Ever wondered why happiness can often feel like an elusive puzzle? Join Denise Russo and Sam Powell, as they unpack the teachings from "Solve for Happy" by Mo Gawdat, and take you through a journey that redefines your understanding of contentment. Amidst life's challenges and the inevitability of events such as death, we discover together how shifting our mindset and aligning our expectations with reality can lead to a transformative approach towards happiness.

In this heartfelt conversation, we bring the beauty of living in the moment to light with wisdom from "The How of Happiness." Sharing personal stories and insights, Denise and Sam reveal how being present in everyday interactions can unearth joy that we often overlook, and how this simple shift in awareness can enhance our happiness. They delve into the power of connection and how it elevates our consciousness, drawing upon John Maxwell's ideas on effective communication and the profound difference between simply 'being' and 'doing'.

As they wrap up this episode, Denise and Sam encourage you to join in removing the clutter from our lives - be that physical, mental, or emotional - to make space for growth and the new.  They leave you with an invitation to reflect on your experiences with presence and awareness, and to look forward to the next discussion on minimizing distractions and deepening your appreciation for the time we have.

Additional Resources:

Order: Solve for Happy

The How of Happiness website

The Passion Planner
Passion Planner discount code: RWRD.IO/EFWYE73?C

Denise Russo's Website
www.schoolofthoughts.net

Denise Russo's Forbes Articles
Forbes Article Link

Samantha Powell's Website and Blog
Lead The Game

Connect with us on LinkedIn:
Denise Russo
Andy Hughes
Samantha Powell
School of Thoughts

Where you can subscribe and listen:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Amazon Music
Podcast Index
Podcast Addict

Support the show

Connect with us on our LinkedIn page School of Thoughts . We also value your reviews, subscribing, and sharing our podcast "What's On Your Bookshelf?" on Apple and Spotify.

Subscribe to our new YouTube channel.

Discover the secret to a happier life as Mo Gawdat unveils the intriguing role our memories play in shaping our joy. This week, Samantha and Denise plunge into the powerful teachings from "Solve for Happy," discussing how our past experiences are more than mere events; they're colored by our emotions and thoughts, influencing our present happiness. They navigate the complexities of how individuals can recall the same moment differently and the profound impact this understanding has on our ability to process the past and nurture contentment.

This episode takes a hard look at the labels we assign to our experiences and ourselves. Exploring the subtleties beyond the simplistic 'good' or 'bad', they unlock how these tags can distort our reality and hinder happiness. By sharing insights from Mo and his son's life, they highlight the transformative power of living without labels, as it relates to everything from thrill-seeking adventures to the roles we play in life, such as being a parent.

In their final discussion, they celebrate the brave souls who've challenged their emotional hurdles and dared to confront the blind spots blocking their path to fulfillment. Through stories of career transitions and newfound passions, like authoring a book, they reveal how combating fear and challenging our brain's instinct to protect us can lead to incredible breakthroughs. Join Denise and Sam for an episode that's not just an exploration—it's a guide to rediscovering the joy in your journey.

Additional Resources:

Order: Solve for Happy

The How of Happiness website

The Passion Planner
Passion Planner discount code: RWRD.IO/EFWYE73?C

Denise Russo's Website
www.schoolofthoughts.net

Denise Russo's Forbes Articles
Forbes Article Link

Samantha Powell's Website and Blog
Lead The Game

Connect with us on LinkedIn:
Denise Russo
Andy Hughes
Samantha Powell
School of Thoughts

Where you can subscribe and listen:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Amazon Music
Podcast Index
Podcast Addict

Support the show

Connect with us on our LinkedIn page School of Thoughts . We also value your reviews, subscribing, and sharing our podcast "What's On Your Bookshelf?" on Apple and Spotify.

Subscribe to our new YouTube channel.

Have you ever lost something small, like a favorite pen, and felt your day was ruined? We've all been there, and today, Denise Russo and Sam Powell are here to explore how these reactions connect to happiness, or the lack thereof. Through the lens of Mo Gawdat's "Solve for Happy," we tackle the seven blind spots that can turn molehills into mountains and prevent us from seeing the joy in our everyday lives. It's about identifying those negative filters our brains set up for survival, but which now do more harm than good, and learning how to sift the truth from the trivial to maintain our emotional well-being.

We all have stories we tell ourselves, but how often do we stop to question their accuracy? In our honest discourse, we peel back the layers of our perceptions, focusing on the assumptions that fill in the blanks and often lead us astray. From personal encounters with authority figures to the science behind eyewitness reliability, we share anecdotes that shed light on the power our brains have to shape our reality. This episode is a challenge—a call to rewire our default settings and embrace the potential for positive outcomes.

And what about when our predictions become our reality? We dive into the world of predictive thinking and the self-fulfilling prophecies that could be steering our lives down unnecessary paths of negativity. From the fears that sabotage relationships to the memories that color our future interactions, we examine how recognizing these patterns can open doors to new, more joyful ways of living. Next time, we'll push further into understanding how memories and labels influence our happiness. Until then, join us as we continue to apply the transformative principles from "Solve for Happy" and pave our own roads to a happier life.

Additional Resources:

Order: Solve for Happy

The How of Happiness website

The Passion Planner
Passion Planner discount code: RWRD.IO/EFWYE73?C

Denise Russo's Website
www.schoolofthoughts.net

Denise Russo's Forbes Articles
Forbes Article Link

Samantha Powell's Website and Blog
Lead The Game

Connect with us on LinkedIn:
Denise Russo
Andy Hughes
Samantha Powell
School of Thoughts

Where you can subscribe and listen:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify

Support the show

Connect with us on our LinkedIn page School of Thoughts . We also value your reviews, subscribing, and sharing our podcast "What's On Your Bookshelf?" on Apple and Spotify.

Subscribe to our new YouTube channel.

Discover the unseen obstacles to your happiness as we discuss Mo Gawdat's transformative book, "Solve for Happy." Hosts, Sam Powell and Denise Russo, guide you through the exploration of seven perception blind spots—filters, assumptions, predictions, memories, labels, emotions, and exaggeration. These are the unsuspecting culprits behind the distorted lens through which we often view our world. We also share personal reflections on the profound impact of recognizing and navigating through these mental barriers, offering practical advice on how to expand your awareness for a clearer and happier life.

Feel like negativity sometimes has a stronghold on your mind? We dissect the brain's default to latch onto the bad over the good, diving into how the amygdala plays a pivotal role in this process. You'll hear how, with a little effort and the right tools, we can all learn to encode positive experiences more deeply into our memory. I open up about my mother's journey to recovery, and how an optimistic atmosphere significantly influenced her healing, driving home the point that happiness is a skill set that requires consistent practice.

Ending on a heartwarming note, we delve into the extraordinary power of kindness within the healthcare industry. From moving tales of how a patient's gratitude can soften the hardest of hearts to the ripple effect of compassion in medical settings, this chapter demonstrates that empathy and a caring touch are just as crucial as any medication. Join us as we pledge to carry forward these lessons of positivity, and don't forget to tune in next Wednesday for more enriching conversations designed to steer you towards a happier, more fulfilled life.

Additional Resources:

Order: Solve for Happy

The How of Happiness website

The Passion Planner
Passion Planner discount code: RWRD.IO/EFWYE73?C

Denise Russo's Website
www.schoolofthoughts.net

Denise Russo's Forbes Articles
Forbes Article Link

Samantha Powell's Website and Blog
Lead The Game

Connect with us on LinkedIn:
Denise Russo
Andy Hughes
Samantha Powell
School of Thoughts

Where you can subscribe and listen:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Amazon Music
Podcast Inde

Support the show

Connect with us on our LinkedIn page School of Thoughts . We also value your reviews, subscribing, and sharing our podcast "What's On Your Bookshelf?" on Apple and Spotify.

Subscribe to our new YouTube channel.

Conquer the elusive specter of fear with Denise Russo and Sam Powell, as they offer you a roadmap to happiness inspired by Mo Gawdat's profound insights. Prepare to challenge the fears that lurk in the shadows of uncertainty, whether they're keeping you tethered to a dead-end job or causing you to shy away from new experiences. Our latest podcast episode strips away the disguise fear wears, revealing its many faces—be it the terror of public speaking or the superstition that happiness is but a harbinger of doom.

As we candidly share our own brushes with anxiety—from the dread of plummeting off a cliff to the unease of career instability—we also illuminate the steps to dismantle these fears. Discover how embracing the worst-case scenarios with logic rather than dread can transform your life, opening doors to optimism and courage. Uncover the emotional intricacies fear weaves through our daily lives, and learn how to break free from its grip, opening yourself to a life unburdened by the weight of irrational worries.

Venture with us as we explore the philosophy of 'learning to die before you die,' unlocking the secret to life without the chains of fear. Anticipate our engaging discourse on the seven blind spots that cloud our vision, as we pursue the ultimate truths hidden within Gawdat's "Solve for Happy." Don't just listen—join the journey toward personal fulfillment and share your thoughts, as we carve a path through the grand illusions that stand between us and true happiness.

Additional Resources:

Order: Solve for Happy

The How of Happiness website

The Passion Planner
Passion Planner discount code: RWRD.IO/EFWYE73?C

Denise Russo's Website
www.schoolofthoughts.net

Denise Russo's Forbes Articles
Forbes Article Link

Samantha Powell's Website and Blog
Lead The Game

Connect with us on LinkedIn:
Denise Russo
Andy Hughes
Samantha Powell
School of Thoughts

Where you can subscribe and listen:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Amazon Music
Podcast Index
Podcast Addict

Support the show

Connect with us on our LinkedIn page School of Thoughts . We also value your reviews, subscribing, and sharing our podcast "What's On Your Bookshelf?" on Apple and Spotify.

Subscribe to our new YouTube channel.

Have you ever tried to solve a jigsaw puzzle with pieces that just won't fit? That's the conundrum we tackle with Mo Gawdat, the insightful author of "Solve for Happy," as Denise and Sam dissect the tantalizing notion that we can wrestle life's unpredictability into submission. Together, they embark on a profound journey, examining the treacherous waters of grief, the anchor of joy in the present, and the strategies for weathering life's most unexpected storms. Mo's enlightening perspective and poignant personal anecdotes guide us through the realization that while we can't control every wave, we can learn to sail our ship with grace.

Throughout this dialogue, they confront the sobering truth of black swan events and the butterfly effect—those unpredictable forces that test our illusion of control. Whether it's financial upheavals or the unforeseen challenges of the Apollo 13 mission, this conversation is an homage to the human spirit's resilience. We unpack the emotional equanimity that comes with recognizing the limits of our control and the transformative power of managing our actions and responses. It's not about suppressing emotions but rather harnessing them as valuable data that can steer us towards a state of authentic happiness. Join Denise and Sam for an episode that promises to shift your perspective from futile attempts at control, to mastering the art of living contentedly within life's capricious embrace.

Additional Resources:

Order: Solve for Happy

The How of Happiness website

The Passion Planner
Passion Planner discount code: RWRD.IO/EFWYE73?C

Denise Russo's Website
www.schoolofthoughts.net

Denise Russo's Forbes Articles
Forbes Article Link

Samantha Powell's Website and Blog
Lead The Game

Connect with us on LinkedIn:
Denise Russo
Andy Hughes
Samantha Powell
School of Thoughts

Where you can subscribe and listen:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Amazon Music
Podcast Index
Podcast Addict

Support the show

Connect with us on our LinkedIn page School of Thoughts . We also value your reviews, subscribing, and sharing our podcast "What's On Your Bookshelf?" on Apple and Spotify.

Subscribe to our new YouTube channel.

Ever pondered why some moments slip away like sand through your fingers while others seem to stretch into eternity? Join Denise Russo and Samantha Powell, as they connect the dots between our skewed perception of time and our quest for happiness, inspired by Mo Gawdat's insights from "Solve for Happy." Denise and Sam cover the six grand illusions that trip us up on our journey to joy, with a special focus on time's elusive nature. Prepare to be enlightened on how our engagement in beloved activities bends our sense of time—and how this knowledge could be the compass guiding us toward a more fulfilled existence.

As we navigate the continuum of past, present, and future, our conversation meanders through the abstract realm of dimensions, the relativity of time shaped by gravity, and the richness of life observed through the lens of atomic clocks. It's a trek across different perspectives as we share tales of personal experiences and cultural contrasts between event-based and clock-based societies. Discover how animals like cats, who bask eternally in the now, might be on to something we humans often miss in our frenzied lives.

Additional Resources:

Order: Solve for Happy

The How of Happiness website

The Passion Planner
Passion Planner discount code: RWRD.IO/EFWYE73?C

Denise Russo's Website
www.schoolofthoughts.net

Denise Russo's Forbes Articles
Forbes Article Link

Samantha Powell's Website and Blog
Lead The Game

Connect with us on LinkedIn:
Denise Russo
Andy Hughes
Samantha Powell
School of Thoughts

Where you can subscribe and listen:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Amazon Music
Podcast Index
Podcast Addict

Connect with us on our LinkedIn page School of Thoughts . We also value your reviews, subscribing, and sharing our podcast "What's On Your Bookshelf?" on Apple and Spotify.

Support the show

Connect with us on our LinkedIn page School of Thoughts . We also value your reviews, subscribing, and sharing our podcast "What's On Your Bookshelf?" on Apple and Spotify.

Subscribe to our new YouTube channel.

Have you ever wondered if what you think you know could actually be hindering your happiness? In our enlightening conversation, we discover the dangers of intellectual arrogance and how an obsession with being right can stifle personal growth and joy. We dive into why embracing a broader spectrum of understanding, particularly in the realm of human kindness, could be your ticket to a more fulfilled life.

Imagine transforming your workplace into a hub of positivity simply by altering the way we communicate with each other. This episode is not just talk; we share moving personal experiences and the remarkable effects of assuming positive intent in professional and personal interactions. It's an insightful look into how the choice of our words can either build barriers or bridges to happiness, inspired by the profound lessons from "Solve for Happy." Get ready to walk away with practical tips for fostering a more compassionate and satisfying work environment.

Finally, we take stock of the roots of unhappiness in our daily grind. Is it the environment, or is it our perception? We dissect this question with anecdotes and client stories that reveal the power of perspective in shaping our contentment. There's a duality of choice here—altering our surroundings or altering our mindset towards them. Embrace the unexpected benefits hidden within life's disruptions, and join us as we commit to a journey of wisdom-seeking for a happier existence. Let's move beyond the podcast, applying these insights to our lives, and continue the conversation together.

Additional Resources:

Order: Solve for Happy

The How of Happiness website

The Passion Planner
Passion Planner discount code: RWRD.IO/EFWYE73?C

Denise Russo's Website
www.schoolofthoughts.net

Denise Russo's Forbes Articles
Forbes Article Link

Samantha Powell's Website and Blog
Lead The Game

Connect with us on LinkedIn:
Denise Russo
Andy Hughes
Samantha Powell
School of Thoughts

Where you can subscribe and listen:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Amazon Music
Podcast Index
Podcast Addict

Connect with us on our LinkedIn page

Support the show

Connect with us on our LinkedIn page School of Thoughts . We also value your reviews, subscribing, and sharing our podcast "What's On Your Bookshelf?" on Apple and Spotify.

Subscribe to our new YouTube channel.

Join happiness explorers Sam Powell and Denise Russo as they embark on an enlightening expedition, guided by Mo Godat's wisdom from "Solve for Happy." Together, they dissect the 'grand illusions' that often veil our true selves and how our thoughts, ego, and physical form can deceive us. Discover with them how assessments like DISC can strip away these layers, revealing the core of our being. Navigate the intricate relationship between spirituality and science, and contemplate whether our essence is truly bound by our physicality or if something more profound lies within.

Venture through a landscape where life's neutrality and the power of perception take center stage, shaping our experiences as either triumphs or tribulations. Through heartwarming anecdotes and personal revelations, Denise and Sam examine the serenity that comes from accepting life as an observer, unfettered by ego or identity. They also unravel the threads of self-identity and question if life's purpose might be simpler than we think—an odyssey of experiences, each teaching us anew. This session promises a profound reflection on personal freedom, the impact of others' judgments, and the peace found in life's unadorned simplicity.

Additional Resources:

Order: Solve for Happy

The How of Happiness website

The Passion Planner
Passion Planner discount code: RWRD.IO/EFWYE73?C

Denise Russo's Website
www.schoolofthoughts.net

Denise Russo's Forbes Articles
Forbes Article Link

Samantha Powell's Website and Blog
Lead The Game

Connect with us on LinkedIn:
Denise Russo
Andy Hughes
Samantha Powell
School of Thoughts

Where you can subscribe and listen:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Amazon Music
Podcast Index
Podcast Addict

Support the show

Connect with us on our LinkedIn page School of Thoughts . We also value your reviews, subscribing, and sharing our podcast "What's On Your Bookshelf?" on Apple and Spotify.

Subscribe to our new YouTube channel.

Discover the keys to unlocking true happiness Denise and co-host Samantha Powell, delve into Mo Gawdat's enlightening perspective from "Solve for Happy." Our minds are intricate labyrinths, and it's easy to confuse the tools of our thoughts for the essence of who we are. In a candid chat, Denise and Sam explore this distinctive notion, offering you a fresh outlook on the transient nature of emotions and the illusionary veil that thoughts often cast over our reality. This episode guides you through the maze, detaching from the internal chatter and approaching life with a newfound sense of neutrality that paves the way to joy.

Ever find yourself stuck in a loop of negative thoughts and inaction? We've all been there, but this conversation sheds light on the science behind why our brains get caught in these cycles and, more importantly, how to break free. With insights into the complex network of neurons that shape our thinking patterns, we discuss practical strategies that can help you step out of paralysis and into a world of proactive living. From the 'suffering cycle' to mindfulness, this episode unpacks the emotional tools that lead to a more fulfilling and productive life, featuring an up-close and personal story that brings the theory into the tangible.

Wrapping up our journey, we challenge the myth of multitasking and advocate the art of single-tasking, which can significantly boost your focus and efficiency. The mantra 'shut the duck up' becomes your ally in silencing mental noise, and I share a simple yet powerful mindfulness exercise that cultivates presence and enhances personal productivity. Our discussion on positive thinking, backed by research, might just be the nudge you need to adopt the 'fake it till you make it' mindset. So, tune into this episode for an engaging escape into the realms of the mind—because the pathway to happiness is just a thought away.

Additional Resources:

Order: Solve for Happy

The How of Happiness website

The Passion Planner
Passion Planner discount code: RWRD.IO/EFWYE73?C

Denise Russo's Website
www.schoolofthoughts.net

Denise Russo's Forbes Articles
Forbes Article Link

Samantha Powell's Website and Blog
Lead The Game

Connect with us on LinkedIn:
Denise Russo
Andy Hughes
Samantha Powell
School of Thoughts

Where you can subscribe and listen:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify

Support the show

Connect with us on our LinkedIn page School of Thoughts . We also value your reviews, subscribing, and sharing our podcast "What's On Your Bookshelf?" on Apple and Spotify.

Subscribe to our new YouTube channel.