Relocate to Happiness

When did motherhood become something we’re supposed to survive… instead of something we’re allowed to enjoy?

Because here’s the truth no one says out loud: you can love your kids and feel overwhelmed. You can be grateful and want more. And happiness? It doesn’t disappear when you become a mother, but it does change, and nobody hands you the manual.

Today on Relocate to Happiness, we’re having a real, honest, no-filter conversation about happiness and motherhood, what it looks like, what gets in the way, and how women can stop postponing their joy for ‘someday.’ My guest today is Tania Timkova, a life and leadership coach, happiness trainer and facilitator. Mom of one, lover of life.

This episode is for every mother who’s ever asked herself: ‘Is this it?’And for every woman who’s ready to choose happiness, without guilt.

What if I told you there is one thing you could start doing today… One thing that can help you release stress, calm your mind, and get you out of that overwhelmed, burnt-out headspace we all know too well? And what if I told you that same thing could strengthen your body, boost your energy, improve your focus, and genuinely elevate every aspect of your wellbeing? Well, it exists. It’s real. And it has changed millions of lives. It’s called yoga. And today, on Relocate to Happiness, we’re diving into how this simple, accessible practice can quite literally reshape the way you live your life. My guest, Tania Kazi, is a powerful force in the wellbeing world, a yoga teacher whose work is helping people reconnect, rebuild, and rise. She’s also the creator of a transformational program called Spire Yoga, designed to guide you back to your center, your strength, and your peace. We’re talking about the science, the mindset shifts, the small daily practices, and the big life changes that yoga can spark. Tania Kazi has been a student of a Positive Psychology when Dr. Tal Ben Shahar was teaching at Harvard University. She is now studying the science of Happiness Studies with him as a masters student. She started her yoga journey in 2008 with a 200 hour yoga teacher training & followed it up with a 500 hour training. She taught yoga for 14 years in Manhattan and globally. She has led yoga & well being retreats in Thailand, Morocco, Turkey, Spain to name a few. She is also one of the pioneers of Spire Yoga, a system designed to heal the bodies of yoga teachers & students. This program combines a strong foundation in preventing & relieving body pain through muscular balancing, as well as the study of MBI or mind body integration and finally the ancient wisdom of yoga. So if you’ve ever thought, “I don’t have time for yoga… I’m not flexible enough… I wouldn’t know where to start,” today’s episode is going to blow your mind.

Finland has been named the happiest country in the world for eight years in a row, according to the World Happiness Report, which is published annually by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network.

But here’s the interesting part, when we talk about “happiness” in this context, it’s not just about good vibes or smiling selfies. The rankings are based on something much deeper — the science of subjective well-being, pulled from Gallup’s World Poll, which surveys people in over 150 countries.

So how does it actually work?

Gallup asks people a series of life evaluation questions. One of the most important is called the Cantril Ladder question:

“Imagine a ladder with steps numbered from 0 at the bottom to 10 at the top. The top of the ladder represents the best possible life for you, and the bottom represents the worst possible life. On which step of the ladder would you say you personally feel you stand at this time?”

Simple, but powerful.

Each country's score is then calculated based on how their people, on average, rate their own lives on that ladder. But the rankings go even further by looking at six key factors that explain the variations in happiness between countries:

1. GDP per capita – Economic strength and income.
2. Social support – Having someone to count on in times of trouble.
3. Healthy life expectancy – Are people living longer and healthier?
4. Freedom to make life choices – Feeling free to live life your way.
5. Generosity – Are people willing to help others or donate to causes?
6. Perceptions of corruption – Trust in public institutions.

Each of these is used to explain why certain countries consistently perform well.

So yes — Finland scores highly on economic stability, healthcare, and social support. But it really shines when it comes to trust, freedom, and a shared sense of fairness. Finns believe that their systems work. They believe in each other. And that belief creates a sense of security that’s hard to measure — but deeply felt.

So what do the numbers say?

Finland scored 7.7 out of 10 on the latest report. Denmark followed close behind at 7.6, and Iceland at 7.5. 🇺🇸 The United States, for comparison, came in at rank 23 with a score of 6.9. The global average sits around 5.5.

And here’s what’s interesting — Finland’s edge isn’t just wealth. It’s trust.

A whopping 87% of Finns say they trust their fellow citizens. Compare that to about 40% in the U.S. On top of that, Finland ranks incredibly high in low corruption, freedom to choose one’s path, and accessible, high-quality healthcare and education — both of which are free.

In other words, people in Finland may not smile all the time — but they sleep well, trust their neighbors, and know that the system around them works. That’s a very different flavor of happiness — one rooted in security, dignity, and shared responsibility.

It’s not about being “happy” every moment — it’s about knowing life is okay, even when it’s not easy. And that’s what keeps Finland on top.

This season, we’re diving even deeper into positive psychology, personal growth, and the mindset shifts that help us build happiness from the inside out. And, for the first time, I’ll be bringing you a mix of solo training sessions AND incredible guest experts who will share their insights and tools with us.

What can you expect from this season of Relocate to Happiness? Here are some of the highlights:

1. Solo Training Episodes: I’ll be sharing practical tools, research-backed insights, and real-life strategies to help you cultivate happiness no matter where you are on your journey. Think of these as mini coaching sessions!
2. Guest Interviews: We’re bringing in psychologists, mindset coaches, and inspiring individuals who have successfully relocated to happiness—both literally and figuratively.

Actionable Takeaways: Every episode will leave you with something practical to apply to your own life, whether it’s a mindset shift, a journaling prompt, or a new daily habit.

And if you’re looking for more ways to explore your happiness journey, check out my brand-new website: relocatetohappiness.com! There, you’ll find resources, blog posts, and interactive quizzes to help you dive deeper into self-discovery. Try one of these quizzes:

· Are You Stuck in the Rat Race?

· Are You a Mom That Wants It All?

· Perfectionism Self-Assessment

· The Happiness Check-In

These quizzes are designed to help you gain clarity and take action toward a more joyful life!

My guest, Alina Cristina Buteica is a #wellness & leadership coach and growth hacker, partnering with companies and individuals in order to help them lean into the art of living well and in alignment with their highest purpose. A best-selling author on feminine leadership, she is passionate about helping individuals and companies really tap into their next level of intuition, creativity, connected-ness and service to the world.

She is passionate about inspiring people to lead from within. Her journey is nothing short of extraordinary. By the time she reached her early 30s, she was a graduate of 3 business schools with a specialization in “Organization, Change & Strategy” and had lived and worked in 17 countries on 3 continents.

Over 3 years, she built from the base up the largest management programs academy for the fastest growing tech company in Africa, the first 1 billion$ company on the continent. She has collaborated with people and organizations of the most diverse backgrounds (from automobile industry to logistics, to NGOs, to tech and e-commerce). Her openness, curiosity, kindness and thirst of knowledge has allowed Alina to become highly adaptable to all environments she has worked in. Let’s hear from her how to overcome burnout!!

My guest today is Dana Levy CEO of Oceano Platonico in Portugal. Oceano is a fully funded R&D start up . They just got EU funding of 7 figures to produce oysters in a revolutionary way.

Dana is the founder and a serial entrepreneur who previously held roles in corporate in leadership commercial roles in Tel aviv, London and New York. Nevertheless, having moved to Portugal and becoming an oyster farmer is her happiest milestone so far.

In this episode, we discussed the direct link between neuroscience, education & happiness.

Alexandra is an educationalist, who has learned everything she knows through teaching it to others. She started teaching at the age of 14 and became a teacher trainer at the age of 27. She got a degree in Educational Neuroscience from University College London and is trained in future studies and happiness studies, which she also links to education.

Her biggest ambition is to reform education to make it fit for purpose and encourage uniqueness rather than conformity.

She is currently working at Neurocomb25 Lab, where she conducts first hand research in neuroscience, happiness studies and future studies and translates recent research in these fields to education.

In this episode, we are talking about personal happiness and the work-life balance.

Defining happiness both in life and business

How to navigate the tension between professional success and personal happiness

Struggles in finding a healthy balance between work and personal happiness

Burnout

Personal habits and routines as a business leader

Books in the journey of growth and learning

The perception of growth and its evolution over the years

Defining success

Advice for entrepreneurs

Kids and the balance work-life.

In today’s episode, we will be talking about happiness and burnout.

My guest is Karina Klaassen.

As a keynote speaker, coach, trainer, and author of "Mind Your Confidence: Mind Your Business," her mission is to inspire and guide professionals toward lasting confidence and self-leadership at work.

Today we will be talking about happiness and religion.

Some of the questions that we discussed:

What is happiness?

Serving others

The role of community and how it leads to happiness

Gratitude and its role

Misconceptions of religion.