Harvesting Happiness

Consider that everything you’ve been told about happiness is wrong. Happiness isn’t a new car, changing an insurance provider, or a crystal clear cellphone connection. Those are marketing messages designed to make us feel the choices we’ve made aren’t good enough. There is no one-size-fits-all for happiness. Happiness is about living our truth and accepting ourselves as we are.

Happiness is available to us regardless of external circumstances.

To find out how to get a happiness tuneup for life, Harvesting Happiness Podcast host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with an expert in the science of happiness and the creator of the New Happy philosophy, Stephanie Harrison.

Stephanie shares the three big lies Western society tells us about our ability to obtain happiness, why she preaches happiness to everyone she meets, and how being happy doesn’t mean being perfect.

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Magic and witchcraft are integral aspects of the human nature. Cultural beliefs are rooted in human cognition and psychology and shape our social behaviors. By acknowledging the inherent power of nature and seeking similarities within it, humans attempt to gain a sense of control and meaning in an unpredictable world.

For a clearer understanding of how magical thinking shapes human culture and impacts everything including religion and politics, Harvesting Happiness Podcast host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with cultural anthropologist and author, Phillips Stevens Jr.

Phillips shares his research on the roots of religion and spiritualism in human culture. His latest book is titled Rethinking the Anthropology of Magic and Witchcraft: Inherently Human.

This episode is a special edition of the Good Citizens Election Season Survival Guide designed to help restore common sense and sanity in a crazy world…

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Listening to diverse perspectives offers a medium for us to learn from each other and work towards a more inclusive and harmonious world. From a young age, many people are frustrated because they feel their voices are not seen, heard, or understood. It has become a common practice to defend a position before truly understanding another’s point of view. How can we use listening to enhance our relationships?

For insights on how to hone our peacemaking abilities, Harvesting Happiness Podcast host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with the Executive Director of the Nobel Peace Center, Kjersti Fløgstad.

Kjersti shares the inspiration behind the “Power of Dialogue Project” and the book that was born from it, Those Who Listen, Change the World. Kjersti also offers timely tips on how to convert discourse into dialogue.

This episode is a special edition of the Good Citizens Election Season Survival Guide designed to help restore common sense and sanity in a crazy world…

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With increasing divorce rates among older adults, many are rediscovering their sexuality and seeking new romantic and sexual experiences. Sex can offer comfort, joy, and a renewed sense of

The widespread adoption of smartphones over the past two decades has created new avenues for remote influence and manipulation, reducing freedoms many took for granted. The extent of the emotional chaos this causes may only be partially understood. Is it possible to restore equanimity during chaos?

For tips on finding inner peace and calm amidst turmoil and disorder, Harvesting Happiness Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with author, researcher, and founder of the Cognitive Immunology Research Collaborative (CIRCE), Dr. Andy Norman.

Andy offers his experienced insights on consumer culture, the goal of those who dehumanize others, and the benefits of emotional self-regulation for achieving sanity and mental immunity.

This episode is a special edition of the Good Citizens Election Season Survival Guide designed to help restore common sense and sanity in a crazy world…

WANT MORE SOUND IDEAS FOR DEEPER THINKING? Check out More Mental Fitness by Harvesting Happiness bonus content available exclusively on Substack and Medium.

The fast pace of today’s world can make people feel frantic and disconnected from experiences. It has become too easy to focus on the expectations of others and succumb to fear-based motivations. Do simple tools exist to make us feel grounded and bring us back to peace-of-mind? Or, does everything have to be a struggle?

To understand how people can reclaim calm in this tumultuous world, Harvesting Happiness Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with meditation teacher and award-winning writer and journalist, Dr. Danny Penman.

Danny shares the latest neuroscience research findings and the meditations in his latest book, Deeper Mindfulness: The New Way to Rediscover Calm in a Chaotic World, which he co-authored with Dr. Mark Williams. He describes Feeling Tone tools that help reduce stress, anger, and depression and increase our peacemaking abilities.

*This show originally aired in December 2023.

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What some people consider minor stressors can trigger and overwhelm those whose biological and psychological makeup is foundationally built upon intergenerational traumas. These are familial events inherited by generations, affecting their descendants like second-hand smoke.

Those with intergenerational traumas can be predisposed to heightened emotions that may not be widely understood by their societal circles. If you have witnessed someone’s reaction to a circumstance that didn’t appear to warrant it, their response could be based on the person’s unique heritage and ancestry without them being aware of the factors at play.

To discover ways to break the transcending cycle of intergenerational trauma and begin the healing process, Harvesting Happiness Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with Columbia University-trained Psychologist and intergenerational trauma expert Dr. Mariel Buqué.

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With the elimination of civics courses in schools and the rise of fear-driven political campaigns, many U.S. citizens may be left in a constant state of anxiety about the nation's direction. This anxiety can lead to impulsive decision-making and focusing on short-term solutions, undermining the pursuit of meaningful, long-term change. Advocacy and civic engagement are crucial for overcoming these challenges.

For tips on how to drive change through civic engagement, Harvesting Happiness Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with the founder of Street Civics, Dan Jasper.

Dan explores the civic transformation of the U.S. in recent decades, highlighting how these shifts influence the political landscape, citizen advocacy, and the importance of self-care in civic engagement.

The media paints AI as a universal solution,but the spark of human connection,our life force or soul,defies machine replication.As we navigate this new era,the question of human-machine coexistence looms.

For a deeper dive into the soul of our social architecture,Harvesting Happiness Podcast host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with a Professor of Sociology at Johns Hopkins University and the 2024-25 Vice President of the American Sociological Association,Dr.Allison Pugh.

Allison discusses the research that led to her latest book,The Last Human Job,and the dilemma of human connective labor when data collection is prioritized.

This episode is a bonus special edition of the Good Citizens Election Season Survival Guide designed to help restore common sense and sanity in a crazy world…

This episode is proudly sponsored by:

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There is no one-size-fits-all approach to understanding our individual attachment styles. However, becoming self-aware of what is at the core of our disconnection can provide us with valuable insights into relationship patterns and help us build healthier connections and more satisfying relationships.

For deeper insights into the psychology of attachment, Harvesting Happiness Podcast host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with author and licensed psychologist, Ann Kelley.

Ann discusses the fundamental learnings about attachment and self-regulation gleaned from the book she co-authored, Secure Relating: Holding Your Own in an Insecure World, and offers tools for building awareness of individual attachment styles.

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