Feeling Empty? Arthur Brooks Has a Formula for a Meaningful Life

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1. 

   18 May 2026 · 29 min

   We're Lonelier Than Ever. Ritual Is the Answer.

   Rituals work. They help us make meaning, process transition, and connect with each other. That’s why we’ve been doing them for more than 300,000 years. So why, in this century, have we largely abandoned them? This week, bestselling author, repeat Hello Monday guest, and longtime friend Bruce Feiler joins us in the studio to talk about his new book, A Time to Gather: How Ritual Created the World and How It Can Save Us. Bruce traveled to 16 countries on six continents to explore why ritual matters and identify how we can bring it back into our everyday lives. In this episode: Why ritual is the…

2. 

   14 May 2026 · 40 min

   Feed Drop: WorkLife with Molly Graham

   You might think the biggest, most prestigious job is always the right career move. Patty Stonesifer — founding CEO of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and an early Amazon board member — says that’s exactly the wrong way to decide what to do next. So what should guide your career? In this special episode from WorkLife with Molly Graham, Patty shares the nine-word personal mission statement she’s used for decades to filter opportunities, turn down what doesn’t fit, and speak up for what matters. Patty shares how you can write your own, and even coaches Molly through creating hers in real…

3. 

   11 May 2026 · 30 min

   23,000 People Tried Moving Every 30 Minutes. Here's What Happened.

   We talk a lot about what technology is doing to our minds. But what about everything below the neck? This week, Jessi is joined by Manoush Zomorodi, host of NPR's TED Radio Hour and author of Body Electric: The Hidden Health Costs of the Digital Age, and New Science to Reclaim Your Wellbeing. Unfortunately, a killer workout or a standing desk won’t save us from the long-term health consequences of a sedentary lifestyle. But five minutes of gentle movement every half hour could. In fact, Manoush helped run a clinical trial with 23,000 people to prove it. Jessi and Manoush discuss: Why sitting…

4. 

   4 May 2026 · 29 min

   Feeling Powerless at Work? Here’s Where Your Agency Still Lives

   Work has always been demanding, but lately, it feels like the ground is constantly shifting. Business is moving faster, projects disappear overnight, expectations change without warning. Under pressure, teams see more tension and uncomfortable moments. So how do you stay steady through these times and even use workplace tensions to grow and improve? This week on Hello Monday, Jessi Hempel talks with Aiko Bethea, leadership coach and author of Anchored, Aligned, Accountable: A Framework for Transcending Bullsh*t and Transforming Our Lives. Aiko’s book comes with a forward from Brené Brown,…

5. 

   27 Apr 2026 · 28 min

   Jury Duty Creators on What Company Retreat Gets Right About Work

   Work can feel a little surreal. Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat makes that feeling literal. In this episode of Hello Monday, Jessi Hempel sits down with Lee Eisenberg, writer and co-creator of the Jury Duty franchise, and Nick Hatton, executive producer, to talk about the hit series. The show’s premise is simple but radical: one real person dropped into a completely staged world, surrounded by actors. In Company Retreat, that world is the workplace. Specifically, a hot sauce company navigating a looming acquisition in the midst of their annual retreat. Beneath the comedy, the show lands…

6. 

   15 Apr 2026 · 29 min

   How to Start Your Career When the Old Rules Don’t Apply

   Finding your path to a meaningful career has never felt more complicated. The job market is entirely unpredictable, AI is reading your resume, and entire industries seem to be disappearing. It’s a particularly uncertain moment to be entering the workforce for the first time. This week on Hello Monday, Jessi Hempel talks with Jodi Kantor about navigating the early years of a career. Jodi is one of the Pulitzer Prize–winning journalists who broke the Harvey Weinstein story, igniting the Me Too movement. Last year, she delivered a commencement speech to Columbia’s class of 2025, offering…

7. 

   6 Apr 2026 · 27 min

   Your Screen Is Changing Your Brain. Take Back Control, with Jonathan Haidt

   If you feel like your attention span has shrunk, you’re not imagining it. According to social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, our phones and social platforms have fundamentally reshaped childhood, work, and our ability to focus. In his bestselling book The Anxious Generation, Jon argues that the rise of smartphones and social media triggered what he calls the “great rewiring of childhood.” But the consequences extend far beyond kids. In this episode of Hello Monday, Jessi talks with Jon about what constant connectivity is doing to our minds,how we got here, and why reclaiming our attention may…

8. 

   30 Mar 2026 · 29 min

   Why We Quit Too Soon, and How to Keep Going

   Do you think of your beliefs as immutable facts? If so, you might be holding yourself back. In this episode of Hello Monday, Jessi Hempel sits down with Nir Eyal, bestselling author whose work sits at the intersection of psychology, technology, and human potential. His latest book, Beyond Belief, explores how the stories we tell ourselves shape our motivation, and how changing those stories can change our outcomes. In this conversation, Jessi and Nir explore how limiting beliefs take hold, why our brains default to helplessness, and how we can challenge the narratives that keep us stuck.…

9. 

   23 Mar 2026 · 28 min

   Why Women’s Health Is a Workplace Issue with Melinda French Gates and Regina Dugan

   Women spend nearly a decade more of their lives in poor health than men. It’s a gap that doesn’t just affect individuals, it holds back entire organizations. This week on Hello Monday, Jessi Hempel sits down with Melinda French Gates, philanthropist and founder of Pivotal, and Regina E. Dugan, President and CEO of Wellcome Leap, to unpack the health disparities impacting women at work, and explore what it will take to close them. Melinda and Regina both operate at the intersection of capital, science, and equity. Together, they are rethinking how we invest in women’s health, examining why…

10. 

    16 Mar 2026 · 28 min

    Think Like A Futurist: Respond, Don’t React

    AI is reshaping industries and jobs faster than most of us can keep up. But futurist Amy Webb argues we have more control over what lies ahead than we might think. In today’s episode, Jessi Hempel sits down with Amy, founder and CEO of the Future Today Strategy Group and one of the world’s leading experts on strategic foresight. For nearly two decades, Amy’s annual tech trends report has helped leaders understand what’s coming next, and what to do about it. Amy and Jessi explore the concept of creative destruction—the economic force that disrupts old systems to make room for new ones—and…