The Science of Happiness

They were childhood best friends until one came out as queer. Now, two college students reconnect and try to see the world through one another's eyes.

Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/44pbbj48

For our 100th episode, host Dacher Keltner sits in the guest chair and tries one of the most popular happiness practices.

Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/mv46juba

When was the last time you went down a slide? Our guest tries a practice to bring more play into his life and explores what that means as a Black man in the U.S.

Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/ysc3h82b

What would life be like without the people you care most about? Our guest tries a practice to help appreciate loved ones.

Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/2p877x8x

Our guest uses her breath to find calm in some of Los Angeles' noisiest neighborhoods.

Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/yc7ccv7x

What happens when we suppress our anger? And what if we tried to work with it instead? Our guest tries a practice to harness her inner fierceness to care for herself.

Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/3ekjzcwn

Michael Pollan tries to get more out of life by temporarily giving up one of his pleasure.

Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/28hxc2ah

When the world around you changes, so can your goals. This week's guest tries a practice to tap into a new sense of purpose.

Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/2yxntxs9

Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/kb6subnc

Trees don't just compete with one another for resources, they also cooperate. Scientist and author Suzanne Simard explains the surprising science of trees.

Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/35rj8wzf

A doctor who serves communities in dire need shares how gratitude helps him find light in the darkness.

Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/3u6hmr6t

Focusing on funny things can reduce stress, anxiety, and make us feel more connected to others. Our guests, who were high school sweethearts, learn how humor can also strengthen relationships.

Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/2zbfdrye

Have you ever been moved by music sung in a language you don't understand? We speak with Gambian musician Sona Jobarteh about how music can connect us across cultures.

Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/yc68h4zk

What is it about certain melodies that can relax our nerves and rock us to sleep? We explore the science of calming music with pianist Rosey Chan.

Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/2ys7mf5d

Music helped former Talking Heads frontman David Byrne come out of his shell. Hear Byrne's story and learn how music creates social bonds in part one of our series, The Science of Music and Happiness.

Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/5dtxmsun

Feeling awe can boost your mood and make you feel more connected with others. Comedian Chris Duffy learns how to tap into that sense.

Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/3ywvxfrb

What happens when we spend time outdoors? We explore how getting out in nature can restore peace of mind—and make us more creative.

Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/56cp6d52

Setting goals can sometimes feel like setting ourselves up for failure. But journalist Monica Campbell finds there's something magical that happens with certain kinds of goals.

Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/d842bub2

A stranger helped her through the hardest day of her life. When she expresses her gratitude, our guest encounters the power of true connection.

Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/mv3h9nx5

The way we interact with people who come in and out of our lives has changed since COVID-19. Our guest tries a practice to connect with strangers while keeping a social distance.

Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/3ddvnmpn

Are you unable to be with your friends and family during the holiday season this year? These 36 questions can bring you closer to loved ones, even if you're separated.

Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/ft6kxd74

Connecting across generations is one of the oldest happiness practices there is. We explore why to honor your elders, along with other practices from indigenous cultures often overlooked by Western science.

Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/2wjbjj3e

Can practicing mindfulness make us wiser? Judge Jeremy Fogel explores how being present in the moment helps him keep a clear mind and stay connected to his true values.

Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/4vaxruje

What does it really take to forgive someone? And why should we do it? Our guest, psychologist Scott Barry Kaufman, tries a practice to let go of anger.

Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/24txsbxz

Why do we vote? We explore the science behind what drives us to the polls, and the benefits we reap for ourselves and communities when we cast our ballots.

Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/56rmwec7

It's easy to be anxious and uncertain about the future—especially if you're eight months pregnant. Our guest tries practices to help her deal with whatever life throws her way.

Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/vrvn5p6a

Feeling hard on yourself? Pinterest co-founder Evan Sharp learns to quiet his inner critic and tap into his highest potential.

Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/4pbt5efs

Feeling lonely? Former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy learns why focusing on the quality of our relationships, not the quantity, can be an antidote.

Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/2s4m6emb

Why should you be nice? Our guest explores how small, daily acts of kindness can produce meaningful life changes.

Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/5chaxu75

Do you obsess over negative feedback? Shereen Marisol Meraji, of NPR’s Code Switch, tries a better way to cope.

Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/epuw68ft

A couple try a practice to bring more excitement and passion into their relationship, even while sheltering-in-place.

Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/bdhkkdvt

We can be at our worst with the people we love best. Our guests try ways to be more calm and present with those closest to them.

Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/ycx4cxam

Our guest tries a practice to help her feel compassion toward others — even those she disagrees with.

Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/32zrzn5t

Adrian Michael Green asks big questions designed to help teens — and adults — find more meaning and purpose in their lives.

Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/58es3rup

We speak with john a. powell, director of the Othering & Belonging Institute, about racial justice, well-being, and widening our circles of human connection and concern.

Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/yewzbtj9

When our world is turned upside down, how do we keep moving forward? Our guest, award-winning author Christine Day, sets a new path for herself.

Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/4rx9tv3p

Do you want to be famous? What's a favorite memory? These 36 questions can bring you closer to loved ones, even if you're separated.

Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/4nww8xrm

Want to calm your inner critic? Our guest tries a practice to find more self-compassion during uncertain times.

Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/yc63cckh

Sheltering-at-home with kids? These questions can help them, and us, focus on the good things in life.

Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/yvbp9zf7

How a doctor stays calm and centered during times of uncertainty, one breath at a time.

Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/3fjn655n

Our guest tries a practice to feel more connected to loved ones, and herself, while sheltering at home.

Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/53d7c5jx

Think of an important person in your life. Now imagine you never met. Our guest practices counting his blessings by picturing his life without a special person from his past.

Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/5y9x2rz

Do you have a hard time calming your nerves? Author Raina Telgemeier tries a practice to get out of her head, one step at a time.

Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/d42v3ywd

He survived the mass shooting in Parkland, Florida, two years ago and has been a student mental health advocate ever since. Now Kai Koerber finds a way to thank the person who helped him find his voice.

Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/mrfakhm3

Are you actually listening when someone is talking to you, or just waiting for your turn to talk? Our guest, a veteran of the Iraq War, practices how to truly listen to others.

Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/nhfvv54t

How can people from different groups get on the same page? Our guest, an educator and football coach, tries a strategy for building stronger, more inclusive teams.

Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/ef83kvf2

Her New Year's resolution was to have more joyful and fulfilling experiences in her daily life. Our guest tried a practice to help make that happen.

Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/nh9nn3m5

There are millions of YouTube channels with people crinkling bubble wrap or whispering about folding laundry. Our guests talks about why autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) makes her, and many others, feel more calm and happy.

Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/3t4nnp6m

Do you beat yourself up over every mistake? A high school senior tries to be kinder to himself during an especially stressful time.

Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/yrbcmj37

Comedian Maz Jobrani tries to be more thankful for the good things in his life by writing them down — and encourages his kids to do the same.

Link to Episode Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/2p8k3m6h