Age is the main risk factor for cognitive decline. So with more people around the world living longer, cases of dementia are set to rise. There's currently no cure - but research suggests that happiness can reduce the impact of this awful illness. 

Psychologist Emily Willroth helped write a chapter on this topic for the 2024 World Happiness Report - and explains how making friends, helping others and engaging in fun physical activities can slow cognitive decline, even when the disease has taken hold.  

Age is the main risk factor for cognitive decline. So with more people around the world living longer, cases of dementia are set to rise. There's currently no cure - but research suggests that happiness can reduce the impact of this awful illness. 
Psychologist Emily Willroth helped write a chapter on this topic for the 2024 <a href="https://worldhappiness.report/ed/2024/">World Happiness Report</a> - and explains how making friends, helping others and engaging in fun physical activities can slow cognitive decline, even when the disease has taken hold.

The Happiness Lab is serving up scientifically-backed takes this summer that are so hot, even your SPF 50 won’t protect you.

With the help of behavioral scientists, historians, and cultural critics, Yale psychologist Dr. Laurie Santos challenges some of our biggest assumptions about what it takes to live a good life. Dr. Laurie explores topics like why we should forget about TMI and lean into oversharing, how dumping small talk makes for better conversations, why the kids these days are actually doing just fine, and how men can establish strong bromances. Each episode unpacks a bold, counterintuitive claim — using research, data, and expert insight to question the conventional wisdom around happiness and wellbeing.

The Happiness Lab is serving up scientifically-backed takes this summer that are so hot, even your SPF 50 won&rsquo;t protect you.
With the help of behavioral scientists, historians, and cultural critics, Yale psychologist Dr. Laurie Santos challenges some of our biggest assumptions about what it takes to live a good life. Dr. Laurie explores topics like why we should forget about TMI and lean into oversharing, how dumping small talk makes for better conversations, why the kids these days are actually doing just fine, and how men can establish strong bromances. Each episode unpacks a bold, counterintuitive claim &mdash;&nbsp;using research, data, and expert insight to question the conventional wisdom around happiness and wellbeing.

The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos

Can Happiness Ward Off Dementia?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/861b903d-cdd7-472d-ba95-b14100c4a3e6/transcript

You might assume that people who study happiness for a living have it all figured out. But even happiness experts struggle to follow their own advice. They know the science behind feeling happier, managing difficult emotions, and building healthier habits — but putting that knowledge into practice is another story. Why is it so hard to do the things we know are good for us?

In a live conversation recorded at SXSW, Dr. Laurie gets personal with her good friend, psychologist Ethan Kross, about the times they've struggled to practice what they preach. Together, they explore the psychological biases that can get in our way and share science-backed strategies for managing difficult emotions, building better habits, and turning that knowledge into action.

Experts Mentioned:
Ethan Kross, Professor of Psychology at the University of Michigan 
Tamar Gendler, Professor of Philosophy and Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Yale University 
Gabriele Oettingen, Professor of Psychology at New York University and the University of Hamburg
Carey Morewedge, Professor of Marketing at Boston University 
Christina Maslach, Professor Emerita of Psychology at the University of California, Berkeley
Kristin Neff, Associate Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin

ResourcesMentioned:
Shift: Managing Your Emotions — So They Don't Manage You, by Ethan Kross (2025)
Chatter: The Voice in Our Head, Why It Matters, and How to Harness It, by Ethan Kross (2021)
“Knowing is Half the Battle,” by Laurie Santos and Tamar Gendler (Edge, 2014)
Müller-Lyer Illusion
“Exploring Solomon’s Paradox: Self-Distancing Eliminates the Self-Other Asymmetry in Wise Reasoning About Close Relationships in Younger and Older Adults,” by Igor Grossmann and Ethan Kross (Psychological Science, 2014)
WOOP: Wish, Outcome, Obstacle, Plan
Rethinking Positive Thinking: Inside the New Science of Motivation, by Gabriele Oettingen (2014)
“Thought for Food: Imagined Consumption Reduces Actual Consumption,” by Carey Morewedge, Young Eun Huh, and Joachim Vosgerau (Science, 2010)
“Forming a flossing habit: an exploratory study of the psychological determinants of habit formation,” by Gaby Judah, Benjamin Gardner, and Robert Aunger (British Journal of Health Psychology, 2013)
How to Change: The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be, by Katy Milkman (2021)
Burnout: The Cost of Caring, by Christina Maslach (1982)
Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself, by Kristin Neff (2011)
“Self-Perception Theory,” by Daryl J. Bem (Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 1972)
“Emotion Controllability Beliefs and Young People's Anxiety and Depression Symptoms: A Systematic Review,” by Matthew Somerville, Helen MacIntyre, Amy Harrison, and Iris Mauss (Adolescent Research Review, 2024)
“Implicit theories of emotion: Affective and social outcomes across a major life transition,” by Maya Tamir, Oliver John, Sanjay Srivastava, and James Gross (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2007)

Related Episodes:
“For Whom the Alarm Clock Tolls”
“Harnessing People Around us to Feel Happier (Live with Ethan Kross)”
“Coach Yourself Through a Crisis”
“Don’t Accentuate the Positive”

You might assume that people who study happiness for a living have it all figured out. But even happiness experts struggle to follow their own advice. They know the science behind feeling happier, managing difficult emotions, and building healthier habits &mdash; but putting that knowledge into practice is another story. Why is it so hard to do the things we know are good for us?
In a live conversation recorded at SXSW, Dr. Laurie gets personal with her good friend, psychologist <a href="https://www.ethankross.com/" data-airgap-id="12">Ethan Kross</a>, about the times they've struggled to practice what they preach. Together, they explore the psychological biases that can get in our way and share science-backed strategies for managing difficult emotions, building better habits, and turning that knowledge into action.
Experts Mentioned:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.ethankross.com/" data-airgap-id="13">Ethan Kross</a>, Professor of Psychology at the University of Michigan&nbsp;</li>
<li><a href="https://tamar-gendler.yale.edu/" data-airgap-id="14">Tamar Gendler</a>, Professor of Philosophy and Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Yale University&nbsp;</li>
<li><a href="https://as.nyu.edu/faculty/gabriele-oettingen.html?challenge=d06e90d7-4d8f-4b88-9d8c-10b73beb60f1" data-airgap-id="15">Gabriele Oettingen</a>, Professor of Psychology at New York University and the University of Hamburg</li>
<li><a href="https://www.bu.edu/questrom/profiles/carey-morewedge/" data-airgap-id="16">Carey Morewedge</a>, Professor of Marketing at Boston University&nbsp;</li>
<li><a href="https://psychology.berkeley.edu/people/christina-maslach" data-airgap-id="17">Christina Maslach</a>, Professor Emerita of Psychology at the University of California, Berkeley</li>
<li><a href="https://self-compassion.org/kristin-neff/" data-airgap-id="18">Kristin Neff</a>, Associate Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin</li>
</ul>
Resources Mentioned:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FDM3YWCJ?lv=shuf&amp;channelId=500&amp;plpRedirect=mhFallback" data-airgap-id="19">Shift: Managing Your Emotions &mdash; So They Don't Manage You</a>, by Ethan Kross (2025)</li>
<li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Chatter-Voice-Head-Matters-Harness/dp/0525575243/ref=pd_sbs_d_sccl_1_1/140-6454301-7752957?pd_rd_w=mVewq&amp;content-id=amzn1.sym.0cb10f30-7cd4-4985-9826-58b2c1174c19&amp;pf_rd_p=0cb10f30-7cd4-4985-9826-58b2c1174c19&amp;pf_rd_r=ABMKS3Y0F6YVJXNKHBQ0&amp;pd_rd_wg=RrK7T&amp;pd_rd_r=9a45f829-7310-4fd8-982d-9e756a7ace2d&amp;pd_rd_i=0525575243&amp;psc=1" data-airgap-id="20">Chatter: The Voice in Our Head, Why It Matters, and How to Harness It</a>, by Ethan Kross (2021)</li>
<li>&ldquo;<a href="https://edge.org/response-detail/25436" data-airgap-id="21">Knowing is Half the Battle</a>,&rdquo; by Laurie Santos and Tamar Gendler (Edge, 2014)</li>
<li><a href="https://www.illusionsindex.org/i/mueller-lyer" data-airgap-id="22">M&uuml;ller-Lyer Illusion</a></li>
<li>&ldquo;<a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0956797614535400" data-airgap-id="23">Exploring Solomon&rsquo;s Paradox: Self-Distancing Eliminates the Self-Other Asymmetry in Wise Reasoning About Close Relationships in Younger and Older Adults</a>,&rdquo; by Igor Grossmann and Ethan Kross (Psychological Science, 2014)</li>
<li><a href="https://woopmylife.org/" data-airgap-id="24">WOOP: Wish, Outcome, Obstacle, Plan</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1617230235?lv=shuf&amp;hvlocphy=9004400&amp;hvptwo=&amp;hvnetw=g&amp;mcid=&amp;hvext=372760583920&amp;hvadid=812934654163&amp;language=en_US&amp;hvpone=&amp;hvlocint=&amp;hvcampaign=23946702649&amp;hydadcr=18332_13883056_2506321&amp;hvpos=&amp;hvdev=c&amp;hvdvcmdl=&amp;hvocijid=3252593176508449974--&amp;hvqmt=a&amp;hvexpln=0&amp;tag=smgglusdsadts-20&amp;hvtargid=kwl-2484167636399&amp;adgrpid=197419383573&amp;hvrand=3252593176508449974&amp;channelId=500&amp;ref_=&amp;plpRedirect=mhFallback" data-airgap-id="25">Rethinking Positive Thinking: Inside the New Science of Motivation</a>, by Gabriele Oettingen (2014)</li>
<li>&ldquo;<a href="https://www.science.org/doi/abs/10.1126/science.1195701?adobe_mc=MCMID%3D28872292537646828261101212917072275688%7CMCORGID%3D242B6472541199F70A4C98A6%2540AdobeOrg%7CTS%3D1791912116" data-airgap-id="26">Thought for Food: Imagined Consumption Reduces Actual Consumption</a>,&rdquo; by Carey Morewedge, Young Eun Huh, and Joachim Vosgerau (Science, 2010)</li>
<li>&ldquo;<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22989272/" data-airgap-id="27">Forming a flossing habit: an exploratory study of the psychological determinants of habit formation</a>,&rdquo; by Gaby Judah, Benjamin Gardner, and Robert Aunger (British Journal of Health Psychology, 2013)</li>
<li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/059308375X?lv=shuf&amp;channelId=500&amp;plpRedirect=mhFallback" data-airgap-id="28">How to Change: The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be</a>, by Katy Milkman (2021)</li>
<li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/013091231X?lv=shuf&amp;channelId=500&amp;plpRedirect=mhFallback" data-airgap-id="29">Burnout: The Cost of Caring</a>, by Christina Maslach (1982)</li>
<li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/0061733520?lv=shuf&amp;channelId=500&amp;plpRedirect=mhFallback" data-airgap-id="30">Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself</a>, by Kristin Neff (2011)</li>
<li>&ldquo;<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/chapter/bookseries/abs/pii/S0065260108600246" data-airgap-id="31">Self-Perception Theory</a>,&rdquo; by Daryl J. Bem (Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 1972)</li>
<li><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38410118/" data-airgap-id="32">&ldquo;Emotion Controllability Beliefs and Young People's Anxiety and Depression Symptoms: A Systematic Review</a>,&rdquo; by Matthew Somerville, Helen MacIntyre, Amy Harrison, and Iris Mauss (Adolescent Research Review, 2024)</li>
<li>&ldquo;<a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2F0022-3514.92.4.731" data-airgap-id="33">Implicit theories of emotion: Affective and social outcomes across a major life transition</a>,&rdquo; by Maya Tamir, Oliver John, Sanjay Srivastava, and James Gross (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2007)</li>
</ul>
Related Episodes:
<ul>
<li>&ldquo;<a href="https://www.pushkin.fm/podcasts/the-happiness-lab-with-dr-laurie-santos/for-whom-the-alarm-clock-tolls" data-airgap-id="34">For Whom the Alarm Clock Tolls</a>&rdquo;</li>
<li>&ldquo;<a href="https://www.pushkin.fm/podcasts/the-happiness-lab-with-dr-laurie-santos/harnessing-people-around-us-to-feel-happier-live-with-ethan-kross" data-airgap-id="35">Harnessing People Around us to Feel Happier (Live with Ethan Kross)</a>&rdquo;</li>
<li>&ldquo;<a href="https://www.pushkin.fm/podcasts/the-happiness-lab-with-dr-laurie-santos/bonus-coach-yourself-through-a-crisis" data-airgap-id="36">Coach Yourself Through a Crisis</a>&rdquo;</li>
<li>&ldquo;<a href="https://www.pushkin.fm/podcasts/the-happiness-lab-with-dr-laurie-santos/dont-accentuate-the-positive" data-airgap-id="37">Don&rsquo;t Accentuate the Positive</a>&rdquo;</li>
</ul>

Why Happiness Experts Still Struggle to Be Happy with Dr. Ethan Kross

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/8cb1910d-ce4a-41cb-a219-b4e800146a2a/transcript

For most of human history, we only had one way to talk to one another: our voices. Today, we have more ways to communicate than ever before. We can text, call, send a video message, reach out over social media, et cetera. And we often choose whichever option seems easiest or least awkward. But research suggests that how we choose to communicate matters much more than we realize and can have a surprising impact on how well we understand one another and how connected we feel.

In a live conversation recorded at the World Happiness Summit at SXSW, Dr. Laurie speaks with psychologist Nick Epley about the common mistakes we make when communicating in the modern world — and the small changes that could help us connect more meaningfully with the people around us. His new book, A Little More Social, is available now.

Experts Mentioned:
Nicholas Epley, Professor of Behavioral Science at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business
Bronisław Malinowski, Polish anthropologist and ethnologist

ResourcesMentioned:
A Little More Social: How Small Choices Create Unexpected Happiness, Health, and Connection, by Nick Epley (2026)
“Hello, stranger? Pleasant conversations are preceded by concerns about starting one,” by Juliana Schroeder, Donald Lyons, and Nicholas Epley (Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 2022)
"The Problem of Meaning in Primitive Languages," by Bronisław Malinowski (1923)
“Is Conversation Magical?,” by Nicholas Epley (Chicago Booth Review, 2026)
“The Humanizing Voice: Speech Reveals, and Text Conceals, a More Thoughtful Mind in the Midst of Disagreement,” by Juliana Schroeder, Michael Kardas, and Nicholas Epley (Psychological Science, 2017)
"Egocentrism over e-mail: can we communicate as well as we think?," by Justin Kruger, Nicholas Epley, Jason Parker, and Zhi-Wen Ng (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2005)
“The Sound of Intellect: Speech Reveals a Thoughtful Mind, Increasing a Job Candidate's Appeal,” by Juliana Schroeder and Nicholas Epley (Psychological Science, 2015)
“It's surprisingly nice to hear you: Misunderstanding the impact of communication media can lead to suboptimal choices of how to connect with others,” by Amit Kumar and Nicholas Epley Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 2021)

Related Episodes:
Forget Small Talk: Go Deep Instead
You’re Actually Not Bothering People Enough
Why Giving is a Great Daily Habit
The Surprising Case for Oversharing

For most of human history, we only had one way to talk to one another: our voices. Today, we have more ways to communicate than ever before. We can text, call, send a video message, reach out over social media, et cetera. And we often choose whichever option seems easiest or least awkward. But research suggests that how we choose to communicate matters much more than we realize and can have a surprising impact on how well we understand one another and how connected we feel.
In a live conversation recorded at the World Happiness Summit at SXSW, Dr. Laurie speaks with psychologist <a href="https://www.nicholasepley.com/" data-airgap-id="11">Nick Epley</a> about the common mistakes we make when communicating in the modern world &mdash; and the small changes that could help us connect more meaningfully with the people around us. His new book, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/s?k=a+little+more+social&amp;hvadid=694133946432&amp;hvdev=c&amp;hvexpln=67&amp;hvlocphy=9004400&amp;hvnetw=g&amp;hvocijid=4292426935823186958--&amp;hvqmt=e&amp;hvrand=4292426935823186958&amp;hvtargid=kwd-2468185663858&amp;hydadcr=22560_13531255&amp;mcid=595a8d21a90737c8be1ca523ebb39d71&amp;tag=googhydr-20&amp;ref=pd_sl_4f4qjpojxq_e_p67" data-airgap-id="12">A Little More Social</a>, is available now.
Experts Mentioned:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.nicholasepley.com/" data-airgap-id="13">Nicholas Epley</a>, Professor of Behavioral Science at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business</li>
<li><a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/373260727_Malinowski_Bronislaw_K1884-1942" data-airgap-id="14">Bronisław Malinowski</a>, Polish anthropologist and ethnologist</li>
</ul>
Resources Mentioned:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/s?k=a+little+more+social&amp;hvadid=713511125889&amp;hvdev=c&amp;hvexpln=67&amp;hvlocphy=9004400&amp;hvnetw=g&amp;hvocijid=1911829651904330065--&amp;hvqmt=e&amp;hvrand=1911829651904330065&amp;hvtargid=kwd-2468185663858&amp;hydadcr=22560_13730715&amp;mcid=595a8d21a90737c8be1ca523ebb39d71&amp;tag=googhydr-20&amp;ref=pd_sl_4f4qjpojxq_e_p67" data-airgap-id="15">A Little More Social: How Small Choices Create Unexpected Happiness, Health, and Connection</a>, by Nick Epley (2026)</li>
<li>&ldquo;<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34618536/" data-airgap-id="16">Hello, stranger? Pleasant conversations are preceded by concerns about starting one</a>,&rdquo; by Juliana Schroeder, Donald Lyons, and Nicholas Epley (Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 2022)</li>
<li>"<a href="https://mnytud.arts.unideb.hu/tananyag/szoclingv_alap/malinowski-the_problem_of_meaning_in_primitive_languages.pdf" data-airgap-id="17">The Problem of Meaning in Primitive Languages</a>," by Bronisław Malinowski (1923)</li>
<li>&ldquo;<a href="https://www.chicagobooth.edu/review/is-conversation-magical" data-airgap-id="18">Is Conversation Magical?</a>,&rdquo; by Nicholas Epley (Chicago Booth Review, 2026)</li>
<li>&ldquo;<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29068763/" data-airgap-id="19">The Humanizing Voice: Speech Reveals, and Text Conceals, a More Thoughtful Mind in the Midst of Disagreement</a>,&rdquo; by Juliana Schroeder, Michael Kardas, and Nicholas Epley (Psychological Science, 2017)</li>
<li>"<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16393025/" data-airgap-id="20">Egocentrism over e-mail: can we communicate as well as we think?</a>," by Justin Kruger, Nicholas Epley, Jason Parker, and Zhi-Wen Ng (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2005)</li>
<li>&ldquo;<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25926479/" data-airgap-id="21">The Sound of Intellect: Speech Reveals a Thoughtful Mind, Increasing a Job Candidate's Appeal,</a>&rdquo; by Juliana Schroeder and Nicholas Epley (Psychological Science, 2015)</li>
<li>&ldquo;<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32915017/" data-airgap-id="22">It's surprisingly nice to hear you: Misunderstanding the impact of communication media can lead to suboptimal choices of how to connect with others</a>,&rdquo; by Amit Kumar and Nicholas Epley Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 2021)</li>
</ul>
Related Episodes:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.pushkin.fm/podcasts/the-happiness-lab-with-dr-laurie-santos/forget-small-talk-go-deep-instead" data-airgap-id="23">Forget Small Talk: Go Deep Instead</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.pushkin.fm/podcasts/the-happiness-lab-with-dr-laurie-santos/youre-actually-not-bothering-people-enough" data-airgap-id="24">You&rsquo;re Actually Not Bothering People Enough</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.pushkin.fm/podcasts/the-happiness-lab-with-dr-laurie-santos/why-giving-is-a-great-daily-habit" data-airgap-id="25">Why Giving is a Great Daily Habit</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.pushkin.fm/podcasts/the-happiness-lab-with-dr-laurie-santos/the-surprising-case-for-oversharing" data-airgap-id="26">The Surprising Case for Oversharing</a></li>
</ul>

What Gets Lost When We Text Instead of Talk with Dr. Nick Epley

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/fd14e389-8e82-48ae-b4fe-b4de00f1ef28/transcript

As we move through our busy lives, it’s easy to stop noticing the tiny, beautiful things all around us. But rediscovering the sense of wonder we had as children might not only bring us more joy — it could also help us better navigate life’s hardest moments.

Dr. Laurie explores that idea with traveling philosopher and former NPR correspondent Eric Weiner, author of The Socrates Express: In Search of Life Lessons from Dead Philosophers. Eric shares what he’s learned from walking in the footsteps of Henry David Thoreau, including how the 19th-century philosopher can help us live better in the modern day and see beauty in the things we usually overlook.

Experts Mentioned:
Eric Weiner, journalist, author, and philosophical traveler 
Henry David Thoreau, 19th-century American philosopher, poet, environmental scientist, and political activist 
Socrates, ancient Greek philosopher 
Epicurus, ancient Greek philosopher
Arthur Schopenhauer, 19th-century German philosopher
Ralph Waldo Emerson, 19th-century essayist, poet, and philosopher
Confucius, ancient Chinese philosopher
Nathaniel Hawthorne, 19th-century American novelist and short-story writer
Leslie Perrin Wilson, author and former curator of the Special Collections at the Concord Free Public Library
Henry Miller, American novelist, short-story writer, and essayist

Resources Mentioned:
The Socrates Express: In Search of Life Lessons from Dead Philosophers, by Eric Weiner (2020)
Walden, by Henry David Thoreau (1854)
“Walking,” by Henry David Thoreau (1862)
Bhagavad Gita(second or first century BCE)
The Journal of Henry David Thoreau
“The playful mediator, moderator, or outcome? An integrative review of the roles of play and playfulness in adult-centered psychological interventions for mental health,” by Xiangyou Shen and Leland Masek (The Journal of Positive Psychology, 2024)

Related Episodes:
“Happiness Lessons of The Ancients: Confucius”
“The Science of Attention and Distraction”
“The Power of Awe… and Where to Find it”
“Sight and Sound: How to Joyfully Awaken Your Senses”

As we move through our busy lives, it&rsquo;s easy to stop noticing the tiny, beautiful things all around us. But rediscovering the sense of wonder we had as children might not only bring us more joy &mdash; it could also help us better navigate life&rsquo;s hardest moments.
Dr. Laurie explores that idea with traveling philosopher and former NPR correspondent <a href="https://ericweinerbooks.com/" data-airgap-id="12">Eric Weiner</a>, author of <a href="https://ericweinerbooks.com/books/the-socrates-express/" data-airgap-id="13">The Socrates Express: In Search of Life Lessons from Dead Philosophers</a>. Eric shares what he&rsquo;s learned from walking in the footsteps of Henry David Thoreau, including how the 19th-century philosopher can help us live better in the modern day and see beauty in the things we usually overlook.
Experts Mentioned:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://ericweinerbooks.com/" data-airgap-id="14">Eric Weiner</a>, journalist, author, and philosophical traveler&nbsp;</li>
<li><a href="https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/thoreau/" data-airgap-id="15">Henry David Thoreau</a>, 19th-century American philosopher, poet, environmental scientist, and political activist&nbsp;</li>
<li><a href="https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/socrates/" data-airgap-id="16">Socrates</a>, ancient Greek philosopher&nbsp;</li>
<li><a href="https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/epicurus/" data-airgap-id="17">Epicurus</a>, ancient Greek philosopher</li>
<li><a href="https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/schopenhauer/" data-airgap-id="18">Arthur Schopenhauer</a>, 19th-century German philosopher</li>
<li><a href="https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/emerson/" data-airgap-id="19">Ralph Waldo Emerson</a>, 19th-century essayist, poet, and philosopher</li>
<li><a href="https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/confucius/" data-airgap-id="20">Confucius</a>, ancient Chinese philosopher</li>
<li><a href="https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/nathaniel-hawthorne" data-airgap-id="21">Nathaniel Hawthorne</a>, 19th-century American novelist and short-story writer</li>
<li><a href="https://concordlibrary.org/events/library-news/author-talk-leslie-wilson-former-curator-of-the-special-collections" data-airgap-id="22">Leslie Perrin Wilson</a>, author and former curator of the Special Collections at the Concord Free Public Library</li>
<li><a href="https://www.ndbooks.com/author/henry-miller/" data-airgap-id="23">Henry Miller</a>, American novelist, short-story writer, and essayist</li>
</ul>
Resources Mentioned:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Z43RY5J?lv=shuf&amp;channelId=500&amp;plpRedirect=mhFallback" data-airgap-id="24">The Socrates Express: In Search of Life Lessons from Dead Philosophers</a>, by Eric Weiner (2020)</li>
<li><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/files/205/205-h/205-h.htm" data-airgap-id="25">Walden</a>, by Henry David Thoreau (1854)</li>
<li>&ldquo;<a href="https://faculty.washington.edu/timbillo/Readings%20and%20documents/Wilderness/Thoreau%20Walking.pdf" data-airgap-id="26">Walking</a>,&rdquo; by Henry David Thoreau (1862)</li>
<li><a href="https://www.holy-bhagavad-gita.org/index/" data-airgap-id="27">Bhagavad Gita</a> (second or first century BCE)</li>
<li><a href="https://www.walden.org/collection/journals/" data-airgap-id="28">The Journal of Henry David Thoreau</a></li>
<li>&ldquo;<a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17439760.2023.2288955" data-airgap-id="29">The playful mediator, moderator, or outcome? An integrative review of the roles of play and playfulness in adult-centered psychological interventions for mental health</a>,&rdquo; by Xiangyou Shen and Leland Masek (The Journal of Positive Psychology, 2024)</li>
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<li>&ldquo;<a href="https://www.pushkin.fm/podcasts/the-happiness-lab-with-dr-laurie-santos/dial-d-for-distracted" data-airgap-id="31">The Science of Attention and Distraction</a>&rdquo;</li>
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<li>&ldquo;<a href="https://www.pushkin.fm/podcasts/the-happiness-lab-with-dr-laurie-santos/sight-and-sound-how-to-joyfully-awaken-your-senses" data-airgap-id="33">Sight and Sound: How to Joyfully Awaken Your Senses</a>&rdquo;</li>
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Finding the Magic in Everyday Life with Thoreau and Eric Weiner

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/8ad77115-72d1-4faa-a4f1-b4d7013cf0aa/transcript

Can Happiness Ward Off Dementia?

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The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos

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