The New Science Of Emotions, Anxiety & Brain Health - Dr Lisa Feldman Barrett - #987

Modern Wisdom

08/30/25

•

89m

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Lisa Feldman Barrett is a professor at Northeastern University, psychologist, and a neuroscientist.

Why do we feel emotions? From happiness and joy to anger, anxiety, and sorrow, emotions shape how we experience life. But what purpose do they serve, and how can we learn to manage them more effectively?

Expect to learn the unique way each of us experience emotions and if the emotions like anxiety, anger and joy feel the same as everyone else’s, why we have emotions at all and what their functions are, how much of our life is actually experienced versus anticipated, how often people are mistaking dehydration, low blood sugar, or lack of sleep for ’being in a bad mood, what actually happens in an anxious brain, how to rebuild your psychological function after a period of chronic stress, and much more...

Timestamps:

(0:00) Are Our Emotional Experiences Unique?

(5:19) What is the Role of Meaning in Emotion?

(10:46) Lisa’s Views on Objective Perception

(19:26) Our Emotional Experiences Shouldn’t Control Our Agency

(23:16) The Relationship Between Our Internal Conversation and Our Emotions

(30:21) Should We Be Looking Back or Investing in the Future ?

(39:13) Can Memories Be Lost?

(49:21) What Drives Anxiety?

(01:05:56) What is the Impact of Toxic Relationships on Our Health?

(01:10:54) What Does Chronic Stress Look Like?

(01:16:17) How to Rebuild After a Period of Stress

(01:20:39) What Can't We Control About Our Emotional State?

(01:25:23) We are the Architects of Our Experiences

(01:28:11) Find Out More About Lisa

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Episodes You Might Enjoy:

#577 - David Goggins - This Is How To Master Your Life: ⁠⁠⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Goggins⁠⁠⁠

#712 - Dr Jordan Peterson - How To Destroy Your Negative Beliefs: ⁠⁠⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Peterson⁠⁠⁠

#700 - Dr Andrew Huberman - The Secret Tools To Hack Your Brain: ⁠⁠⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Huberman⁠⁠

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Previous Episode

How Love Dies: The Psychology of Cheating & Attraction - Esther Perel - #986

August 28, 2025

•

84m

Esther Perel is a psychotherapist, podcaster, and New York Times bestselling author.

Why do modern relationships feel so difficult? Even the happiest couples on the outside often hide unspoken rules and silent expectations that slowly erode intimacy. Resentment grows, trust fractures, and love feels harder to sustain. So how can men and women build partnerships that endure in today’s ever-changing world?

Expect to learn what the “Mankeeping” trend is that is going on with women right now, how women can support emotional openness in men without mothering or emasculating them, why there is an adversarial and tribal dynamic between men and women in the modern world, why women get bored with monogamy more quickly than men, if companies should rethink their approach to workplace romance and much more...

Timestamps:

(0:00) Red Flags Don’t Look Like Red Flags Through Rose Coloured Glasses

(6:57) Why We Should Avoid Polarising Attachment Discourse

(12:12) The Difficulties Behind Male Friendships

(20:23) What is Driving Male Loneliness?

(37:53) What is Pushing Men and Women Apart?

(44:39) The Growing Separation of Societal Groups

(50:47) Why Do We Cheat?

(55:28) What are the Early Signs of Deadness?

(01:01:32) Do Women Get Bored of Monogamy More Quickly Than Men?

(01:09:37) How Do Men and Women Relate in the Workplace?

(01:21:12) Find Out More About Esther

Sponsors:

See me on tour in America: ⁠https://chriswilliamson.live⁠

See discounts for all the products I use and recommend: https://chriswillx.com/deals

Get up to $50 off the RP Hypertrophy App at https://rpstrength.com/modernwisdom

Get $100 off the best bloodwork analysis in America at https://functionhealth.com/modernwisdom

Extra Stuff:

Get my free reading list of 100 books to read before you die: https://chriswillx.com/books

Try my productivity energy drink Neutonic: https://neutonic.com/modernwisdom

Episodes You Might Enjoy:

#577 - David Goggins - This Is How To Master Your Life: ⁠⁠⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Goggins⁠⁠⁠

#712 - Dr Jordan Peterson - How To Destroy Your Negative Beliefs: ⁠⁠⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Peterson⁠⁠⁠

#700 - Dr Andrew Huberman - The Secret Tools To Hack Your Brain: ⁠⁠⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Huberman⁠⁠

Get In Touch:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/modernwisdompodcast

Email: https://chriswillx.com/contact

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Next Episode

Brain Surgeon: Inside The Dreaming Brain - Dr Rahul Jandial - #988

September 1, 2025

•

125m

Dr Rahul Jandial is a brain surgeon, neuroscientist, and an author.

Why do we dream? For centuries, people have debated their meaning. Are they hidden messages, random brain activity, or something else entirely? Today, modern neuroscience is uncovering how the brain creates, processes, and remembers dreams, and what they may reveal about the inner workings of the mind.

Expect to learn why we dream and the evolutionary importance of dreaming, what predicts a good or bad dream, and if there are any types of universal dreams we al have, what fuels erotic dreams and what effects does porn have on our dreaming abilities and content, if there is any practical science behind lucid dreaming, the biggest myths about the brain and the best diets and exercises to keep your brain healthy, what role lifestyle really plays in cognitive decline and how much is genetic, and much more...

Timestamps:

(0:00) The Importance of Comfort in Your Working Environment

(5:09) Things You Believe are True But Can’t Prove

(10:13) Did Freud Get Anything Right About Dreams?

(13:41) Why Do We Dream?

(20:50) Why are We Conscious of Our Dreams?

(28:22) Why Do We Have Nightmares?

(35:51) Should We Remember Our Dreams?

(39:21) Do Our Dreams Correlate to Our Overall Health?

(41:20) How Real is Dream Interpretation?

(44:54) What Do We Know About Erotic Dreams?

(57:54) How Does Porn Effect Our Dreams?