Species are vanishing, oceans are turning hostile, and people feel more alone than ever. In today's episode, I look at what's really happening in the natural world and in us. Plus: a short break announcement. New episodes return mid-to-late September.

Things covered in this episode;

Q: Why are there more shark attacks and whale-boat incidents lately?
A: Marine biologists point to shifting migration patterns, warmer waters, and in orcas' case, possible learned behaviour spreading between pods, a sign of ecosystems under stress rather than random chance.

Q: Is loneliness actually getting worse?
A: Yes, loneliness and low mood have risen across most developed nations even as digital "connection" has increased, suggesting the two aren't the same thing.

Q: What is the "sixth extinction"?
A: A term used by scientists to describe the current rate of species loss, which rivals the five previous mass extinctions in Earth's history, this one driven by human activity.

Q: What's one small thing a person can actually do?
A: Act small and local; a clean-up, checking on a neighbour, supporting an existing conservation effort, rather than trying to solve the whole problem alone, which tends to lead to paralysis instead of action. This is what i'm doing.

Q: Is the Inside Out Smile podcast on a break?
A: Yes. I'm is taking a short break after this episode and will be back with new episodes in mid-to-late September.

With peace and love always,

Amber

xoxo

In today's episode, I chat about one of my fave TV shows. What happens when you rewatch a show you've loved since you were younger and suddenly feel it differently? In this episode, I talk about revisiting thirtysomething, a show I fell in love with at the pilot and have watched through dental school, and ever since. Seeing the actors age in real time cracked open something bigger: today, a reflection on how short life actually is, how our bodies age no matter what we do, and what it means to live with real presence instead of denial so we can experience true joy.

Here's the video I mentioned,it's the perspective of a mulim undertaker :

https://youtu.be/RH75dA1-DJc?is=X1GKoq3UrHZ9-XcP

If you enjoy this episode please rate, review and/or share! Thank you!

With peace and love always,

Amber

xoxo

Have you noticed people seem harder to deal with lately? Shorter tempers, less patience, less awareness of anyone else in the room? You're not imagining it and it's not that people are becoming worse. In this episode, I break down why human interaction feels so much harder right now, using two real moments from my own week: 2 strangers who walked straight through my personal space on a busy common when the rest of it was empty, and a friend's story about rising tension at work.

I unpack what i believe are the real reasons behind this shift, cognitive overload, the loss of everyday in-person social practice, stress narrowing our attention, and a social contract that's become far less explicit than it used to be.

Then I offer a reframe: what looks like difficulty in other people is often depletion, not character. And I share two practical shifts, one for how you interpret other people's behaviour, and one for checking your own capacity, that change how these everyday frictions land.

If you've been wondering why people feel more difficult, ruder, or more self-absorbed lately, this episode gives you the psychology behind it and a way to navigate it that doesn't leave you resentful or drained.

With peace and love always,

Amber

xoxo