Happiness Break: A Meditation to Move Through Anger

Happiness Break: A Meditation to Move Through Anger

Author: PRX and Greater Good Science Center July 9, 2026 Duration: 7:25
Try a practice in accepting difficult feelings like anger or irritation to help keep your cool, feel better overall, and find calm with contemplative social scientist Eve Ekman.  How To Do This Practice: Settle with your breath: Take a few slow, deep breaths, lengthening your spine as you inhale and relaxing your face and body as you exhale. Notice your body: Scan your body with curiosity and observe any sensations without trying to change them. Recall a mild frustration: Bring to mind a recent situation that made you feel slightly irritated or frustrated. Release the story: Let go of the memory and focus only on where you feel the emotion in your body. Give the emotion space: Allow the sensations to exist without judging or resisting them, noticing how they naturally shift over time. Close with kindness: Take one final breath and remind yourself to meet future moments of anger with curiosity, acceptance, and compassion. Scroll down for a transcription of this episode. Today’s Happiness Break Guide: EVE EKMAN is a contemplative social scientist and meditation teacher from San Francisco, California. Learn more about Eve’s work: https://tinyurl.com/2vhuarh8 More Happiness Breaks like this one: A Self-Compassion Meditation For Burnout: https://tinyurl.com/ye24rz4k The Healing Power of Your Own Touch: https://tinyurl.com/rrtpje2x A Breathing Technique To Help You Relax: https://tinyurl.com/59y4sf5y Related Science of Happiness episodes: Why Compassion Requires Vulnerability: https://tinyurl.com/mrxsad33 How To Feel Better About Yourself: https://tinyurl.com/3jave7h2 What To Do When Stress Takes Over: https://tinyurl.com/yxf3jawn 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/2zh8uewh

What if the things that make life feel worthwhile aren't just abstract ideas, but observable, measurable phenomena? That's the territory explored in The Science of Happiness. Each episode moves beyond simple self-help platitudes, grounding itself in the concrete research from psychology and neuroscience. Hosted by the insightful Dacher Keltner, a psychologist whose work often centers on these very emotions, the conversations feel both authoritative and deeply human. You'll hear from people who are actively testing out specific, research-backed practices-from cultivating compassion to finding moments of genuine awe-and then discussing the real, sometimes messy results. This isn't about a constant state of cheer; it's about understanding the building blocks of a resilient and meaningful existence. The podcast, a co-production of PRX and the Greater Good Science Center, translates academic findings into accessible stories and actionable insights. Tuning in feels less like receiving a lecture and more like sitting in on a fascinating experiment about our shared human condition, one where the data points are moments of connection, gratitude, and personal discovery.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

The Science of Happiness
Podcast Episodes
Happiness Break: Holding Truth With Compassion [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:26
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, an…
Why Revenge Feels So Good—and Why It Hurts Us [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:18
Neuroscience reveals revenge can become a powerful habit—and that forgiveness may be one of the most effective ways to break the cycle. Summary: After years of bullying led him to almost committing an act of violence, Ja…
How Joy Helps Save the Planet [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:26
Choosing joy over guilt and shame can make climate-friendly habits easier to sustain while improving your own well-being along the way. Summary: Fear may grab our attention, but research suggests joy is what helps us mak…
How To Find the Wow In Life [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:25
What can a singing bird, a neighborhood walk, and a pair of puppet adventurers teach us about awe? Sit down with Wowsabout! creators Dorien Davies and Halle Stanford to discuss helping kids—and grownups—find wonder where…
Happiness Break: A Compassionate Letter to Yourself [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 9:58
Take less than 10 minutes to write yourself a letter of care, compassion, and encouragement with psychologist Kristin Neff in this research-backed practice. How To Do This Practice: Choose an area of self-judgment: Think…
Finding Common Ground in Uncomfortable Times [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:44
Across school campuses and communities, students and educators are discovering how listening, curiosity, and everyday conversations can open pathways across differences and help restore a sense of shared humanity. Summar…
Happiness Break: A Walking Meditation With Dan Harris of 10% Happier [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:00
Trouble sitting still? Learn to practice meditating by simply walking in this practice guided by 10% Happier host Dan Harris. How To Do This Practice: Start walking at a comfortable pace in a place where you can move wit…
How To Step Away from Anxiety [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:46
Do you have a hard time calming your nerves? Author Raina Telgemeier tries a practice to get out of her head, one step at a time. Summary: In this episode of The Science of Happiness, bestselling graphic novelist Raina T…
Happiness Break: The Unexpected Joy of Slow Looking [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 8:37
What happens when you linger and look closely at a piece of art? Nathalie Ryan, an educator from the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C., guides us through a slow looking practice shown to help deepen your sense o…