Everyday Better with Leah Smart

In the final episode of our January series, The Year for Irrational Hope, Leah Smart sits down with bestselling author and mindfulness teacher Dan Harris for a practical conversation about how to work with your mind when everything feels overwhelming. In this episode, you’ll learn how to recognize and loosen the grip of your inner critic, respond instead of react under stress, and build hope and resilience through simple, science-backed mindfulness practices.  Whether you’re skeptical, overwhelmed, or just looking for tools that actually help, Dan breaks down meditation and mindfulness in a grounded, no-nonsense way, showing how mental training can help you feel calmer, more compassionate, and more in control, even amid uncertainty. Follow Dan Harris on LinkedIn and find his books 10% Happier here.  For more from Leah Smart while Everyday Better goes on hiatus, follow her on Substack,  LinkedIn and Instagram.

In the third episode of our January series, The Year for Irrational Hope, Leah Smart sits down with spiritual teacher and bestselling author Gabby Bernstein for a conversation about fear, faith, and why changing your mindset and the energy you bring to the world is how to real change. From navigating uncertainty with irrational hope to making small daily choices that shift your energy, this episode offers a practical path to creating a life that feels aligned, meaningful, and resilient, even when the world feels anything but. Follow Gabby Bernstein on LinkedIn and find her books here.  For more from Leah Smart while Everyday Better goes on hiatus, follow her on Substack,  LinkedIn and Instagram.

In a captivating discussion with Debbie Millman, a renowned designer and educator, the transformative power of the 10-year plan takes center stage. She recounts her journey with this visioning exercise, originally taught by Milton Glaser, emphasizing its role in defining her goals and manifesting her dreams. Debbie explores the importance of suspending reality, setting intentions, and embracing change at any age. With insights on authenticity, identity shifts, and the resilience of hope, this conversation inspires listeners to dream bigger and redefine their futures.

In the first episode of our January series, The Year for Irrational Hope, Leah Smart sits down with bestselling author Bruce Feiler about lifequakes – the major transitions that upend our lives, whether we choose them or not. From career changes and relationships to loss, parenthood, and global uncertainty, Bruce explains why expecting a linear life creates so much stress, and why most of us are actually in transition far more often than we realize. They explore the three equally nonlinear phases of change: the long goodbye, the messy middle, and the new beginning, and why hope isn’t blind optimism, but a learnable skill. Bruce also shares how rituals, the focus of his upcoming book, can help us reconnect and heal collectively during uncertain times. This conversation offers a clear reframe for anyone feeling lost, overwhelmed, or unsure how to move forward: you’re not broken, and you’re not alone. Follow Bruce Feiler on LinkedIn and find his book “Life is in the Transitions” here.  For more from Leah Smart while Everyday Better goes on hiatus, follow her on Substack,  LinkedIn and Instagram.

As we approach the new year, we’re bringing back one of our favorite episodes of Everyday Better, where Leah sits down with Katherine May, author of Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times. Each winter, life slows down. It’s dark and cold, yet the season offers an opportunity for rest.  In Wintering, Katherine shares the story of navigating a personal ‘winter’ – a challenging period of time during which she retreated into herself in order to cope with everything happening around her. Drawing on research about how Northern cultures weather their own harsh winters, Wintering is a balm for weary souls everywhere. In this episode, Leah and Katherine discuss the art of slowing down and how to embrace the metaphorical seasons we all go through in life.  Find Katherine’s book Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times here. Follow Leah Smart on LinkedIn. Follow Katherine May on Instagram.

Bobbi Brown, founder of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics and Jones Road, shares her journey from innovative makeup artist to entrepreneur. She discusses the freedom and challenges she faced after her contract cancellation, emphasizing the importance of trusting your gut and embracing change. Bobbi reveals how she revolutionized beauty by prioritizing inclusivity and natural looks, and she reflects on her lessons from difficult partnerships. Her memoir inspires listeners to understand that setbacks are not the end; reinvention is always possible.

Are you feeling stuck in a career you find meaningless, wondering if you’ll ever find your true calling? This week on Everyday Better, Leah Smart sits down with Sister Monica Clare — an Episcopal nun, spiritual counselor, and the creator behind the TikTok account @nunsenseforthepeople. Her path to the convent was anything but direct. For decades, she chased one career after another in Hollywood — acting, advertising, comedy, PR — all while ignoring the quiet truth she’d known since childhood: her true calling was to become a nun. In this powerful conversation, Sister Monica shares how she learned to stop listening to the world around her and finally start listening to herself. She opens up about the values exercise that changed everything, the somatic signals that told her she was on the wrong path, and why “plan A” doesn’t have to mean certainty — just courage. Together, she and Leah explore how any of us can uncover our calling, navigate fear, build self-esteem, and make meaningful changes one small step at a time. If you’ve ever wondered whether you're on the right path — or worried that you’re not — this episode will help you reframe failure, tune into what moves your heart, and get clearer on the life you’re truly meant to live. You can find her book ”A Change of Habit: Leaving Behind My Husband, Career, and Everything I Owned to Become a Nun” here. If you liked this episode, you’ll also love this one: Exploring the Universe: NASA’s Michelle Thaller’s Guide to Everyday AweFollow Leah Smart and Sister Monica Clare on LinkedIn.

Join personal growth educator Amanda Hilton as she dives deep into the importance of defining core values for decision-making. She shares insightful prompts to help identify what resonates most with you and emphasizes that unnamed values can leave you adrift. Amanda and the host discuss practical exercises like using reflective journaling and even pet peeves to uncover deeper values. Learn how to group these values into actionable themes and apply them in your daily life for clarity and confidence.

In a captivating discussion, Emily Kasriel, a former BBC journalist turned executive coach, shares her insights on deep listening, a skill crucial for meaningful communication. She details an eight-step framework to improve active listening, emphasizing psychological safety, presence, and curiosity. Emily reveals the distractions that hinder genuine interaction and offers strategies to enhance understanding in both personal and professional relationships. Dive into how deep listening can transform conflicts and foster trust.

Nicholas Thompson is a writer, a father, a CEO, and a champion long-distance runner. Nick says that running has taught him how to navigate the hardest things in life. This conversation is about running, but it’s really about what changes when we commit to doing hard things. Running has been a part of Nick’s life since his childhood, but it wasn’t until his forties that his running career skyrocketed. Even as he took on the demanding role as CEO of The Atlantic, Nick continued to break records as an elite runner. Together, Leah and Nick discuss the cumulative effects of discipline, why you should challenge yourself outside of work, and how developing strong habits will impact every area of your life. You can find Nick’s new book ‘The Running Ground’ here. If you liked this episode, check out our conversation with Michael Gervais, one of the world’s top high performance psychologists.Follow Leah Smart and Nicholas Thompson on LinkedIn.