659: How to build a flourishing mind in 5 minutes | Richard Davidson, Ph. D.

“Every human being comes equipped with the capacity to flourish,” says Richard Davidson, Ph.D.  Davidson is the William James and Vilas Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and the Founder and Director of the Center for Healthy Minds. He is best known for his groundbreaking work studying emotion and the brain. A friend and confidante of the Dalai Lama, he is a highly sought after expert and speaker, leading conversations on wellbeing on international stages such as the World Economic Forum, where he served on the Global Council on Mental Health.  In 2014, Davidson founded Humin (formerly Healthy Minds Innovations), a global nonprofit on a mission to make wellbeing real by translating science into action. 00:00 - What it means to flourish 05:48 - Using your mind intentionally 09:46 - Why informal practice works just as well 11:50 - A mindful walk 14:21 - The biology of loneliness 17:15 - The narrative you carry about yourself 20:38 - Mental reps & neuroplasticity 23:54 - Connecting purpose to small tasks 28:25 - The free Healthy Minds app 31:02 - How fast the brain actually changes 36:48 - Inflammation, dementia, & longevity 38:53 - Davidson's morning & evening ritual 43:13 - Setting kids up to flourish 44:43 - How a volleyball team connects Referenced in the episode:  The Healthy Minds app: https://www.humin.org/wellbeing-tools/app For more about Davidson, visit: https://www.richardjdavidson.com/  Purchase his book here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1668066238/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?tag=mind0a3-20  We hope you enjoy this episode, and feel free to watch the full video on YouTube! Whether it's an article or podcast, we want to know what we can do to help here at mindbodygreen. Let us know at: [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices