Happy Enough

It's hard to look away from the news, and even harder to feel okay about it. On this episode of Happy Enough, Garvia Bailey speaks with Dr. Amanda Friesen, a political psychologist at Western University, about why political anxiety pulls us in so easily and how doomscrolling keeps us stuck in an echo chamber of negativity.

Dr. Friesen explains why people who aren't normally anxious can feel such profound stress around politics and current events, how getting our news through social media makes it worse, and what it takes to stay informed and engaged without burning out.
 

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The bond between humans and animals reaches beyond companionship. It can shape how we feel, connect and find meaning in our lives.

In this episode, Garvia speaks with Colleen Dell, a professor of sociology at the University of Saskatchewan and founder of the Positive Connections Lab, about what makes the human-animal connection so powerful, how it affects our wellbeing, and what these relationships reveal about care, trust and our need for connection.
 

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People-pleasing means putting everyone else’s needs ahead of your own. It can look like kindness, but it can gradually take a toll on our well-being. On this episode of Happy Enough, we explore why so many of us learn these behaviours in a bid for belonging.

Garvia is joined by Zainib Abdullah, a psychotherapist and founder of Wellnest, an Ontario-based therapy clinic. Together, they discuss where the impulse to say “yes” to everything comes from and what it can cost us. They also look at how chronic people-pleasers can learn to establish boundaries, make room for their own needs, and show up for others without losing sight of themselves.

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Studies suggest that volunteering can make us happier, healthier, and more connected to our communities. So why are fewer of us doing it? The share of Canadians who volunteered for an organization fell from 41% in 2018 to 32% in 2023. Over the same period, annual volunteer hours dropped to 1.2 billion from 1.7 billion, according to Statistics Canada.

On this episode, Garvia speaks with Megan Conway, president and CEO of Volunteer Canada, about what’s behind the decline, the barriers that keep people from getting involved, and the practical changes that could make volunteering more accessible.
 

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From relationship advice to popular culture, sex is often treated as a vital ingredient in a happy, healthy life. But how much does it really matter? 

Garvia Bailey speaks with Amy Muise, a psychology professor and director of York University’s Sexual Health and Relationships Lab. They explore why the relationship between sexual frequency and happiness isn’t as simple as “more sex equals better wellbeing,” why Gen Z reports having less sex than older generations, and the myth that good sex has to be spontaneous.

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After a summer of heatwaves and wildfires, thinking about the climate can be downright depressing. But what if the choices that make us happier could also help save the planet?

In this episode, Garvia speaks with Dr. Elizabeth Dunn, a University of British Columbia psychology professor, happiness researcher, and co-author of Leave the Lights On: How Joyful Decisions Can Save Our Species.

Dr. Dunn explains why guilt and fear haven’t inspired the climate action we need, how everyday choices – from what we eat to how we travel – can support both personal well-being and a healthier planet, and why taking action on an issue we care about may be one of the most powerful ways to manage our anxiety.
 

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Garvia Bailey returns to host season five of Happy Enough, a podcast from The Globe and Mail podcast about happiness—and why it matters in an age of stress and bad news. This season, we’ll explore how happiness can benefit the climate, why volunteering brings us joy and whether humans really need sex to be happy. Season five of Happy Enough launches September 23.

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As of 2021, roughly 72 percent of Canadians lived in cities with populations of more than 100,000 — and that number continues to climb. Yet urban life comes with trade-offs: costly housing, less space, gridlock, poor air quality and relentless noise. Which prompts the question: Is city living at odds with our happiness? 

This week on Happy Enough, Garvia speaks with Houssam Elokda, a community planner, housing expert, and managing principal at Happy Cities, a Vancouver-based consultancy that aims to improve city living. They explore why Canadians are flocking to cities in greater numbers, how that shift affects wellbeing and profile global examples of how design and policy choices can restore community trust and boost wellbeing in urban areas.

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“Laughter is the best medicine” isn’t a cliché—it’s biology. Research finds that laughter increases your endorphins, activates and calms your stress response system, improves your immune system, and, critically, connects you with the people you love. But these days, it can feel hard to overcome the bad news and find time for a good chuckle. 

To dig into why laughter matters—and why we should make time for it—Garvia is joined by Chris Duffy, comedian and author of Humor Me: How Laughing More Can Make You Present, Creative, Connected, and Happy. They discuss laughter as a practice, how poking fun at ourselves and the world builds connection, and how cultivating humour can boost wellbeing, especially in hard times.

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In our society, ambition is viewed as a good thing. A force to be reckoned with, a badge of hard work and dedication. But does ambition come at the cost of happiness?  It can leave us wanting more, never stopping to consider what “enough” even is. What if leaning into “good enough” is the secret to true happiness?

In this episode, Garvia sits down with Amil Niazi, writer, producer and author of Life After Ambition: A Good Enough Memoir. Amil talks about what ambition meant early in her career, the reckoning that followed, and how embracing “good enough” has made her life happier and healthier.

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