Practical Wisdom with Dr. Rick Hanson What Matters, and What Doesn’t
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Feb 25, 2026 A concise look at the difference between what truly matters and life’s distractions. Discussion of three core needs: safety, satisfaction, and connection. Practical ideas for increasing safety, cultivating everyday contentment, and deepening relationships. Explanations of brain circuits that bias attention and simple practices to train wiser responses in heated moments.
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Prioritize Safety Satisfaction And Connection
- Do prioritize meeting your three core needs: safety, satisfaction, and connection.
- Rick Hanson suggests concrete steps like medical checkups, exercise, financial preparedness, and stepping back from emotionally draining relationships.
Take In The Good To Reduce Craving
- Do cultivate present-moment satisfaction by noticing and letting genuine experiences of needs met sink in.
- Hanson recommends slowing down to enjoy small pleasures, practicing gratitude, and resting in contentment rather than chasing the next thing.
Liking Without Wanting Versus Amygdala Hijack
- Insight: Wanting and liking are separable brain processes that can hijack decisions.
- Hanson explains nucleus accumbens drives wanting while the amygdala can tag stimuli as salient and trigger rapid stress or craving responses.