The Science of Happiness PRX and Greater Good Science Center

When we feel cared for, our cortisol levels drop, we feel safe, and we handle stress better. Dacher leads a meditation to help us focus on the people who make us feel supported.

How to Do This Practice:


Find a comfortable position to start the practice. Focus on taking deep breaths.
Shift your attention to your body, relaxing your jaw, shoulders and face.
Begin to think about a friend who has supported you, or a friend who you feel grateful for.
Reflect on how they have supported you and how that makes you feel. Notice how those feelings manifest within your body. 
Try shifting your attention to family members and/or mentors who have supported you in various ways. 
Complete the practice by acknowledging the ways these individuals have contributed to your life. 


Today’s Happiness Break host:

Dacher Keltner is the host of the 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 UC, 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

More resources from The Greater Good Science Center:

Just One Thing: Feel the Support: https://tinyurl.com/yrfnmwfv

Four Ways Social Support Makes You More Resilient: https://tinyurl.com/2p9zkjpj

Why Your Friends Are More Important Than You Think: https://tinyurl.com/mw2mr5p7

How Friends Help You Regulate Your Emotions: https://tinyurl.com/bdetmjt3

We love hearing from you! How do you feel supported by the people in your life? Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod.

Find us on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/2p8kj22u

Help us share Happiness Break! Leave us a 5-star review and copy and share this link: https://tinyurl.com/2p8kj22u

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.

A short break does more than just fuel our bodies, it strengthens our minds. Our overworked guest tries the Swedish practice of 'Fika' – taking short coffee breaks throughout the work day.



Episode summary:

In the United States, we’re taught that it’s a good thing to work more, and work harder. But research shows that overworking isn’t just physically and mentally draining, it can also be deadly. One strategy to manage our work culture? Take more breaks. Our guest this week is Mike Heyliger, a music executive and self-described “workaholic.” He incorporated the Swedish tradition of fika – taking coffee and snack breaks throughout the day – into his own life, and found it not only helped him de-stress, it also shifted his mindset and enabled him to connect with others. Later, we look at the scientific benefits of taking microbreaks and hear from Anna Brones, co-author of Fika: The Art of the Swedish Coffee Break.

Practice:


Actively choose to take a break during your day. Typically, fika breaks happen twice. Once in the morning and once in the mid-afternoon.
Traditionally, fika breaks include a drink, like coffee, and a snack, but this is not required. Often, fika breaks are taken with others.




Today’s guests:

Mike Heyliger is a music executive and the creator of Detoxicity, a podcast on progressive masculinity. 

Learn more about Mike’s Initiative, ‘Mindful Vinyl’: https://mindfulvinyl.org/about/

Listen to Mike’s Podcast, ‘Detoxicity’: https://tinyurl.com/vc72tjn2



Anna Brones is a Swedish-American writer and artist. She produces the newsletter and podcast, Creative Fuel. Anna is also the co-author of Fika: The Art of the Swedish Coffee Break. 

Learn more about Anna and her work: https://www.annabrones.com/about

Listen to the Creative Fuel Podcast: https://www.creativefuelcollective.com/podcast

Read Anna’s book on Fika: https://tinyurl.com/yhdzaj2m



Resources from The Greater Good Science Center:

Five Reasons to Take a Break from Screens: https://tinyurl.com/333tuvax

Why You Should Take More Time Off from Work: https://tinyurl.com/k5brkp46

Tuesday Tip: Take a Break: https://tinyurl.com/5986ste3

How to Avoid Burnout – or a Breakdown: https://tinyurl.com/bddw7cap

Why You Should Take a Relaxing Lunch Break: https://tinyurl.com/2p8axdba



More Resources on Fika:

NYT - In Sweden, the Fika Experience: ​​https://tinyurl.com/54wpw8p5

Insider - A daily habit from Sweden could make you more productive at work: https://tinyurl.com/4exjydrr

TED - Forget the Pecking Order at Work: https://tinyurl.com/yk68dmzy

BBC - The Swedish tradition that can make you happier at work: https://tinyurl.com/yx28x2v8



Have you tried incorporating fika in your life? Tell us how it went. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod.

Help us share The Science of Happiness! Share this episode with a friend: https://tinyurl.com/4uyr2w35

Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap

Indigenous scholar Yuria Celidwen guides us in a meditation to strengthen our sense of belonging and connection to the earth.



This Happiness Break is part of our special series, Climate, Hope & Science. In it, 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. Listen to the rest of the series, which was released in our feed April 22–May 18, 2023.

How to Do This Practice:


Find a comfortable position wherever you are located.
Direct your attention to your feet and the surface below them. Try to cultivate a sense of belonging in that space under your feet.
Let your breath guide your attention back to your feet and upward to your heart and head.
Feel a sense of openness as you welcome the warmth of the sun into your heart.
Acknowledge the transformative power of the earth and your role within it.




Today’s Happiness Break host:

Dr. Yuria Celidwen is an Indigenous scholar whose work focuses on Indigenous contemplative traditions and advocating for the rights of Indigenous peoples and lands. She is a senior fellow at the Othering and Belonging Institute at UC Berkeley and has worked with numerous organizations including the United Nations.

Learn more about Yuria: https://www.yuriacelidwen.com/

Find out more about Yuria’s work at the Othering and Belonging Institute: https://belonging.berkeley.edu/yuria-celidwen



More resources from The Greater Good Science Center:

How Nature Can Make You Kinder, Happier, and More Creative: https://tinyurl.com/d2vzpsaj

What Happens When We Reconnect With Nature: https://tinyurl.com/553xwm47

How to Protect Kids from Nature-Deficit Disorder: https://tinyurl.com/4usewuzj

How Nature Helps Us Heal: https://tinyurl.com/2p93682j

Why is Nature So Good for Your Mental Health? https://tinyurl.com/bdetmjt3

Five Ways to Develop “Ecoliteracy”: https://tinyurl.com/2zuj6smv

Green With Empathy: https://tinyurl.com/42rk4m2m



We love hearing from you! Tell us about your experience with this meditation. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod.

Find us on Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap

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.


The Science of Happiness would like to extend a special thanks to *Eva Frye for their support of this series.*

Walking can increase our sense of connectedness with the earth and motivation to take climate action, which might be an important aspect of your well-being.



This is the third and final 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 another climate-focused Happiness Break on May 18th.

Episode summary:

Musician and activist Diana Gameros tries leaving her car at home and walking instead of drive for three days. We hear what was challenging about her experience, and why in the end, she loved it. Incorporating small climate actions into our daily life can strengthen our relationship with the earth and inspire us to take better care of it. Later, climate scientist Patrick Gonzalez breaks down the actual climate impact of one person choosing not to drive for a day. (It’s more than you’d think.) Finally, we learn how to reimagine our relationship to the environment from Dr. Yuria Celidwen, an expert in Indigenous contemplative practices and sciences, and what we — and the planet — might gain from bridging Western and Indigenous worldviews.

Practice:


Avoid driving for one day out of the week. Instead, walk and take public transportation.
Try to avoid using your phone while getting around. Instead, observe the environment around you and how you engage with it. Notice as much as you can about your neighborhood. Pay attention to how you feel when you walk versus drive.
Think about how you can incorporate other small actions in your daily life to help the planet.




Today’s guests:

Diana Gameros is a musician and social activist. Her music is informed by themes like identity, language, culture and her experience as an immigrant.

Learn more about Diana: https://www.dianagameros.com/

Listen to Diana’s Music: https://open.spotify.com/album/0JdsjnFwzgkr0kPelaODF4

Follow Diana on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dianagameros/

Follow Diana on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dianagamerosmusic/



Patrick Gonzalez is a climate scientist and forest ecologist at UC Berkeley. His work inspired numerous policy changes focused on forestry protections around the world.

Learn more about Patrick and his work: http://www.patrickgonzalez.net/

Follow Patrick on Twitter: https://twitter.com/pgonzaleztweet?lang=en



Dr. Yuria Celidwen is an Indigenous scholar whose work focuses on Indigenous contemplative traditions and advocating for the rights of Indigenous peoples and lands.

Learn more about Yuria and her work:  https://www.yuriacelidwen.com/



More Resources on Climate Action:

Greater Good Mag - Can We Have More Productive Conversations About Climate Change? https://tinyurl.com/5n95sva3

WHO - Cycling and walking can help reduce physical inactivity and air pollution, save lives and mitigate climate change: https://tinyurl.com/3kzhytf5

TED - When Mother Earth Speaks, You Best Listen: https://tinyurl.com/yzmhch34

Time Magazine - In the Face of Climate Change, We Must Act So That We Can Feel Hopeful—Not the Other Way Around: https://tinyurl.com/98bbspap



What climate actions have you incorporated into your life? Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod.

Help us share The Science of Happiness!

Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap

Take ten minutes to renew your connection to the earth through this guided meditation on our interdependence with the ecosystem.

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-chungyalpa

Learn about the Loka Initiative: https://centerhealthyminds.org/programs/loka-initiative

Follow Dekila on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dchungyalpa/?hl=en

Follow Dekila on Twitter: https://twitter.com/dchungyalpa?lang=en

More resources from The Greater Good Science Center:

What Happens When We Reconnect With Nature: https://tinyurl.com/553xwm47

How Nature Helps Us Heal: https://tinyurl.com/2p93682j

Why Is Nature So Good for Your Mental Health? https://tinyurl.com/ycx9ns4p

How Nature Can Make You Kinder, Happier and More Creative: https://tinyurl.com/d2vzpsaj

How Being in Nature Can Spur Personal Growth: https://tinyurl.com/2p822nyj

How Modern Life Became Disconnected from Nature: https://tinyurl.com/bdzzy6pc

Being Around Nature Helps You Love Your Body: https://tinyurl.com/34m7tfre

We love hearing from you! How do you connect with nature? Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod.

Find us on Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap

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.

This Happiness Break is part of our special series, Climate, Hope & Science. In it, 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 another climate-focused Happiness Break on May 18.

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.



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 to increase hopefulness and happiness. Poet and professor Tomá Morín got his first taste of climate anxiety as a kid, when he learned about the hole in the ozone layer, and he still feels the panic over the state of the environment today. Will writing about a past hope that was fulfilled — like the global effort to heal the ozone layer — help him overcome despair and cultivate hope? We hear about Tomás’ experience. Then, the scientist behind the practice explains how she created it and why it works.

Editor’s Note: In this episode, Tomás mentions recycling as a way to care for the environment. But in the last few years, we’ve learned that most things we toss in the recycling bin are never made into something new. If you’d like to learn more, here are a few places to start:
https://tinyurl.com/3y9u2y5w 

https://tinyurl.com/yckstwer 

Today’s Practice:


Find a quiet space and grab paper and something to write with.
Write about something you're currently hopeful for when it comes to climate change. Describe it as if it’s happening now in as much detail as possible. Don’t worry about spelling and grammar.
Next, write about a past hope you’ve held in the past regarding the environment that's been fulfilled and that brings you a sense of gratitude to think about now. Describe what happened, the gratitude you felt, how you and others contributed to it, and what you learned from the experience. If you like, take these prompts one by one. Don’t worry about writing well, just write as much as you can.




Today’s guests:

Tomás Morin is a poet who won an American Poetry Review Honickman First Book Prize for his collection of poems A Larger Country. He’s currently a professor at Rice University.

Check out Tomás’ work: https://www.tomasqmorin.com/About

Read Tomás’ latest book: https://www.nebraskapress.unl.edu/nebraska/9781496226495/ 

Follow Tomas on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tomasqmorin/ 



Charlotte Van Oyen-Witvliet is a clinical psychologist who teaches at Hope College in Holland, Michigan.



Resources from The Greater Good Science Center:

How Hope Can Keep You Happier and Healthier: https://tinyurl.com/2n9k59xn

How Gratitude Can Help You Through Hard Times: https://tinyurl.com/3b66kh5n 

How to Overcome “Apocalypse Fatigue” Around Climate Change: https://tinyurl.com/yc47ph38 

What to do With Dread and Anxiety Around Climate Change: https://tinyurl.com/3766a6sj 



Tell us about your experience finding hope for the environment. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod.

Help us share The Science of Happiness!

Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap