A Meditation For Connecting In Polarized Times, With Scott Shigeoka
Having a curious approach to life can improve our mood, creativity and relationships. Scott Shigeoka leads a visualization exercise to help you approach someone you might disagree with with an open and curious mind.
Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/4dfsxr2x
How to Do This Practice:
Find a comfortable place to begin the practice, focusing on your breath.
Imagine that you are going to interact with a friend during a moment of conflict. Visualize the meeting, like the space around you and how you greet each other.
Picture yourself showing a curious and loving perspective. Take note of what you would say, the tone of your voice, your body language, and in particular the types of questions you ask to impact the conversation.
Pay attention to how you would feel if your friend was receiving your curiosity well, compared to if they weren’t.
Visualize yourself thanking your friend for their friendship and curiosity before leaving the meeting.
Today’s Happiness Break host:
Scott Shigeoka is an author and storyteller who focuses on themes of curiosity and well-being.
Order Scott Shigeoka’s book Seek: How Curiosity can Transform Your Life and Save the World: https://tinyurl.com/4jrxbupj
Learn More About Scott’s work: https://tinyurl.com/y5xyxky7
Follow Scott on Instagram: https://tinyurl.com/3acu6jhm
Follow Scott on Twitter: https://tinyurl.com/3m3k3bm9
More resources from The Greater Good Science Center:
Why Curious People Have Better Relationships: https://tinyurl.com/2xw5y9yr
How to Stay Open and Curious in Hard Conversations: https://tinyurl.com/y2f2e9ce
Six Surprising Benefits of Curiosity: https://tinyurl.com/7kcr32su
How Curiosity Can Help Us Overcome Disconnection: https://tinyurl.com/9kaas6nz
What Curiosity Looks Like in the Brain: https://tinyurl.com/22rj6nbh
We love hearing from you! Tell us about your experience of handling a difficult interaction. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod.
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We're living through a mental health crisis. Between the stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness, burnout — we all could use a break to feel better. That's where Happiness Break comes in. In each biweekly podcast episode, instructors guide you through research-backed practices and meditations that you can do in real-time. These relaxing and uplifting practices have been shown in a lab to help you cultivate calm, compassion, connection, mindfulness, and more — what the latest science says will directly support your well-being. All in less than ten minutes. A little break in your day.
