Through poetic reflection, Yrsa Daley-Ward helps us embrace the in-between moments, reminding us that the unknown can be the very terrain where real change begins.

1. Settle into Stillness: Find a quiet space, get comfortable, and take a few slow breaths to arrive in the moment.
2. Acknowledge the Unknown: Gently notice and name any uncertainty, confusion, or emotional fog you’re feeling without needing to fix it.
3. Welcome the Silence: Allow the silence and stillness to be here, trusting it holds meaning even if it feels uncomfortable.
4. Reflect with Gentle Words: Repeat silently or write: “To love yourself through the darkness is to plant gardens at night.”
5. Feel Your Connection: Remember that many others are also sitting with uncertainty, and you are not alone in this experience.
6. Close with Compassion: Offer yourself kindness through touch or words and affirm that this pause is part of your growth.

Scroll down for a transcription of this episode.

Today’s Happiness Break Guide:

YRSA DALEY-WARD is an award-winning poet and author of the novel, The Catch.
Learn more about Yrsa here: https://yrsadaleyward.squarespace.com/

Order her book here: https://tinyurl.com/yanw6bb5

Related Happiness Break episodes:

Using Art As Medicine Series: https://tinyurl.com/k3mneupx

Making Space For You: https://tinyurl.com/yk6nfnfv

How To Awaken Your Creative Energy: https://tinyurl.com/4fknd8ev

Related Science of Happiness episodes:

How Art Heals Us: https://tinyurl.com/yc77fkzu

Our Brains on Poetry: https://tinyurl.com/y9r9dyzd

Are You Following Your Inner Compass: https://tinyurl.com/y2bh8vvj

Follow us on Instagram: @ScienceOfHappinessPod

We’d love to hear about your experience with this practice! Share your thoughts at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod.

Find us on Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap

Help us share Happiness Break! Leave a 5-star review and share this link: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap

Transcription: https://tinyurl.com/yckxhbja

What happens in your brain when you read or write a poem? We listen to powerful poetry from you, our listeners, and uncover the neuroscience of why it helps us feel, process, and recover.

Scroll down for a transcription of this episode.

Today’s Happiness Break Guest:

SUSAN MAGSAMEN is a Neurology professor at John Hopkins, and author of the New York Times bestseller, Your Brain On Art: How the Arts Transform Us.

Find Susan’s book here: https://www.yourbrainonart.com/

Related Happiness Break episodes:

Using Art As Medicine Series: https://tinyurl.com/k3mneupx

Making Space For You: https://tinyurl.com/yk6nfnfv

How To Awaken Your Creative Energy: https://tinyurl.com/4fknd8ev

Related Science of Happiness episodes:

How Art Heals Us: https://tinyurl.com/yc77fkzu

Our Brains on Poetry: https://tinyurl.com/y9r9dyzd

Are You Following Your Inner Compass: https://tinyurl.com/y2bh8vvj

Follow us on Instagram: @ScienceOfHappinessPod

We’d love to hear about your experience with this practice! Share your thoughts at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod.

Find us on Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap

Transcription: https://tinyurl.com/43p9jtny

From a worker-owned restaurant in Oakland to a nonprofit built on shared leadership, we explore how collective work models can help people feel heard, valued, and more invested in their work.

Summary: In this episode of The Science of Happiness, we examine how people can build cultures of care, accountability, and belonging together. Through stories from a worker-owned restaurant and insights from a leader in collective nonprofits, we share what research reveals about why collective decision-making can help teams thrive and organizations succeed.

Scroll down for a transcription of this episode.

Today’s Guests:

NINO SERRANO AND JENABI PAREJA are the co-founders of Understory, a worker-owned and community-built restaurant in Oakland.

Learn more about Understory here: https://understoryoakland.com/

NILOUFAR KHONSARI is the co-founder of Pangea Legal Services, a nonprofit that defends immigrants facing deportation and the author of the book, Future is Collective: Effective Workplace Strategies for Building a Culture of Care.

Read the book here: https://www.niloukhonsari.com/thebook

Related The Science of Happiness episodes:

How to Talk to People You Disagree With: https://tinyurl.com/4cpm8m3a

When It’s Hard to Connect, Try Being Curious: https://tinyurl.com/bde6wyu7

Why Compassion Requires Vulnerability: https://tinyurl.com/yxw4uhpf

Related Happiness Breaks:

A Self-Compassion Meditation For Burnout: https://tinyurl.com/485y3b4y

5 Minutes of Gratitude: https://tinyurl.com/r6pkw2xx

Making Space For You: https://tinyurl.com/yk6nfnfv

Message us or leave a comment on Instagram @scienceofhappinesspod. E-mail us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod.

Help us share The Science of Happiness! Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap

Transcription: https://tinyurl.com/ya9vuy4n