Live Happy Now

How Music Helps During Hard Times With Scott Crabtree

Scott Crabtree founded the company Happy Brain Science to help others discover well-being rooted in positive psychology. And, as a semi-professional musician, he knows firsthand how we can use music as a tool for boosting our mood and regulating our emotions. During difficult times, music can be particularly helpful, and in this episode, Scott sits down with host Paula Felps to talk about why music is so good for your brain, how it can help us find a state of flow, and how songwriting is a great tool for releasing emotions.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
What the science says about music and well-being.
How Scott uses music to boost his mood.
Scott’s top three tips for improving happiness during hard times.

Overcoming the Victim Mindset With Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman

What if the only thing standing between you and a more fulfilling life was your mindset? This week, host Paula Felps talks with Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman — a leading cognitive psychologist, professor at Columbia University, director of the Center for Human Potential, and host of The Psychology Podcast — about how today’s culture has helped foster a victim mindset. His latest book, Rise Above: Overcome a Victim Mindset, Empower Yourself & Realize Your Full Potential, explains what is driving a rise in victim mindset and how it impedes our development. He also tells us how we can start changing this mindset and take control of their lives.
 
 In this episode, you’ll learn:
How social media reinforces and rewards the victim mindset.
The payoffs that keep us in a victim mindset.
How overcoming the victim mindset creates full aliveness and cultivates a richer life.

Happy Activist Sam Simon: Offering Hope for Those with Dementia

When Sam Simon’s wife was diagnosed with breast cancer, he used his theatrical experience to chronicle his journey as a caregiver. And when he was diagnosed with cognitive decline in 2022, he turned that into a theatrical experience as well. Today, his one-man play, Dementia Man: An Existential Journey, recounts his journey and reshapes the narrative for families living with dementia and cognitive decline, offering hope and encouragement along the way.
 In this episode, you’ll learn:
How Sam discovered the power of theater.
How being on stage and talking about his journey has helped him see his condition differently.
What others can learn about living with a terminal condition.

Create Your Own Personal Holiday with Tamar Hurwitz-Fleming

We all have birthdays, but maybe we’re not getting as much out of them as we could! This week, host Paula Felps is joined by Tamar Hurwitz-Fleming, a birthday aficionado and author of the book and workbook, How to Have a Happy Birthday: Create Meaning, Fulfillment and Joy on Your Special Day. Tamar offers a new spin on how we approach birthdays and explains how we can use it as a yearly chance to drive lasting growth and change.
 In this episode, you’ll learn:
How Tamar discovered the transformational power of birthdays.
What happens when you make your birthday an opportunity for growth.
Simple ways to change how you celebrate birthdays.

Mastering Your Mindset in Challenging Times with Michael Pilarczyk

In tumultuous times, mindset matters more than ever. So this week, host Paula Felps sits down with Michael Pilarczyk, bestselling author of the book Master Your Mindset: Live a Meaningful Life and founder of the Meditation Moments app. Michael shares how we can create a happier life — even in the most challenging times — by changing our mindset.
 In this episode, you’ll learn:
How to let go of negative thinking patterns.
Why meditation can be done anywhere — and doesn’t have to take a lot of time.
Simple ways to start mastering your mindset.

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.