Hoping to wake up as some new, ideal you in 2013? Most New Year’s resolutions are based on the assumption that who you really are is inadequate, and must be ...
Watch, Listen, Learn, Contribute
Learn: Mindfulness of Breathing
I’m frequently asked questions about how to get started meditating, what is the best meditation for beginners, what is the best meditation for reducing stress (or training willpower, or cultivating self-compassion, or developing focus, etc.). Below is my favorite meditation for all these intentions. You can listen to (or download) a version of these instructions […]
Watch: How to Think Like a Psychologist
My fall 2011 Stanford University course “How to Think Like a Psychologist” is now available as a series of free, downloadable videos through iTunes university. In this fun course, I invited my favorite psychology and neuroscience researchers at Stanford to talk about their work and what it means for everyday life and real-world problems. Each […]
Choose to Change: A 6-Week Online Event
For the first time ever, I taught one of my 6-week courses live online this year. The videos from this course, along with all supportive class materials (e.g. guided practice MP3s, worksheets/homework exercises), are available for you to guide yourself through the course at your own pace. See below for all the course details, and […]
The Science of Mindfulness: Stanford Continuing Studies Fall Course
The Science of Mindfulness (PSY 209) Registration open now. Open to the public through Stanford Continuing Studies. Mondays, 7:00 – 8:50 pm 10 weeks, September 24 – December 3 (No class on November 19) 2 unit(s), $365 For thousands of years, meditation has been practiced to calm the mind. But only in the last few decades […]
Play with me! Oprah’s Thank You Game
One of my favorite projects I’ve worked on with SuperBetter Labs and my twin sister, superstar game designer Jane McGonigal, launched in May 2012: Oprah’s Thank You Game. The Oprah Winfrey Network and Oprah.com partnered with SuperBetter Labs to create a game that spread the benefits of gratitude to millions of people across the globe. […]
Listen: How Stanford Got a Center for Compassion
San Francisco Public Radio did a lovely 1-hr show on the Stanford Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education. The piece features the founder of CCARE, the scientists who are studying compassion, as well as one of my compassion cultivation courses, and stories from students in it. You can download or stream the audio […]
The Neuroscience of Change
I’m excited to announce the release of my latest audiobook, which presents six live lectures and twelve guided self-reflection and mediation practices. The Neuroscience of Change: A Compassion-Based Guide to Personal Transformation (Sounds True) integrates the most exciting scientific findings about how the mind works with the wisdom of mind-body traditions like yoga and Buddhism. […]
Dr. Kiki’s Science Hour: Where There’s A Will
In this 1-hour webisode of the tv show “Dr. Kiki’s Science Hour“, Dr. Kirsten Sanford and Dr. Kelly McGonigal discuss the science of self-control, why and how to become a “willpower scientist” in your own life, and what the latest research says about parenting strategies, behavior change, and motivation. Watch via the link below, or […]
Contribute: Best Friends Animal Sanctuary
I love spreading the word (and the love) about my favorite non-profit organizations. So prepare to fall in love with Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. One of my favorite ways to donate to Best Friends is to sponsor one of their special-needs animals that cannot be adopted out, such as Echo, a red-tailed hawk with one […]
Watch: The Science of Willpower on The Today Show
It was a blast to be on The Today Show! Check out the interview discussing my new book The Willpower Instinct, and my Stanford Continuing Studies class “The Science of Willpower.” Click to watch: The Today Show Willpower Tips Interview by Matt Lauer. Original broadcast: 1/3/2012.
Science Help for Better Sex, Weight Loss, Getting Out of Debt, Stress-Free Parenting, & More
Whatever your New Year’s Resolution, there’s a science-help book for you. You’ll get great advice mixed in with the funniest, most fascinating stories and studies science can provide. I put together my favorite science-help books for every possible New Year’s Resolution. Check out the slide show on the Huffington Post’s Books Section. [Excerpted Below] The […]
Listen: Why Do We Lack Willpower?
Earlier this summer I had fun contributing to a special episode of “Strange Animal,” a weekly radio show on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation that is a bit like National Public Radio’s fantastic “Radio Lab” show. The show asks the question: “Why do we lack willpower?” and talks to three psychologists: myself, procrastination researcher Tim Pychyl, […]
