Leah's been spending a lot of time with family during the holidays, and she's finding it difficult to balance being around so many people (and opinions) and making space for her "me time." She and Ofosu talk with psychologist Todd Kashdan about the importance of alone time, how to set expectations with others, and how to mentally prepare yourself for the influx of holiday gatherings. 📣 Share your word of the year for 2023 at https://sayhi.chat/wellbalanced  ▶️ You can watch the latest episode on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/64xM4EXBekE 📚 More about Todd Kashdan: Todd is a professor of psychology and the director of the Well-Being Laboratory at George Mason University. He's a leading expert on the psychology of well-being, curiosity, mental flexibility, and social relationships, and he's passionate about translating science into practical tips to help improve our everyday lives. You can order Todd's latest book, "The Art of Insubordination," here: https://www.amazon.com/Art-Insubordination-Dissent-Defy-Effectively/dp/0593420888 🎧 More of what's in this episode: (00:00) Leah and Ofosu share how they feel about socializing during the holidays (01:52) Meet Todd Kashdan (02:33) Recognizing when you need space before you're overwhelmed (03:07) How to let others know you need "me time” (06:46) Preparing for conversations about tense topics (08:00) Tip 1 — The discomfort caveat and Julia Minson’s research (09:00) Tip 2 —The importance of curiosity in tough conversations (10:13) What it means to be a defensive pessimist (14:05) Final takeaways and thoughts on “permission” (16:08) What’s giving Todd life right now? (17:38) Send us your word of the year for 2023! 🧘 About Balance: Well Balanced is co-hosted by Ofosu and Leah, Balance’s Co-Heads of Meditation. Balance is a highly personalized meditation and sleep app that's been named Google's App of the Year and Apple's App of the Day. Completely free for the entire first year, Balance is helping 4 million+ people around the world improve their stress, sleep, focus, and mood. Unlock your free year of Balance today by downloading it from the App Store or Play Store: https://balanceapp.sng.link/Arat1/h3qp/icji