Forever35 Episode 388: Lasting Change Within Us with Maya Shankar
Feb 9, 2026
Maya Shankar, cognitive scientist and author of The Other Side of Change, explores why change scares us and how it reshapes identity. She discusses uncertainty feeling worse than certainty, varied responses to the same trauma, and why rooting identity in your why helps you weather disruption. Conversation also highlights community’s role and the humility needed when initiating change.
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Why Change Feels So Terrifying
- Maya Shankar says change feels scary because it removes control and certainty, which raises stress more than predictable bad outcomes.
- She wrote The Other Side of Change to give science-backed strategies for thinking and feeling differently during disruption.
You Become A Different Person
- Maya notes that major changes often produce lasting internal changes and unlock new abilities and perspectives.
- She urges remembering you will become a different person better equipped to navigate the new situation.
Learn From Different Stories
- Do deliberately use stories from very different experiences to learn coping strategies since psychological patterns repeat across situations.
- Invite diverse change stories into your thinking rather than only seeking identical cases.
