Arianna Huffington is the founder and CEO of Thrive Global, the founder of The Huffington Post, and the author of 15 books, including, most recently, Thrive and The Sleep Revolution. In 2016, she launched Thrive Global, a leading behavior change tech company with the mission of changing the way we work and live by ending the collective delusion that burnout is the price we must pay for success.
She has been named to Time Magazine’s list of the world’s 100 most influential people and the Forbes Most Powerful Women list. Originally from Greece, she moved to England when she was 16 and graduated from Cambridge University with an M.A. in economics. At 21, she became president of the famed debating society, the Cambridge Union.
Sometimes you need to remind yourself that you’re not facing the world alone. A great story, a smart conversation, can help you hear how other people have faced anxiety, depression, identity crises and other challenges — and come out the other side. Full of advice, humor and, above all, honesty, these podcast episodes can help you build your resilience to face the new normal. Curated in support of World Mental Health Month.
Meditative Story
Recommended episode: Standing in my own truth, by Moj Mahdara
No boys. No dresses. As a teen, Moj Mahdara, founder of the fashion media company Beautycon, knows she’s different. And growing up in a traditional Iranian household, she struggles to reveal her own true identity. When two long-term houseguests descend — her grandmothers — Moj is shocked to learn that each woman has a surprising story of identity of her own. And it’s through these old souls that Moj finds the strength to stand in her own truth.
You Are Not So Smart
Recommended episode: 186 – Maybe You Should Talk to Someone
YANSN host David McRaney talks with therapist Lori Gottlieb, author of the best-seller Maybe You Should Talk to Someone, in this warm, accessible conversation about therapy, and how to be the best caretaker of your own mental space. As well, there’s a lovely conversation about compassion and making change in yourself and others — a three-step process that never ends.
In Recovery
Recommended episode: Why We Stress-Eat
Stress and anxiety are at an all-time high, and for many of us, nothing is more soothing than a warm chocolate chip cookie or a fresh loaf of sourdough bread. But why is that? What’s really at the root of food obsession, food addiction, disordered eating and the intense food cravings we all have? In this episode, Dr. Nzinga Harrison answers questions about our complicated relationships with food, especially during a pandemic.
The Michelle Obama Podcast
Recommended episode: Protests and the Pandemic with Michele Norris
Michelle Obama shares how she deals with living with low-grade depression. The reasons? Most of us can relate. The pandemic, race relations in the US and the political strife surrounding it all, she says. She talks with Michele Norris about how to create space for peace in our chaotic world.
Finding Fred
Recommended episode: A Genius of Empathy
A 10-part series (we’re suggesting episode 1) about the life of Fred Rogers. This loving series about the surprising life of TV’s Mr. Rogers is a gentle reminder that we all have it in us to be radically good.
Ten Percent Happier with Dan Harris
Recommended episode: Why We’re All Grieving – and How To Deal With It | David Kessler
As host Dan Harris writes: “Most if not all of us are experiencing a cocktail of challenging emotions these days — whether in the background or in the foreground of our psyche. I thought my primary issue was anxiety, but I had a vague sense that maybe it was more than that. Then I read an excellent article by David Kessler that put a name to at least one aspect of my nameless, miasmatic dread. The headline was ‘That Discomfort You’re Feeling Is Grief.’”
No Stupid Questions
Recommended episode: How Can You Stop Comparing Yourself With Other People?
Stephen Dubner (co-author of the Freakonomics book series) and research psychologist Angela Duckworth (author of Grit) really like to ask people questions, and came to believe there’s no such thing as a stupid one. So they made a podcast where they can ask each other as many “stupid questions” as they want.
Unlocking Us with Brené Brown
Recommended episode: Brené on Shame and Accountability
Brené shares why accountability is a prerequisite for change, and why we need to get our heads and hearts around the difference between being held accountable for racism and feeling shame and being shamed. I share my personal stories of being held accountable and holding myself accountable, as well as my strategies for pulling my “thinking brain” back online when I’m experiencing the flight and fight energy fueled by shame.
Now for Tomorrow with Deepak Chopra
Recommended episode: Coping with Stress
Hosted by Deepak Chopra, each episode contains a short prompt for reflection and contemplation rooted around actions that you can take immediately after listening. This episode talks about finding balance in Sleep, Anxiety, Relationship, Appetite and Pressure.