After a life-changing experience in India, Dr. Richie Davidson tried to convince his Harvard professors to let him study the science of meditation. No one took him seriously. Half a century later, Richie has measured the undeniable impact of meditation on our brains. And here’s the good news for people who know the benefits of meditation but struggle to actually do it: you don't need to carve out separate time for a practice. Richie walks Maya through how to integrate meditation into daily activ...
Jun 19, 2023•47 min•Season 1Ep. 55
Lucy Kalanithi is a doctor, a mom, and the widow of Dr. Paul Kalanithi, author of the bestselling memoir, “When Breath Becomes Air.” Lucy was at Paul's side through his final days, both at home and at the hospital. In this conversation, she reflects on how his death transformed her relationship to time, and how we make meaning in the world. If you enjoyed this episode, we recommend this one from the archives: " Losing Dixie ” For a behind-the-scenes look at the show, follow @DrMayaShankar on Ins...
Jun 12, 2023•35 min•Season 1Ep. 54
World champion debater Bo Seo knows how to win an argument. He’s made it his mission to teach everyone to disagree better. Bo walks us through how to apply the most effective strategies from competitive debate to improve our disagreements at the dinner table. Bo and Maya also discuss how to determine whether an argument is worth having in the first place. For more on Bo’s work, check out his book, “ Good Arguments: How Debate Teaches Us to Listen and Be Heard .” If you enjoyed this episode, we r...
Jun 05, 2023•42 min•Season 1Ep. 53
A Slight Change of Plans is back on June 5! Maya talks with experts about meditation, self-compassion, the power of debate, and more. Plus, we explore personal stories of change, including what happens when you follow your passion, and that passion is … pizza. For a behind-the-scenes look at the show, follow @DrMayaShankar on Instagram. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
May 29, 2023•3 min
For Mental Health Awareness Month, we’re revisiting some of the most meaningful conversations we’ve had with scientists about navigating our mental health. Julia Samuel is one of the world’s leading grief therapists. She joins Maya to talk about why it’s important to engage with our grief, and offers strategies to help with the grieving process. They also discuss how losing someone can affect our sense of self, and the need to grieve the loss of identity that often accompanies big life changes. ...
May 25, 2023•39 min
For Mental Health Awareness Month, we’re revisiting some of our favorite conversations with scientists about how to live healthier, happier lives. Psychology professor Ethan Kross is an expert on the science of introspection and the role our inner voice plays in shaping our decisions and sense of well-being. While our inner voice has a lot of benefits, it can sometimes turn negative and lead to what Ethan calls “mental chatter.” In this episode, we discuss science-based strategies for how to rei...
May 18, 2023•43 min
For Mental Health Awareness Month, we’re revisiting some of our favorite conversations with scientists about how to live healthier, happier lives. Psychiatrist Dr. Dixon Chibanda has been on a mission for years to help people gain access to mental healthcare in his community. In Zimbabwe, there is only one psychiatrist for every 1.5 million people. To bridge the gap and provide folks with the help they so desperately need, Dixon turned to a rather unorthodox group for help: grandmothers. This ep...
May 11, 2023•34 min
It's a mistake to prioritize romantic and familial relationships over friendship, argues psychologist Dr. Marisa Franco. Strong, supportive friendships expand our sense of self, she says, and are associated with greater well-being and health. Marisa offers research-based strategies to make new friends and deepen our existing friendships, including helpful concepts like mutuality and the mere-exposure effect. Marisa and Maya also discuss how to stay friends through big life changes, why fighting ...
Apr 10, 2023•36 min•Season 1Ep. 52
Writer Kelly Corrigan always wanted a family. She craved the closeness and familiarity of a strong parent-child relationship. When her daughters were little, she relished knowing everything about their lives. But as her daughters grew older, the physical and emotional distance between Kelly and her daughters grew, too. While Kelly knew to expect this transition, it still broke her heart. In this conversation, Maya and Kelly reckon with the question of what parents and children owe each other. Fo...
Apr 03, 2023•46 min•Season 1Ep. 51
For a long time, scientists believed our capacity for empathy remains more or less fixed throughout our lives. But research by Jamil Zaki, a psychology professor at Stanford, shows that empathy is actually a skill we can cultivate. Jamil explains that there are different types of empathy — three, to be exact! — and we can learn to be more discerning about when we apply them. Maya and Jamil also discuss the dangers of caring too much, and how we can show compassion for others while avoiding burno...
Mar 27, 2023•39 min•Season 1Ep. 50
Science writer Florence Williams felt blindsided when her twenty-five-year marriage unexpectedly fell apart. The heartbreak opened her up to a whole range of new and intense feelings, but it also made her sick. Trained as a journalist, Florence set out on an expedition to understand the science of heartbreak and game her way back to health. She tried novel forms of therapy, immersed herself in nature, and consulted cutting-edge research on the science of awe. But her greatest discovery came when...
Mar 20, 2023•32 min•Season 1Ep. 49
It's only March and we're already starting to veer off track with our resolutions for the year. Don't worry! 90% of people fail to reach their goals each year, which means there's got to be a better way. On this episode of How To!, a listener named Emily is feeling discouraged by her eating habits and lack of exercise. Maya, a behavioral scientist, helps Emily (and the rest of us!) form better habits so we can set ourselves up for success. Hear more episodes of How To! wherever you listen to pod...
Mar 13, 2023•34 min
Influence is often seen as a skill we have to cultivate, a charismatic quality leveraged by select leaders, business people, and successful social media accounts. But in her new book, “You Have More Influence Than You Think,” social psychologist Vanessa Bohns demonstrates that we all have influence through our words, choices, and even just our presence. Maya and Vanessa discuss how we can become more aware of our power to persuade, and learn to wield it wisely. For a behind-the-scenes look at th...
Mar 06, 2023•31 min•Season 1Ep. 48
Lately, comedian Hasan Minhaj is taking a second look at his motives for performing. Hasan was initially drawn to comedy because it allowed him to hold people in power accountable. In shows like “Patriot Act" and "The Daily Show," he often took on controversial topics and challenged world leaders. But after some of his provocative commentary went viral, he realized his motives were less pure than he thought. In this conversation, Hasan reveals how that realization is making him reconsider his ca...
Feb 27, 2023•32 min•Season 1Ep. 47
We’re all familiar with the ways that stress can make us feel bad. But professor and stress expert Modupe Akinola argues that a simple change in our mindset can turn short-term stress into a helpful resource. Modupe walks us through some strategies for how to better tolerate and understand our stress, and gives us tools for coping when a small “mindset shift” isn’t enough. You can follow the show on Instagram @DrMayaShankar . See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Feb 21, 2023•32 min•Season 1Ep. 46
A Slight Change of Plans returns February 20, with new personal stories of change, including an interview with comedian Hasan Minhaj about the pitfalls of his career path. Maya also talks with scientific experts about new ways of looking at heartbreak, empathy, stress, and other life-changing topics. Here’s a sneak peek at the season ahead! For a behind-the-scenes look at the show, follow @DrMayaShankar on Instagram. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Feb 13, 2023•3 min
When it comes to reaching our big goals, focusing too much on natural ability can be counterproductive because it’s something we can’t change. Instead, psychologist Angela Duckworth wants us to focus on cultivating grit. For our final episode of this special New Years miniseries, Maya selected this interview from the archives about grit, which Angela defines as a “power combination of passion and perseverance.” Plus, Angela offers four key strategies we can use to more easily resist temptations ...
Jan 19, 2023•33 min
One thing that can hold us back from becoming better versions of ourselves is when we stubbornly cling to old beliefs and ways of thinking. So, for the second installment of our New Year’s guide to the science of change, Maya handpicks an interview from the archives with Adam Grant, psychologist and author of the book “Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know.” Adam gives us strategies for cultivating a more open mind. Plus, Maya and Adam debate the merits of imposter syndrome and t...
Jan 12, 2023•34 min
Maya wants to help you achieve your goals for the new year, so she's sharing some of her favorite interviews about the science of change from the archives, starting with her friend and fellow cognitive scientist, Dr. Katy Milkman. Dr. Milkman shares evidence-based strategies we can use to change our behavior, including leveraging identity shifts and making habits more pleasurable, through techniques such as the fresh start effect and temptation bundling. Also, she argues for the power of a “comm...
Jan 05, 2023•34 min
At age nine, Javier Zamora embarked on a harrowing, 3000-mile immigration journey from El Salvador to the United States. More than twenty years later, he’s finally ready to revisit that period of life and what it took for him to survive such treacherous circumstances. You can follow the show on Instagram @DrMayaShankar . If you’d like to keep up with the most recent news from this and other Pushkin podcasts be sure to sign up for our email list at Pushkin.fm . See omnystudio.com/listener for pri...
Nov 28, 2022•41 min•Season 1Ep. 45
We’re on break for the holiday this week, and Maya wanted to share a quick note with listeners. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Nov 21, 2022•3 min
Hi Slight Changers — this past Friday, Elizabeth Holmes, the founder and CEO of the fraudulent biotech company Theranos was sentenced to 11.25 years in a Federal prison. I wanted to reshare my interview with Erika Cheung today. She had the courage to stand up for what was right and blow the whistle, even when her personal safety was at risk. Erika was instrumental in bringing Holmes to justice. You can follow the show on Instagram @DrMayaShankar . If you’d like to keep up with the most recent ne...
Nov 20, 2022•47 min
U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy is an expert on the science of loneliness. He offers advice for how we can build stronger, more meaningful social connections. You can follow the show on Instagram @DrMayaShankar . If you’d like to keep up with the most recent news from this and other Pushkin podcasts be sure to sign up for our email list at Pushkin.fm . See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Nov 14, 2022•31 min•Season 1Ep. 44
After Nora McInerny’s husband died of cancer in his thirties, Nora became well known for writing about the messiness of grief. She also led grief groups, launched a podcast about grief, and started a non-profit. Nothing Nora did ever felt like enough, until a terrifying moment made her slow down and take a hard look at her own grieving process. You can follow the show on Instagram @DrMayaShankar . If you’d like to keep up with the most recent news from this and other Pushkin podcasts be sure to ...
Nov 07, 2022•41 min•Season 1Ep. 43
Jason Isbell is a singer-songwriter and four-time Grammy winner. After wrestling with addiction, he re-examines aspects of his personality that he once saw as his greatest weaknesses. You can follow the show on Instagram @DrMayaShankar . If you’d like to keep up with the most recent news from this and other Pushkin podcasts be sure to sign up for our email list at Pushkin.fm . See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Oct 31, 2022•37 min•Season 1Ep. 42
Annie Duke believes we should be quitting things more often, a skill she honed during her lucrative years as a professional poker player on the world stage. Annie talks about the science of quitting, and shows us how to get out of our own way and learn to quit when we should. You can follow the show on Instagram @DrMayaShankar . If you’d like to keep up with the most recent news from this and other Pushkin podcasts be sure to sign up for our email list at Pushkin.fm . See omnystudio.com/listener...
Oct 24, 2022•34 min•Season 1Ep. 42
Priya Parker is an expert in group dialogue and conflict resolution, and she uses her unique background to rethink how we come together. Priya teaches us how to turn our gatherings into opportunities for more meaningful connection with others. You can follow the show on Instagram @DrMayaShankar . If you’d like to keep up with the most recent news from this and other Pushkin podcasts be sure to sign up for our email list at Pushkin.fm . See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Oct 17, 2022•42 min•Season 1Ep. 41
As a firefighter, Christy Warren made rescuing people her life's work. Her toughness earned her praise from her peers. But after decades of rescuing others, suddenly Christy became the one who needed saving. You can follow the show on Instagram @DrMayaShankar . If you’d like to keep up with the most recent news from this and other Pushkin podcasts be sure to sign up for our email list at Pushkin.fm . See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Oct 10, 2022•44 min•Season 1Ep. 40
Author Daniel Pink teaches us how to transform our relationship with regret so that we can live happier, more fulfilling lives. You can follow the show on Instagram @DrMayaShankar . If you’d like to keep up with the most recent news from this and other Pushkin podcasts be sure to sign up for our email list at Pushkin.fm . See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Oct 03, 2022•43 min•Season 1Ep. 39
Civil rights icon Ruby Bridges is our guest today. She shares what it was like to be the first African-American student to attend an all-white elementary school in Louisiana in 1960. Ruby was just six years old at the time, and it would be years before she fully appreciated her role in advancing civil rights in America. You can follow the show on Instagram @DrMayaShankar . If you’d like to keep up with the most recent news from this and other Pushkin podcasts be sure to sign up for our email lis...
Oct 03, 2022•44 min•Season 1Ep. 38
