Summary: Rick Hanson's new book, Hardwiring Happiness, was released this month and I know it can help change your life! All of us possess within us an ancient survival technique: a negativity bias. This bias directs our thoughts in our daily activities and behaviors. But, we can change it. We can train our brains and change our thinking so that even the smallest of pleasures give us lasting happiness and contentment. On today’s episode of Changing Direction, I welcomed Rick Hanson to talk about his book. Grounded in neuroscience, Hardwiring Happiness is super practical, full of easy-to-use methods and guided practices to grow a steady well-being, self-worth, and inner peace. And it has special sections on children, motivation, relationships, trauma, and spiritual practice. Together, Hanson and I covered: Rick's personal story of learning about painful experiences The importance of changing the brain in order to promote growth and healing The two-stage process of building inner strengths The role of your negativity bias, and also: your happiness set point One of the big problems with trauma therapy MEET MY GUEST: Rick Hanson, Ph.D., is a neuropsychologist and New York Times best-selling author. His books include Hardwiring Happiness: The New Brain Science of Contentment, Calm, and Confidence (in 4 languages), Buddha’s Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love, and Wisdom (in 25 languages), Just One Thing: Developing a Buddha Brain One Simple Practice at a Time (in 12 languages), and Mother Nurture: A Mother’s Guide to Health in Body, Mind, and Intimate Relationships. Founder of theWellspring Institute for Neuroscience and Contemplative Wisdom and on the Advisory Board of the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley, he’s been an invited speaker at Oxford, Stanford, and Harvard, and taught in meditation centers worldwide. An authority on self-directed neuroplasticity, Dr. Hanson’s work has been featured on the BBC, NPR, FoxBusiness, Consumer Reports Health, U.S. News and World Report, and O Magazine, and he has several audio programs with Sounds True. He edits theWise Brain Bulletin, and his weekly e-newsletter – Just One Thing – has over 96,000 subscribers, and also appears on Huffington Post, Psychology Today, and other major websites. A summa cum laude graduate of UCLA, Dr. Hanson has been a trustee of Saybrook University and served on the board of Spirit Rock Meditation Center for nine years. He enjoys rock-climbing and taking a break from emails. He and his wife have two adult children. For more information, please see his full profile at www.RickHanson.net.
