful? https://tinyurl.com/4wcreu9z Why You Need More Nature in Your Life: ​​https://tinyurl.com/ye282e5d Being Around Nature Helps You Love Your Body: https://tinyurl.com/57d5ntxm How Modern Life Became Disconnected From Nature: https://tinyurl.com/yc6u73f9 Listen to The Science of Happiness episode featuring podcast host Krista Tippett, on Being Grounded in Your Body: https://tinyurl.com/8t7rr4yy Tell us how connecting to the earth beneath you made you feel by emailing us at [email protected] 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.

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. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/585nkppu 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: Feeling Connected Think of a time when you felt a strong bond with someone in your life. Choose a specific experience where you felt especially close and connected to them. Spend a few minutes writing about what happened during the experience. In particular, consider how the experience made you feel close and connected to the other person. Today’s guests: Simon Liu co-founded the Bay Area Freedom Collective, a home by and for formerly incarcerated people, which provides resources and support for their re-entry. Simon is also a software engineer. 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: https://ggia.berkeley.edu/practice/feeling_connected We’d love for you to try out this practice and share how it went for you. Email us at [email protected] 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

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. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/ac4h4uc4 How to Do This Practice: Pause and take notice of the natural elements around you, like trees, clouds, leaves, moving water, animals, bugs and butterflies, etc. Take a moment to allow yourself to truly experience the nature around you, and notice what emotions this evokes. When you encounter something that moves you in some way, take a mental photo of it. In a few words or sentences, jot down a brief description of what caught your attention and how it made you feel. Try to repeat this every day for at least two weeks. Remember: The key is your experience with what you are noticing—how nature makes you feel. 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: Four Ways Nature Can Protect Your Well-Being During a Pandemic: https://tinyurl.com/98t8p7r5 What Happens When We Reconnect With Nature: https://tinyurl.com/4jef7r82 How Nature Can Make You Kinder, Happier, and More Creative: https://tinyurl.com/2s95n6ps Six Ways Nature Helps Children Learn: https://tinyurl.com/5t2tnv3p Why Is Nature So Good For Your Mental Health? https://tinyurl.com/nj7kpn28 How Nature Helps Us Heal: https://tinyurl.com/2kea52n9 Listen to The Science of Happiness episode featuring NYT restaurant critic Tejal Rao trying the Noticing Nature practice: https://tinyurl.com/yckkte9w Tell us about your experiences noticing nature by emailing us at [email protected] 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.

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. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/2fk69bvw 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 Find a comfortable, seated position and invite your body to relax. Tune in to the sensations it experiences — the touch, the connection with the floor or the chair. Do your best to relax any areas of tightness or tension. Listen to the natural rhythm of your breath, in and out, without trying to control it. Notice where you feel your breath in your body. It might be in your abdomen, chest, throat, or nostrils. See if you can feel the sensations of breath, one breath at a time. As you do this, you may start thinking about other things. Try to notice that your mind has wandered, and say “thinking” or “wandering” in your head softly. Then gently redirect your attention right back to the breathing. Stay here for 5-7 minutes. Finally, notice your whole body seated here once more. Let yourself relax even more deeply, and thank yourself for doing this practice today. 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 Tell us about your experiences bringing mindfulness to your decision-making by emailing us at [email protected] 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

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. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/5fchedsa How to Do the 36 Questions for Increasing Closeness Practice: Take a few deep breaths, and notice how you feel. Identify someone with whom you’d like to become closer. Find a time where you both have about 45 minutes Take 15 minutes answering the questions in Set I below. Each person should answer each question, but alternate who answers first. If you don’t finish the set in 15 minutes, move on to Set II. Repeat the steps above for sets II and III. 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? Find the full 36 Questions for Increasing Closeness practice at our Greater Good in Action website: https://ggia.berkeley.edu/practice/36_questions_for_increasing_closeness 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 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 [email protected] 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.

Apologies are key to successful relationships. But are you doing them right? Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/38dfpe8p 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 Invite your body to relax into a comfortable position. Tune into the rhythm of your breath, and pay attention as you breathe in through your nose, hold your breath, and exhale through your mouth. Repeat as many times as you’d like. Making an Effective Apology Acknowledge the offense by showing that you recognize who was responsible, who was harmed, and the nature of the offense. If helpful, provide an explanation, especially to convey that it was not intentional and that it will not happen again. Express remorse. Make amends. When considering how to best make amends, be sure to ask the offended person what would mean the most to them. 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 [email protected] 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

Visualize your best possible self and tap into your inherent enough-ness with this guided meditation by Justin Michael Williams. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/25sza2ev How to Do This Practice: Close your eyes, take a few deep breaths and visualize your ideal future self, the person of your dreams you’ve always wanted to be. Try noticing as many details as you can: What color are you wearing, how do you feel, what are you doing, is anyone with you? Answer this question in your mind with 1-3 words: As you look at this future version of you, what energy do you need to cultivate more of in your life now, today, to become closer to being that person you see in your vision? Breathe in deeply, and as you do imagine yourself breathing in that energy. As you exhale, imagine that energy spreading throughout your body and energy field. Open your eyes. ​​Remember, you have what you need to become that which you want to become. We are enough to start stepping into the life of our dreams. 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. Learn More About Justin’s work: https://www.justinmichaelwilliams.com/ Listen to Justin’s debut album: https://www.justinmichaelwilliams.com/music Order Justin’s book, Stay Woke: A Meditation Guide For the Rest of Us: https://tinyurl.com/2p8xu6hx Follow Justin on Twitter: https://twitter.com/wejustwill Follow Justin on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wejustwill/ More resources from The Greater Good Science Center: Take our Purpose in Life Quiz: https://tinyurl.com/3uh8jjdv Try Imagining Your Best Possible Life: https://tinyurl.com/bdekum2v What to Do When You Never Feel Good Enough: https://tinyurl.com/kpy9b44t How Strong is Your Sense of Purpose in Life? https://tinyurl.com/2p9h7rm5 How Thinking About the Future Makes Life More Meaningful: https://tinyurl.com/2p83y2n5 Listen to The Science of Happiness episode featuring comedian Margaret Cho visualizing her best possible self: https://tinyurl.com/s2s7rdpn Tell us about your experience visualizing your best possible self by emailing us at [email protected] 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

Our guest explores how reminding yourself that you don't know everything can have a profound impact on your relationships, and our society. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/mry7tv66 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. When you encounter information or an opinion that contradicts your opinion or worldview, ask yourself these questions: 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? Now think about the scenario from the perspective of a person who disagrees with you. Try to imagine how they came to believe what they believe. What information might they be basing their opinion off of? What values do you think they’re weighing in how they think about this topic? Can you imagine how they came to hold those values? If you find yourself getting stuck, imagine yourself as a third person weighing in with an opinion that’s different from both of yours. Try to generate an entirely new perspective. Can you think of another way to understand this issue? 3. Tap into your intellectual humility: Identify places where, before, you weren’t acknowledging the limitations of what you know about the issue. Can you find any? Now that you’ve worked to see this issue from another person’s point of view, do you see more value in their perspective than you were able to see before? What other ways do you engage with viewpoints that challenge your own? Do you notice any patterns? 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 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 [email protected] 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.

Take 10 minutes to be guided through a practice of meaningful self-kindness: A self-compassion break with Kristin Neff. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/427x7e6c How to Do This Practice: Think of a situation in your life that is difficult and is causing you stress. For this practice, especially if you are new to it, it's better to choose something that is moderately difficult in your life, rather than overwhelming. Call the situation to mind and get in touch with what happened or what you think might happen. Now say to yourself, “This is a moment of suffering.” This acknowledgment is a form of mindfulness—of noticing what is going on for you emotionally in the present moment, without judging that experience as good or bad. You can also say to yourself, “This hurts” or “This is stress.” Use whatever statement feels most natural to you. Next, say to yourself, “Suffering is a part of life.” This is a recognition of your common humanity with others—that all people have trying experiences, and these experiences give you something in common with the rest of humanity rather than mark you as abnormal or deficient. Other options for this statement include “Other people feel this way,” “I’m not alone,” or “We all struggle in our lives.” Now, put your hands over your heart, feel the warmth of your hands and the gentle touch on your chest, and say, “May I be kind to myself.” You can also consider whether there is another specific phrase that would speak to you in that particular situation. Some examples: “May I give myself the compassion that I need,” “May I accept myself as I am,” “May I learn to accept myself as I am,” “May I forgive myself,” “May I be strong,” and “May I be patient.” Today’s Happiness Break host: 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 Learn More About Dr. Neff’s work: https://self-compassion.org/ Find classes taught by Dr. Neff; https://tinyurl.com/4kf52x8c Follow Dr. Neff on Twitter: https://twitter.com/self_compassion\ Follow Dr. Neff on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neffselfcompassion/ Find the full Self-Compassion Break practice at our Greater Good in Action website: https://ggia.berkeley.edu/practice/self_compassion_break More resources from The Greater Good Science Center: Take Our Self-Compassion Quiz: https://tinyurl.com/yysrf663 Try Dr. Neff’s Fierce Self-Compassion Break: https://tinyurl.com/yk9yzh9u\ How to Bring Self-Compassion to Work with You: https://tinyurl.com/45zkrkam The Five Myths of Self-Compassion: https://tinyurl.com/2p88vass\ Read Dr. Neff’s interview about Self-Compassion: https://tinyurl.com/286njtje How Self-Compassion Can Help You Through a Breakup: https://tinyurl.com/222scejz Can Self-Compassion Overcome Procrastination? https://tinyurl.com/mrfmvyj Can Self-Compassion Help Trans Teens Thrive? https://tinyurl.com/4xs7nxre Tell us about your experiences and struggles with self-compassion and this practice emailing us at [email protected] 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

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. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/y4z8suca 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 [email protected] 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

We guide you through a reflection of three things you're grateful for today. This practice is shown to boost happiness, connection, and motivation while reducing stress. Happiness Break is a new series by The Science of Happiness. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/3vatpfru How to Do this Three Good Things practice: Take a few deep breaths, and notice how you feel. Think back on your day. Start from when you woke up, and mentally trace your steps forward in time. What was the most beautiful, amazing, or interesting thing you saw all day? How did it make you feel? Take a moment to feel grateful for it. Think what had to happen so you could see that thing today, and let yourself appreciate those things. Keep reflecting on your day. What’s the best sound you heard all day? How did it make you feel? Take a moment to feel grateful for that, and think about how you came to hear that thing today. Look back over your day again: What’s the best thing that happened all day? It could be anything. Sit with your gratitude for that thing. What caused that thing to happen? Take a moment to appreciate all the factors that led to this good thing happening today. Notice how you feel now. 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 [email protected] 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!

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. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/4zhdc58z 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. Avoid alcohol and caffeine after 2 p.m. to unmask your true biological sleep needs. Keep lights dim in the evening and limit access to LED lights after 9 p.m. Go to sleep as soon as you feel tired (even if you're in the middle of something). This will help you figure out the earliest window it is physiologically possible for you to fall asleep. Do not use an alarm clock to wake up. Try a version of this practice with the sleep tips in this article by expert Eti Ben Simon: https://tinyurl.com/2nesff8t 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 [email protected] 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

Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/2p8wnyx6 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. Emanuel had to pack 800 pre-ordered books into boxes for shipping. It’s a laborious task, and he knew he couldn’t handle it all on his own. It was a Sunday, and people probably already had plans. He took a beat, and then he sent the texts out anyway. Before long, he had eight people packing books. ** ** Vanessa Bohns of Cornell University has studied exactly what Emanuel experienced: When it comes to asking for help, we underestimate how likely others are to say “yes” to our request. But when we put ourselves in the shoes of a person being asked for help, it’s hard to imagine saying “no.” “People do get this warm glow from helping,” Bohns says. “People enjoy being helpful.” This Happiness Practice might benefit you as much as the person you ask. 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 [email protected] or using the hashtag #happinesspod. Help us share The Science of Happiness! Copy and share this link: pod.link/1340505607

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. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/58npxmer **Vote for The Science of Happiness in The Webby’s!** https://vote.webbyawards.com/PublicVoting#/2022/podcasts/limited-series-specials/health-science-education\ You’ll have to make an account, but we promise it takes less time than it does to say “The Science of Happiness.” Don’t forget to verify your account! 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!

Comedian Marilyn Pittman takes stock of what she really wants in life – and makes a plan to get it. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/5n7dya5t

High expectations can lead to disappointment, but expecting the worst doesn't feel great, either. This week we explore how to find the balance. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/27s3x7n7

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. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/4ufxpwaa

A NYT restaurant critic puts down her pen and grabs her camera to capture the beauty of the outdoors. Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/yc66tdhb

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. Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/yp7r8fwu

What does your best possible self look like? Our guest tries a practice in optimism by imagining her brightest future. Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/2s4hbkrt

Feeling burned out? Our guest, a nurse, explores how cultivating gratitude helps people in high stress jobs. Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/th82bwp2

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. Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/a2x9vkve

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. Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/3y7m2nmk

What happens when we share our time? Our guest, chef and author Bryant Terry, pauses to be present with the ones who matter most. Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/3n3tftbw

Comedian Paula Poundstone tries to take on a messy and daunting task, one small step at a time. Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/mv2hstcp

Anna Sale, host of Death, Sex, and Money, practices awe as an antidote to her anxiety. Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/5n82n9w2

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. Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/44pbbj48

For our 100th episode, host Dacher Keltner sits in the guest chair and tries one of the most popular happiness practices. Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/mv46juba

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. Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/ysc3h82b

What would life be like without the people you care most about? Our guest tries a practice to help appreciate loved ones. Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/2p877x8x

Our guest uses her breath to find calm in some of Los Angeles' noisiest neighborhoods. Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/yc7ccv7x

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. Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/3ekjzcwn

Michael Pollan tries to get more out of life by temporarily giving up one of his pleasure. Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/28hxc2ah

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. Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/2yxntxs9

Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/kb6subnc

Trees don't just compete with one another for resources, they also cooperate. Scientist and author Suzanne Simard explains the surprising science of trees. Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/35rj8wzf

A doctor who serves communities in dire need shares how gratitude helps him find light in the darkness. Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/3u6hmr6t

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. Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/2zbfdrye

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. Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/yc68h4zk

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. Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/2ys7mf5d

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. Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/5dtxmsun

Feeling awe can boost your mood and make you feel more connected with others. Comedian Chris Duffy learns how to tap into that sense. Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/3ywvxfrb

What happens when we spend time outdoors? We explore how getting out in nature can restore peace of mind—and make us more creative. Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/56cp6d52

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. Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/d842bub2

A stranger helped her through the hardest day of her life. When she expresses her gratitude, our guest encounters the power of true connection. Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/mv3h9nx5