The Other Side of Change - by Maya Shankar (Hardcover)

About the Book

"A moving, revelatory exploration of the ways we can find meaning in the tumult of change, from a renowned cognitive scientist and host of the podcast A Slight Change of Plans. Life has a way of thwarting our best-laid plans. Out of nowhere you lose a job, end a relationship, get an unexpected diagnosis, or suffer some other trick of fate. When your world is turned upside down like this, it can feel like you're free-falling into the unknown. Maya Shankar has spent decades researching people's interior lives. When an unexpected change in her life left her feeling isolated and despondent, she was convinced she must have missed something. Had others figured out how to do change better? She sought out people who had undergone life-altering, extraordinary change and asked them to tell her everything. The process of listening deeply as others recounted their experiences led her to surprising insights that can help us all better navigate personal upheaval. She shares their intimate, illuminating stories: a mother afraid to connect with her critically ill child, an incarcerated man searching for a new path forward, a writer muted by the shame of a family secret. Each had to recognize that they were shackled by a particular way of thinking before they were able to find a different perspective that unlocked new and freeing possibilities. They realized that the ideas they had long taken for granted-about how the world works, about themselves, about where they found meaning or safety-could be radically reconsidered. Drawing on the latest scientific research, Shankar invites us to explore who we can become on the other side of seismic change. With the right perspective, what begins as a destabilizing and frightening experience has the potential to set off a process of discovery that can crack open a deeper understanding of who we are and the potential within us"-- Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

A revelatory exploration of how we can find meaning in the tumult of change, from a renowned cognitive scientist and host of the critically acclaimed podcast A Slight Change of Plans

Life has a way of thwarting our best-laid plans. Out of nowhere, we're confronting the end of a relationship, an unexpected diagnosis, the loss of a job, or some other twist of fate. In these moments, it can feel like we're free-falling into the unknown.

As a cognitive scientist, Maya Shankar has spent decades studying the human mind. When an unwanted change in her own life left her reeling, she sought out people who had navigated major disruptions. In The Other Side of Change, Shankar tells their riveting, singular stories and weaves in scientific insights to illuminate universal lessons hidden within them. The result is a rich portrait of our complex reactions to change and a deep well of wisdom we can draw from during these experiences.

Shankar invites us to rethink our relationship with change altogether. When a big change happens to us, it can lead to profound change within us. The unique stresses and demands of being thrust into a new reality can lead us to uncover new abilities, perspectives, and values, transforming us in extraordinary ways. What if we saw moments of upheaval as an opportunity to reimagine who we can be, rather than as something to just endure? What potential could we unlock within ourselves?

Whether you're processing a past change, grappling with a present one, or bracing for a future one, this book is a wise and thought-provoking companion to help you discover who you can become on the other side of change.

Review Quotes

"The Other Side of Change is a rare combination of beautiful storytelling, cognitive science, and wholehearted wisdom. How lucky are we to have Maya walk with us through the unexpected and often uninvited moments that shape who we are and how we make our way through the world."
--Brené Brown, Ph.D., bestselling author of Atlas of the Heart and Daring Greatly

"The book we all need when life knocks us sideways. This is your guide to finding strength in the mess, clarity in the chaos, and a version of yourself you never saw coming. Smart, deeply moving, and grounded in science--it will change how you see change."
--Mel Robbins, bestselling author of The Let Them Theory

"Maya Shankar has written a moving and powerful book about a challenge that all of us will or have faced. What happens when our carefully laid plans and deeply held expectations go awry? I loved The Other Side of Change."
--Malcolm Gladwell, bestselling author of Blink and Outliers

"Having faced the bewildering wreckage of an aftermath, I can't recommend this book highly enough. Weaving together accounts of quaking forces cleaving life into before and after with science-backed techniques for rebuilding, Maya has penned a tender, helpful companion for all of us."
--Suleika Jaouad, bestselling author of Between Two Kingdoms and Book of Alchemy

"A wise and poignant read for our turbulent times. With powerful stories and practical science, Maya examines how we find purpose after adversity and possibility under uncertainty."
--Adam Grant, bestselling author of Think Again and Hidden Potential

About the Author

Maya Shankar is a cognitive scientist and creator of the podcast A Slight Change of Plans, previously named "Best Show of the Year" by Apple. She served as a senior policy advisor in the Obama White House, where she founded and chaired the Social and Behavioral Sciences Team. She was also appointed as the first behavioral science advisor to the United Nations. Maya has a BA from Yale and a PhD from Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in cognitive neuroscience at Stanford. She has been profiled by The New Yorker, has been a guest on NPR, CBS Mornings, and Today, and was featured as a neuroscience expert on National Geographic's Limitless with Chris Hemsworth. She is a former violin student of Itzhak Perlman at Juilliard. Maya lives with her husband in California.