Everyday Better with Leah Smart

Explore the power of storytelling and how the narratives we create shape our identities. Discover a simple exercise to help you reframe unhelpful stories, turning fear and regret into narratives of growth. Leah shares personal experiences, from navigating grief to finding positivity in life's challenges. Learn how acceptance and reflection can lead to healing, and gain insights on transforming adversity into resilience. Journaling and self-reflection emerge as vital tools in this journey toward a more empowering self-narrative.

Join Nick Ortner, an author and entrepreneur renowned for popularizing tapping, as he shares his incredible journey with this technique that helps millions address stress and anxiety. Discover the science behind Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), including how it targets the brain's stress response by acknowledging negative emotions. Nick even guides listeners through a short tapping exercise, highlighting its synergy with meditation and therapy. Embrace new methods of emotional release for improved well-being and personal growth!

In this engaging discussion, Alex Edmans, a Professor of Finance at London Business School and author of 'May Contain Lies', explores our mental biases and the misconceptions they create. He highlights how confirmation bias clouds our judgment, emphasizing the need for critical thinking and diverse perspectives. Alex shares insights on parenting advice, illustrating the importance of nuanced understanding over rigid guidelines. He encourages embracing doubt and vulnerability as crucial steps toward personal growth and greater understanding in a complex world.

In this enlightening conversation, hospice nurse Julie McFadden, known as Hospice Nurse Julie, shares her journey from ICU to hospice care, emphasizing the importance of accepting mortality for a more fulfilled life. She discusses how contemplating death daily can enhance our appreciation for life and foster deeper connections. Julie reflects on personal stories, the beauty of small moments, and the need for open dialogues about death. Her insights encourage listeners to embrace life with intention and find peace amidst the uncertainty of mortality.

Discover how to take control of your calendar with a unique time management technique called Time Crafting. Learn the importance of tracking daily activities to evaluate their emotional impact and energy levels. Explore the paradox of discretionary time and its effect on happiness, alongside the emotional facets of balancing work and family life. Hear personal insights on managing communication overload and prioritizing meaningful moments with loved ones, ensuring your schedule reflects what truly matters.

“Do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.” We’ve all heard it, maybe even lived by it. But what if turning your passion into a career is doing more harm than good?  In this episode, sociologist Erin Cech challenges our cultural obsession with finding fulfillment at work. Drawing from her book “The Trouble with Passion”, Erin explains how the “passion principle” can exacerbate societal inequalities as well as burnout. She also shares practical questions to ask yourself about the relationship you want to have with paid work, and offers ways to find meaning in a variety of places. If you liked this episode, you’ll also love this one: Redefine Your Relationship to Work with Former Top Magazine Editor Jennifer Romolini

Morra Aarons-Mele, host of the podcast "The Anxious Achiever," long understood her challenges at work as byproducts of anxiety and depression. She had a hard time working for other people and often found herself saying the wrong thing in meetings. But a recent discovery changed everything: Morra learned she’s neurodivergent. That realization helped her reframe not only her struggles, but also her strengths, and paved the way towards a more authentic, empowered way of working. In this week's episode of Everyday Better, Morra shares how embracing her neurodivergence helps her tap into her full potential. She and Leah discuss what neurodivergence encompasses, the hidden power of introversion and how our workplaces need to evolve to support a broader range of minds. Morra also explains why difference isn’t a liability but a competitive advantage, and how to leverage your own unique strengths to show up stronger at work.  If you liked this episode, check out Morra’s podcast “The Anxious Achiever” here. Listen to my conversation with Dr. Barry Kudrowitz on why play and humor belong at work here.

Leah is back from maternity leave! In her first episode back, she and her producers talk about her birth story, the tools she used to manage anxiety during pregnancy and how she’s learning to let go of control and live in the moment.

Suleika Jaouad, a bestselling author and cancer survivor, shares her journey of facing the return of leukemia after years of remission. She reveals how journaling became her lifeline, reshaping her perspective to live each day as if it were her first. Discussing the emotional weight of illness, she highlights creativity's role in reclaiming joy and navigating grief. Suleika candidly explores the power of love and community during uncertain times while offering insights on embracing vulnerability and manifesting hope.

Dr. Russell Kennedy, a physician and neuroscience expert, shares his journey from crippling anxiety to healing through body awareness. He reveals how traditional treatments often miss the mark and emphasizes the power of somatic practices in addressing unresolved trauma. Listeners learn about concepts like 'Background Alarm' and techniques for reconnecting with their inner selves. Russell discusses coping mechanisms and sensory awareness, offering practical tools to navigate anxiety and foster emotional balance in everyday life.