Good Life Project
Jonathan Fields / Acast
Good Life Project is a podcast and video series for people navigating midlife with intention. Hosted by Jonathan Fields, each episode is a deep, honest conversation about what it actually takes to build a life that feels like yours, through the reinventions, reckonings, and reclamations that define your 40s, 50s, and beyond. Grounded in science, fueled by genuine curiosity, and always in service of the real work of living well. Often top-ranked, it’s been listened to and viewed more than 100 million times. New episodes weekly. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books
36 snips
Mar 26, 2026 • 50min
Arthur Brooks: Meaning in Midlife & Beyond
Arthur Brooks, Harvard professor and bestselling author on happiness and purpose. He explores why our phones and culture sap meaning. He describes the arrival fallacy, left/right brain shifts, three keys to meaning, a morning no-phone routine, and why well-chosen suffering and service can restore wonder and significance.
Mar 23, 2026 • 48min
Want Real, Lasting Change? It’s Time to Try a Different Approach. | Eric Zimmer
Eric Zimmer, podcast host and author who rebuilt his life from addiction, shares practical approaches to lasting change. He explains why small, consistent actions add up, how to interrupt negative thinking with the Still Point Method, and how competing values and environment shape outcomes. Short, actionable frameworks for turning tiny habits into real transformation.
Mar 19, 2026 • 59min
How Toxic Positivity Wrecks Lives & Relationships (and What to Cultivate Instead) | Dr. Deepika Chopra
Dr. Deepika Chopra, clinical health psychologist known as The Optimism Doctor® who studies hope and resilience. She unpacks why toxic positivity harms and how realistic optimism works. Short practices include a 12-second “clock” for joy, scheduled worry time to contain anxiety, the 7/10 rule for believable affirmations, and finding the small “crack of light” that sparks hope.
Mar 16, 2026 • 60min
Relationship Agreements: A Powerful Way to Deepen Love & Lessen Conflict | Krista & Will Van Derveer
Will Van Derveer, psychiatrist and author known for work on psychedelic therapy, and Krista Van Derveer, relational leadership educator who helps partnerships shift to a We operating system. They explore crafting sacred relationship agreements, the surprising somatic "Couch Time" cooling technique, the Abundant Repair protocol to end tension, and how to see your partner with fresh eyes to protect connection.
25 snips
Mar 12, 2026 • 1h 2min
How to Connect With Anyone | Charles Duhigg
Charles Duhigg, Pulitzer-winning journalist and bestselling author focused on habits and communication. He breaks down how communication is a learnable skill. Hear about the three types of conversations and the Matching Principle. Learn simple signals like 'heard, hugged, or helped' and why deep questions and small vulnerabilities build instant trust.
Mar 9, 2026 • 52min
When to Quit (Jobs or People): How “Jolts” Drive Big Changes | Anthony Klotz
Anthony Klotz, an organizational behavior professor who predicted the Great Resignation and wrote Jolted, explores why small shocks can trigger big career and relationship moves. He discusses pandemic- and AI-driven jolts, honeymoon hangovers that cause first-year quits, reframing quiet quitting as healthy resizing, and practical responses like pausing, diagnosing, and choosing voice or exit wisely.
7 snips
Mar 5, 2026 • 42min
Michael Pollan: Wake Up & Reclaim Your Attention
Michael Pollan, ten-time NYT bestselling author known for exploring food and psychedelics, discusses consciousness, meditation, and his book A World Appears. He explains the Four-Second Gap, contrasts lantern versus spotlight attention, and describes how creativity, mind-wandering, and bodily feelings shape awareness. Practical practices for reclaiming attention and protecting your mind are highlighted.
10 snips
Mar 2, 2026 • 47min
Thrive in an Empty Nest: The "Open Door" Strategy for Lasting Happiness | Gretchen Rubin
Gretchen Rubin, author and happiness researcher, offers a fresh take on life after kids leave. She reframes “empty nest” as an “open door.” Short segments explore the Book vs. Tree personality split, an identity risk test, the Minimum Acceptable Contact rule, and using clutter clues to rediscover old passions.
Feb 26, 2026 • 1h 3min
Set Boundaries Without Guilt, Drama or Losing the People You Love | Spotlight Convo
Terri Cole, psychotherapist and Boundary Boss author, helps people stop people-pleasing. Nedra Glover-Tawwab, licensed therapist and bestselling author, teaches practical limits that protect peace. They discuss what boundaries are, different types (time, physical, emotional, material), why family blueprints and secondary gains keep you stuck, and short scripts and one-sentence formulas to communicate limits clearly.
Feb 23, 2026 • 52min
Navigating Anxiety: What’s Normal, What’s Not & What Helps | Dr. Tracey Marks
Dr. Tracey Marks, psychiatrist and mental health educator, breaks down what anxiety is and when it becomes a problem. She explains how fear and the amygdala drive worrying. Short, practical approaches are discussed: spotting catastrophizing, body-based calming tools, medication tradeoffs, CBT exposure, and realistic expectations for living well with anxiety.
