The Science of Happiness

Nino Serrano and Janabi Pareja, co-founders of Understory, run a worker-owned Oakland restaurant centered on shared leadership and livable wages. Niloufar Khonsari, immigration lawyer and author, builds collective nonprofits and cultures of care. They discuss launching a collective during the pandemic. They explore written values, decentralised decision hubs, mutual support, and why having a voice boosts commitment.

Kia Afkari, director of Greater Good Workplaces who blends contemplative practices with prosocial science. A short guided practice helps you settle with posture and breathing. Picture tasks as floating bubbles to observe without judgment. Reflect on whether overwhelm comes from fear or volume. End with gratitude, self-compassion, and releasing the pressure to be perfect.

Dr. Karen Chan Barrett, a neuroscientist and classically trained pianist who studies creativity in the brain, discusses improvisation and its neural signature. She talks about how memorized playing differs from improv. She describes fMRI work with musicians and children. She explains the beginner’s mind, letting go of judgment, and how play and reward systems support creativity.

Having a curious approach to life can improve our mood, creativity and relationships. Scott Shigeoka leads a visualization exercise to help you approach someone you might disagree with with an open and curious mind.How To Do This Practice: Ground Yourself: Sit comfortably, close your eyes, and take three slow, deep breaths, noticing the sensation of each inhale and exhale. Let your body begin to settle. Picture the Conversation: Bring to mind an upcoming interaction that may feel challenging and visualize where it’s happening and what the setting looks like. See yourself arriving there. Lead with Curiosity: Imagine yourself speaking with a calm, open tone and asking thoughtful, genuine questions. Picture your body language expressing interest and care. See It Going Well: Visualize the other person responding positively—softening, engaging, or opening up. Notice how connection feels in your body. Rehearse the Hard Moment: Imagine a tense moment arising and observe what happens inside you without reacting. See yourself choosing a curious question instead of a defensive response. Close with Intention: Picture the conversation ending with appreciation and mutual respect. Take three more slow breaths, then gently open your eyes. Scroll down for a transcription of this episode.Today’s Happiness Break Guide:SCOTT SHIGEOKA is an author and storyteller who focuses on themes of curiosity and well-being.Learn More About Scott’s work here: https://tinyurl.com/y5xyxky7Related Happiness Break episodes:Loving Kindness Meditation: https://tinyurl.com/2kr4fjz5Embodying Resilience: https://tinyurl.com/46383mhxA Meditation for When You Feel Uneasy: https://tinyurl.com/4utrkyh5Related Science of Happiness episodes:Make Uncertainty Part of the Process: https://tinyurl.com/234u5ds7How To Show Up For Yourself: https://tinyurl.com/56ktb9xcHow Holding Yourself Can Reduce Stress: https://tinyurl.com/2hvhkwe6Follow us on Instagram: @ScienceOfHappinessPodWe’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/2p9h5aapHelp us share Happiness Break! Leave a 5-star review and share this link: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aapTranscription: https://tinyurl.com/s5atfjm7

Susan Glass, a visually impaired retired English professor and poet, reflects on reshaping retirement to fit her passions. She talks about mapping tasks by time and energy. She discusses letting go of obligations, reconnecting with nature and poetry, and sketching an ideal day to regain joy and focus.

A guided practice for feeling closer to others by noticing shared human traits. Short body and breath steps help settle and open attention. A brief visualization invites picturing someone distant and repeating phrases of common experience. The practice ends with sending kind wishes and noticing any subtle shift in connection.

Shira Gabriel, a psychology professor who researches collective experiences and belonging, explores how group rituals create shared connection. She discusses collective effervescence, how singing and festivals boost community identity, and ways to teach children to extend care beyond close circles. The conversation highlights why feeling embedded in groups deepens meaning and prosocial behavior.

Julie Gottman, clinical psychologist and co-founder of The Gottman Institute, shares simple habits like 10-minute daily check-ins and noticing bids for connection. Justin Garcia, evolutionary biologist and sex researcher, explores the roots of monogamy, differences between sexual and social monogamy, and how love and sex interact. They discuss practical strategies, evolutionary tensions, and why small moments matter.

Ann Druyan, author and creative director behind the Voyager Golden Record, shares a personal story about recording her heartbeat and a meditation on love. The conversation covers love as a biological drive, how relationships shape our bodies and microbiomes, maternal bonding and lullabies, and whether romantic love resembles addiction.

Dr. Sunita Sah, social scientist studying moral behavior; Dr. Akiva Lebowitz, physician and advocate for humanitarian action; Dr. Feroze Sidhwa, trauma surgeon who has worked in crisis zones. They discuss bearing witness to suffering, the psychology of compliance and defiance, why writing values helps, and how small, doable actions sustain integrity and collective care.