pixel
Being Well Podcast: Against Nonchalance: Why Caring is Cool in 2026
December 29, 2025

Not caring – or nonchalance – is having a cultural moment. Nihilism is in, trying too hard is cringe, and the best way to cope with an often disappointing world is by not getting that invested. There’s just one problem: it’s hard to live a meaningful life without caring. In this episode of the Being Well Podcast, Forrest and Dr. Rick close 2025 by making the case for healthy caring: choosing objects of care wisely, prioritizing process over outcome, and cultivating equanimity without slipping into apathy. They do this by exploring four common obstacles that keep people from caring, sharing practical ways to work with each of them.

Key Topics

  • 0:00: Intro and the four problems with caring
  • 6:40: Finding intrinsic motivation 
  • 11:05: The people you admire care, and the people that judge you don’t matter
  • 20:22: The risks of caring: disappointment and facing the “dreaded experience”
  • 33:25: “I don’t care about anything”
  • 44:01: Managing defeatism and nihilism
  • 1:01:25: Recap

Forrest is now writing on Substack, check out his work there.

Share this episode on:

Support the Podcast

Special Offers from Our Sponsors

TURNING POINTS: NAVIGATING MENTAL HEALTH

Listen to Turning Points: Navigating Mental Health wherever you get your podcasts. Follow the show so you never miss an episode.

ZOCDOC

Go to Zocdoc.com/BEING to find and instantly book a top-rated doctor today.

QUINCE

Level up your bedding with Quince. Go to Quince.com/BEINGWELL for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns.

HYPERFOCUS WITH RAE JACOBSON

If you are exploring whether you might be neurodivergent, check out Hyperfocus with Rae Jacobson.

SHOPIFY

Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at shopify.com/beingwell

SKYLIGHT

Skylight is offering our listeners $20 off their 10 inch Skylight Frame by going to myskylight.com/BEINGWELL.

Join Dr. Rick and Forrest Hanson every week on the Being Well Podcast for lively and thought-provoking conversation and practical tips for being happier, building inner strengths, and getting the most out of life.

Rewire Your Anxious Brain

12-Week LIVE Intensive to Manage Anxiety: Starts January 24th

Join Rick for 12 weekly, live sessions to deal with your anxiety so you can calm your body, clear your mind, and respond to stress and challenges with confidence and ease.

Just One Minute - Best Well-Being Courses

Build a Happier, Healthier Mind in Just a Minute or Two a Day

57 Practical, Positive Ways to Feel Better Now

Get Rick’s Free Weekly Newsletter

Get a weekly practice and the latest Being Well Podcast delivered right to your inbox.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Name

Ask Rick and Forrest a Question!

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Recent Episodes