How to Bounce Back from Life’s Curveballs (with Dr. Maya Shankar)

How to Bounce Back from Life’s Curveballs (with Dr. Maya Shankar)

Author: Pushkin Industries January 12, 2026 Duration: 39:32

Life has a way of upending even our best-laid plans. Breakups, job losses, scary health diagnoses — these unexpected changes can leave us feeling stuck and uncertain about what comes next.

Dr. Laurie speaks with her dear friend and former student, Dr. Maya Shankar, author of The Other Side of Change and host of A Slight Change of Plans, about how to navigate these major shifts, including practical tips for leaning into change instead of resisting it and reimagining the possible selves we can become in the new year.

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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: 50

The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos
Podcast Episodes
What Screen Time Is Really Doing to Your Body with Manoush Zomorodi [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:34
We hear a lot about how screens affect our mental health, but time spent on computers and smartphones is having just as much of an impact on our physical health — from brain fog and weakened core muscles to changes in ou…
Why More Stuff Doesn’t Make You Happier [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:16
Buying something new can trigger a rush of dopamine, leading to a momentary boost in happiness. But the rush is fleeting, and over time, our possessions can end up weighing us down more than they lift us up. As part of o…
How to Break Up with Your Bad Habits [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:22
Breaking bad habits often feels like a test of willpower. We tell ourselves we’ll stop scrolling, eat better, or exercise more — and then fall right back into the same routines. So why is lasting change so hard? As part…
What is Social Media Doing to Kids? with Dr. Jean Twenge [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:46
Over the past decade, rates of depression and loneliness have surged among young people. Many researchers point to one major change: the rise of smartphones and social media. But what does the data actually show? Psychol…
How to Stop Work From Taking Over Your Life [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:18
Work doesn’t end when the workday does. Even after we close our laptops, our minds keep replaying awkward meetings, looming deadlines, and unfinished to-do lists. Over time, that “always on” mentality can quietly hijack…
Inside the Love Lab with Drs. John & Julie Gottman (Part 2) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:43
In Part 2 of Dr. Laurie’s conversation with researchers Dr. John Gottman and Dr. Julie Schwartz Gottman, we learn how couples can raise complaints without damaging their relationship — and how to respond constructively w…
Inside the Love Lab with Drs. John & Julie Gottman (Part 1) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:04
In this classic episode, Dr. Laurie speaks with two of the world’s most influential relationship scientists, Drs. John Gottman and Julie Schwartz Gottman. In their renowned “Love Lab,” the married researchers have studie…