Figuring Out...Decisions in Love

When you think about travel, the first decisions that might come to mind are, “how much time can I get off work?” and “where should I go next?” But are these the most important questions to ask? Philosophical traveler and best-selling author, Eric Weiner, pushes us to think further about our decisions in travel in our final episode of Season 1 for Figuring It Out. Our conversation leads to the creation of a new industry - travel therapy - and introduces philosophical concepts that turn the question of “where do I want to travel next?” into “who do I want to be next?” Eric Weiner is author of the New York Times bestsellers The Geography of Bliss and The Geography of Genius, as well as the critically acclaimed Man Seeks God and The Socrates Express: In Search of Life Lessons from Dead Philosophers. For more information, visit: EricWeinerBooks.com. That’s a wrap on Season 1! Thanks for listening - please share with us in reviews what your favorite episodes were and what you want to hear about most next season.  Until next time...follow us online as we’ll continue to share the best research and stories behind life’s toughest decisions. Website: www.howidecided.com Instagram: @figuringitout.show

Today’s episode shows the link between trust and decision-making, and how we can use that information to create extraordinary experiences in our life. You’ll learn about how oxytocin affects trust and morality, why all our brains are a little weird, and the secret behind creating and enjoying truly immersive experiences. Dr. Paul Zak is a scientist, entrepreneur, and author of several books such as “The Moral Molecule” and “Trust Factor: The Science of Building High-Performance Organizations.” He was part of the team of scientists that first made the connection between oxytocin and trust – his TED talk on the topic has received more than 1.4 million views. Paul researches and teaches at Claremont Graduate University, and is the founder of Immersion Neuroscience, the first Neuroscience-As-A-Service platform. His newest book is called “Immersion: The Science of the Extraordinary and Source of Happiness.” Follow Figuring It Out for more decision-making finds from across the web: Website: www.howidecided.com Instagram: @figuringitout.show

On this episode of Figuring It Out, Lindsay speaks with a behavioral scientist, a psychedelic educator, and an herbalist about why they decided to explore holistic modalities to improve their physical and mental health, and what they learned along the way. You'll hear three stories that feature insights from scientific and indigenous research. Guest experts include Amanda Efthimiou and Vanessa Chakour. Amánda Efthimiou advises on the principles of integrating altered states of consciousness using methodologies for psychedelic integration. She earned her MSc in Neuroscience from King’s College London and is on the Board of Directors for the foundation El Puente.  Vanessa Chakour is the founder of Sacred Warrior and author of Awakening Artemis. Follow Figuring It Out for more decision-making finds from across the web:  Website: www.howidecided.com Instagram: @figuringitout.show

Today’s episode explores a fundamental question: is love a choice? And if so, how do we find more of it, build it to last, and learn to let it go when it’s time? We’re talking with journalist Natasha Lunn about her journey to understand how relationships work and evolve over a lifetime. In her book Conversations on Love (grown out of her newsletter by the same name), Natasha turns to authors and experts to learn about their experiences. In our conversation today, we talk about the choices and trade-offs required to bring more love into our daily life. Follow Figuring It Out for the best decision-making finds from across the web: Website: www.howidecided.com Instagram: @figuringitout.show

Addiction in any form can impact decision-making in more ways than you may think. What would you do if forced to choose between the life you know vs. the life you could have? Research has shown that addictive behaviors are symptoms of decision-making processes that fail to take into account long-term consequences of actions. These thinking errors can create unwanted challenges for finding clarity and making healthy choices. This episode features the story of author and recovery advocate Ed Kressy, who entered long-term recovery after a history of battling drug addiction. We discuss the impact of addiction on decisions and how his choice to find sobriety led him to a place he never could have imagined. You can get a copy of Ed's book My Addiction & Recovery on Amazon, which best-selling author Seth Godin called "personal and beautifully written...a story of redemption, possibility and the power of a second chance." Follow Figuring It Out for more decision-making finds from across the web: Website: www.howidecided.com Instagram: @figuringitout.show

Interest in sabbaticals and nomadic living has surged in recent years. How do you know if it’s the right next step for you? In this episode, we’ll talk with happiness expert Alienor Salmon about her decision to leave a successful career researching happiness at the UN to find and practice her own joy through dance. Figuring It Out listeners get an exclusive 20% discount on Alienor’s self-guided Redefine Your Happiness course. Visit www.bailandojourney.com/happiness and use the code FIGUREITOUT at checkout. Follow Figuring It Out for the best decision-making finds from across the web: Website: www.howidecided.com Instagram: @figuringitout.show

We’ve entered an era where the pursuit of personal growth is prompting some people to question the nature of family and other long held relationships. Deciding who we keep in our life can have a direct impact on happiness, but it doesn't always feel like the decision is ours to make. In some parts of the world, this is starting to change. In this episode of Figuring It Out, we explore one of the toughest decisions of them all - what to do when a close personal relationship no longer serves you. I’m speaking with entrepreneur and composer, Joachim Brackx, who talks about his decision of whether or not to continue speaking with his mother. Joachim walks us through his own personal journey, sharing key insights he’s picked up along the way about how to better relate to himself and others. To hear more from Joachim, head to www.relatingtoself.com.  Follow Figuring It Out for more decision-making finds from across the web: Website: www.howidecided.com  Instagram: @figuringitout.show

In this episode, we’ll hear from people who decided to leave their homes in Ukraine to seek safety, and those who opened their doors to offer it. Over the last few months, the world came together to support those impacted by the war in Ukraine. And yet four months in, millions of refugees and asylum seekers continue to reckon with how to find work, learn new languages, pay for housing, and support their family at home. Our story begins with Lilia and Nikol, two young women who left Ukraine for safety. Today they balance worrying for their family back home with the unexpected sense of adventure that comes from exploring a new land. We’ll also also hear from Yoithi and Sally-Anne, who sprang into action to turn their homes into safe spaces of refuge. Finally, we’ll hear from Chi, a student who traveled from Nigeria to Ukraine to pursue his dream of education, only to have to leave 2 months after arriving. We’ll learn the surprising ways fighting for survival can impact decision-making, and what helping others in their moment of need can teach us about ourselves. For more ways you can help, visit these resources recommended by today’s guests: Lilia | UAnimals:Creating opportunities for rescuing animals in Ukraine Chi | University GoFundMe: Support Chi’s schooling fees via GoFundMe Sally-Anne & Nikol | Refugees At Home: Matches refugees with free spare rooms in England Subscribe for more Figuring It Out insights at www.howidecided.com or follow us on Instagram at @figuringitout.show

You know that feeling when you’re stuck on a decision and can't seem to find the answer? You might be trying to answer for the wrong thing. On the first episode of Figuring It Out, we’ll begin our journey by understanding why decision-making is so hard to begin with…and what we can do about it. We’ll explore the reasons why we get stuck, and which tools can help us get ahead. This episode features Britt Frank, a clinician, educator and trauma specialist committed to breaking the mental health myths that keep us feeling stuck. Britt is the author of Science of Stuck, a deeply thoughtful and practical guide that educates, empowers, and equips readers to transform even their most long-standing patterns of thinking and doing. Connect with Britt on Instagram @brittfrank and her website, scienceofstuck.com Follow Figuring It Out for more stories and insights: Website: www.howidecided.com Instagram: @figuringitout.show

Introducing the Figuring It Out Podcast, conversations on life's toughest decisions and how we make them. Join Lindsay Strouse as she explores the stories and expert insights behind the courageous people taking bold leaps of faith in their quest to figure out this one crazy life.