In this solo episode, Julie explores one of the most transformative ideas in positive psychology and in our ability to thrive: that our beliefs don't just reflect reality — they create it. Drawing on her own personal story about inherited beliefs around rest and worth, she walks listeners through the science of how beliefs wire the brain, and shares a simple four-step inquiry practice for identifying, questioning, and transforming limiting beliefs into ones that actually serve the life you want to build, based on Bryon Katie’s ‘The Work”.

Practice for the Week:

Take one belief you're carrying — especially one you inherited rather than consciously chose. Write it down. Take it through the four steps: name it, question it, feel what it costs you, and find the turnaround.

Start with one story.  See what happens when you hold it up to the light.

Our stories are not facts. And when you change the story you're living in, you change the life you're living. You move from surviving to thriving.

Thrivers, you are the author. The pen is in your hand.

Here is the link to Byron Katie’s “The Work”

Thank you for listening. We are so happy you found us.

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We're living through a period of profound disconnection—from ourselves, from each other, and from any sense of peace. The pandemic, technology, political division, and the World Health Organization's reported rises in anxiety and depression have left many of us feeling fragmented and alone. AND there is a pathway forward.

In this episode, Julie sits down with Dr. Diane Dreher, positive psychology researcher, coach, and author of Pathways to Inner Peace, to explore nine powerful pathways drawn from centuries of spiritual tradition and validated by modern science that can help us restore connection, peace, and hope. From mindful presence and community to joy and intuition, Diane offers practical wisdom for navigating these challenging times with resilience and active hope.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

YOUR PRACTICE THIS WEEK

Choose ONE pathway from this episode and commit to incorporating it into your life this week. Remember: small changes can have a huge impact. Start with presence, gratitude, or one kind greeting to a stranger.

Thank you for listening. We are so happy you found us.

If you enjoyed today’s episode, follow Nine to Thrive: The Well-Being Podcast so our new episodes are automatically delivered to your favorite podcast feed, and please share it with  friends!

Reviews and ratings matter <3 

We would be so grateful if you left a 5 star rating and a few words about what you liked (or loved) about this episode.  

Want more tools and strategies for thriving and flourishing? 

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About Diane:

Diane Dreher, PhD, PCC, is a positive psychology researcher, coach, professor, and  author of eight books including the best-selling Tao of Inner Peace, and her new book, Pathways to Inner Peace. A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of California, Riverside, Diane has a PhD in Renaissance English literature from UCLA, and a master’s degree in counseling from Santa Clara University. She is a regular blogger for PsychologyToday.com, professor emeritus and associate director of the Applied Spirituality Institute at Santa Clara University, and senior research advisor/lecturer for the Positive Psychology Guild in the United Kingdom.

Where to find Diane:

https://www.dianedreher.com/   https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/your-personal-renaissance     https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianedreher/ 

Purchase her book Pathways to Inner Peace

Ever feel like you're constantly chasing the next achievement, the next milestone, the next thing—thinking that “happiness” lives there?  Like most of us at some time or another, you are on the hedonic treadmill. If you have ever felt like you are on this treadmill, this episode is for you. We explore why we adapt so quickly to the good things in our lives and how our culture keeps us “running in place”. More importantly, we dive into the science-backed strategies that can help you step off the treadmill and cultivate lasting, sustainable well-being. From gratitude and savoring to meaning and connection, discover how to shift from chasing happiness to actually thriving.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

YOUR PRACTICE THIS WEEK: Choose one strategy from this episode and commit to it for seven days. Notice what shifts.

Thank you for listening. We are so happy you found us.

If you enjoyed today’s episode, follow Nine to Thrive: The Well-Being Podcast so our new episodes are automatically delivered to your favorite podcast feed, and please share it with  friends!

Reviews and ratings matter <3 

We would be so grateful if you left a 5 star rating and a few words about what you liked (or loved) about this episode.  

Want more tools and strategies for thriving and flourishing? 

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Follow Julie on Instagram or LinkedIn for more daily thoughts and reflections on what it means to thrive and flourish in our complex world.

What if you approached your own life with the same strategy and intention as a major global exec or a brand launching a major campaign? In this conversation, Julie will sit down with reputation strategist and communications advisor Kate Haranis to explore how the principles of PR can be powerful tools for personal transformation.

Kate will share why narrative matters not just in business, but in how we show up for ourselves. Together, they'll unpack how to identify the old scripts holding you back, reframe your story with clarity and compassion, and activate the kind of visibility that feels authentic, not performative.

Whether you're in a career pivot, navigating burnout, or simply craving more alignment, this episode will help you get intentional about the story you’re telling to yourself and those around you. Because it IS possible to be intentional and still stay true to yourself.

At the end of the episode, we make reference to Byron Katie’s “The Work”. Here is a link to her four powerful questions that help you to get curious about the stories you tell yourself. 

Thank you for listening. We are so happy you found us.

If you enjoyed today’s episode, follow Nine to Thrive: The Well-Being Podcast so our new episodes are automatically delivered to your favorite podcast feed, and please share it with  friends!

Reviews and ratings matter <3 

We would be so grateful if you left a 5 star rating and a few words about what you liked (or loved) about this episode.  

Want more tools and strategies for thriving and flourishing? 

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Follow Julie on Instagram or LinkedIn for more daily thoughts and reflections on what it means to thrive and flourish in our complex world.

About Kate:

Kate Haranis is a reputation strategist and strategic communications advisor. As founder of Haranis & Company, she helps executive leaders and organizations—especially in technical and highly-regulated industries—build reputational capital and communicate more clearly.

Throughout a career spanning nonprofits, private agencies and the Fortune 500, Kate has led national media campaigns, developed high-impact content for C-suite leaders, and advised clients ranging from social impact startups to global health innovators.

Her expertise lies in understanding the intersection of what matters most to her clients and what matters most to their audiences, creating narratives that lead to action without pulling leaders away from the work in their zone of genius that only they can do.

Clients describe her as a “secret weapon" and say she "doesn't just help us sound better, she actually makes us better."

Kate also serves as chair of a Massachusetts state agency focused on preventing child abuse and is a recognized leader in civic advocacy and organizational leadership. At the heart of her work is a simple belief: everything is storytelling.

You can find out more about Kate here: 

www.haranisandco.com, 

www.linkedin.com/in/kateharanis

This is our final episode of 2025! We're taking a break over the holidays and will return mid-January with new episodes, guests, and conversations about thriving and flourishing.

In this episode, Julie shares her year-end practice for 2025—a powerful framework for looking back with awareness, taking stock of where you are, and looking ahead with intention to create the 2026 you want.

What You'll Explore:

Movement 1: Looking Back - The Inventory Reflect on what surprised you, when you felt most alive, and what you learned about yourself. Dive deeper with an energy audit, values clarification, positivity portfolio, growth mindset inventory, and connection audit.

Movement 2: Taking Stock - The Integration Bridge reflection and planning through hope mapping, meaning-making, completion and release, and identifying what has momentum.

Movement 3: Looking Ahead - The Intention Envision your life for 2026, get curious, create your positivity plan, use Stop/Start/Continue, and set implementation intentions.

Download the Free Worksheet: Your 2026 Positivity Plan based on Barbara Fredrickson's research on the positivity ratio for human flourishing. 

Download HERE Be sure to make a COPY.

Episode Tips:

Wishing you a happy, healthy holiday season filled with peace, love, joy, and all the things that help you thrive. See you in 2026!

For thousands of years, people have gathered during the darkest time of year to celebrate light, warmth, and the promise of renewal. Our winter holidays—whether Christmas, Hanukkah, Winter Solstice, or Kwanzaa—originated as acts of hope about what would be, not celebrations of what was.

In this episode, we're reclaiming that ancient tradition of hope for modern life. You'll discover what hope actually is (hint: it's not wishful thinking), why the holidays can deplete it so quickly, and most importantly, how to actively build it this season.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:

KEY TAKEAWAY:

Hope isn't something you wait for—it's something you build. This episode gives you the tools to stop surviving the holidays and start shaping an experience that actually nourishes you.

Ready to bring more hope, less stress to your holiday season? Listen to this episode and discover how to harness hope in this season.

Thank you for listening. We are so happy you found us.

If you enjoyed today’s episode, follow Nine to Thrive: The Well-Being Podcast so our new episodes are automatically delivered to your favorite podcast feed, and please share it with  friends!

Reviews and ratings matter <3 

We would be so grateful if you left a 5 star rating and a few words about what you liked (or loved) about this episode.  

Want more tools and strategies for thriving and flourishing? 

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Follow Julie on Instagram or LinkedIn for more daily thoughts and reflections on what it means to thrive and flourish in our complex world.

The holidays can feel like a tug-of-war between expectation and reality. In this episode, Julie is sharing nine evidence-based practices to help you approach the season with intention rather than obligation, and presence rather than perfection. These aren't more things to add to your overwhelm—they're permission slips to create a holiday season that actually brings you more joy, a greater sense of peace, and avenues for deeper and more meaningful connections..

The 9 Practices:

Your well-being isn't something that comes after the holidays are over, or after your work or caretaking is done. It's actually the FUEL that allows you to show up fully for the moments and people that matter most.

Thank you for listening. We are so happy you found us.

If you enjoyed today’s episode, follow Nine to Thrive: The Well-Being Podcast so our new episodes are automatically delivered to your favorite podcast feed, and please share it with  friends!

Reviews and ratings matter <3 

We would be so grateful if you left a 5 star rating and a few words about what you liked (or loved) about this episode.  

Want more tools and strategies for thriving and flourishing? 

-Check out Julie’s website and subscribe to her monthly newsletter here.

Follow Julie on Instagram or LinkedIn for more daily thoughts and reflections on what it means to thrive and flourish in our complex world.

What if the path to your goals isn't about adding more—it's about subtracting what's in the way?

As we approach the end of the year, most of us are thinking about what to ADD: more workouts, more meditation, more productivity. But research shows we have an "addition bias"—we instinctively solve problems by adding rather than removing, even when subtraction would be more effective.

In this episode, we explore:

Your brain has limited processing capacity. Every choice, notification, and commitment takes up mental bandwidth. When you remove the noise, what's essential becomes clear.

This week's challenge: Identify ONE thing to subtract. Just one. Notice the space it creates and what emerges.

Remember: The trees are about to show us how lovely it is to let go. Subtraction isn't about deprivation—it's about discernment.

Sound interesting? Take a listen and then explore what subtraction might look like for you.

Thank you for listening. We are so happy you found us.

If you enjoyed today’s episode, follow Nine to Thrive: The Well-Being Podcast so our new episodes are automatically delivered to your favorite podcast feed, and please share it with  friends!

Reviews and ratings matter <3 

We would be so grateful if you left a 5 star rating and a few words about what you liked (or loved) about this episode.  

Want more tools and strategies for thriving and flourishing? 

-Check out Julie’s website and subscribe to her monthly newsletter here.

Is pursuing happiness frivolous when there's so much suffering in the world? Science says it's exactly what we need most.

In these complex and divisive times, we need all of our resources available to be the agents of change for creative solutions, people who see possibilities (not just pitfalls) and can hold multiple perspectives to build bridges, instead of walls. Here are a few highlights that we cover in today’s conversation.

Choosing happiness isn't selfish—it's strategic. It gives you the emotional and cognitive resources to show up fully and create sustainable change. Your happiness matters, not just for you, but for everyone around you.

This episode is for everyone who is seeking a little more happiness in this season.

Here is the link for our October 29th Workshop Cultivating Optimism, Shifting Mindset and Building Resilience in Complex Times. ALL ARE WELCOME

Thank you for listening. We are so happy you found us.

If you enjoyed today’s episode, follow Nine to Thrive: The Well-Being Podcast so our new episodes are automatically delivered to your favorite podcast feed, and please share it with  friends!

Reviews and ratings matter <3 

We would be so grateful if you left a 5 star rating and a few words about what you liked (or loved) about this episode.  

Want more tools and strategies for thriving and flourishing? 

-Check out Julie’s website and subscribe to her monthly newsletter here.

-Follow Julie on Instagram

-Follow her on LinkedIn 

-Interested in working with Julie? Book an inquiry call here

In this milestone 50th episode, Julie explores how understanding and using your character strengths can actually rewire your brain's natural negativity bias. She explains the neuroscience behind why we focus on what's wrong and how positive psychology offers a powerful counter-practice.

Our brain is wired with an over active threat detection system from a time when it was essential to be able to detect dangers like tigers and bears that literally threatened our survival.  We're no longer running from tigers, but our brains still treat critical emails like life-or-death threats. Ancient software, modern problems.

In the late 1990’s Martin Seligman introduced the concept of Positive Psychology. After traditional psychology had focused on what was “wrong” with us for the last 100 years, positive psychology asked the question, “What if we focused on what is “right” with us?”

A more balanced approach included both addressing challenges AND actively cultivating what is strong, good and meaningful in your life.

We all have 24 character strengths (see link to assessment below) and in this episode we explore how knowing, naming and using our strengths actually rewires our brain to get out of the negative feedback loop and build resilience and self-efficacy.

From:

Not About:

About:

Thank you for listening. We are so happy you found us.

If you enjoyed today’s episode, follow Nine to Thrive: The Well-Being Podcast so our new episodes are automatically delivered to your favorite podcast feed, and please share it with  friends!

Reviews and ratings matter <3 

We would be so grateful if you left a 5 star rating and a few words about what you liked (or loved) about this episode.  

Want more tools and strategies for thriving and flourishing? 

-Check out Julie’s website and subscribe to her monthly newsletter here.

-Follow Julie on Instagram

-Follow her on LinkedIn 

-Interested in working with Julie? Book an inquiry call here

Resources Mentioned:

Recommended Reading: