The Science Of Happiness

Take ten minutes to renew your connection to the earth through this guided meditation on our interdependence with the ecosystem. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/mt473u79 How to Do This Practice: Find a comfortable place to do this practice, relax into your body. Wherever you are, start to acknowledge your surroundings, noticing the living and inanimate things around you. Focus your attention on your breath, and how your breathing is interdependent on other life forms, and other life forms are dependent on your breath. Contemplate the Earth’s compassion, and how it provides you with unconditional support. Finish this practice by acknowledging your connection to the natural world. Today’s Happiness Break host: Dekila Chungyalpa is the founder and head of the Loka Initiative, which brings together faith leaders and culture keepers of indigenous traditions on environmental and climate issues. Learn More About Dekila Chungyalpa’s work: https://centerhealthyminds.org/about/people/dekila-chun

How can we build a sense of hope when the future feels uncertain? Poet Tomás Morín tries a writing practice to make him feel more hopeful and motivated to work toward his goals. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/9d73zav8 This is the second episode of our special series, Climate, Hope & Science. We explore the intersection of environmental well-being and our own well-being, where taking care of ourselves and the planet are one in the same and feeling good is not only possible, it’s helpful. We find the links between crisis, hope, happiness, and action. Look for the third and final episode May 11. Plus, we’ll share climate-focused Happiness Breaks next week and May 18. Episode summary: In the first episode of Climate, Hope & Science, we explored the power of hope with Rebecca Solnitt. Hope can help us cope with uncertainty and sustain action, even when we don’t know what will happen. But what can we do when hope feels far away? This week, we learn about a practice shown in a lab t

In the first episode in our series Climate, Hope and Science, we explore how embracing uncertainty enables us to move beyond climate anxiety and despair to hope and action, with author and activist Rebecca Solnit. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/y6yr2kz4 What does it take to be aware of what’s really happening, without falling into despair? How do we find hope? Do small, individual actions really matter? What happens to our minds and hearts when we connect with nature, and how can that actually protect the climate? We find the links between crisis, hope, happiness, and action. Look for new episodes April 27 and March 11. Plus, we’ll share climate-focused Happiness Breaks in the weeks following those episodes. Episode summary: When you think about climate change, do you feel hope? On this episode of our special series, Climate, Hope and Science, we examine what it means to feel hopeful for the future of our planet. Renowned writer and activist Rebecca Solnit joins Dacher to share why she

Happiness Break: Sketching Serenity with Chris Murchison A guided drawing meditation to help you break out of stale thought patterns and maybe even enter a state of flow. No talent required. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/3fzm6ja5 How to Do This Practice: Grab a piece of paper and something to draw with. Find a comfortable place and start by taking some deep, mindful breaths Take a few moments to take in your environment. What colors, shapes, and objects do you see? Set a timer and for the next two minutes, draw something that caught your attention. Don’t worry about how it looks and try to stay in the moment. Once time is up, spend a moment appreciating what you drew. Think about the impact of slowing down and doing something fun has had on your day. Today’s Happiness Break host: Chris Murchison is a meditation teacher, artist and speaker. He currently works as an independent advisor for organizations interested in improving their work cultures. Check out Chris’s GGSC profile: https

Is there such a thing as good stress? Our guest learns to welcome her stress by understanding how it can actually help her, plus tips and tricks to not feel too much of it. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/5n6s346x Episode summary: Like many of us, our guest Yana Leventon has dealt with a fair amount of stress in her life. But after living through the COVID-19 pandemic and grappling with the ongoing war in Ukraine (with relatives on both sides of the border) Yana’s stress levels reached a new high. This week’s episode is all about how we can reframe our relationship with stress. Yana spent one week trying a new practice each day. All 7 of the practices were aimed at managing different aspects of stress, from physically metabolizing her stress through exercise to visualization and breathing techniques. These exercises helped her regain a sense of clarity about what is truly not in her control, and agency over what is. She began to see stress as a normal and necessary part of life that can a

Finding a greater sense of purpose can help us achieve our goals and strengthen our relationships. Dacher leads a meditation to find purpose by imagining a better world. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/3u7njv3a How to Do This Practice: Find a comfortable place to do this practice. Once you feel ready, relax your shoulders and close your eyes. Focus on your breathing, and take a few slow, deep breaths. Think about the world around you. If you could change one thing in society, what would it be? Imagine this ideal world. Visualize it manifesting before you. Notice what you see and how you feel in as much detail as possible. Is there anything that you can do to make this a reality? It can be anything, no matter how small. Think of some manageable steps you can take to get a little closer to what you’ve imagined. Return your focus to your breathing to close out this practice. If you have the time, jot down your thoughts and goals. Today’s Happiness Break host: Dacher Keltner is the host o

Why should you be nice? Our guest explores how small, daily acts of kindness can produce meaningful life changes. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/bdhedpvk Episode summary: When you’re kind to someone, the positive impact doesn’t stop with them. In fact, the effect of your kind action can ricochet back to you by improving your physical health and outlook on life. This week’s episode is all about how kindness has the power to strengthen our sense of self within a larger community. Our guest Aaron Harvey is an activist and UC Berkeley alumni who performed five random acts of kindness in one day. He found that practicing kindness allowed him to develop deeper relationships with those around him and shifted the way he views his role in society. Later, we hear from Oliver Scott Curry, the Research Director at Kindlab, to learn about why humans are evolutionarily designed to be kind and how practicing kindness can positively affect our physical and mental state of being. How to Do This Practice

What if you could tap into your inherent resilience at any time? Prentis Hemphill guides a meditation to turn good memories into a state of resilience. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/yp25m3dp How to Do This Resilience Practice: Find a position that is comfortable for you, whether that is sitting, laying down or even standing. Don’t feel pressured to remain still for this practice. If you feel like you need to move or make sounds to stay present, feel free to. Think of something that brings you a sense of resilience. While in this memory, what are you doing with your body? What does your body feel like? Try to intensify those feelings. Notice how that feels in your body and in the experience of that memory. Take yourself back to how the memory was at the beginning of this practice, at a lower intensity. Notice how you’re able to make that change. Thinking about the day ahead or the day that you’ve had, ask yourself how much space do you want the day to take up in this moment? Once you’r

We all overestimate how much we know. Our guest tries a practice in slowing down to ask more questions, and finds it leads to higher quality connections. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/3mxt2f5e Episode summary: What happens when we pause and open up to ideas that we didn’t think of ourselves? This episode is about intellectual humility, the ability to surrender to the idea that we might not have all the information or may not be right. Our guest is Kelly Corrigan, a best-selling author and host of PBS talk show Tell Me More and podcast Kelly Corrigan Wonders. Her teams look to her for direction, but she wanted to see what would happen if she paused more to ask them questions, and found it totally changed her approach to both her work and family life. We also explore science around the subtle ways we react differently to people we disagree with, and how intellectual humility can change that. Try this practice: Cultivate Intellectual Humility If you can, write out your answers. When yo

Take a moment to appreciate the beauty and vastness of the sky. Dacher Keltner guides us through a practice of pausing to turn your gaze to the sky as a pathway to awe, creativity and wonder. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/35b2fsu9 Practice: Go someplace where you feel safe and also have a nice view of the sky. First, focus on your breathing. Take a few slow inhales and even slower exhales. As you breathe in and out, relax your shoulders, your hands, and your face. On the next breath in, look up at the sky. Notice how vast it is. Breathing naturally, notice everything you can about the sky. What colors are present? Are there any clouds? Do you see any gradation of light? Expand your gaze to get the fullest view and sense of the sky that you can. Spend a few moments taking it in. On the final deep breaths in and out, reflect on how doing this practice has made you feel. Today’s Happiness Break host: Dacher Keltner is the host of the Greater Good Science Center’s award-winning podcas

She's the world's leading animal behaviorist and an Autism advocacy leader. Guest Temple Grandin shares what kind of support systems led her to success, and we hear about how community, and lack thereof, affects our health and ability to succeed. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/3k88vaph Episode summary: Having strong relationships is vital to our well-being. We tend to be happier and healthier when we’re involved with community. Today’s guest is the world-famous scientist Temple Grandin. She was born with autism, which led her to be socially isolated from her peers. Join us on this episode of The Science of Happiness to hear about how Grandin credits her support networks for her success and making her into the person she is today. We’ll also look at the science behind the health repercussions of not having strong social networks. Today’s guests: Temple Grandin is a leading animal behaviorist, prominent author and speaker on autism and animal behaviors. Today, she teaches courses at

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 go. End by placing your hand on your heart and offer your body some kindness. Today’s Happiness Break Host: Spring Washam has been a devoted Buddhist practitioner in both the Theravada and Tibetan schools of Buddhism for more than 25 years. She is a founding teacher of The East Bay Meditation Center and has spent more than a decade studying Shamanic indigenous healing practices. She is also the author of the forthcoming book, The Spirit of Harriet Tubman: Awakening from the Underground. Learn more about Spri

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. She tried a Reminders of Connectedness practice by making subtle changes to the interior of her home – like decorating with more family photos and rearranging the living room  – and found that these seemingly small changes made a big difference in how she felt throughout her day.  We also hear from clinical psychologist Tegan Cruwys about the powerful influence our sense of connectedness can have on our mental health. Practice: Reminders of Connectedness Look around your home, office, or classroom and notice what

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 who may be having a hard time. Bring to mind an image of them. Connect with whatever it is they are struggling with. Mentally, make some wishes of compassion for them. For example, “May you be free from pain.” Or, “I am here with you.” You can also use this practice to focus on your own pain. To do this, call to mind your struggles and give yourself the same compassion you gave others. Today’s Happiness Break host: Anushka Fernandopulle is a meditation teacher who trained in Buddhist meditation for over 30 yea

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 think and feel. This is the last episode in our special series The Science of Awe. Check out the last four releases in our feed for Happiness Breaks that will help guide you to experience more awe in your life, and episodes of The Science of Happiness about the other profound ways that awe affects — and more places to find it. Our host, Dacher Keltner, has a new book out about awe. It’s called Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life. Learn more here: https://tinyurl.com/3uzk8m5r

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? Try to create as clear of an image as you can in your mind. Notice what feelings arise as you think of this place; what feelings do you associate with it? Contemplate how this place has become a part of who you are; how it lives in your mind and how you can conjure up the feeling of it within yourself. Today’s Happiness Break host: Dacher Keltner is the host of the Greater Good Science Center’s award-winning podcast, The Science of Happiness and is a co-instructor of the GGSC’s popular online course of

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 university. She tried a practice in looking up for our show. When we look up, our brain gets better at being playful, creative, and thinking critically. We also tend to see vast and beautiful things above our heads, like a canopy of leaves, branches and singing birds, or a starry night sky. Often, looking up is all we need to do to find moments of awe in our day-to-day lives. And that’s a wonderful thing, because feeling awe changes how our brains work in a way that’s really good for us. This is the second episod

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 of. Cultivate a sense in your mind of being with that community. Reflect for a few minutes on the faces of the people in this community; bring them into your mind’s eye and notice the details of their eyes, smiles, perhaps even their tones of voice or the sounds of their laughter. Think about this remarkable quality of communities: That all of these separate individuals create one hole. Think about how each person contributes to this community to create that whole. Contemplate how everyone in this community is con

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 know that the feeling of awe nature often inspires has something to do with this. Awe is the feeling you get when in the presence of something vast and incomprehensible. When we feel it, our sense of self shrinks – in a good way – and we get better at connecting with others. Today on The Science of Happiness, we explore what it’s like when awe helps us create communities, and the science behind how it works. This episode is part of special series we’re doing on Awe. In the weeks ahead, we’ll share Happiness Breaks to

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. Where did you begin? Where did you end? What can you glean about how you’re showing up today, from what you’ve written? Look for patterns. Take a few more mindful breaths. Consider how what you’ve just written might influence what you’ve just written and the rest of your day. Today’s Happiness Break host: Chris Murchison is an artist and meditation teacher. Check out Chris’s website: https://chrismurchison.com/ Follow Chris on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrismarcellmurchison/ Follow Chris on Facebook