The Science of Happiness

Join yoga and meditation teacher Jonathan Relucio for a trauma-informed practice combining mindful movement and breathing to reduce tension and build resilience to stress.How To Do This Pract...

How can we feel more moments of joy? Explore how joy is rooted in connection, gratitude, and paying attention to the people and moments that bring meaning to our lives.Summary: Did you know t...

Meditation teacher Spring Washam guides us in a practice of embodied awareness, helping us use the body as an anchor during stressful or overwhelming moments.How To Do This Practice: Find a ...

Scroll down for a transcription of this episode.Nigel says no matter where you are, everyone has a story to tell about a hug: good, bad, or awkward. Earlonne isn’t buying it. Ear Hustle is a ...

Can anyone truly succeed alone? We explore how role models, mentors, and strong social support make upward mobility far more possible than grit alone.Summary: What role do the people around u...

Take a moment to connect with your body and make space for difficult emotions with compassion and care. This embodiment practice is guided by Lyla June Johnston, a Diné musician, scholar of I...

Neuroscience reveals revenge can become a powerful habit—and that forgiveness may be one of the most effective ways to break the cycle.Summary: After years of bullying led him to almost commi...

Try a practice in accepting difficult feelings like anger or irritation to help keep your cool, feel better overall, and find calm with contemplative social scientist Eve Ekman. How To Do Thi...

Choosing joy over guilt and shame can make climate-friendly habits easier to sustain while improving your own well-being along the way.Summary: Fear may grab our attention, but research sugge...

Indigenous artist Dr. Lyla June Johnston leads a 5-minute freewriting exercise about our personal journeys. Autobiographical writing has been shown to help do better in relationships and feel...

What can a singing bird, a neighborhood walk, and a pair of puppet adventurers teach us about awe? Sit down with Wowsabout! creators Dorien Davies and Halle Stanford to discuss helping kids—a...

Take less than 10 minutes to write yourself a letter of care, compassion, and encouragement with psychologist Kristin Neff in this research-backed practice.How To Do This Practice: Choose an...

Across school campuses and communities, students and educators are discovering how listening, curiosity, and everyday conversations can open pathways across differences and help restore a sen...

Trouble sitting still? Learn to practice meditating by simply walking in this practice guided by 10% Happier host Dan Harris.How To Do This Practice: Start walking at a comfortable pace in a...

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.Summary: In this episode of The Science of Happiness, bestsell...

What happens when you linger and look closely at a piece of art? Nathalie Ryan, an educator from the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C., guides us through a slow looking practice show...

What happens when we slow down enough to really experience art? We visit a museum to discover how slow looking at art can cultivate awe, empathy, and a greater sense of connection in a distra...

Take a few minutes to reflect on someone who inspires you, and how you can embody the values you admire in them.How To Do This Practice:  Arrive and Settle: Find a quiet place to sit or stan...

Noticing the history and beauty around us can shift how we see ourselves—and our communities. An awe walk through Harlem reveals how the stories embedded in public spaces can spark connection...

In this gentle practice, psychologist Kristin Neff helps us extend loving kindness inward, offering ourselves the same care and goodwill we naturally give to others.How To Do This Practice: ...

A simple experiment turning a parking space into a parklet reveals how small changes to public spaces can spark connection, belonging, and awe. Summary: What if even the smallest changes to o...

Through poetic reflection, Yrsa Daley-Ward helps us embrace the in-between moments, reminding us that the unknown can be the very terrain where real change begins. Settle into Stillness: Fin...

What happens in your brain when you read or write a poem? We listen to powerful poetry from you, our listeners, and uncover the neuroscience of why it helps us feel, process, and recover.Scro...

From a worker-owned restaurant in Oakland to a nonprofit built on shared leadership, we explore how collective work models can help people feel heard, valued, and more invested in their work....

Does your to-do list feel endless? Try this short, guided practice to help you reflect, reconnect, and release the pressure to do it all perfectly.How To Do This Practice: Find a Comfortable...

Explore the neuroscience behind musical improvisation—and what it reveals about our natural capacity for creativity.Summary: Creativity may be more natural than we think. Research on musician...

Having a curious approach to life can improve our mood, creativity and relationships. Scott Shigeoka leads a visualization exercise to help you approach someone you might disagree with with a...

Finding ways to bend tasks toward your strengths and passions can make you happier, more productive and find more meaning in your life—no matter your job.Summary: On this episode of The Scien...

Research shows that reflecting on our shared humanity can increase self-compassion and life satisfaction while reducing feelings of isolation. In this practice, Dacher Keltner guides us to lo...

Guest host Geena Davis guides us through the research on love that stretches beyond romance and friendship, showing up in our bonds with objects, nature, grief, and the collective moments tha...

Guest host Geena Davis helps us explore how the love we feel —for our partners, friends, family, even our four legged companions—shapes our brains, bodies, and lives.Summary: On this episode ...

In a culture that often reduces love to romance, Geena Davis helps us explore the science of love across the lifespan—revealing how our bonds with parents, friends, partners, and communities ...

Discover what happens to our well-being when we respond to suffering with compassion, collective action, and why choosing to care can help us hold on to our shared humanity.Summary: In the fa...

Psychologist and stress expert Elissa Epel leads us in a gentle, science-backed practice to calm our nervous systems and meet uncertainty with greater ease and acceptance.We want to hear from...

Studies show qigong can strengthen your body and mind, and reduce cortisol levels. We explore this Chinese meditative movement practice that dates back over 4,000 years.Summary: After a perio...

This New Year, affirm the wonderful qualities you already possess with this meditative writing practice with Chris Murchison called "I Am."How To Do This Practice: Settle your body and breat...

Learn how the stories we tell and hear shape our relationships, values, and sense of belonging.Summary: Storytelling is more than entertainment. It shapes how we think, feel, and relate to ot...

También tenemos esta meditación en Español.Transcription: https://tinyurl.com/4rjmambm ...

Take a few minutes to reflect on someone who inspires you, and how you can embody the values you admire in them.You can also listen to this episode in Spanish here: https://tinyurl.com/4rjmam...

Explore how students are using simple mindful breathing practices to navigate stress, stay grounded, and support their classmates.Summary: Classrooms often are confronted with difficult topic...

Through a gentle ancestral meditation, discover how grounding in your roots can open the door to healing, meaning, and a deeper sense of belonging.How To Do This Practice:  Settle Into Your ...

Self-compassion reduces our feelings of shame and self-doubt. We explore a practice to help quiet our inner critic with kindness.Summary: What does your inner critic sound like? Many of us ca...

When gratitude feels distant, gently notice what’s here now— creating space for both heaviness and small moments of appreciation.How To Do This Practice: Get Comfortable: Sit upright or lie ...

Doing good for others benefits our own minds and bodies, as well. We explore the science of kindness.Summary: On this episode of The Science of Happiness we explore how everyday acts of kindn...

Explore a gentle practice for releasing resentment and finding freedom through forgiveness.How To Do This Practice:  Prepare Your Space and Body: Find a quiet, safe place to sit and take slo...

Discover how forgiveness reshapes the brain, eases the body, and helps us move forward with greater compassion and freedom.Summary: Forgiveness isn’t about forgetting or excusing—it’s about r...

We explore Día de los Muertos as a ritual that nurtures community, imbues loss with meaning, and helps us process grief while also connecting through shared joy.Summary: We investigate how Dí...

Show yourself real self-kindness in less than 10 minutes with this self-compassion break guided by psychologist Kristin Neff.How To Do This Practice: Identify what’s hard right now: Bring to...

What happens when imagination meets perception, and ordinary objects come alive? We explore the science of pareidolia.Summary: Our minds are wired to find meaning, even in randomness— which i...

Dedicating a little time to tune into your body fortifies you to better handle the stresses of daily life.How To Do This Practice:  Find your space: Choose a quiet place where you feel safe a...