How to Rewire Your Brain to Be Happy | Dr. Rick Hanson, Ph.D. | The Science of Happiness

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Happiness is a massive topic—and one we’re constantly chasing.

In this episode of the Inner Path Seekers podcast, we sit down with Dr. Rick Hanson, a leading psychologist and expert on positive neuroplasticity. He’s a New York Times bestselling author of six books, including Hardwiring Happiness and NeuroDharma, co-host of the Being Well Podcast, and has spoken at places like NASA, Oxford, Stanford, and Google.

Dr. Hanson’s message is simple but profound: “You can use your mind to change your brain to change your mind—for the better.”

This episode digs into the science behind how you can rewire your brain to be happy.

Thanks to neuroplasticity, we now know the brain constantly reshapes itself. With consistent practice, we can strengthen the pathways that support calm, resilience, gratitude, and joy—and weaken the ones tied to stress, fear, and self-criticism.
In this conversation, we explore why so many of us get stuck chasing happiness, how to rewire your brain to be happy, and the daily practices that genuinely make a difference.

If you’re ready to understand happiness from the inside out, this episode will guide you there.

Websites:

Books:

Some Popular Videos by Dr. Rick Hanson:


People Mentioned in the Podcast Interview:

  • Carl Jung (Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst who founded analytical psychology
  • Wilhelm Reich (Wilhelm Reich was an Austrian Doctor of Medicine and psychoanalyst, a member of the second generation of analysts after Sigmund Freud.)
  • Abraham Maslow (Abraham Harold Maslow was an American psychologist who was best known for creating Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, a theory of psychological health predicated on fulfilling innate human needs in priority, culminating in self-actualization.)
  • Carl Rogers (Carl Ransom Rogers was an American psychologist and among the founders of the humanistic approach to psychology.)
  • Barbara Fredrickson (Barbara Lee Fredrickson is an American professor in the department of psychology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she is the Kenan Distinguished Professor of Psychology)
  • Richard Davidson (Richard J. Davidson is professor of psychology and psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin–Madison as well as founder and chair of the Center for Healthy Minds.)
  • Jack Kornfield (Author, Buddhist Practitioner and one of the key teachers to introduce Buddhist mindfulness practice to the West.)
  • The Buddha (The Buddha was a philosopher, mendicant, meditator, spiritual teacher, and religious leader who lived in ancient India.)
  • Eckart Tolle (Spiritual teacher and best-selling author. He is a German-born resident of Canada best known as the author of The Power of Now and A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose.)

Working on it!

If you feel that you’ve gained some insights and lessons from this interview, and you are curious to see what else we offer at The IPS Project, check out The IPS Academy, where we offer online courses taught by guests here on The IPS Podcast.

Learn more about essential life topics, such as mental health, relationships, the mind, and the body and the brain, through fun and interactive courses. Simply go to TheIPSProject.com/academy.

What is also interesting to note is that all the courses are quite affordable, as we at The IPS Project do not want money to stand in the way of bettering one’s life. Each course has a few lessons to try for free, so you get a taste of what the course is like.

We have countless reviews from other students so you can see what others think, and there is a 30-day money-back guarantee if you end up not liking the course. Again, check them out at TheIPSProject.com/academy.

Rewire Your Brain to Be Happy

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