Discover how forgiveness reshapes the brain, eases the body, and helps us move forward with greater compassion and freedom.

Summary: Forgiveness isn’t about forgetting or excusing—it’s about releasing the grip of resentment so we can make room for peace. Research shows it also engages empathy, strengthens emotional regulation, and helps us reconnect with what truly matters. In this episode of The Science of Happiness, we look at how forgiveness transforms not just relationships, but our overall well-being.

How To Do This Practice:

1. Acknowledge the hurt: Be honest about what happened and how it affected you—avoiding or denying the pain can keep it alive.
2. Empathize with the other person: Try to see their humanity and what might have led them to act as they did, without excusing the harm.
3. Choose to forgive: Decide, for your own peace, to let go of resentment and stop letting the past control your emotions.
4. Offer forgiveness as a gift: Imagine extending understanding or compassion toward the person, even if they never apologize.
5. Commit to your choice: Write it down, share it, or reflect on it as a reminder of your intention when old feelings resurface.
6. Practice holding on to peace: When reminders or emotions arise, return to calm, compassion, or gratitude—strengthening forgiveness over time.

Scroll down for a transcription of this episode.

Today’s Guests:

DR. EVERETT WORTHINGTON is one of the world's leading experts on forgiveness.

Learn more about Dr. Everett Worthington here: https://www.evworthington-forgiveness.com/

DR. EMILIANA SIMON-THOMAS is a neuroscientist and Director of Science at UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center.

Learn more about Emiliana R. Simon-Thomas here: https://tinyurl.com/2z7mhjbm

Related The Science of Happiness episodes:

The Contagious Power of Compassion: https://tinyurl.com/3x7w2s5s

Nine Steps to Forgiveness: https://tinyurl.com/vb7kk5ky

Why Compassion Requires Vulnerability: https://tinyurl.com/yxw4uhpf

Related Happiness Breaks:

A Science-Backed Path to Self-Forgiveness: https://tinyurl.com/yh2a5urt

Make Uncertainty Part of the Process: https://tinyurl.com/234u5ds7

A Note to Self on Forgiveness: https://tinyurl.com/y53tkn87

This episode was supported by a generous grant from the Templeton World Charity Foundation as part of a Greater Good Science Center project on "Putting the Science of Forgiveness into Practice."

Tell us about your experience with this practice. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or follow on Instagram @HappinessPod.

Help us share The Science of Happiness! Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap

Transcription: https://tinyurl.com/566t8udf

We explore Día de los Muertos as a ritual that nurtures community, imbues loss with meaning, and helps us process grief while also connecting through shared joy.

Summary: We investigate how Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, rituals strengthen family ties and cultural identity, and learn about its evolution from a 3,000 year old practice to a global celebration. We look at key elements like the ofrenda and explore how commercialization—like Mattel’s Day of the Dead Barbie—raises questions about balancing tradition with modern influences.

This episode is made possible through the generous support of the John Templeton Foundation.

How To Do This Practice:

1. Set an intention: Begin by reflecting on who or what you want to honor, focusing on connection and gratitude rather than loss. Let this intention guide the energy of your ritual.
2. Create a space of offering: Choose a spot in your home and make it a place of remembrance. Gather meaningful items like photos, flowers, candles, or anything that holds personal or ancestral significance.
3. Invite the elements: Bring in water, fire, wind, and earth in simple ways—perhaps a candle, a glass of water, a plant, or a piece of fabric that moves gently in the air—to represent balance and harmony.
4. Add a personal touch: Offer something that carries memory, like a favorite food, scent, or song of someone you love. These gestures transform remembrance into a living connection.
5. Gather in community: Invite others to join you in building the altar or sharing stories and food. Coming together in this way turns memory into collective celebration and strengthens belonging.
6. Reflect and release: When the ritual feels complete, take a few quiet moments to notice what you feel. Offer gratitude for the connections that remain and carry their presence forward into daily life.

Scroll down for a transcription of this episode.

Today’s Guests:

MICHELLE TELLÉZ is an Associate Professor in Mexican-American studies at Arizona State University.
Learn more about Michelle: https://tinyurl.com/2ph3can7

MATHEW SANDOVAL, a.ka. "Dr. Muerte," is an artist and Associate Professor at Arizona State University. He is a leading expert on Día de los Muertos.
Learn more about Mathew: mathewsandoval.com

Related The Science of Happiness episodes:

The Healing Effects of Experiencing Wildlife: https://tinyurl.com/bde5av4z

Who’s Always There For You: https://tinyurl.com/yt3ejj6w

How Thinking About Your Ancestors Can Help You Thrive: https://tinyurl.com/4u6vzs2w

Related Happiness Breaks:

A Meditation on Love and Interconnectedness: https://tinyurl.com/ye6baxv3

A Meditation to Connect With Your Roots: https://tinyurl.com/ycy9xazc

Tell us about your experience with this practice. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or follow on Instagram @HappinessPod.

Help us share The Science of Happiness! Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap

Transcription: https://tinyurl.com/jerruy47

Show yourself real self-kindness in less than 10 minutes with this self-compassion break guided by psychologist Kristin Neff.

How To Do This Practice:

1. Identify what’s hard right now: Bring to mind a real situation that’s causing you stress, sadness, or self-criticism, something that’s currently difficult. It could be a mistake, a relationship challenge, or a feeling of not being enough.
2. Acknowledge your pain: Notice what’s happening inside you without judgment. Gently name it: “This is hard,” or “I’m really struggling right now.”
3. Remember you’re not alone: Remind yourself that struggle is part of being human. Say something like: “Others feel this way too,” or “It’s normal to have moments like this.”
4. Offer yourself kindness: Bring warmth to the part of you that’s hurting. You might place a hand over your heart, hold your face gently, or clasp your hands. Physical touch helps calm the nervous system and signals care.
5. Speak supportive words to yourself: Say something to yourself that you’d say to a good friend in the same situation like, “I’m here for you.” “It’s okay to be imperfect.” “You’re doing the best you can.”
6. Let the compassion sink in: Take a few slow breaths. Feel your body softening. Notice any sense of calm, warmth, or ease that arises, even if it’s subtle. You can return to this practice anytime you feel overwhelmed or self-critical.

Scroll down for a transcription of this episode.

Today’s Happiness Break Guide:

Dr. Kristin Neff is an associate professor in the University of Texas at Austin's department of educational psychology. She's also the co-author of 'Mindful Self-Compassion for Burnout,' which offers tools to help individuals heal and recharge from burnout.

Related Happiness Break episodes:

The Healing Power of Your Own Touch: https://tinyurl.com/y4ze59h8

A Self-Compassion Meditation For Burnout: https://tinyurl.com/485y3b4y

Tap into the Joy That Surrounds You: https://tinyurl.com/2pb8ye9x

Related Science of Happiness episodes:

How to Stick to Your Resolutions in 2024: https://tinyurl.com/mub9z9z4

How Holding Yourself Can Reduce Stress: https://tinyurl.com/2hvhkwe6

Why We Need Friends With Shared Interests: https://tinyurl.com/bp8msacj

We’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/2p9h5aap

Help us share Happiness Break! Leave a 5-star review and share this link: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap

Transcription: https://tinyurl.com/3eep76z6

What happens when imagination meets perception, and ordinary objects come alive? We explore the science of pareidolia.

Summary: Our minds are wired to find meaning, even in randomness— which is why sometimes we can see faces and patterns in everyday objects. In this episode of The Science of Happiness, we explore how this phenomenon, called pareidolia, can shift how we experience our surroundings and open ourselves to more creativity, connection, and calm.

How To Do This Practice:

1. Pause and settle: Take a few slow breaths and allow yourself to slow down. Let your mind soften its focus.
2. Choose your space: Look around your home, your walk, or wherever you are. Everyday objects work best— walls, trees, clouds, shadows.
3. Let curiosity lead: Notice shapes, textures, or patterns that catch your eye. Don’t try to find something, just observe.
4. See what appears: Allow your imagination to play. Do you see a face, an animal, a tiny scene hidden in plain sight?
5. Stay with it: Notice how it feels to find meaning in randomness. What emotions or memories come up?
6. Reflect and return: Take a final look around. Does your space or the way you see the things around you feel any different now?

Scroll down for a transcription of this episode.

Today’s Guests:

MALIK MAYS is an Oakland-based musician who also releases music under the name Mahawam.

Learn more about Malik here: https://mahawam.com/bio

ANTOINE BELLEMARE-PEPIN is a neuroscientist and artist, who researches the connection between pareidolia and creativity.

Learn more about Antoine here: https://tinyurl.com/233w9rym

Related The Science of Happiness episodes:

The Healing Effects of Experiencing Wildlife: https://tinyurl.com/bde5av4z

Why Going Offline Might Save Us: https://tinyurl.com/e7rhsakj

How To Tune Out The Noise: https://tinyurl.com/4hhekjuh

Related Happiness Breaks:

Pause to Look at the Sky: https://tinyurl.com/4jttkbw3

How To Ground Yourself in Nature: https://tinyurl.com/25ftdxpm

Make Uncertainty Part of the Process: https://tinyurl.com/234u5ds7

Tell us about your experience with this practice. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or follow on Instagram @HappinessPod.

Help us share The Science of Happiness! Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap

Transcription: https://tinyurl.com/yzp9hykv

Dedicating a little time to tune into your body fortifies you to better handle the stresses of daily life.

How To Do This Practice:

1. Find your space: Choose a quiet place where you feel safe and comfortable. You can sit, stand, or lie down, whatever helps you relax. If sitting, rest your hands on your thighs; if standing, let them hang by your sides.
2. Begin with your breath: Close your eyes. Inhale slowly to a count of four, feeling your belly and chest expand. Exhale to a count of four, letting your body soften. Notice the temperature of the air as it moves in and out through your nose.
3. Start at your feet: Bring your attention to your feet on the ground. Notice sensations— pressure, warmth, tingling. Gently wiggle your toes. On the next breath, move your awareness to your ankles and calves, then your knees, thanking them for their steady work.
4. Move up the body: With each breath, shift attention upward. Thighs, hips, and lower back, then your stomach. Feel it rise and fall with your breath. Continue up through your back and shoulders, releasing any tension there.
5. Soften the upper body: Turn your attention to your throat, face, and head. Relax your jaw, smooth your forehead, and feel any soft tingling at the top of your head. Then bring awareness to your hands and fingers.
6. Close with awareness: Take a few final deep breaths. On your last exhale, open your eyes gently. Notice how your body feels and carry that awareness into the rest of your day.

Scroll down for a transcription of this episode.

Today’s Happiness Break Guide:

DACHER KELTNER is the host of The Science of Happiness podcast and is a co-instructor of the Greater Good Science Center’s popular online course of the same name. He’s also a professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley.

Related Happiness Break episodes:

A Mindful Breath Meditation: https://tinyurl.com/mr9d22kr

Embodying Resilience: https://tinyurl.com/46383mhx

The Healing Power of Your Own Touch: https://tinyurl.com/y4ze59h8

Related Science of Happiness episodes:

Breathe Away Anxiety: https://tinyurl.com/3u7vsrr5

How To Show Up For Yourself: https://tinyurl.com/56ktb9xc

How Holding Yourself Can Reduce Stress: https://tinyurl.com/2hvhkwe6

Follow us on Instagram: @ScienceOfHappinessPod

We’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/2p9h5aap

Help us share Happiness Break! Leave a 5-star review and share this link: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap

Transcription: https://tinyurl.com/4fjwac6y

We explore how embracing uncertainty enables us to move beyond climate anxiety and despair to hope and action, with author and activist Rebecca Solnit.

Summary: When you think about climate change, do you feel hope? In this episode of The Science of Happiness, we examine what it means to feel hopeful for the future of our planet. Renowned writer and activist Rebecca Solnit shares why she loves uncertainty, what gives her hope, and how hope empowers her. Later, we hear from climate scientist Patrick Gonzalez about why he believes climate hope is scientifically sound, and how much power we truly have to create meaningful change.

How To Do This Practice:

1. Acknowledge the hard stuff: Hope doesn’t come from ignoring reality, it begins with honesty. Naming the fears, grief, or overwhelm we feel about climate change and life’s challenges.
2. Remember uncertainty leads to possibility: Despair often assumes the future is fixed. But history is full of surprises and turning points. When we leave space for uncertainty, we leave space for possibility.
3. Focus on progress, not perfection: Every step forward matters. Clean energy expanding, policies shifting, communities protecting what they love. Small and large wins alike fuel the feedback loop between hope and action.
4. Nourish yourself with beauty, awe, and joy: A sunrise, music, dancing, kindness, or the courage of others can all awaken something bigger in us. Awe quiets despair and helps us see new ways forward.
5. Connect with others: Hope grows when it’s shared. Joining movements, communities, or simply leaning on friends creates a sense of belonging and power. Together, the ants can move the elephant.
6. Practice hope daily: Some days hope comes easily; other days it doesn’t. That’s normal. Journaling, noticing progress, limiting bad news, and showing up in community are all ways to keep practicing.

Scroll down for a transcription of this episode.

Today’s Guests:

REBECCA SOLNIT is an author, activist, and historian. She has written over 20 books on Western and Indigenous history, feminism, social change, hope, and disaster.

Learn more about Rebecca Solnit here: http://rebeccasolnit.net/

PATRICK GONZALEZ is a climate change scientist and forest ecologist at the University of California, Berkeley.

Learn more about Patrick Gonzalez here: http://www.patrickgonzalez.net/

Related The Science of Happiness episodes:

Climate, Hope, & Science Series: https://tinyurl.com/pb27rep

The Healing Effects of Experiencing Wildlife: https://tinyurl.com/bde5av4z

Related Happiness Breaks:

How To Ground Yourself in Nature: https://tinyurl.com/25ftdxpm

Pause to Look at the Sky: https://tinyurl.com/4jttkbw3

Tell us about your experience with this practice. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or follow on Instagram @HappinessPod.

Help us share The Science of Happiness! Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap

Transcription: https://tinyurl.com/3uw3hdk3

Zen and mindfulness teacher Henry Shukman guides us in a meditation that invites us to listen deeply and find clarity in quiet.

How To Do This Practice:

1. Find Stillness: Sit comfortably in a quiet space. Close your eyes if you’d like, and allow your body to settle.
2. Bring Your Attention to the Present: Take a few deep breaths. Let go of to-do lists or distractions, gently arriving in this moment.
3. Tune In to the Sounds Around You: Begin to notice the soundscape of your environment. Near or far, loud or soft. Don’t judge or label the sounds, just hear them.
4. Notice Background Silence: Beyond individual sounds, sense the quiet in which all sounds arise. This isn’t just an absence of noise, it’s a felt sense of stillness.
5. Soak in the Quiet: Rest your awareness in this space of quiet. Let it wash over you, soften you, and bring you back to yourself.
6. Gently Return: When you're ready, bring small movements back to your body. Wiggle your fingers or stretch. Open your eyes and carry this quiet awareness into the rest of your day.

Scroll down for a transcription of this episode.

Today’s Happiness Break Guide:

Henry Shukman, is a poet, mindfulness teacher, and author of Original Love: The Four Inns on the Path of Awakening.

Learn more about Shukman’s work: https://henryshukman.com/about

Order his book, Original Love: The Four Inns on the Path of Awakening: https://tinyurl.com/mwv5cuxr

Related Happiness Break episodes:

A Mindful Breath Meditation: https://tinyurl.com/mr9d22kr

A Meditation for When You Feel Uneasy: https://tinyurl.com/4x27ut3p

Find Calm When You Can’t Clear Your Mind: https://tinyurl.com/3u8k2j8h

A Meditation on Original Love and Interconnectedness: https://tinyurl.com/ye6baxv3

Related Science of Happiness episodes:

How To Tune Out The Noise: https://tinyurl.com/4hhekjuh

How To Show Up For Yourself: https://tinyurl.com/56ktb9xc

How Holding Yourself Can Reduce Stress: https://tinyurl.com/2hvhkwe6

Follow us on Instagram: @ScienceOfHappinessPod

We’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/2p9h5aap

Help us share Happiness Break! Leave a 5-star review and share this link: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap

Transcription: https://tinyurl.com/3bs7udur

Learn why uncertainty fuels anxiety and how noticing our body’s stress signals can help us find calm.

Summary: One in five adults in the U.S. report living with anxiety, and many of us struggle to control or avoid the feelings that come with it. Science shows that tuning into the body, rather than resisting discomfort, can actually reduce anxiety and strengthen resilience. Join us on The Science of Happiness as we explore what anxiety teaches us about control, uncertainty, and how to care for ourselves with more compassion.

How To Do This Practice:

1. Create a quiet moment for yourself: Find a space where you won’t be interrupted—even just for 30 seconds. Close the door, silence your phone, and step away from distractions.
2. Take a deep breath in: Begin with one slow, steady inhale. On the exhale, let your body soften. Keep your breathing gentle, not forced.
3. Do a quick scan: Where are you holding stress? Maybe in your chest, shoulders, or jaw. Simply notice the tightness or pressure without trying to change it.
4. Breathe into those sensations: With each inhale, imagine sending your breath to the place where stress lives in your body. With each exhale, release a little of that tension—like letting it flow out.
5. Name what’s on your mind: Ask yourself: What am I feeling? Am I anxious about the past, worried about the future, or caught up in uncertainty? You don’t need to solve or fix anything—just acknowledge it.
6. Let it go, even briefly: Tell yourself, I don’t have to fix this right now. Allow the stress to soften as you exhale. Even 20–30 seconds can bring a sense of calm and clarity.

Scroll down for a transcription of this episode.

Today’s Guests:

JENNY LITTLE is a Health and Fitness Director at the Albany YMCA.

DR. ELISSA EPEL is a psychologist and professor at UCSF. Her research shows how chronic stress and anxiety affect our bodies at the cellular level.
Learn more about Dr. Elissa Epel here: https://www.elissaepel.com/

Related The Science of Happiness episodes:

How Holding Yourself Can Reduce Stress: https://tinyurl.com/2hvhkwe6
Hot to Tap Your Way to Calm and Clarity: https://tinyurl.com/psmskjyp
How To Tune Out The Noise: https://tinyurl.com/4hhekjuh

Related Happiness Breaks:

Make Uncertainty Part of the Process: https://tinyurl.com/234u5ds7
A Meditation for When You Feel Uneasy: https://tinyurl.com/4x27ut3p
A Meditation For When You Have Too Much To Do: https://tinyurl.com/5dvk3d7m

Tell us about your experience with this practice. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or follow on Instagram @HappinessPod.

Help us share The Science of Happiness! Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap

Transcription: https://tinyurl.com/mskvfmv4