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Rob Thomas Still Loves You

After more than 20 years of solo success and playing in one of the most popular bands in the post-grunge era, Rob Thomas knows how fortunate he is to be doing something he loves. Currently on Matchbook Twenty’s “A Brief History of Everything” tour with co-headliners Counting Crows, Rob says when he plays a show, he reminds himself that it is a privilege to live out his dreams in front of adoring fans night in and night out. “We’re there because we are lucky enough that these people decided to spend their night with us. We try and make every night about giving them an experience that we’re all sharing together,” he says. “You try and look at it that way, and I think always being aware of how badly things could have turned out makes me thankful for it every night, realizing that this is probably one of the best jobs in theworld.” From the tumultuous ups and downs he experienced throughout his life, the happily married Grammy Award winner reflects on where he’s been, where he’s going and where he wants to be, expressing his gratitude along the way. Live Happy: Who taught you the most about happiness? I read The Art of Happiness by the Dalai Lama years ago, and it said that pleasure is not happiness. I think the idea of just realizing the difference between those two things will make you a happier person. So, this very nice, famous man whom I’ve never met had a lot to do with helping me. What is the kindest act that someone has done for you? For a while when I was in high school, I used to live on park benches and hitchhike around the Southeast. One time when I was leaving to hitchhike up to South Carolina from Florida, my guidance counselor didn’t like the idea and he gave me a bus ticket instead. Years later after we finally signed a record deal, I went back to my high school and I paid him back the money he had loaned me to get the ticket. With all the positive things that you’ve experienced in life so far, how do you pay it forward? I’ve always tried to do charitable things that people don’t know about and try to help people in any way I can in these little quiet moments, like seeing someone having a hard day at a restaurant and buying them dinner without them knowing it or watching someone struggling on the street and just giving them something to eat. It’s a thin line between being a tenacious, successful musician and being in your 40s, sitting in your parents’ basement waiting for your band to take off. It’s never lost on me how fate just played its hand and really helped me out to be the former, so I try to never forget that. Besides music, what is something that you are extremely passionate about in life? Animals are big in our lives. About 14 years ago , my wife, Marisol, and I started the Sidewalk Angels Foundation, a nonprofit in support of no-kill shelters, and we’ve been working on it ever since. She’s raised well over $1 million by pulling together money and getting critically needed funds for these grassroots organizations that are all over the country. We’ve been able to help fund more than 30 no-kill shelters and build physical shelters where they didn’t have them. We help them so that they can help their communities. Where is your ultimate happy place? Here in my home. We live 45 minutes outside New York City up in the suburbs. It’s horse country up here, so in the summer we love grabbing a glass of wine and sitting outside on the porch as the sun’s setting. We’ll play some music and just kind of go over our day, my wife and I. That’s the safest place in the world. Gerry Strauss is a journalist who specializes in entertainment and pop culture. He wrote the Live Happy cover story on Ming-Na Wen.

Volunteering

7 Apps to Get You More Involved in Your Community and the World

The summer after my first year in business school, I accepted an internship at the United Way in Gulfport, Mississippi. The year was 2005 and my assignment was to update the organization’s infrastructure by developing new systems for online giving, emergency protocols and sustainability planning. I had no idea how soon my efforts would be put to the test. I wish I could say my work that summer was part of a crucial response initiative, but when Hurricane Katrina hit on Aug. 29, I learned that my carefully written protocol, along with the desk I wrote it on, were literally floating somewhere in the ocean. The emergency we never planned for Following my limited memory of my protocol, I called the other staff, only to learn that everyone was in crisis and our executive director was missing (we were able to connect with her a few days later, and she was fine). I remember feeling so helpless—our organization was supposed to be a hub for disaster response in the area, but our operation was devastated. Yet in the interim, digital humanitarian groups from around the globe stepped up, helping to upgrade our infrastructure for communication and filling in where we simply could not. Crisis management in the digital era Since Hurricane Katrina, technology for disaster response has improved by leaps and bounds. In times of crisis, humanitarians with digital tools can help sift through the high volume of user-generated content (texts, photos, aerial imagery, videos and more) so that aid workers can focus on doing what they do best: providing aid. For example, when an earthquake struck Nepal in 2015, more than 7,500 digital volunteers contributed to improving Wikipedia’s OpenStreetMap so that aid workers could navigate the area efficiently and even use satellite imagery to determine the regions of Nepal affected. Similarly, Humanity Road and Standby Task Force curated social information and coordinated volunteers, while other groups like Translators Without Borders bridged language gaps. The cliché that works: Think globally, act locally You don’t have to traverse the globe to get involved in making your own community a better place. Some of the highest-impact work can take place right within your neighborhood. When I moved into my new neighborhood in Dallas, I learned that a huge percentage of residents use the app NextDoor as a sort of virtual community kiosk. I was amazed to see how this simple, free online bulletin board added to our neighborhood, deepening connections and enabling a whole different level of social support. Every day, users post about dogs on the loose, teenagers driving recklessly, families in need and more. On one memorable day, a man collapsed on a sidewalk and another neighbor found him. He had no identification on him, so the neighbor called 911 and then posted a description of him to alert his family. Within five minutes, his family was found and he was safely on his way to the hospital. If you’re interested in becoming a digital volunteer, either at home or further afield, check out these great apps and dive in! NextDoor.com: Build community in your neighborhood. SeeClickFix: Report issues like potholes and street signs that need to get fixed in your city. PublicStuff: Drive positive change in your community through online campaigns. Care2.com: Start petitions and gain support for causes. BeMyEyes: Help a blind individual see through video chat. CitizInvestor.com: Invest in public projects that you care about through crowdfunding and civic engagement. Translators Without Borders: Offer to translate oral and written documents for people in need. Listen to our podcast: The Future of Happiness With Amy Blankson Read more from Amy: Let Technology Lift Your Life Amy Blankson, aka the ‘Happy Tech Girl,’ is on a quest to help individuals balance productivity and well-being in the digital era. Amy, with her brother Shawn Achor, co-founded GoodThink, which brings the principles of positive psychology to lifeand works with organizations such as Google, NASA and the U.S. Army. Her new book is called The Future of Happiness: 5 Modern Strategies for Balancing Productivity and Well-being in the Digital Era.

Reading

10 Best Travel Books to Inspire Your Wanderlust

Whether you aspire to see as much of the world as possible, or are in desperate need of a change of scene, travel provides a new perspective on life. Arriving in distant places, experiencing other cultures and meeting new people can make the world feel larger and yet more connected—something that gets lost in the hamster wheel of our daily lives. Get inspired to reinvent your routine and radically change your surroundings when you read these 10 rousing tales of danger, romance, courage and discovery—of both faraway lands, and the heart’s true desires. 1. Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed After experiencing the loss of her mother, a crumbling marriage and a heroin habit, Cheryl Strayed sets out on a quest to find herself by hiking thousands of miles alone on the Pacific Crest Trail. With zero experience and no training, she faces several nail-biting close calls with danger, both natural and man-made. Along the way, she makes friends, finds romance and gains insight that will help heal the pain of her past. “I knew that if I allowed fear to overtake me, my journey was doomed. Fear, to a great extent, is born of a story we tell ourselves, and so I chose to tell myself a different story from the one women are told. I decided I was safe. I was strong. I was brave. Nothing could vanquish me.”—Cheryl Strayed 2. The Happiness of Pursuit: Finding the Quest That Will Bring Purpose to Your Life by Chris Guillebeau As Chris Guillebeau traveled he became fascinated with people who were in pursuit of their dreams, such as a young widower who completes the tasks his wife would never get to accomplish, and a teenager who crosses an ocean alone. As he finds and writes about these “questers,” Chris realizes that pursuing our extraordinary goals makes us happier than perhaps anything else. Ignite your sense of adventure, he says, by knowing your purpose. “The very basic core of a man’s living spirit is his passion for adventure.”—Chris Guillebeau 3. Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia by Elizabeth Gilbert From outward appearances, Elizabeth Gilbert had it all—a successful career, a beautiful home, a loving husband. But her life wasn’t making her happy. The memoir/travelogue Eat, Pray, Love details her transformational journey to three different countries—Italy, India and Indonesia where she learns who she really is from a sensual, spiritual and romantic perspective—and what she really wants out of life. “Happiness is the consequence of personal effort. You fight for it, strive for it, insist upon it, and sometimes even travel around the world looking for it. You have to participate relentlessly in the manifestations of your own blessings.”—Elizabeth Gilbert 4. Neither Here Nor There: Travels in Europe by Bill Bryson Iowan Bill Bryson backpacked through Europe back in the 1970s when he was a young man. As a London-based journalist, he set out to retrace his steps 20 years later in Neither Here Nor There. With his acerbic tone, he recalls old travel memories and explores new ones. “Rome was as wonderful as I had hoped it would be, certainly a step up from Peoria,” he writes.Get ready to laugh out loud as you feel the urge to plan your own adventure. “I can’t think of anything that excites a greater sense of childlike wonder than to be in a country where you are ignorant of almost everything.”—Bill Bryson 5. The Geography of Bliss: One Grump’s Search for the Happiest Places in the World by Eric Weiner “Change your location and you just may change yourself,” Eric Weiner writes. As he explores countries and towns known to be the “happiest places,” such as Bhutan and Switzerland, he recognizes a fundamental truth: “By relocating ourselves, reorienting ourselves, we shake loose the shackles of expectation.” With humor and insight, Eric offers helpful advice and philosophical musings on where to go and how to be happier once you’re there. “Travel, at its best, transforms us in ways that aren’t always apparent until we’re back home.”—Eric Weiner 6. Breaking Borders: Travels in Pursuit of an Impossible Record by James Asquith James Asquith is recognized by the Guinness World Records as the youngest person to have traveled to all 196 countries in the world, at age 24. In this travel memoir, he shares his adventures over the five years of working his way around the world doing odd jobs in hostels and restaurants. Let his global wanderlust spark yours. If you need more travel momentum, check out his Instagram account, where he has more than 200,000 followers. “Let locals lead you.”—James Asquith 7. No Reservations: Around the World on an Empty Stomach by Anthony Bourdain Indulge in food and travel with chef, author and CNN personality Anthony Bourdain. He takes you with him on a gustatory journey around the world, complete with photos and his signature caustic commentary. Experience what it feels like to travel with Anthony, and you will know the best place to get good fatty crab anywhere. “Open your mind, get up off the couch, move.”—Anthony Bourdain 8. The Mystical Backpacker: How to Discover Your Destiny in the Modern World by Hannah Papp Imagine you quit your job, grab your backpack and embark on a journey across Europe with no plan. That’s what Hannah Papp did when she grew tired of trying to live by other people’s expectations, and it drives the narrative of this book. Part memoir, part guidebook, The Mystical Backpacker offers tips for your backpacking trip abroad, as well as your inner journey to discover your authentic self. “The truth is, we don’t need to look to adventurers and heroes as people separate from or better than us. We can choose to make our lives an adventure and to be the heroes of our own stories.” —Hannah Papp 9. Under the Tuscan Sun: At Home in Italy by Frances Mayes In 1996, writer and poet Frances Mayes published a memoir about restoring a villa in the Tuscan countryside that was so vivid it inspired thousands of people to embark on their own Italian adventures. There are no romantic entanglements in the book version, but the author writes beautifully about the sights, tastes and sensations of living where the pace is slower, the tomatoes sweeter and the rooftops are lit by a golden sun. “I had the urge to examine my life in another culture and move beyond what I knew.”—Frances Mayes 10. On the Road by Jack Kerouac This classic road novel follows Sal Paradise and Dean Moriarty (thinly disguised Jack Kerouac and Neal Cassaday) as they interact with strange characters and try to avoid trouble while driving aimlessly across North America in the 1950s. Fueled by youthful intensity and Benzedrine, Jack's writing is so exhilarating, it spurred a generation of writers and poets in search of freedom—both literary and existential. “Sure baby, mañana. It was always mañana. For the next few weeks that was all I heard––mañana a lovely word and one that probably means heaven.”—Jack Kerouac Read more: 10 Life-Changing Books That Will Stay With You Read more: 10 Best Books to Help Achieve Your Goals Sandra Bilbray is a contributing editor to Live Happy, and Founder and CEO of themediaconcierge.net.

work

9 Tips to Be Happier Working From Home

As companies go global and workforces become virtual, more of us find ourselves working from home. On the one hand this is cause for celebration—no more commutes, cubicles or tepid coffee! But when you work from home, the responsibility is all on you. No one is clocking you in or out or constantly checking your work. You need to be organized and self-motivated. Working from home can seem very relaxed, but studies show that those who do it may be more productive than their office park counterparts. If you've landed a work-at-home job but don't feel entirely thrilled about the prospect of being alone with yourself every single day (you may be an extrovert who craves the energy of the workplace, or someone who doesn't like to mix home life and work life), don't worry, you have options. Take your laptop to a friendly cafe with Wifi and pay your rent by buying coffee and scones. In many cities, you can now find groovy coworking spaces, such as WeWork, General Assembly and NeueHouse, that provide camaraderie as well as office amenities. (Do a quick Google search of your city + coworking to find one near you.) For those who are committed to the home office, here are a few tips to maintain productivity and sanity throughout the workweek. 1. Get a room. If you have a choice, put your desk somewhere other than your bedroom. You don’t want your brain’s work and sleep wires to get crossed. A dedicated room that can act as your home office is ideal, but even a nook or large closet can often do the trick. 2. Set a schedule. When you work from home, it’s tempting to sleep late and then work until whenever, but this is not the path to productivity. Our brains like regularity, so set your alarm clock to get up at the same time every day (preferably early). Do some good exercise or meditation, and start the day with gusto. You might even want to take a walk around the block before you start working, not only for the exercise but also to create a mental demarcation between your home and work life. 3. Make your bed. This simple act may correlate with happiness, and it starts your day off on the right foot. But it is especially important to keep your home tidy and at least somewhat organized if you will be working there. Plus an admiral wrote an entire book about how important it is, so maybe you should do it. 4. Shower, brush your teeth and get dressed. This probably goes without saying, but if you stay in your pajamas all day—with mossy teeth and bed head—you’ll feel it. Somewhere deep down your brain is thinking, “Let’s get back in bed” instead of, “Let’s get on that conference call and talk about spreadsheets.” 5. Keep your desk neat. If you don’t keep your desk area organized, your work stuff will flow over into your home stuff and vice versa. You don’t want your house to look like the office on The Office, but invest in a small filing cabinet if you need one. Every month, go through old papers and recycle or file what you don’t need. You don’t want to be featured on the next season of Hoarders: Home Office Edition. 6. Resist the temptation to do house chores. The occasional load of laundry won’t kill you, but you can procrastinate away an entire workday by dusting the den and recaulking the shower. You won’t need a handyman, but you’ll probably need a new job. 7. Take brain breaks. Research shows that we are most productive in 90-minute spurts of creativity, interrupted by short breaks of either relaxation or exercise. Your own body clock may work differently, but the best thing about being at home is being able to get up, stretch, walk around a little—even catch a few z’s if you need to. If you do decide to take a nap, make sure not to go past 20 minutes or so (set an alarm on your phone or clock). 8. Make social plans for after work. Working from home has huge benefits, but let’s face it—you get a little lonely. If you are going to go on social media, schedule it into your day, such as “10 am: 5 min. Facebook break.” Otherwise you will get lost in the ultimate time- and productivity-sucking vortex. If you make plans with friends for dinner or the weekend, you can focus on your work, knowing you’ll have the opportunity to socialize later. 9. Take advantage of not being in an office. You get to be in your happy place all day, so make the most of it. With no coworkers to quibble over your musical taste, you can play tunes in the background while you work. Since you have a full working kitchen at hand (presumably), save money and eat more healthily by making quick salads and sandwiches instead of going out for lunch. And though we encourage you to get dressed—you can still wear anything you want—and that beats “office casual” any day. Read more: Clear Your Desk and Your Mind Will Follow and 6 Secrets to Creating Your Dream Job Emily Wise Miller is the web editor for Live Happy.

Self-Care

5 Reasons to Stop Hating Your Body

From the moment we’re born, others judge us and comment on our appearance. “What a beautiful baby!” “Who does he look like, mom or dad?” Our height and weight are among the first official facts sent to our family and friends on baby announcements. For most of us, how we feel about our appearance is a barometer of how we feel we fit into the world. When we feel good about how we look, we feel better about ourselves. Societal norms, our upbringing and the baggage we have picked up along the way all impact how we feel about our bodies. Our body image can affect how we think, feel and behave. If we feel positively about our bodies, it impacts us in a positive way. If we feel negative about our physical self, it can impact our mood, emotional well-being and may even build the foundation for an eating or psychological disorder. Glamorizing anorexia? Netflix is tackling some of these body-image issues in its new controversial film, To the Bone. The story features a 20-year-old woman dealing with anorexia nervosa. Some critics claim the movie glamorizes anorexia, possibly laying the groundwork for its vulnerable teenage audience to develop eating disorders. To its defenders, To the Bone creates awareness and stirs much-needed conversation about the topic. When someone develops an eating disorder, there are typically multiple risk factors such as age, family history, psychological disorders, stress, depression and more. A common thread among individuals with the disease is a negative image of their own body. One movie will not precipitate an eating disorder. Instead, there is hope that To the Bone will start conversations about the importance of having a positive body image. Many of us deal with issues related to a negative body image. Here are five ways to improve how you feel about your body. 1. Look at the whole you Take what I call a "whole me" point of view. Don't just focus on what you perceive as your flaws. Instead, look at your long lashes, your capable fingers that type so many words per minute, your strong back that enables you to carry a kid in each arm. 2. Turn off the chatter Be aware of negative familial and societal voices that may be impacting your self-image—including the self-talk coming from your own mind. Does your mother always comment about your weight? Does your best friend consistently talk about diet and exercise, making you wonder if she is dropping a hint? Do attractive models in magazines push your buttons? Work toward emotionally detaching yourself from these situations; let your family or friends know that you don't want to engage in these types of conversations. 3. Heal your history Do you carry emotional baggage about your body image from your past? If we are overweight and teased as children, even if we lose all the fat, we may never completely lose the emotional weight. Our bodies bear their own emotional memories—from trauma, shame, criticism. If you are carrying this kind of burden, read books, search the internet and seek specialized counseling to move beyond past negative experiences. This will not only help your body image, but it will also help your overall health and well-being. 4. Create a list of positives List all of the "things I like about my body." Get specific. Talk about everything from your freckles to your toenails to your hair. Come up with as many as you possibly can, and read the list over when needed. 5. Rewrite your internal script Turn a negative thought into a positive one. If you think something like “I do not like my body,” follow that up with “I like many parts of myself, and I will work on liking my body better.” For more information on eating disorders, visit: nationaleatingdisorders.org Read more: Quiz: Do You Love Your Body? and Quiz: Are You Sabotaging Your Self-Esteem? Stacy Kaiser is a licensed psychotherapist, author, relationship expert and media personality. She is also the author of the best-selling book, How to Be a Grown Up: The Ten Secret Skills Everyone Needs to Know, and an editor-at-large for Live Happy. Stacy is a frequent guest on television programs such as Today and Good Morning America.

Self-Care

Goat Yoga Draws a Crowd

In many ways, it’s like any other yoga class: the thoughtful reminder to silence cell phones and get in the moment; a quick, quiet meditation designed to let students set their intention; some Ujjayi breathing and a sun salutation before slipping into more challenging poses. But as we stretch out our legs, I look around and can’t help but notice that some participants have four legs. And hooves! In the past year, goat yoga has become a national phenomenon, with its roots tracing back to an Oregon entrepreneur named Lainey Morse, who began offering outdoor yoga sessions at her farm while goats roamed about. The naturally curious animals interacted with the yogis, and as word spread, the farm’s waiting list filled up for what became known as “goat yoga.” It didn’t take long for videos of the adorable baby goats frolicking around (and on) class participants to go viral. Peace, love and goats Today, goat yoga classes have sprung up across the country. They invariably sell out almost as quickly as they are announced. “This all happened very organically for us,” says Jamie Codispoti, who, along with partner Max Knudsen, started Shenanigoats Landscaping earlier this year. Their lawn-care service, based in the eclectic, artsy neighborhood of East Nashville, uses grazing goats instead of gas-powered tools. “Someone on our Facebook page asked if we could do goat yoga, and it immediately went viral,” Jamie explains. “Before we knew it, we had people volunteering their yards; yoga instructors were emailing us offering to teach classes—it seemed like the whole community wanted to make it happen.” And so Shenanigoats Yoga was born. The first class, held in May, sold out in three hours and each subsequent class has sold out, too. More class times—and baby goats—have been added to accommodate demand. No goats, no glory “The goats are making this happen—it’s nothing we’ve created,” says Jamie, adding that one family drove more than two hours on a Saturday morning just to take the class. Some visitors to Nashville have even rearranged their itineraries to experience goat yoga. The classes are taught by certified, experienced yoga instructors, and participants are encouraged to arrive at least 30 minutes early to spend time with the baby goats. Participants may feed the animals from a bottle, offer them hay and pellets of food, or simply cuddle. And while phones are silenced during the class, selfies and photos are absolutely encouraged. As the class quickly learns, baby goats love to jump on surfaces (such as a flat back in a tabletop pose). They wander among—and sometimes under—people in their poses, sometimes laying down and napping on the yoga mat or perhaps hopping on top of someone holding a pose. “This is about more than yoga, it creates a connection that you don’t usually see happen so quickly,” Jamie says. With backgrounds in social work, both she and Max were quick to recognize that goat yoga is good for the soul as well as the body. “I know from the work I do that animals can help calm people down, and we see that in every class,” she says. “You become focused on the goats instead of whatever it was that happened that day. It really brings people together with this awesome sense of community. They’re laughing and talking like old buddies. It’s amazing to watch.” The bleat goes on A 2005 study published in the British Medical Journal confirms that playing with an animal releases dopamine and serotonin in the brain, while at the same time lowers levels of stress-driven cortisol. Other studies have linked playing with animals to helping ADHD and even increasing longevity. These benefits are evident during a recent Shenanigoats class. Watching the baby goats hop and play draws universal smiles and adds a sense of childlike wonder to the class, which is one reason yoga instructor Andi Halbert encourages everyone to “seek joy and happiness” as part of their practice that day. It seems they need look only as far as the nearest baby goat to discover it. Listen to our podcast, Yoga: Not Just For Grown-Ups Anymore, With Susan Verde Read more: 4 Yoga Poses to Try Right Now Paula Felps is the Science Editor for Live Happy magazine.

Self-Care

How to Buy Happiness for Less Than $25

The debate over whether money can buy happiness probably began around 9000 B.C. when our ancestors were swapping cattle as the first form of currency. Today’s experts offer a more nuanced answer to that question (see Daniel Kahneman and the $75,000 plateau); money can be one tool in finding happiness. This is especially true when we spend our cash on experiences and on things that align with our values. I’m here to share my own unscientific findings: Sometimes small, incidental purchases can be life-changing—when they banish chaos and anxiety and replace them with serenity and joy. Over the last few weeks, I’ve spent less than $50 solving problems that were leaving me feeling rushed, disorganized and sometimes even at risk. Here are my providential purchases: 1. Bright cellphone case Simply changing the color of my cellphone case from basic black to red has made my cellphone a lot easier to spot among the papers on my desk or in the depths of my oversized purse. This has spared me hours if you add up the frustrating moments I used to spend searching for my phone. And as a positive side effect, because I’m not running late all the time after looking for my phone, I’m in a better mood overall. Cost: $20 or less. 2. Cellphone car mount Having a mount means I’m no longer gripping my phone in one hand and the steering wheel in the other as I check Google Maps for the exit I should take on the highway (my car does not have a built-in GPS). Inserted into the unused CD slot, the TechMatte MagGrip is easy to install, holds the phone securely with a magnet, and, as blogger The WireCutter notes, it provides an ideal position for the screen without obstructing your view of the road. The fact that I feel safer and more confident while driving is almost priceless. Cost: $10.99. 3. Half-dozen pairs of reading glasses It’s frustrating to reach for a pair of glasses only to find you’ve misplaced them—again. I’ve bought inexpensive readers at my local 99 Cents store and scattered them around my house like breadcrumbs, plus I keep one in my purse and another in my glove compartment. Now, when I need to check a recipe to know how much salt to add to the risotto, a pair of glasses is always handy. Cost: around $17. I also asked some friends what low-cost happiness hacks they’ve discovered. Here’s what they had to say: 4. Single-cup coffee filter Clarissa: After drinking terrible office coffee for three years—or going out for expensive Starbucks—I finally bought a plastic single-cup cone filter and some paper filters. Now I bring in my own ground coffee and I’m happy as a clam. Cost: $14. 5. Good travel mug Joshua: My Contigo travel mug has been a game changer. I used to use up three plastic cups per day at coffee bars. Now I just have baristas fill my screw-top mug. There is no waste. Plus, it keeps hot coffee steaming for hours and cold brew stays ice cold. Cost: $11.99. 6. Subscription to Audible Bonnie: My subscription to Audible, which is like Netflix for books on tape, has been life-changing. It makes my one-hour commute to my new job far less painful. Recently I’ve been listening to Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, narrated by Lin-Manuel Miranda, but they have thousands of titles to choose from. Cost: $14.95 a month. 7. An S bar Michelle: I work out a lot and my body is always sore. I can’t afford to get massages all the time, so I bought the Body Back Buddy and I love it. It looks weird—like a curved baton with knobs—but it reaches everywhere and works out all my knots and stiffness. It costs a little more than $25, but it’s worth it! Cost: $29.95. 8. Guided meditation app Brian: The meditation app has really helped me develop a mindfulness practice and it’s always there when you need to take a de-stress break, whether you have three minutes or 30. While meditation itself is free, I don’t think I would do it regularly without the app. Try Calm, Headspace, or Meditation Studio. Cost varies. 9. Subscription to Live Happy! Whether you subscribe to the print magazine, download the podcast, listen to our weekly radio show or check in regularly with the always-fresh content on our website, Live Happy will lift your spirits, spark your intellect and inspire your soul. Want more? See what's new in the Live Happy store! Read more by Shelley Levitt: 3 Habits to Boost Resilience and 8 Steps to a Happier Home Shelley Levitt is a freelance journalist based in Los Angeles and editor at large for Live Happy. Her work has appeared in Real Simple, People, SUCCESS and more.

Self-Care

#HappyFacts: Smart Phone, Stupid People

Each week, Live Happy Radio presents #HappyFacts designed to enlighten, educate and entertain you. Here’s a look at what we’re talking about this week: The best part of waking up… Waking up and smelling the coffee apparently puts a little extra spring in your step—or at least adds some positivity to your social media. Researchers at Cornell University studied Twitter feeds and found that tweets made earlier in the morning reflected greater promise and optimism than those made later in the day. The research also found that moods dippedduring the day—presumably while the subjects were at work or school—but then became more positive late at night. Moods also appeared to be more positive on the weekends than on the weekdays, hinting at a possible link between our moods and the effects of work and commuting. Hmm, it may be time to find ways to spark more joy at work! Explore 7 science-backed tips for a happier morning. Ride your bike, change your life If you want to keep that positive morning momentum going, maybe riding a bike to work is the answer. Recent findings show that people who ride their bikes to work show lower levels of stress and improved work performance, paving the way for a great day. Cycling also requires you to stay in the moment by keeping you focused on what’s happening around you, instead of letting your mind wander to what needs to be done at work or the disagreement you’re having with your teenager or spouse. Plus, there’s the added benefit that being in nature—versus being in a car, bus or train—is a natural stress reliever. Still need a reason to switch to pedal power? You’ll cut the cost of your commute while cutting your risk of heart disease, cancer and early death. Find out how one nonprofit is biking for a change. Smartphone got your brain? If you’re having trouble thinking clearly, your smartphone might be to blame. At least that’s what researchers from the University of Texas at Austin found when they measured how well study participants completed tasks when their phones were nearby. What makes this most interesting is that just having the smartphones in the same room negatively affected the people’s ability to concentrate—even when the phones were turned off. The study concluded that even when we’re not able to use the phone, the mere fact that it’s in our line of sight gets our conscious mind thinking about not using it—which creates brain drain. Putting the phone in a drawer, bag or another room resulted in significant improvements in cognition and concentration. So, next time you want to get some work done, maybe you should give your smartphone the day off. Can't get away from your phone? Check out Amy Blankson'stech survival kit.

Self-Care

Upcoming Podcasts

Thank you for your interest in the Live Happy Now podcast! The episode you are looking for has not been launched. See our schedule below for when you can expect the episode you're looking for. August 1: Lea Waters—The Strength Switch August 7: Fun Facts from the New Issue of Live Happy magazine August 8: Tasha Eurich—How to Become More Self Aware August 15: Elliot Berkman—The Neuroscience of Motivation August 18:Dr.Nandi—Happiness and Health August 22: Mithu Storoni—Becoming Stress Proof August 29: Sarah Ockwell-Smith—Practicing Gentle Discipline September 5: Mark Murphy—The Impact of Lifelong Learning October 3: Ken Baker—The Ken Commandments October 5: Megan Alexander—Faith in the Spotlight October 10: Louisa Jewell—Wire Your Brain for Confidence October 17: Patty Van Cappelan—Religion and Positive Psychology October 23: Fun facts from the New Issue October 24: Dan Buettner—How to Live a Long and Happy Life November 7: Ken Druck—The Art of Courageous Living November 21: Niki Brantmark—The Swedish Art of Living a Balanced, Happy Life November 24:Stephen Cope—Soul Friends December 6:BJ Thomas—Giving Back December 11:Andrea Petersen—On Edge a Journey Through Anxiety December 18:MJ Ryan—Attitude of Gratitude December 22:Courtney Carver—Soulful Simplicity Receive updates and special freebies from our podcast:

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Healthy Brain, Happy Life

What does a woman of science do when she realizes she is missing out on everything but science? That’s the question Wendy Suzuki, a professor of neural science at New York University, asked herself—and which prompted her to write, Healthy Brain, Happy Life: A Personal Program to Activate Your Brain and Do Everything Better. In an effort to cultivate a world outside of work, Wendy turned her life into a case study, exploring how to activate the brain and use the power of the mind-body connection to increase happiness. Make exercise intentional Everything good you do for your body changes your mind for the better. Make exercise both aerobic and mental. Wendy calls this “intentional exercise,” and you can create it by pairing positive affirmations with a workout you enjoy. The next time you go for a run, tell yourself “I am strong,” or repeat “I am powerful” during your strength trainingclass. Release oxytocin to beat stress Alleviate stress by hugging or kissing someone you love. This could be an adult, a child, a baby or a pet. Feeling the love can immediately combat even the most serious of stressful situations, according to Wendy. Break out of old, inefficient patterns Take a new approach to a familiar routine: For example, stop to think of two new ideas to make your workday more efficient. Consider rearranging your desk or how your office is decorated. “Or try changing the order in which you tackle tasks, starting with what you usually do in the middle of the day,” Wendy writes. “Let this new order of activities or events create new neural patterns.” Listen to our podcast: This Is Your Brain on Happiness With Wendy Suzuki Sandra Bilbray is a contributing editor to Livehappy.com and the founder and CEO of themediaconcierge.net.

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