Live Happy Now

Are you living in your heart, or living in your head? If you’re spending more time in your head than in your heart, this week’s episode is perfect for you. Sarah Blondin is an author and podcast host whose work has been translated into several languages and is in use in prison, recovery, and wellness programs. Her new book, HEART MINDED: How to Hold Yourself and Others in Love, tells us how we can get out of our heads and into our hearts to find our true selves and learn how to discover – and attain — what we truly need.  In this episode, you’ll learn: What it means to become heart-minded. How practicing “soul-itude” can help you find your heart center. Why solitude can be challenging and how to practice it anyway.

Accepting the difficult events in our lives is a key part of our well-being. Acceptance allows us to cultivate a sense of calm that allows us to better deal with stress. As we deal with an increasingly uncertain world, how can learning more about acceptance help increase our happiness? This week, psychologist Scott Hass, author of Why Be Happy? The Japanese Way of Acceptance talks about how ukeireru, the Japanese principle of acceptance, can help each of us during troubled times. In this episode, you’ll learn: How learning acceptance changes your response to situations. Ways to increase your practice of acceptance. How to practice acceptance as a family.

In recent years, we’ve learned a lot about the profound transformative effect that empathy can have on us. For more than a decade, this week’s guest has been on a mission to help bring those powerful lessons to children. Lysa Heslov is founder of Children Mending Hearts, an organization that combats bullying and intolerance by inspiring empathy in children using art and other programs. Her Los Angeles based program has now grown into a national movement, and tell us how it works, why it matters and what all of us can do to get more empathy in our lives. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why empathy is so important during these uncertain times. How empathy can help reduce bullying. The long-term effects of teaching children about empathy.

It’s a brand new month and it’s also a brand new season of Live Happy Now. As we start this new season Live Happy CEO Deborah Heisz and Paula Felps talk about how things changed for all of us last season, and what we can expect to see in the coming weeks and months. In this episode, you’ll learn: What we’ll be talking about this season Where you can get the Live Happy Daily Happiness How to tell us what you'd like to hear on the show.

Anxiety is something that many of us are familiar with—particularly now. But have you considered embracing it? This week’s guest, Karla McLaren, makes the case for delving into this emotion and using it as a force of energy. Her book, Embracing Anxiety: How to Access the Genius of This Vital Emotion, takes a completely new look at how anxiety can benefit us. This week, she talks about how important it is to recognize what anxiety can do for us and learn how to use it for positive effect. In this episode, you’ll learn: How anxiety can help us prepare for the future. Why procrastination is actually considered a form of anxiety. The difference between panic and anxiety.

Even before the coronavirus pandemic, Dr. Lise Van Susteren was noticing a new phenomenon: patients were often plagued by worry, disturbing and intrusive thoughts, sleep disruptions, grief and more. She identified this trend as a condition she calls emotional inflammation, and along with health writer Stacey Colino wrote a book by the same name. As it turns out, Emotional Inflammation: Discover Your Triggers and Reclaim Your Equilibrium During Anxious Times is exactly the book we need for our current situation. This week, she talks about how the pandemic has only heightened our emotional inflammation — and what we can do about it.   In this episode, you’ll learn: What is emotional inflammation and what does it do to us? How does controlling the flow of information in your life help cool emotional inflammation — and how do you do that? What is the difference between being a bystander and an upstander?

If you’ve ever had a sudden feeling of distress that triggers your fight or flight response, then you know what it’s like to have your emotions hijacked. And if that’s something you’ve experienced recently, you’re not alone. This week, clinical psychologist and mindfulness expert Dr. Shauna Shapiro returns to talk about how current times might be affecting your emotions and what practices you can use — both individually and as a family — to regulate them. In this episode, you’ll learn: What an “amygdala hijack” is and how to manage it. Why identifying your emotions can help bring calm to your life. Simple practices to help regulate your emotions.

All of us have lost something this year, and that’s affecting us whether we realize it or not. This week, we’re joined by Erin Wiley, a clinical psychotherapist and executive of The Willow Center, a counseling practice in Toledo, Ohio. She’s here to talk about the many ways our losses could be affecting us and our loved ones, and to give us tips on processing grief and coping with the changes brought by the pandemic.  In this episode, you’ll learn: Why it’s important to feel your grief as it arises Tips for coping with grief and loss How to discuss and manage loss as a family

If there was ever a year that needed a soothing soundtrack, it would be the year that we’re in now. Music has powerful healing properties, and nobody knows that better than this week’s guest. Dr. Sandi Curtis is an internationally trained music therapist who specializes in working with women and children survivors of violence. She helps survivors navigate their way through recovery with help from music, and this week she’s here to talk about how all of us can use music to help us through this challenging year.   In this episode, you’ll learn: Why music is such a powerful healing tool. What brain entrainment is and why it’s good for your mental health. How the music you listen to can change your state.

As an Emmy-winning reporter for ABC News, Adrienne Bankert has covered some of life's most tragic moments, but it has never made her lose sight of her desire to find the best in people. Her experience interviewing inspiring people, from wounded warriors to high-profile celebrities, helped her want to understand more about one of her life’s guiding principles: kindness. This week, she talks about her new book, Your Hidden Superpower: The Kindness That Makes You Unbeatable at Work and Connects You with Anyone, and explains why practicing kindness is so good for us. In this episode, you’ll learn: How kindness makes anyone unbeatable. The difference between being nice and being kind. Simple things you can do every day to practice kindness.

Since the release of his first hit single, The Remedy (I Won’t Worry), in 2002, Jason Mraz has based his musical career on sharing positive, uplifting music. On June 19, the two-time Grammy winner is releasing Look for the Good, an album that encourages us to find hope, optimism and gratitude despite the turmoil we’re experiencing this year. In this episode, Jason explains how this collection of songs came about, what he learned in the process of writing and recording this album and what he hopes every one of us takes away from it. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why he believes it’s so important to look for the good in every situation. How music can help soothe and heal us. The power of remaining positive.

At any given time, everyone is going through something in their lives. But rarely do we have a situation where so many people are collectively going through such trying times. The good news is, we’re going to get through this, and we can use this time to build new habits and be stronger than before. This week, we talk with Aneesh Chaudhry, founder of the brain health clinic SoulPhysio Lifestyle, where he works with a team of doctors, psychologists and other healthcare professionals to take a whole body approach to mental and physical wellness. He’s here to talk about how to manage our energy and deal with such negative emotions as grief, loss and anxiety. In this episode, you’ll learn: The importance of learning and practicing acceptance. What energy management is and why it matters. How to work through negative feelings during difficult times.

Imagine living in a world that has been plagued by great tragedy. The world as you knew it is gone, all the stores are closed, and you can’t see your friends. Sound familiar? Interestingly enough, we’re not talking about real life right now; we’re talking about Shadow’s Edge, a mobile game and lifestyle platform that was created to help teens and young adults build resilience. This week, we’re talking with Rosemary Lokhorst, one of the creative minds behind this innovative platform. Let’s listen as she explains how this game has helped teens and young adults deal with chronic illness, anxiety and now, a pandemic. In this episode, you’ll learn: What narrative therapy is and why it’s so effective. How we can all stay a little more connected and mentally strong through these tough times. How families can use Shadow’s Edge together.

Today’s world has become increasingly challenging, so it’s fitting that this week, we’re talking about simplicity. How do you find more simplicity in a complex world? Well, it’s complicated. This week, author and social commentator Julia Hobsbawm looks at how we can live a simpler, more creative and productive life. In this episode, you’ll learn: What the infobesity epidemic is and how to overcome it. How to use Hexagon Action to simplify your tasks. How to become one of the “focused few.”

By now, most of us are aware of how important it is to be able to use tools like mindfulness and meditation to help create inner calm. But as tough as it can be for adults, imagine what it’s like for a child to master it. This week’s guest has found a way to teach children things like meditation, mindfulness, yoga and more with the help of some very cute ninja bunnies. Kamala Alcantara is co-founder and chief content officer of Ninja Focus, an app that helps young children learn breathing techniques, mindfulness and emotional regulation. Her goal is to help strengthen families and motivate children to be kinder, more compassionate and happier. Let’s hear how Ninja Focus can help them do that.  In this episode, you’ll learn: Why learning breathing techniques is so valuable. How teaching mindfulness to children benefits them later in life. How to use Ninja Focus as a family.

Tapping into your creativity is a proven way to increase your personal well-being. It can put you in a positive mood, give you a sense of purpose, promote problem solving and reduce stress and anxiety. But sometimes, we get so busy with our lives that we lose touch with our creative side.  This week’s guest is an expert in tapping into creativity. Martha Alderson is an author who also works with bestselling authors, Hollywood directors, artists and performers all over the world to tap into their creativity. Now, you can try this at home! Martha’s new book, Boundless Creativity: A Spiritual Workbook for Overcoming Self-Doubt, Emotional Traps and Other Creative Blocks, can walk you through the steps back to discovering your creative self.  In this episode, you’ll learn: What the Universal Story is and how it relates to you. The spiritual value of connecting with your creativity. How working on creativity as a family can help build communication and solve problems.

For many of us, right now it seems a little bit harder than usual to find the good in the world, and finding things to be optimistic about can seem like even more of a chore. If you’re having struggling with that, you’re in the right place.  This week, Live Happy CEO and co-founder Deborah Heisz talks about how we can look for what's good in these trying times to find positivity and optimism—and make the most of this most unusual time. In this episode, you’ll learn: How to use the gift of extra time that we’ve been giving. Ways to interact with others in a time of social distancing. How to spend time evaluating what’s important to make the right decisions for your future.

If ever there was a time to take a deep breath, it’s right now. And this week’s guest is uniquely qualified to walk us through how to do that. Victoria Albina is a functional nurse practitioner, certified breathwork meditation facilitator, life coach and host of the Feminist Wellness podcast. She not only understands the mind/body connection, but she has great tips for helping us use our breath to calm our stress response, boost our immune system and enjoy each moment just a little bit more. In this episode, you’ll learn: How your automatic nervous system and vagus nerve are affecting your reactions. How to restore and replenish yourself after experiencing substantial stress. How breathwork can calm your body and also improve your immune system.

With so much going on in the world today, you might have hit the point of asking “why bother?” A lot of situations feel pretty grim right now and some days it’s hard to find the energy and enthusiasm you need.  Today’s guest knows exactly what you’re feeling, and, even better, she has incredible insight to share on how to navigate these crazy times. Jennifer Louden is a personal growth expert and author of the new book, Why Bother? Discover the Desire for What’s Next, and she has a lot to say about why we should bother, how to discover our next steps and even how to enjoy the journey. In this podcast, you’ll learn: Why asking the important question, “Why bother?” is a good thing. Why your desires matter. The importance of self-care and self-forgiveness.

We are spending most of our time at home right now, and no matter how much you love the space you live in, or the people you share it with, some days it might seem like it’s the last place you want to be. This week’s guest is an expert at turning our homes into our happy places. Interior designer Rebecca West, author of Happy Starts at Home and owner of Seriously.Happy.Homes, believes in putting the “om” back in home. To do that, she takes a holistic approach to discovering what you need from your home and how to make the most of the space you have. Listen in as she tells us how to make our surroundings support what we need—both physically and emotionally—during this time. In this episode, you’ll learn: How to create space for everyone—and everything—in your home. How tidiness makes a big difference in how you view your space. Simple improvements you can do both inside and outside of your home.