Dr. Maya Shankar (cognitive scientist, Senior Advisor to Obama administration, host of Slight Change of Plans podcast) breaks down the role of language in cognition and why understanding human behavior makes a huge difference in informing government policy. She discusses her pivot from Juilliard violinist into neuroscience after suffering a permanent hand injury as a teenager, and how she created her own role in the White House. Mayim and Maya explain why "I" statements are the best way to communicate difficult emotions, the benefits of speaking to yourself in third person, and achieving positive lifestyle changes through a technique called "temptation bundling." Maya opens up about using her anxious thoughts to propel her to strive for positive change in the world, and the benefits of spending effective time in the past and future. Mayim addresses the notion of self-sabotage within a relationship in another installment of Ask Mayim Anything.

Dr. Maya Shankar's Podcast: http://podcasts.pushkin.fm/slight-change-of-plans

• BialikBreakdown.com
• YouTube.com/mayimbialik