A Slight Change of Plans

A Slight Change of Plans

Author: Pushkin Industries Language: English Episodes: 182
Life has a way of rewriting our scripts, often when we least expect it. A Slight Change of Plans, from Pushkin Industries, sits with that universal truth through conversations that feel both intimate and expansive. Hosted by cognitive scientist Dr. Maya Shankar, the podcast is shaped by her own pivotal shift-a violin career ended by injury, which led her to professionally examine how we process transformation. Each episode moves beyond theory, featuring deeply personal stories from a wide range of guests who share their own encounters with upheaval. What you’ll hear isn’t just about resilience, but the nuanced science and practical strategies that can help anyone navigate a redirected path. It’s this thoughtful blend of human experience and grounded research that earned the series Apple Podcasts’ Best Show of the Year. Listening feels like gaining a wiser friend, one who helps you reframe life’s unexpected turns not as disasters, but as complex chapters in a continuing story. The podcast ultimately explores how our identities adapt, how we find meaning, and how even the most disruptive changes can lead to growth we never planned for.
Episodes
Maya’s Exciting Announcement! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:09
I’ve been dying to share this news with you for quite some time, and I'm so happy that today I finally can. Pre-order “The Other Side of Change” now at changewithmaya.com/book. Read more about my journey to writing “The…
Is Amanda Knox Finally Free? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:38
Amanda Knox has spent a decade trying to move on after being wrongfully convicted of murder. But over the years, one question lingered - why had the lead prosecutor in her case, Giuliano Mignini, been so determined to vi…
Amanda Knox Knows What You’re Thinking [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:23
Amanda Knox was just 20 years old when she was found guilty of a crime she did not commit — the murder of her roommate. Amanda spent four years in an Italian prison before she was finally exonerated and allowed to return…
Extreme Makeover: Personality Edition [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:45
Science writer Olga Khazan didn’t really like herself. A self-described neurotic, she tended to fixate on the negative. She assumed she’d always be this way, but then she came across research showing that personality is…
How to Say No [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:17
Have you ever found yourself saying yes to something you really didn’t want to do? Psychologist Sunita Sah is an expert on why it can be so difficult to say no, especially when our relationships or reputations are on the…
The Case Against ‘Feeling Your Feelings’ [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:20
Psychologist Ethan Kross wants us to stop thinking about our emotions as either good or bad. Emotions carry valuable information, he says, and they are signals that can help us change our behavior. As an expert in the sc…
New Year, Old You? We Got You. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:03
It’s February – AKA the month when, research shows, we start slipping on our New Year’s resolutions. And so, I’m re-sharing one of my favorite science episodes to help us all get back on track. Behavioral scientist Katy…
How To Be A More Trustworthy Person [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:10
Trust is the glue that holds human connection together – but how do we earn it? Rachel Botsman, an expert on trust and human behavior, explores the subtle and powerful signals we send in relationships. Her new audiobook,…
BONUS: Make Your Inner Voice Work For You [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:41
Welcome back, Slight Changers! 2025 has already been quite the year. Whew. Because so many of us are feeling overwhelmed, we in the Slight Change family produced a compilation episode with wisdom from our past guests abo…
The Secret to a Good Conversation [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:43
Charles Duhigg is a journalist who is interested in what makes for a good conversation. He talks to Maya about some science-backed techniques we can try to improve our conversational skills, including the art of asking d…