The Happiness Standard

The Happiness Standard

By Sarah Eileen-Downey AkersSociety & Culture
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The Happiness Standard episodes

  • Episode 3: Are You Giving Grace or Making Excuses?

    Are you giving yourself grace or making excuses? Decide if you’ve been meeting the bar you’ve set for yourself… or quietly lowering it.


    Plus: An Unfiltered Win from Wyoming, a Glimmer at a red light, Stone from the WWE, and a Wuthering Heights review!


    Email [email protected] for a chance to be featured in next week's rotating segment :)

    27 min
  • Episode 2: Permission to be Disappointed

    Last week, we gave ourselves permission to disappoint.
    This week, we’re giving ourselves permission to be disappointed.


    When expectations aren’t met.
    When someone falls short.
    When reality doesn’t match what we imagined.


    This episode is about standards, control, and how to stay grounded without becoming hardened.


    Disappointment is inevitable.
    Bitterness is optional.
    Happiness is still available.

    44 min
  • Episode 1: Permission to Disappoint

    Where did your standards come from — and did you choose them?


    In this episode, we explore discipline & boundaries as alignment: keeping promises to yourself, living by values you consciously decide, and finding stability and happiness in integrity rather than approval.


    At some point, you have to ask yourself: Whose approval are you seeking — based on who you’re willing to disappoint?


    Stick around — we’re also launching our very first rotating segment. And you’re here for the debut 🤩

    36 min
  • The Prequel

    In this prequel episode, Dr. Akers shares the inspiration behind the show, walks through what to expect, and offers a look into her background so listeners can understand the perspective shaping the conversations ahead.

    18 min
  • Sneak Peek!

    I’m so happy you’re here! On The Happiness Standard, I explore what happiness really means — keeping what works, unlearning what doesn’t, and building a life that actually feels fulfilling. I mix research, reflection, and real conversation about identity, growth, and purpose. Full episodes launching soon!

    1 min

About The Happiness Standard

From the publisher's feed

Happiness isn’t a goal to chase. Through the lens of her listeners and her own lived experience, Dr. Sarah Eileen-Downey Akers explores the two-sided coin of happiness—how it shows up in both joy and…