“I Felt Like an Alien Impersonating Myself”
March 17, 2026
Rachel Gross experienced a stroke in May 2024 that affected her cerebellum, leading to a profound feeling of being a stranger to herself as automatic functions became conscious and effortful.
The Cost of Being the Strong One
March 10, 2026
The intense need to be seen as valuable and visible, stemming from an invisible childhood, drove Christy Warren to excel in high-stakes first responder roles, where she excelled under pressure by suppressing difficult emotions.
Finding Satisfaction in a World of Endless Choice
March 3, 2026
The conventional framework of rational choice theory, which demands quantification of all options and probabilities, is catastrophically bad for real-world decision-making because it overvalues easily quantifiable dimensions and ignores psychic costs like regret.
Brené Brown and Maya Talk “Heated Rivalry,” Mental Spirals, and Moral Beauty
February 25, 2026
We should anchor our self-identity to our fundamental 'why' (e.g., emotional connection) rather than solely to what we do (e.g., being a violinist), as roles and labels are subject to change and loss.
The Invisible Weight of Olympic Gold
February 17, 2026
Missy Franklin's experience shifted dramatically between her 2012 and 2016 Olympics, moving from a place of pure passion to one burdened by the pressure of defending her success and having swimming become her entire identity.
How to Accept the Messiness of Love
February 10, 2026
Rigid relationship "templates" based on societal norms or expectations can hinder deeper love and connection by causing couples to compare their actual relationship against a hypothetical ideal.
The Life-Changing Impact Of Showing People They Matter
February 3, 2026
Mattering is defined as the dual feeling of being valued by others and having an opportunity to contribute value, creating a virtuous cycle where feeling valued increases contribution, and contribution increases feeling valued.
Michael Lewis and Maya Talk “The Other Side of Change”
January 27, 2026
The central theme of Maya's work, spanning her podcast *
How To Be Happier This Year
January 20, 2026
Happiness is defined by two components: the affective state (ratio of positive to negative emotions) and the cognitive evaluation (satisfaction with how life is going), which can dissociate.
A Sneak Preview Of Maya’s New Book
January 13, 2026
Major life disruptions, like the one experienced by Olivia Lewis, can shatter the illusion of control and force individuals to confront profound internal changes.
A Quick Message from Maya
December 12, 2025
The host, Maya, is promoting her upcoming book, "The Other Side of Change," which blends cognitive science and personal narratives to help navigate life's inflection points.
Why It’s Never Too Late To Bet On Yourself
December 1, 2025
Courage is a learned behavior, not an inherent trait, and can be developed through small, consistent steps in the desired direction.
The People-Pleaser’s Recovery Guide
November 17, 2025
People-pleasing often originates as a brilliant, albeit maladaptive, safety mechanism developed in childhood to cope with emotional instability or threat, often manifesting as the 'fawn response.'
How to Stay Hopeful (When It Feels Impossible)
November 3, 2025
Cynicism, defined as the belief that humanity is fundamentally selfish and greedy, is often mistakenly perceived as wisdom or safety, but research shows it correlates with poorer health outcomes and reduced social engagement.
Malala, On Losing Herself
October 20, 2025
Malala Yousafzai felt immense pressure to maintain a heroic public persona after her attack, leading her to neglect her personal identity and self-discovery during her adolescence and early adulthood.
What If Finding Community Wasn't So Hard?
October 6, 2025
Building stronger connection and community is achieved through small, intentional actions, not necessarily by adding more to one's to-do list, such as spending five minutes daily reaching out or performing one small act of help.
Maya’s Launching Something New This Fall!
October 1, 2025
Maya is launching an exclusive Ambassadors Program in the lead-up to the January 13th release of her book, *
An ICU Doctor Revisits Her Dream
September 22, 2025
The intense demands of medical residency, compounded by personal tragedy and a global pandemic, can lead to severe physical and mental health deterioration, forcing individuals to re-evaluate their life's path.
How To Talk About Hard Things
September 8, 2025
Hard conversations are essential for processing challenges and strengthening relationships, even when uncomfortable.