Try this body-scan meditation to ground your mind in the present moment and in your body, guided by Spring Washam. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/3ahsvry6 How to do this practice: Find a comfortable seat where you can relax your body. Beginning with the top of your head, relax any sense of tension, one body part at a time. Slowly scan down to your face, neck, upper arms, hands, feeling their presence. You might want to place your hands on your belly to feel your breath and let g...
Feb 23, 2023•11 min
How can we feel more connected to our loved ones, even when they're not around? Our guest tries a practice shown to make us feel less lonely and more socially connected. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/2h2h7ccn Episode summary : Mónica Guzmán describes herself as a raging extrovert, but she still feels less connected to others than she’d like to. Working from home, she often finds herself alone, or worse — feeling alone because she’s still in work mode when her family is around. ...
Feb 16, 2023•15 min
Seeing others suffering is painful. Learn to practice both compassion and self-soothing in this guided meditation led by Anushka Fernandopulle. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/mwxee3uw How to Do This Practice: Find somewhere peaceful, sit down and get comfortable. Once you’re ready, gently close your eyes. Start taking deep breaths and relax your body. Part by part, release tension in different areas of your body. Think of someone or a group of people you know or have heard of wh...
Feb 09, 2023•9 min
Why do some songs send chills down your spine or give you goosebumps? We explore the science of how music induces awe — and how that affects our well-being. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/4rzsbsb2 Episode summary : In the last episode of our awe series, Dacher explores the mysteries of how music inspires awe and can transport us to another space and time with sound alchemist Laura Inserra. Later, we hear from the scientist who showed how awe-inspiring songs change the way we thi...
Feb 02, 2023•20 min
Host Dacher Keltner leads us through an exercise in feeling the serenity and wonder that nature brings us, no matter where we are. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/yc6dwdnp How to Do This Practice: Find a spot where you can sit and rest comfortably. Once you’re ready, close your eyes. Begin breathing slowly and deeply. Focus on your breath and unclench your muscles from head to toe. Think of a place in nature that is sacred or significant to you. What do you hear? What do you see?...
Jan 26, 2023•7 min
When did you last take a moment to really look up at the sky? Shifting our gaze upward is linked to more creativity, capacity to focus—and it's a gateway to awe. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/3dbvxvyb 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 ...
Jan 19, 2023•17 min
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. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/3783rkmj How to Do This Practice: Find a comfortable, safe, place where you can close your eyes and relax. Notice your breathing and begin to take deep, intentional breaths. Think about a community you are a part of – work, recreation, spiritual, any group you’re a part...
Jan 12, 2023•9 min
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. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/ytph8dnc 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 k...
Jan 05, 2023•20 min
This New Year, affirm the wonderful qualities you already possess with this meditative writing practice called "I Am." Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/mswzp9jz How to Do This Practice: Take a moment to sit still and take a few deep breaths, and notice how you’re feeling right now. Open your eyes, and on a sheet of paper, write “I am ____,” and then fill in that blank. Set a timer for 1 minute, and repeat step 2 until the time is up. Take a moment to observe what you’ve written. W...
Dec 29, 2022•9 min
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. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/pdtkffuv 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 no...
Dec 22, 2022•19 min
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. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/be39r98y 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. Sound : For a few breaths, pay attention to th...
Dec 15, 2022•8 min
Moving in sync with someone else — even a total stranger — can change how you feel about them, and how you act, without you realizing it. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/2baf5v3u 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 c...
Dec 08, 2022•18 min
Happiness isn't only in your head — your body is important, too. This week, Radha Agrawal leads us in a short Japanese calisthenics practice called Radio Taiso. Check out Radha Agrawal’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. Learn more about Daybreaker: https://www...
Dec 01, 2022•8 min
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. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/5n783z4e 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...
Nov 24, 2022•17 min
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. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/yc7bvkpr How to Do This Practice: Sit or lay down somewhere comfortable. You may close your eyes if you wish, and take a slow, deep breath in to ground into the present moment. Then, scan your body from head to toe, noticing how you’re feeling in this moment. Let ...
Nov 17, 2022•8 min
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. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/ye4p3tkw 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 t...
Nov 10, 2022•18 min
Consider what you want to make space for in your life in this 6-minute contemplation guided by Alex Elle. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/2vxehzrk How to Do This Practice: Take a few deep breaths. File up your belly on each inhale. Drop your shoulder and soften your body on each exhale. Say these eight phrases to yourself, or your own variation of it. Consider which resonates with you the most: a. “In the presence of fear, I will make space for courage.” b. “In the presence of se...
Nov 03, 2022•6 min
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. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/2s37nzdy 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: Find a quiet place to rest. Set a two-minute timer and put it aside. Close your eye...
Oct 20, 2022•10 min
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. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/yckfxnu5 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 t...
Oct 13, 2022•19 min
Cultivate more joy in your life with this practice led by meditation teacher and author Spring Washam. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/yckujpr3 How to Do This Practice: Think about an area of your life that brings you joy, it could be anything. Imagine yourself experiencing that moment of happiness. Feel the smiles, the peace and laughter. As you reflect on the moment, say to yourself, “may my joy and my happiness increase.” Next, practice “sympathetic joy.” To do this, think abo...
Oct 06, 2022•11 min
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. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/yfuhemz2 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...
Sep 29, 2022•17 min
Dedicating a little time to tune into your body fortifies you to better handle the stresses of daily life. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/38tkd87r How to Do This Practice: Find a quiet place where you feel safe and comfortable.You can be standing, sitting, or lying down. Make sure that you feel relaxed. Close your eyes, and take a few deep, long breaths. Move your attention through your body slowly, part by part. Focus on your feet, then your calves, knees, and so on, until you ...
Sep 22, 2022•7 min
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. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/3mbkrn9u 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...
Sep 15, 2022•19 min
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. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/35tubarw How to Do This Practice: Take a deep breath. As you exhale, remember all you have done in the past that led you to come to be where you are today. Remember that you are allowed to forgive yourself and let it go. Give yourself permission to release any sha...
Sep 08, 2022•11 min
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 t...
Sep 01, 2022•22 min
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 betwe...
Aug 25, 2022•11 min
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 ...
Aug 18, 2022•22 min
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 ...
Aug 11, 2022•6 min
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...
Aug 04, 2022•18 min
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 fe...
Jul 28, 2022•10 min
