Live Happy Now

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.

This is a time when all of us are thinking about healing and recovery. We have a lot of questions about wellness, and this episode’s guest offers unique insight into healing and well-being. Dr. Jeffrey Rediger is on the faculty of Harvard Medical School and medical director of McLean Hospital Southeast adult psychiatric programs. He’s a board-certified psychiatrist with a master’s in divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary and his new book, CURED: The Life-Changing Science of Spontaneous Healing, provides a fascinating look into well-being and how changing our beliefs about ourselves can change our outcomes. In this episode, you’ll learn: What the four pillars of healing are and why they’re so critical. How to improve your immune system. The importance of reducing inflammation in your body.

Now that most Americans find themselves self-quarantined, we’re learning to negotiate a completely different daily routine. Whether that includes a roommate, spouse, children or other family members, being in close quarters can create challenges for every relationship. That’s why we talked with CrisMarie Campbell and Susan Clarke, who are therapists and co-authors of the book, The Beauty of Conflict for Couples. They offer some helpful tips for managing relationships and learning how each person can create space for themselves.  In this episode, you’ll learn: Why it’s important to identify what you need from others in the home. How to create time and space for yourself. The importance of taking a dance break … and other secrets to a happier, healthier self-quarantine.

There’s no question that we are experiencing a chaotic time right now, and many people are feeling overwhelmed by situations that are out of their control. We’ve heard so many concerns from people who are worried about COVID-19, about the financial toll it is already taking and what this means for the future. We’re all learning how to manage this new normal that, frankly, doesn’t feel normal at all. This week’s guest, Erin Pickney, is a Nashville-based therapist specializing in recovery from anxiety and depression. She offers a few suggestions on how we can decrease our anxiety and increase our sense of well-being. In this episode, you’ll learn: How to manage some of our current anxiety. How to connect with others while practicing social distancing. How to make the most of time spent in self-quarantine.

This week’s episode looks at something we all know about, we all know we should do … but we often have trouble finding time for in our busy lives. Meditation has incredible healing value for both our mind and body, and this week’s guest is on a mission to get the whole world meditating. Neuroscientist Ariel Garten is a psychotherapist, mom, former fashion designer and the founder of the tech company Muse, which is designed to make meditation easier. She has spoken about the benefits of meditation on stages around the world, ranging from TED talks to MIT to SXSW. This week, she talks about the benefits of meditation, how we can master the art of meditating and how to find ways to fit it into our hectic lives. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why meditation is so important. How to make meditation part of your daily routine. Ways to make meditation easier.

All of us want to discover our purpose in life, but we don’t always know how to do that. For Sebastian Terry, that path began with making a list of 100 things he wanted to do before he died. But what began as a personal list sparked a bestselling book, documentaries, a reality TV show and a movement to spread kindness to others. Sebastian joins us this week to explain how he inadvertently launched a global movement, how each of us can be part of that movement and how we can create a culture of kindness wherever we work, live and play.  In this episode, you’ll learn: How this list changed the lives of others. How to begin making your own list. How to cultivate a culture of kindness.

March 20 is the International Day of Happiness, but at Live Happy Now, we celebrate it all month long. One way we do that is with a little movement we call #HappyActs. This week, Live Happy CEO Deborah Heisz talks about what happy acts are, how you can make them part of your daily routine and how to celebrate the International Day of Happiness with us. In this podcast, you’ll learn: How performing #HappyActs can improve your day Where to get ideas for #HappyActs How to be part of the International Day of Happiness

There’s a lot of discussion today about how social media is harming our mental health, and many experts advise taking a break from it or even unplugging entirely. But what do you do if that’s just not possible? This week’s guest is here to tell us. Erin Pickney is a Nashville-based therapist specializing in recovery from anxiety, depression and religious trauma. She recognizes that while disconnecting entirely from social media isn’t always possible, there are steps you can take to detox your social media to improve your mental and emotional health.     In this episode, you’ll learn: What it means to detox your social media. Simple ways to identify toxic elements in your social media feeds. How parents can help their children decrease toxic interactions.

There’s so much talk today about mindfulness that it sometimes seems the word has lost its meaning. This week, Dr. Shauna Shapiro, a clinical psychologist and internationally recognized expert in mindfulness and self-compassion, explains what is missing from many mindfulness practices. Her new book, Good Morning, I Love You, combines brain science with easy-to-implement practices that will help you get more calm, clarity and joy in your life. Listen now to find out how you can change your brain with these simple practices. In this episode, you'll learn: Why self-compassion is the “secret sauce” of mindfulness practices. The one simple practice you can do every morning to increase self-compassion. How your self-compassion and mindfulness can help heal those around you.

This is the week when you’ll hear a lot of talk about Valentine’s Day and showing those around you how much you love them. But have you thought about being your own valentine this year? Whether you’re single or in a committed relationship, there are things you can do to feel more fulfilled in every area of your life. Leadership expert and bestselling author Karen McGregor joins us this week to talk about how we can change our approach to love and relationships to find greater joy. In this episode, you’ll learn: How the stories we tell ourselves can influence our relationships—for better and for worse. The importance of learning your own “love power.” How to feel more fulfilled every day — regardless of whether or not you’re in a relationship.

With the rise of social media, FOMO, or the fear of missing out, has become a problem that can result in anxiety, depression and other conditions. Now, as an antidote to FOMO, many people are discovering JOMO, or the Joy of Missing Out. This week’s guest, Jessica Misener, literally wrote the guidebook on how to embrace JOMO. Her book, JOMO: Celebrate the Joy of Missing Out, offers more than 350 ways to exchange your FOMO for JOMO. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why FOMO is so harmful. What you can learn from practicing JOMO. Tips on how to implement JOMO at home.