Lifestyle | Live Happy

8 Tips to Master Your TV Time

When we settle down to watch TV, we are engaged, entertained and, if all goes right, happy. Among Americans—who watch an average of nearly three hours a day—watching television is the most common free-time activity. We simply love TV. But while television is a good servant, it’s a bad master. It can often swallow up huge amounts of time without giving much back in return. Here are eight tips to make your TV time a source of happiness instead of regret: 1. Watch TV with someone else We enjoy all activities more when we’re with other people, and we tend to find things funnier, too. Use TV as an excuse to get together with friends and family. Sporting events (the Super Bowl), awards shows (the Oscars), reality TV (American Idol, Survivor), comedy (Broad City), and special events (the finale of Downton Abbey) are all a lot more fun to watch with other people. 2. Use TV as a bridge If you’re having trouble connecting with someone—your sweetheart or your teenager—try watching TV together (even if football or Project Runway isn’t necessarily your favorite). Watching TV is companionable and a way to engage in a pleasant, undemanding way. 3. Record shows Recording allows you to watch a particular show according to your own schedule and mood. Most important: If you’re sleepy, don’t stay up late to watch TV! Record a show, and finish watching it another time. 4. Or enjoy watching them live Anticipation is an important aspect of happiness. Looking forward to a favorite show will heighten the pleasure you feel once you watch it. And it’s fun to think that people all across the country are sitting down to see what’s next on The Bachelor. 5. Enjoy commercials This is particularly easy if you rarely watch TV. An enormous amount of creativity goes into creating commercials, and they can be fascinating if you pay attention. Not only that—surprisingly, a study shows that we enjoy TV more when it’s interrupted by commercials. 6. Learn about TV The more you know about something, the more interesting it becomes. Read some TV criticism; read interviews with the creative people involved in your favorite shows; become more knowledgeable about what goes on behind the scenes. 7. Don't surf Especially if you’re feeling frazzled from multitasking, don’t flip from one show to another. Sit down, start watching, sink into the experience and stay on one channel. 8. Choose to watch TV Often, we don’t really choose TV, it’s just the easy default activity. Make the effort to ask yourself, “What do I choose to do for the next hour?” before you plop down with the remote control. In many cases, other activities would take a bit more effort to begin, but would yield more enjoyment in the long run. If you watch TV mindfully, it can be a source of happiness, especially if you use it to connect with other people. If you watch it automatically, and for lack of anything better to do, it can be a drain on happiness. Gretchen Rubin is the bestselling author of The Happiness Project, Happier at Home and Better than Before. She is one of the most influential writers on happiness today, and has become an in-demand speaker and keynoter. Learn more at GretchenRubin.com.

Lifestyle

Tomatoes Take a Starring Role

Is it a fruit? A vegetable? You can argue with your trivia-obsessed pal all night and both come out winners. The tomato is a fruit, but it has become so commonly used and thought of as a vegetable that it has taken on honorary membership in that club as well. But more important is understanding the tomato’s incredible health benefits: It is rich in antioxidants such as vitamin C and lycopene, which research shows to be important in bone and heart health as well as prevention of certain kinds of cancers. Whether you prefer cherry or grape, Roma or Early Girl varieties, tomatoes are low in calories, high in fiber and can even help decrease cholesterol. Try giving them a starring role once in a while in a dish such as the classic of the American South, fried green tomatoes, in an Italian caprese salad with mozzarella cheese or atop a simple, crunchy bruschetta. Emily Wise Miller is the web editor at Live Happy.

Mario Andretti Follows His Passions at Full Speed

Lifestyle

Mario Andretti Chases His Passions at Full Speed

Few men are so successful in a chosen field that their name becomes synonymous with their profession, but racing legend Mario Andretti has achieved that iconic status. From humble beginnings in his native Italy through his glory days on racetracks all over the globe, Mario’s life has been an incredible journey. And even at 76, he refuses to shift gears and slow his pace as the Indianapolis 500 celebrates its 100th running on May 29. “I’ve been totally blessed, and because I’ve had such a long career, I’ve been able to cover the entire globe,” Mario says. Today he owns a winery and a petroleum business and also works closely with several major corporations including Firestone, where he’s had a long relationship as a test driver and spokesperson. “I’ve raced in five continents, and I’ve won at least one race in all of them,” he says. “I’ve always set some very, very ambitious goals. I’m always looking for the stars. You have to have the mindset.” That mindset has brought Mario decades of happiness, but his journey to becoming the world’s most famous race car driver didn’t start out an easy one. Mario was born in Montona, Italy, but after World War II, the town was ceded to Yugoslavia and fell under Communist rule. Three years later his family fled his hometown and eventually landed in a refugee camp in Lucca, Italy. The Andrettis lived there for seven years before obtaining visas and moving to the United States, settling in Pennsylvania when Mario was 15. Born to race His love of racing began even before he came to America. “Something captured my imagination at a very young age,” Mario says. “Italy was very prominent in the ’50s in Formula One [racing] with Ferrari and Maserati. My idol was the world champion Alberto Ascari,” Mario says, recalling the one time he saw Alberto race before the Andretti family moved to America. “As a kid you formulate your dreams and, quite honestly, the more I got into it, the more I had a goal. And I didn’t have a plan B. I had a one-track mind to pursue this and I had no idea how, when or where, but I did it—and we did it, my twin brother, Aldo, and I. “Together we had the same ambitions, and of course the sport was not so kind to him [Aldo was in a terrible crash that nearly killed him early in his career]. That’s when you come to realize that if you come through unscathed, as I have, how fortunate you’ve been.” Life in the fast lane Mario is often quoted as saying, “If everything seems under control, you’re just not going fast enough,” and that fearless spirit has served him well. He won his first significant victory in March 1962 and went on to take the checkered flag 111 times over the course of five decades in racing. Before he retired from the sport in 1994, Mario had won the Indianapolis 500, the Daytona 500 and the Formula One World Championship. He won the Indy Car National Championship four times and was a three-time winner at Sebring International Raceway. He dominated in every type of car, from sports cars to stock cars, and every kind of track, from pavement to dirt, ovals and road courses to drag strips. His list of accomplishments would run for miles, but highlights include being named Driver of the Year in three different decades (the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s), Driver of the Quarter Century (in the ’90s), and Driver of the Century by The Associated Press in 2000. The family business When asked what he feels has made him so successful, Mario says, “It comes down to desire, just a burning desire to accomplish something and commit to it. I wanted to do this. I enjoy it so much, I didn’t want a day off. I raced 40 to 50 races a year. I had this burning passion to be a part of it, and I’m still living the dream with the family. There are three generations of drivers both on my brother’s side and my own. We know nothing else.” Indeed the Andretti name will always be known for racing, and Mario is proud to see grandson Marco Andretti carrying on the family tradition. “The biggest satisfaction is seeing Marco do what I love and seeing him enjoy it,” Mario says. “He loves it as much as I did. It gives me so much pleasure to see that, and my son, Michael, is fielding a very powerful team. It’s all part of our DNA. Would I ever want to do anything else? Absolutely not.” Being with the people he loves is clearly just as important to Mario as doing what he loves. Mario married his wife, Dee Ann, in 1961, and they have three children and seven grandchildren. “Somehow we hit it off and that’s it, we never looked back,” he says of meeting Dee Ann in school shortly after his family moved to America. He credits her support with fueling his success over the decades. “I just married the right woman. She’s the one that understood and gave me the opportunity to satisfy a career to the fullest. She never nagged, and there was no ticker tape parade when I came home with a trophy. I got the same kiss or hug if I won or lost, so that kept everything stable, and that’s what I needed. She was the rock and still is.” The Indy 500 Mario is looking forward to this Memorial Day weekend and the 100th running of what has been called the “greatest spectacle in racing,” the Indy 500. He’ll be there participating in numerous activities throughout the weekend. “It’s been there longer than any other sporting event, and I think that pretty much says it all,” he says of the famed Indianapolis race. “It’s an incredible legacy, so that’s why it’s a very coveted celebration that we’re looking forward to.” Mario is profoundly grateful for his long and distinguished career. At 76, he recently passed his physical and is still licensed to drive a race car. It remains a passion after all these years. “Even though my kids and grandkids are all involved, I cannot just be a spectator,” Mario says. “I’m not that kind. My passion is to continue doing all the things that I’ve been doing. Go to the limit and not give up. “The definition of happiness is to really enjoy life to the fullest,” he says. “Try to do things that actually make you smile,” Mario advises. “I’ve been so lucky to look forward to going to work and then, when my work is done, to look forward to being with my family for the quality time that we have together. If you can formulate your life in those terms, you can’t do any better than that.” Deborah Evans Price is a freelance writer based in Nashville, Tennessee.

Jesse Tyler Ferguson on the cover of Live Happy magazine

Lifestyle

Look Inside Our Jam-Packed, Life-Affirming Issue

Jesse Tyler Ferguson Likes Living on the Edge Emmy-nominated Modern Family star Jesse Tyler Ferguson sits down for a candid talk with Live Happy about the importance of taking risks in life and his new one-man show on Broadway, Fully Committed. Happiness Is Her Style Niecy Nash has struggled with tragedy and disappointment in her life, but has come out on top as a successful TV actress in both comedy and drama. Live Happy recounts her moving story. Make-A-Wish: Where Science and Hope Meet Meet some of the awe-inspiring kids with serious illnesses who have had their wishes fulfilled with the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Research shows that wish-fulfillment can actually help set into motion a string of positive outcomes. Living His Passion at Full Speed Racing legend Mario Andretti speaks sincerely about his driving passion for competition and speed, as well as the importance of faith and family in his life. Much more... Find out which two nutrients you can’t live without and how to incorporate them into your diet; add two gritty new books to your happiness library; learn how to write your way to insight; and more news, columns and features you won't want to miss. Download our digital edition! Download the digital edition of our June issue, with multimedia extras—now available for your iPhone and Android mobile devices! Simply download the Live Happy Magazine app from the App Store on your device.

Lifestyle

Jesse Tyler Ferguson Is Fully Committed

Jesse Tyler Ferguson is, as his Modern Family co-star Ty Burrell says, “a big fat liar.” Eric Stonestreet, who plays Jesse’s husband, Cameron Tucker, on the long-running ABC sitcom, also questions his honesty. “Jesse said that?” Eric asks incredulously. “That might be true of me, but it’s certainly not true for him.” Here’s what’s causing Eric and Ty to scoff. “Sometimes,” Jesse has said, “I show up on the Modern Family set very, very cranky.” “Jesse does not get cranky,” Ty, who plays Phil Dunphy, insists. “He gets a little bit pink in the face, and you know he’s stressed out. What happens is that Jesse is such a gentle, sensitive soul that he gets stressed not when he’s fighting with somebody—because he does not fight with anybody—but by conflict in general, by other people who are having tantrums.” OK, the five-time Emmy-nominated actor may not be the type to pitch a fit, but Jesse says lately he has been thinking about starting a meditation practice or even seeing a therapist. Life, he says, has provided an abundance of good fortune and he wants to be able to enjoy it all. “I get overwhelmed very easily,” Jesse says, sounding a bit like his Modern Family alter ego, the high-strung lawyer Mitchell Pritchett. Sometimes he feels so jittery he needs to retreat to a quiet place to “take a few deep breaths and tell myself it’s all going to work out. You just have to tackle one thing at a time.” It’s at these moments that he calls his husband, Justin Mikita, who has an unflappable temperament, “to see if he can talk me off the ledge.” Life on the edge Still, Jesse far prefers the ledge to living inside his comfort zone. His definition of a rich, vibrant life is one that’s over flowing with bold risks, new challenges, deep relationships and being on the front lines of the causes that you believe in. That means embracing the full kaleidoscope of emotions, including, at times, anxiety, fear and self-doubt. “As everyone does, I always want to live in a place of utmost happiness,” Jesse says. “But that’s just not possible. There are going to be times when you feel really down and times when you feel like the world is against you and it’s impossible to accomplish things, and you wonder if you’re ever going to be as happy as you want to be again. I’ve learned that even in those down times happiness still exists within you. You just need to be OK with the shift.” A very full plate Small wonder Jesse experiences a pounding heart on occasion: He’s juggling simultaneous roles in film, TV and theater. For the past few months, he’s been shuttling between the Modern Family soundstage on the Fox lot in Los Angeles and another building on the lot where he’s voicing the yoga-loving Shangri Llama in this summer’s Ice Age: Collision Course, the fifth installment in the animated franchise. And every three weeks, he flew to New York for rehearsals for Fully Committed, a one-man Broadway show that began previews on April 1 and will run for 15 weeks. Since Broadway is “where I cut my teeth and where my true passion is, to be able to do something as exciting as a one-man show on Broadway, that’s like the cherry on top of the sundae right there,” Jesse says. In his first return to Broadway in a decade, Jesse plays Sam, an out-of-work actor who mans the reservations line at a hot Manhattan restaurant. There are also desperate callers, panicked waiters, a haughty chef, a skittish maître d’. In total, it’s a cast of 40 men and women of all ages and nationalities. Jesse plays them all. “I read the script and said, ‘OK, I have to have a French accent, a British accent, a Southern accent. I’m not just doing monologues, this is dialogue with myself.’ I thought, ‘this is really terrifying!’ ” The terror was the selling point. For me if you’re not scared by something,” says Jesse, “maybe it’s not worth doing. What really creates a better artist, in my opinion, is putting yourself at risk. Fear is a really great motivator.” As if multiple roles across three different mediums weren’t enough, Jesse has another plate in the air. A passionate foodie who loves to cook and entertain in the Spanish Colonial home he shares with Justin and Leaf, their 7-pound Maltese-terrier mix, he’s just launched a food blog on his website (jessetylerferguson.com) with his good friend Julie Tanous, a professional chef and recipe developer. The two met at a dinner party and bonded over their culinary passions. “I would love to put myself through culinary school if I had the time,” Jesse says. “If this acting thing ever stops, I would be very happy in a kitchen.” For now, he’s learning professional techniques from Julie in his spacious, well-appointed kitchen. “Julie came over a few times and we started cooking,” Jesse says. “I’d ask her questions like, ‘How should you actually dice a tomato?’ She’s been a private tutor for me, and we had such a good time in the kitchen, I thought, ‘We should document this and share it.’ ” To read the rest of this article and get the full details about Jesse Tyler Ferguson's life and work, pick up the June issue of Live Happy magazine. Click here for one of Jesse's favorite dinner party recipes: One-Pan Roasted Chicken And Brussels Sprouts. Shelley Levitt is an editor at large for Live Happy magazine.

Jesse Tyler Ferguson’s Favorite Dinner Party Recipe

Lifestyle

Jesse Tyler Ferguson’s Go-To Dinner Party Recipe

Though he is often at a Broadway stage set or away from home working on his hit television series Modern Family, the kitchen is one of Jesse Tyler Ferguson’s favorite places. And that’s especially true when he’s sharing chopping and sautéing duties with his good friend Julie Tanous, a professional chef and recipe developer. Together, the two have launched a food blog on his website jessetylerferguson.com/food. Here they share a one-pan dish that’s perfect for stress-free entertaining. One-Pan Roasted Chicken & Brussels Sprouts Feeds 4 hungry adults or 6 adults on diets This is a great dish to serve at a small dinner party because you can pop it in the oven, walk away and enjoy time with your company. And because everything is roasted in the same pan, cleanup is pretty painless.Roasting the Brussels sprouts flat side down creates a beautifulchar. You might think you’ve overcooked the sprouts, but trust us, that caramel char is where the flavor lives! When mixed with the juices from the chicken, you’re left with amouthwatering feast.Because we love pretty much anything chef and restaurateur David Chang creates, the Brussels sprouts at Momofuku are the inspiration behind this recipe. INGREDIENTS 1 ½poundsBrussels sprouts, trimmed and halved 2largecarrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces 2shallots, peeled andquartered 3tablespoonsfish sauce 3tablespoonsrice vinegar ½tablespoon sugar ½ teaspooncrushed red pepperflakes 3 tablespoons grape seed oil, plus1 tablespoonfor greasing pan 1wholechicken, broken down into 8 pieces 3tablespoons unsalted butter Good quality sea salt orHepp’sgarlic salt (which is what we used and loved) Fresh ground pepper ½ teaspoonfresh chopped thyme DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a large baking tray with aluminum foil.In a large bowl,gentlytossthe Brussels sprouts, carrots and shallots with the fish sauce,rice vinegar,sugar, crushed red pepperflakesand oil.SpreadtheBrusselssproutsin a single layeron the foil-linedsheet tray and arrange the sprouts so that they are flat side down. Rinse chicken pieces under cold water and pat dry with paper towels.Place the chicken, skin side up, on top of the Brussels sprouts. Make sure the sprouts are nestled close together so that your chicken pieces areeven. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat or inamicrowave.Using a pastry brush, generously coat the skin of the chicken with the butter. Season each pieceof chicken with the garlic salt,fresh ground pepperand thyme. Roastuntilthe chickenbreasts register 160 F andthe drumsticks andthighsreach175 F,about35 to 40 minutes. Transferthechicken toaserving platter. Tossthe Brussels sprouts with thecaramelized pan juices,making sure toscrape upbrowned bits,and spreadthe sprouts aroundthechicken.Step away from the dish and baskinthe glory of your applause. For more on Jesse Tyler Ferguson, see our profile in the June 2016 issue of Live Happy magazine. Shelley Levitt is editor at large for Live Happy magazine.

Lifestyle

Bruschetta With Tomato and Basil

Healthy, colorful tomatoes are available year-round, but are at their peak flavor in the warmer months, when they are frequently paired with basil and garlic, as in this classic Italian dish. In the traditional version, the bread would be toasted over an open flame to maintain a soft interior and crunchy exterior. If you have good-quality olive oil in the house, sprinkle a little on top of each bruschetta to garnish before serving. Serves 6 as an appetizer INGREDIENTS 6 large country French or Italian bread, cut into 1/2-inch slices 4 medium tomatoes 1 large garlic clove, halved crosswise 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided ½ tablespoon balsamic vinegar 3 to 4 leaves fresh basil, minced ¼ teaspoon salt Freshly ground black pepper to taste Place the bread slices on a baking sheet and preheat the oven to 450 degrees. At the same time, slice the tomatoes crosswise, remove the seeds with your fingers and chop the tomatoes into a medium dice. Take one half of the garlic clove and mince it. In a medium bowl, combine the chopped tomato, minced garlic, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, vinegar, basil, and salt and pepper and gently stir to combine. Toast the slices until golden-brown, about 7 minutes. When they first come out of the oven, rub each slice of toast all over with the remaining half garlic clove. Carefully pour the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over the toasts (or brush it on with a clean kitchen brush). Using a slotted spoon, top each toast with some of the tomato-basil mix and serve right away. Emily Wise Miller is the web editor at Live Happy.

Lifestyle

Laura Benanti Gets the Right Kind of Attention

Tony Award-winning actress Laura Benanti has dazzled audiences on the stage as well as onscreen since the age of 18. She is best known for her appearances on Broadway, including the revival of The Sound of Music, Swing! and Into the Woods, but you may also recognize her for her recurring television roles on Nashville, Royal Pains and most recently Supergirl. As if she didn’t have enough to do in her whirlwind life, Laura also finds time to write and play music. In 2013 she released her first solo album:In Constant Search of the Right Kind of Attention: Live at 54 BELOW. We caught up with the the busy actor/singer to find out a little more about how she stays balanced and happy with so much on her plate. Live Happy: What projects are you working on now? Laura Benanti: I am rehearsing for a show on Broadway called She Loves Me at the Roundabout Theater Company. It’s a beautiful love story. I’m also writing a comedic book of essays, tentatively titled I Stole Your Boyfriend (and Other Monstrous Acts on My Way to Becoming a Human Woman). Who has taught you the most about happiness? My husband, Patrick Brown. I watch him choose happiness every single day. He approaches every new day like it is a fresh start. He doesn’t dwell on the past or obsess over the future. He assumes the best of people unless proven otherwise, and even then he doesn’t take it personally. He just uses it as information and moves on. When was the last time you laughed out loud? Today at rehearsal. That’s what I love about rehearsals with Broadway folks. We laugh all the time. What is your "go-to" movie or book when you want to lift your mood? I love to watch the movie Some Like It Hot. Or I listen to [Buddhist teacher] Pema Chodron. What are you most passionate about? My family, my friends, music, laughter, being kind to others and fighting for what I think is right. How do you make the people close to you feel happy? I try to abide by the golden rule. But most importantly, understanding that I can’t actually make someone happy has been a very illuminating concept. I don’t have control over other people and how they might feel. All I can do is treat them with respect and consideration. Where is your "happy place"? My childhood home in Kinnelon, New Jersey. When my parents bought it over 30 years ago it was a run-down mess. They have lovingly and painstakingly turned it into an oasis. How do you live happy? I’m married to my best friend. I try to eat well, meditate twice a day for 20 minutes, and “lean towards the light.” Singing also makes me very happy. Chris Libby is the Section Editor at Live Happy.

Nature

Happy 100th Birthday National Parks

President Woodrow Wilson may not spring to mind every time you go for a hike, but maybe he should. In 1916, he created the National Park Service as part of the Department of the Interior. What started with 35 protected areas has grown over the past 100 years to include more than 400 parks, historical sites, monuments and natural areas. Celebrate the centennial of America’s phenomenal national parks by spending time in one (or more) this year. Outdoor activities have been linked to better mental and physical health, increased creativity and greater overall well-being. Besides, you’ll be amazed at the diverse beauty to be found in every state. What’s more, all parks have junior ranger programs with activities for families, as well as knowledgeable staffers who can help you plan the perfect visit. Acadia National Park—Maine Acadia, which occupies most of Mount Desert Isle in northern Maine, was the first national park on the east coast. Inside the park you'll find trails for easy to moderate hiking and old carriage roads for driving. There is also a shuttle bus to get around without having to worry about your car. The coast is stunning up close or looking out from Cadillac Mountain, the highest peak in the park. Brave families can get wet, but even in the middle of summer the Atlantic Ocean here is frigid! At the end of the day head to the town of Bar Harbor for a meal and a ride on a vintage sailboat. Dry Tortugas National Park—Florida A 70-mile boat ride from Key West takes you from tourist traps to a more remote world. Here you'll find abundant sea life and plenty of sunshine and beaches. The activities here are ideal for active families: snorkeling, paddling, geocaching and fishing. Home to Fort Jefferson, this area was a busy place during the Civil War and famously housed Dr. Samuel Alexander Mudd, who helped President Lincoln’s assassin get away. Arches National Park—Utah There’s something about the red rock desert of southern Utah that makes it hard to stop snapping photographs. Zion, Bryce and Arches national parks each have their own highlights. For hiking, biking and climbing, Arches gives you the biggest thrills. More than 2,000 natural arches are fun to hike and climb around in the warmer months, but you can explore year-round—even in the snow. Sequoia National Park—California The towering Sequoia trees have always inspired awe in visitors, even before this majestic land in the southern Sierra Nevada became a national park. You can explore the Crystal Caves, an underground wonderland of gleaming stalactites and stalagmites (in summer only) and spend time hiking and wandering along miles of trails for a full sensory experience—the smell of old growth forest, the rugged texture of the trunks and the feel of a gentle breeze rustling the leaves above you. Kobuk Valley National Park—Alaska In 2014, the National Parks Service recorded zero visitors to Kobuk. Other years aren’t so dramatic, but since it was created in the early ’80s, just 141,000 people have seen this remote park. There’s a stark beauty unlike the rest of Alaska out in the northwestern part of the state. Sand dunes stretching for miles, an entirely treeless landscape and frigid rivers all combine for a rugged and solitary experience. Kobuk is not accessible by car, only by small plane. Once here, you can fish, follow migrating caribou, watch the sun never set and get a glimpse of Native Alaskan life. Eliana Osborn is a freelance writer who lives in the desert Southwest.

Lifestyle

Michael Strahan Wakes Up Happy

As a youngster who idolized his three older brothers, Michael Strahan was heartbroken when he learned why they called him “Bob.” The future 6-foot-5 muscular, quarterback-crushing Hall of Fame defensive end was, at age 13, chubby. “Bob” stood for “booty on back,” one of his brother’s friends revealed as Michael huffed and puffed his way up a fence trying to keep up with the older kids. Holding back tears, Michael asked his mom if it was true that he was fat. “Oh no, baby,” she said. “You are husky.” But when Michael pressed his dad, he conceded that the boy could lose some weight. Fit and disciplined So Michael bought a Jane Fonda workout video (the year was 1985). He started saying “no” to second and third helpings of his mom’s cooking, saved up to buy football hero Herschel Walker’s workout book, and added situps and pushups to his regimen during TV commercials as Herschel advised. On weekends, Michael and his father jogged miles together around the U.S. Army base in Mannheim, Germany, where the elder Strahan held the rank of major. Within a few months, Michael was trimmer and fitter than he’d ever been. His brothers stopped calling him “Bob,” and Michael gained something more important, proving to himself that he could accomplish what he set his mind to. His father reinforced the lesson. Anything is possible “Growing up, my dad always used to say, ‘when’ not ‘if,’ ” Michael tells Live Happy. “‘When you get a scholarship to college…’, ‘When you make it into the NFL…’, ‘When you get into the Hall of Fame….’ He taught me to believe that my dreams were not only possible, but that they were inevitable with hard work and dedication. I’ve carried this positive perspective with me throughout all aspects of my life. When things seemed tough, I just reminded myself that it was all part of the process and that things would always work out the way that they were meant to.” He understood the payoffs for hard work could be sweet. “The juice is worth the squeeze,” he writes in his new book, Wake Up Happy: The Dream Big, Win Big Guide to Transforming Your Life. And he learned “grit, desire and discipline” were important on and off the playing field, as well as in day-to-day choices— happiness included. Choose to be happy “I believe everyone can be happy. It’s about choosing to be happy,” he says. “Sometimes happiness and a positive attitude does take grit, desire and discipline. Sometimes it also takes patience and persistence. You have to trust yourself and always do what’s best for you.” Now serving as co-host on LIVE! With Kelly & Michael, special guest host on Good Morning America and football analyst on FOX NFL Sunday, Michael made his transition from pro sports look simple. Figuring it out wasn’t easy, though, and neither was being comfortable on camera for the admitted introvert. But he paid attention, practiced and persevered. He made 20 guest-host appearances with LIVE! host Kelly Ripa in almost a year before he was chosen for the job full time. Fear is good when it challenges you “Most major decisions we make involve fear. Fear of failure, fear of rejection, fear of commitment, fear of missing out, etc. The best thing we can do is to never let fear consume us,” he says. “Don’t let fear stop us from trying something outside of our comfort zone. Fear is good when it challenges you and pushes you forward, but it’s important to trust your instincts and be confident in what you are doing. You have to be open to new opportunities and experiences for personal growth to happen.” Even before he left the NFL, Michael was preparing for his second act. As he continued racking up accolades and trophies, including the coveted Super Bowl ring in his final year with the New York Giants, he was cultivating people from whom he could learn, absorbing everything he could, staying open to new ideas. A man of many talents “Sometimes you’ll catch the big fish and sometimes you won’t, but without a line in the water you don’t stand a chance,” he writes. Today, Michael has a wealth of opportunities. In addition to appearing on live TV six days a week, he also has a line of men’s suits, the Collection by Michael Strahan, sold by J.C. Penney. With Wake Up Happy, he’s recently added best-selling author to his credits. In the book, Michael admits he doesn’t have everything figured out. Twice divorced, he says his love life is a work in progress. After his first marriage ended, his ex-wife took the two oldest children back to Germany where she and Michael first became teenage sweethearts. Michael regrets the time he missed with the kids and has worked to make it up. He also played Mr. Mom to his twin daughters who were just babies when he and their mother divorced. Still a work in progress To gain joint custody, a judge ordered Michael to care for the girls without outside help, and Michael did it. He continues to work on himself, too. But he may have eased up a bit. His best advice to live happy, he says, is to “be as nice, encouraging and kind to yourself as you are to everyone else. Don’t be so hard on yourself and live life to its fullest! Life has its ups and downs, but focus your energy on enjoying the ride.” As someone who grew up abroad and has traveled extensively since then, the International Day of Happiness has special meaning for Michael. “No matter where you are from, everyone has struggles and disappointments,” he says. “Happiness may come easier to some than others, but we all have conflicts. We are universally connected in that we all deal with these things on a daily basis. How we deal with them is what sets apart the truly happy people. It’s about gratitude and appreciation and being thankful for all that we do have instead of focusing on what we don’t have.” Lisa Ocker is a longtime journalist who formerly served as editor of SUCCESS magazine.

8 Tips to Master Your TV Time

Tomatoes Take a Starring Role

Mario Andretti Chases His Passions at Full Speed

Look Inside Our Jam-Packed, Life-Affirming Issue

Jesse Tyler Ferguson Is Fully Committed

Jesse Tyler Ferguson’s Go-To Dinner Party Recipe

Bruschetta With Tomato and Basil

Laura Benanti Gets the Right Kind of Attention

Happy 100th Birthday National Parks

Michael Strahan Wakes Up Happy

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