Fear can save your life—or quietly ruin it.. Fear keeps you alert, helps you avoid danger, and in many situations can literally save your life. Without fear, humans probably wouldn’t survive very long. But fear also has another side.

Sometimes the fear response kicks in when there is no real danger at all—or at least not enough danger to justify the level of anxiety we feel. Worry about money, health, relationships, social situations, or the future can become overwhelming and begin to shape the way we live our lives. In some cases, fear becomes less of a protector and more of a prison.

Dr. Arash Javanbakht, psychiatrist, neuroscientist, and director of the Stress, Trauma, and Anxiety Research Clinic at Wayne State University School of Medicine, studies how fear and anxiety work inside the brain. In our conversation, he explains why humans evolved to be fearful, why modern life can trigger anxiety so easily, and how understanding fear may help you gain more control over it rather than letting it control you.

If you’ve ever wondered why your mind sometimes reacts so strongly—or why anxiety can feel impossible to shut off—this discussion offers a fascinating look at what fear is actually trying to do for you and how to keep it from getting in the way of living a full life. Dr. Javanbakht is author of Afraid: Understanding the Purpose of Fear and Harnessing the Power of Anxiety (https://amzn.to/3LDJ93K).

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Dog owners tend to live longer and be healthier than people without dogs. But why would owning a dog have such a powerful effect on your health? The answer turns out to be surprisingly fascinating—especially when it comes to what dogs may be doing for children. https://hi.umn.edu/news/health-perks-pet-ownership

You know that frustrating moment when someone completely misunderstands what you meant—even though you thought you were being perfectly clear? Communication problems often happen because people aren’t all “speaking” the same way. According to psychotherapist Jason VanRuler, there are five distinct communication types, and each hears the world differently. Which means the problem may not be what you said—but how the other person processes it. Jason explains how understanding these communication styles can dramatically improve relationships, reduce conflict, and help people finally feel understood. He is author of Discovering Your Communication Type: The 5 Paths to Deeper Connections and Stronger Relationships (https://amzn.to/43iBcJB).

A lot of people were taught that if you work hard, stay humble, and keep your head down, success will eventually find you. That sounds nice. It’s also often terrible career advice. Promotions and opportunities frequently go to the people who know how to make themselves visible, memorable, and impossible to overlook. Courtney Johnson, creator of the viral “Problematic Career Cheat Codes” series on TikTok, explains the unspoken rules that actually drive career success—and why many talented people unknowingly sabotage themselves by following outdated advice. She is author of Career Cheat Codes: The Unspoken, Unconventional, and Unfiltered Rules of Career Success (https://amzn.to/4tIk7DD).

Nearsightedness has exploded around the world, especially among children and young adults. Most people blame screens. But researchers say the bigger issue may actually be something we’ve stopped doing—and the consequences could affect eyesight for life. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2830598

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Most people assume being rich would solve almost every problem in life. More freedom. Less stress. More happiness. But psychologists who work with wealthy families say money—especially when people grow up with a lot of it—can create a surprising set of emotional and psychological problems that few outsiders ever see. Source: Dr. Stephen Berglas author of Reclaiming the Fire (https://amzn.to/3VjeRIS).

Why do humans dream at all? Why does the brain create these intense experiences while we sleep? And why do dreams sometimes feel more emotionally real than waking life? Neurosurgeon and neuroscientist Dr. Rahul Jandial explains what modern science is discovering about the dreaming brain, including how dreams may help process emotion, simulate danger, strengthen memory, and shape mental health in ways we are only beginning to understand. He is author of This Is Why You Dream: What Your Sleeping Brain Reveals About Your Waking Life (https://amzn.to/3KmOE5N).

Modern life sends a clear message: if you spend too much time alone, something must be wrong. But researchers studying solitude say that idea may be completely backward. Time alone—when chosen intentionally—can improve creativity, emotional resilience, self-awareness, and even relationships with other people. Psychologist Netta Weinstein joins me to explain why humans actually need periods of disconnection from others and why learning to be comfortably alone may be one of the healthiest skills modern people can develop. Netta directs the European Research Council’s “Solitude: Alone but Resilient (SOAR)” project and is author of Solitude: The Science and Power of Being Alone (https://amzn.to/3wVA7eb).

“Organic seafood” sounds healthy and environmentally friendly. But what does that label even mean when applied to fish and shellfish? The answer reveals a surprisingly murky world behind a term many consumers assume is carefully regulated. https://www.foodrepublic.com/1413904/why-organic-seafood-myth/

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RULA: This Mental Health Awareness Month, don’t just think about your mental health - actually take the step to take care of it. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Rula.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started.

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“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” We’ve all heard it countless times. But where did that idea come from—and is it actually true? Researchers have taken a much closer look at breakfast and the findings may surprise you. Source: https://www.bmj.com/content/364/bmj.l42

Whether you realize it or not, you negotiate all day long—with your spouse, kids, friends, coworkers, and even strangers. The ability to persuade people and navigate difficult conversations can dramatically improve your personal and professional life. Attia Qureshi has spent decades teaching negotiation and persuasion strategies to leaders and organizations. In our conversation, she explains the subtle skills that make people more influential, why persuasion is often misunderstood, and how small changes in communication can help you get better outcomes without being manipulative or aggressive. Attia is founder of AQ Consulting, former MIT faculty member, adjunct professor at the University of Michigan, and co-author of Never Settle: Persuasion & Negotiation Skills to Get What You Want (https://amzn.to/4ugR3US).

Attia's exclusive link for SYSK listeners: https://www.attiaqureshi.com/something

Most people embrace emotions like joy and happiness while trying to avoid emotions such as anger, jealousy, shame, envy, and regret. But those darker emotions may actually contain important information about who you are, what you value, and what’s happening beneath the surface of your life. Daniel Smith, psychotherapist and author of Hard Feelings: Finding the Wisdom in Our Darkest Emotions (https://amzn.to/4dPzBkw), explains why these uncomfortable emotions exist, what purpose they serve, and why understanding them may be essential for emotional growth and self-awareness.

Human attraction is far more complicated than simply “good looks.” In fact, repeated exposure, familiarity, attention, and several other subtle factors can quietly make someone seem more attractive over time—even when nothing about their appearance changes. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/evolutionary-human-sciences/article/visual-attention-to-faces-during-attractiveness-and-dominance-judgements/38F4497B251EFE2D8ED9F4D37F82D9C5

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RULA: This Mental Health Awareness Month, don’t just think about your mental health - actually take the step to take care of it. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Rula.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started.

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Humans are social creatures, and one of our strongest instincts is to fit in with the group. We want to belong. We want approval. And often, we assume that if enough people appear to believe something, it must be true.

But what if a lot of people are only pretending to agree?

According to Dr. Todd Rose, this happens far more often than we realize. People routinely stay quiet about what they truly think because they fear being judged, criticized, or isolated. The result is something he calls a “collective illusion”—a situation where many people privately disagree with something while publicly going along with it because they mistakenly believe most others support it.

And in today’s world of social media, that problem may be getting worse. Loud, confident voices online can create the impression that an opinion is widely accepted—even when it isn’t. Yet humans are wired to interpret visibility and volume as popularity and truth.

Dr. Todd Rose, Professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and author of Collective Illusions: Conformity, Complicity, and the Science of Why We Make Bad Decisions (https://amzn.to/3CZz6AF), joins me to explain how conformity shapes behavior, why groups sometimes make terrible decisions, and how easily people can be influenced by what they think everyone else believes.

This conversation may change the way you look at public opinion, social pressure, and even your own willingness to speak up.

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RULA: This Mental Health Awareness Month, don’t just think about your mental health - actually take the step to take care of it. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Rula.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started.

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DELL:  With the Dell Pro laptop powered by Intel Core Ultra with vPro, no matter how many interruptions you have, your laptop won’t be one of them. With battery that’s optimized for the way you work, and built-in intelligence that quiets distractions the moment you’re trying to focus, your tech won’t slow you down.  Find out more at ⁠⁠⁠https://Dell.com/Dell-Pro⁠⁠⁠

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A lot of people treat melatonin like a harmless sleeping pill. But that’s not really what it is. Researchers are increasingly concerned that melatonin is misunderstood, overused, and often taken in ways that may not help sleep much at all. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9892750/

Humans have always relied on rituals to mark important moments in life—weddings, funerals, graduations, religious ceremonies, even small personal traditions. Rituals help create meaning, connection, and a sense of belonging. Yet many traditional rituals are fading as fewer people marry, attend religious services, or follow long-standing customs. At the same time, entirely new rituals are emerging all over the world to fill that void. Bruce Feiler joins me to explain why rituals matter so deeply to humans, why we continue creating them even when old traditions disappear, and how rituals may be more important to our emotional wellbeing than most people realize. Bruce is author of A Time to Gather: How Ritual Created the World—and How It Can Save Us (https://amzn.to/4nrtvtP)

Have you ever heard a song that instantly transported you somewhere else? Suddenly you’re reliving a memory, imagining a scene, or feeling emotions that seem almost cinematic. Those experiences are called musical daydreams—and they happen far more often than most people realize. What’s fascinating is that people from completely different backgrounds often report remarkably similar experiences when listening to the same music. Elizabeth Margulis, professor of music at Princeton University and director of the Music Cognition Lab, explains why music has this unusual power over the mind, how musical daydreams work, and what they reveal about the way humans experience emotion and imagination. She is author of Transported: The Everyday Magic of Musical Daydreams (https://amzn.to/4tDmqrL).

Closing your eyes while kissing feels natural and romantic. But why does it actually feel strange to keep your eyes open during a passionate kiss? Neuroscience suggests there may be a very specific reason your brain prefers eyes you NOT watch what you are doing. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/why-we-kiss-with-eyes-closed-psychologists-research-a6943731.html

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RULA: This Mental Health Awareness Month, don’t just think about your mental health - actually take the step to take care of it. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Rula.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started.

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DELL:  With the Dell Pro laptop powered by Intel Core Ultra with vPro, no matter how many interruptions you have, your laptop won’t be one of them. With battery that’s optimized for the way you work, and built-in intelligence that quiets distractions the moment you’re trying to focus, your tech won’t slow you down.  Find out more at ⁠⁠https://Dell.com/Dell-Pro⁠⁠

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The sound of crickets on a warm summer night is instantly recognizable. But the tiny creatures making all that noise are far more fascinating than most people realize. Crickets have some remarkable abilities and behaviors that may change the way you think about them entirely. Source: Hugh Raffles author of Insectopedia (https://amzn.to/4bOcK51)

People today have fewer close friendships than in the past, and loneliness is becoming increasingly common. Yet making and maintaining friendships may not be nearly as complicated as many people think. Anna Goldfarb, friendship journalist and author of Modern Friendship: How to Nurture Our Most Valued Connections (https://amzn.to/3K9Fqdb), explains why friendship often feels harder in adulthood, what gets in the way of meaningful connection, and the surprisingly simple things people can do to build stronger, more fulfilling relationships.

Housecleaning sounds boring—until you realize a lot of what people believe about cleaning is outdated, ineffective, or just plain wrong. Some common cleaning habits waste time, waste money, and don’t even work particularly well. Melissa Pateras, whose wildly popular TikTok videos have attracted millions of viewers (https://www.tiktok.com/@melissadilkespateras?lang=en), joins me to share smarter, simpler ways to clean your home, do laundry, and tackle everyday messes more effectively. She is author of A Dirty Guide to a Clean Home: Housekeeping Hacks You Can’t Live Without (https://amzn.to/3VbJ0ts).

Getting kids outside to play has all kinds of benefits—but one of the most important has to do with protecting their eyesight. Researchers are discovering a fascinating connection between outdoor time and children’s vision health. https://www.aao.org/eyenet/article/outdoor-activity-and-myopia-in-children%E2%81%A0

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RULA: This Mental Health Awareness Month, don’t just think about your mental health - actually take the step to take care of it. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Rula.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started.

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People love giving advice—but most of the time, it doesn’t actually change anyone’s behavior. In fact, there’s a much more effective way to influence people that works far better than telling them what they should do. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4675534/

Hormones influence nearly every aspect of your life, yet most people only have a vague understanding of what they actually do. These powerful chemical signals affect mood, stress, sleep, energy, appetite, weight, sex drive, and much more. And when hormones fall out of balance, the effects can ripple throughout the entire body. Dr. Saira Hameed, endocrinologist and author of Signals: The Hidden Power and Secret Language of Hormones (https://amzn.to/4eO37IB), explains how hormones work, why they matter so much, and what happens when this intricate signaling system goes wrong.

Everyone makes mistakes—but some mistakes hit differently. A bad decision involving work, relationships, money, or reputation can feel overwhelming and difficult to move past. Michael Lynton understands this firsthand. As former CEO of Sony Entertainment, he approved a film that unexpectedly triggered an international crisis involving North Korea, cyberattacks, leaked emails, and worldwide controversy. In our conversation, he explains what he learned from that experience, why major mistakes can shake your identity so deeply, and how people can recover, grow, and even find meaning after things go terribly wrong. He is co-author of From Mistakes to Meaning: Owning Your Past So It Doesn't Own You (https://amzn.to/4toBGZj).

Coffee may be doing more for your health than simply waking you up. Large-scale research suggests it appears to protect one important organ in the body—and interestingly, the protective effect may increase the more coffee you drink. https://www.coffeeandhealth.org/health/liver-function/overview

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RULA: This Mental Health Awareness Month, don’t just think about your mental health - actually take the step to take care of it. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Rula.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started.

QUINCE: Refresh your everyday with luxury you will actual use! Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Quince.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too!

DELL:  With the Dell Pro laptop powered by Intel Core Ultra with vPro, no matter how many interruptions you have, your laptop won’t be one of them. With battery that’s optimized for the way you work, and built-in intelligence that quiets distractions the moment you’re trying to focus, your tech won’t slow you down.  Find out more at ⁠https://Dell.com/Dell-Pro⁠

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Most of us can point to someone who truly inspired us—a teacher, boss, coach, friend, or public figure who made us think differently, push harder, or believe more in ourselves. But what exactly makes someone inspiring? Why do certain people energize and motivate us while others, even highly successful people, don’t have the same effect?

It turns out inspiration is not just charisma or confidence. Research suggests there are specific qualities and behaviors that consistently make people more inspiring to those around them. And perhaps most importantly, these traits can be developed.

Adam Galinsky, social psychologist, Professor of Leadership and Ethics at Columbia Business School, and author of Inspire: The Universal Path for Leading Yourself and Others (https://amzn.to/3EeUYN6), joins me to explain what inspiring people do differently. In our conversation, he breaks down the habits, attitudes, and communication styles that make others want to listen, follow, and do their best work.

Whether you want to become a better leader, parent, friend, or simply have a more positive influence on the people around you, this discussion offers a fascinating look at what truly inspires human beings—and how you can become more inspiring yourself.

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RULA: This Mental Health Awareness Month, don’t just think about your mental health - actually take the step to take care of it. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Rula.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started.

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DELL:  With the Dell Pro laptop powered by Intel Core Ultra with vPro, no matter how many interruptions you have, your laptop won’t be one of them. With battery that’s optimized for the way you work, and built-in intelligence that quiets distractions the moment you’re trying to focus, your tech won’t slow you down.  Find out more at ⁠https://Dell.com/Dell-Pro⁠

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Most recipes tell you to preheat the oven before cooking. But why? Wouldn’t it save time to just let the food cook while the oven heats up? There’s actually a very good reason recipes insist on preheating—and it has everything to do with chemistry, texture, and how food cooks. https://food52.com/story/16152-why-you-must-preheat-the-oven-even-if-you-re-in-a-rush

Walking may be the most underrated thing you do for your health. It seems so ordinary that most people never think much about it—but how you walk, how often you walk, the shoes you wear, and even when you walk can have a profound impact on your body, your longevity, your energy, and your risk for disease. Dr. Courtney Conley, internationally recognized expert on foot mechanics and gait dynamics, explains why walking is far more sophisticated and important than most people realize. She works with elite athletes and professional sports teams including the Phoenix Suns, New York Yankees, Cleveland Browns, New York Giants, San Francisco 49ers, and Minnesota Vikings, and in our conversation she reveals how improving the way you walk could dramatically improve the way you feel. She is author of Walk: Rediscover the Most Natural Way to Boost Your Health and Longevity—One Step at a Time (https://amzn.to/48SHDq1).

Most people choose careers from a surprisingly small slice of what’s actually available to them. Often, we follow paths we happened to be exposed to—through parents, friends, school, or circumstance—while countless other possibilities never even enter our awareness. Which raises an interesting question: could there be another kind of work you’d be better at, happier doing, or naturally gifted for? Tom Rath, who has spent decades researching work, behavior, and human wellbeing, explores how people discover meaningful work and why purpose has such a powerful effect on everyday life. He is author of What’s the Point? Turning Purpose Into Your Daily Superpower (https://amzn.to/3R0gATB).

Most people know salty foods make you thirsty. What many don’t realize is that salt may also make you eat significantly more food—and not by accident. Researchers are discovering that salty, ultra-processed foods can alter the way your brain responds to hunger and satisfaction in ways that make overeating much more likely. https://keck.usc.edu/news/why-ultra-processed-foods-upfs-make-us-overeat-and-what-it-means-for-your-brain/

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POCKET HOSE: For a limited time, when you purchase a new Pocket Hose Ballistic, you'll get a FREE 360 degree rotating pocket pivot and a FREE thumb drive nozzle! Just text SYSK to 64000

AQUA TRU: Take the guesswork out of pure, great-tasting water. Head to ⁠⁠⁠https://AquaTru.com⁠⁠⁠ now and get 20% off your purifier using promo code SYSK. AquaTru even comes with a 30-day best-tasting water guarantee or your money back.

RULA: This Mental Health Awareness Month, don’t just think about your mental health - actually take the step to take care of it. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Rula.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started.

QUINCE: Refresh your everyday with luxury you will actual use! Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Quince.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too!

DELL:  With the Dell Pro laptop powered by Intel Core Ultra with vPro, no matter how many interruptions you have, your laptop won’t be one of them. With battery that’s optimized for the way you work, and built-in intelligence that quiets distractions the moment you’re trying to focus, your tech won’t slow you down.  Find out more at https://Dell.com/Dell-Pro

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