Dr. Lisa Feldman Barrett

If I can help, if something that I've learned or something I've communicated can help somebody else live a more intentional life of agents with agency where they're choosing and they're impacting their loved ones or their children, then I've done my job. That's my legacy.

If I can help, if something that I've learned or something I've communicated can help somebody else live a more intentional life of agents with agency where they're choosing and they're impacting their loved ones or their children, then I've done my job. That's my legacy.

And the hard thing about that kind of a legacy, a legacy of ideas impacting people's lives, is that you don't ever know what your impact is. But that's part of the deal.

And the hard thing about that kind of a legacy, a legacy of ideas impacting people's lives, is that you don't ever know what your impact is. But that's part of the deal.

Sure, and living without encumbrances and attachments and so on, right? It sounds like a very Buddhist question. The problem is that I think even a Buddhist attains something They attain enlightenment. So they don't have attachments necessarily. They don't have wealth. They don't have power. But they attain something. They attain enlightenment. They attain tranquility.

Sure, and living without encumbrances and attachments and so on, right? It sounds like a very Buddhist question. The problem is that I think even a Buddhist attains something They attain enlightenment. So they don't have attachments necessarily. They don't have wealth. They don't have power. But they attain something. They attain enlightenment. They attain tranquility.

Well, I think it's important to remember that. that you don't really have an identity that is separate from the moment that you're in. It's not like there's an essence to you. And what I would say is that everything you experience, everything you do is a combination of the remembered past and the sensory present. That means to change who you are, you can change what you remember or how you predict

Well, I think it's important to remember that. that you don't really have an identity that is separate from the moment that you're in. It's not like there's an essence to you. And what I would say is that everything you experience, everything you do is a combination of the remembered past and the sensory present. That means to change who you are, you can change what you remember or how you predict

Or you can change the sensory present. You can change the sensory present by literally getting up and moving somewhere else, like going for a walk. Or you can change the sensory present by what you pay attention to, mindfulness, for example. There are some sensory signals that are front and center in your attention, and there are some that are in the background lurking. For example, you can...

Or you can change the sensory present. You can change the sensory present by literally getting up and moving somewhere else, like going for a walk. Or you can change the sensory present by what you pay attention to, mindfulness, for example. There are some sensory signals that are front and center in your attention, and there are some that are in the background lurking. For example, you can...

Right now, you're not paying attention to some sensory signals, but the minute that I say them, point them out, you will be. Like the pressure of the chair against your back and your legs. Now they're in the forefront of your attention because I just mentioned them. So what I would say is that there is no essence to who you are. You are what you do. In the moment, you are what you do. And

Right now, you're not paying attention to some sensory signals, but the minute that I say them, point them out, you will be. Like the pressure of the chair against your back and your legs. Now they're in the forefront of your attention because I just mentioned them. So what I would say is that there is no essence to who you are. You are what you do. In the moment, you are what you do. And

You can change what you do. You can change what you experience, the consequence of the lived experience, which is the consequence of what you do, by what you remember and what the context is. So that's my answer. If you always remember that, you will never be attached to

You can change what you do. You can change what you experience, the consequence of the lived experience, which is the consequence of what you do, by what you remember and what the context is. So that's my answer. If you always remember that, you will never be attached to

You will never crave or strive, you know, to have things and like all of these artificial things which prop up the illusion that you are and you have an essence to you that, you know, is unchanging across situations.

You will never crave or strive, you know, to have things and like all of these artificial things which prop up the illusion that you are and you have an essence to you that, you know, is unchanging across situations.