Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com.

Episode 3680:

Benjamin Hardy explores the profound impact of relationships on our health, happiness, and personal growth, drawing from a 75-year Harvard study and other compelling research. You'll discover how love, gratitude, and living for something beyond yourself can be powerful drivers of resilience, purpose, and emotional well-being.

Read along with the original article(s) here: https://medium.com/thrive-global/this-75-year-harvard-study-reveals-the-secret-to-happiness-and-success-3cf0002510fe

Quotes to ponder:

“The clearest message that we get from this 75-year study is this: Good relationships keep us happier and healthier. Period.”

“The biggest predictor of your happiness and fulfillment overall in life is, basically, love.”

“You can give without loving, but you can’t love without giving.”

Episode references:

Meta-Analysis on Social Relationships and Mortality Risk: https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1000316

Dr. Gabor Maté Official Website: https://drgabormate.com

John Wooden Quotes: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/john_wooden_104927

Viktor Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning: https://www.amazon.com/Mans-Search-Meaning-Viktor-Frankl/dp/0807014273

What Makes a Good Life? Lessons from the longest study on happiness – Robert Waldinger TED Talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/robert_waldinger_what_makes_a_good_life_lessons_from_the_longest_study_on_happiness

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Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com.

Episode 3679:

Cal Newport explores a minimalist yet effective approach to personal productivity by combining structured systems with intuitive freedom. Drawing on insights from top performers, he outlines how to balance organization without over-planning, helping you maintain momentum and avoid burnout.

Read along with the original article(s) here: http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/10/02/freestyle-productivity-balancing-systems-and-simplicity-when-organizing-your-life/

Quotes to ponder:

"Most people exist somewhere in between: they crave the structure of a system, but become frustrated if it grows too complicated."

"Freestyle productivity is about finding the right level of organization to enable your work, not get in its way."

"You want your systems to be like a fine-tuned guitar: always there to help you produce something beautiful, but never stealing the spotlight."

Episode references:

Getting Things Done: https://gettingthingsdone.com

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: https://www.franklincovey.com/the-7-habits/

Scott Young’s Study Hacks: https://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/

Zen To Done: https://zenhabits.net/zen-to-done-ztd-the-ultimate-simple-productivity-system/

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Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com.

Episode 3678:

Krista O’Reilly-Davi-Digui reflects on a quietly profound moment shared with her dying mother, discovering that hope can exist alongside grief. Through birdsong, sunlight, and presence, she finds that beauty and suffering are not opposites but companions, offering solace in the midst of heartbreak.

Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.alifeinprogress.ca/hope-the-thing-with-feathers/

Quotes to ponder:

"Joy and pain can coexist."

"It is possible to feel happiness as someone you love is dying."

"The Waxwings brought it to me. They pretended they were only there to eat the berries. But I saw it, the stroke of vibrant yellow brushed boldly along the tips of their otherwise somber tails."

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Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com.

Episode 3677:

Derek Sivers shares two compact yet profound reflections: one on the paradox of chasing goals and the other on handling hatred. In the first, he reminds us that striving too hard can backfire, sometimes what we want only comes when we stop chasing. In the second, he offers a liberating reframe: you don’t need to hate something just because it’s not for you.

Read along with the original article(s) here: https://sive.rs/fish & https://sive.rs/hatenot

Quotes to ponder:

"If you chase a fish, it will swim away. But if you go about your business calmly, it may come to you out of curiosity."

"Not liking something doesn’t mean you have to hate it."

"It’s a relief to realize you don’t have to fight everything that’s not for you."

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Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com.

Episode 3676:

Andie Thueson urges readers to wake up from the autopilot routines that dull life’s vibrancy, offering practical steps to reclaim joy, creativity, and purpose. Through self-inquiry, energy awareness, and intentional shifts in mindset and habit, she shows how to trade survival mode for a more energized, soul-aligned way of living.

Read along with the original article(s) here: https://andiethueson.com/how-to-know-if-you-are-awake-or-sleepwalking-through-life/

Quotes to ponder:

"We are designed to be powerful creators of our lives!"

"Your outer reality is a manifestation of your inner reality."

"Choose to shift and wake up to a life filled with passion and fun!"

Episode references:

You Can Heal Your Life: https://www.amazon.com/You-Can-Heal-Your-Life/dp/0937611018

The Four Agreements: https://www.amazon.com/Four-Agreements-Practical-Personal-Freedom/dp/1878424319

The Power of Now: https://www.amazon.com/Power-Now-Guide-Spiritual-Enlightenment/dp/1577314808

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Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com.

Episode 3675:

Rebecca Crespo explores how clinging to expectations can quietly undermine happiness, strain relationships, and fuel internal stress. Her guidance reveals how letting go fosters emotional freedom, deeper acceptance, and a more peaceful way of moving through life.

Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.minimalismmadesimple.com/home/let-go-of-expectations

Quotes to ponder:

"Expectations can create unnecessary stress and disappointment when reality doesn't match up."

"When we release our grip on how we think things should be, we make space for what actually is."

"Letting go of expectations allows us to enjoy the moment and be more present in our daily lives."

Episode references:

The Power of Now: https://www.amazon.com/Power-Now-Guide-Spiritual-Enlightenment/dp/1577314808

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: https://www.amazon.com/Subtle-Art-Not-Giving-Counterintuitive/dp/0062457713

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Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com.

Episode 3674:

Cylon George invites readers to embrace the surprising joy of underachievement by challenging society’s obsession with constant productivity. By stepping off the treadmill of striving, he discovers a deeper sense of purpose, presence, and peace in simply being himself, offering a liberating path to those feeling overwhelmed or stuck in the pursuit of “more.”

Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.spirituallivingforbusypeople.com/underachieving-never-felt-so-good

Quotes to ponder:

"Underachieving never felt so good."

"I no longer feel compelled to prove myself or impress anyone."

"I’m learning to be okay with not knowing what’s next."

Episode references:

The Surrender Experiment: https://www.amazon.com/Surrender-Experiment-Journey-Lifes-Perfection/dp/080414110X

The Four Agreements: https://www.amazon.com/Four-Agreements-Practical-Personal-Freedom/dp/1878424319

The Untethered Soul: https://www.amazon.com/Untethered-Soul-Journey-Beyond-Yourself/dp/1572245379

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Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com.

Episode 3673:

Sara Stanizai unpacks the emotional toll of being the family “black sheep,” exploring how rejection, shame, and unmet expectations can deeply impact mental health. Her insights offer a path toward healing through self-acceptance, boundary-setting, and redefining belonging on your own terms.

Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.prospecttherapy.com/blog/2018/6/12/how-being-the-black-sheep-of-your-family-affects-your-mental-health

Quotes to ponder:

"Being the ‘black sheep’ can result in anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem."

"Often, black sheep are punished not for being bad, but for being different."

"You can redefine what it means to belong, even if it’s not within your family of origin."

Episode references:

Running on Empty: https://www.amazon.com/Running-Empty-Overcome-Childhood-Emotional/dp/161448242X

The Drama of the Gifted Child: https://www.amazon.com/Drama-Gifted-Child-Search-True/dp/0465016901

Toxic Parents: https://www.amazon.com/Toxic-Parents-Overcoming-Hurtful-Reclaiming/dp/0553381407

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Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com.

Episode 3672:

Ingrid Y. Helander explores how avoidance silently undermines key areas of life - from work and health to relationships and finances, and reveals how small, compassionate steps can interrupt this cycle. Her gentle, evidence-backed approach helps listeners face discomfort without self-blame, empowering lasting emotional and behavioral change.

Read along with the original article(s) here: https://ingridyhelanderlmft.com/6-life-areas-youre-avoiding-and-4-ways-to-stop/

Quotes to ponder:

"Avoiding can become a way of life if you’re not careful, robbing you of time, relationship, money, fun and other pleasures."

"Basically avoidance is a habitual coping skill, aimed at reducing pain that is reinforced each time you do it."

"Avoidance is trying to save your system from pain. Granted, avoiding things and people creates more pain over time, but in the moment, it can feel pretty darn good."

Episode references:

Avoidance Coping by Elizabeth Scott, MS: https://www.verywellmind.com/avoidance-coping-ways-to-cope-with-stress-3144664

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Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com.

Episode 3671:

Paula Pant challenges the myth that willpower is the key to success, revealing how environment, systems, and identity play a far greater role in shaping our behavior. By understanding the limits of willpower, listeners gain tools to design a life where success becomes automatic, not forced.

Read along with the original article(s) here: https://affordanything.com/willpower-is-not-enough/

Quotes to ponder:

"Willpower is like a muscle, it fatigues with overuse."

"Don’t rely on self-control alone. Design your environment so the default choices are the right ones."

"Your identity shapes your habits. And your habits reinforce your identity."

Episode references:

The Power of Habit: https://charlesduhigg.com/the-power-of-habit/

Switch: https://heathbrothers.com/books/switch/

Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength: https://www.amazon.com/Willpower-Rediscovering-Greatest-Human-Strength/dp/0143122231

Atomic Habits: https://jamesclear.com/atomic-habits

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