Podcast Summary: "The Surprising Power of Hope & The Science of Your Sixth Sense"

Something You Should Know with Mike Carruthers | November 20, 2025

Overview

This episode of "Something You Should Know" explores two fascinating and impactful topics: the psychological and practical power of hope, and the emerging science behind our "sixth sense," known as interoception—the way we perceive internal bodily states. Host Mike Carruthers interviews Dr. Julia Garcia, psychologist and author of The Five Habits: Stories and Strategies to Help You Find Your Way, on cultivating hope, and later delves into interoception with science journalist Caroline Williams, author of Inner: How the New Science of Interoception Can Revolutionize Your Health.

Segment 1: The Power of Hope

Guest: Dr. Julia Garcia, Psychologist & Author

What is Hope?

• Definition & Distinction:
  • Hope is not just a fleeting feeling or wishful thinking—it’s a crucial cognitive and emotional process.
  • "Hope is a cognitive science, but people know it best as a feeling...Real hope accepts limits, but doesn't let that be the end of the story." (Dr. Julia Garcia, 09:11)
  • Hope differs from wishful thinking or false hope by acknowledging limitations but choosing to focus on possibility and solution.

Why is Hope Vital?

• Role in Mental Health & Resilience:
  • Hope is foundational for emotional regulation, goal-setting, motivation, and bouncing back from setbacks.
  • "It doesn't erase the pain or the problem. It allows us a pathway to coexist with it and to navigate through it." (Dr. Julia Garcia, 11:37)
• Consequences of Hopelessness:
  • Hopelessness can lead to apathy, indifference, and is a risk factor for poor mental health.

Generating and Restoring Hope

• Cultivating Habits of Hope:
  • Hope can be cultivated through habits—courageous risk-taking, seeking support, and reframing experiences.
  • "When we practice habits of hope daily, it's like we're giving ourselves the opportunity to say maybe we can heal, maybe things are possible even in spite of what we're up against." (Dr. Julia Garcia, 23:29)
• Example Stories:
  • Dr. Garcia shares personal stories of loss and overcoming adversity, including a profound moment after fleeing an unhealthy relationship:
    • "Someone looked at me and said, 'You could be anything you want to be.' ... I put a marker in my heart that said maybe. And that maybe moment really helped shift the trajectory of my life." (Dr. Julia Garcia, 22:09–22:47)

Hope’s Function Beyond Outcome

• Motivation vs. Outcome:
  • Hope motivates preparation and effort, even when outcomes are uncertain or uncontrollable.
  • "Hope is really about honesty and it’s being able to build that process to face whatever the honest outcome is so that no matter what happens, we continue to have a way through." (Dr. Julia Garcia, 14:51)
• Hope and Connecting with Others:
  • Sharing hopeless feelings with others can diminish isolation and strengthen hope.
    • "When we have hope besides each other, it strengthens it and it also keeps us accountable and we enjoy the journey a lot more..." (Dr. Julia Garcia, 24:05)

Memorable Quotes

• "When you think of the absence of hope, you realize in that moment how powerful and important and critical hope is. Because it doesn't solve our problems magically, but it activates the parts of our mind that help us solve them." (Dr. Julia Garcia, 26:14)
• "No matter the outcome, I truly believe that we will like who we're becoming when we're courageous and brave and when we have hope." (Dr. Julia Garcia, 27:36)

Important Timestamps

• [06:39] Dr. Garcia introduces “hope blocks”—internal and external impediments to hope.
• [13:00] On the process of turning hopelessness into hope.
• [16:54] Personal story of loss and how hope repurposed pain into purpose.
• [22:09] The transformative power of “maybe” in a moment of despair.
• [24:05] The importance of connecting with others when feeling hopeless.

Segment 2: The Science of Your Sixth Sense—Interoception

Guest: Caroline Williams, Science Journalist & Author

What is Interoception?

• Definition & Distinction:
  • Interoception is the sense by which we perceive the internal state of our bodies—hunger, heartbeat, pain, fatigue, etc.
  • "Our sight and our hearing...are exteroceptive. They tell us about the external world. Interoception tells you what's going on inside your own body. So it's kind of the center of our personal universe." (Caroline Williams, 01:14 & 32:23)
• Why it Matters:
  • Interoceptive signals form the bedrock of our emotions, motivations, and mental health.

The Brain–Body Connection

• Role in Physical & Mental Health:
  • Many mental health challenges (anxiety, depression, eating disorders, addiction) are linked to how we interpret interoceptive signals.
  • "A lot of things where they are not necessarily all in the brain or all in the body, they're in the interaction between both." (Caroline Williams, 34:13)
• Modern Challenges:
  • Sedentary lifestyles, processed foods, and sensory overload disrupt our ability to tune in to our bodies’ signals (36:30).

How to Tune Into Your Sixth Sense

• Practical Approaches:
  • Mindfulness practices focusing on internal sensations, body scans, and even periodic self-check reminders.
  • “Set an alarm to go off three times a day at random intervals...and just simply having a brief body scan: am I clenching my jaw? Am I feeling irritable? Am I hungry or stressed?” (Caroline Williams, 40:00)
  • Using flotation tanks for sensory deprivation to heighten awareness of internal cues.

Wisdom and Cautions

• Balance is Key:
  • Both tuning out and becoming hyper-focused on body signals can be problematic—balance is necessary.
  • "Scientists are trying to work out what it means to have the perfect level of interoception...there's definitely a middle ground..." (Caroline Williams, 42:57)
• Curiosity Over Certainty:
  • Listen to body wisdom, but remain curious—sometimes the “gut feeling” might be misleading.

Memorable Quotes

• "Half the battle is knowing it's there...sometimes your internal feelings, so your gut feelings, for example, might lead you astray..." (Caroline Williams, 41:05)
• "Just a little bit of time each day will pay dividends." (Caroline Williams, 45:52)

Important Timestamps

• [32:22] Introduction and definition of interoception.
• [34:13] Interoception’s role in mental and physical health.
• [37:04] On practicing mindfulness and tuning into body signals.
• [40:00] Practical tip: random reminders for body-awareness.
• [46:45] Discussion of gut–brain research using vibrating pills.

Bonus: Quick Fact Segment

• [49:14] Fruit flies emit a pheromone that can ruin a glass of wine; just one fly can release enough to be detectable by humans.

Notable Moments

• Hope isn’t about always being happy:
  "You don't have to be happy to have hope. And hope is about honesty and that's where you're honestly at." (Dr. Julia Garcia, 18:03)
• Interoception is foundational yet overlooked:
  "It's going to be one of those things like the microbiome which once sounded something kind of crazy and out there and now everyone knows about it." (Caroline Williams, 32:23)

Key Takeaways

• Hope is a learnable, actionable emotional habit, not just a passive wish.
• When hope feels absent, connecting with others, reframing with "maybe," and cultivating honest self-talk help restore it.
• Interoception, or our sixth sense, is critical for physical and mental well-being—it can be trained through deliberate attention, mindfulness, and curiosity.
• Listening to your body is valuable, but interpret internal signals with curiosity and caution.

For Further Learning

• The Five Habits: Stories and Strategies to Help You Find Your Way by Dr. Julia Garcia
• Inner: How the New Science of Interoception Can Revolutionize Your Health by Caroline Williams

“When you think of the absence of hope, you realize in that moment how powerful hope is. Because it doesn't solve our problems magically, but it activates the parts of our minds that help us.”
— Dr. Julia Garcia (00:46 & 26:14)

“Interoception tells you what's going on inside your own body. So it's kind of the center of our personal universe.”
— Caroline Williams (01:14, 32:23)