Positivity is a great thing—unless it becomes toxic. And this week, host Paula Felps sits down with psychotherapist Whitney Goodman, author of the new book, Toxic Positivity: Keeping it Real in a World Obsessed with Being Happy. Whitney explains what toxic positivity is, what it does to us, and how to manage it in ourselves and others.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The difference between toxic positivity and healthy positivity.

If you’re looking to lead a healthier life this year, it’s important to make sure you’re getting your recommended daily allowance of fun. And this week, host Paula Felps talks with Scott Novis, a former Disney executive and founder of Bravous, a company that helps businesses improve employee experiences through live and virtual games. He shares how he uses fun and games to create happier workplaces — and how you can use those same ideas to deepen connections and create more fun at home.

• Why it’s important to carve out time for fun.

It’s the start of a brand-new year, and many of us use this time to set new goals. This week’s guest tells us how we can use neuroscience to coach our brains for happiness. Joseph O’Connor is co-founder of the International Coaching Community and author of 19 books on coaching, training, and neuroscience. His newest book, Coaching the Brain, offers insights into how you use brain coaching techniques and emotional intelligence to create a happier, more fulfilling life.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The difference between brain coaching and therapy.

Making the world a better place and helping those around us begins with change from within. And this week’s guest, Shelly Tygielski, gives us the blueprint on how to do that. Shelly is the author of the new book, Sit Down to Rise Up: How Radical Self-Care Can Change the Community. She joins host Paula Felps to talk about how each of us can create profound change in the world if we first turn inward and care for ourselves.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How each of us can become an agent for social change.

When the pandemic began last year, traditional ways of volunteering and helping others disappeared. This week, host Paula Felps sits down with Shelly Tygielski to learn how this Florida mom and meditation teacher brought people together by creating a pandemic of her own. Shelly came up with a plan to connect people who needed help with people who were eager to give help. Her efforts went viral, kicking off what became known as Pandemic of Love — a global, grassroots, mutual aid organization that, within one year, had matched more than 1.5 million people and had allowed donors to directly give $54 million to those in need. 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Where the idea to create the Pandemic of Love came from.

Breathing is something we do every day, but have you thought about the way your breath is affecting your health? This week, host Paula Felps is joined by Josh Trent, founder of Wellness Force Media, host of the Wellness Force podcast and the creator of the BREATHE: Breath & Wellness Program. Josh has spent the past 19 years as a trainer, researcher, and facilitator discovering the physical and emotional intelligence we need to thrive in our modern world. In this episode, he talks about how our breath affects our physical and mental well-being — and gives us timely tips for using our breath to get through a hectic holiday season.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• What deep breathing does for your overall well-being.

It’s time for celebrating the holidays, and for many people, that means walking through the minefield of social gatherings. But this week’s guest has the map to navigate them. Relationship expert Rachel DeAlto, author of the new book, Relatable: How to Connect With Anyone, Anywhere (Even if it Scares You), joins host Paula Felps to talk about why social gatherings may seem more daunting right now and how to ease social anxiety during the holidays (and into the new year).

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• What it means to become relatable—and why it can be difficult for so many.

With the holiday season now officially in full swing, there are a lot of emotions swirling around. And one that often isn’t discussed during this time of year is grief. This week, host Paula Felps is joined by Gina Moffa, a therapist who specializes in mindfulness-based therapies and focuses heavily on grief counseling and trauma studies. She talks about why it’s important to honor your grief and how to manage it – in yourself or others – through this holiday season and beyond.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why grief feels so much more consuming during the holidays and special occasions.

This week we’re celebrating Thanksgiving, and of course, that makes it a fantastic time to talk about one of our favorite subjects here at Live Happy Now: Gratitude. In this episode, Dr. Greg Hammer, a professor at the Stanford University School of Medicine, pediatric intensive care physician and author talks about how practicing gratitude can help improve your physical and mental well-being. Then Live Happy’s own Casey Johnson joins us to talk about our ongoing Gratitude Challenge and what’s new in the Live Happy Store!

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• What the GAIN approach is and how it improves wellbeing.

The holiday season is upon us, and we want to help you have a healthier, happier season! This week, Tonya Harris — a  board-certified holistic nutritionist and author of The Slightly Greener Method — is back to talk about some of the surprising dangers and toxins that are hidden in our favorite holiday decorations and traditions. Then, she’ll tell us how to trade them in for healthier choices.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why your holiday decorations might not be as safe as you thought.