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
Laurie Gets a Fun-tervention (Part Two: Beach Party) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:26
Dr Laurie Santos doesn't have so much fun these days - which is really bad for her health and wellbeing. So Catherine Price (author of The Power of Fun: How to Feel Alive Again at http://howtohavefun.com/) is staging an…
Laurie Gets a Fun-tervention (Part One) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:06
Peter Pan was her childhood hero, but Dr Laurie Santos woke up one day and realised she'd broken the cardinal rule of Neverland - she'd grown up and stopped having fun.Research suggests that goofing off and enjoying your…
How to Handle Change [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:50
Change is the only certainty in life. We may desperately want to change ourselves and our surroundings, or we may fear the disruption and distress some changes bring. Dr Laurie Santos talks to change expert Dr Maya Shank…
The Kindness of Strangers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:25
When Kitty Genovese was murdered, her family and the wider world was told that bystanders watched, but did nothing to intervene. Psychologists tried to explain this callous inaction with a popular theory - the "bystander…
You Can’t Always Want What You Like [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:47
We might love gruelling hikes, trips to see far-flung relatives or super hard crossword puzzles, but often we lack the motivation needed to embark on these fun things. How can that be? They make us happy, right?Dr Laurie…
Let Slip the Dogs of More Happiness [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:13
Companion pets - especially dogs - are credited with making our lives richer and more fun, but does the science back up this belief? Dr Laurie Santos breaks down what it is dogs can do to make us happier - and what behav…
Treating the Pain of a Broken Heart [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:49
Being shunned by a lover, a school or an employer hurts - but we're only just beginning to understand how real this pain is and what steps we can take to administer a bit of emotional first aid to stop the experience sca…
Why Nostalgia Ain't So Rosy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:45
Actor Rob Lowe LOVES the 1980s. And who can blame him? He was one of the most famous men on the planet. But, as he tells Dr Laurie Santos, he's careful not to wallow in nostalgia for the music, fashions and events of his…
The Happiness Lab Meets No Stupid Questions [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:54
There are no stupid questions when it comes to discussing happiness - so Dr Laurie Santos has joined forces with fellow psychologist Angela Duckworth (host of the No Stupid Questions podcast from Freakonomics Radio) for…
Hidden Brain: Laurie Talks Monkeys and Bad Money Decisions. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:09
Hidden Brain is a weekly podcast hosted by Shankar Vedantam. It's a show about science and human behaviour we think you'll enjoy. Dr Laurie Santos was a guest on the show - so we thought you'd appreciate a chance to hear…