THE KEY TO HAPPINESS
Moving Beyond “Us and them” Feelings
WOODBOURNE, November 2021– A poll from the U.S. News & World Report shows that more than 80% of Americans believe that our country is severely divided along racial, ethnic, and political lines.
According to acclaimed local author, Dr. Richard Gillett, these divisions between people cause us a great deal of unhappiness. Whatever personal or political adversarial scenario you are involved in, he writes, you have a natural emotional reaction to being in a us-vs-them situation—whichever side you are on—and this emotional reaction costs you your peace of mind.
The good news, says Dr. Gillett, is that even when society is slow to change in the ways it should, we do not have to suffer! In the first season of his new podcast, “SuperPower Curiosity,” just published and available now, Dr. Gillett reveals ways we can feel so much better while living in a divided country with its endless political battles, prejudices, and fake news. Season One is based on Gillett’s #1 bestselling book and recently published audiobook of the same name: “IT’S A FREAKIN’ MESS: How to Thrive in Divisive Times.”
According to Distinguished Professor Allan J. Katz, J.D., former U.S. Ambassador to Portugal, “Richard Gillett… [shows] not only how tribalism is bad for the country but how as individuals we add to our personal suffering. He shows the way each of us can not only feel better but can help us reunite as a community and a country.”
“Yes, it’s a freakin’ mess out there,” Dr. Gillett says, “but we don’t need to be. And when we’re not, we are not only happier; we also have a greater chance of being effective in changing our society for the better.”
The purpose of the podcast, says Dr. Gillett, is to
• share radically informative talks and fascinating conversations with out-of-the-box experts.
• explore what happens when we shine the light of our innate curiosity on our own minds, our relationships with each other, and the broader trends in society.
• find the secrets of why we think and feel and act as we do, and how we can develop more inspiring thoughts, more enjoyable feelings and more meaningful actions—whatever situation we are in.
Author, physician, psychiatrist, and podcaster, Dr. Richard Gillett received his medical degree from Cambridge University, England, and is a member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. During the last 35 years, Dr. Gillett has led hundreds of workshops and trainings for teachers and organizations in the U.S., Europe, and Asia. He has been interviewed multiple times on radio and TV, including on “Good Day New York.”
He was also featured in full length articles in “Cosmopolitan,” “Men’s Fitness” and “Woman’s World.” Dr. Gillett is the author of two previous books: “Overcoming Depression” (Penguin, sold in nine countries and seven languages) and “Change Your Mind, Change Your World” (Simon and Schuster). In 1991, he settled in New York state, where he was granted residency as a “professional of extraordinary ability” before he naturalized as a U.S. citizen. He currently lives in Woodbourne with his wife, not far from their two sons and their families.
You can get Dr. Gillett’s new podcast through doctorgillett.com/podcast and his book or audiobook through itsafreakinmess.com.