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The Mental Fitness Podcast
Weekly conversations on the science of mental fitness, hosted by Dave Barney and Luke Olson.
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One idea, the research behind it, and one thing to try. Every week.
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Every conversation, newest first. Most come with a companion article and one practice to try.
58 episodes
Name It Before You Fix It: Why Finding the Right Word for a Feeling Changes Everything
Are You Living or Just on Autopilot? The Aliveness Audit and the Science of Vitality
Stop Drinking the Poison: The Science of Forgiveness, for Others and for Yourself
Are You Really an Introvert? Why Connection Is Trained, Not Inherited
Rough Patch or Something More: How to Tell When Your Mental Health Needs More Than Practice
The One More Question Rule: Why Connection Is a Skill, Not a Personality
Why Bad Poetry Heals | The Happiness Paradox, Perfectionism, and Writing as Mental Fitness
Why You’re Still Tired After 8 Hours of Sleep | The Batteries Sleep Can’t Fix
You Are Your Own Guru | Dr. Srini Pillay on Vitality, Stress, and Living Like You’re Alive
Music and Mood: How to Use Music for Emotional Regulation
You Are Not Your Brain | Dr. Caroline Leaf on Who’s Actually Driving
Awe: The Underrated Emotion That Changes Your Brain and Body
The Self-Awareness Trap | How to Bridge the Gap to Real Change
You Track Your Sleep and Steps. Why Not Your Mind? | 6 Signals of Mental Fitness
Willpower Is a Muscle You Grow by Choosing Hard Things | The Science of the AMCC
The Perfectionism Trap | Why Trying to Be Perfect Makes You Worse
When Toughness Isn’t Enough | A Navy SEAL on Mental Fitness
You’re Not Lazy | The Neuroscience of Procrastination
Why You Never Pause Long Enough to Grow | The Neuroscience of Reflection
Why You Can’t Stop Overthinking | The Neuroscience of Rumination
The Truth About Anxiety, Habits, and Why Willpower Fails with Dr. Judson Brewer
Building Lasting Confidence | The Real Way to Build Mental Strength
The Toughest Guy in the Room | The Truth About Strength with Dean Alverson
How to Rewire Your Brain’s Habits | The Neuroscience Behind Consistency
Mental Health vs Mental Fitness | Building Emotional Awareness Daily
Sleep Better, Think Sharper | Dr. Sara Mednick on How Recovery Rewires Your Brain
Creating a Meaningful Life | How to Find Meaning Through Hardship
Movement is Improvement | The Mental Benefits of Physical Activity
Surviving Isn’t Thriving | Redefining Resilience with Lindsay Schiess
Why Writing Heals the Mind | Expressive Writing and Emotional Clarity with Dr. James Pennebaker
Increasing Your Capacity | The Key to Sustainable Mental Resilience
Mental Fitness 101 | Six Months of Habits that Build Emotional Resilience
The Emotional Intelligence Playbook | What Your Emotions Are Really Telling You
Reclaiming Your Mental Focus | The Neuroscience Behind Screens with Dr. Dan Lathan
Finding Connection in Loneliness | How to Navigate Growth Without Losing Yourself
When Excellence Has a Cost | Performance, Pressure, and Identity with Brian Goodell
How to Improve Your Sleep Hygiene | A Practical Look at Sleep with Dr. Jade Wu
Finding Confidence After Setbacks | The Mental Toll of Athletic Performance with Joshua Aruya- A Smarter Way to Start the Year | How to Make Goals That Sustain Long-Term Change
The Third Pillar of Mental Fitness | Health and Vitality
Connection to Others | The Second Pillar of Mental Fitness
Connection to Self | The First Pillar of Mental Fitness
Rebuilding the Self: From Olympic Glory to Personal Recovery
Connection to Self, Connection to Others, and Health and Vitality | The Three Pillars of Mental Fitness
Beyond Thanksgiving: The Science of Gratitude with Todd Olson
Can AI Cure Loneliness? The Promise and Peril of Digital Companions with Br33 Jon3s
Food, Mood, and the Mind: How Nutrition Shapes Mental Health with Dr. David Wiss
Time, Trust, and True Care: Rebuilding Healthcare From the Inside Out
Burnout vs. Depression: How to Recover, Recharge, and Build Real Resilience
When the Game Ends | Finding Identity Beyond the Field with Sae Tautu
Small is Bigger, Slow is Faster: Nervous System Wisdom with Todd Olson
Teens, Technology, and Resilience with Dr. Jenna McGinnis
Code Switching, Identity, and Mental Fitness with Dr. Kimberly Applewhite
Sleep, Mental Fitness, and Everyday Resilience with Dr. Jade Wu
What Is Mental Fitness? Building Strength for the Modern World
From Tech to Mental Health: The Story Behind ElizaChat- Welcome to the The Mental Fitness Podcast