Life Examined

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...

This week Peter Wohlleben , renowned German forester and author of   “The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate,” talks about the age-old connection between humans and the forest and encourages us to take notice. Wohlleben says that research indicates sitting under a tree or ‘forest bathing’ is beneficial for our health - it can reduce blood pressure and help us to stay calm a...

Why do we get bored? And what exactly happens to us when we experience boredom?  Like joy and anxiety, boredom is a state of mind. Being bored does not mean you’re lazy and it has little to do with external factors like new cars, gadgets, or experiences. James Danckert, professor of psychology and director of  the Cognitive Neuroscience Area at the University of Waterloo , has been studying why we...

This week  Jamil Zaki,  professor of Psychology at Stanford University and author of  “Hope for Cynics: The Surprising Science of Human Goodness,” talks about our need to rebrand hope as a culture. ‘Hope,’  Zaki says, is the idea that things could turn out better than we might otherwise be led to believe and suggests ways and strategies we can take to combate our own cynical perspectives.  This  e...

*This episode originally aired on November 12, 2022. Jonathan Bastian talks with  Lauren Ober , producer, podcast host and executive producer of  The Loudest Girl In The World  shares her personal journey of her later-in-life  autism  diagnosis. Later,  Francesca Happe  Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at King's College London about advances and autism diagnosis and how that has impacted the wa...

What does it mean to lead a happy and fulfilling life?   Most of us seek happiness through pleasure, calm, and order — preferring to avoid the discomfort, confrontation, and anxiety that comes from obstacles and challenges. And while less worry and work, along with more time to relax and have fun may sound appealing… Life rarely happens as we plan it and that might just be a good thing.  According...

This week Esther Perel, psychotherapist, bestselling author and the host of the podcast “ Where Should We Begin? ” talks about a sexual recession. Perel says that compared with previous generations Gen Z is having less sex and becoming increasingly isolated - and the more time spent online is resulting in less time spent on the skills, experience or patience that help make a relationship work. Thi...

If you feel like we’re living in an era marked by increased mistrust, political tension, and cynicism — you’re not alone, research confirms this shift. Research shows that in 1972, half of Americans believed that most people were trustful. By 2018, the percentage had fallen to only a third.  The rise in distrust and cynicism is a central theme in the book  Hope for Cynics: The Surprising Science o...

This week Robin Stern , psychoanalyst, and author of “ The Gaslight Effect: How to Spot and Survive the Hidden Manipulation Others Use to Control Your Life,” talks about gaslight effect.  What to watch for in a relationship or perhaps with a manager, coworker or doctor and how to succesfully navigate the feelings of invalidation that accompany that behavior.   This episode with Robin Stern was ori...

Few people offer greater insight, sensitivity, and expertise on human relationships and sexuality than Esther Perel. Born and raised in Belgium, Perel’s studies took her from Hebrew University in Jerusalem, to the United States where she built a career in couples and family therapy. Today, she is internationally acclaimed for her profound insights into eroticism and intimacy. She’s an author and t...

*This episode originally aired on January 28, 2023. Jonathan Bastian talks with Harvard Medical School Professor of Psychiatry  Robert Waldinger  about his latest book, “ The Good Life: Lessons from the World's Longest Scientific Study of Happiness .” Waldinger is also director of the  Harvard Study of Adult Development , the home of the world’s longest-running studies on happiness. The project ha...

*This episode originally aired on October 25, 2023. This week, economist and author of “ Wild Problems: A Guide to the Decisions That Define Us ,”  Russ Roberts  offers a different perspective and approach to tackling some of life’s biggest challenges and decisions. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

According to Chaplain Devin Sean Moss, death “informs how we live.” The idea of impermanence —the notion that everything is in a constant state of flux— and a “meditation on finitude,” Moss suggests, is a  “cheat code of sorts to making deliberate and intentional decisions and forces the hand of what are my values…to know what my core is about.”    For most people,  the subject and contemplation o...

This week  James Danckert , psychology professor at the University of Waterloo in Ontario and co-author of  “Out of My Skull: The Psychology of Boredom,”  provides some tips for parents to deal with kids who say they are bored.  As boredom is a natural occurrence, Danckert advises parents not to over schedule their kids or find things to keep them busy. Instead, whenever they can, parents should s...

Finding an ideal partner can be an elusive quest. Over the past three decades, attitudes on relationship roles and dynamics have shifted. Thanks to online dating, people of all ages have the opportunity to cast a wider net, expanding their horizons and redefining their expectations.  The journey doesn't stop at finding a partner; maintaining a healthy and fulfilling relationship is the ultimate go...

When it comes to relationships, a friendship can hold a far more nuanced and significant place in our hearts, than perhaps we fully appreciate. The  Platonic relationship,  an ideal talked about by the ancient Greek Philosopher  Plato , recognizes the existence of a closeness of mind and soul between two people, absent of any physical attraction. This kind of affection and tenderness is captured i...

This week,  Robert Waldinger,  director of the  Harvard Study of Adult Development  and co-author of “ The Good Life: Lessons from the World's Longest Scientific Study of Happiness ,” talks about the merits of meditation. As a Zen practitioner Waldinger says meditation has helped him stay present, connect with the richness of life and worry less about the things that really don’t matter. Get full...