Live Happy Now

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.