Stanford Psychologist: 7 Small Things That Make a Huge Difference in How You Feel
episodePreviously titled “Stanford Psychologist: 7 Small Things You Can Do Right Now to Enjoy Life More” — renamed by the publisher on Sep 14, 2026
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What does Dr. Kelly McGonigal say joy actually is and why does it matter?
Hey, it's your friend Mel and welcome to the Mel Robbins Podcast. I am so excited about the conversation today because we're going to talk about how you can feel like yourself again. Get your spark back and bring more joy into your life, even if things are really hard right now. And we're gonna do it with this extraordinary woman. Her name is Dr. Kelly McGonagall. I have been trying to get her on the podcast for years. She's one of the world's leading experts in stress, resilience, joy. She's been at Stanford University as a psychologist. And lecturer for over 20 years. And what she's going to teach you today, it is simple. It's backed by science. She has such an important message to share with you. You can enjoy your life right now.
For real. She wants you to know that a good life isn't perfect. And joy is how you navigate those moments in between periods that are challenging and periods that are amazing. Joy is how you have a day that has a sunrise and a funeral. It's how you have a breakdown and a belly laugh. You can go to the hospital and also enjoy the beach. You don't have to overhaul your life. You're gonna begin exactly where you are in the mess. And you're gonna learn how to tap into the simple joys to help you get through your life and start enjoying it now. And that's gonna feel amazing.
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I'm so excited that you're here today. It's an honor to be together and to spend this time with you. And if you're new or somebody shared this with you, I just want to personally welcome you to the Mel Robbins Podcast family. Today, you and I are learning how to feel like yourself again, the science of getting your spark back with the extraordinary Dr. Kelly McGonagall. Dr. McGonagall is a world renowned health. Psychologist and award-winning lecturer at Stanford University, where she earned her PhD and has been working for over 20 years. She co-created Stanford's Compassion Cultivation Training through the Stanford Center for Compassion and Altruism. And her TED Talk about stress is one of the most popular TED Talks of all time.
She's the best-selling author of three books, and today she's going to help you and me get our spark back. Dr. Kelly McGonagall. Welcome to the Mel Robins Podcast. Thank you. It's great to be here. I'd love for you to start by just setting the record straight about what we're going to talk about and how the person who's here with us is going to feel when they're done and how their life might change. Cause you hear the word joy and you think, oh my gosh, is this a to-do list for being happy? But what are we gonna talk about based on your research about how to feel like yourself again and to use this science of joy to do that?
My core hope is that when you wake up in the morning, you want to be alive, you're happy to be alive, you feel like you have things to look forward to. you know that what you do matters, that who you are matters. That your existence in the world is a good thing. And that no matter what challenges you're facing That you can handle them. And even in those challenges, it's possible to laugh. It's possible to feel close to others. It's possible to have things to look forward to. It's possible to do things every day that make life better for yourself or that make the world better. Psychologists sometimes use this term existential courage.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What does Dr. Kelly McGonigal say joy actually is and why does it matter?
0:00–10:42
2
How can we use our body’s “hope molecules” to boost resilience and mood?
10:42–21:39
3
What are the three categories of everyday joy that research shows people experience?
21:39–30:02
4
How does listening to a favorite song quickly lift dopamine and motivate action?
30:02–39:20
5
In what way can a meaningful memory be turned into a source of courage?
39:20–49:04
6
How can we train our attention to notice positive signals amid stress?
49:04–57:35
7
What role do our instincts play in finding purpose and meaning during difficulty?
57:35–1:07:10
8
How can we use relationships as a resource to create and share joy?
1:07:10–1:15:27
Speakers
1 identifiedMore from The Mel Robbins Podcast
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