Sometimes you need to listen to the quiet voice inside of you.  And sometimes that voice gets so loud you can’t ignore it. It’s time for a pivot.  I’ll explain in today's episode.   

Transcript:

Welcome to Everyday Happiness, I'm your host Katie Jefcoat, and this is our very last daily podcast episode.  We’re delivered 668 episodes in almost two years, never missing a day.  The team has been more incredible than I ever imagined. It takes a group effort and Chelsey, Blessy, Richelle, Jeimy, and Jeff are a 5-star team and make all of the magic happen behind the scenes.   

Now, before we get into the why and the way forward.  The podcast episodes will still be live and you can listen to them at any time.  You can search key topics on my website, or start from the beginning on your favorite podcast player. 

We started this during covid, at a time when we were all at home. I had created space.  I was obsessed with this new creative outlet. 

I heard someone say, “don’t be afraid to quit the things that are no longer working for you in your business or your life”.  For me, this was a thoughtful decision because this is working for my business.  But it wasn’t working for my life to have a daily podcast.  Instead, the vehicle is changing, it’s a pivot to a bi-monthly email instead of a daily podcast. I think it’s the happiest email in your inbox.  

Scientists sometimes use the term Identity Foreclosure. Meaning, it can be so hard to leave behind something that you think is so closely tied to your identity.  I am a podcast host.  I have a daily micro-podcast.  What I realized through some quiet time with my thoughts and conversations with my bestie, Jenna, was that podcasting is the vehicle.  And the vehicle can pivot.  This vehicle is pivoting to email. 

I love happiness.  That isn’t changing.  The way I show up for the people that I am blessed to have join the email community is with quality content, inspiration, and a behind the scenes peek into life.  

Have you ever felt like you had too many irons in the fire or too many demands on your time? I often say there is a mental bandwidth to saying “yes”.  I am feeling the need to zone in on my kids, my husband, the people I love so deeply, and that feels right - right now. This season will change.  They always do.  Living in my word of the year - CARE, I am choosing to care for my body, my mental bandwidth and the friends and family that I love. I am living my priorities and choosing social connection, which we all know, is the cornerstone to fulfilled happiness.   

Let’s face it, we are all on this path of life. We are all in a different season. We can be busy and balanced if we are living our priorities. I am still busy.  And, I am living my motto of Intentional Margins.  I have consulting work that brings me incredible purpose, satisfaction and fulfillment.  I am a rep for Rodan + Fields, which brings me great joy to not only have the best skin and hair of my life as I age, but also to help others.  

I invite you to join us in our email community. Life is heavy enough, we shouldn’t have to search for happiness.  Get the happiest email in your inbox, delivered with a smile only twice a month right now. https://www.katiejefcoat.com/email No spam.  Just happiness. 

What I am seeking comfort in, is that I am choosing to put my foot on the break, but I know where the gas is and how to accelerate when the time is right. And that feels good. 

I invite you to reflect on how you could use that break pedal in your own life.  What could you say “no” to that would allow you space to flourish? 

Until next time, whenever that is, you can always connect with me, in our email community, join at www.katiejefcoat.com, on social @katiejefcoat and remember, kindness is contagious.   I know that our small acts of kindness make an impact and that continues to inspire me to do this work.  I’m cheering for you and I believe in you. Bye for now. 

And, let’s connect on social at @everydayhappinesswithkatie  and join the community on the hashtags #IntentionalMargins and #everydayhappinesswithkatie on Instagram

Links:  https://onamission.bio/everydayhappiness/

Happiness is not one size fits all.  We get to do it our way,not the way of the experts.  There is no right or wrong way.  This is one of my biggest takeaways from writing 668 daily happiness podcast episodes. Tune in to learn more. 

Transcript:

Welcome to Everyday Happiness, I'm your host Katie Jefcoat, and as we close out this podcast, we invite you to join our happy mail email community, where you’ll continue to get happiness and kindness content delivered straight to your inbox.  We think it’s the happiest email in your inbox. You can join at www.katiejefcoat.com 

Today, I share one of my biggest takeaways from writing 668 daily happiness podcasts. Happiness is not one size fits all.  We get to do it our way, not the way of the experts.  There is no right or wrong way.  

Yes, I can give you a long list of things that "may" work scientifically to improve your habits for happiness, and I will throw some ideas your way in a minute. However, if you are not in that head space, you will feel unproductive, discouraged, and even less happy than you were before when they inevitably fail.  

I am a firm believer that we have to do what works for us, and there is no one size fits all solution.  If you hear a guru telling you the five things to do without any discussion of what works for you, they are just throwing spaghetti at the wall.  We must actively participate in the quest to boost our happiness. 

So how does one find what works best for them?

I often think about how people make chicken soup as an excellent comparison to building habits for a happiness routine. In chicken soup, some add rice; some add noodles. Some add corn, and some add peas. Some use stock broth from the store; some make it from scratch. There is no “right” way to make chicken soup; everyone simply makes the version they enjoy best. You certainly aren’t going to force yourself to eat a chicken soup recipe you hate merely because someone told you it was the “right” way to do it!

We have to apply the same concept to happiness habits. If writing in a gratitude journal makes you dread it, but you think you need to do it because everyone says it will make you happy - it won't. That's crazy!

Instead, trying out different happiness habits (like ingredients) to see which ones you like the most and which actually work for you would be better. Then you can combine them to create a meaningful, impactful happiness routine you enjoy! 

Some ingredient ideas include: 

#1: Practicing Gratitude

#2: Performing Random Acts of Kindness

#3: Getting Out to Exercise

#4: Building Social Bonds

#5: Letting Go of Unnecessary Drama

#6: Being Kind to Our Bodies

#7: Creating Intentional Margins®

I have a whole list of ideas on my January 2023 blog at www.katiejefcoat.com/blog - I will also link in the show notes. 

I also want to remind you that this happiness habit soup that you are making changes as you need it to.  Maybe you are in a space where a gratitude journal feels right.  And maybe next season, you will send cards in the mail instead.   

I highly encourage you to try out a variety of habits to see which flavor suits your taste before building your soup. If one doesn’t work, throw it out and try something new! Remember, your habits for happiness are about you and only you. Try to skip comparing yourself to others or thinking someone else’s soup is “better.” Focus on you, your happiness, and your life! 

The insight is simple.  Do you, boo.  Happiness is not one size fits all.  We get to do it our way.  And that is the best, perfect, most aligned way.  

So today, remember, kindness is contagious.  Go out and spread some kindness today. 

Life is heavy enough, we shouldn’t have to search for happiness.  Get the exclusive happiness; email, delivered with a smile twice a month to your inbox. https://www.katiejefcoat.com/email 

And, let’s connect on social at @everydayhappinesswithkatie  and join the community on the hashtags #IntentionalMargins and #everydayhappinesswithkatie on Instagram

Links:  https://onamission.bio/everydayhappiness/

Blog: https://www.katiejefcoat.com/post/why-that-list-of-amazing-happiness-habits-doesn-t-work-for-you-what-you-need-to-do-instead 

Who we spend time with is the most influential decision we can make to influence our happiness. This is one of my biggest takeaways from writing 668 daily happiness podcast episodes. Tune in to learn more. 

Transcript:

Welcome to Everyday Happiness, I'm your host Katie Jefcoat, and as we close out this podcast, we invite you to join our happy mail email community, where you’ll continue to get happiness and kindness content delivered straight to your inbox.  We think it’s the happiest email in your inbox. You can join at www.katiejefcoat.com 

Today, I share one of my biggest takeaways from writing 668 daily happiness podcasts. The most influential decision we can make to determine our happiness is who we spend time with. 

Social connection is the cornerstone of happiness and life longevity. So, of course, this has to be one of my biggest takeaways. 

Science indicates that people mispredict their own happiness when engaging in social connection.   So, you might think a random social connection at the coffee shop won’t make you happier, but your intuition is just wrong about that most of the time.  And this can be a smile, exchanging pleasantries; it doesn’t have to be this big thing.   

But even more interesting is that your intuition is wrong if you think it doesn’t increase the effect of the other person’s happiness too.  We think we’re annoying, or the person will think I’m a weirdo for chatting them up in line, but the science indicates that’s just another way our brains, our intuition, are just playing tricks on us and getting it wrong. 

If we want to improve on the happiness scale, the research is overwhelmingly clear, one of the best and easiest ways is to improve social connection.  Be present in real life, talk to a stranger, call a friend you haven’t talked to in a while. 

Social Psychologist Nick Epley says, "Social connection can be almost anything, from making eye contact with another person, or smiling at another person to being in a long term romantic relationship with somebody. And it turns out that social connection across this entire spectrum tends to be pretty darn good for people.”

What is really fascinating about Epley’s work is that he’s looked at these tiny micro-connections, even with strangers, that can happen on the daily which can be as small as when people smile at one another.   

You could be excited to hear this and be thinking this is so easy for you; you will start right away..  

But for others, it seems easier to grab the remote to Netflix and Binge.  If you are more of an introvert, I will invite you to take one step.  Make a phone call to someone you enjoy, but it’s been way too long since you’ve talked on the phone or seen them in real life.  Listen to the voice on the other side of the line.  Be present and intentional in that conversation. You will quickly feel those bursts of happiness. 

The insight is simple today.  Social connection matters when it comes to happiness in the human species.  We were not designed to walk through life alone, and when we choose those social connections wisely, our happiness is magnified. 

Remember, kindness is contagious.  

Life is heavy enough; we shouldn’t have to search for happiness.  Get the exclusive happiness email, delivered with a smile twice a month to your inbox. https://www.katiejefcoat.com/email 

And, let’s connect on social at @everydayhappinesswithkatie  and join the community on the hashtags #IntentionalMargins and #everydayhappinesswithkatie on Instagram

Links:  https://onamission.bio/everydayhappiness/

How we THINK about time matters. It’s less about the amount of time we have and more about how we process the concept of time that leads to greater happiness.  This is one of my biggest takeaways from writing 668 daily happiness podcast episodes. Tune in to learn more. 

Transcript:

Welcome to Everyday Happiness, I'm your host Katie Jefcoat, and as we close out this podcast, we invite you to join our happy mail email community, where you’ll continue to get happiness and kindness content delivered straight to your inbox.  We think it’s the happiest email in your inbox. You can join at www.katiejefcoat.com 

Today, I share one of my biggest takeaways from writing 668 daily happiness podcasts, and that is how we think about time and how it influences our happiness. 

The way I have always thought about time has dramatically affected my happiness. Until recently, I didn’t even know it! 

As a backstory, and if you have listened to my podcast (especially episodes 38 or 39), you know that sleep is one of my highest priorities, and I get a lot of it. I get my rest, no matter what. In reflection, I think it’s made me think about time in a way that I believe there is always enough time in the day for sleep, a solid 9 hours, no matter what. I am not time famished because I indulge in this ritual of sleep - which many people cut to “get more done.” When you think there is not enough time in the day, it stresses you out - you are less “happy.” However, there is a difference between time affluence and time poverty.

Time is such an exciting concept. We think about it in the sense of being present (mindfulness - this moment in time) and productivity (how much I can get done in an allotted amount of time). 

Let’s dig into time affluence v. time poverty, so we know our guardrails for this discussion.

Time Affluence isn’t about the amount of time you have. It’s the subjective sense that you have time. This is excellent news. This means we can HACK time affluence without objectively giving ourselves more time. Plus, you don’t need to clear the calendar to feel like you have more time.

I go into a lot of detail in my March 2023 blog about Time Affluence.  I’ll post a link in the show notes, or you can head over to www.Katiejefcoat.com/blog. 

The gist of it is that part of happiness, gratitude, appreciation, joy, contentment, whatever you want to call it, is the reflection and identification of the time when you felt joy, meaning, or satisfaction in the day; all of those feelings contribute to our happiness.   

Time affluence can be magic. It can be the first step to unlocking your happiness boost because it’s tangible and practical. The basic idea is that time is subjective, and instead of running around thinking we don’t have time to do the things that are required of us, we take a step back and zoom out and recognize when we have more time than we think. That’s where the magic is.

The insight is simple.  Consider thinking about time as abundant and prioritize what matters most. Yes, we can be busy and balanced. Shifting our perspective on time becomes one of time affluence, allowing us to feel like we have more time, lowering physical and mental health risks. Again, you can dive deeper in my March 2023 blog on this subject. 

And until next time, remember, kindness is contagious. 

Life is heavy enough; we shouldn’t have to search for happiness.  Get the exclusive happiness email, delivered with a smile twice a month to your inbox. https://www.katiejefcoat.com/email 

And, let’s connect on social at @everydayhappinesswithkatie  and join the community on the hashtags #IntentionalMargins and #everydayhappinesswithkatie on Instagram

Links:  https://onamission.bio/everydayhappiness/

Good news!  We have some control over our happiness, and we know how to boost it. Listen in today as we discuss the definition of happiness and what scientists think about how much DNA matters. This is one of my biggest takeaways from writing 668 daily happiness podcast episodes. Tune in to learn more. 

Transcript:

Welcome to Everyday Happiness, I'm your host Katie Jefcoat, and as we close out this podcast, we invite you to join our happy mail email community, where you’ll continue to get happiness and kindness content delivered straight to your inbox.  We think it’s the happiest email in your inbox. You can join at www.katiejefcoat.com 

Today, I share one of my biggest takeaways from writing 668 daily happiness podcasts.  It’s the definition of happiness and where we can get the biggest impact for our effort to boost our happiness. 

So many of us think we'll be happy when we work hard and achieve success.  But the fact is, that will never work. Our brains are designed to move the goalpost to the next thing. If fulfilled happiness is on the other side of achievement, we’ve already lost because we will never get there.  

Now, you get the job promotion, and you feel happy - for a moment.  But soon, your big job promotion is just your job.  That fancy new car, the new car smell has worn off, and it’s just your car.  Scientists call this the hedonic treadmill, always trying to achieve the next best thing.  

Most scientists agree that happiness is really a two-pronged definition.  The first prong is happiness in emotions. The second prong is satisfaction and purpose. You need both prongs to be fulfilled to achieve well-rounded happiness.

Emotions, such as joy, contentment, love, and other positive feelings like peace, gratitude, satisfaction, pleasure, inspiration, hope, curiosity, and love, fall into this first prong. In her 2007 book The How of Happiness, Sonja Lyubomirsky describes happiness as "the experience of joy, contentment, or positive well-being, combined with a sense that one's life is good, meaningful, and worthwhile."  These emotions stem from the positive experiences we have in life.

The second prong has two parts.  Purpose and satisfaction. 

Purpose is how you feel when you are doing the thing you love. This can be academic research, your work, building a business, being involved in the community, being a parent, and more.

Arthur Brooks says that long-lasting happiness comes from human connection and productive work. He found in his scientific research that it was overwhelmingly clear that a “productive human endeavor creates a sense of purpose in life.”

Satisfaction is appreciating what you have more than pining for what you want.

Many of us think we will be more satisfied, happier even, if we get more of what we want. However, the scientific theory of hedonic adaptation tells us that we get comfortable with what we have, and we always want more. Satisfaction is elusive and doesn’t last with that mentality; it’s like running on a treadmill and never getting to the destination. So, it's basically impossible to "get more" and be happier long term. This is why the gurus tell you that gratitude is so important to achieve happiness.  It is bringing you back to the here and now.  

Satisfaction is not a function of what you have; it's actually an equation of what you HAVE and what you WANT. Think of it like a fraction: the top is what you have, and the bottom is what you want.  So you want to appreciate what you have more than pine for what you want.

This all seems easy enough, but I was curious, how much is actually in our control? 

Arthur Brooks says that happiness is 50% genetic, 25% circumstantial, and 25% in your control.  

Sojyna Lyubomirsky has similar findings.  Although it’s never a neat and tidy pie chart, experts agree that we humans have some control over our happiness and it’s not all left up to DNA or chance.  The researchers from the 2005 Lyubomirsky paper later said that “Happiness can be successfully pursued, but it is not ‘easy,’” In other words, happiness for many people will simply be something that is hard won. For others, happiness may feel like a natural state.

The insight is simple, and it’s good news.  This means that happiness is deeper than our emotions and we have some control over our happiness.  The bonus is that we know how to enhance our happiness through simple tiny habits like savoring, gratitude, kindness and so much more. 

Remember, kindness is contagious, go out there and spread some kindness today. 

Life is heavy enough; we shouldn’t have to search for happiness.  Get the exclusive happiness email, delivered with a smile twice a month to your inbox. https://www.katiejefcoat.com/email 

And, let’s connect on social at @everydayhappinesswithkatie  and join the community on the hashtags #IntentionalMargins and #everydayhappinesswithkatie on Instagram

Links:  https://onamission.bio/everydayhappiness/

Inspiration from: 

• https://arthurbrooks.com/art-of-happiness/

Our brains will always be mistaken about how happy something will make us in the future. As humans, we almost always mispredict the duration of how good or bad a feeling will be. This is one of my biggest takeaways from writing 668 daily happiness podcast episodes. Tune in to learn more. 

Transcript:

Welcome to Everyday Happiness, I'm your host Katie Jefcoat, and as we close out this podcast, we invite you to join our happy mail email community, where you’ll continue to get happiness and kindness content delivered straight to your inbox.  We think it’s the happiest email in your inbox. You can join at www.katiejefcoat.com 

Today, I share one of my biggest takeaways from writing 668 daily happiness podcasts.  It starts with a lecture from Yale professor Dr. Laurie Santos who introduces the work of researchers and professors Tim Wilson at the University of Virginia, and Dan Gilbert at Harvard.  They coined this fantastic term called MISWANTING. The definition of this is “this act of being mistaken about what and how much you're going to like these things in the future.” The problem is that our brains deliver to us this idea that we want certain things, but we are often wrong about it. We are constantly miswanting.

So why does this miswanting occur, and what can we do about it?  Well, the researchers seem to think that just being aware of our biases is the way to counterbalance miswanting.  It can be as simple as wanting a doughnut.  I want a fried dough ball with sugary frosting, it will taste good, and it will make me happy.  I eat the doughnut, and although it tastes delightful at the moment, now, I am no longer happier - the feeling didn’t last.  I miswanted. 

This all comes down to the perils of us humans predicting our future feelings, and people specifically mispredict the duration of how good or bad a feeling will be.  

This means that our intuition, and our minds, are playing tricks on us and making us think things that are just false.  We see this with algebra problems, vision exercises - which table is longer - on social media.  We think it’s one thing, but the fact is, it’s definitely the other. 

You think that if you walk out of your house and get hit by a car, you will be unhappy for the rest of your life.  But that’s also just not true. 

You think that if you are in school and you get better grades than you expect, you will be happier.  You think that if you win the lottery, all of your worries will disappear, and you will be the happiest ever.  But all of this is just not true.  It’s not how happiness works.  The data says you will go back to baseline. Scientists call this hedonic adaptation.  It’s when you get that job promotion, and you think that’s all you’ll ever need, and a few years later, you want another promotion.   

This is fascinating because we can see how our brain tricks us into choosing material items or goals that are just wrong.  We think the bad thing will be so much worse than it is, and we think the good thing, winning the lottery, will be so much better than it is.  We humans get it wrong - almost all of the time.

We also know that our mind compares our wants against reference points instead of absolutes, and then, our minds have this terrible tendency to get used to stuff, and we don’t even realize it.  But, the good news is that if we are intentional, we can overcome these human biases. 

When we think about the ways we try to make ourselves happy, Dr. Santos says the first way is to not invest in awesome material stuff.  Even if we think it’s the coolest thing.  The new car just becomes the car.  Being aware of it is half the battle. We get used “stuff” and over time, there just isn’t that much happiness to derive from it. 

On the flip side, forget about the stuff and, instead, consider investing in experiences. Experiences don’t stick around, we don’t have time to adapt to them.  So what we are left with is this wonderful memory of the experience. 

The science indicates that people who invest in experiences are, in fact, happier. So instead of thinking about how you might treat yourself with stuff, change it around and think about experiences instead.

Also, it’s hard to have a social comparison when you are talking about a trip versus a new pair of shoes or your car versus someone else's car.  So if we are the type of people that invest in experiences, we are more likely to not compare ourselves to other people’s awesome experiences. 

The insight is simple.  As humans, we will overestimate almost all of the time how happy something will make us. Be aware of that the next time you want something.  Consider experiences over things and push against social comparison. Being intentional about our thoughts, with this piece of knowledge, is one way we can boost our happiness. 

Life is heavy enough; we shouldn’t have to search for happiness.  Get the exclusive happiness email, delivered with a smile twice a month to your inbox. https://www.katiejefcoat.com/email 

And, let’s connect on social at @everydayhappinesswithkatie  and join the community on the hashtags #IntentionalMargins and #everydayhappinesswithkatie on Instagram

Links:  https://onamission.bio/everydayhappiness/

Do you ever feel like your gratitude practice gets stuck? Rather than feeling unsatisfied repeating yourself, check out this episode on daily gratitude prompts to give you an inspirational boost in the right direction. 

Transcript:

Welcome to Everyday Happiness where we create lasting happiness, in about 2 minutes a day,  through my signature method of Intentional Margins® (creating harmony between your to-dos and your priorities), happiness science, and musings about life. 

I'm your host Katie Jefcoat, and today, we are talking about daily gratitude. Science has determined that gratitude has exponential benefits for the mind and body as it activates feel-good neurotransmitters that promote feelings of trust, increases social bonding, and improves happiness.

Many individuals have taken to practicing gratitude daily or weekly, depending on what works best for them. I, too, practice gratitude on a regular basis. Sometimes, I do a flurry of appreciation in my mind while I brush my teeth in the morning. Sometimes, I sit down with my gratitude journal and write out a few thoughts. I am even considering making a gratitude jar for my whole family to enjoy.

However, there are days when I get stuck. It’s not that I am not grateful for anything; I have so many things to be thankful for every day. BUT, on occasion, I run out of ideas and don’t feel satisfied repeating myself. I want something new to acknowledge that I may not have thought of before to expand my gratitude practice and see more of the good things around me.

So, I did a little digging into daily gratitude prompts, and, of course, I am here to share them with you. If you are a little stuck or think getting stuck may happen, save this episode or write them down to use later, or see our March 2023 blog post. Are you ready? Here we go!

-          Did I do something nice for someone today? What is something nice that someone did for me?

-          What is something stressful that happened today? What did I do to overcome that?

-          What is one physical attribute about myself that I appreciate?

-          What is something that put a smile on my face today?

-          What are three things that I love about my home?

-          What was something yummy that I ate today?

-          What is my favorite thing in my town?

-          What is my favorite quality of my best friend?

-          What is one thing I am looking forward to this weekend?

Did any of those questions light your hair on fire? Let me know in the comments! AND what’s your favorite daily gratitude prompt? Share it on socials and tag us over at Everyday Happiness! 

Life is heavy enough, we shouldn’t have to search for happiness.  Get the exclusive happiness email, delivered with a smile twice a month to your inbox. https://www.katiejefcoat.com/email 

And, let’s connect on social at @everydayhappinesswithkatie  and join the community on the hashtags #IntentionalMargins and #everydayhappinesswithkatie on Instagram

Links:  https://onamission.bio/everydayhappiness/

Blog:  https://www.katiejefcoat.com/post/daily-gratitude-journal-prompts-to-improve-happiness

Downloadable 100 Gratitude Journal Prompts:  https://www.katiejefcoat.com/gratitude 

Introducing a free, printable resource you can utilize to improve your gratitude practice and increase your happiness. Find out more by tuning in!

Transcript:

Welcome to Everyday Happiness, where we create lasting happiness, in about 2 minutes a day,  through my signature method of Intentional Margins® (creating harmony between your to-dos and your priorities), happiness science, and musings about life. 

I'm your host Katie Jefcoat, and over the past few years, it has become common knowledge that gratitude practices can aid in increasing a person’s emotional, mental, and even physical health with long-term positive results.

While we often have a massive list of things to be grateful for, pinpointing them can sometimes be tricky. This can be especially true when we have been practicing daily gratitude for a while and run out of ideas or don’t feel like repeating ourselves. That is why I have compiled a list of 100 daily gratitude journal prompts to help spark your creativity, engage those happy feelings, and recognize all there is to be grateful.

There are a few caveats, of course.

First, you have to find a rhythm that works for you. For some people, attempting to write daily gratitude journal prompts may be overwhelming. You may be better off writing three ideas once a week. I encourage you to find a practice that best suits your lifestyle and capabilities.

Second, gratitude takes time. Yes, you will likely get a little jolt of happiness after writing your daily gratitude journal prompts, but long-lasting gratitude benefits take time to accrue. It could take months for those good feelings to sink in, so stick with it.

Third, you don’t have to share if you don’t want to. Some people choose to write and send gratitude letters, but if you want to keep your gratitude private, that is perfectly fine. Studies show that sharing or not won’t affect how much happiness someone can get from the practice.

Where are these prompts, you ask? You can access them in my brand new blog post, which I have linked in the show notes. PLUS, if they light your hair on fire, you can download the FREE printable pdf to make it easy to write your ideas! 

Life is heavy enough, we shouldn’t have to search for happiness.  Get the exclusive happiness email, delivered with a smile twice a month to your inbox. https://www.katiejefcoat.com/email 

And, let’s connect on social at @everydayhappinesswithkatie  and join the community on the hashtags #IntentionalMargins and #everydayhappinesswithkatie on Instagram

Links:  https://onamission.bio/everydayhappiness/

Blog Post: https://www.katiejefcoat.com/post/daily-gratitude-journal-prompts-to-improve-happiness

Downloadable 100 Gratitude Journal Prompts:  https://www.katiejefcoat.com/gratitude 

Science says that gratitude practices are good for your physical, mental, and emotional health. Tune in to find out how!

Transcript:

Welcome to Everyday Happiness, where we create lasting happiness, in about 2 minutes a day,  through my signature method of Intentional Margins® (creating harmony between your to-dos and your priorities), happiness science, and musings about life. 

I'm your host Katie Jefcoat, and today, I want to revisit our conversations on gratitude and take a brief moment to share the science of gratitude – the “why” behind the numerous benefits of this practice. Studies have shown that gratitude practices aid participants in various mental, physical, and emotional benefits.

Mayo Clinic reports that gratitude can decrease depression, anxiety, and difficulties with chronic pain and the risk of disease. Greater Good magazine, published by the Greater Good Science Center (GGSC) at the University of California, Berkeley, reports that gratitude helps people detach from negative emotions and connect with positive emotion words.

Another source, Mindful.org, reports that gratitude practices can boost self-esteem and enhance life satisfaction. As you can see, the data supporting gratitude practices is both deep and reputable.

Sometimes the concept of gratitude can trip people up, though. Rather than getting caught up in the concept of gratitude, you can replace it with appreciation. Entrepreneur made an excellent comparison that I want to share with you. 

“Gratitude is simply defined as "the state of being grateful." It is a social emotion that expresses our appreciation for what others have done for us.

On the other hand, appreciation can be defined as recognizing the value and meaning of something. It can be an event, a person, a behavior or an object. Feeling a positive emotional connection to it shows appreciation toward the thing.”

Tomorrow, I have a fun announcement about how you can become more grateful or appreciative to improve your happiness, so make sure to tune in! 

Life is heavy enough, we shouldn’t have to search for happiness.  Get the exclusive happiness email, delivered with a smile twice a month to your inbox. https://www.katiejefcoat.com/email 

And, let’s connect on social at @everydayhappinesswithkatie  and join the community on the hashtags #IntentionalMargins and #everydayhappinesswithkatie on Instagram

Links:  https://onamission.bio/everydayhappiness/

Did you know that sugar reacts in the brain the same way as cocaine? In this episode of Everyday Happiness, we teach how sugar and happiness mix…and how they don’t!

Transcript:

Welcome to Everyday Happiness where we create lasting happiness, in about 2 minutes a day,  through my signature method of Intentional Margins® (creating harmony between your to-dos and your priorities), happiness science, and musings about life. 

I'm your host Katie Jefcoat, and did you know that sugar reacts in the brain the same way cocaine does? As glucose, sugar provides the body with energy while connecting direct stimulation to the brain by releasing dopamine, that “feel good” neurotransmitter we’ve discussed in past episodes. To put it simply, you get a time-constricted sugar high. Unfortunately, too much sugar isn’t good for you, but studies show the average American consumes almost 17 teaspoons of added sugar daily! That’s 34 pounds of sugar a year, folks!

Too much sugar has been linked to the development of heart disease, diabetes, obesity, fatty liver disease, high cholesterol, hypertension, and other problems. Extended sugar abuse turns that fun sugar high into a psychological condition. Psychology Today states that it can perpetuate craving, increase negative emotions over time, and reduce the ability to produce serotonin. It can even go on to increase anxiety, depression, ADHD, and other conditions. Not so fun anymore, huh?

So how can we consume sugar properly and teach our children to do the same?

First, sugar is not a substitute for happiness. It can be tempting to want to shove one’s face full of cake when we are stressed because it triggers that feel-good hormone. But it doesn’t last, and the long-term effects can be detrimental. Rather than looking to sugar for a quick spike in happiness, I recommend finding an alternative source of joy, such as exercise, reaching out to a friend, writing a gratitude list, or anything else that makes you happy.

Second, minimize artificial sugars. While I’m not saying you can never have ice cream or cookies again, it is essential to reduce artificial sugar consumption. If you are craving something sweet and you’re hungry, I suggest trying blueberries, bananas, carrots, and other forms of natural sugar.

Third, ditch sugar as a reward. It can be tempting to place sugar as a reward for an accomplished task, such as getting an A on a school project or completing a tough challenge at work. But this theory doesn’t teach healthy processing. Rather than using sugar as a reward, we suggest experiences like going outside to play, going out with a friend, or trying something new to use as a treat for a job well done.  

Until next time, I encourage you to be the sugar in someone else’s life by doing something sweet for them. Remember, kindness is contagious! 

Life is heavy enough, we shouldn’t have to search for happiness.  Get the exclusive happiness email, delivered with a smile twice a month to your inbox. https://www.katiejefcoat.com/email 

And, let’s connect on social at @everydayhappinesswithkatie  and join the community on the hashtags #IntentionalMargins and #everydayhappinesswithkatie on Instagram

Links:  https://onamission.bio/everydayhappiness/

Inspired by these articles:

• -   https://www.pursuit-of-happiness.org/science-of-happiness/exercise/nutrition/#:~:text=Sugar%20leads%20to%20direct%20stimulation,%2C%20ice%20cream%2C%20etc.