The Science of Happiness

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 happinesspod@berkeley.edu 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

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 happinesspod@berkeley.edu 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

Scroll down for a transcription of this episode.
Nigel says no matter where you are, everyone has a story to tell about a hug: good, bad, or awkward. Earlonne isn’t buying it. 
Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX.
You can download the episode here and find the transcript here.

Can anyone truly succeed alone? We explore how role models, mentors, and strong social support make upward mobility far more possible than grit alone.
Summary: What role do the people around us play in shaping our success? Brothers Danny and Gilbert Murillo share how education, mentorship, and their evolving relationship helped them overcome incarceration and systemic barriers to build lives of purpose. Then, Social Mobility Lab founder Bob McKinnon explains why success is never a solo journey and how recognizing our own "dream team" can expand what's possible for ourselves and others.
How To Do This Practice: 

Reflect on your journey: Think about where you are today and the moments that shaped your path. Consider both the opportunities you had and the challenges you overcame.

Identify your dream team: Write down the people who have encouraged, protected, guided, or inspired you throughout your life. They might be family members, teachers, friends, mentors, coaches, or colleagues.

Recognize their impact: For each person, note one way they helped you grow or see new possibilities. Notice how your achievements are connected not only to your own efforts, but also to the support you received.

Look ahead with intention: Ask yourself what kind of support you need right now. Is there someone you could learn from, ask for advice, or build a stronger relationship with as you work toward your next goal?

Move forward with self-compassion: As you pursue your goals, remember that success and setbacks are never yours alone. Focus on what you can control, ask for help when you need it, and offer yourself the same grace you'd extend to someone you care about.

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DANNY MURILLO is the co-founder of Underground Scholars, a program that creates pathways to higher education for incarcerated, formerly incarcerated, and system-impacted people. 
Learn more about Danny here: https://undergroundscholars.berkeley.edu/members
GILBERT MURILLO is a policy advocate and researcher who draws on his own  experience with incarceration to reform California's criminal justice system.
Learn more about Gilbert here: https://capolicylab.org/staff/gilbert-murillo/
BOB MCKINNON is an author, teacher, and Director of the Social Mobility Lab at the Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership at The City College of New York
Learn more about Bob here: https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/profile/bob_mckinnon
Related Science of Happiness episodes:
Why Compassion Requires Vulnerability: https://tinyurl.com/mrxsad33
Related Happiness Break episodes:
A Science-Backed Path to Self-Forgiveness: https://tinyurl.com/2js59anm
Message us or leave a comment on Instagram @scienceofhappinesspod. E-mail us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu 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/3j352txy

Take a moment to connect with your body and make space for difficult emotions with compassion and care. This embodiment practice is guided by Lyla June Johnston, a Diné musician, scholar of Indigenous land management, and community organizer.
How To Do This Practice: 

Ground yourself in the present: Find a comfortable seated position and take four slow, deep breaths. Notice the feeling of your body supported by the chair or the floor, bringing your attention fully into the present moment.

Reflect on a difficult truth: Gently bring to mind a challenging truth—such as the lasting impacts of colonization or another painful reality. Approach it with curiosity rather than judgment, allowing yourself to stay present instead of becoming overwhelmed.

Notice where your emotions live in your body: As you reflect, pay attention to your physical sensations. You might notice tightness in your chest, heaviness in your stomach, warmth in your heart, or another sensation. Simply observe where your emotions show up.

Hold your feelings with compassion: Rather than pushing difficult emotions away or getting lost in them, imagine holding them with the same care you would offer a crying child. Let each feeling be seen, heard, and acknowledged without trying to fix it.

Replace shame with love and solidarity: If guilt or shame arises, gently set it down. Instead, invite feelings of compassion, hope, and connection. Consider one way you can move toward repair, understanding, or solidarity—even if it's simply bearing witness with an open heart.

Return to the present with intention: Bring your awareness back to your breath, your body, and your surroundings. Relax your shoulders, soften your muscles, and take four more deep breaths. As you finish, carry forward an intention to meet difficult truths with courage, love, and compassionate action.

Scroll down for a transcription of this episode.
Today’s Happiness Break Guide:
LYLA JUNE JOHNSTON is the founder and Dean of Instruction at The Rehuman School.
Learn about Lyla June Johnston's work: https://www.lylajune.com/
Related The Science of Happiness episodes:  
How to Feel Less Lonely and More Connected: https://tinyurl.com/2s3tbchd
When It's Hard To Connect, Try Being Curious: https://tinyurl.com/mr32nwtv
An Awe Walk Through History and Possibility: https://tinyurl.com/mr3arrbc
Related Happiness Breaks:
A Meditation on the Uniqueness of Your Own Voice: https://tinyurl.com/36x3fbk7
A Meditation on Original Love and Interconnectedness:https://tinyurl.com/mu2uzs2c
Our Deep Interconnectedness: https://tinyurl.com/y2epxyxn
We’d love to hear about your experience with this practice! Share your thoughts at happinesspod@berkeley.edu 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/3v76jcs8