Soon after giving birth, writer Sarah Ruhl developed a severe case of facial paralysis. The left side of her face drooped, she couldn’t blink or raise her eyebrows, and she could no longer smile. Sarah shares what it was like to lose her smile and how her relationship to her face, and with her loved ones, has changed over the years. 

You can follow Maya @DrMayaShankar on Instagram.

Soon after giving birth, writer Sarah Ruhl developed a severe case of facial paralysis. The left side of her face drooped, she couldn’t blink or raise her eyebrows, and she could no longer smile. Sarah shares what it was like to lose her smile and how her relationship to her face, and with her loved ones, has changed over the years. 
You can follow Maya <a href="https://www.instagram.com/drmayashankar/?hl=en">@DrMayaShankar</a> on Instagram.

You can follow the show at @DrMayaShankar on Instagram.

Apple Podcasts’ Best Show of the Year 2021 Editor's Note: Maya Shankar blends compassionate storytelling with the science of human behavior to help us understand who we are and who we become in the face of a big change. Maya is no stranger to change. “My whole childhood revolved around the violin, but that changed in a moment when I injured my hand playing a single note,” says Shankar, who was studying under Itzhak Perlman at the Juilliard School at the time. “I was forced to try and figure out who I was, and who I could be, without the violin." Maya soon discovered a new path in the field of cognitive science, where she earned her PhD as a Rhodes Scholar studying how and why we change. Her insights into human behavior ultimately led her to create A Slight Change of Plans—Apple Podcasts’ Best Show of the Year in 2021. You’ll hear intimate conversations with people like Tiffany Haddish, Kacey Musgraves, and Riz Ahmed, as well as real-life inspirations, like John Elder Robison, who undergoes experimental brain stimulation to deepen his emotional intelligence, Daryl Davis, a Black jazz musician who inspires hundreds of KKK members to leave the Klan, and Shankar herself, who had her own “slight change of plans” earlier this year. The show also explores the science of change with experts like Adam Grant and Angela Duckworth. "What I love most about this show is that the content is evergreen," says Shankar. "You can listen to episodes in any order and at any time."

You can follow the show at <a href="https://www.instagram.com/drmayashankar/?hl=en">@DrMayaShankar</a> on Instagram.
Apple Podcasts’ Best Show of the Year 2021 Editor's Note: Maya Shankar blends compassionate storytelling with the science of human behavior to help us understand who we are and who we become in the face of a big change. Maya is no stranger to change. “My whole childhood revolved around the violin, but that changed in a moment when I injured my hand playing a single note,” says Shankar, who was studying under Itzhak Perlman at the Juilliard School at the time. “I was forced to try and figure out who I was, and who I could be, without the violin." Maya soon discovered a new path in the field of cognitive science, where she earned her PhD as a Rhodes Scholar studying how and why we change. Her insights into human behavior ultimately led her to create A Slight Change of Plans—Apple Podcasts’ Best Show of the Year in 2021. You’ll hear intimate conversations with people like Tiffany Haddish, Kacey Musgraves, and Riz Ahmed, as well as real-life inspirations, like John Elder Robison, who undergoes experimental brain stimulation to deepen his emotional intelligence, Daryl Davis, a Black jazz musician who inspires hundreds of KKK members to leave the Klan, and Shankar herself, who had her own “slight change of plans” earlier this year. The show also explores the science of change with experts like Adam Grant and Angela Duckworth. "What I love most about this show is that the content is evergreen," says Shankar. "You can listen to episodes in any order and at any time."

A Slight Change of Plans

You can follow the show at @DrMayaShankar on Instagram.

Apple Podcasts’ Best Show of the Year 2021. Editor's Note: Maya Shankar blends compassionate storytelling with the science of human behavior to help us understand who we are and who we become in the face of a big change. Maya is no stranger to change. “My whole childhood revolved around the violin, but that changed in a moment when I injured my hand playing a single note,” says Shankar, who was studying under Itzhak Perlman at the Juilliard School at the time. “I was forced to try and figure out who I was, and who I could be, without the violin." Maya soon discovered a new path in the field of cognitive science, where she earned her PhD as a Rhodes Scholar studying how and why we change. Her insights into human behavior ultimately led her to create A Slight Change of Plans—Apple Podcasts’ Best Show of the Year in 2021. You’ll hear intimate conversations with people like Tiffany Haddish, Kacey Musgraves, and Riz Ahmed, as well as real-life inspirations, like John Elder Robison, who undergoes experimental brain stimulation to deepen his emotional intelligence, Daryl Davis, a Black jazz musician who inspires hundreds of KKK members to leave the Klan, and Shankar herself, who had her own “slight change of plans” earlier this year. The show also explores the science of change with experts like Adam Grant and Angela Duckworth. "What I love most about this show is that the content is evergreen," says Shankar. "You can listen to episodes in any order and at any time."

You can follow the show at <a href="https://www.instagram.com/drmayashankar/?hl=en">@DrMayaShankar</a> on Instagram.
Apple Podcasts’ Best Show of the Year 2021. Editor's Note: Maya Shankar blends compassionate storytelling with the science of human behavior to help us understand who we are and who we become in the face of a big change. Maya is no stranger to change. “My whole childhood revolved around the violin, but that changed in a moment when I injured my hand playing a single note,” says Shankar, who was studying under Itzhak Perlman at the Juilliard School at the time. “I was forced to try and figure out who I was, and who I could be, without the violin." Maya soon discovered a new path in the field of cognitive science, where she earned her PhD as a Rhodes Scholar studying how and why we change. Her insights into human behavior ultimately led her to create A Slight Change of Plans—Apple Podcasts’ Best Show of the Year in 2021. You’ll hear intimate conversations with people like Tiffany Haddish, Kacey Musgraves, and Riz Ahmed, as well as real-life inspirations, like John Elder Robison, who undergoes experimental brain stimulation to deepen his emotional intelligence, Daryl Davis, a Black jazz musician who inspires hundreds of KKK members to leave the Klan, and Shankar herself, who had her own “slight change of plans” earlier this year. The show also explores the science of change with experts like Adam Grant and Angela Duckworth. "What I love most about this show is that the content is evergreen," says Shankar. "You can listen to episodes in any order and at any time."

The Story of a Smile

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/3df1e4ed-5694-4c21-8cae-b21e0144ddc9/transcript

Charles Duhigg is a journalist who is interested in what makes for a good conversation. He talks to Maya about some science-backed techniques we can try to improve our conversational skills, including the art of asking deep questions.

To learn more, check out Charles' book, “Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection.” 

If you enjoyed this episode, you might like our episode with champion debater Bo Seo, "Let's Agree to Disagree More."

Connect with Maya on instagram @DrMayaShankar.

Charles Duhigg is a journalist who is interested in what makes for a good conversation. He talks to Maya about some science-backed techniques we can try to improve our conversational skills, including the art of asking deep questions.
To learn more, check out Charles' book, “<a href="https://www.charlesduhigg.com/supercommunicators" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.charlesduhigg.com/supercommunicators&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1732306487037000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2CGb8jkGF_VanzvYf9V84x">Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection</a>.” 
If you enjoyed this episode, you might like our episode with champion debater Bo Seo, "<a href="https://www.pushkin.fm/podcasts/a-slight-change-of-plans/lets-agree-to-disagree-more" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.pushkin.fm/podcasts/a-slight-change-of-plans/lets-agree-to-disagree-more&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1732306487037000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0N7m_0Y5wU7kmv9u32ZHBs">Let's Agree to Disagree More</a>."
Connect with Maya on instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/drmayashankar/?hl=en">@DrMayaShankar</a>.

The Secret to a Good Conversation

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/f250cf13-44fb-4cb3-9b88-b230012f8586/transcript

Writer Safiya Sinclair grew up on the north coast of Jamaica in a Rastafari family. Her father was the head of the household and he made Safiya and her siblings follow a strict interpretation of Rastafari, a religious and social movement. But as Safiya grew older, living under her father’s rules became suffocating. She talks to Maya about how she broke free from her father's influence and charted her own path.

Connect with Maya on instagram @DrMayaShankar.

Writer Safiya Sinclair grew up on the north coast of Jamaica in a Rastafari family. Her father was the head of the household and he made Safiya and her siblings follow a strict interpretation of Rastafari, a religious and social movement. But as Safiya grew older, living under her father’s rules became suffocating. She talks to Maya about how she broke free from her father's influence and charted her own path.
Connect with Maya on instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/drmayashankar/?hl=en">@DrMayaShankar</a>.

Breaking Free From Family Beliefs

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/45962ef2-428d-491f-a4f5-b23e011d2604/transcript

We have a lot of misconceptions about young people and their developing brains, says psychologist David Yeager. It’s true that young people’s brains are underdeveloped, but that’s not the only factor behind their decision making. It’s also because they have different goals than adults. David argues that if we can better understand these goals, we can bridge the gap between young people and older people.

For more on David, check out his latest book, "10 to 25: the Science of Motivating Young People."

Connect with Maya on instagram @DrMayaShankar.

We have a lot of misconceptions about young people and their developing brains, says psychologist David Yeager. It’s true that young people’s brains are underdeveloped, but that’s not the only factor behind their decision making. It’s also because they have different goals than adults. David argues that if we can better understand these goals, we can bridge the gap between young people and older people.
For more on David, check out his latest book, "<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/10-to-25-the-new-science-of-motivating-young-people-david-yeager/20961289" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://bookshop.org/p/books/10-to-25-the-new-science-of-motivating-young-people-david-yeager/20961289&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1732300983592000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3MjsErMawwul_WDxroLZCP">10 to 25: the Science of Motivating Young People</a>."
Connect with Maya on instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/drmayashankar/?hl=en">@DrMayaShankar</a>.

What We Get Wrong About The Teen Brain

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/3285cfc3-c226-47d1-98dd-b22f0146e86a/transcript

The Story of a Smile

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A Slight Change of Plans

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