Life Examined

This week, Alex Hutchison , writer and author of   Endure and The Explorer’s Gene : Why We Seek Big Challenges, New Flavors, and the Blank Spots on the Map , talks about the Arrival Fallacy - that what we expect to feel after we accomplish a goal like getting a promotion or running a marathon sometimes doesn’t quite match up with our expectations. Rather than seeking a life changing transformation...

In the aftermath of the massive devastation, loss of life, homes and communities due to the recent fires in Los Angeles, George Bonanno, Margot Kushell and Carolyn Korsmeyer talk about trauma, resilience and why our homes and possessions are an integral part of who we are and the legacy we leave.  Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

This week, Brad Stulberg writer and author of “Master Of Change: How To Excel When Everything Is Changing - Including You,” shares hopeful observations from the aftermath of Hurricane Helene and reminds us that it takes time, sometimes months to recover from a large trauma but that given time despair will turn to resilience and people are able to move forward.  Get full access to Life Examined at...

Author and palliative care doctor Sunita Puri reflects on the hope that drives people to hold on to life, and the uncertainties surrounding death. Endurance athlete and author Alex Hutchinson talks about the psychology and physiology behind human endurance.    Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

This week MIT cognitive scientist and author Tali Sharot reflects on how variety and breaking up routines and habits can help foster a reset and restore joy in our lives. Traveling or learning a new skill can be stimulating, challenging and lead us to a greater sensitivity and appreciation of life. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Johnsons points out that being engaged in the larger questions of our existence is also healthy for us. “We need this exposure to the universe to invoke humility, to kindle our humanity, to really spark creativity and curiosity.”  Johnson also speculates on the existence of extraterrestrial life and unexplained sightings, suggesting that, given the vastness of the cosmos, it’s more likely than not...

*This episode originally aired on July 23, 2023. Navigating the relentless pace of the modern world often means being bombarded by daily distractions, sleep deprived and perhaps a little stressed or anxious. It’s not easy. When it comes to looking for a moment of reflection and recalibration, it’s worthwhile to reexamine some of the philosophies and practices rooted in one of the world’s oldest cu...

Writer and winter enthusiast Katherine May revels in the winter months. While the long, dark evenings invite us to huddle indoors and disconnect from the world, they also offer a chance for reflection, remembrance, and a reset in our lives. As May explains, this season is a time to pause and recalibrate for many.  “Winter is a season of dread as a time of year when grief surfaces. There are people...

Brad Stulberg , author of Master Of Change: How To Excel When Everything Is Changing — Including You shares his observations of humanity, resourcefulness, and community after his hometown of Asheville, North Carolina was hit by Hurricane Helene . The devastating storm left residents without power, water, and communications for days on end.   In the aftermath of the storm, neighbors sprang into act...

A warning to listeners: The following conversation references suicide, suicidality, and content that is inappropriate for young listeners.    Even before the pandemic, there was an increasing awareness of the decline in mental health of children and young adults. Researchers and scientists have talked and written about rising levels of anxiety in today’s youth, and many have pointed to the pervasi...

This week British author Raynor Winn reflects on healing, hope and resilience. Finding herself homeless and coping with her husband’s recent health diagnosis - Winn and her husband set off on a long distance walk. As they set out together they discover how their perspective changes - and how much of their anxiety and bitterness melt away.  ​This  episode  with Raynor Winn was originally broadcast,...

*This episode was originally broadcast Saturday, June 26th, 2021 Over the past few decades, Buddhism and psychology have served as bridges connecting Eastern and Western thought. Believing that nothing is permanent, Buddhism presents an honest understanding of our minds — how we spend so much of our time thinking about the past and future, and struggle to stay in the present. Harnessing these insi...

This week Rabbi Steve Leder on why we should consider what we leave those closest to us when we die to include a legacy letter or ‘ethical will.’ Rabbi Leder reminds us that it’s not only our material possessions that matter when we’re no longer around but what will be cherished most are our words, our guidance, and our love and gratitude.   ​This episode  with Rabbi Steve Leder was originally bro...

Potawatomi  botanist  Robin Wall Kimmerer  discusses the philosophy of a “gift economy” in her latest book  The Serviceberry ,  expanding on the theme of reciprocity from her 2013 book  Braiding Sweetgrass .   At a time of increasing consumerism and declining natural resources, gifting, Kimmerer reminds us, is a truly renewable resource. She draws on the example of the  serviceberry  and its remar...

This week clinical psychologist and author Dacher Keltner delves into the science and mysteries surrounding awe and shares that awe is not just found in nature or music but most often in the moral beauty of other people. ​This episode with Dacher Keltner was originally broadcast, February 4th, 2023 Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

The plight of Black farmers in America has a dark history. The trauma of stolen lands and exploited labor may explain why there are now relatively few Black and Indigenous people in farming, agriculture, or even within environmental activism.  Leah Penniman  is one farmer fighting to change that. Penniman explains that there’s a rising generation of Black and brown farmers reexamining their relati...

This week clinical psychologist George Bonanno at Columbia University explores resilience and challenges some traditional notions about trauma and says that humans are far better at confronting and coping with adversity than we think.   ​This episode with George Bonanno was originally broadcast September 17th, 2023 Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Throughout our lives we face situations that require a response. While events unfold around us, how we choose to react — or whether we choose to react at all — is entirely within our control. The concepts of justice and virtue are central to author Ryan Holiday’s latest book,  Right Thing, Right Now: Good Values. Good Character. Good Deeds . Holiday explores how the ancient Greek philosophers Marc...

With the U.S. election just days away there’s a palpable sense that with whichever candidate emerges victorious, it could signal the beginning of the end for their opponents.   Whether this election is truly different from those of the past, or simply a byproduct of hyperfocus from the media — voters shouldn’t throw their hands up in despair. Throughout American history, everyday people have drive...

This week Oliver Burkeman journalist and author of “Meditations for Mortals” discusses the complexities of trying to be perfect in an imperfect world. Accepting our limitations, he says, is a pathway to liberation and happiness.  ​This episode with Oliver Burkeman was originally broadcast October 27, 2024 Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Journalist and author  Oliver Burkeman  discusses the complexities of happiness, well-being, and productivity — emphasizing the futility of seeking a single solution.  Burkeman offers guidance on why we shouldn’t sacrifice the very essence of living in search of perfection and doing it all. Treasuring those simple moments in daily life, which doesn’t mean settling for less, Burkemans says, “is a p...

This week Kate Murphy, journalist and author of “ You’re Not Listening: What You’re Missing and Why It Matters,” sheds some light on the value of true friendships, why quality is often more important than quantity and why it is so important to give time and space to the friendships we truly care about.  ​This  episode  with Kate Murphy was originally broadcast June 5th, 2021 Get full access to Lif...

As the years go on and as science and research advances, we’re learning more and more about how animals are able to use sound and vibrations to effectively communicate with each other. Elephants, for example, can communicate through seismic vibrations felt through the pads of their feet.  So what do we know about the nature of sound? How has it defined who we are and how we live? What role does it...

This week Judson Brewer  psychiatrist, neuroscientist at Brown University and author of “Unwinding Anxiety: New Science Shows How to Break the Cycles of Worry and Fear to Heal Your Mind” addresses how we can recognize certain behaviors that trigger anxiety disorders. Continually worrying feeds into an anxiety habit loop and the more we worry, the more anxious we become.    Get full access to Life...

The amazing sights of the vast African savannas are familiar to many of us through the lens of superb documentary films and videos. Though there are many animals we watch with awe, there’s one rather peculiar looking animal that captivates the heart — the elephant.    So much about elephants make them intriguing creatures: The oversized ears, the unique nature of their trunks (which, by the way, h...