The Science of Happiness

By PRX and Greater Good Science Center

Learn research-tested strategies for a happier, more meaningful life, drawing on the science of compassion, gratitude, mindfulness, and awe. Hosted by award-winning psychologist Dacher Keltner. Co-

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How many episodes does The Science of Happiness have?

The podcast currently has 357 episodes available.

Best of The Science of Happiness

The most played episodes among Podcast App listeners.

Number 1: Talk To A Stranger—It’s Good For You
We often underestimate how much small talk can impact our wellbeing. Research shows that even brief conversations with strangers can boost our happiness and sense of connection, but fear and anxiety often keep us from reaching out. Summary: We often avoid talking to strangers because we assume they’d rather be left alone, or worry the interaction will be awkward. But research shows that our expectations about these interactions are often wrong. Even brief conversations can make us happier and more connected. On this episode of The Science of Happiness, learn how small choices like saying hello, asking a question, or offering a compliment can help us overcome our hesitation and create meaningful moments of connection. How To Do This Practice: Notice an opportunity: Throughout your day, look for moments when you’re near someone you don’t know—a person on public transit, in line at a coffee shop, or walking through your neighborhood. Put away your phone: Create a little more space for connection by taking out your earbuds or putting your phone away, rather than using it to avoid interacting with the people around you. Take the first step: When you notice an opportunity, say hello, introduce yourself, or ask a simple question. You don’t need the perfect opening—just get the conversation started. Ask a follow-up question: Show genuine curiosity about the other person. Ask about something they’ve mentioned and let the conversation unfold naturally. Share something about yourself: Connection goes both ways. Offer a little about your own experiences, interests, or perspective so the conversation becomes a two-way exchange. Try it again: Pay attention to how you feel afterward, then look for another opportunity to connect. Treat it as an experiment and practice making small choices that bring you closer to the people around you. Scroll down for a transcription of this episode. Today’s Guests: CHRIS FUJINAKA HEIN is a community organizer in the Bay Area and a coordinator at a Japanese cultural senior center. NICHOLAS EPLEY is the John Templeton Keller Distinguished Service Professor of Behavioral Science and Faculty Director of the Roman Family Center for Decision Research at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Learn more about Nicholas Epley here: https://www.nicholasepley.com/ Related Science of Happiness episodes: Why Compassion Requires Vulnerability: https://tinyurl.com/mrxsad33 When It's Hard To Connect, Try Being Curious: https://tinyurl.com/mr32nwtv Related Happiness Break episodes: A Meditation on Original Love and Interconnectedness:https://tinyurl.com/mu2uzs2c Our Deep Interconnectedness: https://tinyurl.com/y2epxyxn Message us or leave a comment on Instagram @scienceofhappinesspod. E-mail us at [email protected] 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 Transcription: https://tinyurl.com/2z8ftstd
August 27, 202625min
Number 2: Where To Look For Joy
How can we feel more moments of joy? Explore how joy is rooted in connection, gratitude, and paying attention to the people and moments that bring meaning to our lives. Summary: Did you know that joy isn’t just something we feel, but something we practice? On this episode of The Science of Happiness, poet Ross Gay shares how connection and attention can help us cultivate more joy, while psychologist Philip Watkins explains how gratitude can amplify that feeling. Learn how hanging out, noticing moments of connection, and reflecting on joyful experiences can help bring more joy into your life. How To Do This Practice: Notice connection: Pay attention to the people, places, animals, and natural world that make you feel connected. Make time to be together: Look for opportunities to hang out, share experiences, and spend time with others without an agenda. Pay attention to the small moments: Notice everyday interactions and moments of goodness that you might otherwise overlook. Share your joy: Tell someone about something that delights you, celebrate good moments together, or help someone else carry their joy. Savor what feels good: When you experience joy, pause and let yourself fully appreciate and celebrate the moment. Reflect with gratitude: Think or write about a joyful experience and what it meant to you or how it made you feel connected. Scroll down for a transcription of this episode. Today’s Guests: ROSS GAY is an award-winning American poet and author. His latest book explores the complexities of joy and its connection to feelings like gratitude and sorrow. Learn more about Ross: https://www.rossgay.net/about PHILIP WATKINS is a psychology professor at Eastern Washington University. He conducts research on different aspects of well-being including gratitude, happiness, and joy. Learn more about Philip and his work: https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/profile/phil_watkins Related Science of Happiness episodes: How Joy Helps Save the Planet: https://tinyurl.com/2d5hjz9s Are You Remembering the Good Times: https://tinyurl.com/ysbwrnr4 The Contagious Power of Compassion: https://tinyurl.com/y6bpvbv5 Related Happiness Break episodes: Tap Into the Joy That Surrounds You: https://tinyurl.com/ykuz28za How to Awaken Joy, with Spring Washam: https://tinyurl.com/ybpuvuj6 The Unexpected Joy of Slow Looking: https://tinyurl.com/4uudwwc2 Message us or leave a comment on Instagram @scienceofhappinesspod. E-mail us at [email protected] 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 Transcription: https://tinyurl.com/2aext75x
August 13, 202616min
Number 3: Happiness Break: A Practice In Moving Through Stress
Join yoga and meditation teacher Jonathan Relucio for a trauma-informed practice combining mindful movement and breathing to reduce tension and build resilience to stress. How To Do This Practice: Get comfortable: Sit or lie down and notice the support beneath your body, keeping your eyes open or closed—whichever feels comfortable. Connect with your body: Bring your attention inward and notice how your body, mind, and heart feel in the present moment. Release tension: Inhale as you gently shrug your shoulders toward your ears, then exhale as you relax and release them. Move with your breath: Inhale as you reach your arms overhead, then exhale as you gently bend from side to side, noticing the sensations in your body. Breathe into your belly: Place one hand on your belly and notice it expand as you inhale and relax as you exhale, following the natural rhythm of your breath. Pause and notice: Return to your natural breathing and take a moment to notice how your body and mind feel before continuing with your day. Scroll down for a transcription of this episode. Today’s Happiness Break Guide: JONATHAN RELUCIO is a trauma-informed yoga and meditation teacher with 20 years of experience in community organizing, social services, training, and leadership development. Learn more about Jonathan here: https://www.jonathanrelucio.com/ Related Happiness Break episodes: Embodying Resilience: https://tinyurl.com/3d2ma8tw Visualizing Your Purpose: https://tinyurl.com/mwze59jx The Healing Power of Your Own Touch: https://tinyurl.com/rrtpje2x Related Science of Happiness episodes: How To Feel Better About Yourself: https://tinyurl.com/3jave7h2 What To Do When Stress Takes Over: https://tinyurl.com/yxf3jawn The Contagious Power of Compassion: https://tinyurl.com/y6bpvbv5 We’d love to hear about your experience with this practice! Share your thoughts at [email protected] 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/3v9rapra
August 20, 20269min
Number 4: Happiness Break: A Body Scan for Calm and Ease
Meditation teacher Spring Washam guides us in a practice of embodied awareness, helping us use the body as an anchor during stressful or overwhelming moments. How To Do This Practice: Find a comfortable position: Sit upright in a relaxed position where you can comfortably notice the flow of your breath. Begin at the top of your body: Close your eyes and bring your attention to your head, neck, face, and jaw. Notice any tightness and allow those areas to soften. Move your awareness downward: Slowly scan through your shoulders, arms, hands, chest, and belly, noticing any sensations, emotions, or areas where you may be holding tension. Breathe into your belly: Place a hand below your belly button if it feels comfortable. Let your belly expand with each in-breath, and imagine releasing tension with every out-breath. Feel your connection to the ground: Bring your attention to your sitting bones, legs, knees, and feet. Notice where your body makes contact with the chair, floor, or other surface, using those sensations to anchor yourself in the present moment. Take in your whole body: Become aware of your body as a whole, returning to the breath whenever your mind wanders. To close, place a hand on your heart and offer yourself a wish for peace, happiness, and ease. Scroll down for a transcription of this episode. 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 Washam here: https://www.springwasham.com/ Related Happiness Break episodes: A Meditation to Find Grounding in the New Year, With Spring Washam: https://tinyurl.com/3tpasst9 How to Awaken Joy, with Spring Washam: https://tinyurl.com/ybpuvuj6 The Healing Power of Your Own Touch: https://tinyurl.com/rrtpje2x Related Science of Happiness episodes: How To Feel Better About Yourself: https://tinyurl.com/3jave7h2 What To Do When Stress Takes Over: https://tinyurl.com/yxf3jawn The Contagious Power of Compassion: https://tinyurl.com/y6bpvbv5 We’d love to hear about your experience with this practice! Share your thoughts at [email protected] 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/2223k9b7
August 06, 202611min
Number 5: How To Step Away from Anxiety
Do you have a hard time calming your nerves? Author Raina Telgemeier tries a practice to get out of her head, one step at a time. Summary: In this episode of The Science of Happiness, bestselling graphic novelist Raina Telgemeier reflects on growing up with anxiety, panic attacks, and emetophobia—the fear of throwing up—and shares how transforming those experiences into stories helped her feel less alone and inspired young readers to seek support. Through a week-long walking meditation practice, Raina explores what it means to slow down, reconnect with her body, and face discomfort with curiosity rather than avoidance. How To Do This Practice: Choose a small, quiet space: Find a place where you can walk slowly back and forth for about 10–15 steps without interruption. This could be a hallway, living room, backyard, or even a hotel room. Set a timer for 10 minutes: Giving yourself a set amount of time helps you stop checking the clock and allows you to settle more fully into the practice. Begin walking slowly and naturally: Walk at a comfortable pace, paying attention to the sensation of each step—your heel touching the ground, the shift of your weight, and the movement of your body. Focus on your breath: As you walk, gently notice your breathing. You might take a slow breath before turning around at the end of each pass, letting your breath help anchor your attention. When your mind wanders, return to the movement: Thoughts, worries, memories, or distractions will come up. Rather than judging yourself, simply guide your attention back to your steps and breathing. Notice how you feel afterward: When the timer ends, pause for a moment before moving on with your day. Take note of any shifts in your body, mood, or pace of mind, even subtle ones can matter. Try the full practice here: https://ggia.berkeley.edu/practice/walking_meditation Scroll down for a transcription of this episode. Today’s Guests: RAINA TELGEMEIER is an American cartoonist and New York Times bestselling author. Her books have received many awards, including multiple Eisner Awards, a Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor and a Stonewall Honor. Learn more about Raina Telgemeier here: https://goraina.com/ RICHARD DAVIDSON is the founder and director of the Center for Healthy Minds at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Learn more about Richard Davidson here: https://www.richardjdavidson.com/ Related The Science of Happiness episodes: How to Find Calm Through Walking: https://tinyurl.com/43dr26re Related Happiness Breaks: Walk Your Way to Calm, with Dacher: https://tinyurl.com/y8md2759 Message us or leave a comment on Instagram @scienceofhappinesspod. E-mail us at [email protected] 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 Transcription: https://tinyurl.com/mrxkfvkj
May 21, 202622min