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Hi, this is Dacre Keltner. Welcome to Happiness Break, a series from the Science of Happiness,

where we take a few minutes in the day to do a practice that's been supported by science

to find greater meaning and happiness and purpose in our lives. Today we're going to do a practice

that you might call Circle of Care or Support in honor

of the philosopher Peter Singer from Princeton University who wrote about expanding the

Circle of Care in 1981.

We know from the scientific literature that a sense of support really brings good things to

us in terms of well-being.

Just feeling supported lowers levels of cortisol. It activates regions of the brain that

bring us a sense of safety, and then it helps us handle stress and feel greater purpose.

And expanding the circle of care or support makes us aware of all the people who are supporting

us in myriad ways from friends to family members to mentors, strangers on the streets, acquaintances.

And they do it in different ways and give us different things. And this practice is bringing that

into our awareness in this moment, given all the scientific

...