The Science of Happiness PRX and Greater Good Science Center
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- Sciences
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Learn research-tested strategies for a happier, more meaningful life, drawing on the science of compassion, gratitude, mindfulness, and awe. Hosted by award-winning professor Dacher Keltner. Co-produced by PRX and UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center.
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Who’s Always There for You?
When we remember the times someone had our back, it changes the way we view ourselves and the world. Our guest explores what happens when trying a practice to feel more supported.
Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/mrpyr8a7
Episode summary:
Ever since he was a young child, José Valladares has spent his life caring for others and has taken pride in supporting his family and community, For our show, he tried a practice where he recalled people in his life who he can turn to during a difficult moment — the people who support him. As he wrote about their admirable qualities and specific instances where they helped him, José felt a renewed sense of gratitude and energy to persist forward in helping others. Later, we hear from psychologist Angela Rowe about how feeling supported can impact our relationships and sense of personal empowerment.
Practice:
Make a list of the people who offer you comfort or security.
Write down six positive qualities that are common to some or all of these people.
Next, recall and visualize a specific situation when you felt distressed or worried, and one of these people comforted and helped you.
Write a brief description of that situation and how you felt during it.
Learn more about this practice at Greater Good In Action:
https://ggia.berkeley.edu/practice/feeling_supported
Today’s guests:
José Valladares is a software engineer in Utah originally from Honduras.
Angela Rowe is a psychology professor at the University of Bristol.
Learn more about Angela’s work: https://tinyurl.com/4nh752ad
Resources from The Greater Good Science Center:
Happiness Break: Who Takes Care of You? With Dacher Keltner: https://tinyurl.com/bdezwwyd
How to Let Someone Love You (The Science of Happiness Podcast): https://tinyurl.com/5xtzbzj2
Four Ways Social Support Makes You More Resilient: https://tinyurl.com/2p9zkjpj
Just One Thing: Feel the Support: https://tinyurl.com/yrfnmwfv
Friend or Family? https://tinyurl.com/msbs2kuh
More Resources on Feeling Supported
NYT Times - Are You Anxious, Avoidant or Secure? https://tinyurl.com/yes746sv
The Atlantic - The Trait That ‘Super Friends’ Have in Common: https://tinyurl.com/bdheumdh
BBC - Why friendship makes us healthier: https://tinyurl.com/3596n4u7
TED - How to ask for help -- and get a "yes": https://tinyurl.com/2ybrmt7m
Stanford - Asking for help is hard, but people want to help more than we realize, Stanford scholar says’: https://tinyurl.com/4n4hraj5'
Who do you turn to for support in your life? Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod.
Help us share The Science of Happiness!
Rate us on Spotify and share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/b6779syt -
Happiness Break: Where Did You Come From? Guided Writing With Lyla June
Indigenous artist Lyla June leads a 5-minute freewriting exercise about our personal journeys. Autobiographical writing has been shown to help do better in relationships and feel more satisfied in life.
Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/3622n5s6
How to Do This Practice:
You will need writing utensils for this practice.
Find a comfortable place to start this writing practice, taking a few moments to ground yourself.
Write the prompt, “I come from a place where…”
For the next 5 minutes (or more), write whatever comes to mind, allowing your thoughts and ideas to flow freely, without judgment or filters. Trying keeping your pen to the paper the whole time.
Take some time afterward to read and reflect on what you wrote.
Consider repeating this exercise every few weeks or months to reflect on your past and prospective future.
Today’s Happiness Break host:
Lyla June is an Indigenous artist and scholar from the Diné Nation.
Learn about Lyla June’s work: [https://www.lylajune.com/>\
Watch Lyla June’s videos: [https://tinyurl.com/bdhbwyru>\
Follow Lyla June on Twitter: [https://tinyurl.com/4pj565d6>\
Follow Lyla June on Instagram: https://tinyurl.com/4pj565d6
More resources from The Greater Good Science Center:
The Power of Expressing Your Deepest Emotions (The Science of Happiness Podcast): [https://tinyurl.com/2uzh3r67>\
How to Journal Through Your Struggles: [https://tinyurl.com/yua6wkwd>\
How Journaling Can Help You in Hard Times: [https://tinyurl.com/3zv3hunw>\
How Creative Writing Can Increase Students’ Resilience: https://tinyurl.com/4xw8xuff
How was your experience with this freewriting exercise? Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod.
Find us on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/ycukc4za
Help us share Happiness Break! Leave us a 5-star review and copy and share this link: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap
We're living through a mental health crisis. Between the stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness, burnout — we all could use a break to feel better. That's where Happiness Break comes in. In each biweekly podcast episode, instructors guide you through research-backed practices and meditations that you can do in real-time. These relaxing and uplifting practices have been shown in a lab to help you cultivate calm, compassion, connection, mindfulness, and more — what the latest science says will directly support your well-being. All in less than ten minutes. A little break in your day. -
Why Grownups Should Be Playful Too
Playfulness can improve your relationships, help you excel at work, and reduce stress. We explore a strategy shown to help you become more playful.
Link to episode transcript: http://tinyurl.com/b5xc78r3
Episode summary:
Patricia Mebrahtu used to have so much fun as a child. Now, as a medical assistant and mother of two young children, she found herself feeling burnt out and irritable. For our show, Patricia tried a practice to infuse more playfulness into her life. From singing karaoke with her family to playing in the rain, she tapped into her inner child. Through this practice, Patricia recognized the importance of taking time out for yourself, and that she can carve out opportunities to have fun and be playful, even as a busy adult. Later, we hear from psychologist René Proyer about the different types of playfulness, and how incorporating play can benefit our sense of wellbeing.
Practice:
Each day for a week, incorporate one playful activity into your routine – it can be anything you find enjoyable and playful.
Every evening, write about the experience, and how it made you feel in the present moment.
Today’s guests:
Patricia Mebrahtu is a mother and medical assistant in California.
René Proyer is a psychologist from the Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg.
Learn about René’s work: http://tinyurl.com/4sa9vye9
Follow René on Twitter: http://tinyurl.com/3x5986u6
Resources from The Greater Good Science Center:
Can We Play? http://tinyurl.com/prhv22rf
What Playfulness Can Do for Your Relationship: http://tinyurl.com/n9b3h7e4
Tuesday Tip: Play with Some Friends: http://tinyurl.com/mu837nwr
More Resources on Being Playful:
BBC - Playtime: Is it time we took 'play' more seriously? http://tinyurl.com/4jmx89vn
NYT - Why We All Need to Have More Fun: http://tinyurl.com/335z4bdu
Washington Post - Why it’s good for grown-ups to go play: http://tinyurl.com/5w8shen
TED - The Importance of PLAY in adulthood and childhood: http://tinyurl.com/4hsn9um4
How do you incorporate play into your life? Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod.
Help us share The Science of Happiness!
Rate us on Spotify and share this link with someone who might like the show: http://tinyurl.com/up29j8zk -
Happiness Break: A Meditation on Playfulness, With Dacher Keltner
We all have a playful side, and research shows acting on it can help us when we need to move through challenging emotions, manage conflict, and be more creative.
Link to episode transcript: http://tinyurl.com/4bxtn9ek
How to Do This Practice:
Find a comfortable position to begin the practice. Focus on breathing deeply.
Think back to a moment of play during your childhood. Recall specific details like your age, what you were doing and who you were with. As you remember, notice how the memory is affecting you in the present moment.
Next, focus on a recent memory of play – maybe with your partner, friends, or family. Fully recall the moment, again bringing to mind specific details. Notice how this memory makes you feel.
Take note of how reflecting on play has affected your breathing. Did it affect the tight areas in your body? How about the relaxed and open ones?
As you refocus your attention on your breath, make a commitment to add play into your busy schedule going forward.
Today’s Happiness Break host:
Dacher Keltner is the host of the Greater Good Science Center’s award-winning podcast, The Science of Happiness and is a co-instructor of the GGSC’s popular online course of the same name. He’s also the founding director of the Greater Good Science Center and a professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley.
Check out Dacher’s most recent book, *Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life: *https://tinyurl.com/4j4hcvyt\](https://tinyurl.com/4j4hcvyt)
More resources from The Greater Good Science Center:
What Happens When We Play (The Science of Happiness Podcast): http://tinyurl.com/mrfm5pj5
Can We Play? http://tinyurl.com/prhv22rf
What Playfulness Can Do for Your Relationship: http://tinyurl.com/n9b3h7e4
For Black Children, Play Can Be Transformative: http://tinyurl.com/mwnfcu26
What memories of play came to your mind? Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod.
Find us on Spotify: http://tinyurl.com/ycydhyxz
Help us share Happiness Break! Rate us and copy and share this link: http://tinyurl.com/ycydhyxz
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. -
Encore: How to Feel Less Pressed for Time
When we devote a little time to the other people in our life, we actually feel like we have more of it. Our guest tried a practice to regain control of his time and schedule
Link to episode transcript: http://tinyurl.com/mr3r6jfn
Episode summary:
Like many of us, our guest Bryant Terry felt like he never had enough time in his day. And while he was eager to reconnect with his family, his schedule was spiraling out of control. For our show, Bryant tried a practice proven to help you feel like you have more time, by specifically devoting some of your time to others. He set intentions to spend quality time with his children doing activities that they truly enjoy. By prioritizing those special moments with his family, Bryant felt more control over his schedule, recognizing that he has the power to make time for what truly matters to him. Later, we hear from professor Cassie Mogilner Holmes about why this practice works, and how being intentional with our time can reshape our relationship with it.
Learn more about this practice at Greater Good In Action:
https://ggia.berkeley.edu/practice/gift_of_time
Practice
Think of a person whom you care about.
What might you be able to do for this person that entails nothing more than the giving of your time?
Plan a gift of time for this person and give it, whether it means doing something with them (in person or virtually).
Spend as much time as needed to do the favor well and do not take any shortcuts. You might even consider taking off your watch or putting your smartphone away.
Today’s guests:
Bryant Terry is an award winning chef, author and artist.
Learn about Bryant’s work: http://tinyurl.com/3wf3264h
Follow Bryant on Instagram: http://tinyurl.com/2w68z8bc
Learn about his imprint, 4 Color Books: http://tinyurl.com/yuhrsrp8
Cassie Mogilner Holmes is a professor of marketing and behavioral decision making at UCLA.
Learn about Cassie’s work: http://tinyurl.com/rb5r97s5
Resources from The Greater Good Science Center:
How to Feel Like You Have More Time: http://tinyurl.com/p6ykm7y2
Ten Ways to Make Your Time Matter: http://tinyurl.com/34dvwnv4
Why You Never Seem to Have Enough Time: http://tinyurl.com/4t8vyhy3
Can Awe Buy You More Time and Happiness? http://tinyurl.com/m28d8wcx
How to Spend Your Time on What Matters Most: http://tinyurl.com/ycw527tj
More Resources on spending quality time with others:
BBC - How to feel more in control of your time: http://tinyurl.com/nhbt7btm
Stanford - Jennifer Aaker: How to Feel Like You Have More Time: http://tinyurl.com/n8cc6yfk
Harvard -You’ll Feel Less Rushed If You Give Time Away: http://tinyurl.com/yc86ymve
How do you devote time to others? Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod.
Help us share The Science of Happiness!
Rate us on Spotify and share this link with someone who might like the show: http://tinyurl.com/yjdesnze -
Happiness Break: Wrap Yourself in Kindness, With Jack Kornfield
When we treat ourselves with kindness and gratitude, research shows we feel more motivated and less self-critical. Meditation teacher Jack Kornfield leads in a practice where we gently turn inward.
Link to episode transcript: http://tinyurl.com/yfbz28h2
How to Do This Practice:
Find a comfortable position to begin the practice. Focus on taking deep breaths, relaxing your body.
As you recognize the different sensations in your body, consciously envelope yourself in kindness. Thank your body for providing and caring for you.
Redirect your loving kindness towards your heart and the varied emotions it carries.Thank your heart for all it does for you. Then, focus your kindness towards your mind and all the thoughts and worries it holds. Thank it for all that it does.
Next, turn towards your consciousness as a whole – your emotions, body, thoughts. Rest in a state of comfortable, loving-kindness.
When you’re ready, gently open your eyes and reconnect with the world around you.
Today’s Happiness Break host:
Jack Kornfield is a meditation teacher and author who is one of the leading voices to share Buddhist teachings with a Western audiences.
Learn more about Jack’s work: http://tinyurl.com/2wfth7v2
Follow Jack on Instagram: http://tinyurl.com/3zs2bjvx
Follow Jack on Twitter: http://tinyurl.com/bd5r9k4a
Follow Jack on Facebook: http://tinyurl.com/mryr839y
More resources from The Greater Good Science Center:
Take Our Self-Compassion Quiz: https://tinyurl.com/yysrf663
How to Bring Self-Compassion to Work with You: https://tinyurl.com/45zkrkam
The Five Myths of Self-Compassion: https://tinyurl.com/2p88vass
How Gratitude Changes You and Your Brain: http://tinyurl.com/2f78cywf
Is Gratitude Good for Your Health? http://tinyurl.com/yc86ve9d
We love hearing from you! Tell us about your experience of gratitude and self-compassion. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod.
Find us on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/6s39rzus
Help us share Happiness Break! Rate us and copy and share this link: https://tinyurl.com/6s39rzus
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.