In today’s episode I sit down with professor Arthur Brooks to explore what actually makes a life feel meaningful in a culture obsessed with achievement, optimization, and measurable success. We talk about why happiness is more than a feeling, the difference between pain and suffering, how meaning is built through coherence, purpose, and significance, and why so many high achievers still feel empty. We discuss practical ways to resist the pressure to turn ourselves and our kids into “human doings,” and instead to just love ourselves are our children for who they are, not just for what they accomplish.

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In today's episode I sit down with professor Ann Masten to unpack what resilience actually means—and why it’s so often misunderstood. We explore her powerful definition of resilience as the capacity of a system to adapt to serious challenges, not just a personality trait or inner toughness. From everyday stress to real adversity, we discuss the difference between harmful trauma and growth-building challenges, and why kids need support—not perfection—to thrive. We talk about the “ordinary magic” of caring relationships, schools, communities, and cultural traditions, and why resilience is built through connection across multiple systems.

I WROTE MY FIRST BOOK! Order your copy of The Five Principles of Parenting: Your Essential Guide to Raising Good Humans Here: https://bit.ly/3rMLMsL

Subscribe to my free newsletter for parenting tips delivered straight to your inbox: https://dralizapressman.substack.com/

Follow me on Instagram for more:

@raisinggoodhumanspodcast

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Produced by Dear Media

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, I sit down with behavioral geneticist and professor Dr. Kathryn Paige Harden to talk about what behavioral genetics can actually tell us about our kids—and what it can’t. We unpack the reality of psychiatric risk, family history, and the limits of control, and why genes are not destiny. We discuss how thousands of tiny genetic differences shape mental health, why diagnoses are messier than we think, and how warmth and firm boundaries still matter more than any “magic bullet.”

I WROTE MY FIRST BOOK! Order your copy of The Five Principles of Parenting: Your Essential Guide to Raising Good Humans Here: https://bit.ly/3rMLMsL

Subscribe to my free newsletter for parenting tips delivered straight to your inbox: https://dralizapressman.substack.com/

Follow me on Instagram for more:

@raisinggoodhumanspodcast

Sponsors:

Ello: Visit ElloProducts.com/CleanStart and use code RGH at checkout for 20% off your first purchase

Brodo: Head to Brodo.com/HUMANS for 20% off your first subscription order and use code HUMANS for an additional $10 off

Ka'Chava: Go to https://kachava.com and use code HUMANS for 15% off your first order

Experian: Get started with the Experian App now!

Fora: Become a Fora Advisor today at Foratravel.com/HUMANS

Bloom: Go to bloomnu.com with code HUMANS for 20% off your first order

Produced by Dear Media

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.