Dump Your Inner Drill Sergeant

Dump Your Inner Drill Sergeant

Author: Pushkin Industries January 4, 2021 Duration: 36:50

We often start a new year hoping to make big changes in how we look, feel or act. This can involve a lot of self-criticism and adopting things like tough diets and brutal exercise regimes. But being hard on ourselves doesn't deliver results.

Dr Laurie Santos examines why being a nasty drill sergeant to ourselves is less effective than being a kind coach; and hears from researcher and author Kristin Neff about why developing self-compassion is vital to helping us achieve our new year goals.

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We often chase after things we believe will bring us joy-the next promotion, a perfect vacation photo, a bigger house-only to find the feeling is fleeting. The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos digs into the surprising psychology behind why our instincts about happiness are so frequently wrong. Dr. Santos, a Yale professor, doesn't just offer vague self-help advice; she translates the rigorous research from her record-breaking university course into practical, actionable science. Each episode feels like a personal conversation, where she breaks down complex studies and shares stories from people who've applied these lessons, revealing how counterintuitive changes in our daily routines and mindset can have a profound impact. This Pushkin Industries podcast moves beyond the surface of wellness trends, offering a grounded look at what genuinely improves our well-being across our social lives, personal health, and cultural expectations. Tuning in, you'll hear not just theory, but the tangible steps you can take to rewire your habits, backed by evidence that often contradicts our modern chase for more. It’s a refreshing take that makes the science of a better life accessible and genuinely useful, episode by episode.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 261

The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos
Podcast Episodes
A Daily Workout to Tackle Nagging Self-Criticism [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:44
Lots of us hit the gym in January to get fit - but should we also be exercising our minds in preparation for tough times? A daily "self-talk workout" might be just as beneficial as squats and push-ups, says Seattle Unive…
How to Eat Intuitively [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:52
Everyone has a view about what you should eat and how much. We're so bombarded with fad diets, fasting plans and nutritional advice that we can bounce from one way of eating to another without stopping to think: "What do…
Stop Endlessly Chasing the "Next Big Thing" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:41
We're often looking into the future... hunting for the "next big thing". That could be an exciting new job or a new relationship. We can get so fixated with these events and the happiness we hope they'll deliver, that we…
Coming Jan 2: Let Your Inner Voice be Heard in 2023 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:37
At the start of a new year there are plenty of voices telling us to get fit; go on a diet; or supercharge our careers. This advice might be well-intentioned, but it can also be DEAFENING!!! In 2023, try listening to a vo…
Giving Tuesday: Why Giving Money to Others Makes us Happier [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:57
Money can buy you happiness - but not in the way we think. Giving money away - especially to help others - has been shown make us happier than spending on ourselves. Social psychologist Lara Aknin explains the best ways…
Happier Parents, Happier Kids Pt 2: Letting Children Try and Fail [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:54
It's tempting to tie a child's shoe lace, tidy their rooms or help with their science projects - to see that these tasks are done right - but parents are depriving their kids of the valuable experience of falling, failin…
Hulking Out! Why You Change When You're Angry [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:04
When mild-mannered David Banner gets mad he transforms into the raging Incredible Hulk. Dr Laurie Santos loves this comic book tale - because it reflects real life. Intense things like anger, pain, even hunger, can cause…
You Only Live Once... So Commit [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:38
YOLO seems like the perfect rock 'n' roll philosophy. You only live once... so do whatever seems right in the moment. Be spontaneous. Quit your job; find a new person to date; and always, always keep your options open. W…
The Fun of Eating a Pepper Hotter Than the Sun [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:18
There is nothing hotter than Puckerbutt Farm’s Carolina Reaper Hot Sauce... and author Leigh Cowart gargles it for FUN!!! Why do we sometimes get a happiness high from painful and scary things? And what if we want to exp…