Flourish FM

We interview Dr. Robert Biswas-Diener, a leading authority on strengths, culture, courage, and happiness, about his extensive research in these areas and his pioneering work in the application of positive psychology to coaching. We explore the concept of psychological richness and its practical implications for improving our quality of life, the distinction between happiness and optimal happiness, and why self-reflection and engaging in difficult things is so important for improving our well-being. Dr. Robert Biswas-Diener is widely known as the “Indiana Jones of Positive Psychology” because his research has taken him to such far-flung places as Greenland, India, Kenya, and Israel. He has authored seven books, including the 2007 PROSE Award winner "The Courage Quotient," "Happiness," and the New York Times bestseller "The Upside of Your Dark Side," with Dr. Todd Kashdan, one of our first guests on Flourish FM. His most recent book is "Positive Provocation: 25 Questions to Elevate Your Coaching Practice," published in 2023. He has authored more than 60 peer-reviewed academic articles and chapters, two of which are “citation classics” (each cited more than 1,000 times).   Learn more and subscribe at flourishfmpodcast.com/robertbiswasdiener Robert's website: robertdiener.com   Follow us: YouTube @flourishfmcast Instagram @flourishfmpodcast TikTok @flourishfmpodcast Twitter @flourishfmcast Facebook @flourishfmcast LinkedIn @flourishfmpodcast   Time stamps: 01:49 - Optimal Happiness and Psychological Richness 03:09 - Defining Well-being and Happiness 04:42 - The Importance of Hedonic and Eudaimonic Aspects of Well-being 06:33 - Key Ingredients for Quality of Life 09:39 - Global Studies on Happiness 12:19 - Cultural Differences in Well-being 14:09 - Psychological Richness Across Cultures 16:17 - The Role of Distress Tolerance in Psychological Richness 18:18 - Clarifying Psychological Richness 20:44 - Emotional Agility and Psychological Richness 23:15 - The Balance of Positive and Negative Emotions 24:06 - The Role of Negative Emotions in a Full Life 25:25 - The Concept of Optimal Happiness 27:25 - Seeking Psychological Richness 28:54 - The Role of Negative Emotions in Psychological Richness 30:30 - Emotional Agility in Coaching 35:56 - Connecting Emotional Agility to Psychological Richness 36:59 - Transition to Discussing Positive Provocation 37:14 - Reflective Practice in Coaching 39:59 - Overview of Positive Provocation 40:40 - The Method of Reflective Practice in Coaching 45:01 - The Goal of Positive Provocation 00:45:26 - Psychological Richness as a Process 00:46:25 - The Importance of Reflective Practice 00:50:26 - Optimal Happiness in Achievement-Oriented Domains 00:53:14 - The Balance Between Satisfaction and Striving for More 00:53:54 - The Flourishing Question

Gone are the days of pitting productivity against well-being in the workplace. Imagine a world where the elements that boost collective productivity also ignite motivation and personal fulfillment within each individual. In this episode, we are thrilled to welcome the brilliant Dr. Kristin Maczko, a trailblazer at the crossroads of psychology and organizational success, as we embark on a journey through the corridors of workplace effectiveness. She is an expert in the intersection between productivity and well-being in the workplace, and her work focuses on the collective and systemic factors that influence them. Dr. Maczko previously served as the Director of Global Employee Mental Health and Well-being at Google for 15 years and now is the host of the Your Self at Work Podcast and founder of Xoogler. In this riveting episode, we demystify burnout; its origins, ways to sidestep its grasp, and powerful strategies for recovery. Discover the art of crafting an environment that nurtures growth, as we delve into the nuanced facets of workplace well-being. From the intriguing interplay between work, productivity, and well-being, to Dr. Maczko's pioneering perspective on what burnout truly entails, it's all here. Tune in for an illuminating discussion that shatters old paradigms, fuels your passion for holistic success, and equips you with the tools to thrive in an ever-evolving workplace. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just someone eager to unlock your full potential, this episode is your compass to steering the ship of your mental well-being toward fulfilling horizons.   Key Points From This Episode: The definition of burnout and the six factors that help identify it. Whether personal aspects can exacerbate workplace stress. Explore the synergy between productivity, performance, and well-being. We unpack the spectrum of employee health. Common misconceptions about a healthy work environment Dr. Maczko shares her progressive and holistic view of burnout. Insights into the interpersonal network aspect of burnout. Strategies to prevent, avoid, and overcome workplace burnout. Shifting from an individual to a collective mindset. Burnout in the context of a freelancer and small teams. Perfectionism, caregiving roles, and the link to burnout. Lessons from her role at Google about workplace well-being. Organizational change management and navigating transitions. Her motivation for starting Xoogler and the podcast. Pragmatic advice to help thrive in the workplace.   Links Mentioned in Today's Episode: The Antifragile Academy Dr. Kristin Maczko on LinkedIn Your Self at Work Podcast Xoogler The Flourishing Network A World Without Email Crucial Accountability Compassionate Accountability The Shipley School Flourish FM Podcast Flourish FM on X Flourish FM on Instagram Jon Beale Nick Holton

Joining us today is Dr. Gabriella Rosen Kellerman a respected author, entrepreneur, and Harvard-trained physician, who has extensive expertise in the realms of behavioral and organizational change, digital health, well-being, and AI. In collaboration with Professor Martin Seligman, Gabriella co-authored her debut book Tomorrowmind, which provides crucial strategies and practical guidance to confronting the ambiguous prospects of the workplace. Throughout her career, Gabriella has held significant roles in the corporate world. She served as the Chief Product Officer and Chief Innovation Officer at BetterUp, a prominent transformation platform catering to global professionals. In our conversation, we discuss her motivation behind writing the book on workplace well-being, the key components of the Tomorrowmind, and why there is a need for broader dissemination of their research. Dr. Kellerman unpacks the PRISM concept and explains the skills needed to excel in the current work environment. We also explore concepts of well-being, shifting from “meaning” to “mattering”, fostering a positive mindset, and how to measure well-being. Additionally, Dr. Kellerman shares the story behind BetterUp, the incredible and much-needed research the company performs, and the science of thriving at work. Tune in and discover the path to increased well-being, performance, and fulfillment with Dr. Gabriella Rosen Kellerman!   Key Points From This Episode: The motivation behind writing the book and why the research is so crucial. Essential skills for thriving in today's work environment: PRISM. How technology is shaping the workplace and driving change. Why resilience and mattering are crucial for flourishing in a changing workplace. Shared experiences, social connection, and the impact of remote work. Shifting from time famine to time abundance to foster social connection. We explore the PERMA model and the concept of well-being. Transitioning from "meaning" to "mattering" in relation to work. The role of vitality and physical health in thriving in the workplace. BetterUp, how it was founded, and its research focus. How coaching can help individuals in the workplace. Insights and advice for flourishing in the workplace.   Links Mentioned in Today's Episode: The Antifragile Academy Dr. Gabriella Rosen Kellerman Dr. Gabriella Rosen Kellerman on Instagram Dr. Gabriella Rosen Kellerman LinkedIn BetterUp Tomorrowmind ‘Homo Prospectus' ‘Giving Time Gives You Time' Professor Martin Seligman The Shipley School Flourish FM Podcast Flourish FM on Twitter Flourish FM on Instagram Flourish FM on YouTube Flourish FM Survey Jon Beale Nick Holton

Whether you're just starting out or you want to take your career to the next level, having the right mindset is essential for success. And no one knows how to turn unrelenting self-belief into hard-and-fast career results better than author, entrepreneur, business coach, and former international basketball pro, Dre Baldwin! Known as DreAllDay by his fans, Dre developed his signature Work On Your Game framework to help professionals of all kinds with accountability, strategy, execution, and most importantly mindset. Join us today as Dre highlights the importance of developing the right mental game for flourishing, why mental toughness, discipline, confidence, and initiative are crucial, and what it means to “work on your game” (and the most effective ways to do so), plus so much more! Dre does an incredible job of translating complex subjects into actionable and easy-to-understand advice that will help you play the mental game in a way that launches you toward unparalleled achievement. So, don't miss this episode with personal development junkie, Dre Baldwin!   Key Points From This Episode: How Dre equates thriving or flourishing with being in a flow state. Four key principles for achieving any goal: discipline, confidence, mental toughness, and personal initiative. Practical resources to help you flourish in your personal and professional life. What it means to Dre to “collect the right dots” in order to connect them in the future. The Big Domino strategy for focusing your energy on the areas that matter. How to find people and places that best support the outcome you wish to achieve. The role of discomfort in any form of personal or professional achievement. Influential people from Dre's journey, including the coach who kicked him off his college team. When to grit and when to quit: why mental toughness isn't just about perseverance. Why Dre believes that your mental game is the foundation of both success and failure. Personal development as an essential starting point for “working on your game.” Distinguishing between who you want to be and what you want to do. Measurements of success and how to create your own definition. The causal connection between purpose, focus, and success. Tips for building and maintaining a high level of self-discipline. A lesson on the inherent relationship between mindset, mental game, and flourishing.   Links Mentioned in Today's Episode: Dre Baldwin Dre Baldwin on LinkedIn Dre Baldwin on Twitter Dre Baldwin on Instagram Dre Baldwin on YouTube Daily Motivation Texts Work on Your Game University Work on Your Game Podcast Work on Your Game Robert Kiyosaki Tim Ferriss ‘Steve Jobs' 2005 Stanford Commencement Address' Russell Brunson The Slight Edge Outwitting the Devil The New Psycho-Cybernetics The Antifragile Academy The Shipley School Flourish FM Podcast Flourish FM on Twitter Flourish FM on Instagram Jon Beale Nick Holton

Today our focus is on the importance of education and the role of teachers and mentors in facilitating human flourishing, and we are joined by Dr. Alejandro Adler, who does an amazing job of illuminating the research and findings on this subject. Dr. Adler is the Dean of Student Life and Wellbeing at Upper Canada College and has had a varied career acquiring a wealth of experience in international well-being initiatives and projects.  Dr. Adler's professional focus has been squarely on well-being, education and skills, human capital development, and public policy. He has worked with and advised many organizations across the globe on the value of positive psychology and life competencies. In our chat with Dr. Adler, we get into the science of well-being, worldwide research on the subject, and, most importantly, how we can approach integrating the science into our educational systems. So to hear it all in this fascinating chat with a great guest, press play now.   Key Points From This Episode: Dr. Adler talks about how he conceptualizes and explains human flourishing.  Unpacking various undesirable states of ill-being. Defining meaning and its relationship to belonging.  Dealing with short-term, deeply negative experiences and trauma.  Reflections on global studies on well-being and the evolution of Dr. Adler's views.  The three 'M's of well-being and how to approach supporting students.   Exploring the different kinds of leaders and organizations that these lessons apply to.  Comments about Finland, its education system, and the decisions that have contributed to its success. Closing thoughts from Dr. Adler on the role of education in the promotion of global well-being.    Links Mentioned in Today's Episode: The Antifragile Academy Upper Canada College Dr. Alejandro Adler on LinkedIn Dr. Alejandro Adler on Thought Leadership Institute Dr. Alejandro Adler on IPEN Dr. Alejandro Adler on Upper Canada College Dr. Alejandro Adler on ResearchGate Dr. Alejandro Adler on Twitter Positive Education / Alejandro Adler at Positive Psychology Tour 2019 on YouTube 'Well-being in education in childhood and adolescence' 'Teaching Well-Being increases Academic Performance: Evidence From Bhutan, Mexico, and Peru' Olli-Pekka Heinonen The International Baccalaureate Organization The Shipley School Flourish FM Podcast Flourish FM on Twitter Flourish FM on Instagram Jon Beale Nick Holton

Today we are very glad to welcome Captain Megan Henry to the show, and we have a wonderful and insightful conversation with her about her career and the lessons she has learned about mental training, mindfulness, and focus. Megan is a former field hockey and track athlete, having competed for the national team in skeleton. Her focus is now on Olympic weightlifting and her studies as a mental performance coach!  Megan shares many great pieces of wisdom and experience with us, touching on managing stress, achieving oneness in activity, how meditation has changed her life, and why it is so vital to escape comparison and obsession with outcomes. We also hear her thoughts on social media, anxiety, mood, and a whole lot more, so make sure to listen in with us now!   Key Points From This Episode: The importance of mental training and a few of the lessons that Megan learned during her time as an athlete.    Connecting the threads between the different parts of Megan's career.  Megan talks about her health journey and transitioning her work into the mindset space.  The impact of meditation and mindfulness practices on Megan's performance and presence.   Thoughts on the dangers of skeleton and building stress tolerance.    The steps and stages of confronting anxiety and fear.  Megan's first crash early on in her skeleton career.  Understanding how Megan went about shifting her focus away from comparison.  Escaping the traps of overthinking and its damaging effects on performance.    Practical steps that Megan took to enhance her ability to focus on herself. The connection between our mood and ability to perform.    Megan's final lesson on flourishing and practical methods to unblock the way.  Finding and connecting with Megan online.    Links Mentioned in Today's Episode: The Antifragile Academy Megan Henry  Megan Henry on Instagram Megan Henry on Twitter American University Washington DC Cool Runnings Tim Gallwey The Chimp Paradox The Shipley School Flourish FM Podcast Flourish FM on Twitter Flourish FM on Instagram Jon Beale Nick Holton

Today's very special guest is Dr. Gloria Mark, the Chancellor's Professor of Informatics at the University of California, Irvine, and author of Attention Span: A Groundbreaking Way to Restore Balance, Happiness and Productivity. Her work is primarily focused on the deep examination of multitasking, interruptions, and mood as they pertain to the use of digital devices.  In our conversation, Gloria defines attention, the different types of attention, psychological balance, and flow. She also explains why attention is always goal-oriented, how we've developed kinetic attention in this digital age, whether our dwindling attention spans are cause for concern, and how we can use technology to promote well-being rather than productivity. Tune in now to learn how to use social media strategically, how to replenish your attention reserves, and so much more with the remarkable Dr. Gloria Mark!    Key Points From This Episode: Joining us today is the author of Attention Span, Dr. Gloria Mark.  Gloria tells us about her research and what led her to write her book. What attention is, and its role in well-being and living a fulfilled life.    The different types of attention.  How our attention resources are limited.  Gloria explains why our attention is always goal-oriented.  An introduction to kinetic attention.  Whether we should be concerned about the rapid reduction of our attention spans. If our attention span and behavior change when we go offline.  How we've developed kinetic attention in response to the modern world.  Gloria's hypothesis on why our attention spans have gotten shorter in this digital age. The tension trap of randomly reinforced behavior.  How we can use technology to support well-being rather than productivity.  The role of psychological balance as it relates to the different types of attention.  Simple activities that you can do to replenish your attention reserve.   The attention trap of social media and how to use it strategically.  Gloria defines flow and its role in the working lives of people today.  The precondition to flow: a focused and engaged attention.  What Gloria means when she says that “rhythm is the new flow.” Her lesson on flourishing for listeners, and practical ways to implement it.    Links Mentioned in Today's Episode: The Antifragile Academy Dr. Gloria Mark Attention Span: A Groundbreaking Way to Restore Balance, Happiness and Productivity Dr. Gloria Mark on LinkedIn Dr. Gloria Mark on Twitter Dr. Gloria Mark on Facebook   University of California, Irvine  Columbia University  ‘The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions' The Shipley School Flourish FM Podcast Flourish FM on Twitter Flourish FM on Instagram Jon Beale Nick Holton

In this episode, we are very lucky to have an amazing conversation with the author of The Power of Wonder, Monica C. Parker! Monica is a prominent speaker and writer, the founder of HATCH Analytics, and has an unusually varied career, having worked as an opera singer, policy director, homicide investigator, CEO, and museum exhibition director! In our chat, we get to pick Monica's brain about her research into what wonder can do for the human mind and body, and she explains how building a mindset focused on experiencing wonder can lead to continual flourishing. We get into her argument for aiming for wonder over happiness, how meaning and gratitude figure into her framework, and how to use curiosity as a powerful processing tool. Join us to hear it all!   Key Points From This Episode: Monica shares an overview of her path to her current work researching wonder. How the idea of flourishing fits into Monica's work.   Defining and conceptualizing wonder; Monica's focus on the emotional experience.  Understanding the roots of our ability to experience wonder.   Monica differentiates between shallow and deep curiosity.   Steps for developing a 'wonder mindset'; prioritizing novelty, mixed emotions, and more.   Tips for having a 'wonder-walk', and the power of priming the mind.  The practices that help us slow down the mind. Monica speaks about the effects of nostalgic and grateful thinking.   The issue with aiming for happiness and our inability to forecast accurately.  How curiosity can help us process past traumas. The composite effects of wonder on our mental and physical state.  Exploring Monica's argument for wonder being the highest good.  Measuring and assessing our relationships with these concepts.  Implementing the mindset of a beginner.  Fighting against the modern tendency to completely avoid boredom.  Monica's final lesson on flourishing and practical steps for its implementation.      Links Mentioned in Today's Episode: The Antifragile Academy Monica C. Parker The Power of Wonder HATCH Analytics Monica C. Parker on Twitter Monica C. Parker on LinkedIn Martin Seligman Steve Jobs Rick Hansen Blast from the Past Shigehiro Oishi  Todd Kashdan Scott Barry Kaufman Dacher Keltner David Yaden The Shipley School Flourish FM Podcast Flourish FM on Twitter Flourish FM on Instagram Jon Beale Nick Holton

Today, we talk to journalist and bestselling author Annie Murphy Paul about how the “extended mind” can help us flourish. She is an acclaimed science writer whose work has appeared in the New York Times and Scientific American, among many other publications. She has also authored various books, including Origins, The Cult of Personality, and the topic of today's discussion, The Extended Mind. In our conversation with Annie, we discuss the extended mind's three types of cognition (embodied, situated, and distributed) and what it means to be a "loopy" creature. We explore practical strategies for leveraging distributed cognition in our daily lives, workplaces, and relationships, learn about the impact of physical spaces on perception, and other fascinating insights on the topic. Join us for an insightful episode that will broaden your understanding of the human mind and the world around us. Tune in now!   Key Points From This Episode: Annie's motivation for writing The Extended Mind and what she hopes to achieve.  Insight into the extended mind concept and its relationship to human flourishing. Contrasting the extended mind with the view of the brain as the sole controller of the body. Three types of cognition of the extended mind: embodied, situated, and distributed. How the three types of cognition impact individuals, teams, and communities. How thinking in groups and sharing ideas play into the extended mind concept. Steps to achieving collective intelligence. How digital and analog technologies extend our thinking and its relation to situated cognition. Diversity in collective intelligence, distributed cognition, and team success. How physical spaces impact cognition and the restorative effects of natural environments. Physical movement, social interaction, and the role they play in thinking. Practical strategies for utilizing distributed cognition in daily life, work, and relationships. How the different types of cognition overlap in our daily lives. Being a "loopy" creature and the role of physical movement and social interaction in thinking. Whether non-embodied or non-extended thinking exists. The best way to leverage the extended mind concept toward human flourishing.   Links Mentioned in Today's Episode: The Antifragile Academy Annie Murphy Paul Annie Murphy Paul on LinkedIn Annie Murphy Paul on Twitter The Extended Mind ‘The Extended Mind' The Good Life The Shipley School Flourish FM Podcast Flourish FM on Twitter Flourish FM on Instagram Flourish FM on YouTube Jon Beale Nick Holton

While our drive for excellence and perfectionism can help us to strive for great results and improvement, it can also come at a cost. On the show today, we welcome Homaira Kabir, life coach, speaker, and author of the new book Goodbye, Perfect. Homaira has a master's degree in coaching psychology, positive psychology, and the scientific study of human flourishing, and is also the founder and CEO of The Goodbye Perfect Project. In our conversation with Homaira, we delve into her work, how she helps her clients, and some of the subject matter from her inspiring book. Our guest does an outstanding job of explaining the concepts of confidence and perfectionism and the connection between these two forces within us. She also introduces the idea of 'secure' striving, how to fall in love with yourself, and so much more. Make sure to tune in to catch it all!   Key Points From This Episode: Homaira opens by sharing some of her key ideas about flourishing.    Unpacking the metaphor of flourishing as a fruit-bearing tree.  The importance of confidence on the path to flourishing.  Zooming in on Homaira's use of the term mastery. How Homaira approaches building confidence with her female clients.  The interesting interaction between perfectionism and confidence.   Understanding the explicit and implicit sides of confidence.  Homaira's strategies for building optimal confidence.  The 'dual work' that is necessary to change our beliefs through our behavior.  A comprehensive explanation of perfection and how it hinders our ability to flourish.   How to get started on the journey of growth and confidence!  The ideas of mattering, meaning, and purpose.  Connecting with ourselves in the right way and emotionally repairing damages. A closing lesson in compassionate awareness and practical steps for putting it into action.  How and where to find and connect with Homaira online!    Links Mentioned in Today's Episode: The Antifragile Academy Homaira Kabir Goodbye, Perfect The Goodbye Perfect Project Life is a Highway Podcast Martin Seligman Carol Ryff Episode 15 with Marisa G. Franco Marisa G. Franco Transcend Scott Barry Kaufman Episode 3 with Scott Barry Kaufman Dr. Lisa Miller Episode 16 with Dr. Lisa Miller Paul Gilbert The Shipley School Flourish FM Podcast Flourish FM on Twitter Flourish FM on Instagram Jon Beale Nick Holton

Today we are joined by “Jedi of the unconscious”, Dr. Sarah Sarkis, and applied neuroscientist, Dr. Chris Bertam. Between the two of them, they have a vast range of expertise which converges on their common pursuit, the Shadowboxing Podcast. In this episode, we discover what shadowboxing is and how it relates to flourishing. Chris and Sarah share their thoughts on what it means to flourish, how it relates to flow, and the importance of learning to tolerate struggle. Theory aside, our guests impart some practical advice for increasing your tolerance for discomfort, from cold water submersion to the simple art of breathwork. Tune in for some helpful tools for overcoming shadow boxes and ultimately, flourishing.   Key Points From This Episode: Introducing Drs. Chris Bertram and Sarah Sarkis. The genesis of the name of their podcast, Shadowboxing. What “shadowboxing” means to Sarah and Chris, respectively. The shared goal of their collaboration. Sarah and Chris' range of expertise and the effectiveness of an integrated approach. How our guests conceptualize flourishing.    The crossover between flow and flourishing. Discussing the value of struggle. How to increase your tolerance for discomfort. The benefits of controlled exposure to cold water. Exploring the struggle of stillness. The connection between shadowboxing and flourishing. How it's best to help people help themselves, and why it's so important to do so. Why Sarah believes that biology trumps psychology. The mind-body connection and the effectiveness of breath work. Tools for overcoming shadow boxes. Chris and Sarah's final words of (very practical) advice.   Links Mentioned in Today's Episode: The Antifragile Academy Dr. Chris Bertram on LinkedIn Dr. Chris Bertram on Instagram Dr. Chris Bertram on Twitter Dr. Sarah Sarkis Dr. Sarah Sarkis on LinkedIn Dr. Sarah Sarkis on Instagram Dr. Sarah Sarkis on Twitter Shadowboxing Podcast EXOS The Shipley School Flourish FM Podcast Flourish FM on Twitter Flourish FM on Instagram Jon Beale Nick Holton

In today's episode, we go deep into the idea and components of a good life with Associate Director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development, Dr. Marc Schulz. Marc is the co-author of the The Good Life (2023), a Professor of Psychology at Bryn Mawr College, a psychologist, and a practicing therapist. This conversation covers a selection of the interesting and enriching findings presented in Marc's book, practical strategies for developing social fitness, where material wealth should fit into our priorities, and why difficult experiences are such a necessary component of flourishing. The main thrust of Marc's recent work and today's chat is the central importance of relationships and how we can best aid the nurturing and maintenance of these.   Key Points From This Episode: Marc introduces the Harvard Study of Adult Development and the field of adult development. Clarifying the language used in the study and the two components that make up the 'good life'. Forging a good life through challenges and difficult experiences.  The themes of aspiring and becoming in Marc's understanding of flourishing.  Marc talks about the different types of relationships that contribute to a good life. Navigating and handling the inevitable conflict in our relationships.  Gratitude and appreciation and the benefits of generosity and giving. The critical role that relationships play in the maintenance of happiness and health. Marc unpacks the idea of social fitness and how we build it through reflection and awareness. Money and happiness; the healthiest ways to use material ambitions as a means rather than an end.  Human weakness around forecasting and common regrets that Marc has identified.  Marc's strategies for avoiding unnecessary regrets and improving forecasting. A story from The Good Life about human connection, shared interests, and hope. Maintaining human connections within the array of demands on our time.  Marc's closing lesson about flourishing and leaning into relationships.    Links Mentioned in Today's Episode: The Antifragile Academy Dr. Marc Schulz The Good Life Marc Schulz on LinkedIn Bryn Mawr Harvard Study of Adult Development Robert Waldinger Lydia Denworth Why Good Things Happen to Good People Stephen Post Dan Pink Robert Waldinger TED Talk The Shipley School Flourish FM Podcast Flourish FM on Twitter Flourish FM on Instagram Jon Beale Nick Holton

In this episode, we talked to Dr. Gilda Scarfe, expert on mental toughness, about what mental toughness is and how to build it.    Gilda Scarfe is the founder and CEO of Positive Ed & the Mental Toughness Institute, and a member of the advisory board for the Global Flourishing Study, led by the Human Flourishing Program at Harvard University, Baylor University and Gallup. Gilda is a positive psychology practitioner and mental toughness expert with a Ph.D. in the conceptualization of mental toughness and its application in education. She has worked in performance psychology, mental toughness, and leadership science for over 15 years.  Gilda specializes in the design and implementation of flourishing and mental toughness in learning, decision-making, quality of relationships, performance, and organizational climate; measuring mental toughness; and the influence of mental toughness training on key life outcomes.  Gilda is an international keynote speaker and consults around the world with school and Fortune 500 companies on best practices for integrating wellbeing, mental toughness and positive psychology domains into training and product design. She works with global businesses, high-growth startups, individuals, elite athletes, coaches and teams.   Key conversation points: What mental toughness is: Gilda's “SCARFE” model of mental toughness, consisting of Self-efficacy; Commitment (the extent to which you follow through with a promise); Attitude; Relationships; Focus; and Emotional agility The importance to mental toughness of regulating our reaction to stress, self-awareness - being in tune with and responding to our emotions, and being in tune with our emotions The emphasis in Gilda's work of building and expanding people's agency, and the importance of self-efficacy to human agency Why the ability to create an accurate narrative about your life is important for building mental toughness The extent to which mental toughness is a personality trait and the extent to which it's learned The virtues and strengths involved in mental toughness, including perseverance; curiosity; grit; resilience; patience; temperance; self-regulation; and distress tolerance How to connect mental toughness with knowing when to persevere with grit and knowing when to quit What “cognitive flexibility” is and why it's important for mental toughness, particularly in building the skills to be able to change commitments and navigate change

In this special episode, Jon and Nick were interviewed about the science of flourishing and what it means to flourish by performance coach and strategist J.R. Reid, for his podcast, Coming Up Clutch.    Key conversation points: What human flourishing is and how you can experience it The two greatest predictors of general well-being, life satisfaction, and fulfillment What you can't miss if you want to have more life-satisfaction and experience fulfillment Highlights: [00:01 - 11:50] Introducing Nick and Jon Nick's and Jon's most embarrassing moment Nick's and Jon''s backgrounds, stories, and professional journeys [11:51 - 21:00] What human flourishing is and how you can experience it Jon: Methodology behind the research: Identify the things in life that you do for the pursuit of nothing else (i.e. doing the thing is an end in itself). Do that with no further goal in mind. Flourishing research today looks for multiple areas of life that you do just for the sake of doing it (e.g. pursuing relationships, being happy, being satisfied, fulfilling your potential, experiencing flow, etc.) and figuring out ways that you can enhance those as much as possible in your life. Key areas: Fulfillment, of potential and in the sense of life satisfaction  Flow Close social relationships Happiness & positive emotions Character strengths or virtues Mental and physical health Meaning and purpose Accomplishment There's no research that says you have to reach a baseline in each of those areas to flourish. Human Flourishing Program at Harvard's account: your individual well-being is high and your well-being in relation to others and your context is high (i.e. defined interpersonally, among a community). So you can have high well-being, yet not be flourishing. Positive psychology: if you have high psychological well-being, then you're flourishing. Nick:  What's not in the Human Flourishing Program at Harvard's account of flourishing: achievement or success. The gap between fulfillment and success is often because we're relying on the end goal of success (i.e something done for a very specific outcome). Flourishing is well-being, generally feeling good (but not necessarily all the time), and performing optimally in areas of meaning.  Areas of meaning is important because if you perform optimally in something you're forced into, it won't provide the same level of satisfaction as someone who's performing optimally in areas of meaning. [21:01 - 24:45] The role purpose plays in flourishing Research: Asking the question about your personal “Why?”  in life is conceptually different than purpose. Purpose is a sub-component or pathway to meaning (i.e. it's about impact and contribution) - ”it's a bit of the 'me' and a bit of the 'we'.” The best of the best have both extrinsic and intrinsic motivations, but they're predominantly intrinsic (i.e. they know what their why is and what they're doing each day, and orient their day around it via calendaring, recovery, etc.). Success on the field of competition is not an automatic route to well-being, life satisfaction, meaning, or fulfillment. [24:46 - 34:15] The two greatest predictors of general well-being, satisfaction of life, and fulfillment Meaning Quality of relationships (social connection, community, intimacy, friendship, etc.) 2018: In the UN's annual happiness report regarding satisfaction in the workplace, #1 predictor of workplace satisfaction was interpersonal relationships (i.e. we have to like the people we work with); #2 was that we must find our job interesting (#3 was pay). Jon regarding money: common mistake people make is confusing a means with an end in terms of how they're living their lives (i.e. they're focusing on the means rather than the end).  The “when I _______, I'll focus more on my relationships. Until then, I'm going to grind it out.” Money can help prevent you from suffering, but it can't be an end in itself (i.e. it's not the end source of fulfillment). Once all your material needs are completely met, it's generally not doing much for you. Human beings can't help but compare themselves to others. [34:16 - 41:53] What you can't miss if you want to have more life-satisfaction and fulfillment Nick: Ask yourself: What's your recipe for a good life? What ingredients do you want? How much of each ingredient do you need? Intentionality - cook your recipe! What's most important to you (i.e. want), when does it hit a point of diminishing returns (i.e. need), and how do you put the recipe together? Jon:  Part of the journey to living a good life is identifying what works best for you and what makes you different from other people. Enhance the eight domains that research says are ends in themselves, but don't focus on making one far surpass the others thus to the detriment of the others. Happiness and other positive emotions Good, close social relationships Meaning and purpose Flow Accomplishment Mental and physical health Character (developing strengths and character virtues) Fulfillment, of potential and in the sense of life satisfaction [41:54 - 46:58] What's anti-fragility and how can we leverage it to become a better leader? Fragile = adversity strikes, we brake Resilient = adversity strikes, we navigate it and come out the other side Antifragile = adversity strikes, we navigate it, come out the other side, and grow our capacity because of it (this is not the “suck it up” attitude or rigidity) The goal: develop stress tolerance to unpleasantness, because research tells us we need unpleasantness to grow [46:59 - 54:01] Wrapping Up Nick and Jon's big domino How to connect with Nick and Jon KEY QUOTES “Success is not an automatic route to meaning and fulfillment” - Dr. Nick Holton “For life satisfaction, don't over-index on money.” - Dr. Nick Holton “Part of the journey to living a good life is identifying what works best for you.” - Dr. Jon Beale “Prioritize what matters the most to you.” - Dr. Jon Beale   You can also check out this podcast on Coming Up Clutch.   CONNECT WITH NICK AND JON Nick The Antifragile Athlete: theantifragileacademy.com FlourishFM Podcast: flourishfmpodcast.com Linkedin: /in/nickholton Twitter: @dr_nickholton Instagram: @dr.nickholton   Jon FlourishFM Podcast: flourishfmpodcast.com Linkedin: /in/jonathanbeale Twitter: @DrJonathanBeale Instagram: @jonnybeale Facebook: @jonnybeale CONNECT WITH J.R.  Facebook: @jamesJRreid Instagram: @jamesjrreid LinkedIn: in/jamesjrreid/ Twitter: @jamesJRreid Website: jamesreid.com Podcast: jamesreid.com/podcast RATE & REVIEW this episode on Apple: https://jamesreid.com/review  

Text for socials: In this episode, we talked to Professor Francis Su about the role of mathematics in flourishing, how mathematics can promote flourishing, and his argument that the purpose of mathematics is to support flourishing.  Francis Su is the Benediktsson-Karwa Professor of Mathematics at Harvey Mudd College and a former president of the Mathematical Association of America. In 2013, he received the Haimo Award, a nationwide teaching prize for college math faculty, and in 2018 he won the Halmos-Ford writing award. His work has been featured in Quanta Magazine, Wired, and the New York Times. His 2020 book Mathematics for Human Flourishing, which won the 2021 Euler Book Prize, offers an inclusive vision of what math is, who it's for, and why anyone should learn it. Key conversation points: Francis' definition of flourishing as a “wholeness of being and doing” and the way he distinguishes between flourishing and happiness Francis' argument on the role of mathematics in human flourishing How mathematics can cultivate virtues important for flourishing and which virtues mathematics can cultivate in a particularly strong way Francis' approach towards teaching mathematics in such a way as to cultivate virtues among students of mathematics, such as creativity and an appreciation for beauty Francis' correspondence with Christopher Jackson, an inmate serving a 32-year sentence for armed robberies who started writing to Francis seven years into his sentence, about his passion for mathematics, and the influence this correspondence has had on Francis' work on mathematics and flourishing, and how he sees mathematics  Francis' views on how mathematics education needs to change to cultivate virtues   francissu.com flourishfmpodcast.com 

In this episode, we talked to happiness expert Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar about the science of happiness, focusing on his account of happiness as “wholebeing,” comprised of five elements of well-being which make up his “SPIRE” model: Spiritual, Physical, Intellectual, Relational and Emotional well-being.    Tal Ben-Shahar is an author and lecturer who taught two of the largest classes in Harvard University's history, Positive Psychology and The Psychology of Leadership, and taught Happiness Studies at Columbia University. His books on happiness have been translated into more than thirty languages and have appeared on bestseller lists around the world, and his work has featured on media outlets including CNN, BBC and the Daily Show.    Tal obtained his PhD in Organizational Behavior and BA in Philosophy and Psychology from Harvard. Today he consults and lectures around the world to executives in multinational corporations, including Google and Microsoft, the general public, and at-risk populations. Tal is a serial entrepreneur, and is the co-founder and chief learning officer of Happiness Studies Academy, Potentialife, Maytiv, and Happier.TV.    Key conversation points: How Tal defines happiness and its relation to flourishing: flourishing is the outcome of happiness The relation between Tal's “SPIRE” model of happiness and flourishing, and between happiness and wholeness Tal's definition of spirituality as living a life in which we see our activities as meaningful and purposeful Practices for building spiritual wellbeing: exercise to write down a “calling description” rather than a job description Tal's criticism of widespread hurriedness today, and a strategy for going through life in less of a hurry  The connection between happiness and “antifragility”  Antifragility as “Resilience 2.0,” and its connection with post-traumatic growth: not only bouncing back, but becoming stronger and healthier than before A principle Tal recommends for recovering from trauma: “things don't happen for the best, but we can make the best of things that happen,” and how to apply this to our lives The connection between physical exercise and happiness: “not exercising is like taking a depressant”   talbenshahar.com happinessstudies.academy flourishfmpodcast.com

In this episode, we talked to Dr Lucy Hone and Dr Denise Quinlan about their work on building well-being and resilience among different populations, and how to develop the most important skills associated with resilience.   Dr Lucy Hone is author of the 2017 book Resilient Grieving: How to Find Your Way Through a Devastating Loss and gave the TED talk ‘3 Secrets of Resilient People', which was among the Top 20 TED talks of 2020. She is co-author (with Denise Quinlan) of the Educators' Guide to Whole-school Wellbeing, co-convenor of Wellbeing in Education New Zealand, presenter on many of the New Zealand Institute of Wellbeing and Resilience's online courses, and has featured in the Guardian, Washington Post, and on the BBC, ABC, Channel News Asia, Swedish Television, The Bolt Report Australia and Television New Zealand.   Dr Denise Quinlan is acknowledged internationally as an outstanding facilitator and trainer, helping people explore wellbeing and resilience. Participants have described training with her as ‘life-changing'. She has worked alongside leading resilience researchers Martin Seligman and Karen Reivich, delivering the Penn Resilience Program in Australia and the UK. Her podcast, ‘Bringing Wellbeing to Life', was recommended by TED in their culture list for 2020. Denise's academic research is published internationally, and her publications include the Educators' Guide to Whole-school Wellbeing, which she co-authored with Lucy Hone. She is co-convenor of Wellbeing in Education New Zealand.    Key conversation points: What resilience is and the difference between individual and collective resilience. Individual resilience can be thought of as “learning to swim” and collective resilience thought of as “building the pool.” We need both to be truly resilient. Ways to build resilience, individually and collectively: healthy relationships; having a “mission” in life; cultivating self-awareness, self-regulation and self-compassion; and developing flexible and accurate thinking. What trauma is and what post-traumatic growth (PTSG) is, and Lucy & Denise's argument for why PTSG requires struggle after trauma.  Our “explanatory style”: how we explain what has happened to us, and why this is important for well-being and resilience. 

In this episode, we talked to Dr. Lisa Miller about the science of spirituality and how we can apply research , the role of spirituality in flourishing and how we can apply research on the science of spirituality to our lives. She has developed a form of psychotherapy known as “spiritual awareness psychotherapy” or “awakened awareness,” which we practice live on the call!   Lisa Miller is the New York Times bestselling author of The Spiritual Child and a professor in the Clinical Psychology Program at Teachers College, Columbia University. She is the Founder and Director of the Spirituality Mind Body Institute, the first Ivy League graduate program and research institute in spirituality and psychology, and has held over a decade of joint appointments in the Department of Psychiatry at Columbia University Medical School. Her innovative research has been published in more than one hundred peer-reviewed articles in leading journals. Lisa is an elected Fellow of the American Psychological Association (“APA”) and the two-time President of the APA Society for Psychology and Spirituality.    Key conversation points: Research in neuroscience and psychology on the benefits of spirituality for our well-being, such as how spirituality can reduce the risk of depression, anxiety and suicidality The difference between spirituality and religious belief  The connection between spirituality, meaning, and living a morally good life The form of psychotherapy Lisa's developed, “spiritual awareness psychotherapy” (also known as “awakened awareness”), which we practice live on the call! What “synchronicity” is and the kind of attitude we need to cultivate to perceive synchronicity The distinction between transcendent and self-transcendent experiences   lisamillerphd.com  flourishfmpodcast.com

Dr. Marisa G. Franco is a psychologist, Professor at the University of Maryland and author of the New York Times bestseller Platonic: How The Science of Attachment Can Help You Make — and Keep — Friends. She writes about friendship for Psychology Today and has been a featured connection expert for major publications including the New York Times, The Telegraph, and Vice. She speaks on belonging at corporations, government agencies, non-profits, and universities. On her website you can take a quiz to assess your strengths and weaknesses as a friend & reach out for speaking engagements.   Key themes for discussion:  The role of friendship in flourishing, and why friendship is so important for flourishing How we can apply research on attachment styles to cultivate great friendships. https://www.flourishfmpodcast.com

In this episode, we talked to therapist and relationship coach, Nicole Nourian, about healthy relationships and how to build them, character strengths such as resilience and autonomy, the importance of growth in relationships, and how to cultivate “radical acceptance” - coming to terms with difficult events in life outside our control.    Nicole Nourian is a therapist born and raised in LA. Her journey in psychology started at UCLA, where she graduated with a Bachelors of Arts in Psychology and also became a certified yoga instructor and certified life coach, specializing in relationships. Nicole went on to receive her Masters in Clinical Psychology at Pepperdine University, and is currently working as a therapist in LA.    Nicole's experience includes working with individuals, families, and couples to guide them towards meeting their goals in the healthiest way possible. Nicole does not apply one theory to all her clients but rather approaches each individual with an eclectic approach that fits them best. Nicole has observed in her therapy the crucial importance of romantic and platonic relationships play in our daily lives. Whether it be heartbreak, attachment issues, animosity with loved ones, or maintaining a healthy relationship, Nicole emphasizes the ways in which dissatisfaction with one's relationships can have a huge impact on one's mental health.    In her practice, Nicole works hard to break barriers and old habits that may be contributing to one's happiness. Nicole's Instagram page has generated millions of views on content relating to self-esteem, relationships, and mental health.   Key conversation points: Types of relationships, the connections between them and their roles in our lives Nicole's argument that our relationship with ourselves is the most important relationship to develop, because of its benefits for our well-being and positive impact on other relationship types What a healthy relationship with yourself involves and how to build it What resilience is, its importance to living well, its connection with other psychological concepts such as antifragility and grit, and how to build it The connection between building healthy relationships and building resilience What autonomy is and why it is important for relationships “Radical acceptance”: coming to terms with difficult events in life outside our control - what this involves and how to cultivate it  The importance of individual and mutual growth in healthy relationships   Instagram @BalancewithNic Booking therapy with Nicole flourishfmpodcast.com

In this episode, we talked to Will Reusch about whether an evil person can live a meaningful life and flourish; what happiness is and how its role in our lives changes depending on how we define it; and the similarities and differences between influential contemporary theories of flourishing.    Will Reusch is an educator and podcaster. For the last thirteen years he has taught multiple subjects at public and private schools in Los Angeles, his main subject being social studies. Since 2019 he has hosted the podcast Cylinder Radio, an educational podcast which focuses on exploring controversial topics.    Will never had an interest in academics at school and struggled to connect what he was learning to build a successful and meaningful life. He came to believe that educational systems designed to teach children to become capable, informed, and equipped seem to fail in achieving these goals for so many young people. Will decided to become a schoolteacher to try to improve this.    Key conversation points: The importance of morality, character and virtue for flourishing, and possible reasons why evil people cannot live meaningful lives or flourish  Different definitions of happiness and how it takes on different roles in education depending on how it's defined  The problems with aiming for happiness in education or as an end goal in life The problems with thinking of happiness as pleasure and the importance of thinking of happiness as a long-term state Two major theories of flourishing: positive psychology's “PERMA” model (Positive emotions; Engagement; positive Relationships; Meaning; and Accomplishment) and the Human Flourishing Program at Harvard's account    williamreusch.com  flourishfmpodcast.com

In this episode, we talked to Professor Arthur Brooks about happiness, wisdom, love, relationships, religion and spirituality, and why these are important for our flourishing, particularly as we move into the latter half of our lives.    Arthur C. Brooks is the William Henry Bloomberg Professor of the Practice of Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School and Professor of Management Practice at the Harvard Business School. Before joining Harvard in July 2019, he served for ten years as president of the Washington, D.C.-based American Enterprise Institute, one of the world's leading think tanks. Brooks is the author of 12 books, including the #1 New York Times bestseller “From Strength to Strength,” and national bestsellers “Love Your Enemies” and “The Conservative Heart”. He has also published dozens of academic journal articles and the textbook “Social Entrepreneurship”. He is a columnist for The Atlantic, host of the podcast “How to Build a Happy Life,” and subject of the 2019 documentary film “The Pursuit,” which Variety named as one of the “Best Documentaries on Netflix” in August 2019. He gives more than 100 speeches per year around the U.S., Europe, and Asia. Prior to his work in academia and public policy, Brooks spent 12 years as a professional French hornist in the United States and Spain.    Key conversation points: The kinds of relationships that are most important to cultivate and how to cultivate them. The distinction between “real” and “deal friends”: why focusing on the former is vital for happiness but focusing on the latter leads to loneliness.  How to ensure you have sufficient “real relationships” in your life.   Why love is so important for happiness and flourishing. The importance of developing a vision of what you love and do. The two intelligence “curves” in life: moving from fluid to crystallized intelligence. Why religion, spirituality, philosophy or a connection with something higher are important for flourishing.  Arthur's most recent book, From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life and the seven words he uses to sum it up: “use things, love people, worship the divine”.   Joining us to interview Arthur is Matthew T. Lee, Professor of the Social Sciences and Humanities at the Institute for Studies of Religion at Baylor University. He is also a Research Associate and Director of the Flourishing Network at the Human Flourishing Program at Harvard University; a member of the Global Study of Human Flourishing research team; a Distinguished Visiting Scholar of Health, Flourishing, and Positive Psychology at Stony Brook University's Center for Medical Humanities, Compassionate Care, and Bioethics; and Visiting Scholar at the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital.    arthurbrooks.com  flourishfmpodcast.com

This is the second of our two part series on the relationship between flourishing and flow - in particular about flourishing at work. Our guests for this episode are Dr Jared Weintraub and Dr Gerrit McGowan.  Dr Jared Weintraub is the founder of The Flow Group, LLC., an organizational and business development firm that works with individuals and companies to create and maintain happy, healthy, and productive workplaces. Jared holds a Ph.D. from Hofstra University, a Master's degree from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology, and a certification as a Senior Professional of Human Resources (SPHR). He has worked with start-ups, Fortune 500 companies, and organizations across various industries, providing internal and external consulting, coaching, and managing marketing and sales teams. He recently received his Ph.D. in Applied Organizational Psychology from Hofstra University, where he researched Flow Theory - how, when, and why individuals, teams, and organizations can get into “the Zone.” Most recently, this research has explored how we can use technology-based solutions to "nudge" behavior change in order to develop key competencies for flourishing at work. His over ten years of experience include: teaching undergraduate and graduate courses, designing and implementing training programs, employee engagement, performance management, needs assessment, employment law compliance, administration of benefits...   Dr Gerrit McGowan is a 4x startup founder, angel investor, and peak performance coach. He is the founder of the Syntegrity Group, Kula.com, Effectuate Apps, ICELab, the Most Awesome Founder Podcast, the WHU Accelerator, and numerous other short-lived ventures. But he is perhaps most recognised for inventing the concept of Cause-Related Loyalty Marketing and its SaaS implementations such as MyCoke Rewards Donate to Schools, Kellogg's Points with Purpose, Red Robin Eat Up-Give Back Rewards, and JetBlue's TrueGiving. When not building ventures, Gerrit is helping others build theirs - having coached over 1000 founders and nascent entrepreneurs across five continents. He is a All-Star Mentor for Techstars, CEO Coach for Alchemist Accelerator, mentor for APX, Founder Institute, Earlybird VisionLab, and advisor/investor/shareholder in numerous high-growth ventures. Throughout his career, Gerrit has led the development of over a dozen technology products; raised over $10m in funding; and supported startups that have raised over $100m in venture capital. His work has been honoured with two Canadian Institute of Planners Awards for Excellence; as a finalist for the Guardian's Social Enterprise of the Year Award; and a SXSW Startup Showcase selection.   Key takeaways are: 1. Spend time on goal setting and strategies for execution 2. Prioritize recovery to sustain performance and avoid longer term burnout 3. Make sure your workplace allows space for your recovery 4. Find the right balance of challenge in the things you take on www.flourishfmpodcast.com

This is the first of a two-part series on the relationship between flourishing and flow - the psychological state of optimal experience and performance. Research suggests that experiencing flow significantly enhances our well-being.   In this episode, we talk to Dr Carol Grojean and Dr Brent Hogarth about the flow state and its relationship to flourishing. As a Leadership professional in the areas of Organizational Effectiveness, Project Management, and Transformational Change, Dr Carol Grojean has spent the past 20 years' guiding large, complex, strategic initiatives. Carol is adept at designing and implementing programs which drive strategic business and organizational culture shifts through building trust and delivering results. With extensive business process, project, and program management skillset built on 3 Masters degrees and a Ph.D. in organizational systems psychology: leadership and social transformation as well as wilderness rite of passage guiding, council facilitating, and peace mediation training. Carol brings a unique and much-needed perspective on the human behavior in human systems, focused on building cultures where individuals at all levels can bring their distinct, creative talents to their roles while providing the necessary skills to the whole system values and vision.   Dr. Brent Hogarth is a Sport and Clinical Psychologist from Vancouver, Canada. He is an expert in training flow-state, mindfulness, and self-control for both sport and corporate athletes. Brent has significant training and experience providing performance enhancement and mental health counseling. This includes, but is not limited to, working with Olympic and professional athletes, serial entrepreneurs, members of the USA military, computer engineers, authors, hedge fund managers and more. Brent's clinical counseling experience is vast, and he sees everyone as having the ability to be a high-performer. He completed his Doctoral fellowships at the University of Texas, at El Paso, and Lehigh University, in Bethlehem, PA. After a short stint as a fitness trainer, he traveled to India where he lived in a Buddhist Monastery and completed a Yoga Teacher training Course. It was at this moment - sitting in meditation on the hills of McLeod Ganj, India - that Brent committed to becoming a psychologist. Dr. Hogarth is a Humanistic-Existential psychologist. His theoretical orientation is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). ACT uses acceptance and mindfulness strategies, together with commitment and behavior change strategies, to increase psychological flexibility. Psychological flexibility means contacting the present moment fully, and based on what the situation affords, changing or persisting in behavior in the service of clients' chosen values.   Key conversation points: The place of flow in human flourishing Why focusing on integration of the self and experience is important for flow: “doing” vs. “being”, and integrating the “me” with the “we” Why it's important for getting into flow to not try to get into flow, but rather to “let go” The importance of embracing and engaging in a process of struggle to get into flow The importance of being aware of the potential dark side of flow   flourishfmpodcast.com

In this episode we talked to Professor Lea Waters about the pathways towards well-being and why ‘strengths-based parenting' is important.   Lea is Founding Director of and Inaugural Gerry Higgins Chair in Positive Psychology at the Centre for Positive Psychology (now the Centre for Wellbeing Science), University of Melbourne. Lea holds affiliate positions at Cambridge University and the University of Michigan and serves on the Scientific Board at UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center. Lea is the Past President of the International Positive Psychology Association, serves on the Council of Happiness and Education for the World Happiness Council, is the Patron of Flourishing Education Japan and Ambassador for the Positive Education Schools Association. She is a registered psychologist and a full member of the Australian Psychological Society.   Key convo points are: Lea's tripartite account of flourishing as feeling good, functioning well and doing good. The connection Lea draws between her account of flourishing and positive psychology - the scientific study of the conditions and processes leading to human flourishing. Lea's ‘SEARCH' framework on the six pathways to well-being: Strengths, Emotional management, Attention & Awareness, Relationships, Coping, and Habits & goals. Lea's view that flourishing is the aim of education, and her research on how improving well-being in education supports the fulfillment of students' learning. Lea's argument that to build well-being, we need to make well-being more visible, in similar ways to how we try to make thinking visible. The age at which humans gain a sense of purpose in life. What strengths-based parenting is and why parents should consider employing it.  flourishfmpodcast.com

In this episode we are talking to Jeff Duncan-Andrade, Ph.D., a Professor of Latina/o Studies and Race and Resistance Studies at San Francisco State University. He is also a founder of the Roses in Concrete Community School, a community responsive lab school in East Oakland (rosesinconcrete.org) and the Community Responsive Education Group (communityresponsive.org). As a classroom teacher and school leader in East Oakland (CA) for the past 28 years, his pedagogy has been widely studied and acclaimed for producing uncommon levels of social and academic success for students. Duncan-Andrade lectures around the world and has authored numerous journal articles and book chapters on effective practices in schools.  He has written two books and his third book with Harvard University Press is due for publication in spring 2022. In 2016, Duncan-Andrade was part of the great educators invited to the White House on National Teacher Appreciation Day by President Obama, and in 2019 he was chosen as the Laureate for the prestigious Brock International Prize in Education. In 2021, he was selected to join the Board of Prevent Child Abuse America. Duncan-Andrade has also been ranked as one of the nation's most influential scholars by EdWeek's Public Influence Rankings.   Key points we talked about:  Hear about how he's navigating COVID as a father, professor and educational leader.  The childhood experiences that built him into the person he is today and field the things he cares.  The way unearned suffering cuts across so many groups. People are situated on the margins of society.  Consistent pursuit to keep his thumb of the heartbeat of research and narratives around educational reform and building a different type of educational experience. One that would eventually put well-being at the center of that educational experience. Mention his school Roses in Concrete a different kind of school Mention their definition of well-being for their students: ‘Youth Wellness' The act of giving one's child over to a school or teacher every morning We're measuring the wrong stuff Keeping both individual and collective wellness in mind: ‘community-responsive youth wellness' Tips from our expert as a part of the flourishing question

In this episode we talked to Professor Angie Hobbs about how we can apply the ancient Greek philosophy of flourishing to our lives today.    Angie gained a degree in Classics and a PhD in Ancient Philosophy at the University of Cambridge. After a Research Fellowship at Christ's College, Cambridge, she moved to the Philosophy Department at the University of Warwick; in 2012 she was appointed Professor of the Public Understanding of Philosophy at the University of Sheffield, a position created for her.  She now holds a position with this title at the University of Warwick. Her chief interests are in ancient philosophy and literature, and ethics and political theory from classical thought to the present, and she has published widely in these areas, including Plato and the Hero (C.U.P).  Her most recent publication for the general public is Plato's Republic: a Ladybird Expert Book.  She contributes regularly to radio and TV programmes and other media around the world, including 24 appearances on In Our Time on BBC Radio 4.  She has spoken at the World Economic Forum at Davos, the Athens Democracy Forum, the Houses of Parliament, the Scottish Parliament and Westminster Abbey and been the guest on Desert Island Discs, Private Passions and Test Match Special.    Angie was a judge of the Man Booker International Prize 2019 and was on the World Economic Forum Global Future Council 2018-9 for Values, Ethics and Innovation. www.angiehobbs.com Twitter @drangiehobbs  Key conversation points: Why flourishing is about the best actualization and fulfillment of all our faculties. Why flourishing means living the best life, both individually and as communities.  The values and virtues that best help us fulfill our faculties. The relevance and importance of Plato's and Aristotle's accounts of flourishing to the world today and how we live. Flourishing and the wholeness of our lives, in terms of lifespan, our characters, and our relations with others. Why flourishing gives you a secure framework of what it means to live a full, rich human life, both for yourself and your community. The role and importance of social connection in flourishing, particularly friendships and community connection. The dark side of flourishing. flourishfmpodcast.com

In this epsiode we talked to Dr Tom Chatfield. He is a British author, philosopher of technology, and educator. He is interested in improving our understanding of digital technology and its uses in policy, education and engagement. He's particularly interested in the teaching and practice of critical thinking skills, and has worked with schools, universities and companies around their development, as well as creating award-winning online courses for both academic institutions and businesses. Key conversation points were: Our relationship with technology and how this impacts our flourishing How to reduce technology blurring the lines between work and leisure How to use technology well, rather than being used by technology Attention: what it is; its importance for living a good life; and the dangers of monetizing attention The importance of collaboration and humility as virtues for thinking and living well The importance of critical thinking skills for leading flourishing lives - in particular, avoiding coercion, reaching effective collaborative decisions, and identifying misinformation and disinformation

Dr David Johnson is Reader in Comparative and International Education and Fellow of St Antony's College at the University of Oxford. He convenes Oxford's Centre for Comparative and International Education and recently held the position of Chen Yiden Global Visiting Fellow at Harvard. Dr. Matthew T. Lee is Director of Empirical Research at the Human Flourishing Program at Harvard University, where he also leads the Program's Community of Practice. He is also a Distinguished Visiting Scholar of Health, Flourishing, and Positive Psychology at Stony Brook University's Center for Medical Humanities, Compassionate Care, and Bioethics. Key Takeaways from this episode are: Multidimensional nature of flourishing, being inter-systemic, involving multiple systems: connections between flourishing and (i) the natural environment; (ii) justice; (iii) religion & spirituality; (iv) suffering; (v) contentedness; (vi) belonging; (vii) service to others; (viii) the narrative you tell of your life; (vi) empathy; (x) love; (xi) secureness in who we are; (xi) inner and outer harmony Flourishing as a process of growth and becoming Pathways to flourishing, globally The metaphor of discovering greater depth in oneself as a better metaphor for flourishing than growth. Connection with this and contentedness. Matt and David's work worldwide: David's work in various nations, including Bhutan; Matt's work with the Global Flourishing Study The limits of physical and emotional load for human beings, in relation to flourishing (examples of low well-being for medical students and professionals in the US, and teachers) Matt on the role of love in flourishing: ‘warm' and ‘cold' relationships

Today we are talking to Anna Lemke, MD about the relation between dopamine and fourishing.  Overarching themes: Dopamine, it's role in pleasure and motivation  The relation between dopamine and human flourishing How to flourish while navigating addiction   Dr. Anna Lembke received her undergraduate degree in Humanities from Yale University and her medical degree from Stanford University. She is currently Professor and Medical Director of Addiction Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine. She is also Program Director of the Stanford Addiction Medicine Fellowship, and Chief of the Stanford Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic.   Her latest book, Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence (Dutton/Penguin Random House, August 2021), was an instant New York Times and Los Angeles Times bestseller, and explores how to moderate compulsive overconsumption in a dopamine-overloaded world.

Our third episode guest is Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman. Key discussion points were: - the sailboat metaphor and human flourishing - education and flourishing   Scott Barry Kaufman is a cognitive scientist and humanistic psychologist exploring the mind, creativity, and the depths of human potential. He is founder and director of the Center for the Science of Human Potential and an Honorary Principal Fellow at the University of Melbourne's Centre for Wellbeing Science. Dr. Kaufman has taught at Columbia University, Yale, NYU, the University of Pennsylvania, and elsewhere. Dr. Kaufman received a B.S. in psychology and human computer interaction from Carnegie Mellon, an M. Phil in experimental psychology from the University of Cambridge under a Gates Cambridge Scholarship, and a Ph.D. in cognitive psychology from Yale University.  Dr. Kaufman hosts the #1 psychology podcast in the world— The Psychology Podcast— which has received over 20 million downloads and was included in Business Insider's list of “9 podcasts that will change how you think about human behavior.”

Today we are talking with Emily Esfahani Smith about the role and importance of meaning in human flourishing. Emily also touches on how to find meaning in life and what meaning consists of - the 'four pillars' of meaning and the role each pillar may play in human flourishing.    Emily Esfahani Smith is a writer in Washington DC. In her writing, she draws on psychology, philosophy, and literature to write about the human experience — why we are the way we are and how we can find grace and meaning in a world that is full of suffering. Her book The Power of Meaning, an international bestseller, was published by Crown and has been translated into 16 different languages. The Wall Street Journal called the book “persuasive,” “elegant,” and “valuable” while the Prospect (UK) dubbed it “an intelligent page-turner.” She is also an international speaker who has delivered dozens of keynote addresses and workshops at corporations, conferences, non-profit organizations, libraries, universities, and high schools around the country and world. In 2017, Smith delivered a talk called “There's More to Life Than Being Happy” on the main stage of TED, which was based on her book. It's been viewed over 9 million times.

This week we talk with Todd Kashdan, author and TEDx speaker about flourishing.  Key takeaways will be the relationship between your various areas of specialization and human flourishing, including but not limited to:  - curiousity and openness to experience  - affective science (specifically pleasantness and unpleasantness or "positive and negative" emotions) -psychological flexibility done through conversations   Todd Kashdan, Ph.D., received the American Psychological Association's Distinguished Scientific Award in 2013 and Distinguished Faculty Member of the Year at George Mason University in 2010. He has published over 210 scientific journal articles on psychological strengths such as curiosity and courage, emotional agility, meaning and purpose in life, social relationships, leveraging stress for optimal performance, resilience, and well-being.   Author of several books, Kashdan's latest is The Art of Insubordination: How to Dissent and Defy Effectively. His work has been featured on CNN and NPR, as well as media outlets including the Harvard Business Review, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Time Magazine, Newsweek, Fast Company and Scientific American.   He is a TEDx speaker and works with organizations as diverse as Mercedes-Benz, the World Bank, United States Department of Defense, Merck, Hormel, General Mills, Gensler, the Gap, and Standard Chartered Bank. He gives keynotes and workshops to business executives, schools, parents, retirees, scholars, and health professionals.      

What does it take to flourish? We started Flourish FM to share cutting edge research from world experts on how to thrive, so you can take away big ideas and practical steps to enhance your life, the lives of others, and, ultimately, make the world a better place. Flourish FM is hosted by Dr. Jon Beale and Dr. Nick Holton, and in collaboration with the Human Flourishing Program at Harvard University, the Department of Education at the University of Oxford, and The Shipley School.