Episode 2: Near Victories

When historian Kate Bowler was diagnosed with Stage IV cancer, she became fascinated by the ways people try to impose order on events they can't control. She joins us to explore what it means to live fully when life offers no satisfying explanation for the tragedies we may face. ... Show More

Think about the last time you had a discouraging thought. Maybe you told yourself, "This won't work. I'm not cut out for this." Did you take that thought as fact? Last week, we talked with psychologist Martin Seligman about why some people come to believe that their actions don’t ... Show More

Why do some people act on the possibilities before them, while others come to believe that nothing they do will make a difference? Psychologist Martin Seligman describes his groundbreaking research on learned helplessness, and explains how the stories we tell ourselves about setb ... Show More

Today we’re sharing a preview of A Slight Change of Plans, from Pushkin Industries. Cognitive scientist Dr. Maya Shankar blends compassionate storytelling with the science of human behavior to help us understand who we are and who we become in the face of a big change. Maya sits ... Show More

In this episode Ru and Michelle are joined by Ciara and Kacey Musgraves. They discuss dieting, the Dave Audé Body Party remix, female artists on country radio, and how Kacey met her husband at the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville.This episode is sponsored by Squarespace and Talkspace. 

A conversation about her unlikely pop fame, complex relationship to stardom and powerful, signature music. Guests: Alfred Soto and Amanda Hess. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here http ... Show More

This time hosts Charlotte Burns and Allan Schwartzman welcome their team of editorial advisors Deana Haggag, Mia Locks and Jay Sanders. They're the brilliant trio who've helped steer this season's conversations acting as an independent sounding board lending editorial advice and ... Show More

A conversation about his winding path to a receptive, ready audience — and how music can be a bulwark against cynicism and trauma. Guests: Taja Cheek and Mina Tavakoli. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favor ... Show More