As we enter a new season, we’re facing the reality that the pandemic is not a temporary affliction, but an involuntary transition from one way of life to another. In this episode, Arthur and Ceci discuss the psychology behind why transitions—whether voluntary or involuntary—can be so uncomfortable and why our natural reaction is to resist them. Most importantly, Arthur shares how instead of working against them, we can embrace these periods of “falling tides” in our lives and reap the benefits.

Imagine you had the ability to predict how people’s actions in their 20s or 30s would affect their lives in their 70s and 80s. You’d have a pretty good idea of how to crack the happiness code, right? Turns out, for 80 years, Harvard researchers have been doing just that in one of history’s longest studies of happiness, the Harvard Study of Adult Development. In this episode, Arthur is joined by psychiatrist Bob Waldinger, the current director of the study, to learn about the origins of the project and the enduring lessons on happiness, aging, and relationships that it

Would you rather be special, than happy? If so, you might be a success addict. In this episode, Arthur and Ceci discuss why success can be so addictive and explain some of the key attributes of those who Arthur deems “success addicts.” No matter your stage in life, Arthur shares three tips for overcoming your success addiction and living a happier, more balanced, and fulfilling life.

The coronavirus epidemic and the residual economic effects are spurring life transitions for a lot of people, from small changes to more dramatic “lifequakes.” How can you effectively manage life transitions of any magnitude? In this episode, Arthur is joined by New York Times bestselling author Bruce Feiler to discuss his new book, Life is in the Transitions: Mastering Change at Any Age. Together, they outline some practical strategies for optimizing life’s inevitable changes.

What are you afraid of? We’re facing a fear epidemic in America, and it’s not just due to the coronavirus. In this episode, Arthur and Ceci take a deep dive into fear—including how to understand, manage, and even neutralize it. Most importantly, Arthur shares some actionable tips for building your defenses against fear and learning to love and live courageously.

We all have the tendency to want to avoid bad feelings—pain, anger, sadness, and disgust. But is it right to simply push them away? In this episode, Arthur and Ceci discuss the biological importance of bad feelings, as well as how to manage your unhappiness and even benefit from the inevitable pain and suffering that are a normal part of life.

To be effective in your life and work, you must be willing to expand your happiness horizons beyond your own culture. In Arthur’s own life, he’s often looked to India as a source of inspiration on how best to combine material knowledge with metaphysical insight. In this episode, he is joined by Professor of Practice at Columbia Business School and Mentora Institute founder, Hitendra Wadhwa, for a discussion on how blending Eastern and Western philosophies can help you discover your full potential and build a life on the foundations of moral living, spiritual practice, and wisdom.

What do you do when the world is on fire? Drawing on lessons from his national bestseller, Love Your Enemies, in this episode, Arthur shares some recommendations for curing the culture of contempt that’s left our country bitterly divided. He and Ceci discuss the type of leaders our country needs and how the secret to more healing love—within families, among friends, and even towards our enemies—lies in overcoming our fears.

Although this graduation season looks much different than years past, 2020 graduates are still faced with the same question that we’ve all had to answer (or for some of us, are still trying to answer): what vocation will add value and meaning to my life? In this episode, Arthur talks with Stanford Business School professor and behavioral scientist Jennifer Aaker about distinguishing between meaning and happiness in life and work. They also discuss the psychology of humor and how AI just might help improve our well-being.

How does happiness change over a lifetime? What common mistakes do successful people make when faced with professional decline? In this episode, Arthur and Ceci discuss how our lives tend to follow the trajectory of the legendary monomyth, the hero’s journey, and Arthur shares how to conquer the oft-forgotten last stage, when our successes and triumphs are behind us and we find ourselves grappling with feelings of irrelevance and misery.