A Slight Change of Plans
A Slight Change of Plans
What happens when life doesn’t go according to plan? In this award-winning podcast, cognitive scientist Dr. Maya Shankar explores how we experience change and strategies we can use to better navigate moments of upheaval. Maya’s life took a dramatic turn when an injury ended her career as a violinist and inspired her to study the science of change. Named Apple Podcasts’ Best Show of the Year, A S…Social links:
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The Invisible Weight of Olympic Gold
The Winter Olympics are in full swing, and for the athletes competing, the Games are as much a mental challenge as they are a physical one. Not long ago, Maya sat down with five-time Olympic gold medalist, swimmer Missy Franklin, who competed in both the 2012 and 2016 Summer Olympics. When Missy re…
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How to Accept the Messiness of Love
Valentine’s Day is about expressing love in all its forms—but it can also be a chance to sit with some of love’s stickier realities. Today, we’re sharing an episode from the TED podcast “How To Be a Better Human,” in which host and comedian Chris Duffy speaks with family therapist Stephanie Yates-A…
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The Life-Changing Impact Of Showing People They Matter
Journalist Jennifer Wallace believes we can make the world a better place through small actions that help people feel like they matter. She’s written a book about this idea, called “Mattering: The Secret to a Life of Deep Connection and Purpose.”In today’s episode, she reveals why even those in hig…
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Michael Lewis and Maya Talk “The Other Side of Change”
In today’s episode, “Moneyball” author Michael Lewis (and Maya’s friend) flips the script and interviews her—in front of a live audience in San Francisco. They discuss her new book in a candid conversation about identity, loss, and what happens when the thing that once defined you falls away. Did …
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How To Be Happier This Year
2026 is off to a hectic start for Maya as she tours the country promoting her book, “The Other Side of Change.” To recenter, she’s revisiting a conversation with her friend and mentor, Yale Professor Laurie Santos, who studies the science of happiness. Together, they explore why the things we chase…
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A Sneak Preview Of Maya’s New Book
Maya’s book, “The Other Side of Change”, is officially out! To celebrate, we’re sharing an exclusive excerpt with our community – about what first sparked Maya’s interest in change, and the story of a woman named Olivia Lewis. Order “The Other Side of Change: Who We Become When Life Makes Other P…
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Kicking Off the New Year Right
Booklist awarded Maya’s upcoming book, The Other Side of Change, one of its coveted starred reviews, saying “It’s impossible not to be moved.” The Other Side of Change hits shelves on January 13th and is filled with a rare combination of scientific wisdom and powerful stories (not featured on thi…
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The People-Pleaser’s Recovery Guide
Therapist Meg Josephson learned early on to put others’ needs before her own. It was a way for her to stay safe in a home that didn’t feel emotionally stable. But over time, she saw that her people-pleasing habits were eroding her sense of self, and straining the very relationships she was trying t…
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Why It’s Never Too Late To Bet On Yourself
After a turbulent adolescence and decades of reinvention, Zarna Garg found her voice somewhere she never expected: stand-up comedy. On today’s episode, she tells Maya why she believes courage is a skill you can learn, and how failure has been a key to her success on stage and off. Register for May…
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How to Stay Hopeful (When It Feels Impossible)
The world feels especially heavy these days, and it’s easy to feel cynical. So today, Maya is revisiting her conversation with psychologist Jamil Zaki, who offers an alternative to cynicism: a mindset he calls “hopeful skepticism.” Jamil explains why hopeful people are more resilient, more success…
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