The Science of Happiness

A short break does more than just fuel our bodies, it strengthens our minds. Our overworked guest tries the Swedish practice of 'Fika' – taking short coffee breaks throughout the work day. Episode summary: In the United States, we’re taught that it’s a good thing to work more, and work harder. But research shows that overworking isn’t just physically and mentally draining, it can also be deadly. One strategy to manage our work culture? Take more breaks. Our guest this week is Mike Heyliger, a music executive and self-described “workaholic.” He incorporated the Swedish tradition of fika – taking coffee and snack breaks throughout the day – into his own life, and found it not only helped him de-stress, it also shifted his mindset and enabled him to connect with others. Later, we look at the scientific benefits of taking microbreaks and hear from Anna Brones, co-author of Fika: The Art of the Swedish Coffee Break. Practice: Actively choose to take a break during your day. Typically, fika breaks happen twice. Once in the morning and once in the mid-afternoon. Traditionally, fika breaks include a drink, like coffee, and a snack, but this is not required. Often, fika breaks are taken with others. Today’s guests: Mike Heyliger is a music executive and the creator of Detoxicity, a podcast on progressive masculinity. Learn more about Mike’s Initiative, ‘Mindful Vinyl’: https://mindfulvinyl.org/about/ Listen to Mike’s Podcast, ‘Detoxicity’: https://tinyurl.com/vc72tjn2 Anna Brones is a Swedish-American writer and artist. She produces the newsletter and podcast, Creative Fuel. Anna is also the co-author of Fika: The Art of the Swedish Coffee Break. Learn more about Anna and her work: https://www.annabrones.com/about Listen to the Creative Fuel Podcast: https://www.creativefuelcollective.com/podcast Read Anna’s book on Fika: https://tinyurl.com/yhdzaj2m Resources from The Greater Good Science Center: Five Reasons to Take a Break from Screens: https://tinyurl.com/333tuvax Why You Should Take More Time Off from Work: https://tinyurl.com/k5brkp46 Tuesday Tip: Take a Break: https://tinyurl.com/5986ste3 How to Avoid Burnout – or a Breakdown: https://tinyurl.com/bddw7cap Why You Should Take a Relaxing Lunch Break: https://tinyurl.com/2p8axdba More Resources on Fika: NYT - In Sweden, the Fika Experience: ​​https://tinyurl.com/54wpw8p5 Insider - A daily habit from Sweden could make you more productive at work: https://tinyurl.com/4exjydrr TED - Forget the Pecking Order at Work: https://tinyurl.com/yk68dmzy BBC - The Swedish tradition that can make you happier at work: https://tinyurl.com/yx28x2v8 Have you tried incorporating fika in your life? Tell us how it went. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod. Help us share The Science of Happiness! Share this episode with a friend: https://tinyurl.com/4uyr2w35 Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap

Indigenous scholar Yuria Celidwen guides us in a meditation to strengthen our sense of belonging and connection to the earth. This Happiness Break is part of our special series, Climate, Hope & Science. In it, we explore the intersection of environmental well-being and our own well-being, where taking care of ourselves and the planet are one in the same and feeling good is not only possible, it’s helpful. Listen to the rest of the series, which was released in our feed April 22–May 18, 2023. How to Do This Practice: Find a comfortable position wherever you are located. Direct your attention to your feet and the surface below them. Try to cultivate a sense of belonging in that space under your feet. Let your breath guide your attention back to your feet and upward to your heart and head. Feel a sense of openness as you welcome the warmth of the sun into your heart. Acknowledge the transformative power of the earth and your role within it. Today’s Happiness Break host: Dr. Yuria Celidwen is an Indigenous scholar whose work focuses on Indigenous contemplative traditions and advocating for the rights of Indigenous peoples and lands. She is a senior fellow at the Othering and Belonging Institute at UC Berkeley and has worked with numerous organizations including the United Nations. Learn more about Yuria: https://www.yuriacelidwen.com/ Find out more about Yuria’s work at the Othering and Belonging Institute: https://belonging.berkeley.edu/yuria-celidwen More resources from The Greater Good Science Center: How Nature Can Make You Kinder, Happier, and More Creative: https://tinyurl.com/d2vzpsaj What Happens When We Reconnect With Nature: https://tinyurl.com/553xwm47 How to Protect Kids from Nature-Deficit Disorder: https://tinyurl.com/4usewuzj How Nature Helps Us Heal: https://tinyurl.com/2p93682j Why is Nature So Good for Your Mental Health? https://tinyurl.com/bdetmjt3 Five Ways to Develop “Ecoliteracy”: https://tinyurl.com/2zuj6smv Green With Empathy: https://tinyurl.com/42rk4m2m We love hearing from you! Tell us about your experience with this meditation. 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 We're living through a mental health crisis. Between the stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness, burnout — we all could use a break to feel better. That's where Happiness Break comes in. In each biweekly podcast episode, instructors guide you through research-backed practices and meditations that you can do in real-time. These relaxing and uplifting practices have been shown in a lab to help you cultivate calm, compassion, connection, mindfulness, and more — what the latest science says will directly support your well-being. All in less than ten minutes. A little break in your day. The Science of Happiness would like to extend a special thanks to *Eva Frye for their support of this series.*

Walking can increase our sense of connectedness with the earth and motivation to take climate action, which might be an important aspect of your well-being. This is the third and final episode of our special series, Climate, Hope & Science. We explore the intersection of environmental well-being and our own well-being, where taking care of ourselves and the planet are one in the same and feeling good is not only possible, it’s helpful. We find the links between crisis, hope, happiness, and action. Look for another climate-focused Happiness Break on May 18th. Episode summary: Musician and activist Diana Gameros tries leaving her car at home and walking instead of drive for three days. We hear what was challenging about her experience, and why in the end, she loved it. Incorporating small climate actions into our daily life can strengthen our relationship with the earth and inspire us to take better care of it. Later, climate scientist Patrick Gonzalez breaks down the actual climate impact of one person choosing not to drive for a day. (It’s more than you’d think.) Finally, we learn how to reimagine our relationship to the environment from Dr. Yuria Celidwen, an expert in Indigenous contemplative practices and sciences, and what we — and the planet — might gain from bridging Western and Indigenous worldviews. Practice: Avoid driving for one day out of the week. Instead, walk and take public transportation. Try to avoid using your phone while getting around. Instead, observe the environment around you and how you engage with it. Notice as much as you can about your neighborhood. Pay attention to how you feel when you walk versus drive. Think about how you can incorporate other small actions in your daily life to help the planet. Today’s guests: Diana Gameros is a musician and social activist. Her music is informed by themes like identity, language, culture and her experience as an immigrant. Learn more about Diana: https://www.dianagameros.com/ Listen to Diana’s Music: https://open.spotify.com/album/0JdsjnFwzgkr0kPelaODF4 Follow Diana on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dianagameros/ Follow Diana on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dianagamerosmusic/ Patrick Gonzalez is a climate scientist and forest ecologist at UC Berkeley. His work inspired numerous policy changes focused on forestry protections around the world. Learn more about Patrick and his work: http://www.patrickgonzalez.net/ Follow Patrick on Twitter: https://twitter.com/pgonzaleztweet?lang=en Dr. Yuria Celidwen is an Indigenous scholar whose work focuses on Indigenous contemplative traditions and advocating for the rights of Indigenous peoples and lands. Learn more about Yuria and her work: https://www.yuriacelidwen.com/ More Resources on Climate Action: Greater Good Mag - Can We Have More Productive Conversations About Climate Change? https://tinyurl.com/5n95sva3 WHO - Cycling and walking can help reduce physical inactivity and air pollution, save lives and mitigate climate change: https://tinyurl.com/3kzhytf5 TED - When Mother Earth Speaks, You Best Listen: https://tinyurl.com/yzmhch34 Time Magazine - In the Face of Climate Change, We Must Act So That We Can Feel Hopeful—Not the Other Way Around: https://tinyurl.com/98bbspap What climate actions have you incorporated into your life? Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #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

Take ten minutes to renew your connection to the earth through this guided meditation on our interdependence with the ecosystem. How to Do This Practice: Find a comfortable place to do this practice, relax into your body. Wherever you are, start to acknowledge your surroundings, noticing the living and inanimate things around you. Focus your attention on your breath, and how your breathing is interdependent on other life forms, and other life forms are dependent on your breath. Contemplate the Earth’s compassion, and how it provides you with unconditional support. Finish this practice by acknowledging your connection to the natural world. Today’s Happiness Break host: Dekila Chungyalpa is the founder and head of the Loka Initiative, which brings together faith leaders and culture keepers of indigenous traditions on environmental and climate issues. Learn More About Dekila Chungyalpa’s work: https://centerhealthyminds.org/about/people/dekila-chungyalpa Learn about the Loka Initiative: https://centerhealthyminds.org/programs/loka-initiative Follow Dekila on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dchungyalpa/?hl=en Follow Dekila on Twitter: https://twitter.com/dchungyalpa?lang=en More resources from The Greater Good Science Center: What Happens When We Reconnect With Nature: https://tinyurl.com/553xwm47 How Nature Helps Us Heal: https://tinyurl.com/2p93682j Why Is Nature So Good for Your Mental Health? https://tinyurl.com/ycx9ns4p How Nature Can Make You Kinder, Happier and More Creative: https://tinyurl.com/d2vzpsaj How Being in Nature Can Spur Personal Growth: https://tinyurl.com/2p822nyj How Modern Life Became Disconnected from Nature: https://tinyurl.com/bdzzy6pc Being Around Nature Helps You Love Your Body: https://tinyurl.com/34m7tfre We love hearing from you! How do you connect with nature? 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 We're living through a mental health crisis. Between the stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness, burnout — we all could use a break to feel better. That's where Happiness Break comes in. In each biweekly podcast episode, instructors guide you through research-backed practices and meditations that you can do in real-time. These relaxing and uplifting practices have been shown in a lab to help you cultivate calm, compassion, connection, mindfulness, and more — what the latest science says will directly support your well-being. All in less than ten minutes. A little break in your day. This Happiness Break is part of our special series, Climate, Hope & Science. In it, we explore the intersection of environmental well-being and our own well-being, where taking care of ourselves and the planet are one in the same and feeling good is not only possible, it’s helpful. We find the links between crisis, hope, happiness, and action. Look for the third and final episode May 11. Plus, we’ll share another climate-focused Happiness Break on May 18.

How can we build a sense of hope when the future feels uncertain? Poet Tomás Morín tries a writing practice to make him feel more hopeful and motivated to work toward his goals. This is the second episode of our special series, Climate, Hope & Science. We explore the intersection of environmental well-being and our own well-being, where taking care of ourselves and the planet are one in the same and feeling good is not only possible, it’s helpful. We find the links between crisis, hope, happiness, and action. Look for the third and final episode May 11. Plus, we’ll share climate-focused Happiness Breaks next week and May 18. Episode summary: In the first episode of Climate, Hope & Science, we explored the power of hope with Rebecca Solnitt. Hope can help us cope with uncertainty and sustain action, even when we don’t know what will happen. But what can we do when hope feels far away? This week, we learn about a practice shown in a lab to increase hopefulness and happiness. Poet and professor Tomá Morín got his first taste of climate anxiety as a kid, when he learned about the hole in the ozone layer, and he still feels the panic over the state of the environment today. Will writing about a past hope that was fulfilled — like the global effort to heal the ozone layer — help him overcome despair and cultivate hope? We hear about Tomás’ experience. Then, the scientist behind the practice explains how she created it and why it works. Editor’s Note: In this episode, Tomás mentions recycling as a way to care for the environment. But in the last few years, we’ve learned that most things we toss in the recycling bin are never made into something new. If you’d like to learn more, here are a few places to start: https://tinyurl.com/3y9u2y5w https://tinyurl.com/yckstwer Today’s Practice: Find a quiet space and grab paper and something to write with. Write about something you're currently hopeful for when it comes to climate change. Describe it as if it’s happening now in as much detail as possible. Don’t worry about spelling and grammar. Next, write about a past hope you’ve held in the past regarding the environment that's been fulfilled and that brings you a sense of gratitude to think about now. Describe what happened, the gratitude you felt, how you and others contributed to it, and what you learned from the experience. If you like, take these prompts one by one. Don’t worry about writing well, just write as much as you can. Today’s guests: Tomás Morin is a poet who won an American Poetry Review Honickman First Book Prize for his collection of poems A Larger Country. He’s currently a professor at Rice University. Check out Tomás’ work: https://www.tomasqmorin.com/About Read Tomás’ latest book: https://www.nebraskapress.unl.edu/nebraska/9781496226495/ Follow Tomas on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tomasqmorin/ Charlotte Van Oyen-Witvliet is a clinical psychologist who teaches at Hope College in Holland, Michigan. Resources from The Greater Good Science Center: How Hope Can Keep You Happier and Healthier: https://tinyurl.com/2n9k59xn How Gratitude Can Help You Through Hard Times: https://tinyurl.com/3b66kh5n How to Overcome “Apocalypse Fatigue” Around Climate Change: https://tinyurl.com/yc47ph38 What to do With Dread and Anxiety Around Climate Change: https://tinyurl.com/3766a6sj Tell us about your experience finding hope for the environment. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #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

In the first episode in our series Climate, Hope and Science, we explore how embracing uncertainty enables us to move beyond climate anxiety and despair to hope and action, with author and activist Rebecca Solnit. What does it take to be aware of what’s really happening, without falling into despair? How do we find hope? Do small, individual actions really matter? What happens to our minds and hearts when we connect with nature, and how can that actually protect the climate? We find the links between crisis, hope, happiness, and action. Look for new episodes April 27 and March 11. Plus, we’ll share climate-focused Happiness Breaks in the weeks following those episodes. Episode summary: When you think about climate change, do you feel hope? On this episode of our special series, Climate, Hope and Science, we examine what it means to feel hopeful for the future of our planet. Renowned writer and activist Rebecca Solnit joins Dacher to share why she loves uncertainty, what gives her hope, and how hope empowers her. Later, we hear from climate scientist Patrick Gonzalez about why he believes climate hope is scientifically sound, and how much power we truly have to create meaningful change. Today’s guests: Rebecca Solnit is an award-winning author and activist whose works have explored numerous themes including technology, feminism, the environment and social change. Her latest book, which she co-edited, is It's Not Too Late: Changing the Climate Story from Despair to Possibility. https://www.nottoolateclimate.com/ Learn more about Rebecca: http://rebeccasolnit.net/biography/ Read Rebecca’s article “Ten ways to confront the climate crisis without loosing hope”: https://tinyurl.com/2p92e2h6 Follow Rebecca on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RebeccaSolnit Follow Rebecca on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rebeccasolnit/ Follow Rebecca on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rebecca.solnit Patrick Gonzalez is a climate scientist and forest ecologist at UC Berkeley. His work inspired numerous policy changes focused on forestry protections around the world. Learn more about Patrick and his work: http://www.patrickgonzalez.net/ Follow Patrick on Twitter: https://twitter.com/pgonzaleztweet?lang=en Follow Patrick on Google Scholar: https://tinyurl.com/mvn98ear More Resources on Climate Hope: Greater Good Mag - More Resources on Science Center https://tinyurl.com/ytna663b University of Michigan - Climate crisis: 4 reasons for hope in 2023: https://tinyurl.com/5n7hhpu8 United Nations - 8 reasons not to give up hope - and take climate action: https://tinyurl.com/3wzrebyy Australian Psychological Society - Coping with climate change distress: https://tinyurl.com/43jhkbjw How do you feel when you think about climate change? Where do you derive hope? Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #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

Happiness Break: Sketching Serenity with Chris Murchison A guided drawing meditation to help you break out of stale thought patterns and maybe even enter a state of flow. No talent required. How to Do This Practice: Grab a piece of paper and something to draw with. Find a comfortable place and start by taking some deep, mindful breaths Take a few moments to take in your environment. What colors, shapes, and objects do you see? Set a timer and for the next two minutes, draw something that caught your attention. Don’t worry about how it looks and try to stay in the moment. Once time is up, spend a moment appreciating what you drew. Think about the impact of slowing down and doing something fun has had on your day. Today’s Happiness Break host: Chris Murchison is a meditation teacher, artist and speaker. He currently works as an independent advisor for organizations interested in improving their work cultures. Check out Chris’s GGSC profile: https://tinyurl.com/32htut6n Learn more about Chris’s art and other work: https://chrismurchison.com/about Follow Chris on Instagram: https://tinyurl.com/4auxk3ur Follow Chris on Twitter: https://twitter.com/murchisonchris?lang=en Add Chris on LinkedIn: https://tinyurl.com/253x83ty More resources from The Greater Good Science Center: Doing Something Creative Can Boost Your Well-Being: https://tinyurl.com/4pcwxhsf What is Creative Mortification and How Can You Overcome It: https://tinyurl.com/583kswfw Does Art Heal? https://tinyurl.com/3ttybzpm Everyday Art: https://tinyurl.com/mstemcsf 7 Ways to Foster Creativity: https://tinyurl.com/ycn5majv How to Combat America’s Creativity Crisis: https://tinyurl.com/yckzm8se We love hearing from you! Tell us about your experience of drawing this week. 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 We're living through a mental health crisis. Between the stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness, burnout — we all could use a break to feel better. That's where Happiness Break comes in. In each biweekly podcast episode, instructors guide you through research-backed practices and meditations that you can do in real-time. These relaxing and uplifting practices have been shown in a lab to help you cultivate calm, compassion, connection, mindfulness, and more — what the latest science says will directly support your well-being. All in less than ten minutes. A little break in your day.

Is there such a thing as good stress? Our guest learns to welcome her stress by understanding how it can actually help her, plus tips and tricks to not feel too much of it. Episode summary: Like many of us, our guest Yana Leventon has dealt with a fair amount of stress in her life. But after living through the COVID-19 pandemic and grappling with the ongoing war in Ukraine (with relatives on both sides of the border) Yana’s stress levels reached a new high. This week’s episode is all about how we can reframe our relationship with stress. Yana spent one week trying a new practice each day. All 7 of the practices were aimed at managing different aspects of stress, from physically metabolizing her stress through exercise to visualization and breathing techniques. These exercises helped her regain a sense of clarity about what is truly not in her control, and agency over what is. She began to see stress as a normal and necessary part of life that can actually be beneficial in the right amount. Later, we hear from the psychologist who developed this stress management tool, Elissa Epel. She discusses the importance of developing a positive relationship with stress, and how we can use stress to feel a sense of empowerment. Practice: Day 1. Embrace Uncertainty: Releasing Embodied Stress Day 2. Let Go of What You Can’t Control: Stress Inventory Day 3. Find Excitement in Challenges: Stress Shield Day 4. Metabolize Body Stress: Hormetic Stress Day 5. Immerse Yourself in Nature: Sensory Absorption Day 6. Experience Deep Rest: Breath for Restoration Day 7. Create Bliss Bookends: Start and End Full of Joy For more information on each of the daily practices, check out Elissa Epel’s book, The Stress Prescription. Today’s guests: Yana Leventon was a refugee in Austria and Italy before migrating to the United States from the former USSR when she was 10 years old. Elissa Epel is a psychologist who specializes in stress, aging and well-being. She has developed self-care practices rooted in scientific research to improve how we cope with stress. Learn more about Elisa and her work: https://www.elissaepel.com/ Read Elissa’s book, The Stress Prescription: https://tinyurl.com/yt66t3b3 Follow Elissa on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Dr_Epel Follow Elissa on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TelomereEffect Resources from The Greater Good Science Center: How to Transform Stress into Courage and Connection: https://tinyurl.com/n49fzhf7 Seven Ways to Have a Healthier Relationship With Stress: https://tinyurl.com/mr3yy6b5 Is Stress Making You Withdraw from People? https://tinyurl.com/4kkesr7s Could Stress Help You Find Your Purpose in Life? https://tinyurl.com/2ssz7mck The Surprising Benefits of Stress: https://tinyurl.com/3uynfkf2 More Resources on Managing Stress: National Institute for Mental Health - I’m So Stressed Out! Fact Sheet: https://tinyurl.com/4hr3eawc TED - How to make stress your friend: https://tinyurl.com/y5bsj3ks Harvard Business Review - Turning Stress into an Asset: https://tinyurl.com/3fdzfx3v Johns Hopkins - Sleepless Nights? Try Stress Relief Techniques: https://tinyurl.com/mw6jxbvz Do you struggle with managing your stress levels? What’s your go-to stress management tool? Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #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

How to Do This Practice: Find a comfortable place to do this practice. Once you feel ready, relax your shoulders and close your eyes. Focus on your breathing, and take a few slow, deep breaths. Think about the world around you. If you could change one thing in society, what would it be? Imagine this ideal world. Visualize it manifesting before you. Notice what you see and how you feel in as much detail as possible. Is there anything that you can do to make this a reality? It can be anything, no matter how small. Think of some manageable steps you can take to get a little closer to what you’ve imagined. Return your focus to your breathing to close out this practice. If you have the time, jot down your thoughts and goals. Today’s Happiness Break host: Dacher Keltner is the host of the Greater Good Science Center’s award-winning podcast, The Science of Happiness and is a co-instructor of the GGSC’s popular online course of the same name. He’s also the founding director of the Greater Good Science Center and a professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley. Check out Dacher’s most recent book, *Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life: *<https://tinyurl.com/4j4hcvyt](https://tinyurl.com/4j4hcvyt) Find the full practice at our Greater Good in Action website: https://ggia.berkeley.edu/practice/magic_wand More resources from The Greater Good Science Center: How to Find Purpose in Your Life: https://tinyurl.com/yc4dd5ff Living with Purpose Changes Everything: https://tinyurl.com/m28uvsjn The Purpose Challenge: https://tinyurl.com/53zykj8a How Strong is Your Sense of Purpose in Life? https://tinyurl.com/2r3yr3hr Purpose in Life Quiz: https://tinyurl.com/mrxys77h We love hearing from you! Tell us about your experience of finding purpose. 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 We're living through a mental health crisis. Between the stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness, burnout — we all could use a break to feel better. That's where Happiness Break comes in. In each biweekly podcast episode, instructors guide you through research-backed practices and meditations that you can do in real-time. These relaxing and uplifting practices have been shown in a lab to help you cultivate calm, compassion, connection, mindfulness, and more — what the latest science says will directly support your well-being. All in less than ten minutes. A little break in your day.

Why should you be nice? Our guest explores how small, daily acts of kindness can produce meaningful life changes. Episode summary: When you’re kind to someone, the positive impact doesn’t stop with them. In fact, the effect of your kind action can ricochet back to you by improving your physical health and outlook on life. This week’s episode is all about how kindness has the power to strengthen our sense of self within a larger community. Our guest Aaron Harvey is an activist and UC Berkeley alumni who performed five random acts of kindness in one day. He found that practicing kindness allowed him to develop deeper relationships with those around him and shifted the way he views his role in society. Later, we hear from Oliver Scott Curry, the Research Director at Kindlab, to learn about why humans are evolutionarily designed to be kind and how practicing kindness can positively affect our physical and mental state of being. How to Do This Practice: Choose a day of the week to perform 5 random acts of kindness throughout that day. These acts don’t have to be big or small or even for the same person. Just aim to perform a variety of acts of kindness. This could include helping a friend with a chore or providing a meal to a person in need. After each act, write down what you did in at least one or two sentences and reflect on how it made you feel. Learn more about this practice at Greater Good In Action: https://ggia.berkeley.edu/practice/random_acts_of_kindness Today’s guests: Aaron Harvey is a UC Berkeley Underground Scholar alumnus and activist. After facing the possibility of life in prison, Aaron successfully proved his innocence due to a lack of evidence. Learn more about Berkeley Underground Scholars: https://undergroundscholars.berkeley.edu/ Oliver Scott Curry is the Research Director for Kindlab at kindness.org. He uses scientific research to better understand topics like kindness, human morality and cooperation. Learn more about Oliver and his work: https://www.oliverscottcurry.com/ Learn more about Kindlab: https://kindness.org/kindlab Follow Oliver on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Oliver_S_Curry Follow Oliver on Google Scholar: https://tinyurl.com/yc29nn62 Resources from The Greater Good Science Center: Random Acts of Kindness: https://tinyurl.com/jxafbdm4 How to Start a Kindness Revolution: https://tinyurl.com/3fr68t6v Three Strategies for Bringing More Kindness into Your Life: https://tinyurl.com/22cx7w9f How Kindness Fits Into a Happy Life: https://tinyurl.com/h8mspz37 How to Be a Kindness Role Model for Your Kids: https://tinyurl.com/3cjkp785 Where Does Kindness Come From? https://tinyurl.com/hkv94anp Is There an Altruism Gene? https://tinyurl.com/5n8r7eh5 More Resources on Kindness MasterClass - How to Be Kind to Yourself: 5 Ways to Practice Kindness: https://tinyurl.com/ycx7uysu The New York Times - The Unexpected Power of Random Acts of Kindness: https://tinyurl.com/ycxxd7af TED Talk - Mark Kelly: How one act of kindness a day can change your life: https://tinyurl.com/u2n3t3s Have you ever tried practicing random acts of kindness? Ever been the recipient of one? Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod. Help us share The Science of Happiness! Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap

What if you could tap into your inherent resilience at any time? Prentis Hemphill guides a meditation to turn good memories into a state of resilience. How to Do This Resilience Practice: Find a position that is comfortable for you, whether that is sitting, laying down or even standing. Don’t feel pressured to remain still for this practice. If you feel like you need to move or make sounds to stay present, feel free to. Think of something that brings you a sense of resilience. While in this memory, what are you doing with your body? What does your body feel like? Try to intensify those feelings. Notice how that feels in your body and in the experience of that memory. Take yourself back to how the memory was at the beginning of this practice, at a lower intensity. Notice how you’re able to make that change. Thinking about the day ahead or the day that you’ve had, ask yourself how much space do you want the day to take up in this moment? Once you’re ready, move from that comfortable position. See if you can take this experience with you throughout your day. Today’s Happiness Break host: Prentis Hemphill is the founder of the Embodiment Institute, and a writer and therapist who prioritizes the body in their approach to healing. Learn More About the Embodiment Institute: https://www.theembodimentinstitute.org/about Check out Prentis’ website: https://prentishemphill.com Follow Prentis on Twitter: https://twitter.com/prentishemphill Follow Prentis on Instagram: https://tinyurl.com/4d99f4xs More resources from The Greater Good Science Center: How to Hardwire Resilience into Your Brain: https://tinyurl.com/26mff6hf Four Ways Social Support Makes You More Resilient: https://tinyurl.com/34ntce8u Evidence Mounts that Mindfulness Breeds Resilience: https://tinyurl.com/2u6k6mkh Mindfulness and Resilience to Stress at Work: https://tinyurl.com/yrujmwxs Three Ways to Boost Your Resiliency as a Parent: https://tinyurl.com/w6f3w3ak How Tuning into Your Body can Make You More Resilient: https://tinyurl.com/yv5yzper We love hearing from you! Tell us about your experience of this resilience meditation. 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 We're living through a mental health crisis. Between the stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness, burnout — we all could use a break to feel better. That's where Happiness Break comes in. In each biweekly podcast episode, instructors guide you through research-backed practices and meditations that you can do in real-time. These relaxing and uplifting practices have been shown in a lab to help you cultivate calm, compassion, connection, mindfulness, and more — what the latest science says will directly support your well-being. All in less than ten minutes. A little break in your day.

We all overestimate how much we know. Our guest tries a practice in slowing down to ask more questions, and finds it leads to higher quality connections. Episode summary: What happens when we pause and open up to ideas that we didn’t think of ourselves? This episode is about intellectual humility, the ability to surrender to the idea that we might not have all the information or may not be right. Our guest is Kelly Corrigan, a best-selling author and host of PBS talk show Tell Me More and podcast Kelly Corrigan Wonders. Her teams look to her for direction, but she wanted to see what would happen if she paused more to ask them questions, and found it totally changed her approach to both her work and family life. We also explore science around the subtle ways we react differently to people we disagree with, and how intellectual humility can change that. Try this practice: Cultivate Intellectual Humility If you can, write out your answers. When you encounter information or an opinion that contradicts your opinion or worldview, ask yourself questions like these: Why do you disagree? Are you making any assumptions? Might those assumptions be wrong? How did you come to your opinion? Think about the scenario from the perspective of a person who disagrees with you. Try to imagine how they came to believe what they believe: What information might they be basing their opinion off of? What values do you think they’re weighing in how they think about this topic? Can you imagine how they came to hold those values? 3. Tap into your intellectual humility: Identify places where, before, you didn’t acknowledge the limitations of what you know Now that you’ve worked to see this issue from another person’s point of view, do you see more value in their perspective? Today’s guests: Kelly Corrigan is the author of five books. She’s also the host for PBS’s longform interview show, Tell Me More and Kelly Corrigan Wonders*.* Check out Kelly’s website: https://www.kellycorrigan.com Follow Kelly on Twitter: https://twitter.com/corrigankelly Follow Kelly on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kellycorrigan/ Mark Leary is a psychologist and emeritus professor at Duke University. Learn more about Mark and his work: https://sites.duke.edu/leary/ Check out Mark’s research on Google Scholar: https://tinyurl.com/p8ayz8dn Resources from The Greater Good Science Center: What Does Intellectual Humility Look Like? https://tinyurl.com/5n949h69 Five Reasons Intellectual Humility is Good for You: https://tinyurl.com/2ce3jrmc Intellectual Humility Quiz: https://tinyurl.com/574k99fs Three Reasons for Leaders to Cultivate Intellectual Humility: https://tinyurl.com/2s4ecda6 How to Know if You’re Actually Humble: https://tinyurl.com/y8js44v More Resources on Intellectual Humility Vox - Intellectual humility: The importance of knowing you might be wrong: https://tinyurl.com/2cryd336 Financial Times - Why Intellectual Humility Matters: https://tinyurl.com/5n84hsh7 Psych Central - How Humility Strengthens Your Relationship: https://tinyurl.com/2fj9a4wh University of Notre Dame - To Make Better Decisions, Get More Comfortable Saying “I Don’t Know” https://tinyurl.com/3npysxh8 Tell us about your thoughts on intellectual humility. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod. Help us share The Science of Happiness! Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap This episode was supported by a grant from the John Templeton Foundation, as part of our project on "Expanding Awareness of the Science of Intellectual Humility." For more on the project, go to www.ggsc.berkeley.edu/IH.

Take a moment to appreciate the beauty and vastness of the sky. Dacher Keltner guides us through a practice of pausing to turn your gaze to the sky as a pathway to awe, creativity and wonder. Practice: Go someplace where you feel safe and also have a nice view of the sky. First, focus on your breathing. Take a few slow inhales and even slower exhales. As you breathe in and out, relax your shoulders, your hands, and your face. On the next breath in, look up at the sky. Notice how vast it is. Breathing naturally, notice everything you can about the sky. What colors are present? Are there any clouds? Do you see any gradation of light? Expand your gaze to get the fullest view and sense of the sky that you can. Spend a few moments taking it in. On the final deep breaths in and out, reflect on how doing this practice has made you feel. Today’s Happiness Break host: Dacher Keltner is the host of the Greater Good Science Center’s award-winning podcast, The Science of Happiness and is a co-instructor of the GGSC’s popular online course of the same name. He’s also the founding director of the Greater Good Science Center and a professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley. Check out Dacher’s most recent book, Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life: https://tinyurl.com/4j4hcvyt Resources from The Greater Good Science Center: Why we Should Look up at the Sky (Podcast): https://tinyurl.com/fn3bttw6 Six Ways to Incorporate Awe into Your Daily Life: https://tinyurl.com/3j5hdtj7 How to Choose a Type of Mindfulness Meditation: https://tinyurl.com/py6b729h How Nature Can Make You Kinder, Happier, and More Creative: https://tinyurl.com/2fmpdpkj Why is Nature so Good For Your Mental Health? ​​https://tinyurl.com/23zavth3 We love hearing from you! Tell us about your experience of looking up. 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 We're living through a mental health crisis. Between the stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness, burnout — we all could use a break to feel better. That's where Happiness Break comes in. In each biweekly podcast episode, instructors guide you through research-backed practices and meditations that you can do in real-time. These relaxing and uplifting practices have been shown in a lab to help you cultivate calm, compassion, connection, mindfulness, and more — what the latest science says will directly support your well-being. All in less than ten minutes. A little break in your day.

Episode summary: Having strong relationships is vital to our well-being. We tend to be happier and healthier when we’re involved with community. Today’s guest is the world-famous scientist Temple Grandin. She was born with autism, which led her to be socially isolated from her peers. Join us on this episode of The Science of Happiness to hear about how Grandin credits her support networks for her success and making her into the person she is today. We’ll also look at the science behind the health repercussions of not having strong social networks. Today’s guests: Temple Grandin is a leading animal behaviorist, prominent author and speaker on autism and animal behaviors. Today, she teaches courses at Colorado State University. Her latest book is Visual Thinking: The Hidden Gifts of People Who Think in Pictures, Patterns, and Abstractions. Temple’s Website: https://www.templegrandin.com Follow Temple on Twitter: https://twitter.com/drtemplegrandin?lang=en Check out Temple’s Latest Book: https://tinyurl.com/3tftxpck Tegan Cruwyis is a clinical psychologist at The National Australian University who studies social connection and how loneliness and chronic isolation are literally toxic. Learn more about Cruwyis and her work: https://tinyurl.com/3etuvket Follow Cruwyis on Google Scholar: https://tinyurl.com/yc5ujhaj Resources from The Greater Good Science Center: Four Ways Social Support Makes You More Resilient https://tinyurl.com/34ntce8u What is Social Connection? https://tinyurl.com/nk8crbbz Is Social Connection the Best Path to Happiness? https://tinyurl.com/4wxc66tn Why are We so Wired to Connect? https://tinyurl.com/uttppd3p More Resources for Improving Social Connections Emotional Wellness Checklist https://tinyurl.com/4wxc66tn How to Strengthen Social Relationships https://tinyurl.com/5fdv8ra9 The Science of Social Connection https://tinyurl.com/3tftxpck Tell us about your experiences with building social connections. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod. Help us share The Science of Happiness! Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap

Try this body-scan meditation to ground your mind in the present moment and in your body, guided by Spring Washam. How to do this practice: Find a comfortable seat where you can relax your body. Beginning with the top of your head, relax any sense of tension, one body part at a time. Slowly scan down to your face, neck, upper arms, hands, feeling their presence. You might want to place your hands on your belly to feel your breath and let go. End by placing your hand on your heart and offer your body some kindness. Today’s Happiness Break Host: Spring Washam has been a devoted Buddhist practitioner in both the Theravada and Tibetan schools of Buddhism for more than 25 years. She is a founding teacher of The East Bay Meditation Center and has spent more than a decade studying Shamanic indigenous healing practices. She is also the author of the forthcoming book, The Spirit of Harriet Tubman: Awakening from the Underground. Learn more about Spring and her book: https://www.springwasham.com/ Follow Spring on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/springwasham/ Check out Spring’s YouTube channel: https://tinyurl.com/22njyd29 More Resources from the Greater Good Science Center: Six Minutes to Connect with Your Body: https://tinyurl.com/2337f85e How a Body Scan Can Help with Strong Emotions: https://tinyurl.com/58wfsvnd Krista Tippett on Being Grounded in Your Body: https://tinyurl.com/59pkp324 Turning Into Your Body Can Make You More Resilient: https://tinyurl.com/5av68v62 Your Anxiety Might Be Coming From Your Body: https://tinyurl.com/dwb9vvue What Self-Compassion Feels Like in Your Body: https://tinyurl.com/2p9rdepk Seven Ways to Have a Healthier Relationship with Stress: https://tinyurl.com/m6mbv2np We love hearing from you! Tell us about your experience of embodiment meditation. 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 We’re living through a mental health crisis. Between the stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness, burnout — we all could use a break to feel better. That’s where Happiness Break comes in. In each biweekly podcast episode, instructors guide you through research-backed practices and meditations that you can do in real-time. These relaxing and uplifting practices have been shown in a lab to help you cultivate calm, compassion, connection, mindfulness, and more — what the latest science says will directly support your well-being. All in less than ten minutes. A little break in your day.

How can we feel more connected to our loved ones, even when they're not around? Our guest tries a practice shown to make us feel less lonely and more socially connected. Episode summary: Mónica Guzmán describes herself as a raging extrovert, but she still feels less connected to others than she’d like to. Working from home, she often finds herself alone, or worse — feeling alone because she’s still in work mode when her family is around. She tried a Reminders of Connectedness practice by making subtle changes to the interior of her home – like decorating with more family photos and rearranging the living room – and found that these seemingly small changes made a big difference in how she felt throughout her day. We also hear from clinical psychologist Tegan Cruwys about the powerful influence our sense of connectedness can have on our mental health. Practice: Reminders of Connectedness Look around your home, office, or classroom and notice what things around you remind you of being connected to others – words, photographs, memorabilia. As you move through your day, keep an eye out for things that evoke a feeling of connection. See where you can use them to add more reminders of connection to your space by adding them in or replacing existing objects. Finally, consider how the furniture is arranged. Are chairs facing toward or away from each other? Find any changes you can make to common spaces so that they’re more conducive to spontaneous interactions. Learn more about this practice at Greater Good In Action: https://ggia.berkeley.edu/practice/reminders_of_connectedness Today’s guests: Mónica Guzmán is Senior Fellow for Public Practice at Braver Angels, a nonprofit working to depolarize America, founder and CEO of Reclaim Curiosity, an organization working to build a more curious world. She’s also the author of I Never Thought Of It That Way: How to Have Fearlessly Curious Conversations in Dangerously Divided Times. You can check out the book here: https://boook.link/I-Never-Thought-of-It-That-Way Visit Mónica’s website:https://www.moniguzman.com/ Follow Mónica on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moniguzman/?hl=en Follow Mónica on Twitter: https://tinyurl.com/3k4pn4c4 Follow Mónica on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/moniguzman Tegan Cruwys is a professor and clinical psychologist at Australian National University. Learn more about Tegan and her work: https://tinyurl.com/ykepk5r4 Resources from The Greater Good Science Center: 11 Things to Do When You Feel Lonely: https://tinyurl.com/b8m86fhy What the Longest Happiness Study Reveals About Finding Fulfillment: https://tinyurl.com/2s3b59fn What Psychedelics Can Teach Us About Human Connection: https://tinyurl.com/5buyydw7 Skills You Need for Happier Relationships with Family: https://tinyurl.com/weeusepn More Resources The Atlantic - What Makes Us Happy: https://tinyurl.com/2nxpbhsd NYT - I Love You But I Don’t Want To Sleep With You: https://tinyurl.com/tjnxbdtt Scientific American - Why We Are Wired To Connect: ​​https://tinyurl.com/59u4ffua Tell us about your experiences of connectedness. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod. Help us share The Science of Happiness! Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap

Seeing others suffering is painful. Learn to practice both compassion and self-soothing in this guided meditation led by Anushka Fernandopulle. How to Do This Practice: Find somewhere peaceful, sit down and get comfortable. Once you’re ready, gently close your eyes. Start taking deep breaths and relax your body. Part by part, release tension in different areas of your body. Think of someone or a group of people you know or have heard of who may be having a hard time. Bring to mind an image of them. Connect with whatever it is they are struggling with. Mentally, make some wishes of compassion for them. For example, “May you be free from pain.” Or, “I am here with you.” You can also use this practice to focus on your own pain. To do this, call to mind your struggles and give yourself the same compassion you gave others. Today’s Happiness Break host: Anushka Fernandopulle is a meditation teacher who trained in Buddhist meditation for over 30 years. After studying Buddhism at Harvard, she spent four years in full-time meditation training in the U.S., India, and Sri Lanka Check out Anushka’s upcoming meditation retreats https://www.anushkaf.org Follow Anushka on Instagram https://tinyurl.com/ytn3vvhz Follow Anushka on Twitter https://tinyurl.com/485vj8xn Check out Anushka’s Dharma Talks https://tinyurl.com/ydacvamn Find another version of the Compassion Meditation practice at our Greater Good in Action website: https://ggia.berkeley.edu/practice/compassion_meditation More resources from The Greater Good Science Center: What is compassion? https://tinyurl.com/2s3ztcpt Take Our Self-Compassion Quiz: https://tinyurl.com/yysrf663 Try Dr. Neff’s Fierce Self-Compassion Break: https://tinyurl.com/yk9yzh9u How to Bring Self-Compassion to Work with You: https://tinyurl.com/45zkrkam The Five Myths of Self-Compassion: https://tinyurl.com/2p88vass Read Dr. Neff’s interview about Self-Compassion: https://tinyurl.com/286njtje How Self-Compassion Can Help You Through a Breakup: https://tinyurl.com/222scejz Can Self-Compassion Overcome Procrastination? https://tinyurl.com/mrfmvyj We love hearing from you! Tell us about your experience of compassion meditation. 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 We're living through a mental health crisis. Between the stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness, burnout — we all could use a break to feel better. That's where Happiness Break comes in. In each biweekly podcast episode, instructors guide you through research-backed practices and meditations that you can do in real-time. These relaxing and uplifting practices have been shown in a lab to help you cultivate calm, compassion, connection, mindfulness, and more — what the latest science says will directly support your well-being. All in less than ten minutes. A little break in your day.

Why do some songs send chills down your spine or give you goosebumps? We explore the science of how music induces awe — and how that affects our well-being. Episode summary: In the last episode of our awe series, Dacher explores the mysteries of how music inspires awe and can transport us to another space and time with sound alchemist Laura Inserra. Later, we hear from the scientist who showed how awe-inspiring songs change the way we think and feel. This is the last episode in our special series The Science of Awe. Check out the last four releases in our feed for Happiness Breaks that will help guide you to experience more awe in your life, and episodes of The Science of Happiness about the other profound ways that awe affects — and more places to find it. Our host, Dacher Keltner, has a new book out about awe. It’s called Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life. Learn more here: https://tinyurl.com/3uzk8m5r Today’s guests: Laura Inserra is an instrumentalist, composer, producer, and a teacher who works with music to help people tap into a sense of awe. Follow Laura on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laura_inserra/ Follow Laura on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/laurainserra Check out Laura’s website: https://www.laurainserra.com Qihao Ji is an assistant professor of Communication at Marist College Learn more about Ji and his work: https://www.marist.edu/communication-arts/faculty/qihao-ji Resources from The Greater Good Science Center: How Music Bonds us Together: https://tinyurl.com/5x5xxnmz Where Music and Empathy Converge in the Brain https://tinyurl.com/84sep62v How Many Emotions Can Music Make You Feel: https://tinyurl.com/8pxud5bt More Resources About Awe and Music Bluefield Daily Telegraph - Music: A sense of Awe and Admiration: https://tinyurl.com/5eyc4ehw NYT - How a Bit of Awe Can Improve Your Health: https://tinyurl.com/4zdzcusk Yamaha Music - The Science of Awe (And Why It Matters): https://tinyurl.com/4njv9mpb Tell us about your experiences with music awe. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod. Help us share The Science of Happiness! Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap

Host Dacher Keltner leads us through an exercise in feeling the serenity and wonder that nature brings us, no matter where we are. How to Do This Practice: Find a spot where you can sit and rest comfortably. Once you’re ready, close your eyes. Begin breathing slowly and deeply. Focus on your breath and unclench your muscles from head to toe. Think of a place in nature that is sacred or significant to you. What do you hear? What do you see? Try to create as clear of an image as you can in your mind. Notice what feelings arise as you think of this place; what feelings do you associate with it? Contemplate how this place has become a part of who you are; how it lives in your mind and how you can conjure up the feeling of it within yourself. Today’s Happiness Break host: Dacher Keltner is the host of the Greater Good Science Center’s award-winning podcast, The Science of Happiness and is a co-instructor of the GGSC’s popular online course of the same name. He’s also the founding director of the Greater Good Science Center and a professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley. His new book is Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life. More resources from The Greater Good Science Center: Secrets of the Vagus Nerve: https://tinyurl.com/yzuxtuzp Why We Should Look Up at the Sky (Podcast): https://tinyurl.com/fn3bttw6 What’s the Most Common Sense of Awe? https://tinyurl.com/2p842t8r Happiness Break: How to Ground Yourself: https://tinyurl.com/289ph9cz Happiness Break: Experience Nature Wherever You Are: https://tinyurl.com/yv46xrr4 Why You Should Snap Pictures of Nature: https://tinyurl.com/5fp7bhk6 Could Your Life Be More Awesome? Take our Awe Quiz https://tinyurl.com/2p8mz57f We love hearing from you! Tell us about your experience of awe in nature. 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 We're living through a mental health crisis. Between the stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness, burnout — we all could use a break to feel better. That's where Happiness Break comes in. In each biweekly podcast episode, instructors guide you through research-backed practices and meditations that you can do in real-time. These relaxing and uplifting practices have been shown in a lab to help you cultivate calm, compassion, connection, mindfulness, and more — what the latest science says will directly support your well-being. All in less than ten minutes. A little break in your day.

When did you last take a moment to really look up at the sky? Shifting our gaze upward is linked to more creativity, capacity to focus—and it's a gateway to awe. Episode summary: Natalie didn’t spend much time finding shapes in the clouds as a small kid. And when she got older, looking up was even worse for her. Natalie spent time in jail, where she spent most of her days indoors under harsh lights. Today, she’s a student at a prestigious university. She tried a practice in looking up for our show. When we look up, our brain gets better at being playful, creative, and thinking critically. We also tend to see vast and beautiful things above our heads, like a canopy of leaves, branches and singing birds, or a starry night sky. Often, looking up is all we need to do to find moments of awe in our day-to-day lives. And that’s a wonderful thing, because feeling awe changes how our brains work in a way that’s really good for us. This is the second episode of The Science of Happiness in a three-part series called The Science of Awe. If you’d like to learn more about awe, our host, Dacher Keltner, has a new book out about it. It’s called Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life. Learn more here: <https://tinyurl.com/3uzk8m5r \](https://tinyurl.com/3uzk8m5r) Practice: Look Up Over the course of a week or so, make it a point to look up in several different locations and at different times of the day and night. Be sure everywhere you choose is a safe place to do so, and of course, never look into the sun. Each time before you look up, take a moment first to notice how you feel, and then take a few deep, intentional breaths to help you get grounded into the present moment. Look up and let your eyes wander, noticing what inspires awe. If nothing does, that’s ok! This practice might help you cultivate awe more often, but it’s best to go into it each time with no expectations. Spend at least a few minutes looking up if it’s comfortable to do so, or as long as you like. When you’re done, take another moment to notice how you feel now. Today’s guests: Natalie is a student at UC Berkeley and also works with the UC Berkeley's Underground Scholars Program, which creates pathways for formerly incarcerated people to study at universities. We're not sharing Natalie's last name to protect her privacy. Michiel van Elk is a professor at Leiden University in The Netherlands. Learn more about van Elk and his work: https://tinyurl.com/4kc5tycc Resources from The Greater Good Science Center: How Nature Can Make You Kinder, Happier, and More Creative: https://tinyurl.com/yepuxd27 Six Ways to Incorporate Awe Into Your Daily Life: https://tinyurl.com/3emucdez How the Science of Awe Shaped Pixar’s “Soul:” https://tinyurl.com/37z43vrz How a Sense of Awe Can Inspire Us to Confront Threats to Humanity: https://tinyurl.com/3k6xprau More Resources About Awe KQED - Dacher Keltner on Finding Awe: https://tinyurl.com/575v6rvf The Atlantic - The Quiet Profundity of Everyday Awe: https://tinyurl.com/yz623mff NYT - How a Bit of Awe Can Improve Your Health: https://tinyurl.com/4zdzcusk Sierra Club - The Science of Awe: https://tinyurl.com/3pfn23t7 Tell us about your experiences of awe. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod. Help us share The Science of Happiness! Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap