The Neuroscience of Flourishing: Four Practices for Turning Stress and Anxiety Into Clarity and Calm  | Richard Davidson and Cortland Dahl

The Neuroscience of Flourishing: Four Practices for Turning Stress and Anxiety Into Clarity and Calm | Richard Davidson and Cortland Dahl

The Dalai Lama's longtime collaborator on achieving fundamental okayness, transforming daily annoyances, and rewiring your brain.

Richard J. Davidson, PhD, is a Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is also the Founder & Director of the Center for Healthy Minds and Founder of the non-profit Humin.

Cortland Dahl, PhD, is a scientist, author, translator, and meditation teacher for the Tergar community.

Davidson and Dahl's latest book is Born to Flourish. They also author the Substack newsletter, Dharma Lab.

In this episode we talk about:

  • What it really means to flourish
  • How difficult emotions like anxiety, fear, or grief can coexist with well-being
  • Why flourishing is a trainable skill set, not a personality trait or a self-improvement project
  • An introduction to the Healthy Minds Framework and its four pillars: awareness, connection, insight, and purpose
  • Why short, informal "micro-practices" can be just as effective as formal meditation
  • How to cultivate purpose

Related Episodes:

Get the 10% with Dan Harris app here

Sign up for Dan's free newsletter here

Follow Dan on social: Instagram, TikTok

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel

Join Dan and Emmy Award-winning journalist Allison Gilbert at 92NY on May 17th for a live conversation about how mindfulness can deepen connection and combat loneliness, available in person and via streaming. Register here.

Join Dan, Sebene Selassie and Jeff Warren for Meditation Party, a 3-day immersive retreat at the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, NY, October 16–18, 2026. Register here.

This episode is sponsored by:

Fast Growing Trees — America's largest online nursery, with plants guaranteed to arrive healthy. Get 20% off your first purchase with code HAPPIER at https://www.fastgrowingtrees.com

BetterHelp — Online therapy, matched to your needs. Get 10% off your first month at https://www.betterhelp.com/happier

Spark — Clean energy and focus with zero sugar. Get 30% off and free shipping with code HAPPIER at https://www.drinkspark.com


To advertise on the show, contact sales@advertisecast.com or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/10HappierwithDanHarris

Episoder(1018)

Stop Trying to Become Someone New: Get Past Constant Comparison and Return to What Works For You | Sam Sanders

Stop Trying to Become Someone New: Get Past Constant Comparison and Return to What Works For You | Sam Sanders

What if the most meaningful thing you did for your mental health wasn't something new — but a return to what already brings you joy? Dan recently sat down with journalist and broadcaster Sam Sanders o...

27 Mar 53min

A Toolkit for a Noisy Mind: How John Green Manages Anxiety, Depression, and Intrusive Thoughts

A Toolkit for a Noisy Mind: How John Green Manages Anxiety, Depression, and Intrusive Thoughts

Plus, how the bestselling author writes his way out of despair.   John Green is the award-winning, #1 bestselling author of books including Looking for Alaska, The Fault in Our Stars, Turtles All the ...

25 Mar 59min

Handling Difficult People, Healing Breakups, and the Science of Talking to Strangers | Shankar Vedantam

Handling Difficult People, Healing Breakups, and the Science of Talking to Strangers | Shankar Vedantam

Practical strategies for navigating difficult relationships and building new connections.   Shankar Vedantam is host of the Hidden Brain podcast and radio show, where he explores the hidden patterns t...

23 Mar 56min

A Practice for Fidgeters, Restless Minds, and Anyone Who Hates Sitting Still | Meditation with Sebene Selassie

A Practice for Fidgeters, Restless Minds, and Anyone Who Hates Sitting Still | Meditation with Sebene Selassie

Let go of your thoughts, stop getting caught in your stories, and try the ancient practice of walking meditation. Walking meditation is one of the most practical and underrated tools in mindfulness —...

20 Mar 13min

Buddhist Monks On: Letting Go of Shame, The Opposite of Depression, and Dealing With Criticism | Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho

Buddhist Monks On: Letting Go of Shame, The Opposite of Depression, and Dealing With Criticism | Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho

Plus, staying sane in a crazy world, giving tough feedback, and how to orient to the dumpster fire of the news. Ajahn Kovilo Bhikkhu and Ajahn Nisabho are North American-born, Theravada monks who foun...

18 Mar 1h 11min

The Science of Emotion Regulation: Strategies for When You're Anxious, Angry, or Comparing Yourself To Others | Marc Brackett

The Science of Emotion Regulation: Strategies for When You're Anxious, Angry, or Comparing Yourself To Others | Marc Brackett

Yale emotional intelligence expert on how to deal with other people's emotions (and your own). Marc Brackett, Ph.D. is the author of Dealing with Feeling: Use Your Emotions to Create the Life You Want...

16 Mar 1h 8min

Anderson Cooper and Michelle Obama: Navigating Grief, Making Loss Less Lonely, and How to Know the People You Love Before It's Too Late

Anderson Cooper and Michelle Obama: Navigating Grief, Making Loss Less Lonely, and How to Know the People You Love Before It's Too Late

What Anderson learned from losing everyone he loved, what we owe our parents, and how grief shapes all of us--a conversation from the podcast "IMO." On IMO, siblings Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson ...

13 Mar 1h 11min

Populært innen Helse

lydartikler-fra-aftenposten
fastlegen
hvordan-har-du-det-mann
rss-gukild-johaug
psykodrama
relasjonspodden-med-dora-thorhallsdottir-kjersti-idem
leger-om-livet
rss-garne-damer
foreldreradet
rss-lopedrommen
morten-ramm-lar-kakla-ga-til-du-sovner
bak-fasaden-en-reise-i-livet-med-sykepleier-ine
hjernesterk
klimaks
hormonelle-frida
sinnsyn
helsetipspodden
treningsprat
hverdagspsyken
g-punktet