A Slight Change of Plans

Pushkin
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A Slight Change of Plans

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You can follow the show at @DrMayaShankar on Instagram. Apple Podcasts’ Best Show of the Year 2021 Editor's Note: Maya Shankar blends compassionate storytelling with the science of human behavior to help us understand who we are and who we become in the face of a big change. Maya is no stranger to change. “My whole childhood revolved around the violin, but that changed in a moment when I injured my hand playing a single note,” says Shankar, who was studying under Itzhak Perlman at the Juilliard School at the time. “I was forced to try and figure out who I was, and who I could be, without the violin." Maya soon discovered a new path in the field of cognitive science, where she earned her PhD as a Rhodes Scholar studying how and why we change. Her insights into human behavior ultimately led her to create A Slight Change of Plans—Apple Podcasts’ Best Show of the Year in 2021. You’ll hear intimate conversations with people like Tiffany Haddish, Kacey Musgraves, and Riz Ahmed, as well as real-life inspirations, like John Elder Robison, who undergoes experimental brain stimulation to deepen his emotional intelligence, Daryl Davis, a Black jazz musician who inspires hundreds of KKK members to leave the Klan, and Shankar herself, who had her own “slight change of plans” earlier this year. The show also explores the science of change with experts like Adam Grant and Angela Duckworth. "What I love most about this show is that the content is evergreen," says Shankar. "You can listen to episodes in any order and at any time."

  1. 3 DAYS AGO

    Rethinking Ambition

    For many years, writer Jennifer Romolini prided herself on her work ethic. She climbed to the top of every corporate ladder and worked 60 hours or more every week. But after an unexpected health crisis, Jennifer realized her ambition had turned toxic. Maya and Jennifer discuss the perils of aiming for a one-size-fits-all version of success and the benefits of redefining ambition for yourself.  For more about Jennifer, check out her memoir, "Ambition Monster." You can follow Maya @DrMayaShankar on Instagram. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    35 min

  2. 11 NOV

    The Story of a Smile

    Soon after giving birth, writer Sarah Ruhl developed a severe case of facial paralysis. The left side of her face drooped, she couldn’t blink or raise her eyebrows, and she could no longer smile. Sarah shares what it was like to lose her smile and how her relationship to her face, and with her loved ones, has changed over the years.  You can follow Maya @DrMayaShankar on Instagram. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    29 min

  3. 30 OCT · BONUS

    Maya’s Slight Change of Plans, Revisited

    A few years ago, Maya experienced a heartbreaking change in her personal life, while on her way to trying to become a mom. Two days after it happened, she felt the need to process it out loud, like so many of her guests have done on her show. In this episode, Maya asked her producer, Tyler, to interview her about her own “Slight Change of Plans.” You can follow Maya @DrMayaShankar on Instagram. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    38 min

  4. 30 SEPT · BONUS

    A Rock Climber's Brush with Death

    Tommy Caldwell’s near-death experience unlocks a completely new state of mind that propels him to become a record-setting big wall climber. We'll be back with new episodes in your feed later this fall, but in the meantime, enjoy Maya's conversation with Tommy Caldwell, one of our favorite episodes from the archives. Connect with Maya on instagram @DrMayaShankar. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    39 min
  5. Cynicism is Exhausting. There’s an Alternative.

    4 SEPT

    Cynicism is Exhausting. There’s an Alternative.

    Psychologist Jamil Zaki studies the science of human connection and he believes cynicism is holding us back. Cynicism isn't just harmful for our health, he says, it’s also misguided. He talks to Maya about a powerful, alternative mindset that can help: what he calls “hopeful skepticism.” For more on hopeful skepticism, check out Jamil Zaki’s book “Hope for Cynics: The Surprising Science of Human Goodness.”  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    37 min

  6. 26 AUG · BONUS

    The Grief of Empty Nesting with Kelly Corrigan

    Sometimes, even when things go precisely as you hoped they would, change hurts. Writer Kelly Corrigan talks to Maya about wrestling with the reality that her daughters' childhood was ending, and that her role as their parent had to transition, too. In this conversation from the archives, Maya and Kelly reckon with the question of what parents and children owe each other. For more on Kelly, check out her podcast, "Kelly Corrigan Wonders" and her PBS show, "Tell Me More."  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    46 min

  7. 19 AUG · BONUS

    Olympian Gabby Thomas On Choosing Happiness

    U.S. track star Gabby Thomas recently won three gold medals at the Paris Olympics. To celebrate, we’re sharing Maya’s conversation with Gabby that took place shortly after the athlete’s Olympic debut in Tokyo. Gabby explains why her relationship with running isn’t as straightforward as you might think, and how competing interests have continually led her to question whether running is the path she wants to pursue. Connect with Maya on instagram @DrMayaShankar. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    35 min
  8. Part 2: A Million Little Losses

    5 AUG

    Part 2: A Million Little Losses

    Just a few days after Kelsie first talked with Maya for the podcast, Kelsie's husband, Chris, was rushed to the hospital after he didn’t wake up from a nap. He died a few days later, as a result of complications from ALS. Eight months later, Kelsie reached out to say she wanted to share what life has been like for her since then, as she handles a new phase of mourning—what she calls “quiet grief.” To hear more from Kelsey, check out her podcast, “Sorry, I’m Sad.” If you want to hear more experiences of caregiving, you might also enjoy our episode, “I Gave Up Asking 'Why Me'?” Connect with Maya on instagram @DrMayaShankar. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    25 min
See All (134)

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About

You can follow the show at @DrMayaShankar on Instagram. Apple Podcasts’ Best Show of the Year 2021 Editor's Note: Maya Shankar blends compassionate storytelling with the science of human behavior to help us understand who we are and who we become in the face of a big change. Maya is no stranger to change. “My whole childhood revolved around the violin, but that changed in a moment when I injured my hand playing a single note,” says Shankar, who was studying under Itzhak Perlman at the Juilliard School at the time. “I was forced to try and figure out who I was, and who I could be, without the violin." Maya soon discovered a new path in the field of cognitive science, where she earned her PhD as a Rhodes Scholar studying how and why we change. Her insights into human behavior ultimately led her to create A Slight Change of Plans—Apple Podcasts’ Best Show of the Year in 2021. You’ll hear intimate conversations with people like Tiffany Haddish, Kacey Musgraves, and Riz Ahmed, as well as real-life inspirations, like John Elder Robison, who undergoes experimental brain stimulation to deepen his emotional intelligence, Daryl Davis, a Black jazz musician who inspires hundreds of KKK members to leave the Klan, and Shankar herself, who had her own “slight change of plans” earlier this year. The show also explores the science of change with experts like Adam Grant and Angela Duckworth. "What I love most about this show is that the content is evergreen," says Shankar. "You can listen to episodes in any order and at any time."

Information

  • Channel
    Pushkin
  • Creator
    Pushkin Industries
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2024
  • Episodes
    134
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    2024 iHeartMedia, Inc. © Any use of this intellectual property for text and data mining or computational analysis including as training material for artificial intelligence systems is strictly prohibited without express written consent from iHeartMedia
  • Show Website
    A Slight Change of Plans
  • Provider
    Pushkin Industries Inc.

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