Author: Kristin Graham

When we talk about money, our brain lights up. Money means more than math when our sense of value is tied to the outcome. This episode offers two prompts to help assess how we invest our time and energy when it comes to financial elements. There are many situations where money won’t be in our control, but our value always should be. A little discomfort on your own behalf might be one of the best investments you ever make.

As a good person in the world, you do a lot for others. It’s part of who you are and part of how the world works. Reciprocity is one of the basic principles of social psychology. This episode explores the opportunities for us to redeem the “store credit” that might be tucked away or that we are hesitant to claim. Whether it’s accepting a compliment, a favor, or an actual gift, we deserve to receive as much as we give.

As a good person in the world, you do a lot for others. It’s part of who you are and part of how the world works. Reciprocity is one of the basic principles of social psychology. This episode explores the opportunities for us to redeem the “store credit” that might be tucked away or that we are hesitant to claim. Whether it’s accepting a compliment, a favor, or an actual gift, we deserve to receive as much as we give.

The average adult spends around 16 to 18 hours awake each day. There are two important areas of your day that have the potential to boost both your energy and your focus. This episode explores the importance of the ‘brain bookends’ of your day: the first and last hour of when you’re awake. A few intentional efforts during each bookend can have direct, lasting impact on the day – and days – ahead.

Our brain has a powerful processing center to keep information and memories only as long as needed. The lasting effect of the emotional, physical, and cognitive benefits from the act of making memories has important benefits over what can be purchased, stored, or consumed. This episode examines the positive power of time spent making memories and how to make space for making memories that matter.

Time multiplies whatever you feed it. And while it’s fun to have fun, it can be a slippery slope on the way to a mental slump. Mental and physical effort, no matter how small, send important signals that can kickstart energy. This episode offers three ways to give your brain battery a boost.

It’s great to have a plan, but sometimes trying to have a plan stops us from actually taking action. This episode is about leaving room for the unscripted – the times when thinking slows down the doing. There are certainly times when extra care is needed but check what’s behind the desire to hit pause. Sometimes the best way to stop the spinning is to find one small piece to start.

There are many tips on how to be a better communicator (including lots of our episodes!), but one of the most overlooked elements of a powerful conversation is active listening. In our busy days, our exchanges can feel more like conversational ping pong. This episode offers simple tips on how to focus your listening and, hopefully, deepen your everyday connections.

It feels to do good. And we want to be good people, but helping is an investment. This episode explores some of the conscious and unconscious elements behind the decision to help, or not. We dig into how the decision process in the brain and outline eight questions to ask in situations where you are resisting lending a hand or where your hand is being lent a little too much.

We’re so used to being digitally on demand that any time away from tech seems to require a pre-notification. Silently slipping offline seems a little strange. For this reason, this episode offers an extended excerpt from Episode 21 that outlines the case for space from your tech and highlights research on the tangible physical and mental benefits to being offline.