A Slight Change of Plans

Amanda Knox has spent a decade trying to move on after being wrongfully convicted of murder. But over the years, one question lingered - why had the lead prosecutor in her case, Giuliano Mignini, been so determined to vilify her? Recently, she made the bold decision to reach out and ask him herself. On today's show: Amanda tells me about confronting the man who helped put her behind bars.

Note: this is part two of a two-episode ser...

Amanda Knox was just 20 years old when she was found guilty of a crime she did not commit — the murder of her roommate. Amanda spent four years in an Italian prison before she was finally exonerated and allowed to return to her life back home in the U.S. But she soon discovered that that life didn’t exist anymore.

Note: this is part one of a two-episode series we’re running this month about Amanda Knox. It was rec...

Science writer Olga Khazan didn’t really like herself. A self-described neurotic, she tended to fixate on the negative. She assumed she’d always be this way, but then she came across research showing that personality is something you can change. In today's episode, Olga chronicles her year-long journey to "fix" her personality, and invites us to consider whether it’s truly possible to change who we are.

Try the pe...

Have you ever found yourself saying yes to something you really didn’t want to do?  Psychologist Sunita Sah is an expert on why it can be so difficult to say no, especially when our relationships or reputations are on the line. But there's good news! Defiance is actually a skill we can build if we understand the science behind it. Sunita shares a framework we can use in those challenging moments when we want to push back...

Psychologist Ethan Kross wants us to stop thinking about our emotions as either good or bad. Emotions carry valuable information, he says, and they are signals that can help us change our behavior. As an expert in the science of emotions, Ethan shares strategies we can use to reign in our negative emotions when they become more harmful than helpful. And he debunks a popular myth that the only healthy way to move past your negative ...

It’s February – AKA the month when, research shows, we start slipping on our New Year’s resolutions. And so, I’m re-sharing one of my favorite science episodes to help us all get back on track. Behavioral scientist Katy Milkman is an expert on how we can bridge the important gap between who we are right now and who we want to be. She shares a set of concrete, evidence-based strategies - like the fresh start ...

Trust is the glue that holds human connection together – but how do we earn it? Rachel Botsman, an expert on trust and human behavior, explores the subtle and powerful signals we send in relationships. Her new audiobook, How To Trust and Be Trusted, is full of insightful lessons, and today, we’re sharing one of our favorites: “How To Be a More Trustworthy Person.” Whether in work, friendships, or love, trust...

Welcome back, Slight Changers! 2025 has already been quite the year. Whew. Because so many of us are feeling overwhelmed, we in the Slight Change family produced a compilation episode with wisdom from our past guests about how we can rethink our inner voice and the sometimes negative things it tells us. This episode tackles topics like rumination, stress, and self-compassion. We each found this episode to be a helpful resource on a...

Charles Duhigg is a journalist who is interested in what makes for a good conversation. He talks to Maya about some science-backed techniques we can try to improve our conversational skills, including the art of asking deep questions.

To learn more, check out Charles' book, “Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection.” 

If you enjoyed this episode, you might like our episode with champion debater Bo Seo, "L...

Writer Safiya Sinclair grew up on the north coast of Jamaica in a Rastafari family. Her father was the head of the household and he made Safiya and her siblings follow a strict interpretation of Rastafari, a religious and social movement. But as Safiya grew older, living under her father’s rules became suffocating. She talks to Maya about how she broke free from her father's influence and charted her own path.

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We have a lot of misconceptions about young people and their developing brains, says psychologist David Yeager. It’s true that young people’s brains are underdeveloped, but that’s not the only factor behind their decision making. It’s also because they have different goals than adults. David argues that if we can better understand these goals, we can bridge the gap between young people and older people.

For more on David, check out...

Kristin Neff is a psychologist and the author of "Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself." Her pioneering research busts cultural myths about self-compassion and shows it’s an effective motivational tool. In this episode from the archives, Kristin talks with Maya about how to get past the idea that caring for ourselves is selfish and offers simple practices for being kinder to ourselves. 

If you enjoyed this ep...

For many years, writer Jennifer Romolini prided herself on her work ethic. She climbed to the top of every corporate ladder and worked 60 hours or more every week. But after an unexpected health crisis, Jennifer realized her ambition had turned toxic. Maya and Jennifer discuss the perils of aiming for a one-size-fits-all version of success and the benefits of redefining ambition for yourself. 

For more about Jennifer, check out her...

Soon after giving birth, writer Sarah Ruhl developed a severe case of facial paralysis. The left side of her face drooped, she couldn’t blink or raise her eyebrows, and she could no longer smile. Sarah shares what it was like to lose her smile and how her relationship to her face, and with her loved ones, has changed over the years. 

You can follow Maya @DrMayaShankar on Instagram.

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A few years ago, Maya experienced a heartbreaking change in her personal life, while on her way to trying to become a mom. Two days after it happened, she felt the need to process it out loud, like so many of her guests have done on her show. In this episode, Maya asked her producer, Tyler, to interview her about her own “Slight Change of Plans.”

You can follow Maya @DrMayaShankar on Instagram.

See omnystud...

Psychologist Jamil Zaki studies the science of human connection and he believes cynicism is holding us back. Cynicism isn't just harmful for our health, he says, it’s also misguided. He talks to Maya about a powerful, alternative mindset that can help: what he calls “hopeful skepticism.”

For more on hopeful skepticism, check out Jamil Zaki’s book “Hope for Cynics: The Surprising Science of Human Goodness.” 

See omnystudio.com/listen...

Sometimes, even when things go precisely as you hoped they would, change hurts. Writer Kelly Corrigan talks to Maya about wrestling with the reality that her daughters' childhood was ending, and that her role as their parent had to transition, too. In this conversation from the archives, Maya and Kelly reckon with the question of what parents and children owe each other.

For more on Kelly, check out her podcast, "Kelly Corrigan Won...

U.S. track star Gabby Thomas recently won three gold medals at the Paris Olympics. To celebrate, we’re sharing Maya’s conversation with Gabby that took place shortly after the athlete’s Olympic debut in Tokyo. Gabby explains why her relationship with running isn’t as straightforward as you might think, and how competing interests have continually led her to question whether running is the path she wants to pursue.

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