Live Happy Now

The Power of Social Connections With Dr. Felix Cheung

The release of the World Happiness Report each year offers insight into our global well-being. This week, host Paula Felps is joined by Dr. Felix Cheung, assistant professor in the Department of Psychology and a faculty fellow at the Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society. He’s also the Canada Research Chair in Population Well-being at the University of Toronto and one of the co-authors of this year’s report. Felix shares what the report tells us about social connections – and where the U.S. stands on this year’s list of Happiest Countries.
 In this episode, you’ll learn:
What a wallet taught researchers about well-being.
The role that sharing meals with others plays in our happiness.
Where the U.S. stands on this year’s list of happiest countries.

The Healing Power of Petting Your Dog With Paula Felps

March 23 is National Puppy Day, which makes it a great time to talk about how and why we celebrate puppies. But before talking about how and why we celebrate that event, host Brittany Derrenbacher sits down with Paula Felps to dive into some new research on petting your dogs that just might change the way you leave the house. Then, Brittany explains what your dog might be thinking while you’re gone.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
How petting your dog before you leave the house helps ease their anxiety.
The physical and emotional benefits humans receive by petting dogs.
The origins of National Puppy Day and how to celebrate it.

Become a Connected Couple With Dr. Gloria Lee

Some of our most vital connections are those we make with our romantic partners, but they can also be our most challenging. This week, host Paula Felps is joined by Greg Kettner, relationship expert Dr Gloria Lee, a professor of counselling psychology and clinical director at Brentwood Counselling Centre in Vancouver, Canada, and author of the best-selling book, The Connected Couple: 7 Secrets to Transforming Your Relationship. She explains what it takes to truly connect as a couple, how to navigate conflict for greater connection and shares a gratitude practice that can change your entire relationship.
 In this episode, you’ll learn:
Why we need to learn our triggers and conflict habits.
Tips for de-escalating conflict.
Why women are more comfortable seeking therapy — and what men are often surprised to discover.

Overcoming Loneliness at Work With Greg Kettner

As we continue exploring the importance of connections, we can’t ignore the growing problem of loneliness in the workplace. This week, host Paula Felps is joined by Greg Kettner, a speaker and workplace happiness expert who founded the Work Happy movement. Greg has studied how loneliness at work affects us all, and in this episode, he shares what he’s learned and what we all can do to become more connected and happier in our jobs.
 In this episode, you’ll learn:
Some of the factors driving loneliness at work.
How loneliness affects leaders.
The importance of creating deeper connections in the workplace.

Connecting our Communities With Dr. Nichole Argo

As part of Happiness Month, we’re exploring the theme of Connections, so this week, host Paula Felps is joined by Dr. Nichole Argo, founder and executive director of the TogetherUp Institute, which has launched a national movement of Americans who want to connect and collaborate across our differences. Nichole also co-hosts the Reimagining Us podcast, which looks at how to heal division in our communities and create a sense of belonging. In this episode, she shares how we can learn to make connections in a time of polarization and how to start building more connected communities.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
The SAVE method for understanding our differences.
How our differences can strengthen relationships.
The 3 essential components of connection.

The Power of Connection With Deborah K. Heisz and Karen Guggenheim

This week, as we move toward our Happiness Month, we’re bringing you what you might call a happiness double header. In this episode, host Paula Felps is joined by two influencers of the global happiness movement: Deborah Heisz, co-founder of Live Happy, and Karen Guggenheim, founder of the World Happiness Summit (WOHASU). Tune in to find out how connections and community are taking center stage in this year’s celebrations how you can be part of it!
In this episode, you’ll learn:
What to expect from Live Happy’s #HappyActs campaign this year.
How Karen’s journey to happiness is rooted in unhappiness and loss — and how that led her to launch an initiative that is changing lives around the globe.
How to be part of WOHASU this year.

The Secret Lives of Service Dogs With Shannon Walker

We’ve all seen service dogs in action, but most of us don’t know just what heroes they are.  Today’s guest is here to tell us all about the secret lives of service dogs. Shannon Walker is the CEO & Founder of Northwest Battle Buddies, a nonprofit providing service dogs to combat veterans with PTSD. Inspired by her father, who was a veteran, she also founded Man’s Best Friend Dog Training and has worked tirelessly to not only train service dogs but to educate the public about what they do and how they provide a vital lifeline for veterans. In this episode, you’ll learn:
How Shannon became involved in training service dogs and what she’s learned along the way.
The difference between therapy dogs, emotional support dogs and service dogs.
What kinds of disabilities service dogs assist veterans with.

Kick the People-Pleasing Habit With Amy Wilson

From childhood, we’re taught that helping others is the right thing to do. But what happens when it goes too far? This week, host Paula Felps sits down with author and podcast host Amy Wilson to talk about her entertaining new book, Happy to Help: Adventures of a People Pleaser, to learn more about what turns us into people pleasers, when to know it’s a problem, and what to do about it.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
Why women are more likely to become “helpers” throughout their lives.
What demand sensitivity is and how it contributes to people-pleasing behavior.
How breaking the people pleasing habit changes relationships — for the better!

Why Friendships Matter — for Life With Dr. Kimberly Horn

This is a time of year when we celebrate love, but we sometimes take for granted the special love that our friendships offer. This week, host Paula Felps sits down with professor and research psychologist Dr. Kimberly Horn to learn more about just how important friendships are for our health and happiness — and what we can do to make them stronger and more fulfilling.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
What’s driving the loneliness epidemic and what effect that has on us.
The concept of “dynamic friendships” and the 8 tenets of friendships — and how they can support your relationships.
Why it’s harder to make friends in adulthood and what to do about it.

Maintaining Mental Health During the Winter Months With Dr. Michele

The cold, gray days of winter can have a direct effect on our mental health, so this week, host Paula Felps sits down with clinical psychologist Dr. Michele Leno to learn more about how we can make the next few weeks a little brighter — regardless of what’s going on outside our window. Michele offers insight into how seasonal changes affect our brains and what we can do for ourselves and those around us.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
What causes physiological changes during winter months and how that affects our brain’s neurotransmitters.
How these changes may affect children and older adults – and what to look for.
What changes to look for in yourself and those around you — and when to get help.