The (real) Secret to Happiness: Liking Without Wanting
Dr. Rick and I focus on the secret to everyday happiness: learning how to like without wanting. We talk about the lies our brain tells us, the rapid movement from liking to wanting, and how we can enjoy an experience without craving more of it. We then explore a specific example of getting captured by the brain’s “inner ad agency,” and what we can do to stay in the present, meet key needs, and see the whole of our experience without getting trapped by any one part. You won’t want to miss this one!
I am now writing on Substack, check it out here.
You can watch this episode on YouTube.
Key Topics:
0:00: Introduction
2:00: Liking, wanting, and healthy desire
11:30: The story craving tells us
15:00: Inhibition and “prudishness” around liking
21:15: “21st century problems”
25:35: A personal example of getting trapped by desire
29:05: Meeting your legitimate needs, somatic cues, and inner freedom
35:20: The search for the slightly better experience
42:25: The brain’s prediction errors, and longing for what is already here
47:50: The ability to zoom out and see the full spectrum of our experience
59:25: Recap
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