Most of us have gotten at least a little emotional at some point recently. It’s natural. But why do we have emotions and how much should we pay attention to them on any given day? Can we learn to skillfully choose which emotions to listen to and which ones to just let move on by?

In More Than A Feeling, the latest podcast from Ten Percent Happier, host Saleem Reshamwala goes on a real life quest to find the answers to these questions. He’ll experiment with neuroscientists, dive into stories with historians and philosophers, and document how musicians, therapists, hairdressers and airplane pilots work with emotions.

Saleem sifts through the human condition to find stories and insights that will help us define our most fundamental relationships: our relationship to our own emotions, and to each other’s.

Listen to More Than A Feeling wherever you get your podcasts, starting April 19, and follow us on Twitter at @podfeelings.

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Before we dive deep into stories about fear, acceptance, jealousy, joy, shame and other big feelings, we have to get philosophical and ask: what are emotions anyway?

Have feelings about the show? Let us know! Check out our listener survey: bit.ly/morethanafeelingsurvey

Host Saleem Reshamwala was always trying to figure this question out when he was growing up as a mashup kid: bouncing back and forth with his family between India, Japan and North Carolina. It turns out there are some hidden clues to be found in how we try to translate words for emotions from one language to another. And this opens up a new universe of possibilities for how we describe and relate to our feelings.

Featured in this episode are Dr. Ashley Ruba and Dr. Tim Lomas.

Follow us on Twitter at @podfeelings, and if you’ve got a question or story about an emotion you’re grappling with, send us a voice memo at morethanafeeling@tenpercent.com.

Full Shownotes: https://www.tenpercent.com/mtaf-podcast-episodes/prologue

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Everyone’s afraid of something. But how often do we talk openly about our biggest fears with friends or even complete strangers? In this episode, producer Mark Pagán opens up to Saleem about something that’s been freaking him out for years, so much so that it's seriously affected his day-to-day life. But as Mark seeks out solutions for facing his fear, he finds out this troubling emotion may be more useful to him than he expected.

Just a heads-up: This episode contains discussions and scenes about riding the NYC subway, a topic that may be sensitive for some listeners. We think the tactics that Mark explores in working and acknowledging his fear can be helpful to anyone who realizes they’re dealing with a fearful situation.

Featured in this episode are Dr. Luana Marques and Captain Tom Bunn.

Wanna learn more about embracing your own fear? Our companion meditation app, Ten Percent Happier, has an excellent meditation course called Taming Anxiety, featuring Dr. Luana Marques. As a More Than A Feeling listener, you can try the course and the app for free for thirty days. To try it for free, visit tenpercent.com/more.

Follow us on Twitter at @podfeelings, and if you’ve got a question or story about an emotion you’re grappling with, send us a voice memo at morethanafeeling@tenpercent.com.

Full Shownotes: https://www.tenpercent.com/mtaf-podcast-episodes/fear

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It can be quite rare to find yourself in a place where you feel totally accepted. In this episode, producer Reva Goldberg takes us to a truly unique beauty salon: it’s the ultimate safe space for its customers, many of whom are in their 80s and 90s. We take a close look at two hairdressers who create a laugh-out-loud-funny atmosphere, while also showing deep compassion at the same time. We’ll also explore why feeling unconditionally accepted helps us cope with the toughest emotions at any age.

Featured in this episode are Dr. Pablo Sabucedo and Dr. Rebecca Allen.

Have feelings about the show? Let us know! Check out our listener survey: bit.ly/morethanafeelingsurvey

The Ten Percent Happier app has several meditations for working on acceptance, like “Letting Tough Emotions Be” with Sharon Salzberg and “Resilience” with Sebene Selassie. To try it for free, go to tenpercent.com/more.

Follow us on Twitter at @podfeelings, and if you’ve got a question or story about an emotion you’re grappling with, send us a voice memo at morethanafeeling@tenpercent.com.

Full Shownotes: https://www.tenpercent.com/mtaf-podcast-episodes/acceptance

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We cannot do a show about emotions without an episode on jealousy: it brings the drama! We all experience jealousy at one time or another. But it's not exactly a great feeling to experience. In this episode, we talk with social psychologists Keelah Williams and Jaimie Arona Krems about how jealousy may not always be such a bad thing. Then we connect with historian Niamh Cullen to hear how Italians dealt with an epidemic of jealousy in the 1950s and 60’s that coincided with unprecedented economic growth and prosperity. And from a surprising source, we get some advice about how to work with tough emotions like jealousy.

Have feelings about the show? Let us know! Check out our listener survey: bit.ly/morethanafeelingsurvey

The Ten Percent Happier app has several meditations for working with strong emotions like jealousy. Check out “Caring for Strong Emotions” with Kaira Jewel Lingo or “Opening to Strong Emotions” with Joseph Goldstein. There’s also a great video course on relationships featuring Oren Jay Sofer. To try it all for free, go to tenpercent.com/more.

Follow us on Twitter at @podfeelings, and if you’ve got a question or story about an emotion you’re grappling with, send us a voice memo at morethanafeeling@tenpercent.com.

Full Shownotes: https://www.tenpercent.com/mtaf-podcast-episodes/jealousy

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That banger of a theme song you hear each week on More Than A Feeling was made by El Michels Affair. In this episode Saleem talks with singer Piya Malik and musician, songwriter, and leader of El Michels, Leon Michels, about how they work to evoke emotions in their music. We get into how their collaboration with Wu Tang Clan and how their love of Bollywood music inspires their sound. And they nerd out on their creative process, including how Leon plays with sound in order to land on a vibe that’s both original and yet feels nostalgic. Check out “Kabhi,” the full-length single of our theme song, on Spotify, or wherever you listen to music.

Have feelings about the show? Let us know! Check out our listener survey: bit.ly/morethanafeelingsurvey

Try the Ten Percent Happier app for free for thirty days by visiting tenpercent.com/more.

Follow us on Twitter at @podfeelings, and if you’ve got a question or story about an emotion you’re grappling with, send us a voice memo at morethanafeeling@tenpercent.com.

https://www.tenpercent.com/mtaf-podcast-episodes/nostalgia

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When was the last time you allowed yourself a really good, joyful shriek? If that’s not the easiest thing to answer, what about the last time you experienced blissful joy? In this episode, we look at the emotional wallop that comes from true fandom as host Saleem Reshamwala jumps into the world of pop music, speaking with BTS superfan Sam, clinical psychologist Dr. Lynn Zubernis, and Fangirls playwright Yve Blake to find out what fandom can teach him, and us, about what we feel when we just allow ourselves to fully give in to everything from Beyoncé to the Boston Bruins.

Have feelings about the show? Let us know! Check out our listener survey: bit.ly/morethanafeelingsurvey

Follow us on Twitter at @podfeelings, and if you’ve got a question or story about an emotion you’re grappling with, send us a voice memo at morethanafeeling@tenpercent.com.

Because you listen to More Than A Feeling, you can try the Ten Percent Happier app for free for thirty days. Visit tenpercent.com/more.

Full Shownotes: https://www.tenpercent.com/mtaf-podcast-episodes/fandom

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This week, we investigate something that’s long been accepted as a fact about emotions without being put to a scientific test: the stereotype that women are more emotional than men. We meet Psychologist Dr. Adriene Beltz, who’s trying to close that research gap, hear an enraging story from Author Kate Moore about a 19th century woman whose husband commits her to an asylum for expressing her feelings, and talk with Therapist and Researcher Araya Baker about how expectations around emotions and gender impact everyone.

Have feelings about the show? Let us know! Check out our listener survey: bit.ly/morethanafeelingsurvey

To better understand your own emotional landscape, check out the Emotions course with meditation teacher Oren Jay Sofer. To try it for free, go to tenpercent.com/more.

Follow us on Twitter at @podfeelings, and if you’ve got a question or story about an emotion you’re grappling with, send us a voice memo at morethanafeeling@tenpercent.com.

Full Shownotes: https://www.tenpercent.com/mtaf-podcast-episodes/rage

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.