Discover what happens to our well-being when we respond to suffering with compassion, collective action, and why choosing to care can help us hold on to our shared humanity.

Summary: In the face of widespread suffering, many of us struggle with how to respond without becoming overwhelmed or numb. Drawing on research and real-world experience, this episode of The Science of Happiness examines the psychological impact of bearing witness, acting in alignment with our values, and showing up for others—even when it’s hard. We look at how compassion, agency, and a sense of common humanity can both strengthen resilience and carry real emotional costs, and why people continue to act anyway.

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How To Do This Practice:

1. Pause and name what’s happening: Take a moment to notice what you’re feeling as you witness suffering or injustice—anger, grief, numbness, confusion. Naming the emotion helps calm the stress response and keeps you from shutting down or looking away.
2. Reconnect with common humanity: Remind yourself: there are no “good people” and “bad people”—there are people.
3. Clarify your values on paper: Write down one to three values that matter most to you right now (for example: compassion, integrity, dignity, justice). Studies show that writing values down lowers stress and makes it more likely you’ll act in alignment with them.
4. Gently ask yourself: “What does a person like me—with these values—do in a situation like this?” Consider what access, safety, or influence you may have, and what constraints you face. Acting with integrity looks different for everyone, and this step helps you choose a response that is both values-aligned and realistic.
5. Choose a safe, doable action: Action doesn’t have to be loud or risky. It might be writing, speaking up in a meeting, supporting someone directly, or adding your voice to a collective effort. Even small actions strengthen agency and social connection.
6. Reflect and reconnect: After you act, check in with yourself. Notice any sense of alignment, relief, meaning, grief, or fear. Acting with integrity won’t erase pain, but it helps protect mental health and shapes who we become over time.

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Today’s Guests:

DR. FEROZE SIDHWA is a trauma, and critical care surgeon in California. He has also worked as a physician in Haiti, Ukraine and Palestine.

Learn more about Dr. Feroze Sidhwa here: https://www.ferozesidhwa.org/

DR. AKIVA LEBOWITZ is a physician and critical care specialist.

Learn more about Dr. Akiva Lebowitz here: https://akivaforbrookline.com/

DR. SUNITA SAH is a social scientist, author, and psychologist.

Learn more about Dr. Sunita Sah here: https://www.sunitasah.com/

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

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

Transcription: https://tinyurl.com/48wz2vru

Psychologist and stress expert Elissa Epel leads us in a gentle, science-backed practice to calm our nervous systems and meet uncertainty with greater ease and acceptance.

We want to hear from you! Take our quick 5-minute survey to tell us what you love, what you want more of, and how we can make the show even more inspiring and useful. Everyone who completes the survey can enter a drawing to win a copy of The Science of Happiness Workbook: 10 Practices for a Meaningful Life. Click the survey link in the show notes wherever you’re listening, or go directly to: https://tinyurl.com/happyhappysurvey. Thank you for helping us make the podcast even better!

How To Do This Practice:

1. Settle in: Find a quiet, comfortable place to sit. Close your eyes or soften your gaze, and begin breathing in through your nose with long, slow exhales through pursed lips.
2. Scan your body: Gently move your attention from the top of your head down to your toes, noticing areas of tension with a kind, curious awareness.
3. Breathe into tension: Wherever you feel tightness, breathe into that area and soften it with each exhale, allowing your nervous system to relax just a little more.
4. Notice uncertainty: Turn your attention to your thoughts and feelings. Ask yourself what feels uncertain right now, and name any emotions that arise without trying to change them.
5. Ask yourself: What is on my mind right now? Am I thinking about the past, the future, or am I right here in the present?” What do I feel most uncertain about right now? What expectations might I be holding? Am I striving to control something? What feelings do I have right now?
6. Release control: Notice where you may be holding expectations or trying to control the future, and gently practice letting go, reminding yourself that uncertainty is part of life.
7. Rest in the present: Lean back, relax your shoulders, and focus on the safety and ease of this moment, repeating a phrase like “Things are exactly as they are right now.”

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Today’s Happiness Break Guide:

ELISSA EPEL, PH.D, is a Professor and Vice Chair in the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, at University of California, San Francisco.

Learn more about Elissa Epel here: https://www.elissaepel.com/

Related Happiness Break episodes:

Loving Kindness Meditation: https://tinyurl.com/2kr4fjz5

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

A Meditation for When You Feel Uneasy: https://tinyurl.com/4utrkyh5

Follow us on Instagram: @ScienceOfHappinessPod

We’d love to hear about your experience with this practice! Share your thoughts at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod.

Find us on Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap

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

Transcription: https://tinyurl.com/2x4pe95j

Studies show qigong can strengthen your body and mind, and reduce cortisol levels. We explore this Chinese meditative movement practice that dates back over 4,000 years.

Summary: After a period of intense stress, loss, and physical disconnection, one guest turns to qigong—a gentle, meditative movement practice rooted in traditional Chinese medicine—to reconnect with their body and calm their nervous system. This episode of The Science of Happiness explores the growing scientific evidence behind qigong, revealing how mindful movement can support both physical health and psychological well-being.

We want to hear from you! Take our 5-minute survey to enter a drawing to win a copy of The Science of Happiness Workbook: 10 Practices for a Meaningful Life. Tell us what you love, what you want more of, and how we can make the show even more inspiring and useful. Click the survey link in the show notes wherever you’re listening, or go directly to: https://tinyurl.com/happyhappysurvey. Thank you for helping us make the podcast even better!

One Way To Do This Practice:

1. Stand and settle: Stand with your feet hip-width apart, knees soft, arms relaxed by your sides. Take a moment to feel the ground beneath your feet and let your body arrive.
2. Ground through your feet: Gently rock or sway in small circles, slowly shifting your weight to notice different parts of your feet making contact with the floor. Let your balance find its own rhythm.
3. Breathe slowly and naturally: Inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth, allowing your breath to deepen without forcing it. Imagine your breath moving through your whole body, not just your chest.
4. Begin gentle, flowing movements: Move your arms and torso in smooth, continuous motions—circling, swaying, or softly lifting and lowering your hands. Keep your movements relaxed and fluid rather than stiff or controlled.
5. Soften your body and attention: Release unnecessary tension in your jaw, shoulders, and hands. Place your attention on how the movements feel from head to toe, letting your mind stay with sensation rather than thoughts.
6. Close with stillness: After 10–15 minutes, return to standing quietly. Notice any changes in your energy, mood, or sense of grounding before stepping back into your day.

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Today’s Guests:

ACE BORAL is an Oakland-based chef.

PETER WAYNE is an Associate Professor of Medicine, and serves as the Director for the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, jointly based at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

Learn more about Peter’s work: https://tinyurl.com/342xndna

Related The Science of Happiness episodes:

Breathe Away Anxiety (Cyclic Sighing): https://tinyurl.com/3u7vsrr5

The Science of Synchronized Movement: https://tinyurl.com/n4bcrb5j

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

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

Transcription: https://tinyurl.com/yyxnsfy9