Everyday Happiness - Finding Harmony and Bliss

I can't wait for you to meet my dear friend Michelle Eades on today's Sunday Funday.  Michelle is a past-lives intuitive.  She raised her family in Australia where she’s from, and last year, when the children were grown and flown, she and her husband sold the family home and spent the year living in Air B and Bs exploring Southeast Australia.  Most recently, they’ve relocated to Europe, starting in Italy for more adventures. Talk about downsizing!  She's insightful, thoughtful and you'll love her take on happiness.

 

Transcript

 

Katie:

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 have a very, very special guest. Another Sunday Funday this time with Michelle Eades. Welcome, Michelle. 

 

Michelle:

Hi, Katie.

Thank you. It's great to be here.

 

Katie: 

Well, I am super excited that you are here and I am dying to know, what is your definition of happiness?

 

Michelle:

Such a great question. And I've been thinking about this quite a lot, because I'm not really sure if I can define it. But I've worked it out that for me, happiness is a feeling in the body. And it's all the things that take place in my life that made me smile.

 

Katie: 

I love that so much. So then my next question has to be what makes you happy? What are some examples of how you find happiness in your every day?

 

Michelle: 

Thank you. I am quite intrigued by the things that do make me smile. So one of the things that I really was surprised about was when I go clothes shopping, and I put on the exact right piece of clothing. 

 

It feels like my whole body lights up and it brings a smile to my face. Things that are beautiful textures always bring me away. Not even necessarily just beautiful textures, but I touch things or taste things and I go, "Oh, that feels so good, or that tastes so good." 

 

And I noticed again, as I'm talking to you, my whole body jumps up and it's like all of my senses switch on. So it's texture. 

 

I think that's going to be my go to thing as I noticed. Visually beautiful things make me smile, but it's beautiful sounds, beautiful things to touch and beautiful foods when the tastes and things that you put in your mouth. They all make me so happy.

Katie: 

I love that so much. That is such a great tip. And I can't wait for our listeners to hear this as well and go out and really think about how these textures are affecting you in your everyday life. So until next time, remember, kindness is contagious. Go out there, spread some kindness into the world and we'll see you tomorrow.

 

About Michelle: 

 

Learn more about how Michelle guides you through a journey of self exploration on her website https://michelleeades.com/

 

Follow or connect with Michelle on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michelle.eades.92/

 

Subscribe to her beautifully written travel journeys, it’s almost like a peek inside a journal entry. It’s definitely a glimpse into what it’s like to travel the world with a suitcase and a dream. https://thruthegardengate.substack.com/ 

 

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Get Everyday Happiness delivered to your inbox by subscribing at: https://www.katiejefcoat.com/happiness

 

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/

Description: 

Behind the scenes with Katie and her friend C.Lee Cawley, a certified professional home organizer and organizing educator.  This is your behind the scenes bonus experience where I introduce you to my friend C.Lee and you get a little more candid insight into my life and who I tend to hang out with. We also chat about why she’s perfect to take over the podcast this week.    

 

Transcript

Katie: Welcome to Everyday Happiness, where we create lasting happiness in about 2 minutes a day. But today is a very, very special bonus episode.

I am here with one of my dearest, closest amazingest friends, C.Lee Cawley and I can not wait for you to meet her because she is taking over the whole next week of the podcast. This is going to be so much fun. Welcome, C.Lee! We're so excited you're here.

C.Lee:Thank you, Katie, so much. I love the idea of a podcast takeover.

Katie: We're going to totally crush it. I can not wait to dive into all the things, but first, tell my audience a little bit about you. What are you all about?

C.Lee: Absolutely. I am a Certified Professional Organizer. There are actually fewer than 400 of us worldwide, something I'm very proud of. And I've been organizing for 20 years now. I started my business in 2003 and we're coming up on 2023. 

I originally started doing residential organizing in people's homes. And now I've transitioned to being an online expert and educator in all things organizing. And I'm teaching students around the world, so it's a super exciting time.

Katie: This is so fascinating. You know, I love organizing. Part of my Intentional Margins® is order. Like making sure things are in order, like the squirrels that are running around like they have ADD in my head, making sure they're in order, making sure my papers are in order.

I love a clean kitchen in the morning. We talked about that during my family meeting. Somebody's always doing the dishes, so when the children go to school, the kitchen is clean. 

So I, of course, have always been picking your brain about all things order and organizing, which I love. But also you're a really happy person.

C.Lee: Yes, I am an optimist, for sure. I think it came from my father. My dad, Pete Cawley, never met somebody who didn't become a friend, never had a bad day in his life.

And I do think there is and you've talked about this on the podcast, some of it's nature and some of it's nurture, and I am a naturally optimistic person, so it served me very well in life, I have to say. I can't imagine being any other way.

Katie: I love it so much. Very similar. Again, which I don't know if we mentioned this to the listeners before, maybe in a previous episode, because I have talked about my friend before, but we're basically neighbors. We live just a couple of miles apart from one another, so we get to see each other in real life, which is so much fun.

And I want to talk about something that I haven't brought up yet, but you and I became part of a little happy hour group right before COVID started, and I would like you to tell our listeners about that. And then I will, like, pipe in with my perception and see how it is and how it changes. So do you remember what we did in February of 2020?

C.Lee: Yes, and I was so excited. So you invited me to join our friends, Ellice and Lyndsey, both of whom I knew. I knew Ellice fairly well. Lyndsey, not so much, but I knew, and I knew you. But we weren't close friends by any stretch of the imagination, and you invited us to a happy hour at a local wine bar. And I remember being so excited, thinking, “Oh, my God, the cool kids invited me out to play!”. And I was thrilled!

And I think to myself, Katie, what kind of divine intervention was for us all to meet in person and have such a bonding experience? We laughed, we ate, we drank, we talked and talked and talked, and I feel like we were there for hours because we all were connecting on so many levels, and we were able to do that in person just before the pand

In this mini-series on Why Christmas Makes Us Happy, we dive into the fuzzy feelings of Christmas and why they are present year after year. Today, we wrap up with some words of advice on how to be prepared to get smacked with Christmas cheer!

 

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 we’ve spent the past three episodes discussing the science behind Christmas cheer. If you didn’t get a chance to hear them, I highly recommend going back. With Christmas fast approaching, I have two recommendations on how to improve your happiness and those around you as you proceed to get smacked by Christmas cheer!

 

First, make time for happiness. During this joyous season, I encourage you to dedicate time to the theories we’ve talked about: executing ritual practices, forging social connections, performing charitable giving, and completing random acts of kindness. Whether this means taking a couple of days off of work, skipping a party to spend more time with your family, or whatever allows you the time to do the things that matter most to you and yours, make it happen. Through Intentional Margins and appropriate time management, you can do all the stuff at the top of your priority list. 

 

Second, try not to get bogged down by expectations. Yes, Christmas can be amazing, but I caution everyone to be realistic about it. Holidays can often get bogged down by expectations. Everyone wants the perfect Christmas, but perfection is rarely a guarantee. There will likely be family drama, impossible-to-find gifts, unexpected situations, and other happenstances that could ruin the holiday season if you let them. 

 

One of my teammates is the perfect example of this. Her self-proclaimed “family curse” is that something terrible happens on almost every holiday, and she isn’t being dramatic. She can recount deaths, accidents, and other horrible situations that always seem to occur on a major holiday every single year. However, she doesn’t let it get her down. She says that such tragedies have allowed herself and her family to become more adaptive during the holidays and to truly appreciate every moment with loved ones. They have no glitter shield, but that clarity makes the happy moments even more special. 

 

So, with that in mind, I suggest that everyone practice accepting internally that things will not go according to plan, adapt as best you can when they happen, allow negative emotions to roll off your back, and remember what the season is all about for you. 

Until next time, Happy Holidays from all of us at Everyday Happiness. 

Get Everyday Happiness delivered to your inbox by subscribing at: https://www.katiejefcoat.com/happiness

 

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/

In this mini-series on Why Christmas Makes Us Happy, we dive into the fuzzy feelings of Christmas and why they are present year after year. Today, we continue with two more of my hypotheses on associated Christmas happiness. 

 

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 yesterday we discussed two theories behind associated happiness bringing about Christmas cheer every year. Today, we are diving into two more! 

 

My third theory is on charitable giving. Christmas is the season of generosity. As I’ve mentioned before, charitable giving provides exponentially to everyone involved. Those who give feel a helper’s high, those who receive feel gratitude, and those who witness such acts feel more compelled to give themselves. 

 

While I won’t go into the nitty gritty details right now, you can discover more information on why charitable giving makes us happy by tuning into episode 464 or reading my blog on it!

Finally, my last theory on the associated happiness with Christmas cheer lies in random acts of kindness. This is the time of year when people lower their walls, open their eyes to the people around them, and make more effort to make others happy. 

 

I adore this time of year because we often see and hear about incredible random acts of kindness. Whether buying the person in line behind you a cup of coffee, sending a Christmas card in the mail to a friend who wasn’t expecting it, buying a Christmas gift for an elderly neighbor, or leaving a stellar review for your favorite podcasters (winky face), the list goes on and on. Whether it is recognized or not, acts of kindness performed with the mentality that they will get nothing in return improves the physical, emotional, and mental health of the one promoting the act. 

 

That’s it for my theories for now, what do you think? Let me know in the comments. Also, tune in tomorrow for my final episode on the topic, where we discuss how to get ready to be smacked with Christmas cheer!

Get Everyday Happiness delivered to your inbox by subscribing at: https://www.katiejefcoat.com/happiness

 

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 

https://www.katiejefcoat.com/post/why-charitable-giving-makes-us-happy 

https://www.katiejefcoat.com/post/kindness-is-contagious

In this mini-series on Why Christmas Makes Us Happy, we dive into the fuzzy feelings of Christmas and why they are present year after year. Today, we continue with my hypotheses on associated Christmas happiness. 

 

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 yesterday we talked about how associated happiness brings about Christmas cheer every year. Today, we are diving into my hypotheses on how that associated happiness came to train our minds in the first place. 

 

My first thought was ritual practices. A consistent ritual is preached crossing varying fields of science to improve your health and boost your mood. It can be as simple as a morning family meeting, Wednesday date nights, or doing yoga at 4 pm sharp every day. On a larger scale, Christmas is just one big ritual made up of a bunch of little rituals. 

 

We see it in trimming the tree, wrapping presents with your spouse on Christmas Eve, attending Christmas morning church, eating your favorite holiday quiche, and so much more. Every family has its own set of rituals, and new families enjoy combining and creating new traditions together. Like I said earlier, one of my favorite family rituals is matching jammies! 

 

These rituals provide people with something to look forward to, much like a vacation, and the anticipation of the event creates just as much happiness as the event itself. Piling them all together, there is much to look forward to and enjoy!

 

The second theory is the forging of social connections. We frequently talk about how vital social connections are to one’s happiness. Studies have shown that building, maintaining, and celebrating our bonds in life are crucial to our happiness. Christmas is a dedicated time to connect with others, whether it is friends, family, neighbors, coworkers, or even strangers.

 

The sheer amount of holiday gatherings most people attend is astounding. We are talking Christmas parties, work events, church gatherings, dinners with friends, gift-giving with loved ones, volunteering in the community, and so much more. Sometimes it can feel overwhelming, but this time that is expected to be with others truly benefits our happiness.

 

That’s it for now, but tune in tomorrow to learn the other two theories behind associated Christmas cheer! 

Get Everyday Happiness delivered to your inbox by subscribing at: https://www.katiejefcoat.com/happiness

 

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/

In this mini-series on Why Christmas Makes Us Happy, we dive into the fuzzy feelings of Christmas and why they are present year after year. Today, we discuss associated emotional training. 

 

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 in case you haven’t noticed by the sheer amount of glitter in the stores, the holidays are approaching. That got me thinking, with all the stress of shopping, the perils of winter weather, and sometimes spending way too much time with the in-laws, you would think people wouldn’t be so joyous…yet everyone seems to be more merry than usual.

 

I find the joy of the holiday season to be fascinating. I’ll be honest, Christmas is my favorite holiday, but today we discuss how it works on a more scientific level.

 

Psychology Today stated, “At Christmas, you feel joy because you associate good things with the holiday.” Like any other associative feeling, when you teach the brain that a particular trigger equates to a specific emotion, your brain will automatically respond similarly when that trigger is pulled again. So, if Christmas was always associated with good feelings throughout your childhood, Christmastime, in general, will elicit those same feelings every year.

 

To see if this idea was accurate, an experiment was performed in 2015 by Danish researcher Brad Haddock. The study examined two groups of people, one who celebrated Christmas and another who didn’t. The study showed images of Christmas to both groups; unsurprisingly, the ones who celebrated Christmas showed greater neural activity in their brain scan than those who didn’t. Whether you want to call it the Christmas Spirit, holiday cheer, or simply associated happiness is up to you, but science suggests it is present.

 

I can even see it in myself; there is something about twinkle lights that makes my heart dance a little. These associated images come to play in other areas too. For example, I absolutely adore matching family jammies - I plan for them, look at them, think about them year after year, and I love looking back at the photos in delight. It makes me so happy, and I had no idea why until now!

 

This idea got me thinking, and I have a few hypotheses on why Christmas time creates these consistent feelings of happiness that forge such associated neural pathways. Tomorrow, we dive into those ideas!

Get Everyday Happiness delivered to your inbox by subscribing at: https://www.katiejefcoat.com/happiness

 

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:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/brain-reboot/202012/the-neuroscience-feeling-christmassy#:~:text=At%20Christmas%2C%20you%20feel%20joy,you%20had%20as%20a%20child. 

https://www.bmj.com/content/351/bmj.h6266

December is going to feel a little different around here at Everyday Happiness, in the BEST ways!  Tune in to hear what a treat you are in for on the podcast.   

 

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 December looks like a bit more margin for the things that I love in this holiday season … twinkle lights, matching christmas jammies, and social connection.  

 

It’s so easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle and after the latest podcasts about being present.  A few months ago we talked about time and priorities, and I shared how I was feeling like time was flying by, especially with the children as my oldest entered high school.  I realized, taking time to reflect and re-center is not only something we deserve, but something we as humans need. 

 

I’m craving a change-up.  Perhaps that is because society has taught us to expect so much of our minds, but they are not meant to be computers.  We need rest in this busy world.  We’ve got stimulants being thrown at us every time we turn our heads.  What I would like to focus on is being present in my most favorite month of the year. 

 

Now, I won’t be sitting on my hands or binge watching Christmas movies every day.  I’ve got a jam packed social calendar.  And this is not a situation where I detach from all reality and go silent.  Instead, I intend to use December to dream, to reflect, to enjoy the moments and really connect with friends that fill my cup.  

 

And you get some really great pre-recorded episodes from me and guest take-overs.  Let me explain.  I asked four dear friends that are all amazing in their own rights to take over the podcast for a week.  Their insights are incredible and I can’t wait for you to get to know each person.  Over on Apple podcasts, Spotify, Podbean and all the podcast platforms you will get a 10-minute bonus episode every Sunday with each surprise guest before they take over for the following 5 days.  If you are listening on Amazon Alexa Flash Briefings, you just need to check out the show notes for links on where to listen to the longer bonus episodes.     

 

I will still be on social and connecting with each one of you.  So don’t be shy to slide into my DMs.  I’d especially love to hear what you think of these new format episodes.

 

Until next time, remember, kindness is contagious. 

 

Get Everyday Happiness delivered to your inbox by subscribing at: https://www.katiejefcoat.com/happiness

 

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/

Today I’m updating you on the mindfulness exercise and what I learned as someone who can’t seem to quiet her mind - ever.  Tune 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 in episode 527 I mentioned that I would report back on how intentionally being present had evolved and how it was going.  

 

First, I must admit that it was harder than I thought.  It felt like teaching an old dog new tricks.  I am such a forward thinker.  Someone who is always looking at the next thing that it was really hard to be in the moment for a long time.   I’m constantly distracted.  If we’re having lunch, I’m already planning for dinner in my head.    

 

With that being said, this was a good exercise and awakening for me to check myself.  This exercise forced me to be more aware and that was a generous gift.  When I caught myself drifting into future land, I stopped and tried to rein my thoughts back into the present moment.  

 

This often happened with a movie that was slow or one of our marathon board game nights.  I also have a little boy that is always talking.  He is a chatter-bug, and sometimes I didn't even realize he was talking. He’s also got a song in his heart, so if he’s not talking, he’s singing.  Again, it’s lovely and at times, I think I was missing it.  It had become so routine.  This exercise helped me be present and experience this on a deeper level. 

 

In closing, I have a lot of work to do.  Also, it was eye opening and I am going to try my best to keep it up over the holiday season and beyond.  

 

Speaking of holidays …tomorrow I am going to share my big December news.  Lucky for you, I am an over-preparer and what you get in December as a listener of Everyday Happiness is magic.  So join me tomorrow as I spill the Christmas tea, I can’t wait. 

 

Until next time, remember, kindness is contagious. 

 

Get Everyday Happiness delivered to your inbox by subscribing at: https://www.katiejefcoat.com/happiness

 

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/

Holidays can be downright stressful, even though the point is to relax and spend much-needed time with loved ones! Today, I am talking about using Intentional Margins® to reduce holiday stress so you can focus on your priorities. 

 

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 last year around this time, I was having a conversation with my friend C Lee. She said that next year (so this year) she’s blocking off a week to get all of her holiday must-do’s done - so she can enjoy the rest of the month.  

 

She said she’s creating her own Intentional Margin® and blocking off the week after Thanksgiving and through the first week of December to get all of her “holiday chores” done - as she calls them.  

 

You know, the things like addressing holiday cards, wrapping and shopping and decorating and grocery shopping and planning.  She decided to block off this time in her 2022 calendar to do all of these things so she can relax in the merriment of the holiday season.  I can’t wait to catch up with her and see how it went. I think this is a great idea.  And I think she’s on to something.  We all feel busier than ever during the holiday season, so how can we be proactive and have time, which is usually the thing we value most, to enjoy a little holiday cheer.  

 

I hope this idea inspires you to look at your December calendar and think about how you would plan your ideal holiday season.   And of course, we are looking for ideas, so I would love to know what you are thinking.  Tag us on social media or send us a DM over @everydayhappinesswithkatie. 

 

Until next time. Remember, Kindness is Contagious. 

 

Get Everyday Happiness delivered to your inbox by subscribing at: https://www.katiejefcoat.com/happiness

 

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/

Laurie is the founder and CEO of Her Wealth Coach™, an educational empowerment company that provides customer-focused solutions to help women gain the self-awareness and financial confidence to take control of their own narrative.  I asked Laurie, what makes her happy, tune in to find out. 

 

Transcript

 

Katie:

Welcome to Everyday Happiness, where we create lasting happiness in two 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'm with my friend Laurie Bodisch.  She's a women's wealth coach where she helps mostly women achieve financial freedom. I mean, how exciting is that?

 

So today I'm asking her what makes her happy. Welcome to the show, Laurie.

What makes you happy?

 

Laurie:

Thank you, Katie.

 

Happiness comes in so many different forms, but I will tell you, as I thought about this, happiness truly comes down to me, my family and time that we spend together.

 

I love having those conversations now with my 24 year old daughter. I miss the nights at home, but I certainly more than ever value the time that we spend together and the conversations that we do have.

 

Now, when you want to put some icing on the cake, we'll have those conversations while we're on the beach. Beach is another place that's always been in my heart since I was a little girl. Being there, especially when I'm with her, just brings a sense of calmness and peace and connection like I find in no other place.

 

So when it comes to that, that's what I describe as happiness to be in my life.

Katie: 

Oh, I love that so much. And, you know, we talk about all the time how social connection boosts happiness. It really, really does. And doing this with your daughter, someone that you love so much, is that purpose and satisfaction. 

 

So it really is more than just the emotion of elatement. You get all of the feels. And so I love that so much. And putting your toes in the sand is never a bad thing. 

 

So thank you for sharing and we look forward to chatting with more individuals as we continue this series and tune in again tomorrow. And don't forget, kindness is contagious. So go out there and spread some kindness today.

 

Get Everyday Happiness delivered to your inbox by subscribing at: https://www.katiejefcoat.com/happiness

 

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/

Learn more about Laurie Bodish here: 

 

Laurie is the founder and CEO of Her Wealth Coach™, an educational empowerment company that provides customer-focused solutions to help women gain the self-awareness and financial confidence to take control of their own narrative. She teaches courses and provides workshops on topics such as personal finance, investing and social security.

 

Laurie specializes in creating investment, financial and retirement plans for entrepreneurs & small business owners.

 

Her website is www.herwealthcoach.com 

 

You can also connect with Laurie on Linked In at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriebodisch/