This week, Erin gets real about what it means to choose happiness in a world that constantly gives you reasons not to.

Wrapping up another trip to Christiansburg, she reflects on connection, loss, and the uncomfortable truth that most of us are waiting for “someday” for things to slow down, for the right time, for the permission to finally live. But someday isn’t guaranteed.

In this episode, Erin reminds us that choosing happiness isn’t selfish, it’s survival. It’s not ignoring pain or pretending everything’s fine; it’s having the courage to do something about it. To stop saying “I’ll get to it later” and actually start building the kind of life that doesn’t need escaping from.

She also shares insights from the Netflix documentary In Waves and War, where a group of veterans find healing through connection, vulnerability, and guided psychedelic therapy. The takeaway: healing happens through human connection not isolation.

And following her recent conversation with Dr. Erica Birkley, Erin reinforces a powerful truth. PTSD is not a death sentence. Healing is possible. Our brains are wired to adapt, to grow, and to come back from the dark.

So if you’ve been waiting for the right time to choose joy, peace, or love this is your sign.

IN THIS EPISODE

• Why choosing happiness is an act of courage, not privilege
• The “someday” lie that keeps us from joy
• How connection heals more than any coping mechanism
• The lessons from In Waves and War about brotherhood and recovery
• The myth that PTSD is permanent and the science that proves otherwise
• What it means to stop settling for “good enough” and start living fully

MENTAL FIREPOWER

Happiness isn’t something that finds you, it’s something you fight for.
If today was your last day, what would you stop waiting for?

WHO THIS EPISODE IS FOR

• First responders and spouses living on autopilot
• Anyone waiting for “the right time” to make a change
• People questioning whether healing and happiness can coexist
• Helpers and leaders learning to choose joy without guilt

Music from #Uppbeat

https://uppbeat.io/t/needmospace/chill-power

License code: QUUZB4TP7STKMLJN