Live Happy Now

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.

Right now, many of us feel like we just want someone to swoop in and fix the world. That’s where Franklin Rock comes in. Franklin Rock is a fictional character created by this week’s guest, physician Mark E. Klein. After writing two books on purpose and happiness, Mark took a new approach to the message and created a character who goes on a mission to fix the world. Little did Mark know that he had created the exact hero we need for 2021. On this episode, he talks about how this story came about, what we can learn from it and how Franklin Rock can give all of us a new perspective. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why worrying about our choices is an exercise in futility What the real mission in life is all about Why death isn’t something to fear