Live Happy Now

Many of us go through times when we wonder what it would take to make us happier, but Jackson Kerchis took that question to a whole different level.  Jackson created and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in happiness, integrating insights from neuroscience, positive psychology, religion, philosophy, and direct experience to provide a comprehensive study of what makes us happy. He designed and instructs the University of Alabama’s first ever Happiness 101 course, which is built around his Happiness Habits Project. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why he created his own happiness studies. The role of habits in promoting happiness. How the brain changes with mind training.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and while there are more resources for mental health than ever before, it’s still a topic that’s often overlooked when it comes to men. In this episode, host Paula Felps talks with motivational speaker and wellness expert Quentin Vennie about overcoming the stigma men face when it comes to caring for their mental health. His bestselling memoir, Strong in the Broken Places, detailed his journey from anxiety, depression and addiction to his discovery of wellness practices that he now teaches to others. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why men need to put more focus on their mental health. How women can help on their mental health journey. What the Trinity of Wellness is and how to practice it.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and since we also just celebrated Mother’s Day, it’s a great time to look at where those two things intersect. This week, host Paula Felps talks with Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor about “Mom Rage.” This condition has become prevalent as mothers deal with the added stress of parenting during a pandemic and Dr. Jill, author of Whole Brain Living: The Anatomy of Choice and the Four Characters That Drive Our Life, is here to talk about the four characters we all have that manage our emotional reactions. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why the pandemic has been harder on mothers. What the four characters in your brain do for you. How to use these four characters to create better outcomes.

In just a few days, we’re going to celebrate Mother’s Day, so there’s no better time to take with Abigail Tucker, an award-winning science journalist, New York Times bestselling author and mother of four. She’s also author of the brand new book, Mom Genes: Inside the New Science of Our Ancient Maternal Instinct. In this episode, host Paula Felps talks with Abigail about what moms are made of and the many ways motherhood changes a woman. Her fascinating findings just might change everything you thought you knew about moms! In this episode, you’ll learn: What factors shape a mother’s behavior. How motherhood reconfigures a woman’s brain. How external events influence maternity.

A recent study showed that many Americans are feeling anxious about returning to their workplaces. To wrap up National Stress Awareness Month, host Paula Felps is talking with Darlene Marshall, who combines her master’s in applied positive psychology with fitness and personal training to create a well-rounded approach to well-being. She also hosts the Better Than Fine podcast, and she’s here to talk about how why going back to work is stressing us out … and what we can do about it. In this episode, you’ll learn: What could be making you feel stressed out about returning to work — and how to manage it. How employers can help ease workers’ stress. A simple practice that helps relieve stress.

April is National Stress Awareness Month, and as you might be aware … we’re a little more stressed out than we used to be! In this episode, host Paula Felps talks with Dr. Dravon James — an author, host of Everyday Peace on Unity Radio and an inspirational speaker who has made it her life purpose to help others to tap into their natural ability to transform their lives. She tells us how we can change our lives for the better by changing our approach to stress. In this episode, you’ll learn: The surprising hidden benefits of stress. Why some stress-relieving practices may actually lead to more stress. How gratitude helps relieve stress.

Whether we realize it or not, all of us have certain rituals that help us feel grounded and connected. But did you know you can use those rituals to improve your well-being? This week’s guest, Jan Stanley, specializes in helping others live happier lives through the creation of habits, practices and rituals. She’s here to talk about how adopting an intentional ritual can help reduce anxiety and can even help manage the grief and disruption created by the pandemic. In this episode, you'll learn: Why rituals are so important. How to create an effective personal ritual. Using rituals to manage grief, anxiety and other negative emotions.

We spend a lot of time in today’s world celebrating youthfulness and anti-aging, but what if instead we learned how to celebrate the gift of growing older? In this episode, we talk with Stephanie Raffelock, author of A Delightful Little Book on Aging and the forthcoming book, Creatrix Rising: Unlocking the Power of Midlife Women. She shares how midlife provides a new opportunity to explore our creativity and reimagine our future.  In this episode, you’ll learn: Why we’re afraid of getting older. How to rethink the aging process. How grief and loss inform the way we age.

With your help, we’ve been celebrating happiness throughout the month of March. Now, as it comes to an end, we’re looking at how you helped make the world a happier place and what you can do to keep it going. Live Happy founder and CEO Deborah Heisz joins us to talk about the ongoing Gratitude Challenge and we talk about some of the findings from the 2021 World Happiness Report. In this episode, you’ll learn: How to continue the Live Happy 10-Day Gratitude Challenge. Why it’s important to celebrate the International Day of Happiness. How COVID-19 affected happiness around the world.

We talk a lot about the importance of social connection for maintaining our well-being, but how do you find happiness when you’re socially distanced? This week’s guest is Dr. Jennifer Wegmann, a professor in the Department of Health and Wellness Studies at Binghamton University. She teaches classes on stress management and contemporary health Issues, and her audiobook Resilience: How to Master Stress, Reduce Anxiety, and Live Well, provides listeners with a new, informed mindset about stress. She’s here to talk about how we can improve our happiness and our connections while staying safe and healthy. In this episode, you'll learn: The difference between social distancing and isolation. How this current time can help us re-evaluate what we need for our personal happiness. How finding purpose during a pandemic can help us help others.

It’s no secret that doing good for others is also good for us. But have you ever thought about exactly why doing good is so powerful? This week, Megan McDonough, CEO and founder of the Wholebeing Institute and the author of four books on mindfulness, joins host Paula Felps to find out what’s so great about doing good. Megan is an expert in the science of human flourishing, and she’s here to tell us what doing good does for us and how we can find what she calls the “spark of yes.” In this episode, you’ll learn: Why doing good is so crucial for yourself and for others. How the pressure of affects our desire to do good — and what to do about it. How to notice and say “yes” to the spark that wants to serve.

Strong relationships are proven to create more joy in our lives, so this week, we’re looking at how to celebrate our friendships and build stronger connections. Molly Galbraith, founder of the Girls Gone Strong fitness philosophy and author of the new book, Strong Women Lift Each Other Up, joins host Paula Felps to look at how supporting one another creates a ripple effect that generates new opportunities and deepens relationships, then offers tips on how all of us can become more supportive and improve our own friendships. In this episode, you’ll learn: How social media and comparison could be damaging your relationships. Small, simple ways to lift up those around you. Why it’s important to stay connected — especially now.

On March 8, we’ll celebrate International Women’s Day, and this episode’s guest is throwing a celebration like no other. Carin Rockind, also known as The Purpose Girl, tells us about an amazing event designed to inspire women around the world. Carin has put together a lineup of powerful, motivating women who will help you make 2021 your best year yet. Whether you’re looking to jumpstart your fitness program, find your purpose, improve your relationships or launch your entrepreneurial dreams, The Women’s Day Event can help you find the mojo and motivation you’re missing. In this episode, you’ll learn: How to experience The Women’s Day Event. What to expect from this event. Why it’s so important for women to celebrate this day.

This week, we’re kicking off an entire month of happiness to celebrate the International Day of Happiness on March 20. As part of that celebration, we’re launching the Live Happy 10-Day Gratitude Challenge, which is a great way to share your gratitude for friends, family and co-workers. This week’s guest, Kira Newman, is managing editor at the Greater Good Science Center and co-editor of the book, The Gratitude Project: How the Science of Thankfulness Can Rewire Our Brains for Resilience, Optimism, and the Greater Good. She tells us what gratitude does for us, how we can make it part of our lives and why it’s even more important during difficult times. In this episode, you’ll learn: How gratitude brings people together. Simple ways to start rewiring your brain for gratitude. How gratitude and giving go hand in hand.

What if the way you eat could change the way food affects your health? This week's guest explains how you can enjoy better health by changing your approach to food. Dr. Michael Fenster, better known as Chef Dr. Mike, is the only cardiologist in the world who also has an academic degree in culinary medicine. He also teaches a course in culinary medicine and encourages people to take control of their health, wellness and happiness through their relationship with food. In this episode, he talks about mindful eating, how it affects us and how you can start your own mindful eating practice. In this episode, you'll learn: The health benefits of mindful eating. What culinary medicine is and why it matters. How to find greater happiness through healthy, mindful eating.

March is a special month at Live Happy Now, because the International Day of Happiness is on March 20. But we celebrate happiness all month long with something we call #HappyActs. This week, Live Happy cofounder and CEO Deborah K. Heisz talks about how to celebrate the International Day of Happiness in a socially distanced world and how to be a part of our brand new Live Happy gratitude challenge. In this episode, you’ll learn: How to participate in the Live Happy Gratitude Challenge. What the International Day of Happiness is all about. How to celebrate happiness all month long.

Having hope is crucial not just to our happiness, but to our survival. But what happens when you start to lose hope?  This week’s guest is Margaret Dulaney, founder of the popular spiritual spoken word site, Listen Well. In her latest book, Parables of Sunlight, she tells her own story of finding hope during difficult times. She’s here today to talk about her story and what we can all learn about hope, perseverance, and resilience.  In this episode, you’ll learn: Why practicing hope is a necessity, not a luxury. How to build your “hope muscle”. How being in nature helps nurture hope.

Anxiety affects millions of people and it’s no secret that the pandemic — and other events of the past year — haven’t helped make us feel more calm. In this episode, speaker, author and therapist Dr. Lauren Cook looks at how anxiety in itself has become an epidemic, how it’s affecting us and why it’s on the rise right now. Then she offers some solutions to begin making peace with your own anxiety.

Whether we recognize it or not, all of us have great creative resources within us, and they can help us discover greater happiness. This week’s guest is Doug Patton, an industrial designer who was featured on ABC’s American Inventor television series and has created more than 300 products in 20 international market categories. His new book, Conquering the Chaos of Creativity, provides a map to help you find your own creative process. He’s here to talk about the connection between creativity and happiness and help each of us learn to find our own creative superpowers. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why creativity is so beneficial for happiness. The six different creativity styles — and how to find yours. The connection between exercise, meditation and creativity.

Last year was stressful for everyone in one way or another, and the new year has brought more uncertainty and unrest in its early days. That is leaving many people feeling not just stressed, but traumatized. In this episode, Dr. Karol Darsa — a licensed psychologist and the founder and executive director of Reconnect Integrative Trauma Treatment Center in Los Angeles — talks with host Paula Felps about how stress and trauma affect us and what strategies we can use to manage our feelings in a time of uncertainty.  In this episode, you’ll learn: The difference between trauma and stress. Why journaling is so helpful in dealing with trauma and stress. Why we need to play more during stressful times.