Ep. 126 Breaking Bad Habits + The Science of Being Happy with Loretta Breuning

Almost 30 is all about tools, tricks, and insights that anyone can use to feel happier and more aligned as they navigate the big transitions in their life… but we’ve never really talked about WHY people feel happy. Like what’s going in these mammal brains of ours? So Lindsey + Krista sat down with Loretta Breuning, PhD, a professor, an author, and the Founder of The Inner Mammal Institute. Loretta teaches people how to build power over their mammalian brain chemistry and understand nature’s operating system.

Because if we understand the science of what’s happening when we form habits or feel a certain way, we have the power to manipulate those chemicals, rewire our brains, and ultimately, live a better life. Are you ready to make peace with your inner mammal?

 

We discuss…

 

• Early brain development
• Why it’s so difficult to create new neural pathways in our brains after puberty
• Our impulse to want more
• Serotonin, dopamine, oxytocin, & endorphin
• The medical model VS the animal world
• Ups + downs being NORMAL
• Do animals have memories like we do?
• Why the size of your brain directly correlates to the length of childhood (and the animal with the biggest brain)
• The amazing miracle of reproduction
• Breaking an addictive habit
• Getting back to neutral after experiencing trauma
• Endorphins + GABA
• Every single person being wired for an individual experience (and feeling a little different from the herd)

 

Resources:

• Learn more | innermammalinstitute.org
• Listen | The Happy Brain
• Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/LorettaBreuningPhD
• Twitter | @innermammal
• YouTube | youtube.com/c/InnerMammalInstitute
• Read | Habits of a Happy Brain: serotonin, dopamine, oxytocin, endorphin
• Read | The Science of Positivity
• Read | I, Mammal: make peace with the animal urge for social power
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