Maura Sweeney: Living Happy Inside Out | Storytelling | Inspiration | Personal Growth

Are you a knee-jerk reactor to news and stimuli? Do you succumb to words or reports that excite, anger or otherwise move you to fear, anger or unrest? If so, you're not alone.

We all experience external probes that press our proverbial buttons. Those moments take us away from our peace, happiness and rest and, as unwitting followers, we unwittingly give away our personal power.

If you've struggled with being thrown off your place of peace and served as reactor rather than creator of your personal space, this empowering podcast is a help and reminder for you to reclaim it.

In this podcast, empower yourself to be a creator rather than a reactor. Be the power change you wish to see in the world – from the inside out!

Then, listen in to Amy Woo talk about what makes her happy from the inside out, too!

#Happiness #Empowerment #Empathic #Leadership #Influence

Did you know that harmony is a secret to happiness? It is!

When we harmonize our words with our behaviors, we discover heightened levels of happiness, peace and well-being.

In this podcast, I take up the topic of marrying our public professions and beliefs with private and sometimes unconscious behaviors. We begin with several meanings for the word harmony and learn the concept as described by Buddha.

Next, we'll cover the difference between stage personalities and behind-the-curtain, sub-personalities that bring us into disharmony and unrest.

Discover how triggers exposing our hypocrisy can actually help us connect with inherent contradictions. Find out how to convert "aha!" moments into empowering new choices for a happier and more peaceful life.

Then, listen in as Janelle Alex, a traveling entrepreneur and writing coach, shares some of the simple pleasures that make her happy from the inside out, too.

#happiness, #selfreflection, #emotionalintelligence, #peace, #selfgrowth

Bridges are spanning structures that provide passage over waterways, railroads or other obstacles. And when we think of bridges, architectural wonders like the Brooklyn Bridge, the Golden Gate or the Sydney Harbor Bridge come to mind.

In this podcast, however, we talk about the idea of serving as a human bridge and consider the ways in which doing so can change our lives and the lives of others, too. Learn about the first time I became an unwitting bridge and how the experience changed at least one of my perspectives.

In a world divided by ideologies and innumerable identifiers, this podcast will help you see your powerful potential as a bridge builder to a more peaceful and happy world.

For all those who relate to Gandhi's quote that says, "Be the change you wish to see in the world," there will be inspiration and more for you here.

Then, listen in as Venezuelan native and Players School of Music owner Vicky Folop shares with us what makes her happy from the inside out, too.

#culture, #happiness, #worldpeace, #tutoring #PlayersSchoolOfMusic

Are you paying attention to what you're hearing?

This podcast examines the way we inadvertently act as self-censors. We screen in certain types of news, ideas, sounds and insights – and we also screen out others!

If you have never considered how what you listen to impacts your well-being, this is a podcast for you. I share a bit of my own background and the process of learning how to listen in ways that would empower, rather than depress, my sensibilities and thoughts.

I also talk about an easy-to-do listening exercise that I shared with participants during a recent smoking cessation retreat.

If you're looking to become more aware of what you're hearing, this exercise will help you become more conscious. You'll be better equipped to take inventory of your own thoughts and make positive, intentional choices that bring a sense of authority back to where it belongs – with you!

Then, listen in as Sam Dykstra shares what makes him happy from the inside out, too.

#Smoking #Happiness #Listening #Empowerment

In this special holiday podcast, I ask the central question: Are You Peace on Earth?

We live in an externalized society where everyone seeks peace but fails to find it. We fight, we strive and we even go to war, chasing that ever-elusive desire for "Peace on Earth."

However, true peace begins in our hearts.

Listen in to my podcast that breaks down the meaning of peace and invites you to experience it for yourself. Be sure to stay tuned till the end of this podcast. You'll want to meet a host of listeners and friends who share their holiday wishes with you!

#PeaceOnEarth #Holidays #Happiness #NewYear

It's easy to get caught up in stereotypes, those widely held but preconceived notions we use to categorize people or ideas into fixed boxes.

Stereotypes provide us with easy ways to identify each other and communicate in general terms, but they also contain a downside. When improperly applied, they cause us to limit our understanding of others and run the risk of having others limit their understanding of us.

We often find ourselves assimilating into one group, culture, ideology, religion or philosophy. We enjoy being part of a clan or associated with like-minded or familiar groups. However, without opening ourselves to inquiry and generous reflection, we can sometimes wrongly assume that one member of a group is exactly like another.

In this podcast, I share two ways in which I experienced the use of stereotypes in my own life. May they help you explore your own thoughts, attitudes and belief systems. Doing so may cause you to open the doors of light of your own identity plus revisit notions you've held concerning other people's identities.

Then, listen in to Bryan Rivera from the Bronx, NY share what makes him happy from the inside out, too.

#Stereotyping #Labeling #PoliticalCorrectness #Happiness #EmotionalIntelligence #Culture

If you've ever felt disenchanted, disillusioned or even critical of experts and authorities, consider looking to yourself as a new source.

In a busy world, we often surrender our talents and ideas to others. We take a passive approach to the greater world, viewing it like observers watching an on-stage performance rather than actively playing a role of our own.

Listen as I share two seminal personalities from the past and how they helped inspire me to play a role in our current culture and marketplace of ideas. Then, I invite you to use your own imagination. Ignite some of your latent talents and untapped abilities to "be who you really want to be" in the world.

Afterward, listen in to music maker Vicky Fulop share what makes her happy from the inside out, too.

#SelfDevelopment #Leadership #SelfGovernance #Authenticity #Happiness #Maura4u

We all look forward to receiving gifts that excite our senses and surprise us in positive ways. But what happens when the “gift” we encounter has nothing to do with our perceptions of good?

In this podcast, we explore how life’s curve balls can actually bring us some unexpected gifts in the form of personal benefits. In it, I share a story from several years ago that turned a good portion of my life, thoughts, spirituality and even sense of self on its head. During the process, I was forced to face certain personal issues and hidden fears that needed some introspection.

As painful and grievous as the process felt, I gained greatly and emerged far freer, stronger and happier.

Whether you’re facing separation, sickness, economic loss or something else that stings you today, tune in to this inspiring and hopeful podcast.

Don't forget to share this podcast with a friend who may be in need!

Also, check out my additional resources on this topic:

My Huffington Post blog: The Flip Side of Giving Thanks

My Maura4u YouTube video: Do You Know What a Gem You Are

Then, listen in to Nick from Manchester, U.K. who shares with us what makes him happy from the inside out, too!  

#Thanksgiving #Gratefulness #Spirituality #Attitude #EmotionalIntelligence #Happiness #Peace

The contrast between polarity and peace came into sharp focus recently with the 2016 U.S. Presidential election process and the division and strife that followed.

In this timely, yet evergreen, episode, we take a look at the distinctions between what it feels like to live in polarity and what it’s like to abide in peace.

Discover how peace is not the opposite of someone else’s position. Instead, it paves a third path for anyone seeking inner happiness. Choosing to live in peace provides us opportunity to think, envision and operate in ways that promote new outcomes and increase our sense of personal agency.

Learn more about living in peace here.

Then, find out what makes a street drummer on NYC’s High Line happy from the inside out, too.

#PresidentialElection #Trump #Hillary #Peace #Inspiration #Empowerment #Hope

When it comes to living happy from the inside out, inspiration plays a major role in the process.

In this podcast, we’ll explore several meanings for the word that help provide familiarity with the emotions, energies and atmospheres that accompany inspiration.

Next, I share two personal stories that demonstrate how inspiration (or the lack of it) plays a part in our human experience. As I talk about both a private discourse and a public event, you’ll learn how individuals felt, responded and reacted as a result of feeling more -- or less – inspired.

Be empowered in your own life as you grow more mindful and cognizant of the power of inspiration. Not only will you find it a means to greater happiness, but you’ll see how it opens the door to so much more in the realm of positive possibilities.

Then, listen to Alex Okoroji from Nigeria as she shares what makes her happy from the inside out, too.

 #Inspiration #Happiness #Peacefulness #Empowerment #Mindfulness #Empowerment #Maura4u