The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos



With Elmo's Help... It's Never Too Early to Learn About Happiness

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 22 May 2023 04:01

Not matter if you're aged three or 103, you can learn to be happier using pretty much the same strategies. Sesame Workshop and its furry friends have been teaching "emotional ABCs" alongside literacy and numeracy for decades. So in collaboration w

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Can Spiritual Experiences and Psychedelics Make us Happy? (LIVE from DC)

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 15 May 2023 04:01

More than a third of us admit to having had a spiritual experience. We might have been profoundly moved by a sunset or a painting; or felt that we've connected with our god or with the entire world around us. Such events can be transformative - br

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Why We're Mean to Our Future Selves (LIVE from Boston)

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 08 May 2023 04:01

Who do we volunteer to run a gruelling half-marathon? Who do we expect to give up sugar, or quit drinking? Who do we demand clears out the garage in the middle of summer? Ourselves. Mean, right? Turns out we make demands on our futur

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The Man Who Invented Happiness Science: Marty Seligman

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 01 May 2023 04:01

When Marty Seligman started his long scientific career, psychologists concentrated on studying "misery and suffering" and what made people sad. But Marty wanted to discover what made happy people, well, happy. His research laid the foundations of

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Smell, Taste and Touch: How to Joyfully Awaken Your Senses

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 24 Apr 2023 04:01

Happiness expert Gretchen Rubin was warned that her eyesight was in peril. It shocked her into realising she'd taken all of her five senses for granted - and so she resolved to wring every ounce of joy from the sights, sounds, smells, tastes and t

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Sight and Sound: How to Joyfully Awaken Your Senses

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 17 Apr 2023 04:01

Are you seeing what you look at? Or tuning in to the noises all around you? We take our senses for granted - particularly when it comes to the sights and sounds of our everyday lives. Exploring your senses can be a great way to experience more fun

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Do We Need a New Word for 'Happiness'? Katie Couric talks to Dr Laurie Santos

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 10 Apr 2023 04:01

Laurie swaps seats in the studio to be interviewed by none other than Katie Couric. In this episode of Next Question with Katie Couric, Laurie's asked to define happiness; outline the best steps to reach it; and give an honest appraisal o

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Happiness Lessons of The Ancients: Yoga of the Mind

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 20 Mar 2023 05:01

We often think of yoga as a physical exercise - but a centuries-old Sanskrit text, The Yoga Sutras, share teachings intended to improve both the body and mind. The author, Patanjali, makes clear that the poses and stretches are only part

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Happiness Lessons of The Ancients: Socrates and Self-Knowledge

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 20 Feb 2023 05:48

Question everything... that's a key insight from the great Greek philosopher Socrates. We may think we know ourselves and what makes us happy... but that's not always true. Yale professor Tamar Gendler says that by harnessing our "inner So

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The Happiness of Silence

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 30 Jan 2023 05:01

We're surrounded by noise. That "noise" can be actual sounds - but also other annoyances and distractions that make it hard for us to concentrate or think clearly. And it's only getting worse - we're all being bombarded with more sirens, more ping

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Stop Looking for the Perfect Job - a "Good Enough Job" is Just Fine

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 23 Jan 2023 05:01

We can put huge amounts of physical and emotional energy into our jobs - even basing our self-worth on our achievements at work and letting ourselves be defined by what we do. So have our careers taken over too much of our lives? Simone St

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A Daily Workout to Tackle Nagging Self-Criticism

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 16 Jan 2023 05:01

Lots of us hit the gym in January to get fit - but should we also be exercising our minds in preparation for tough times? A daily "self-talk workout" might be just as beneficial as squats and push-ups, says Seattle University psychology professor

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How to Eat Intuitively

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 09 Jan 2023 05:01

Everyone has a view about what you should eat and how much. We're so bombarded with fad diets, fasting plans and nutritional advice that we can bounce from one way of eating to another without stopping to think: "What do I want to eat?" Psy

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How to Eat Intuitively in 2023

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 09 Jan 2023 05:01

Everyone has a view about what you should eat and how much. We're so bombarded with fad diets, fasting plans and nutritional advice that we can bounce from one way of eating to another without stopping to think: "What do I want to eat?" Psy

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From Ten Percent Happier: The Dalai Lama’s Guide to Happiness | Part 1

By Pushkin Industries/Sat, 07 Jan 2023 05:01

Here's a preview of another podcast we love, Ten Percent Happier. Host Dan Harris flies to Dharamsala, India to spend two weeks in the orbit of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. This is the first installmen

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Stop Endlessly Chasing the "Next Big Thing" in 2023

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 02 Jan 2023 05:01

We're often looking into the future... hunting for the "next big thing". That could be an exciting new job or a new relationship. We can get so fixated with these events and the happiness we hope they'll deliver, that we forget to look for joy Listen/Read More

Coming Jan 2: Let Your Inner Voice be Heard in 2023

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 19 Dec 2022 05:01

At the start of a new year there are plenty of voices telling us to get fit; go on a diet; or supercharge our careers. This advice might be well-intentioned, but it can also be DEAFENING!!! In 2023, try listening to a voic

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Giving Tuesday: Why Giving Money to Others Makes us Happier

By Pushkin Industries/Tue, 29 Nov 2022 05:01

Money can buy you happiness - but not in the way we think. Giving money away - especially to help others - has been shown make us happier than spending on ourselves. Social psychologist Lara Aknin explains the best ways to

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Happier Parents, Happier Kids Pt 2: Letting Children Try and Fail

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 07 Nov 2022 05:01

It's tempting to tie a child's shoe lace, tidy their rooms or help with their science projects - to see that these tasks are done right - but parents are depriving their kids of the valuable experience of falling, failing, and Listen/Read More

Happier Parents, Happier Kids Pt 1: Your Child Isn't a VIP or a Fragile Vase

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 31 Oct 2022 04:01

Rosy had a packed schedule of lunches, meet-ups and activities - and she was only three. Mom Michaeleen Doucleff felt she couldn't waste a second of her daughter's time. Rosy needed to be constantly lectured and stimulated if she was goi

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Hulking Out! Why You Change When You're Angry

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 24 Oct 2022 04:01

When mild-mannered David Banner gets mad he transforms into the raging Incredible Hulk. Dr Laurie Santos loves this comic book tale - because it reflects real life. Intense things like anger, pain, even hunger, can cause us to act in extreme ways

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You Only Live Once... So Commit

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 17 Oct 2022 04:01

YOLO seems like the perfect rock 'n' roll philosophy. You only live once... so do whatever seems right in the moment. Be spontaneous. Quit your job; find a new person to date; and always, always keep your options open. We all fe

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The Fun of Eating a Pepper Hotter Than the Sun

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 10 Oct 2022 04:01

There is nothing hotter than Puckerbutt Farm’s Carolina Reaper Hot Sauce... and author Leigh Cowart gargles it for FUN!!! Why do we sometimes get a happiness high from painful and scary things? And what if we want to experience the fun of discomfo

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From Revisionist History: The Starvation Experiment

By Pushkin Industries/Thu, 06 Oct 2022 04:01

We’re sharing a bonus episode from another Pushkin podcast, Revisionist History. Revisionist History is Malcolm Gladwell’s podcast about things misunderstood and overlooked. This season, Malcolm’s obsessed with experiments – natural experiments, s

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Why Living Without Regret is a Bad Idea

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 03 Oct 2022 04:01

Regret sucks. Thinking back on things we should have done, or should never have done, can make us feel bad. But #noregrets isn't a philosophy for a happy and healthy life. Regrets can be a great guide and can help us li

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The Handbook for Sonic Happiness - A Twenty Thousand Hertz/Happiness Lab Mash-up

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 26 Sep 2022 04:01

Some sounds bring happy memories flooding back. Other sounds put us on edge; drive us to distraction; or cause us considerable distress. Sound matters... so why don't we pay more attention to our sonic environment? In a mash-up with our f

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Move to Your Happy Place

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 19 Sep 2022 04:01

People who live in some places are happier than others. But if you move to a happy country, happy city or happy district, will it make you feel better? And what can do if you can't uproot from your current home, can you make sad spaces happier? <

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From The Loudest Girl in the World: Life as a Newly Diagnosed Autistic Person

By Pushkin Industries/Thu, 15 Sep 2022 07:00

Here's a preview from a new Pushkin podcast, The Loudest Girl in the World. For years, journalist and podcast host Lauren Ober wasn’t all that jazzed about herself. She was always getting in trouble, she had a lot of sensory issues and her anxiety

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Nerd Out! The Happiness of Being a Fan

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 12 Sep 2022 04:01

Really love a TV show; a boyband; a sci fi movie; or a celebrity? We're often too embarrassed to admit adoring some things for fear that we'll be seen as frivolous or childish - but we may be missing out on the happiness benefits that geeking out

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The Secret to Making Friends as an Adult

By Pushkin Industries/Tue, 06 Sep 2022 04:01

Loneliness is a far more common and far more serious problem than we think. It affects one in five Americans, and takes a toll on our bodies and minds. To thrive we need to several types of social interactions - both casual and more intimate. Listen/Read More

The Joy of Star Trek, The Grateful Dead and Hot Sauce: The Happiness Lab Returns September 6

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 22 Aug 2022 04:01

Happiness can be found in unusual places. Dr Laurie Santos returns with a new season that takes us to the fun frontiers of fandom with Star Trek's Wesley Crusher; to the world's happiest country in the depths of winter; and inside the ranch that i

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Q: "What Did the Pandemic Teach Us About Happiness?"

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 01 Aug 2022 04:01

Covid brought disruption and despair... but it also caused many of us to think about our lives and what is most important to us. Listener Dr Amy Comander, Director of Lifestyle Medicine at the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, wants to

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Q: "How Do I Stop Negative Self-talk?"

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 25 Jul 2022 04:01

It can speak to us in the middle of a work project, the middle of a date, or the middle of the night. The critical voice in our head telling us we're just not good enough and we're headed for failure. Listener Patricia Branigan wrote in to ask wha

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Q: "Can You Be Happy Alone?"

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 18 Jul 2022 04:01

Since Covid hit, many of us have seen fewer people and experienced more loneliness. Listener Ivana Cole wants to know what we can do to reconnect and asks, if we can't reconnect: "Can we be happy alone?" Dr Laurie Santos looks at social co

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Malala on Burnout, Guilt and How to Disagree Better

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 11 Jul 2022 04:01

Nobel Peace Prize winners feel burnout too. Malala Yousafzai - who survived an assassination attempted by the Taliban - works tirelessly so that more women and girls can access education. But she often feels guilty at taking time off, but knows sh

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Q: "Are We Born to Work? Or Born to Live?"

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 11 Jul 2022 04:01

Listener Niki Walker has a question... in our busy, career-driven, money-oriented live, are we forgetting to make time for more important things? In our first episode fielding questions from fans of The Happiness Lab, Dr Laurie Santos look

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Laurie Answers Your Happiness Questions - Coming July 11

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 04 Jul 2022 04:01

What would you ask a wellbeing expert? Dr Laurie Santos is back with a special season of The Happiness Lab fielding listener questions about work, relationships and getting back out into the world after Covid. She'll be joined by fellow scientists

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Relax and Win from Legacy of Speed

By Pushkin Industries/Tue, 14 Jun 2022 07:00

Sharing a new Pushkin show, Legacy of Speed. When two Black sprinters raised their fists in protest at the 1968 Olympic Games, it shook the world. More than 50 years later, the ripple effects of their activism are still felt. Host Malcolm Gladwel

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Social Media and our Brains with CNN’s Chasing Life

By Pushkin Industries/Thu, 12 May 2022 04:01

Is social media bad for our brains? asks Dr. Sanjay Gupta of CNNs Chasing Life. Dr. Gupta, CNNs Chief Medical Correspondent talks about social media and how, while it can be a place for community and entertainment, it c

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Well-Read Black Girl: Finding Connection Through Community

By Pushkin Industries/Tue, 01 Mar 2022 05:00

Sharing a special preview of Pushkin's newest show, Well-Read Black Girl. Glory Edim started a book club called Well-Read Black Girl in 2015, and since then it's exploded into a passionate, worldwide reading community. She aims to amplify the

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Burnout and How to Avoid It

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 21 Feb 2022 05:01

If you dread getting out of bed in the morning; if you are bad tempered with co-workers, clients or customers; if you leave work feeling an exhaustion that goes way beyond tiredness... it could be that you're burned out. Jonathan Malesic fe

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Fighting that "Meh" Feeling of Languishing

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 14 Feb 2022 05:01

Psychologist and writer Adam Grant used every second of his day to the fullest... until he was struck by feelings of emptiness and stagnation. His sleep patterns changed, his productivity dipped, he found himself breaking his own rules by aimlessl

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When Guilt is Good... and When it's Not

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 07 Feb 2022 05:01

If you've done something wrong, feelings of guilt can prompt us to apologise, make amends and change our ways. But many of us also feel guilty with little cause. We may think we're bad parents, lazy or incompetent workers, or unreliable partners -

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Embracing Sadness in the Pursuit of Happiness

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 31 Jan 2022 05:01

We react to sadness in a variety of unhelpful ways. We try to suppress it. We experience guilt over it and apologise to the people around us for feeling it. We assume it means we've failed. We even fear it.But sadness will touch us all - an

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How to be Angry Better

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 24 Jan 2022 05:01

Anger is a powerful signal that you or someone you value is in danger. But in our normal lives the sensations of rage we experience are false alarms - we aren't in real peril and we don't need to resort to extreme survival behaviors, such as viole

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Stepping Off the Path of Anxiety

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 17 Jan 2022 05:01

Many of the most painful or troubling emotions we experience are reactions to events that have actually happened - but one powerful and sometimes paralyzing feeling can be provoked by things as yet to occur. Say hello to anxiety.Psychothera

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The Eight Pillars of Grieving

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 10 Jan 2022 05:01

Grief is a simple enough word, but the emotional journey it describes is chaotic, messy and unique to each person. Psychotherapist and bereavement expert Julia Samuel (www.grief-works.app) joins D

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The Paradox of Grief

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 10 Jan 2022 05:01

Most of us don't like to think about death - and when we experience a bereavement we're often not prepared for the pain or willing to confront all the feelings grief can bring. Psychotherapist Julia Samuel says the paradox of grief is that we need

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Emotions Are Data...So Listen to Them

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 03 Jan 2022 05:01

Uncomfortable emotions such as anger, guilt or loneliness are like the guiding beam of a lighthouse - they warn you of dangers ahead and help you navigate a meaningful life more effectively.Harvard Medical School psychologist Susan David te

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How to Identify Your Negative Emotions

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 03 Jan 2022 05:01

We need to pay attention to our negative feelings - since they are telling us important things which we should address if we are to be happier in 2022. But often we just can't tell different emotions apart or have the proper words to describe what

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Reset Your Relationship With Negative Emotions in 2022

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 20 Dec 2021 05:01

The Happiness Lab returns on Jan 3 to help you take a fresh, new year look at the emotions that make us sad, angry or uncomfortable. We often either ignore these feelings, or wallow in them. Neither strategy will improve our happiness and wellbein

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How to Give More Effectively

By Pushkin Industries/Tue, 30 Nov 2021 05:01

We all want to do good - and doing good can make us feel good - but we often don't make the most effective choices when we do things like donate money to charity.To mark #GiveTuesday, Harvard psychologist Joshua Green explains why we tend t

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How to Adopt a Growth Mindset

By Pushkin Industries/Tue, 23 Nov 2021 05:00

If we decide that we can't get better at things, or that our ideas and personality traits are fixed... then we hinder our ability to change and improve in enjoyable and fulfilling ways. But by challenging ourselves to be more hopeful about our pro

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The Happiness Lab Presents: Miracle and Wonder: Conversations with Paul Simon

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 22 Nov 2021 10:00

Presenting: An Excerpt from Miracle And Wonder: Conversations With Paul Simon by Malcolm Gladwell and Bruce Headlam. Download the audiobook today at Listen/Read More

How to be Happier at Work (with Dan Harris)

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 08 Nov 2021 05:01

Dan Harris was working seven days a week - and knew something had to give. He reluctantly left his ABC News job to concentrate on the Ten Percent Happier podcast.To mark his career move, Dan and Dr

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How to Feel More Empathy (With the Host of Bad Women: The Ripper Retold)

By Pushkin Industries/Tue, 02 Nov 2021 04:05

When bad things happen to people - illness, accident or crime - our brains fool us into believing the victims must have done something to deserve their fate. This deep-seated bias is wrong though - and we should try to show more empathy for our ow

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An 80s nostalgia-fest with Molly Ringwald and Rob Lowe

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 25 Oct 2021 16:07

Our recent episode about happiness and nostalgia prompted a lot of listener feedback. Since people seemed to really enjoy our chat with 80s star Rob Lowe, we thought it would be fun to bring you an appropriate episode of Listen/Read More

Laurie Gets a Fun-tervention (Part Two: Beach Party)

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 11 Oct 2021 04:05

Dr Laurie Santos doesn't have so much fun these days - which is really bad for her health and wellbeing. So Catherine Price (author of The Power of Fun: How to Feel Alive Again<

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Laurie Gets a Fun-tervention (Part One)

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 27 Sep 2021 04:05

Peter Pan was her childhood hero, but Dr Laurie Santos woke up one day and realised she'd broken the cardinal rule of Neverland - she'd grown up and stopped having fun.Research suggests that goofing off and enjoying yourself is vitally impo

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BONUS: How to Handle Change

By Pushkin Industries/Wed, 22 Sep 2021 11:24

Change is the only certainty in life. We may desperately want to change ourselves and our surroundings, or we may fear the disruption and distress some changes bring. Dr Laurie Santos talks to change expert Dr Maya Shankar (host of Listen/Read More

How to Handle Change

By Pushkin Industries/Wed, 22 Sep 2021 11:24

Change is the only certainty in life. We may desperately want to change ourselves and our surroundings, or we may fear the disruption and distress some changes bring. Dr Laurie Santos talks to change expert Dr Maya Shankar (host of Listen/Read More

The Kindness of Strangers

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 20 Sep 2021 04:05

When Kitty Genovese was murdered, her family and the wider world was told that bystanders watched, but did nothing to intervene. Psychologists tried to explain this callous inaction with a popular theory - the "bystander effect".Dr Laurie S

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You Can’t Always Want What You Like

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 13 Sep 2021 04:05

We might love gruelling hikes, trips to see far-flung relatives or super hard crossword puzzles, but often we lack the motivation needed to embark on these fun things. How can that be? They make us happy, right?Dr Laurie Santos explores why

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Let Slip the Dogs of More Happiness

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 06 Sep 2021 04:05

Companion pets - especially dogs - are credited with making our lives richer and more fun, but does the science back up this belief? Dr Laurie Santos breaks down what it is dogs can do to make us happier - and what behaviours we can adopt to exper

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Boldly Go Like Yuri Gagarin

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 30 Aug 2021 04:05

Space crews, athletes and pop stars all indulge in strange rituals before moments of high stress. It's easy to mock these behaviours - indeed even the people who practise them often admit they're a bit weird - but they can act like performance enh

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Treating the Pain of a Broken Heart

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 23 Aug 2021 04:05

Being shunned by a lover, a school or an employer hurts - but we're only just beginning to understand how real this pain is and what steps we can take to administer a bit of emotional first aid to stop the experience scarring us for good.Dr

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Why Nostalgia Ain't So Rosy

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 16 Aug 2021 04:05

Actor Rob Lowe LOVES the 1980s. And who can blame him? He was one of the most famous men on the planet. But, as he tells Dr Laurie Santos, he's careful not to wallow in nostalgia for the music, fashions and events of his youth too much - and happi

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The Happiness Lab Meets No Stupid Questions

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 09 Aug 2021 04:05

There are no stupid questions when it comes to discussing happiness - so Dr Laurie Santos has joined forces with fellow psychologist Angela Duckworth (host of the No Stupid Questions podcast from Freakonomics Radio) for a special crossover episode

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A Slight Change of Plans

By Pushkin Industries/Thu, 20 May 2021 04:05

Dr Maya Shankar studies how our minds work and how we change. She joins Dr Laurie Santos to discuss how her own life plans were derailed at 15 and the journey that finally brought her to start a new podcast, A Slight Change of Plans.<

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Hidden Brain: Laurie Talks Monkeys and Bad Money Decisions.

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 10 May 2021 04:05

Hidden Brain is a weekly podcast hosted by Shankar Vedantam. It's a show about science and human behaviour we think you'll enjoy. Dr Laurie Santos was a guest on the show - so we thought you'd appreciate a chance to hear her tell Shankar all about

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Happiness Lessons of The Ancients: Lao Tzu

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 03 May 2021 04:05

The challenges of life often cause us to work frantically to overcome our difficulties - but the Chinese thinker Lao Tzu recommended that instead we should emulate the slow, steady, yet powerful flow of a river.Solala Towler has studied and

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Happiness Lessons of The Ancients: Confucius

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 26 Apr 2021 04:05

The Covid pandemic has robbed us of many rituals and ceremonies we took for granted - from simple handshakes to elaborate graduation ceremonies. Their loss is important - rituals contribute to our happiness in so many ways. Something the ancient C

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Happiness Lessons of The Ancients: Forgiveness

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 19 Apr 2021 04:05

Miroslav Volf teaches at Yale Divinity School - and is celebrated for his work on reconciliation and forgiveness. But book learning alone does not explain this focus.Miroslav’s brother was killed in a childhood accident, and the Volf family

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Move More... But for the Right Reasons

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 25 Jan 2021 05:05

Moving more is great for your happiness - but many of us decide to exercise because we're unhappy with our bodies and long to change them. What should be fun and life-enhancing often becomes saturated with self-loathing.Jessamyn Stanley ide

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Feed Yourself Like You'd Feed a Loved One

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 18 Jan 2021 05:05

Diets and "healthy" eating fads are a January fixture - but few of us stick to these harsh regimes. And when the dieting ends, we often go back to the "bad" foods we craved during our fasting.Psychotherapist Andrea Wachter says this dieting

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Reconnect With The Moment

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 11 Jan 2021 05:05

Psychologist and meditation teacher Tara Brach felt too stressed and busy to spend time with her elderly mother - until she had a lightning moment of realisation. Why couldn't she enjoy living in the moment with her beloved parent? What fears and

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Dump Your Inner Drill Sergeant

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 04 Jan 2021 05:05

We often start a new year hoping to make big changes in how we look, feel or act. This can involve a lot of self-criticism and adopting things like tough diets and brutal exercise regimes. But being hard on ourselves doesn't deliver results.Listen/Read More

Happier Holidays: How to Celebrate No Matter What

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 14 Dec 2020 05:05

A lot of the festive events and traditions we look forward to each year will be very different in 2020. Gatherings might be smaller than we'd like... or cancelled altogether. Family tensions might be heightened too. But Dr Laurie Santos has gather

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Happier Holidays: How to Give and Receive the Perfect Gift

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 07 Dec 2020 05:05

Exchanging holiday gifts is supposed to be joyful... but for many of us it is a source of stress, anxiety and hurt feelings. To transform the way you think about the act of giving and receiving presents, Dr Laurie Santos has gathered together the

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Happiness Lessons of The Ancients: The Buddha

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 05 Oct 2020 04:05

The Buddha was born to a royal family... and it shocked him when he found out that no amount of money or power could keep suffering and loss at bay forever. The quest to accept that life brings us pain was key to the development of Buddhism as a m

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Happiness Lessons of The Ancients: Epictetus

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 28 Sep 2020 04:05

Epictetus was born into slavery and beaten until he was lame... but he became one of Ancient Rome's greatest thinkers by accepting every setback as an opportunity to learn and grow.Philosophy professor Bill Irvine joins Dr Laurie Santos to

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Happiness Lessons of The Ancients: Plato

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 21 Sep 2020 04:05

Plato likened us all to charioteers trying to control two wayward horses. The steeds represent the competing wants and desires that constantly pull us off course and away from a happier life.Yale professor Tamar Gendler joins Dr Laurie Sant

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Happiness Lessons of The Ancients: Aristotle

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 14 Sep 2020 04:05

He gave us biology, physics and drama... but Greek philosopher Aristotle also thought deeply about how humans can flourish and live happy lives of virtue.Yale professor Tamar Gendler tells Dr Laurie Santos about Aristotle's wellbeing insigh

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How to Be a Better Ally

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 29 Jun 2020 04:05

You might detest bigotry and injustice, but have you done anything to address these problems? There are many reasons we stay silent and inactive when we know we should intervene to defend the rights of others. We look at the psychology underpinnin

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The War For Kindness

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 22 Jun 2020 04:05

Feeling you belong to a group can be great - but it also has a darker side, leading us down an unhappy path of hatred and violence towards people with different identities and backgrounds.Dr Laurie Santos talks to Mina Cikara - whose homela

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Demonic Possessions

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 15 Jun 2020 04:05

Cait Flanders went deep into debt so she could buy all the clothes, books and gadgets she thought would make her happier. It was only when she junked it all that she found that 'doing' rather than 'having' is a better way to spend your salary.

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How to Kick Bad Habits (and Start Good Ones)

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 08 Jun 2020 04:05

We all have bad habits - things we eat, drink, do or say that cause us unhappiness. We repeat these behaviours over and over again - almost as if we are on autopilot. But we can break free from them, and use the mechanics of habit formation to mak

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Dial D for Distracted

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 01 Jun 2020 04:05

The world is full of people and things that can make you happy, but you have to notice them to get the full effect. Smartphones are technological marvels, but the hold they have over our limited attention is causing us to miss out on more than we

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For Whom the Alarm Clock Tolls

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 25 May 2020 04:05

'Time famine' is when you just don't feel you have a spare moment... and it can make you miserable. It's a feeling Dr Laurie Santos knows only too well, so she seeks help from her time affluence hero, Idler a

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Working Your Way to Happiness

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 18 May 2020 04:05

Marty kills rats... but if you asked him what his job is he'd say it was "solving problems" and "helping people". How we view our work can contribute greatly to our daily levels of happiness - far more than money or status.Dr Laurie Santos

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The Power of a Made-up Ritual

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 11 May 2020 04:05

Vlad's mom taught him a family tradition - remember grandpa when you taste the first fruits of the season. It was odd, but the boy went along with it. Only later when he faced two crushing bereavements of his own did Vlad realise the power of tiny

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PJ and Alex Love to Gripe

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 04 May 2020 04:05

Reply All hosts PJ and Alex love to trade gripes. Their complaints about the minor annoyances of modern life make for great audio, but are the podcasters making a classic mistake?We all like to complain - thinking that venting does

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Psychopaths and Superheroes

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 27 Apr 2020 04:05

We talk a lot about psychopaths - but rarely discuss their polar opposites, super altruists. These are people who go to extreme lengths to help others - even though their acts of kindness might cost them time, money or expose them to physical dang

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New Season: The Happiness Lab Returns April 27

By Pushkin Industries/Thu, 23 Apr 2020 04:05

Do you want to be happier? Complain less? Enjoy your work more? Find time for the things that matter to you?Yale's Dr. Laurie Santos has studied the science of happiness and found that many of us do the exact opposite of what will truly mak

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BONUS: Good Screens and Bad Screens

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 20 Apr 2020 15:21

The pandemic has us all glued to our smartphones, tablets, laptops and TVs - they give us important information, vital social contact and much needed distraction. But Catherine Price (founder of Screen/Life

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Good Screens and Bad Screens

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 20 Apr 2020 15:21

The pandemic has us all glued to our smartphones, tablets, laptops and TVs - they give us important information, vital social contact and much needed distraction. But Catherine Price (founder of Screen/Life

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BONUS: Helping the Helpers

By Pushkin Industries/Thu, 16 Apr 2020 16:25

The heaviest burden of Covid-19 has fallen on the shoulders of medical staff, first responders and others who care for the sick and vulnerable. These people are saving lives, while putting their own health and mental wellbeing at risk.Sever

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Helping the Helpers

By Pushkin Industries/Thu, 16 Apr 2020 16:25

The heaviest burden of Covid-19 has fallen on the shoulders of medical staff, first responders and others who care for the sick and vulnerable. These people are saving lives, while putting their own health and mental wellbeing at risk.Sever

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BONUS: Laurie's Personal Tips

By Pushkin Industries/Thu, 09 Apr 2020 04:05

Many people seek Laurie's advice on how to be happier despite this awful pandemic. Prof Katy Milkman invited Laurie to appear on the Choiceology podcast to talk about the things she is doing personally to optimise her happiness amid the fear and s

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Laurie's Personal Tips

By Pushkin Industries/Thu, 09 Apr 2020 04:05

Many people seek Laurie's advice on how to be happier despite this awful pandemic. Prof Katy Milkman invited Laurie to appear on the Choiceology podcast to talk about the things she is doing personally to optimise her happiness amid the fear and s

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BONUS: Keep Your Relationship Healthy

By Pushkin Industries/Thu, 02 Apr 2020 08:25

The health of our romantic relationships is in peril thanks to the many stresses and strains of the pandemic lockdown. Couples might be facing huge emotional and financial challenges at the same time as being tightly confined to their homes. But p

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Keep Your Relationship Healthy

By Pushkin Industries/Thu, 02 Apr 2020 08:25

The health of our romantic relationships is in peril thanks to the many stresses and strains of the pandemic lockdown. Couples might be facing huge emotional and financial challenges at the same time as being tightly confined to their homes. But p

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BONUS: Help Others to Help Yourself

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 30 Mar 2020 17:16

College student Liam Elkind studied happiness in the class taught by Dr Laurie Santos. When the Covid 19 crisis hit, he knew exactly what to do to fight the negative emotions this pandemic arouses in us all - he helped set up a volunteer group cal

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Help Others to Help Yourself

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 30 Mar 2020 17:16

College student Liam Elkind studied happiness in the class taught by Dr Laurie Santos. When the Covid 19 crisis hit, he knew exactly what to do to fight the negative emotions this pandemic arouses in us all - he helped set up a volunteer group cal

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BONUS: Calm Can Be Contagious

By Pushkin Industries/Thu, 26 Mar 2020 15:37

In normal times our minds can be filled with unhelpful thoughts, but during this crisis you might be finding it even harder to calm your anxious internal monologue. Meditation could be helpful.Dan Harris (host of the Ten Percent Happier pod

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Calm Can Be Contagious

By Pushkin Industries/Thu, 26 Mar 2020 15:37

In normal times our minds can be filled with unhelpful thoughts, but during this crisis you might be finding it even harder to calm your anxious internal monologue. Meditation could be helpful.Dan Harris (host of the Ten Percent Happier pod

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BONUS: Rising to a Challenge

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 23 Mar 2020 15:54

We always face problems and setbacks - but the coronavirus has dramatically upended many of our lives in a few short weeks. Allowing sadness, anger or fear to dominate us does little to help. We should instead learn from the Greek Stoics - philoso

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Rising to a Challenge

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 23 Mar 2020 15:54

We always face problems and setbacks - but the coronavirus has dramatically upended many of our lives in a few short weeks. Allowing sadness, anger or fear to dominate us does little to help. We should instead learn from the Greek Stoics - philoso

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BONUS: Coach Yourself Through a Crisis

By Pushkin Industries/Thu, 19 Mar 2020 14:53

We all need to keep a clear head at times of crisis - but that's not always easy. So when strong emotions of fear and anxiety start to cloud your judgement, turn to an effective and reassuring voice of reason... you. Ethan Kross of the University

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Coach Yourself Through a Crisis

By Pushkin Industries/Thu, 19 Mar 2020 14:53

We all need to keep a clear head at times of crisis - but that's not always easy. So when strong emotions of fear and anxiety start to cloud your judgement, turn to an effective and reassuring voice of reason... you. Ethan Kross of the University

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BONUS: Beat Your Isolation Loneliness

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 16 Mar 2020 04:05

Many of us are being advised to stay at home and avoid social contact to help slow the spread of the coronavirus. Human interaction is a vital component of happiness, so Dr Laurie Santos asks Stanford's Professor Jamil Zaki to explain his research

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Beat Your Isolation Loneliness

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 16 Mar 2020 04:05

Many of us are being advised to stay at home and avoid social contact to help slow the spread of the coronavirus. Human interaction is a vital component of happiness, so Dr Laurie Santos asks Stanford's Professor Jamil Zaki to explain his research

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BONUS: Sleep When You're Dead Tired (LIVE with Arianna Huffington)

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 27 Jan 2020 05:05

Business leader Arianna Huffington nearly died because she didn't get enough sleep. She tells Dr Laurie Santos how this wake-up call changed her attitude to getting enough sack time and shares tips on how we can all prepare ourselves mentally and

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Sleep When You're Dead Tired (LIVE with Arianna Huffington)

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 27 Jan 2020 05:05

Business leader Arianna Huffington nearly died because she didn't get enough sleep. She tells Dr Laurie Santos how this wake-up call changed her attitude to getting enough sack time and shares tips on how we can all prepare ourselves mentally and

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BONUS: Think Yourself Happy (LIVE from Yale)

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 20 Jan 2020 05:05

Really concentrating on the emotions and physical sensations you are experiencing right now can make you happier. Join Yale mindfulness expert Dr Hedy Kober as she introduces a live audience to guided meditation. She shares her tips on being mindf

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Think Yourself Happy (LIVE from Yale)

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 20 Jan 2020 05:05

Really concentrating on the emotions and physical sensations you are experiencing right now can make you happier. Join Yale mindfulness expert Dr Hedy Kober as she introduces a live audience to guided meditation. She shares her tips on being mindf

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BONUS: Grateful Expectations

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 13 Jan 2020 05:05

Grit and determination to change your habits can only get you so far... if you want to be happier you have to stop and think about how nice people have been to you and how nice you can be to them in return. This circle of gratitude - the science s

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Grateful Expectations

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 13 Jan 2020 05:05

Grit and determination to change your habits can only get you so far... if you want to be happier you have to stop and think about how nice people have been to you and how nice you can be to them in return. This circle of gratitude - the science s

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A New Hope

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 06 Jan 2020 05:05

Research shows we all look for moments to make a fresh start - new years, new seasons, new decades. Our optimism about making big, positive changes is strong, but it fades quickly. As we enter 2020, Dr Laurie Santos asks Wharton's Katy Milkman abo

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BONUS: A New Hope

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 06 Jan 2020 05:05

Research shows we all look for moments to make a fresh start - new years, new seasons, new decades. Our optimism about making big, positive changes is strong, but it fades quickly. As we enter 2020, Dr Laurie Santos asks Wharton's Katy Milkman abo

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BONUS: A Happier Christmas

By Pushkin Industries/Mon, 16 Dec 2019 22:00

Accept our gift of happiness this holiday season! It can be a hectic and stressful time of year... but it's also full of opportunities to feel happier. Dr Laurie Santos brings you science-based tips so you can have yourself a merry little Christma

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Making the Grade

By Pushkin Industries/Tue, 19 Nov 2019 05:05

From school grades to fitness trackers, we're all being ranked and rated on a daily basis. This is having a huge impact on our happiness and preventing us from living our lives to the fullest. Can giving up on grades radically improve our wellbein

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Make 'Em Laugh

By Pushkin Industries/Fri, 15 Nov 2019 18:41

The world's greatest expert on canned TV laugh tracks helps Dr Laurie Santos demonstrate how the emotions of those around us can make us feel happier or more sad. If happiness is so contagious... can we do more to bring joy to ourselves and our lo

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Choice Overload

By Pushkin Industries/Tue, 05 Nov 2019 05:05

We all make thousands of choices each day - and think it means we're in charge of our lives. But making even trivial decisions - about salad dressings, for example - can sap our energy and cause anxiety. Dr Laurie Santos examines why our society w

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Don't Accentuate the Positive

By Pushkin Industries/Tue, 29 Oct 2019 04:05

We often think positive thinking is the best way to achieve our ambitions - but the science shows it holds us all back. Dr Laurie Santos hears how champion swimmer Michael Phelps imagined the worst to help make his Olympic dreams come true. It's a

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Don't Think of the White Bear

By Pushkin Industries/Tue, 22 Oct 2019 04:05

Once a thought is in our heads, we can't suppress it and trying to only causes us misery. Dr Laurie Santos explains why our brains work in this way and hears from real people who have confronted and overcome disruptive thoughts and bad memories an

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Caring What You're Sharing

By Pushkin Industries/Tue, 15 Oct 2019 04:05

Sharing a good experience with another human deepens our enjoyment of the moment... but only if we abide by certain rules. Dr Laurie Santos shows us how we often get 'sharing' wrong and explains how we can all derive more happiness from ice cream,

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Mistakenly Seeking Solitude

By Pushkin Industries/Tue, 08 Oct 2019 04:05

Technology allows us to bank, shop and dine without talking to another human, but what toll is this taking on our happiness? The inventor of the ATM and the Talking Heads singer David Byrne join Dr Laurie Santos to explore the ways in which talkin

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A Silver Lining

By Pushkin Industries/Tue, 01 Oct 2019 04:05

Ice skater Michelle Kwan was all set to win Olympic Gold... but in a major sporting upset she came second. Sharing her story with Dr Laurie Santos, Michelle lets us in on a key secret to achieving happiness when you're tempted to feel like a loser

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The Unhappy Millionaire

By Pushkin Industries/Tue, 24 Sep 2019 04:05

How can winning the lottery ruin your life - while contracting an incurable disease feel like 'a gift'? Dr Laurie Santos hears about dreams come true and nightmares realised; and talks with Dr Dan Gilbert about why human happiness isn't defined by

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You Can Change

By Pushkin Industries/Fri, 13 Sep 2019 04:05

You can make yourself happier today. Your life circumstances and personality aren't nearly as important as you think in deciding how happy you can be. Dr Laurie Santos explains how understanding the latest science will point you in the right direc

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Coming Soon: The Happiness Lab Season One

By Pushkin Industries/Tue, 27 Aug 2019 04:05

Do you want to be happier? Yale's Dr. Laurie Santos has studied the science of happiness and found that many of us do the exact opposite of what will truly make our lives better. Based on the Ivy League psychology course she teaches, Laurie will t

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Introducing: The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos

By Pushkin Industries/Wed, 24 Jul 2019 22:02

Coming September 17 from Pushkin Industries Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/list

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