Good Life Project

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Tap the 5 Senses for Happiness, Pleasure & Connection | Gretchen Rubin Apr 13, 2023

Show notes

What if there was a secret pathway that could dramatically expand the level of joy, creativity, pleasure, and connection you experienced in life, no matter what was happening? Turns out, there is, and that path takes us through the land of our five senses, but in ways you never thought about or imagined.

In today's captivating conversation with my dear friend, Gretchen Rubin, one of today’s most influential observers of happiness and human nature, we dive into the untapped potential of the 5 senses to dramatically enhance our lives. Gretchen reveals how engaging with our senses in novel, playful ways can bring us moments of joy, even during difficult times. You'll discover the essential role our senses play in connecting with ourselves and the world around us. We explore how tuning into these powerful tools can foster stronger relationships, increase creativity, pleasure and joy, and lead to more mindful, satisfying experiences, all based on her new book, Life in Five Senses: How Exploring the Senses Got Me Out of My Head and Into the World.

You'll learn:

The concept of a "Five Senses Journal" to heighten your self-awareness and unlock personal insights.
How tapping into your senses can foster stronger relationships, resolve conflicts, and boost empathy.
The transformative power of sensory experiences in stimulating creativity, productivity, and mental well-being.
How to harness your senses for meditation, relaxation, or simply having fun in your everyday life.
The vital role our senses play in creating meaningful memories and fostering a greater sense of well-being.

Join us as we uncover the hidden power of our senses, and embark on a sensory journey that will inspire you to live a more fulfilled and joyous life.

You can find Gretchen at: Website | Instagram | Happier with Gretchen Rubin - Podcast

If you LOVED this episode you’ll also love the conversations we had with Gretchen about The Four Tendencies or how we meet our own expectations.

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How to Awaken Your Genius | Ozan Varol Apr 10, 2023

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Have you ever felt like you’ve got so much more potential inside you, but you have no idea how to unlock it and share it with the world? If so, you’re not alone. And it’s a question that today’s guest, rocket scientist turned award-winning professor and bestselling author, Ozan Varol, takes us into. How can we unleash our hidden genius, that magical set of capabilities that lies within every person? And, how do we even know what our is, let alone how to release it into the world?

In this thought-provoking podcast, we'll dive into the art of embracing curiosity, letting go of our past and future, and stepping into the unknown. His newest book, Awaken Your Genius, explores how to identify and share the magic that lies within all of us.

We explore:

How the power of curiosity can lead to groundbreaking discoveries and help you overcome fear.
The importance of looking where others don't to find unique perspectives and uncover hidden gems.
The role of repetition in creating false confidence and the value of exploring different sources of information.
The remarkable story of Jimmy Breslin, a journalist who found success by stepping away from the norm.
How Ozan experimented with potential futures before finding his true calling and the importance of approaching life with the mindset of a curious scientist.

You can find Ozan at: Website | Purchase the Book & Get a Special Free Bonus

If you LOVED this episode you’ll also love the conversations we had with Ozan three years ago about how to think like a rocket scientist to solve big problems.

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Finding Strength in Surrender | Laura Cathcart Robbins Apr 06, 2023

Show notes

Have you ever felt like the only one in the room? That uneasy feeling of being different, isolated, or misunderstood, having to perform to a norm that is entirely misaligned with who you are can be jarring. But what if those moments of feeling out of place are actually the key to unlocking a deeper understanding of ourselves and the world around us? Welcome to a groundbreaking episode where we dive deep into the unseen divide with our guest, Laura Cathcart Robbins.

Laura Cathcart Robbins is an accomplished author, freelance writer, speaker, and host of the popular podcast The Only One in the Room. Her new memoir, Stash: My Life in Hiding is about the journey to sobriety and self-love amidst addiction, privilege, racism, and self-sabotage.

In this episode, we dive into:

The powerful role of vulnerability, honesty, and openness in fostering genuine connections, breaking down barriers, and coming home to yourself.
How so many of us try to cope with stress, overwhelm, or differences by turning to unhealthy behaviors, even addiction, and how these need not be lifelong conditions.
How comparing your suffering to others often only piles on, rather than eases the pain.
An unusual take on redefining and rebuilding relationships after life-altering events, like divorce, addiction, and recovery.
The importance of including diverse voices in educational and communal spaces and beyond.

You can find Laura at: Website | Instagram | The Only One In The Room Podcast

If you LOVED this episode you’ll also love the conversations we had with Rich Roll about his journey through addiction and awakening.

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The Science of a Deeply-Connected Marriage | Eli Finkel Apr 03, 2023

Show notes

The science is crystal clear, deep, genuine, healthy and enduring relationships are at the center of a well-lived life. But, so often, it’s the long-term intimate partnerships that we take most for granted or give least attentiveness to. Just assuming they’ll keep on keeping on. Until they don’t. So how DO you keep your relationship with someone you hope to be a life partner not just alive, but truly rich and flourishing and nourishing and joyful? Especially over a period of years or, if you’re fortunate enough, decades? What’s the secret to maintaining passion and connection throughout the years?

That’s where we’re headed in this eye-opening conversation with professor Eli Finkel, as we dive deep into the world of romantic relationships. Eli is the author of the bestselling book The All-Or-Nothing Marriage: How the Best Marriages Work.

You'll discover:

The surprising impact of engaging in exciting, out-of-the-ordinary activities on relationship satisfaction and passion.
How to distinguish between activities that foster closeness and those that reignite desire.
The unexpected benefits of breaking out of routines and embracing new challenges together.

And, lots more. During our conversation, we delve into the intricacies of maintaining passion in long-term relationships, discussing the importance of novelty, and exploring the potential benefits of breaking out of routines in the aftermath of the pandemic. Eli shares valuable insights on how couples can be deliberate about rebooting their relationships and resetting priorities, all while creating meaningful connections and lasting memories.

You can find Eli at: Website | Twitter

If you LOVED this episode you’ll also love the conversations we had with Julie and John Gottman about love and marriage.

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Bridging the Divide: Lessons in Empathy | Spotlight Convo Mar 30, 2023

Show notes

One of our core values and beliefs here at Good Life Project is that every human being, regardless of how they identify, love, practice, or live is endowed with dignity and worth, and is entitled to be treated through this lens. We also believe that every person can learn from any person, especially those who they perceive as being different from them. It’s a big part of the reason we’re always seeking to share a rich tapestry of voices on the podcast. The moment we close ourselves off to those we perceive as other, whether from fear, lack of knowledge or lived experience, we close ourselves off to a part of ourselves and of life that could have made our days so much richer. And, we shrink our worlds and lives along the way.

So, as we head into this year’s Trans Day of Visibility, we wanted to share a selection of moments, ideas and awakening from a few deeply-moving conversations we’ve had over the years with some incredible, big-hearted, and wise humans who also happen to identify as transgender, and have chosen to make it their life’s work to step into conversation with others to share their experience. Not just of being transgender, but also of moving through a world that often misunderstands, labels, and ostracizes on a level that leads to injustice, rising at times to violence and suffering. These conversations aren’t just about transgender life, though, they’re about life, the way we choose to relate to each other, hear and see each other, acknowledge our shared humanity, and choose to either expand our horizons and our lives, or contract both. So excited to share this Best Of episode featuring Imara Jones and Trystan Reese.

You can find Imara Jones at: Website | Instagram | TransLash Podcast | Listen to Our Full-Length Convo with Imara

You can find Trystan Reese at: Website | Instagram | Listen to Our Full-Length Convo with Trystan

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7 Habits to Dramatically Improve Focus | Jonathan Fields Mar 27, 2023

Show notes

We live in a world of near-constant distraction, making it harder and harder to focus, to be present and attentive in the activities, goals, pursuit and even relationships that mean the most to us. And, so often, the solution offered to reclaim focus are the same old tired things we hear, over and over again.

So, today, in the next installment of our Life-changing Habits series, we’re exploring 7 unconventional, more secret-weapon-level, science-backed habits that can help you stay focused, be less distracted, and truly be present in the moment. These unconventional but incredibly powerful habits can transform the way you interact with the world and the people that really matter. And, pretty safe bet you either haven’t heard of them or tried them, or if you have, you never had them teed up in the context of improving focus, along with specific direction, and the science behind how and why they work. So excited to share these 5 life-changing focus-building habits with you.

Submit a voice memo of your 5 Good Life Habits.

If you LOVED this episode, you’ll also love the other episodes in this series:

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How to Come Home to Yourself | Arielle Estoria Mar 23, 2023

Show notes

Have you ever felt like you're living a life that isn't truly yours? Maybe you long to uncover the most authentic version of yourself, the one that’s laid hidden beneath layers of expectations and societal norms? Or, maybe you ever feel trapped in a never-ending cycle of change and growth without ever really getting where you want to be or feeling the way you want to feel. What if I told you that there's a process to the feeling of emergence, a journey to be embraced? And that it was steeped not in rigidity or force, but in poetry and grace.

In today’s conversation, interwoven with live, spoken word performances, poet, spoken word phenom, author, actor, and artist, Arielle Estoria, guides us through a journey she calls The Unfolding, which is also the title of her new book - a beautiful collection of poems, essays, and meditations that guide us through this transformative process.

She shares her personal experiences of pain and growth, and reveals how we can all learn to embrace a process of Unfolding, of coming home to ourselves, in our own lives. And, along the way, she also recites some beautiful, deeply-evocative poems that I know you won’t want to miss.

You can find Arielle at: Website | Instagram

If you LOVED this episode you’ll also love the conversations we had with Cleo Wade about life, love and expression.

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How to Connect Deeper & Love Better | Rick Hanson, PhD Mar 20, 2023

Show notes

What if there was a game-changing relationship practice or tool or strategy that was capable of not only transforming your personal relationships, even the really tense one, but also your relationship with yourself, and even with the way to respond to others, even complete strangers, and embrace shaping the world to be a better place?

Turns out, there just might be. And, this is where we’re headed today with my guest, Rick Hanson. As a psychologist, best-selling author, and expert on positive neuroplasticity, Rick has lectured at some of the world's top institutions and is here to share his insights on how to warm your heart, see the person behind the eyes, and ultimately shape the world to be a better place.

TW: brief mention of suicidal thoughts

You can find Rick at: Website | Instagram

If you LOVED this episode you’ll also love the conversations we had with Tara Brach about the practice of compassion and acceptance.

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Anne Lamott | Finding Joy in the Journey Mar 13, 2023

Show notes

My first exposure to Anne Lamott’s work was her iconic book, Bird By Bird, which as a writer, was transformative. Not just because it helped me better understand how and why to write, but also because her wonderfully wise and irreverent voice inspired me to be more real, more honest in both my work and my life. I’ve remained captivated by her writing ever since. The author of too many The New York Times bestsellers, including Almost Everything; Hallelujah Anyway; Small Victories; Stitches; Help, Thanks, Wow; and her most recent Dusk Night Dawn, Anne goes places other fear to tread with such humility, humor and craft, it’s like you’ve been invited into her mind, her life and her ability to draw belly laughs, deep wisdom and hits of awakening from those often tiny moments that touch down in our lives that so many of us miss. She reminds you, it may not be fun while it’s happening, but it’s all part of the beautiful souffle of life and every ingredient matters. So excited to share this best-of conversation with you now.

You can find Anne at: Website | Instagram

If you LOVED this episode you’ll also love the conversations we had with Glennon Doyle about living more authentically and untamed.

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How to Make Better Decisions | Daniel Kahneman Mar 09, 2023

Show notes

So, you think you’re making good decisions, but are you really? And, what about the hidden scripts and noisy inputs that affect nearly every decision you make, without you being aware of any of it? How do we make better decisions?

Today's guest can help. Daniel Kahneman is one of the most influential psychologists and thinkers in modern history, his ideas have literally changed the way we live, work, relate, see the world, make decisions, and build solutions, organizations, industries, societies, and lives.

Best known for his remarkable work with Amos Tversky, which explores how we reason and make decisions, his research was, in no small way, seminal in the creation of the field of behavioral economics. He’s been awarded the Nobel Prize, as well as the Presidential Medal of Freedom. His New York Times best-selling book, Thinking, Fast and Slow, has sold more than seven million copies worldwide. And his most recent book, Noise: A Flaw in Human Judgment, explores how unrecognized, systemic influences affect our decisions in ways, both rational and not, that remain completely hidden to us and often lead to profound unfairness and inequality.

We talk about key ideas from his research spanning more than 6 decades. But, we also dive deep into the life experiences that shaped him. Fascinatingly, Kahmeman’s curiosity about humans and all our complexities was sparked as a young Jew living with his family in Nazi-occupied France during World War II, and running for years, before fleeing. His sometimes harrowing experiences triggered questions and curiosities that powerfully influenced what would become a lifelong devotion to understand why we do the things we do.

We explore those early experiences, and he shares where some of the seeds were first planted that would later grow into the body of research and work that have changed the world.

You can find Daniel at: Princeton University | The Nobel Prize

If you LOVED this episode you’ll also love the conversations we had with Charles Duhigg about how unknown influences and habit and ritual effect our behavior.

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