Live Happy Now

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

As we begin 2021, many different emotions are at play. Whether it’s relief, anticipation, hope or even dealing with a sense of loss and grief, this is a time of reflection and a chance to look at what we want to create for the year ahead. This week’s guest is Carew Papritz, author of The Legacy Letters and a passionate advocate for civility and conscious living. He’s here to talk about how we can use this time as an opportunity to create personal change that will last a lifetime and define our personal legacy. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why this time presents such a wonderful opportunity for all of us. What the Regret Test is and how it can change the way you live. Why it’s important to write down what you want to accomplish.

With a new year on the horizon, many of us are thinking about our new year’s resolutions. But this year, what if you made a plan instead? This week’s guest, Brent Franson, is founder of Most Days, a life improvement platform designed to let you create healthy routines while also getting a social support system. He’ll tell us how his own struggles led to creating this platform and how he’s using it to help others address challenges like depression, anxiety, loneliness, sleep disturbances and more. In this episode, you'll learn: The importance of having a routine to address your personal challenges. Why it’s important to learn which of your habits affect your mood. Why having someone to hold you accountable can help improve your outcomes.

As Christmas arrives this week, most of us are experiencing the holidays in a very different way than we’re used to. In fact, for many, it doesn’t feel much like Christmas at all. This week, we’re joined by Dr. Jennifer Wegmann, a professor at Binghamton University and author of Resilience: How to Master Stress, Reduce Anxiety and Live Well. She’s here to give us some tips on how to redefine the holidays and make this time one of gratitude and renewal.   In this episode, you’ll learn: Why it's important to change mindsets and expectations for the holidays. How the 2020 holiday season is allowing us to slow down and discover what is most meaningful in our lives. Why thinking outside the box gives us the opportunity to reimagine, recreate, and redefine the holidays.

It’s the holiday season, which means it’s time for Christmas music and holiday cheer. This week’s guest is Aneesa Sheik, a rising singer/songwriter who uses her music to deliver an inspirational message. Not only does she do that with her new single, Happy Little Holiday, but she strives to make all of her music uplifting and empowering. She’s here to tell us more about her music, what shapes the positive messaging in her songs and why she started a non-profit organization to reach patients in nursing homes and hospitals during the pandemic. In this episode, you’ll learn: How music is such a powerful healing tool How we can use music to connect with others Where to learn more about Music4M.I.R.A.C.L.E.

It’s no secret that, here at Live Happy, we are fans of positivity. But why are people now talking about toxic positivity? In this episode, author and therapist Dr. Lauren Cook joins us to talk about how this usually well-meaning approach to positivity can create a backlash. Toxic positivity is a form of happiness that can actually damage personal and professional relationships, so this episode looks at what it is, why it is harmful to us and our loved ones, and what we can do to overcome it. In this episode, you’ll learn: How to tell if you’re practicing toxic positivity. Why it can be harmful to relationships. How to create a balanced perspective that integrates optimism and reality.