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The mindbodygreen Podcast

528: How to have a more resilient brain | Sue Varma, M.D., board-certified psychiatrist

The mindbodygreen Podcast

mindbodygreen

Alternative Health, Health & Fitness

4.52.1K Ratings

🗓️ 19 February 2024

⏱️ 55 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

“You don't have to stop. Sometimes you just need to pause, recalibrate, and reassess what the options are," says Sue Varma, M.D. Sue, a board-certified psychiatrist, joins us to discuss how to cultivate incredible resilience and growth, plus: - What is practical optimism? (~00:04) - How to approach circumstances you have no control over (~03:41) - The role of hope & faith (~06:42) - Why toxic positivity sets us up for failure (~08:35) - Sue’s take on manifestation (~10:06) - The power of being alone, not lonely (~14:06) - The 8 pillars of practical optimism (~16:23) - Why we should all be social snacking (~22:06) - What happens when we don’t feel seen (~26:07) - How to identify your purpose (~30:03) - How to measure your level of optimism (~31:45) - How much of the population is actually optimistic? (~36:38) - Sue’s 4 M’s of mental health (~39:37) - What to do when you start to negatively spiral (~42:55) - How to start a worry diary (~45:11) - Why women report higher stress levels (~46:17) - The optimistic future of women’s sports (~48:57) - How optimism leads to exceptional longevity (~52:51) Visit shop.mindbodygreen.com/whey20 to get 20% off whey protein isolate+. Cannot combine with gift cards or other discount codes. Referenced in the episode: - Sue's book, Practical Optimism: The Art, Science, and Practice of Exceptional Well-Being - mbg Podcast episode #, with Michael Easter - A study on mild electric shock vs. being alone - Research on conversations with strangers & happiness - A study showing 25% of optimism is genetic - A NYT article about Sue's salsa dancing - Harvard adult development study on relationships & health We hope you enjoy this episode, and feel free to watch the full video on YouTube! Whether it's an article or podcast, we want to know what we can do to help here at mindbodygreen. Let us know at: podcast@mindbodygreen.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

Welcome to the My Buddy Green podcast. I'm Jason Walkib, founder and co-ceeo of My Buddy Green and your host.

0:07.0

If you're a listener of this show, you know how critical maintaining lean muscle mass is as you age and that's why I am so

0:16.1

excited that we've launched our grass-fed way protein isolate plus in vanilla and chocolate. It is clean and pure grass-fed

0:25.9

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0:31.6

including lusine, the critical amino acid, which you need to maintain

0:38.6

and build lean muscle mass.

0:41.0

I take our protein powder twice a day, every day. I love it and I know you will too.

0:47.6

So go to shop.mymbody green.com backslash way 20 to get 20% off your first order of grass-fed way protein isolate

0:59.3

plus. We've talked a lot on the show about the role your mindset plays in your overall longevity.

1:05.6

People with a positive outlook on life tend to live longer lives, but you don't need to tip the scales too far here.

1:11.8

Toxic positivity won't do you any favors but practical

1:15.6

optimism is how you want to proceed. Today we have Dr. Sue Varma to explain how to

1:21.0

strengthen your practical optimism muscles.

1:24.0

She's a board certified psychiatrist and a clinical assistant professor of psychiatry at NYU Langone Health.

1:31.0

She was also the first medical director and attending psychiatrist to the

1:34.1

World Trade Center Mental Health Program at NYU Langone, treating civilians and

1:38.8

first responders in the aftermath of 9-11. Since then she's learned more than a few things about how to cultivate

1:45.7

incredible resilience and growth. We talk about manifesting purpose, social snacking,

1:51.2

and so much more, you don't want to miss it.

1:54.0

So practical optimism rather than just plain old optimism.

1:59.2

Yes.

2:00.0

So you know a lot of times people think of optimism as woo-woo, toxic positivity, and the difference is that practical

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