Feel Better, Live More with Dr Rangan Chatterjee

Dr. Rahul Jandial, a leading neurosurgeon and author, shares powerful insights from his experiences with patients facing terminal illnesses. He discusses the mental preparation rituals he employs before high-pressure surgeries and the breathing techniques that help him navigate stress. Jandial reveals profound lessons on facing mortality, encouraging intentional living and embracing life's uncertainties. He also reflects on the emotional complexities in medicine and the vital connections forged between surgeons and patients, highlighting resilience and growth in adversity.

In this engaging discussion, psychotherapist Philippa Perry, known for her insightful book ‘The Book You Wish Your Parents Had Read’, shares invaluable insights on enhancing parent-child connections. She emphasizes the necessity of authenticity and the importance of downtime for nurturing deeper bonds. The conversation highlights the concept of 'rupture and repair' in relationships, encouraging parents to embrace their mistakes. Perry also stresses the need to understand emotional triggers, promoting a compassionate approach to parenting that values emotional complexity.

In this engaging conversation, Greg McKeown, a writer and speaker known for his best-selling works on essentialism and effortless living, shares fresh perspectives on achieving goals. He challenges the belief that success requires relentless effort, proposing instead that it’s vital to simplify our goals to enhance well-being. They discuss navigating burnout, the joy of transforming mundane tasks, and how mindset shifts can lead to better outcomes. McKeown’s practical strategies inspire listeners to prioritize what truly matters while maintaining balance and gratitude.

In this discussion with Light Watkins, a renowned meditation teacher and author, the transformative power of meditation is unveiled. He reveals how consistent practice significantly reduces stress and enhances overall well-being. Light emphasizes the importance of embracing the 'monkey mind'—our wandering thoughts—during meditation, which can enrich the experience. Moreover, he shares practical tips for making meditation an enjoyable daily habit, ultimately fostering a more positive relationship with emotions and thoughts.

Gretchen Rubin, bestselling author and host of the Happier podcast, explores the intricacies of happiness and human nature. She discusses how happiness varies based on context and emphasizes that it's often intertwined with meaningful decisions rather than just feeling good. Rubin shares powerful strategies for self-discovery and personal growth and introduces her Four Tendencies framework, which helps decode personality types and improve relationships. Listeners gain insights into nurturing their passions and guiding children toward fulfilling paths.

Tara Swart, a neuroscientist and executive coach, shares insights on how to take control of your life by training your brain. She emphasizes the transformative power of gratitude and journaling as tools for personal empowerment. Swart explores the deep connection between mind and body, discussing how lifestyle choices like sleep and diet impact mental clarity. She advocates for conscious decision-making, urging listeners to choose abundance over fear. Small adjustments, she notes, can lead to significant improvements in mental well-being.

Join Professor Marc Brackett, the founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, as he dives into the transformative power of emotional literacy. He underscores how our emotions shape creativity, decision-making, and relationships. Discover the RULER approach, a groundbreaking method for understanding and regulating feelings. Marc emphasizes the importance of emotional awareness, especially in parenting, and shares insights on enhancing emotional expression in challenging times. Learn how to foster deeper connections through empathy and understanding!

Meik Wiking, Founder and CEO of the Happiness Research Institute, shares insights from his global quest to uncover what makes people happy. He discusses how universal perceptions of happiness reveal common threads across cultures. Wiking highlights six key factors influencing happiness, including GDP and social support, and emphasizes the importance of community and meaningful activities, particularly in Scandinavian countries. His findings remind us that joy often stems from connection and purpose in our lives.

David Bradford and Carole Robin, renowned for their 45 and 25 years of teaching interpersonal skills at Stanford, share insights from their book on building exceptional relationships. They discuss the crucial concept of being 'over the net' in communications, emphasizing personal ownership of feelings. The duo highlights the risks of silence in relationships and shares their own journey through conflict. Listeners learn about the transformative power of open conversations and how authenticity can enhance both personal well-being and interpersonal connections.

Johann Hari, a journalist and author renowned for his exploration of depression and anxiety, shares insights from his extensive global journey. He recounts a touching story from Kotti, a council estate in Berlin, where residents bonded over shared struggles, uniting to support a neighbor facing eviction. This unlikely community showcases the profound impact of connection, illustrating how these relationships can alleviate feelings of isolation and be more effective than traditional interventions in times of crisis.