The Science of Happiness

Tómate un momento para conectarte con esta meditación que ayuda a tomar conciencia de la relación entre nosotros y la tierra. Enlace a la transcripción: https://tinyurl.com/umu6wx33 We also have this meditation in English — It's on our podcast feed wherever you're listening right now.

An ER doctor reflects on the 7 Elements of Respect practice and developing meaningful connections with patients. The importance of empathy, humility, and introspection in doctor-patient interactions. Exploring the significance of respect, intention, and prioritization in building relationships. The positive impact of treating people with respect and understanding systems. The challenges of humility and self-reflection in understanding societal problems and building strong relationships.

Explore the concept of moral beauty and its impact on purpose, happiness, and relationships. Reflect on someone who inspires you and their moral beauty. Find ways to incorporate moral beauty into everyday life and align actions with values and purpose.

Rapper Rexx Life Raj shares his grief through his latest album, connecting with fans who are also struggling. The relationship between vulnerability and compassion is explored, emphasizing the importance of cultivating compassion in our relationships. A compassion meditation practice is introduced, along with the concept of sharing experiences and being authentic to foster compassion.

Guest Dacher Keltner, Professor of Psychology, discusses the practice of contemplating the impermanence of loved ones and how it provides perspective and appreciation. A meditation exercise guides listeners to visualize the life cycle of a loved one, highlighting the poignancy and appreciation that can come from recognizing impermanence.

Comedian Josh Johnson discusses finding humor in everyday life and integrating comedy into personal experiences. The role of humor in overcoming creative blocks and the benefits of humor and mindfulness in enhancing creativity are explored. A psychologist reveals the relationship between humor and mindfulness, and how mindfulness training can enhance a sense of humor.

Relieve stress, boost self-esteem, and increase focus through a simple body music practice. And do it with a friend to feel more compassion and a hit of oxytocin. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/yc8aer74 How to Do This Practice: Try using these movements to create various rhythmic combinations with your body: One: Clap your hands, slightly cupping with each clapping instead of hitting your full palms together. Two: Tap your right hand to your left chest. Three: Tap your left hand to tap your right chest. Four: Tap your right thigh with your right hand. Five: Tap your left thigh with your left hand. Then loop back to the top. Today’s Happiness Break host: Keith Terry is a percussionist and body musician who uses a variety of surfaces to create interesting rhythms. Learn more about Keith Terry: https://tinyurl.com/5av66v5f Watch Keith Terry in action: https://tinyurl.com/299vuw4a More resources from The Greater Good Science Center: The Science of Synchronized Movement (The Science of Happiness Podcast): https://tinyurl.com/mrys53k4 Five Ways Music Can Make You Healthier: https://tinyurl.com/4ckbtc2e How Music Helps Us Be More Creative: https://tinyurl.com/4mj6vs44 Wired for Music: https://tinyurl.com/ye2xkjxz Four Ways Music Strengthens Social Bonds: https://tinyurl.com/y257y25p How was your experience creating body music? Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod. Find us on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/2cyp46rp Help us share Happiness Break! Rate us and copy and share this link: https://tinyurl.com/2cyp46rp 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.

Just 20 minutes of improv theater can foster creativity and confidence, and help with anxiety, depression, and your ability to tolerate uncertainty. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/4t9rjj58 Episode summary: Deema Altaher was never one for the spotlight. So when her husband signed them up for improv classes, she had no idea what to expect. And yet after one class, Deema was hooked. From active listening games to “yes, and” prompts, she found that improv exercises shifted the way she connected with other people, and eased her nerves as she navigated all the uncomfortable parts of starting a new job. She was also inspired to “say yes” to new life opportunities. In fact, an emerging science shows that improv can benefit many people in terms of fostering greater comfort with new situations, inspiring creativity, lifting your mood, and even easing anxiety and depression. Professor Peter Felsman is a social scientist and improviser himself who has tested this spontaneous style of theater in the lab. Felsman explains how improv might cause these improvements, and others, like lessening social anxiety in children. Try Improv On Your Own: 11 Easy Improv Games for Beginners - https://tinyurl.com/24xrre2y Today’s guests: Deema Altaher is an engineer who recently moved back to the United States from the United Arab Emirates. Peter Felsman is a professor of social work at Northern Michigan University who specializes in the intersection between mindfulness, psychology and the arts. Learn more about Peter Felsman’s work: https://tinyurl.com/5h47wsxs Resources from The Greater Good Science Center: Seven Ways to Cope with Uncertainty: https://tinyurl.com/4zh3m36e Embracing Discomfort Can Help You Grow: https://tinyurl.com/5ftvvce3 The Power of Performance: https://tinyurl.com/3mc78yzb What Mel Brooks Can Teach Us about “Group Flow”: https://tinyurl.com/2rxmrzhn More Resources on Improv NPR - The rules of improv can make you funnier. They can also make you more confident: https://tinyurl.com/2wvpk53j Harvard Gazette - For more than just laughs: https://tinyurl.com/2zzxacpu TED - How Improv Comedy Improves Mental Health: https://tinyurl.com/5a8vpt67 What helps you destress and cope with big changes? 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/wnfb99cy

Mindful breathing exercises are a simple, effective, and fast way to shift our mindset and improve physical and mental well-being when practiced regularly. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/mpt4rr5x How to Do This Practice: Find a comfortable position to start the practice, maintain a good posture and close your eyes.  Take a deep breath in for a count of four. Hold that breath, feeling it in your lungs and body for another count of four. Push the air outwards, exhaling for a count of six. Repeat this exercise as many times as you would like. 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: What Focusing on the Breath Does to Your Brain: https://tinyurl.com/3u8h53pw Is the Way You Breathe Making You Anxious?: https://tinyurl.com/mryr2jup A Five-Minute Breathing Exercise for Anxiety and Mood: https://tinyurl.com/3ve66u2k How Four Deep Breaths Can Help Kids Calm Down: https://tinyurl.com/5xr2sb99 What does mindful breathing do for you? Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod. Find us on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/taub93tp Help us share Happiness Break! Rate us on Spotify and copy and share this link: https://tinyurl.com/taub93tp 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. 

War veteran and country music singer Sal Gonzalez tries the Taoist practice of Wu Wei to improve his relationship with anger. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/yavaw23d Episode summary: For Iraq war veteran Sal Gonzalez, relying on anger had become second nature — and while this emotion was beneficial for him on the battlefield, Sal found it difficult to manage his anger when readjusting to civilian life. For our show Sal tried a 5 step practice of Wu Wei. Rooted in the ancient Chinese philosophy of Taoism, Wu Wei is focused on setting strategic intentions and accepting difficult situations, rather than resisting them. After trying the practice, Sal reflected that he doesn’t have to give up anger entirely, rather, he can be more intentional about choosing when to use it. We later hear from Dr. Doris Chang, the clinical psychologist who developed a 5 step methodology of practicing Wu Wei, to learn more about the impact of acceptance and non-action. Practice: Articulate: Identify your goals and values in life. Self-Assess: Take note of your role and the role of others within a particular situation in order to clearly outline your options. Accept: Begin by recognizing any circumstances of your life that cannot be changed. Instead of resisting or trying to control the situation, try to accept the situation. Action, non-action: Based on your evaluation of the situation, determine whether it is more beneficial to act, or choose not to act. Allow: Give yourself the opportunity to move with the situation, recognizing that it is easier to flow with a situation than against it. Today’s guests: Sal Gonzalez is a country music singer and an Iraq war veteran who was wounded in combat. Listen to Sal’s music: https://salgmusic.com/ Follow Sal on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salgmusic/ Follow Sal on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/officialsalgmusic Doris Chang is a clinical psychologist and professor at NYU. She developed a five step process of Wu Wei. Learn more about Doris and her work: http://dorisfchang.com/about Follow Doris on Twitter: https://twitter.com/dorisfchang/ Resources from The Greater Good Science Center: What You Think About Your Emotions Matters: https://tinyurl.com/9akpm7u6 Just One Thing: Accept Difficulty: https://tinyurl.com/mrknbj8b How to Deal with Feeling Bad About Your Feelings: https://tinyurl.com/2zf7njh4 How to Overcome Destructive Anger: https://tinyurl.com/49zu6whw More Resources for A Good Night’s Sleep Harvard Health - Go with the flow: engagement and concentration are key: https://tinyurl.com/bp66krnw CNBC - A 2,000-year-old Chinese mindset can make you more successful—it ‘takes almost zero effort,’ says psychologist: https://tinyurl.com/mr3n4a8b TED - Wuwei and Flow: https://tinyurl.com/3jmcjp68 Atlantic - How to Not Try: https://tinyurl.com/mr2nwufj Have you tried to accept a difficult emotion 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/mpnacwv7