The Science of Happiness

Jeopardy! champion Amy Schneider tries a body scan meditation to sharpen her focus and calm her nerves as she prepares for the Tournament of Champions. Summary: Simple mindfulness practices, like a body scan, can help cultivate presence and reduce stress. By tuning into the body with curiosity and awareness, we can deepen our connection to ourselves and those we care for. The practice encourages a gentle shift from overthinking to embodied presence, fostering calm and resilience. Whether you're a parent, caregiver, or simply seeking more ease in daily life, this episode offers a practical tool for grounding and self-care. Scroll down for a transcription of this episode. How to do this practice: Get comfortableFocus on your breathScan your bodyRefocus as neededClose with stillnessToday’s Guests: AMY SCHNEIDER is the most successful woman to compete on the quiz show Jeopardy! and won 40 consecutive games. Follow Amy on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Jeopardamy JONATHAN GREENBERG is a psychology professor in Harvard University’s Clinical and Translational Science Center. His research focuses on the role of mindfulness and relaxation. Learn more about Jonathan here: https://tinyurl.com/mrd6r8tb Follow Jonathan on LinkedIn: https://tinyurl.com/2j2b7muy Related The Science of Happiness episodes: How To Breathe Away Anxiety: https://tinyurl.com/3v9vts5a How To Tune Out The Noise: https://tinyurl.com/4hhekjuh How To Show Up For Yourself: https://tinyurl.com/56ktb9xc Related Happiness Breaks: How To Relax Your Body Through A Standing Meditation: https://tinyurl.com/2fv4c9h8 5-Minutes of Progressive Muscle Relaxation: https://tinyurl.com/yc3cvhsz A Breathing Technique to Help You Relax: https://tinyurl.com/mryh6c72 Help us share The Science of Happiness! Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap Transcription: https://tinyurl.com/p23n2kn7

Take a break from ruminating with Lama Rod Owens as he leads you in a meditation to cultivate a sky-like mind. How to Do This Practice: Get Comfortable:Settle into Your Body:Observe Your Thoughts: Visualize the Sky: Detach from Thoughts: “This is just an experience, passing through.”Return to the Present: Today’s Happiness Break host: LAMA ROD OWENS is a Buddhist teacher, author and activist passionate about creating engaging and inclusive healing spaces. Learn more about Lama Rod Owens: https://www.lamarod.com/ Follow Lama Rod Owens on Instagram: @lamarodofficial Follow Lama Rod Owens on Facebook: @lamarod Follow Lama Rod Owens on Twitter: @LamaRod1 Related Happiness Break episodes: How To Ground Yourself in Nature: https://tinyurl.com/25ftdxpm Pause to Look at the Sky: https://tinyurl.com/4jttkbw3 A Mindful Breath Meditation: https://tinyurl.com/mr9d22kr Related Science of Happiness episodes: How Holding Yourself Can Reduce Stress: https://tinyurl.com/2hvhkwe6 How To Find Calm Through Walking: https://tinyurl.com/ycervtah Breathe Away Anxiety: https://tinyurl.com/3u7vsrr5 Follow us on Instagram: @ScienceOfHappinessPod We’d love to hear about your experience with this practice! Share your thoughts at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod. Find us on Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap Help us share Happiness Break! Leave a 5-star review and share this link: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap Transcription: https://tinyurl.com/3u8k2j8h

An art-form powerful enough to prescribe — from ancient traditions to modern neuroscience, we uncover how music, including lullabies, function as a form of medicine. Summary: Music has a unique ability to calm, heal, and bring people together, and lullabies are one of the earliest ways we experience this connection. In this episode, we explore how music affects the brain, reduces stress, and strengthens bonds between caregivers and children. Through science and personal stories, we reflect on the deep emotional power of lullabies and their role in both everyday life and moments of challenge. From ancient traditions to modern research, we uncover why lullabies remain a universal source of comfort. Scroll down for a transcription of this episode. Today’s Guests: ALEXIS CARIELLO is a social worker who was prescribed music to help manage her perinatal anxiety. DR. DANIEL LEVITIN is a neuroscientist, musician, and bestselling author of the books, Music as Medicine: How We Can Harness Its Therapeutic Power and I Heard There Was a Secret Chord: Music As Medicine. Follow Dr. Levitin on IG: https://www.instagram.com/daniellevitinofficial Bringing Lullabies into Everyday Life You don’t need to be a professional musician to bring the healing power of music into your caregiving routine. Here are some simple ways to incorporate lullabies into your daily life: Sing, Even If It’s Just for You:Create a Caregiving Playlist:Write Your Own Lullaby:Share the Experience:Our Caring for Caregivers series is supported by the Van Leer Foundation, an independent Dutch organization working globally to foster inclusive societies where all children and communities can flourish. To discover more insights from Van Leer Foundation and others on this topic, visit Early Childhood Matters, the leading platform for advancing topics on early childhood development and connecting diverse voices and ideas across disciplines that support the wellbeing of babies, toddlers and caregivers around the globe. Music has the power to uplift, soothe, and connect. What lullabies, songs, or musical rituals bring you comfort? We’d love to hear from you! Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or message us on Instagram @ScienceOfHappinessPod. Help us share The Science of Happiness! Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap Transcription: https://tinyurl.com/49svzn4v

How to Do This Practice: Find a Comfortable Space: Start with a Basic Clap: Add Chest Percussion: Incorporate Leg Taps: Repeat the Full Pattern: Scroll down for a transcription of this episode. 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 Related Happiness Break episodes: A Humming Technique to Calm Your Nerves: https://tinyurl.com/mr42rzad The Healing Power of Your Own Touch: https://tinyurl.com/y4ze59h8 How to Relax Your Body Through a Standing Meditation: https://tinyurl.com/2fv4c9h8 Related Science of Happiness episodes: Why Dancing Is The Best Medicine: https://tinyurl.com/y66hxxy9 The Science of Humming: https://tinyurl.com/4esyy6nd How Music Can Bridge Cultures: https://tinyurl.com/5ar3c8yy Follow us on Instagram: @ScienceOfHappinessPod We’d love to hear about your experience with this practice! Share your thoughts at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod. Find us on Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap Help us share Happiness Break! Leave a 5-star review and share this link: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap Transcription: https://tinyurl.com/275tna6h

In a world that emphasizes romantic relationships, we explore the science of friendships in humans and our primate relatives—how we make them and how they not only influence health and happiness, but our survival. Episode Summary: Romantic love gets plenty of attention, but what about the friendships that sustain us through life’s ups and downs? In this episode, we explore the science and significance of deep friendships, how they contribute to our mental and emotional health, and why they deserve just as much care as romantic relationships. We also discuss practical ways to strengthen friendships and rethink how we define meaningful connections. Scroll down for a transcription of this episode. This is part of our series The Science of Love, supported by The John Templeton Foundation. Sign up for The Science of Happiness podcast's 7-Day Love Challenge to receive these science-backed practices delivered directly to your inbox: tinyurl.com/7daylovechallenge Today’s Guests: DR. MARISA G FRANCO is a psychologist and professor at The University of Maryland and author of the book “Platonic: How The Science of Attachment Can Help You Make – and Keep – Friends.” Learn more about Dr. Marisa G Franco here: https://drmarisagfranco.com/ Follow Marisa on Instagram: @drmarisagfranco DR. LAUREN BRENT is an evolutionary biologist and professor at the University of Exeter. She studies the ecological and evolutionary basis of social relationships and networks. Learn more about Lauren Brent here: http://www.laurenbrent.com/ Related The Science of Happiness episodes: 36 Questions to Spark Love and Connection: https://tinyurl.com/ktcpz78u How 7 Days Can Transform Your Relationship: https://tinyurl.com/bdh2ezhr Why We Need Friends With Shared Interests: https://tinyurl.com/bp8msacj Related Happiness Breaks: A Meditation on Love and Interconnectedness: https://tinyurl.com/ye6baxv3 A Guided Meditation on Embodied Love: https://tinyurl.com/3dmpfam6 Visualizing Your Best Self in Relationships: https://tinyurl.com/4797z2vf Tell us about your experience building lasting friendships. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or follow on Instagram @HappinessPod. Help us share The Science of Happiness! Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap Transcription to come.

Experience the physical sensations of love through this guided meditation that nurtures connection, relaxation, and emotional awareness. How To Do This Practice: This episode is part of our series The Science of Love, supported by a grant from The John Templeton Foundation on spreading love through the media. Sign up for The Science of Happiness podcast's 7-Day Love Challenge to receive these science-backed practices delivered directly to your inbox: tinyurl.com/7daylovechallenge Today’s Happiness Break Host: Dacher Keltner is the host of The Science of Happiness podcast and is a co-instructor of the Greater Good Science Center’s popular online course of the same name. He’s also a professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley. Related Happiness Break episodes: A Meditation on Original Love: https://tinyurl.com/5u298cv4 Loving Kindness Meditation: https://tinyurl.com/2kr4fjz5 A Meditation for Burnout: https://tinyurl.com/485y3b4y Related Science of Happiness episodes: 36 Questions to Spark Love and Connection: https://tinyurl.com/ktcpz78u How 7 Days Can Transform Your Relationship: https://tinyurl.com/bdh2ezhr How to Use Your Body to Relax Your Mind: https://tinyurl.com/yckyft6t How To Tune Out The Noise: https://tinyurl.com/4hhekjuh How To Breathe Away Anxiety: https://tinyurl.com/msmxtyes Follow us on Instagram: @ScienceOfHappinessPod We’d love to hear about your experience with this practice! Share your thoughts at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod. Find us on Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap Help us share Happiness Break! Leave a 5-star review and share this link: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap Transcription: https://tinyurl.com/3dmpfam6

Scroll down for a transcription of this episode. Can a simple set of 36 questions build love and intimacy? We explore the science behind how the questions we ask and the way we listen shape our closest relationships. Episode summary: In this episode of The Science of Happiness, we break down the science behind a practice designed to deepen connection—whether in romantic relationships or friendships. We’re joined by Amber and Ben Wallin, the hilarious and heartfelt couple who’ve shared their marriage and parenting journey with millions on TikTok. They put these 36 questions to the test. Later, we’ll dive into the power of listening and how it shapes our relationships with Yale psychologist Jieni Zhou. This is part of our series The Science of Love, supported by The John Templeton Foundation. Sign up for The Science of Happiness podcast's 7-Day Love Challenge to receive these science-backed practices delivered directly to your inbox: tinyurl.com/7daylovechallenge Today’s Guests: AMBER WALLIN is an LA-based comedian, host, and storyteller with over a million followers on TikTok and Instagram. She creates family, relationship and comedy content with her husband Ben Wallin. Follow Amber on Instagram: @burr_iam Follow Amber on TikTok: @burr_iam BEN WALLIN is a writer, content creator and social media personality who creates family, relationship and comedy content with his wife Amber Wallin. Follow Ben on Instagram: @beynfluencer Follow Ben on TikTok: @benjaminwallin5 JIENI ZHOU is a Post-doctoral associate at Yale University and an expert in how positive experiences in romantic relationships impact our well-being. Learn more about Jieni here: https://tinyurl.com/mr3nkf2s Related The Science of Happiness episodes: How 7 Days Can Transform Your Relationship: https://tinyurl.com/bdh2ezhr Why We Need Friends With Shared Interests: https://tinyurl.com/bp8msacj Who’s Always There For You: https://tinyurl.com/yt3ejj6w Related Happiness Breaks: Meditation on Original Love: https://tinyurl.com/ye6baxv3 Loving Kindness Meditation: https://tinyurl.com/2kr4fjz5 Visualizing Your Best Self in Relationships: https://tinyurl.com/4797z2vf Tell us about your experience with this practice. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or follow on Instagram @HappinessPod. Help us share The Science of Happiness! Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap Transcription: https://tinyurl.com/ktcpz78u

Scroll down for a transcription of this episode. Cultivate a sense of original love — a universal connection that nurtures joy, safety, and belonging — with meditation teacher Henry Shukman. How to Do This Practice: Today’s Happiness Break Guide: Henry Shukman, is a poet, mindfulness teacher, and author of Original Love: The Four Inns on the Path of Awakening. Learn more about Shukman’s work: https://henryshukman.com/about Order his book, Original Love: The Four Inns on the Path of Awakening: https://tinyurl.com/mwv5cuxr This is part of our series The Science of Love, supported by The John Templeton Foundation. Related Happiness Break episodes: Loving Kindness Meditation: https://tinyurl.com/2kr4fjz5 How To Ground Yourself in Nature: https://tinyurl.com/25ftdxpm Our Deep Interconnectedness: https://tinyurl.com/jthxkpjd Related Science of Happiness episodes: How Water Heals: https://tinyurl.com/utuhrnh3 How To Show Up For Yourself: https://tinyurl.com/56ktb9xc How Holding Yourself Can Reduce Stress: https://tinyurl.com/2hvhkwe6 Follow us on Instagram: @ScienceOfHappinessPod We’d love to hear about your experience with this practice! Share your thoughts at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod. Find us on Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap Help us share Happiness Break! Leave a 5-star review and share this link: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap Transcription: https://tinyurl.com/ye6baxv3

From daily check-ins to meaningful compliments and planned dates nights, we explore a 7-day love challenge to help couples strengthen their relationships. Summary: Developed by renowned psychologists Julie and John Gottman. Based on decades of research, this week-long practice offers simple, actionable steps to deepen connection and nurture relationships. From meaningful check-ins and heartfelt compliments to the importance of touch, we uncover how small, intentional actions can create lasting bonds. Whether you're looking to reignite romance or strengthen your partnership, the 7-day love challenge provides practical tools to bring more love and connection into your life. Sign up for The Science of Happiness podcast's 7-Day Love Challenge to receive these science-backed practices delivered directly to your inbox at greatergood.berkeley.edu/7daylovechallenge This is part of our series The Science of Love. More about the 7-day love challenge: Check out their book, The Love Prescription, Seven Days to More Intimacy, Connection, and Joy: https://tinyurl.com/34nt5vv9 This episode is supported by The John Templeton Foundation. Related The Science of Happiness episodes: Who’s Always There For You?: https://tinyurl.com/yt3ejj6w When It’s Hard to Connect, Try Being Curious: https://tinyurl.com/bde6wyu7 Are Your Remembering The Good Times: https://tinyurl.com/483bkk2h Related Happiness Breaks: Loving Kindness Meditation: https://tinyurl.com/2kr4fjz5 A Meditation on How to Be Your Best Self: https://tinyurl.com/3b38pw2f Follow us on Instagram: @ScienceOfHappinessPod We’d love to hear about your experience with this practice! Share your thoughts at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod. Find us on Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap Help us share The Science of Happiness! Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap Transcription to come.

Scroll down for a transcription of this episode Cultivate more joy in your life with this practice led by meditation teacher and author Spring Washam. How to Do This Practice: “May my joy and my happiness increase.”“May your joy and happiness increase.”“I’m happy for your happiness. May your happiness continue.”Today’s Happiness Break Guide: Spring Washam, is a meditation teacher based in Oakland, California. She is also the author of the book, The Spirit of Harriet Tubman: Awakening from the Underground.Learn more about Spring and her new book: https://www.springwasham.com/ Follow Spring on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/springwasham/ Check out Spring’s YouTube channel: https://tinyurl.com/22njyd29 Related Happiness Break episodes: https://tinyurl.com/2pb8ye9xhttps://tinyurl.com/jrkewjs8Related Science of Happiness episodes: https://tinyurl.com/5n7thrh4https://tinyurl.com/483bkk2hhttps://tinyurl.com/yn7ry59jFollow us on Instagram: @ScienceOfHappinessPod We’d love to hear about your experience with this practice! Share your thoughts at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod. Find us on Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap Help us share Happiness Break! Leave a 5-star review and share this link: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap Transcription: https://tinyurl.com/a6shdsae

We explore how embracing awe can uplift caregivers, providing tools to nurture themselves while nurturing others. This week on The Science of Happiness, we explore how moments of awe can transform caregiving. By incorporating awe through music, nature, and shared experiences, Noam Osband and Devora Keller found ways to refresh themselves and foster connection within their two young children. Their stories illuminate the impact of awe on parenting and caretaking, and the importance of intentionally cultivating wonder to enhance caregiving and strengthen bonds. This episode was supported by the Van Leer Foundation, an independent Dutch organisation working globally to foster inclusive societies where all children and communities can flourish. To discover more insights from Van Leer Foundation and others on this topic, visit Early Childhood Matters, the leading platform for advancing topics on early childhood development and connecting diverse voices and ideas across disciplines that support the wellbeing of babies, toddlers and caregivers around the globe. Related The Science of Happiness episodes: The Science of Awe (3 episode series): https://tinyurl.com/3jz8rnev Are You Following Your Inner Compass: https://tinyurl.com/y2bh8vvj The Healing Effects of Experiencing Wildlife: https://tinyurl.com/bde5av4z The Value of Variety and Novelty: https://tinyurl.com/3rm58m3e Related Happiness Breaks: A Walking Meditation: https://tinyurl.com/mwbsen7a A Meditation on Becoming a Gift to Life: https://tinyurl.com/3et7rz4p Today’s Guests: NOAM OSBAND is a radio producer and anthropologist whose work explores themes of culture, identity, and human connection. DEVORA KELLER is a physician with a decade of experience building and leading transitional care programs in the safety net. She is board certified in internal medicine and addiction medicine. Tell us about your experiences and struggles with compassionate listening. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or follow on Instagram @ScienceOfHappinessPod. Help us share The Science of Happiness! Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap Transcript: Coming soon.

A meditation to cultivate a sense of awe by focusing on new beginnings -- whether it’s a budding plant, a new friendship, or a recent moment of wonder. How to Do This Practice: Today’s Happiness Break Host: Dacher Keltner is the host of The Science of Happiness podcast and is a co-instructor of the Greater Good Science Center’s popular online course of the same name. He’s also a professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley. We’d love to hear about your experience with this practice! Share your thoughts at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod. Find us on Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap Help us share The Science of Happiness! Leave a 5-star review and share this link: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/3pdp8nky

Dance, one of humanity's oldest art forms, traces its roots back over 10,000 years. Its rhythmic movements are known to release endorphins, strengthen connections, and even increase our pain tolerance. Summary: This week on The Science of Happiness, we explore how dancing connects us, enhances well-being, and fosters community. Lori Arnett, a NASA engineer, shares how a month-long dance practice brought her closer to her daughters and colleagues, offering moments of calm and joy. She reflected on how dancing parallels her work at NASA, where teamwork enables extraordinary achievements. Dr. Bronwyn Tarr, an expert on the science of dance, also reveals how synchronized movement not only enhances mood and reduces stress but also raises our pain threshold by triggering the release of endorphins. Guests: Lori Arnett, Associate Director for Digital Transformation for the Aerosciences Evaluation and Test Capabilities (AETC) within the Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) at NASA Learn More About Lori Arnett: https://tinyurl.com/2bbhr7ht Bronwyn Tarr, Research at The Social Body Lab within the Centre for the Study of Social Cohesion at the University of Oxford Learn More About Bronwyn Tarr: https://tinyurl.com/mxvm5mr8 Related Science of Happiness Episodes: The Science of Happiness and Music: https://tinyurl.com/4f9axvca A three-episode series exploring how music helps to boost our mood, make us feel connected to others, and bridge divides. How Music Evokes Awe: https://tinyurl.com/3uuef5ke Help us share The Science of Happiness! Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or follow on Instagram @HappinessPod. Transcript Link To Come.

Feeling burned out? Join Dr. Kristen Neff as she guides us through a calming practice to bring kindness and support to ourselves during tough times. How to Do This Practice: This is hard. Burnout is a natural human response to stress.I’m here for you, you’re doing your best, you’re loved just as you are.Today’s Happiness Break Guide: Dr. Kristin Neff is an associate professor in the University of Texas at Austin's department of educational psychology. She's also the co-author of 'Mindful Self-Compassion for Burnout,' which offers tools to help individuals heal and recharge from burnout. More Happiness Breaks like this one: The Healing Power of Your Own Touch: https://tinyurl.com/y4ze59h8 Take a Break With Our Loving-Kindness Meditation: https://tinyurl.com/2kr4fjz5 We’d love to hear about your experience with this practice! Share your thoughts at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod. Find us on Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap Help us share Happiness Break! Leave a 5-star review and share this link: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap Transcription: https://tinyurl.com/485y3b4y

Compassionate dialogue isn’t just about talking and listening—it's a meaningful way to bridge divides, cultivate belonging, and reimagine education as a space for connection. Summary: In this episode of The Science of Happiness, we explore the role of compassion in education and connecting across differences. We explore the bravery it takes to have tough conversations, how to create spaces where everyone feels they belong, and the profound impact of addressing marginalization in the classroom. Plus, we uncover practical ways to turn these classroom lessons into meaningful, real-world connections and community building. This episode is sponsored by The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations. Scroll down for a transcription of this episode. Today’s Guests: JACKIE JUSTICE, M.A.E.T., is an English and humanities professor at Mid Michigan College, where she teaches courses in writing, literature, culture, and compassion studies. Read Justice’s article about how learning to bridge differences can help students succeed: https://tinyurl.com/mw7r845h Learn about our Bridging Differences online course at GGSC: https://tinyurl.com/2wk5h72z JAMIL ZAKI is a professor of psychology at Stanford University and the director of the Stanford Social Neuroscience Lab. Follow Zaki on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamil-zaki-b0b4a9192 Follow Zaki on X: https://x.com/zakijam Read Zaki’s Book Hope for Cynics: https://tinyurl.com/mrxtzhmw More episodes like this one: How to Talk to People You Disagree With: https://tinyurl.com/4cpm8m3a When It’s Hard to Connect, Try Being Curious: https://tinyurl.com/bde6wyu7 Why Compassion Requires Vulnerability: https://tinyurl.com/yxw4uhpf More Happiness Breaks like this one: Take a Break With Our Loving-Kindness Meditation: https://tinyurl.com/2kr4fjz5 Radical Acceptance, with Tara Brach: https://tinyurl.com/ycec7jwt Tell us about your experiences and struggles with compassionate listening. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or follow on Instagram @HappinessPod. Help us share The Science of Happiness! Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap Transcription: https://tinyurl.com/3x7w2s5s

Trouble sitting still? Learn to practice meditating by simply walking in this practice guided by 10% Happier host Dan Harris. Scroll down for a transcript of this episode. How to Do This Practice: *** The Science of Happiness is committed to sharing stories and research that inspire resilience, compassion, and connection. As we reflect on the past few years, these values feel more essential than ever. Help us continue to provide this free resource and expand its reach. Through December 31, your donation will be matched dollar-for-dollar. Visit GGSC.Berkeley.edu/donate to support the show and make an even bigger impact. *** Today’s Happiness Break host: Dan Harris the host of 10% Happier, a podcast about mindfulness and other practices and thoughts that can support our well-being. Check out Dan’s podcast, 10% Happier: https://tinyurl.com/48cxcbjm Order his most recent book, Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics: A 10% Happier How-to Book: https://tinyurl.com/44cmjuvd Follow Dan on Twitter: https://twitter.com/danbharris Follow 10% Happier on Twitter: https://twitter.com/10percent Follow Dan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danharris/ Follow 10% Happier on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tenpercenthappier/ Follow Dan on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-harris-91ba5716b/ Follow 10% Happier on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tenpercent/ If you enjoyed this Happiness Break, you may also like: Moving Through Space, With Dacher Keltner - https://tinyurl.com/5n8dj5v6 Check out these episodes of The Science of Happiness about walking and mind-body awareness. How To Do Good For The Environment (And Yourself) (Walking, With Diana Gameros) - https://tinyurl.com/3zfhhpus How To Focus Under Pressure (Mindful Body Scan, With Amy Schneider) - https://tinyurl.com/5fkdre2v We love hearing from you! Tell us about your experiences with mindful walking. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod. Find us on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/6s39rzus Help us share Happiness Break! Rate us and copy and share this link: https://tinyurl.com/6s39rzus Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/mwbsen7a

Scroll down for a transcript of this episode. Mindful walking isn’t just a stroll—it’s a science-backed way to reduce, improve concentration, and soak in the beauty of your surroundings at the same time. Meditation has proven benefits, but the style that works best depends on a person's habits and preferences. In this episode of The Science of Happiness, we explore walking meditation, a powerful practice for feeling more centered and grounded. Dan Harris, host of the award-winning 10% Happier podcast, shares how walking meditation helps him manage the residual stress and anxiety from years of war reporting and high-pressure TV anchoring. Then, Dr. Paul Kelly from the University of Edinburgh dives into the science, explaining how walking meditation can reduce stress, sharpen focus, and improve overall well-being. Practice: presence of your bodythoughts and attitudesnatureWalking Meditation: https://tinyurl.com/29dnmndp Today’s guests: DAN HARRIS is a previous TV anchor and war reporter. He is a NYT best selling author with his book 10% Happier, and hosts a podcast by the same name. He’s one of the country’s best known proponents of meditation and he’s made walking meditation a regular practice for years to manage stress and anxiety. https://happierapp.com/podcasthttps://www.instagram.com/danharrishttps://x.com/danbharrisDR. PAUL KELLY is a professor from the University of Edinburgh studying mindfulness. His studies focus on how meditation can reduce stress, sharpen focus, and improve overall well-being. https://tinyurl.com/zv7x9xxhMore episodes like this one: The Healing Effects of Experiencing Wildlife: https://tinyurl.com/yh238ekp How To Unwind Doing Mindful Yard Work: https://tinyurl.com/4p7drusk How to Use Your Body to Relax Your Mind: https://tinyurl.com/yckyft6t Happiness Break like this one Walk Your Way to Calm, with Dacher: https://tinyurl.com/mp5cptan Experience Nature Wherever You Are, with Dacher: https://tinyurl.com/mrutudeh Find Calm When You Can’t Clear Your Mind, With Lama Rod Owens: https://tinyurl.com/4ce353nu Tell us about your experiences and struggles with achieving mindfulness. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or follow on Instagram @HappinessPod. Help us share The Science of Happiness! Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap

Psychologist Dacher Keltner guides you through a practice to help you see the good things in your life that you might otherwise overlook. How to Do This Practice: 1. Sit or lay down somewhere comfortable. You may close your eyes if you wish, and take a slow, deep breath in to ground into the present moment. Then, scan your body from head to toe, noticing how you’re feeling in this moment. Let worries and plans clear from your mind. 2. Start by thinking about all the things that make your life comfortable: Clean water on tap, light at the flip of a switch, a roof over your head to protect you from the weather, warmth, and comfort when it gets windy, rainy, or cold. 3. Let your mind wander to all the millions of people who have worked hard to make your life more comfortable: Those who plant and harvest the food you eat, who bring it to markets, people who ensure the water we drink is clean, delivery drivers, teachers, all the people who create art and music and books and films and all the things that can bring us so much meaning, and so on. 4. Think about the acquaintances who bring richness to your life, like a colleague, neighbor, or someone you often see at the gym or a coffee shop. 5. Take a moment to think about what you’re really grateful for today, right now. 6. Notice how you’re feeling now, compared to when you started, and then start to bring movement back to your body, wiggling fingers and toes, maybe slowly standing up. 7. If you have the time, spend a few minutes journaling about what you thought about. Today’s Happiness Break host: Dacher Keltner is the host ofThe Science of Happiness podcast and is a co-instructor of the Greater Good Science Center’s popular online course of the same name. He’s also a professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley. This practice was created by Dr. Kathy Kemper, who’s the director of the Center for Integrative Health and Wellness at the Ohio State University. Learn more about some of her work here: https://mind-bodyhealth.osu.edu/ More resources from The Greater Good Science Center: Try GGSC’s online Gratitude Journal, Thnx4: https://tinyurl.com/2s4e4bx6 Take our Gratitude Quiz: https://tinyurl.com/yhbz6cwv Four Great Gratitude Strategies: https://tinyurl.com/2muyff64 Is Gratitude Good for You?: https://tinyurl.com/ycknm2ru Three Surprising Ways Gratitude Works at Work: https://tinyurl.com/yc2c8y4n We love hearing from you! Tell us about your experience with practicing gratitude. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod. Find us on Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap Help us share Happiness Break! Leave us a 5-star review and copy and share this link: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/r6pkw2xx

One way to feel more thankful for things is to imagine life without them. We explore a practice shown to help you see the bright side, even when you feel down. We know gratitude is good for us, but what if we’re struggling to feel it? This week’s guest, author and podcast producer Stephanie Foo, finds herself missing her close-knit “chosen family” in California since moving to New York. Foo tries a practice called mental subtraction, where she imagines her life without New York. Later, gratitude researcher Ernst Bohlmeijer shares how gratitude practices can reshape our emotions and possibly our whole outlook, and how the Mental Subtraction of Positive Events practice can be antidote to taking things for granted. Practice: Find the full Mental Subtraction of Positive Events practice at our Greater Good in Action website: https://ggia.berkeley.edu/practice/mental_subtraction_positive_events Today’s guests: Stephanie Foo is a radio producer and author of the book What My Bones Know: A Memoir of Healing from Complex Trauma. Learn more about Stephanie and her book: https://www.stephaniefoo.me/ Follow Stephanie on Twitter: https://twitter.com/imontheradio Follow Stephanie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foofoofoo/ Follow Stephanie on Facebook:https://tinyurl.com/yx6pwdnf Ernst Bohlmeijer is a psychology professor who studies gratitude at the University of Twente in The Netherlands.Learn more about Ernst and his work: https://tinyurl.com/2p92p6vn Science of Happiness Episodes like this one: https://tinyurl.com/2p9buvkdhttps://tinyurl.com/3jdbe52uhttps://tinyurl.com/bd4ussjtTranscript: https://tinyurl.com/4r84778r

Indigenous scholar Dr. Yuria Celidwen guides us in a reflection on our interconnection with water, encouraging us to see it as more than just a vital resource, but as kin. How to Do This Practice: Last week we explored the scientifically backed healing qualities of water, focusing on how connecting with water through sound, sight, and touch can support our well being. This week, indigenous scholar Dr. Yuria Celidwen guides us in a reflection on our interconnection with water, encouraging us to see it as more than just a vital resource, but as kin. Today’s Happiness Break Host: DR. YURIA CELIDWEN is an indigenous scholar of contemplative studies, and author of the new book, Flourishing Kin: Indigenous Foundations For Collective Well-Being. Read more on Yuria: https://www.yuriacelidwen.com/#about Follow Yuria on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yuriacelidwen/ Read Yuria’s work on kin relationality: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.994508/full If You Enjoyed This Happiness Break, You Might Also Like: Experience Nature Wherever You Are, with DacherHow to Ground Yourself in Nature, With Yuria Celidwen Check Out These Episodes of The Science of Happiness: The Healing Effects of Experiencing WildlifeHow to Do Good for the Environment (And Yourself)How to Use Your Body to Relax Your Mind (The Science of Happiness)We’d love to hear how this practice goes for you! Let us know how you connect with water in your life. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu Find us on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/6s39rzus Help us share Happiness Break! Rate us and copy and share this link: https://tinyurl.com/6s39rzus Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/59mmr7jc