We all need to ask ourselves better questions. Amy Dix asks Rachel Heslin, how do we change our narrative, what can we do to change our neuro-linguistic programming? As the daughter of a psychologist, Rachel was raised knowing that her life could be one part ‘experiment’ for her father, but with an utterly candid approach. It’s not just about the questions we are asking ourselves, but the priority in which we answer them.

Books:

Navigating Life

Rituals of Release

Website:

thefullnessofyourpower.com

With a growing number of people opting out of having children, how we age has changed the scope of retirement life. The prevalence of solo-agers means that community life and building a social network have newfound importance.

Dr. Sara Zeff Geber talks with Amy Dix about ways to build your community, avoiding loneliness and isolation, and staying mentally healthy as a solo-ager.

Book: Essential Retirement Planning For Solo Agers

Website: sarazeffgeber.com

Matthew Gagne’s neck was broken in ten places while riding passenger in a car. Instead of living a less than “normal life,” he developed Flock Goods and the Five Finger Framework; physical fitness, mental health, nutrition, recovery, and lifestyle.

Amy Dix talks with Matthew Gagne about what it was like coming back from such a traumatic accident, how Matthew avoided using prescription pain killers, and what he is doing to help others share in his journey to fully experience life.

flockgoods.com

Happier people achieve more goals, says Sandy Weaver, author of Happy Vet, Happy Pet. Is there a happiness gene, and what can one do if they don't have the same natural advantage? Amy talks with Sandy about three of her rules for treating your vet, wisdom that can be used throughout one's life.

One of Sandy's final pieces of advice is, "you can't think negative thoughts about yourself when you're singing a song." Amy Dix talks with Sandy Weaver, pet owner, lover, vet advocate, and judge for championship dogs.

Website: centerforworkplacehappiness.com

Book: Happy Vet, Happy Pet

While some cliches might be overdone, “know thyself” can’t be stressed enough. Jamie Lerner shares with Amy Dix her wisdom on feelings, owning them, and knowing they are for you and by you. It’s the simple things that we ignore, like accepting that if we would like change that we need to do it for ourselves.

Website: jamie-lerner.com

Book: The Ever Loving Essence of You

David Essel describes the connection between unresolved resentment, honesty, and intimacy. Genuine intimacy in an intimate relationship isn’t what most people believe it to be. David Essel talks with Amy about getting past fears of dealing with intimacy, being honest, and resolving issues.

Website: TalkDavid.com

As a child, Dmitry Badiarov learned to take apart violins, enhance them, and then put them back together. Today, this action plays into dealing with turning depression into happiness, particularly in the life of a musician or performer.

Amy Dix talks with Dmitry Badiarov, violin designer, mentor, and professional speaker, about the emotional challenges of being a musician, feeling the applause, and maintaining a positive attitude. Music is a language without words, but it has an emotion, and emotions lead to actions.

Websites:

authenticinstrumentmakersacademy.com

badiarovviolins.com/

Happiness is a choice. Maura Sweeney talks with Amy Dix about the balanced dualism of happiness. If either side of the emotion can be a choice, why not choose happiness? Some of the challenges within the option of living a positive life are threaded into the fabric of our society, with media and the natural competition within.

With people, we can assume a positive intention and look for the things that unite us and uplift us.

Websites: maura4u.com

Books: The Art of Happiness by Maura Sweeney

Follow your Inner “Ding,” Benson says, as someone who left New York at a whim to go teach in the middle east. What was supposed to be a one-year contract teaching English lasted thirteen years before returning home. Benson talks with Amy Dix about how her Inner “Ding” didn’t always seem to work out, but looking back, it led her to peace and an understanding that sometimes happiness means making sacrifices.

Website: jenniferbensonauthor.com

Books: Feel The Fear…And Do It Anyway

“What’s the word I want someone to use to describe me at the end of my career?” Rocky Romanella didn’t invent the introspection wheel but shares his application process with Amy Dix. While many of Romanella’s lessons pertain to employee/employer relations, the wisdom can be carried throughout one’s life.

Rocky’s book, Tighten Up The Lug Nuts, is filled with indelible stories for leadership and lessons in values.

Websites: tightenthelugnuts.com

Books: Tighten The Lug Nuts