Live Happy Now

This week, we’re celebrating the 8th anniversary of Live Happy, which published its first magazine issue in October 2013. For this episode, Science Editor and Live Happy Now Host Paula Felps strolls down memory lane with Live Happy Editor Chris Libby to talk about 8 important principles we’ve learned over these 8 years.

Music can help heal our emotional wounds, but it heals us physically, too. This week’s guest, recording artist Paul Cardall, was born with a congenital heart defect that doctors believed he could not survive. But he proved them wrong, and as part of his healing journey, he discovered the power of music. Today, he is a classical pianist who not only creates healing music but shares with others how it can soothe the heart — literally and figuratively. In this episode, you’ll learn: What made Paul turn to music for healing. Why it is beneficial to both the mind and the body. How he uses what he’s learned about music to help others heal.

A Grumble-Free Life with Amy Parker & Tricia Goyer As moms, Amy Parker and Tricia Goyer were no strangers to “the grumbles.” As writers, that led them to team up on the children’s book, The Grumbles: A Story About Gratitude. Find out what inspired this book, how it changed their families and how it can help your family learn to live in gratitude. In this episode, you’ll learn: How (and why) to identify your “grumble style”. What you can do to adopt a more grateful mindset. Why it’s important to teach children a gratitude practice.

Anxiety is at an all-time high these days, but this week’s guest says that might not be such a bad thing! Dr. Wendy Suzuki is a professor of Neural Science and Psychology in the Center for Neural Science at New York University. Her new book, GOOD ANXIETY: Harnessing the Power of the Most Misunderstood Emotion looks at anxiety in a whole new way and explains how we can use the gift of anxiety to improve our focus, productivity, communication skills and so much more. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why anxiety can become our best ally. What languishing is and what we can do about it. How anxiety can help us build empathy.

Stanford professor and psychologist William Damon didn’t learn the truth about his missing father until he became an adult. That surprising discovery led him on a journey to make peace with his past, and he talks about that journey in his fascinating new book, A Round of Golf with My Father: The New Psychology of Exploring Your Past to Make Peace with Your Present. In this episode, you'll learn: The importance of finding your purpose. What a life review is — and how it can change your future. Why it’s never too late to reevaluate your past.

These days, most of us are taking a more hands-on approach to our health. And this week’s guest is going to explain why both physical and mental health are all in the gut. Dr. Sabine Hazan is a leading researcher and practitioner in the field of the gut microbiome. She’s here to talk about what a gut microbiome is, how it affects our overall well-being, and how to improve your own gut microbiome. In this episode, you’ll learn: What a gut microbiome is. How your gut microbiome affects your mental health. Why your gut microbiome is key to a healthy immune system.

Pets bring us a tremendous amount of joy, but their loss creates a deep sense of grief. This week, as we honor National Dog Day on August 26 and Grief Awareness Day on August 30, we’re looking at the complicated journey of pet loss. This week’s guest, Brittany Derrenbacher, has focused her mental health studies on the complicated journey of pet loss and is here to tell us more about how to navigate this journey. In this episode, you’ll learn: The “3 G’s” of pet loss. Why it’s so important to acknowledge the loss of our pets. The role of gratitude in grief.

Singer songwriter Mary Gauthier has been changing the world one song at a time for the past 20 years. This week, Mary joins host Paula Felps to talk about her new book, Saved by a Song: The Art and Healing Power of Songwriting, which is a fascinating look at the healing power of music both for those who create it and those who listen to it. She also talks with us about her work with SongwritingWith:Soldiers and Frontline Songs, and how those organizations are using music to help individuals heal from the trauma they’ve experienced. In this episode, you’ll learn: How Mary found her calling as a songwriter. Why music is so important to our mental health. How music is helpful in healing from trauma.

The International Positive Psychology Association holds its World Congress to bring together the leading researchers and practitioners every other year. This week, host Paula Felps and Live Happy editor Chris Libby talk about some of the programs we enjoyed during this year’s virtual IPPA World Congress and discuss what research most intrigued and surprised us — and what we’re excited to learn more about. Here’s how that conversation went. In this episode, you’ll learn: The latest research in positive psychology. How the pandemic affected our mental health. The importance of resilience and post-traumatic growth.

Health and happiness go hand in hand, but sometimes it’s hard to know where to start creating a healthier home. This week’s guest has been there, and she brought along a roadmap! Tonya Harris, a board-certified holistic nutritionist and author of The Slightly Greener Method, shows us how little adjustments can have a big impact on your family’s health. She shares how to create a cleaner, greener and healthier home. In this episode, you’ll learn: The danger of being “aggressively green.” What the READ method is and how it can guide you on your detox journey. How to spot the toxins in the products you use.