10 Brilliant Lessons We Learned From Teach Me Something New
Thanks to Brit's endless curiosity about just about everything, we've learned so much from her podcast, Teach Me Something New. Seasons one and two had so many amazing insights from inspirational guests that included entrepreneurs, actors, chefs, psychologists, and more, so we thought we'd recap some of our favorite learnings for you. Oh, and it's never too late to go back and binge the episodes you missed before season three drops in January 2021.
Acting for Everyday Life with Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher
Brit kicked off the very first episode of Teach Me Something New with one of Hollywood's favorite couples, Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis. They helped translate a number of acting tricks into skills we can put into practice everyday, whether as parents, at work, and beyond. One such lesson you'll want to hear more about is how Ashton encourages us to suspend our own self-judgment so it doesn't get in the way of showing up as our authentic selves in everything we do.
Boobs and Bras with ThirdLove's Heidi Zak
Heidi Zak has revolutionized the bra industry with ThirdLove by expanding undergarment sizing to be inclusive of 80 different sizes, half-sizes included. On this episode, she breaks down the perfect bra fit (which spoiler, is when your bra is snug while fastened on the loosest hook and only allows for one finger to fit under the band), the life cycle of a bra (9 to 12 months if you wear it almost daily), and how many bras you should actually own (most women own about 10 but only wear one to two).
Cooking 101 with Rachael Ray
Rachael Ray's approachable cooking style takes the intimidation factor out of the kitchen and has inspired a whole generation of at-home chefs. In this episode, she teaches us the most essential kitchen tools and gadgets for different dietary preferences (e.g. a cast-iron skillet is a must-have for meat eaters), how to make meal prep faster, and the trick for getting kids to eat their veggies. One tip is that kids should be in the kitchen and/or grocery shopping with you from just about infancy so they see food and experience the collaborative aspect of cooking. By simply allowing them to pick a color in the produce aisle to help you shop, they feel invested in the food from the time they begin speaking. Rachael also recommends making a mess in the kitchen to let kids see the beauty and the joy of providing for one's self and their family.
Living Authentically with Glennon Doyle
Activist, philanthropist, and New York Times best-selling author Glennon Doyle knows what it takes to break the mold of what the world wants you to be to live out your true purpose. In this episode, she teaches us how to tap back into our curiosity, hunger, and desire to live more authentically. She also shares how somewhere between the ages of 7 and 12, we all start to internalize social norms and conditioning based on how we're supposed to behave if we're a girl, a Christian, an American, etc. Once we start to recognize all the messages we've been internalizing since birth, we can more readily dismantle patriarchal norms and rediscover our true selves.
Therapy 101 with Lori Gottlieb
While we've made great strides as a society to be more willing to talk about therapy, there's still plenty of stigma and misconceptions around the topic. That's why psychotherapist Lori Gottlieb joined the podcast to teach us about the benefits of therapy. She also explains the difference between idiot compassion, which is what most friends do (you're right! that's terrible!), and wise compassion, which is what therapists do. "We hold up a mirror and help you see something about yourself that maybe you haven't been willing or able to see and that's the part that's so important," says Gottlieb.
Meditation with Light Watkins
With 20 years of meditation experience, Light Watkins was the perfect guest to teach us the ins and outs of meditation and how it can benefit us all. In the episode, he stressed the importance of building meditation into your daily routine, like brushing your teeth. He tells Brit and Anj, "Meditation brings a level of awareness that allows you to see more connections, read the room better, and see cause and effect better which will pay off in business, in relationships, even understanding yourself and what you're going through."
Interior Design and Aesthetics with Justina Blakeney
Designer Justina Blakeney is a Jill-of-all-trades creative known for her bold, bohemian style. She joined the podcast to share how you, too, can identify your signature aesthetic (hint: Pinterest boards are key!) and what interior design rules are meant to be broken. One guiding question you should ask yourself as you embark on an interior design project is what activity do you want the room to facilitate? Is it a place you want to read, sleep in, home school your kid in...? Pinpointing the functionality you need from a space will help guide your design choices.
Women's Health with Dr. Kenosha Gleaton
We all have pressing, sometimes embarrassing health Qs we'd only feel comfortable asking a doctor or our closest girlfriend. Luckily, Dr. Gleaton, who's board certified in gynecology and obstetrics, stopped by Teach Me Something New to field all of our personal health questions and shared her knowledge on how we can be more proactive and preventative when it comes to our health, and got real with us on yeast infections, kegels, and more TMI/taboo topics.
The Psychology of Shopping with Rent The Runway's Jenn Hyman
Jenn Hyman has a decade worth of data points about the way we shop, making this episode a must-listen if you're nostalgic for the mall or simply a bonafide style lover. One of the more interesting nuggets she shared is about how Rent The Runway has helped debunked a lot of trend myths, like the one that says New Yorkers are obsessed with all-black-everything. Turns out, when there's access to a more sustainable clothing system like RTR, women actually gravitate toward a lot more prints and color.
Social Media with Instagram's Adam Mosseri
Ever wonder what it takes to run one of the largest social media platforms in the world? That's just part of what Instagram's Adam Mosseri teaches on his episode of Teach Me Something New. He also shares how he applies what he terms "design thinking" to everyday problems. "Design thinking is structured problem solving. Be super clear about what your intention is and about what the different ways of accomplishing that intention might be, and then evaluate the trade offs and iterate through them."
