Live Happy Now Season 5

With the New Year just around the corner, you might already be thinking about that New Year’s resolution or what you hope to accomplish in 2020. We have some ideas! In this episode, we hear from Deborah Heisz, who is CEO and co-founder of Live Happy. But she’s also the driving force behind the international #HappyActs movement and, this week, she tells us how committing to happy acts can help us create a happy New Year—for ourselves and for others. In this episode, you'll learn: How #HappyActs began and what they are. What you can do to start your own #HappyActs initiatives. Where to find more ideas for performing #HappyActs. Links and Resources Website: happyacts.org Facebook: @livehappy Instagram: @mylivehappy Twitter: @livehappy Don't miss an episode! Live Happy Now is available at the following places:           

Technology has changed our lives in many ways, but when holiday celebrations are spent with guests on their phones or tablets, it takes away much of the magic of the moment. This episode’s guest is Joe McCormack, who literally wrote the book on how to find focus and human interaction in the midst of technology’s interference. His book, Noise: Living and Leading When Nobody Can Focus, provides tips on surviving in today’s business world, but he sat down to talk with us about how to keep the holidays happier by preventing technology from intruding on our quality time. In this episode, you'll learn: How to create a technology-free holiday gathering. The benefits of setting aside the noise of our technology for a few hours. Tips to get everyone to (gladly) participate in a tech-free celebration. Links and Resources Download two free chapters from Noise: Living and Leading When Nobody Can Focus. Facebook: @brieflab Instagram: @the_brief_lab Twitter: @TheBriefLab Don't miss an episode! Live Happy Now is available at the following places:           

After leaving a successful career in the finance industry, Peter Montoya was concerned by the growing anxiety, depression and loneliness that we’re experiencing as a society. To help turn the tide on all of the negativity, he started Thrive Union, an organization whose mission is to help people go from loneliness and isolation to purposeful belonging. His free online videos provide a life school to teach us the things we need to know to have a thriving, happier life. Peter sat down to talk about why we need a life school and how it can help trigger global change. In this episode, you'll learn: Why community is so important. How sharing your purpose with others can improve your life. What you can learn at “Life School.” Links and Resources Website: thriveunion.org Facebook: @ThriveUnion Watch their life school videos for a happier life on their Thrive Union channel. Don't miss an episode! Live Happy Now is available at the following places:           

When she wrote the book Simple Abundance 25 years ago, author Sarah Ban Breathnach had no idea that she was about to launch a global movement. Long before gratitude journals were a “thing,” her organic approach to gratitude and a simpler, happier life resonated with readers around the world. Simple Abundance sparked a movement that sold millions of books and changed not just her life, but the lives of countless readers. Now, she has refreshed her book for modern times and sat down to talk to us about her updated edition of Simple Abundance: 365 Days to a Balanced and Joyful Life. Three things you’ll learn from this podcast: How simple living has become a greater challenge in today’s world. Why gratitude plays such a key role in an abundant life. What led her to create an updated version of her book.  Links and Resources Twitter: @simpleabundance Instagram: @sarahbanbreathnach Facebook: @SBanBreathnach Don't miss an episode! Live Happy Now is available at the following places:           

We’ve heard a lot about the power of saying thank you, but what happens when a simple thank you turns into a heartfelt letter? Nancy Davis Kho was at a reflective point in her life when she decided to write one thank-you letter every week for a whole year. In her new book, The Thank-You Project: Cultivating Happiness One Letter of Gratitude at a Time, she explains why she wanted to embark on this project and what kind of effect it had on her—and those she wrote to. We knew we had to talk about it on the show. And what better time to talk about it than right before Thanksgiving? Nancy is a freelance writer, podcast host and author of The Thank-You Project. She talked to me about how the project started, what it taught her and why each of us can benefit from writing thank you letters. In this episode, you'll learn: How you can benefit from your own letter-writing project. Why it’s so life-changing to write thank-you letters—even if you never mail them. Some of the surprising letters you’ll want to write—including your exes! Links and Resources Facebook: @MidlifeMixtape Twitter: @MidlifeMixtape Instagram: @MidlifeMixtape Spotify Playlists: @daviskho Website: MidlifeMixtape.com Don't miss an episode! Live Happy Now is available at the following places:           

We’ve all heard about the principles of visualization and manifestation, but to many of us, it might sound a little too good to be true. Today, we’re talking to a neuroscientist who guides us through the science of visualization and tells us how it can help us reach our goals and live happier lives. Dr. Tara Swart is a neuroscientist, psychiatrist and senior lecturer at MIT’s Sloan School of Management. She works with top executives all over the world to help them achieve mental resilience and peak brain performance. Her new book, The Source: The Secrets of the Universe, the Science of the Brain, shows how you can actively change the way your mind works to train it for happiness. In this episode, you'll learn: Why it’s critical to take control over what we’re thinking about. How we can make dramatic, positive changes by changing how we think. The science behind vision boards — and how to put it into practice. Links and Resources Twitter: @taraswart Instagram: @drtaraswart Website: www.taraswart.com Don't miss an episode! Live Happy Now is available at the following places:           

This week, you can enjoy a whirlwind trip of happiness around the globe! When journalist Helen Russell moved to Denmark in 2012, she wanted to learn more about why the country ranked so high on the happiness scale. That search led her to write the book, The Year of Living Danishly, and opened the door to studying happiness. With her second book, The Atlas of Happiness: The Global Secrets of How to Be Happy, she looks at happiness practices around the world and makes some interesting discoveries about how we’re different from other countries in our pursuit of happiness—and how we’re the same. She’s here to talk about how happiness differs from one country to the next, what we can learn from other countries and in what ways we’re all the same in our pursuit of happiness. In this episode, you'll learn: Why happiness practices are so different from one country to the next. Why different perceptions of happiness affect the way we practice well-being. How learning about happiness practices from other countries can improve our lives. Links and Resources Twitter: @MsHelenRussell Website: helenrussell.co.uk Don't miss an episode! Live Happy Now is available at the following places:           

If you’ve ever watched elite athletes and wondered what makes them so different, we’ve got great news for you: Today’s guest can answer that question. What’s even better is that she can tell you how you can apply some of the same winning techniques to your own life. Annie Vernon is a two-time World Champion, Olympic silver medalist with the Great Britain Rowing Team and a two-time Olympian who has learned that the secret to winning doesn’t just lie in physical prowess, but is just as dependent upon the right mindset. In her book, Mind Games: Determination, Doubt and Lucky Socks: An Insider’s Guide to the Psychology of Elite Athletes, she explores how the way we think changes our outcomes. So, whether your playing field is a boardroom, a classroom or your kid’s playroom, she’s here to tell you how changing your mindset can improve your game. In this episode, you'll learn: Why training your mind is just as important as physical training. Why self-awareness is so important to your mindset. How small changes in your mindset can yield huge results. Links and Resources Twitter: @annievernongb Instagram: @annievernongb Watch her TED talk on how competition can either be a supreme motivator or a crushing demoralized. Don't miss an episode! Live Happy Now is available at the following places:           

Today’s guest, Pete Dunlap, is leading the charge for what he calls “humane technology use.” His book, Digital Detangler: A Guide to Mindful Technology Use won the Next Generation Indie Book Award and the Independent Press Award in 2019 for its thoughtful examination of technology and his insight on how we can better use it. He also created Digital Detangler Family Services, which helps families address the crisis of tech addiction together. In this episode, you'll learn: How technology affects our mental health. What causes technology addictions. How families can address technology overuse. Links and Resources LinkedIn: @petedunlap1 Website: digitaldetangler.com Don't miss an episode! Live Happy Now is available at the following places:           

If you feel like the world is moving a whole lot faster these days, you’re not alone. We’re consuming information at an unprecedented rate and living in an “always on” world. It’s no secret that this high-tech world is taking a toll on our health, our relationships and our overall well-being. Today’s guest, Jeff Bethke, looks at how this fast pace is zapping our sense of purpose and meaning. His new book, To Hell With the Hustle: Reclaiming Your Life in an Overworked, Overspent and Overconnected World, looks at how we can shift our focus from our online world to our inward life and find greater purpose and meaning. In this episode, you'll learn: How too much time online affects your sense of purpose. Why saying “no” is so powerful. How a Tech Manifesto can help you control your time online. Links and Resources Download the first chapter of his book for free! Twitter: @jeffersonbethke Instagram: @jeffersonbethke YouTube: Jefferson Bethke Don't miss an episode! Live Happy Now is available at the following places: