Everyday Better with Leah Smart

Are Our Phones Making Us Lonelier? Oct 29, 2024

Jeffrey Hall is a Professor of Communication Studies and the Director of the Relationships and Technology Lab at the University of Kansas. He studies the way technology influences relationships, including the impact of social media on feelings of belonging, connectedness and loneliness.

The harms of social platforms have been well documented over the past decade – political polarization, misinformation – but is social media also to blame for the rise in loneliness? On this week’s episode of Everyday Better, Jeffrey joins Leah to discuss the role of social media in the loneliness epidemic. Jeffrey argues that when used more intentionally, social media can fulfill its original promise: help us stay connected and deepen our connections with the people we care about most.

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Keep an eye out for Jeffrey’s forthcoming book The Social Biome: How Everyday Communication Connects and Shape Us.

How a Tibetan Buddhist Nun Works With Her Anger Oct 22, 2024

Thubten Chodron is an American Tibetan Buddhist Nun and the founder of Sravasti Abbey, the only Tibetan Buddhist training monastery in the United States. In her recently re-released book Working With Anger, Thubten describes different practices for dealing with our anger that don't involve expression or suppression.

On this week’s episode of Everyday Better, Thubten and Leah explore the Buddhist perspective on some of the toughest emotions we experience, including anger. While many of us believe that anger is useful or even righteous, Thubten argues that anger distorts our perception of reality. She encourages us to reframe our anger using techniques such as meditation, self-reflection and humor.

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To learn more about the Buddhist perspective on anger, check out Thubten’s book Working with Anger: Buddhist Teachings on Patience, Acceptance, and Transforming Negativity.

After Acceptance: The Sixth Stage of Grief With Author David Kessler Oct 15, 2024

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David Kessler is a grief and loss expert and the author of several bestselling books, including two he co-authored with Elizabeth Kubler Ross. He’s worked with thousands of people on the edge of life and death, helping them to find happiness and fulfillment after experiencing life’s gravest tragedies.

On this week’s episode of Everyday Better, David joins Leah to discuss the role of meaning and how we make it after experiencing a loss and the grief that accompanies it. He describes the process of ‘excavating’ one’s pain – a crucial step in the grieving process that must precede meaning-making. He also offers advice for talking to your coworkers about grief, stressing the importance of simply being present for those who are in the midst of grieving as opposed to offering solutions.

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To learn more about the meaning-making process, check out David’s new workbook, The Sixth Stage of Grief: Tools for Releasing Pain and Remembering with Love.

How I Learned to Work With My Anxiety Oct 08, 2024

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This week, in honor of World Mental Health Day, Everyday Better host Leah Smart is sharing her story of living with anxiety – and how she’s learned to manage it.

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Additional Resources:

Anxiety and Depression Association of America

A Return to Loveby Marianne Williamson

Anxiety Rx by Dr. Russell Kennedy

Overcoming Unwanted Intrusive Thoughts by Dr. Martin Seif and Dr. Sally Winston

The Tapping Solution by Nick Ortner

No Regrets Living: Designing Your Life Brief With Brand Strategist Bonnie Wan Oct 01, 2024

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Bonnie Wan is a brand strategist and author of The Life Brief: A Playbook for No Regrets Living. She’s passionate about helping people uncover their true desires and believes deeply in the power of intention to propel personal and professional growth.

On this week’s episode of Everyday Better, Bonnie joins Leah to explain the concept of a life brief, which is a tool for getting clear on what you want and how you’re going to get it. Bonnie highlights the importance of wanting when it comes to personal growth, as well as the role privilege plays in shaping our desires.

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To learn more about Bonnie’s work, check out her book The Life Brief: A Playbook for No Regrets Living.

How to Practice Mental Health Hygiene With Sociologist Corey Keyes Sep 24, 2024

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Corey Keyes is a sociologist and professor emeritus at Emory University. He studies how people find satisfaction in their lives, and why achieving a sense of well-being is no easy feat.

On this week’s episode of Everyday Better, Corey joins Leah to discuss his research on languishing, flourishing and how to move from one to the other. Corey argues that good mental health isn’t just the absence of mental illness but the presence of well-being. He also explains the concept of “functioning well” and why working towards that is more important than chasing happiness.

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For more tips on how to move out of languishing and into flourishing, check out Corey’s book, Languishing: How to Feel Alive Again in a World That Wears Us Down.

Turning Career Uncertainty into Clarity With ‘Death, Sex & Money’ Host Anna Sale Sep 17, 2024

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Anna Sale is a journalist, author and host of the award-winning podcast Death, Sex & Money. On her show, Anna has intimate conversations with people about life’s toughest yet often under-discussed moments – infidelity, bankruptcy, aging and illness to name just a few.

On this week’s episode of Everyday Better, Anna joins Leah to discuss what it was like when her podcast was unexpectedly canceled after nearly ten years on the air. Anna talks about how she transformed a moment of major career uncertainty into an opportunity to clarify her purpose. Anna and Leah also explore the evolution of ambition and what happens when we mine deep meaning from our work.

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To hear more from Anna, listen to Death, Sex & Moneywherever you find your podcasts.

Everyday Better Presents: Let’s Talk Offline Sep 13, 2024

This week on Everyday Better, we’re featuring the first episode of Let’s Talk Offline, a new podcast from LinkedIn and iHeartPodcasts. Each week on the show, co-hosts Gianna Prudente, LinkedIn’s early career development editor, and Jamé Jackson Gadsden, a LinkedIn community manager, will answer your questions about what it takes to thrive in the early years of your career – without sacrificing your values, sanity or sleep.

Listen to Let’s Talk Offline wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes drop every Tuesday.

The Only Time Management Technique That Works With Author Oliver Burkeman Sep 10, 2024

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Oliver Burkeman is a journalist, author and former “productivity geek.” His bestselling book Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals outlines a saner approach to managing your time in a world of never-ending demands and distractions.

On this week’s episode of Everyday Better, Oliver explains why all of the tools and techniques meant to save us time and maximize our productivity ultimately make us feel more stressed and short on time. Oliver argues that the only time management technique that works involves recognizing that you’ll never feel on top of things. Once you accept that, you can actually start crossing things off of your to-do list – and he has strategies for how to do that as well.

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To learn more about how to actually get stuff done, pre-order Oliver’s new book Meditations for Mortals: Four Weeks to Embrace Your Limitations and Make Time for What Counts.

The Number One Predictor of a Long and Happy Life With Dr. Robert Waldinger Sep 03, 2024

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Dr. Robert Waldinger is a psychiatrist, Zen master and director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development, one of the longest-running longitudinal studies on human happiness ever conducted. His TED Talk on the major takeaways from the study has received over 43 million views since 2015 and is one of the most-watched TED Talks of all time.

Today, Robert joins Leah to discuss the most significant – and surprising – findings from the study, as well as how we can use these insights to build a healthy and happy life.

To learn more about the Harvard Study of Adult Development, check out Robert’s latest book The Good Life: Lessons from the World's Longest Scientific Study of Happiness.

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Finding Your Purpose Through Ikigai With Tim Tamashiro Aug 27, 2024

Tim Tamashiro is a jazz singer, radio broadcaster and the author of How to Ikigai: Lessons for Finding Happiness and Living Your Life's Purpose.

On this week’s episode of Everyday Better, Tim joins Leah to explore the concept of Ikigai, an ancient Japanese philosophy that encourages us to live our “life’s worth.” After explaining what his Ikigai is and how he discovered it, Tim guides Leah through the process of uncovering her own. He also shares his perspective on how to achieve lasting happiness, and offers tips for when you get stuck in the process of identifying your own Ikigai.

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To learn more about Ikigai, check out Tim’s book, How to Ikigai.

And, don’t forget to sign up for Leah’s weekly newsletter to get practical tips on how to level up with small steps every day.

Conquer Everyday Anxiety with Dr. Wendy Suzuki Aug 20, 2024

Dr. Wendy Suzuki is a professor of neural science and psychology at New York University and the author of Good Anxiety: Harnessing the Power of the Most Misunderstood Emotion. In 2022, she was appointed Dean of NYU's College of Arts & Science.

On this week’s episode of Everyday Better, Wendy joins Leah to discuss strategies for turning our anxiety from a weakness into a superpower. She digs into the evolutionary purpose of anxiety and explains why the feelings of anxiousness we all experience don’t have to hold us back from achieving success.

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For more anxiety-transforming techniques, check out Wendy’s book, Good Anxiety.

And, don’t forget to sign up for Leah’s weekly newsletter to get practical tips on how to level up with small steps every day.

Navigating Conflict: The Gottman's Roadmap to Better Connections Aug 13, 2024

John and Julie Gottman are world-renowned relationship researchers and psychologists who have been happily married for the past 37 years. They’ve authored more than 40 books together, including Fight Right: How Successful Couples Turn Conflict Into Connection.

On this week’s episode of Everyday Better, the Gottmans join Leah to share their perspectives on conflict resolution in relationships. They explain how disagreements, whether at home or in the office, present opportunities to strengthen bonds and deepen connections. They also discuss the three main styles of conflict management in couple relationships and propose a new method for voicing dissatisfaction that moves from criticizing to complaint-making.

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For more on conflict resolution in relationships, check out the Gottmans’ latest book, Fight Right.

And, don’t forget to sign up for Leah’s weekly newsletter to get practical tips on how to level up with small steps every day.

Dr. Michael Gervais on Rising Above Fear of Other People's Opinions Aug 06, 2024

Dr. Michael Gervais is one of the world's top high performance psychologists. He’s worked with professional athletes, sports teams and executives, helping them to thrive in the most high-pressure of situations.

On this week’s episode of Everyday Better, Michael joins Leah to unravel what he calls “FOPO” (Fear of Other People's Opinions), and to teach practical strategies for reducing our fear of external judgment. He also discusses the principles of high performance and the importance of developing your own personal philosophy.

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For more on Michael’s work, check out his book The First Rule of Mastery: Stop Worrying About What People Think of You.

And, don’t forget to sign up for Leah’s weekly newsletter to get practical tips on how to level up with small steps every day.

Ditch the Pro/Con List and Embrace Your Core Values with Amanda Hilton Jul 30, 2024

Personal growth educator Amanda Hilton says that when it comes to decision-making at work and in your personal life, there is never one ‘right’ answer. Instead of fretting over a list of pros and cons, Amanda offers a clearer path — one that uses our core values to center what matters most.

On this week’s episode of Everyday Better, Amanda and Leah demystify the concept of core values. Amanda gives practical tips and offers provoking questions to help us define our core values and apply them to the decision-making process.

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For more on Amanda’s work, visit The Simply Well’s website.

And, don’t forget to sign up for Leah’s weekly newsletter to get practical tips on how to level up with small steps every day.

The Enneagram at Work: Leveling Up Your Leadership Skills Jul 23, 2024

In part two of our conversation with psychotherapist and Enneagram expert Bea Chestnut, we explore how the Enneagram can be used at work. As an Enneagram coach, Bea has more than two decades of experience helping organizations strengthen their teams and workplace cultures.

With attention to each Enneagram type’s particular strengths and blind spots, Bea describes how each of the nine types shows up at work as a colleague and as a leader. She also explains how the Enneagram can be used to help us develop our communication, collaboration, and leadership skills, and gain a deeper understanding of the people we work with.

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For more on the enneagram at work, check out Bea’s book The 9 Types of Leadership: Mastering the Art of People in the 21st Century Workplace

And, don’t forget to sign up for Leah’s weekly newsletter to get practical tips on how to level up with small steps every day.

The Enneagram: A Path to Discovering Who You Really Are Jul 16, 2024

Bea Chestnut is a psychotherapist, consultant and globally-recognized expert on the enneagram, a personality typing system based on ancient spiritual traditions. For the past 27 years, Bea has studied, written about and taught the enneagram in both therapeutic and business settings. She uses it as a map for guiding her clients towards a deeper understanding of themselves and others.

On this week’s episode of Everyday Better, Bea and Leah dive deep into the enneagram – what it is, where it comes from and how it can be used to raise your level of awareness. Bea describes each of the nine enneagram types, including each type’s growth path for reaching a higher level of consciousness. She also shares how she discovered the enneagram and explains why she thinks it’s one of the most powerful personal development tools in the world.

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For more on the enneagram, check out Bea’s book The Enneagram Guide to Waking Up: Find Your Path, Face Your Shadow, Discover Your True Self.

And, don’t forget to sign up for Leah’s weekly newsletter to get practical tips on how to level up with small steps every day.

The Pitfalls of Pursuing Your Passion at Work with Sociologist Erin Cech Jul 09, 2024

Erin Cech is an Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Michigan and the author of The Trouble with Passion: How Searching for Fulfillment at Work Fosters Inequality. She studies societal inequality and cultural forces which reproduce inequality.

On this week’s episode of Everyday Better, Erin and Leah discuss what can happen when we turn our passion into a career. While many people believe this is the key to that feeling of never working a day in your life, the “passion principle,” as Erin calls it, doesn’t necessarily pave the way to personal fulfillment or financial stability. Instead, she argues, this advice can perpetuate socioeconomic inequality and unfair working conditions. She poses a question everyone should ask themselves when considering their career: what kind of relationship do you want to paid employment?

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For more on the passion principle and its pitfalls, check out Erin’s book The Trouble with Passion: How Searching for Fulfillment at Work Fosters Inequality.

And don’t forget to sign up for Leah’s weekly newsletter to get practical tips on how to level up with small steps every day.

The Art of Feel Good Productivity with Ali Abdaal Jul 02, 2024

Ali Abdaal is an author, YouTube star and productivity expert. In his book Feel-Good Productivity: How to Do More of What Matters to You and on his YouTube channel, he shares research-backed strategies for improving focus, building habits and meeting goals.

On this week’s episode of Everyday Better, Ali breaks down the three main blockers to productivity: uncertainty, fear, and inertia. He shares tips for overcoming each one of these blockers, as well as the fear of judgment from others. He also discusses science-based approaches to building self-confidence and the importance of finding joy in your work.

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For more tips on sustainable productivity, check out Ali’s YouTube channel.

And don’t forget to sign up for Leah’s weekly newsletter to get practical tips on how to level up with small steps every day.

Taking A Sabbatical from Personal Development with Marc Champagne Jun 25, 2024

Marc Champagne is a philosopher, podcaster and the bestselling author of Personal Socrates: Questions That Will Upgrade Your Life from Legends & World-Class Performers. An expert in what he calls “mental fitness,” Marc teaches daily practices designed to enhance creativity, clarity and focus.

On today’s episode of Everyday Better, Marc and Leah ask each other a challenging question: when it comes to the work of personal development, can you ever reach a stopping point? Through sharing their personal stories of growth, Marc and Leah discuss the challenges that brought them to this work – and then, years later, what sparked their curiosity around taking a sabbatical from personal development. They also share their favorite tools and non-negotiable self-care practices for whatever season of life they find themselves in.

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To learn more about mental fitness, listen to Marc’s podcast Behind the Human with Marc Champagne.

And don’t forget to sign up for Leah’s weekly newsletter to get practical tips on how to level up with small steps every day.

Charles Duhigg on How to Have More Meaningful Conversations Jun 18, 2024

Charles Duhigg is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and bestselling author. In his third book, Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection, he explores the science behind good communication and offers strategies for connecting more deeply with others.

On this episode of Everyday Better, Charles joins Leah to explain why communicating effectively is the key to deepening our interpersonal connections, whether at home or in the workplace. Charles discusses strategies for asking more thoughtful questions, being a better listener and discussing controversial topics. He also explains the science behind effective communication and why it’s so important for our mental and physical well-being to connect with the people around us.

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To learn more about improving your communication skills, check out Charles’s book Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection.

Don’t forget to sign up for Leah’s weekly newsletter to get practical tips on how to level up with small steps every day.

How a Career in Hospice Care Made Nurse Hadley “Death Positive” Jun 11, 2024

Known as “Nurse Hadley” to her nearly 2 million followers on TikTok, Hadley Vlahos is a hospice nurse, content creator and New York Times bestselling author. Her first book, The In-Between: Unforgettable Encounters During Life’s Final Moments, is a collection of stories and lessons she’s learned from 12 patients she cared for in their final months on earth.

On today’s episode of Everyday Better, Hadley reflects on how an unexpected life pivot led her to her dream career as a hospice care nurse. While hospice care nursing is viewed as a tough job by many outside of the profession, Hadley shares lighthearted, poignant, humorous and mystical experiences she’s had caring for patients in hospice. She discusses the importance of getting comfortable talking about death, and offers advice for how to get better at having those conversations. She also shares what she’s learned about what it means to live a meaningful life, and how work can play such an essential role in making life meaningful, no matter what kind of work you do.

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To learn more, check out Hadley’s book The In-Between: Unforgettable Encounters During Life’s Final Moments.

And don’t forget to sign up for Leah’s weekly newsletter to get practical tips on how to level up with small steps every day.

Everyday Better Presents: Hello Monday Master Class Jun 06, 2024

This week on Everyday Better, we’re featuring an episode from a new bonus series from our sister podcast Hello Monday with Jessi Hempel. “Hello Monday Master Class” is a distillation of hundreds of Hello Monday conversations, broken down into five essential rules for navigating and thriving in an ever-changing professional landscape. The first episode in the series is all about defining your values.

Tune in each Thursday through the end of June for more actionable insights and collaborative exercises to elevate your career. And for more from Jessi, join the Hello Monday Group on LinkedIn by clicking here.

Escaping Perfectionism with Thomas Curran Jun 04, 2024

Thomas Curran is a Professor of Psychology at the London School of Economics. His first book, The Perfection Trap: Embracing the Power of Good Enough, charts the recent rise in perfectionism among young people, exposes the paradoxical effects of perfectionism on everything from work performance to relationships and argues for a “good enough” approach to work that prioritizes sustainability over growth.

On this episode of Everyday Better, Thomas joins Leah to talk about where perfectionism comes from, why it’s so harmful and how to break free from the internal and external pressures we feel to be perfect. They also take a critical look at the “growth mindset” and reflect on their own journeys towards overcoming perfectionism in their professional and personal lives.

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For more on perfectionism, check out Thomas’s book The Perfection Trap: Embracing the Power of Good Enough.

Sign up for Leah’s weekly newsletter to get practical tips on how to level up with small steps every day.

How to Forgive Better with Philosopher Myisha Cherry May 28, 2024

Myisha Cherry is an Assistant Professor of Philosophy at UC Riverside and a self-proclaimed “public defender of anger and proud withholder of forgiveness.” In her second book, Failures of Forgiveness: What We Get Wrong and How to Do Better, she argues that forgiveness – a much-lauded moral good in American culture – rarely achieves what we think it does, and that in reality, forgiveness often does more harm than good. She puts forth her own, broader definition of forgiveness that holds space for anger, repair and accountability for the wrongdoer.

On today’s show, Myisha and Leah dive deep into forgiveness to understand its role at work and in society, as well as how race and gender complicate the act of forgiving. Myisha explains why withholding forgiveness can actually be a moral good, both for the wronged and for the wrongdoer. She also shares her revised definition of forgiveness and explains how to get better at asking for and receiving it.

For more on forgiveness, check out Myisha’s book Failures of Forgiveness: What We Get Wrong and How to Do Better.

Sign up for Leah’s weekly newsletter to get practical tips on how to level up with small steps every day.

Understanding the Brain-Body Connection with Neuroscientist Tara Swart May 21, 2024

Dr Tara Swart is a neuroscientist, leadership adviser and best selling author. She works with executives and leaders all over the world to help them achieve mental resilience and peak brain performance, helping them to manage stress, regulate emotions and retain information. Her scientific knowledge and expertise helps people optimize their brain health and achieve their full potential.

Tara joins Leah to discuss the brain-body connection and the importance of emotional well-being. She explains how chronic stress can impact the brain and body, leading to physical and mental health issues, and emphasizes the power of intention and visualization in shaping our brain's interpretation of reality.

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Harnessing the Power of Metabolic Health with Dr. Casey Means May 14, 2024

Dr. Casey Means is a physician, tech entrepreneur and the author of Good Energy: The Surprising Connection Between Metabolism and Limitless Health. She is passionate about metabolic health and dedicated to helping people better understand their bodies.

Casey joins Leah to highlight the interconnectedness of various symptoms and diseases, all of which she sees as stemming from metabolic dysfunction. She discusses the impact of the modern environment on our metabolic health and offers practical strategies for optimizing our metabolism through sleep, movement, stress management techniques, toxin reduction and light exposure. By adopting a metabolic framework and focusing on cellular health, we all can cultivate good energy and live happier, healthier lives.

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For more on how to improve your metabolic health, check out Casey’s book, Good Energy: The Surprising Connection Between Metabolism and Limitless Health.

Everything You Think You Know About Happiness Is Wrong (Part II) May 07, 2024

In part II of our conversation with Stephanie Harrison, author of New Happy: Getting Happiness Right in a World That's Got It Wrong, we explore what it looks like to apply Stephanie’s New Happy philosophy to personal and work areas of our lives. We discuss strategies for setting and achieving your big goals, what the research suggests about the role of helping others in the context of happiness and how privilege and oppression shift our approach to and experience of happiness. We also contemplate the notion of the “best self” and take a hard look at wellness culture to better understand how mainstream ideas of happiness and well-being hold us back from achieving true contentment.

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To learn more about Stephanie’s philosophy on happiness, check out her book, New Happy: Getting Happiness Right in a World That's Got It Wrong.

Everything You Think You Know About Happiness Is Wrong (Part I) Apr 30, 2024

Stephanie Harrison is an expert on the science of happiness. Her first book, New Happy: Getting Happiness Right in a World That's Got It Wrong, explores the structural forces that prevent us from achieving true happiness and teaches us how to find it by looking outside ourselves.

Stephanie joins Leah to discuss why so many of us are unhappy (despite trying our very best to be), and what we can do to experience more joy and contentment in our everyday lives. Helping others, Stephanie argues, is the key to improving our mental and emotional well-being. She also shares research-backed strategies for connecting with our true selves and quieting down the voice in our heads that tells us we’re not good enough.

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To learn more about Stephanie’s philosophy on happiness, check out her book, New Happy: Getting Happiness Right in a World That's Got It Wrong.

From ‘Haha’ to ‘Aha!': Why Play and Humor Belong at Work with Dr. Barry Kudrowitz Apr 23, 2024

Dr. Barry Kudrowitz is a Professor of Product Design and Head of the Department of Graphic Design at the University of Minnesota. He studies the connection between what he calls “haha” and “aha”, and argues that humor and play are powerful tools for boosting creativity and idea generation at work.

Dr. Kudrowitz joins Leah Smart to discuss the science behind the causal relationship between humor, play and creativity. He lays out his argument for why these often trivialized domains actually belong at work, and shares strategies for integrating play and humor into our everyday lives.

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Check out Barry’s book, Sparking Creativity: How Play and Humor Fuel Innovation and Design.

Mindful Thinking for Chronic Health with Ellen Langer Apr 16, 2024

Ellen Langer is a renowned Harvard professor and psychologist who has been studying mindfulness for over 40 years. She is the first woman to be tenured in psychology at Harvard and has conducted extensive research in her lab. She is also known as the “Mother of Positive Psychology.” Langer is the author of numerous books, including The Mindful Body: Thinking Our Way to Chronic Health.

Langer joins Leah Smart to discuss the power of mindfulness for improving our health and well-being. By being mindful, we can enliven our brains, improve our physical health, and live longer. Langer's research has shown that simply noticing and being present can reverse signs of aging, enhance healing, and improve our overall well-being. She also encourages us to embrace uncertainty, as it opens us up to new and interesting possibilities.

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Can’t Meditate? Just Breathe with JP Crimi Apr 09, 2024

Breathwork might just become your favorite meditation practice once you understand its benefits. Led by renowned breathwork teacher JP Crimi, Leah Smart and Michele O’Brien experiment with conscious connected breathing, and explore its transformative effects. Think of it as personal training for your breath, promising to reduce stress, boost energy, and enhance mental well-being. Join them as they experience the blissful effects of this practice.

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Awakening Awe: Finding Beauty in the Everyday with Dacher Keltner Apr 02, 2024

Dacher Keltner, founding director of the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley, and author of "Awe: The Nature of Awe and the Power to Transform Your Life”, joins Leah Smart to discuss the transformative power of awe and its impact on our minds and bodies. They explore the profound effects of awe on personal growth, well-being, and social connection, and offer practical strategies for cultivating awe in everyday life to lead a more fulfilling and meaningful existence.

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Discovering Sufficiency: Redefining Wealth and Abundance in Life Mar 26, 2024

Lynne Twist is a renowned writer, speaker, and global activist who has worked with influential figures such as Buckminster Fuller, Mother Teresa, and the Dalai Lama over the course of her career. She’s also the author of the groundbreaking book "The Soul of Money: Transforming Your Relationship with Money and Life", which encourages readers to adopt a new philosophy on money that’s rooted in sufficiency and purpose.

Lynne joins Leah Smart to explore the toxic myths of scarcity and discuss how to adopt a new money philosophy. She shares her personal journey of untangling from a mindset of affluence and discovering the power of sufficiency, and emphasizes the importance of connecting our financial resources to the deepest commitments of our souls in order to live a life of purpose and service.

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Exploring the Universe: NASA’s Michelle Thaller’s Guide to Everyday Awe Mar 19, 2024

Michelle Thaller serves as the Assistant Director for Science Communication at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, where she has dedicated over two decades to sharing the wonders of science with audiences worldwide.

Michelle’s journey is marked by resilience, as she shares stories of grief after losing her husband. As a scientist, she goes beyond facts and theories, seeking connections that infuse our existence with deeper meaning. Michelle joins Leah Smart to emphasize the importance of intentionality in our lives, and why being in awe is the key to everyday life. According to her, the universe grants us just one chance to see the world through our own eyes, urging us to live purposefully and consciously.

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No Regrets Living: Designing Your Life Brief with Bonnie Wan Mar 12, 2024

Bonnie Wan is a globally-renowned career brand strategist and the author of "The Life Brief: A Playbook for No Regrets Living." She is passionate about helping people uncover their true desires and show up authentically, and believes deeply in the power of intention to propel personal and professional growth.

Bonnie joins Leah Smart to explain the concept of a life brief, which is a tool for getting clear on what you want and how you want to show up in various areas of your life. She highlights the importance of wanting in driving personal growth and creativity, the value of self-reflection, and the role privilege plays in shaping our desires.

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Rediscovering Enchantment Everyday Aug 08, 2023

Katherine May, internationally bestselling author of Wintering and Enchantment, joins Leah Smart to talk about awakening wonder, rediscovering joy and experiencing awe in our everyday lives. Katherine emphasizes that enchantment can be found when we reconnect with our childhood fascinations and let ourselves be drawn to what restores us.

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Coming To Our Senses: Touch Aug 01, 2023

Tammy Lung, ASMR expert, and founder of Tingles Bar joins Leah Smart to discuss the health benefits of Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR). They dive into the feelings of relaxation brought on by different experiences, such as visual, auditory, or tactile triggers, and how physical touch can make you feel better day to day.

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Bonus: Sound Bath with Sara Auster Jul 28, 2023

Sara Auster, world-renowned sound therapist, meditation teacher and author, leads us in a sound bath experience to deepen the connection between sound, mind and the body.

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Coming To Our Senses: Sound Jul 25, 2023

Sara Auster, world-renowned sound therapist, meditation teacher and author, joins Leah Smart to share her journey into the world of sound healing and the transformative power of sound baths. They discuss the connection between sound, mind and the body, the role of stillness and slowness in a fast-paced world, and why sound baths enhance well-being and deepen your connection to yourself, and the world around you.

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Coming To Our Senses: Laughter Jul 18, 2023

Francine Shore, Certified Laughter Yoga Instructor, co-founder and Creative Director of NYCs first Laughter Club promoting health and wellness, joins Leah Smart to discuss how laughter can be a healing tool, especially during challenging times. They dive into the health benefits of laughter yoga and how through laughter, we can find connection, joy, and a way to cope with trauma.

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Coming To Our Senses: Smell Jul 11, 2023

Dr. Rachel Herz, neuroscientist and a world-leading expert on the psychological science of smell, joins Leah Smart to discuss the importance of our sense of smell, and its impact on our identity, relationships, and emotions. They explore the connection between smell and memory and how consciously engaging with it can enhance our overall well-being and quality of life.

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Grubhub’s Founder on How We Redefine Success Jul 04, 2023

Mike Evans couldn’t have predicted his success: he founded Grubhub because he wanted a snack and to pay off his student loans, and stayed with the company through a wildly successful IPO. But it’s what he’s done since that’s differentiated him from other startup founders: first, leaving Grubhub to take a transcontinental bike trip, and also his new company, Fixer, which aims to do social good even as it turns a profit. Leah and Mike get into all of that - and the story told in Mike’s new memoir, Hangry: A Startup Journey - in this rousing conversation in the arena.

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Just Like Me: A Guided Meditation Jun 27, 2023

Leah Smart guides you through a meditation practice meant to help you tap into radical empathy.

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The Nature Prescription Jun 20, 2023

Jennifer Ackerman, award-winning science writer and New York Times bestselling author of The Genius of Birds and What an Owl Knows joins Leah Smart to talk about why finding solace in nature can help us reset, reduce stress, and they explore ways we can incorporate nature into our day-to-day lives.

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The Anatomy of Friendship Jun 13, 2023

Shasta Nelson, an expert on friendship and healthy relationships and Author of Frientimacy: How to Deepen Friendships for Lifelong Health and Happiness, sits down with Leah Smart to dive into the three components every relationship needs to be healthy and how to nurture connections that truly last.

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Rainn Wilson on Navigating Your Path to Spirituality Jun 06, 2023

Rainn Wilson is most known for his role in The Office as Dwight Schrute, but away from the screen, he’s the co-founder of SoulPancake and the recent author of Soul Boom. Today he joins Leah Smart to share his mission to explore the possibility and hope for a spiritual revolution, a “Soul Boom,” to find a healing transformation on both a personal and global level. Rainn emphasizes the importance of connecting to yourself, each other, and something greater than us.

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Finding Fulfillment on Your Terms May 30, 2023

Madeleine Dore, author of I Didn’t Do The Thing Today, joins Leah Smart to help us broaden our definitions of a day well spent. They dive into ways we can drop our “shoulds” by analyzing, interpreting, and defining borrowed wants and expired wants to reveal our real wants.

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Sparking Joy Daily with Catherine Price May 23, 2023

Catherine Price, award-winning science journalist Author of The Power of Fun and How to Break Up With Your Phone joins Leah Smart to talk about how her work can take you from mindless scrolling to being more intentional with your time. She’s now introducing the often elusive qualities of fun, so we can incorporate it into our work and everyday activities.

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Activating Your Heart's Intelligence May 16, 2023

Deborah Rozman, Founding Executive Director of HeartMath Institute joins Leah Smart to talk about the importance of harnessing your heart power, and how your heart sends signals and information to your brain, influencing what you do. Deborah’s here to teach us the tools to get in tune with our heart's intelligence and how to be more practically intuitive in our day-to-day life.

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How Your Values Can Shape Your Financial Future May 09, 2023

Financial Educator and New York Times Best Selling Author of Get Good with Money, Tiffany Aliche joins Leah Smart to talk about how to repair your relationship with money, why letting go of financial shame can be healing, and why learning your core values can help you better choose how to intentionally use it.

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The Wheel of Life: A Tool for Getting What You Want May 02, 2023

In the chaos of everyday life, we sometimes forget to stop and take stock of how we’re doing in all facets of our life. Listen in to a real coaching session, as Leah uses the Wheel of Life to help producer Michele O’Brien get clarity on how and where to make a change.

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Coming to Our Senses with Ed Yong Apr 25, 2023

This week, Pulitzer Prize winning science writer and Author of An Immense World, Ed Yong,brings the experiences of other animals to life by showing how their senses differ from ours and guide them through the world. In this conversation, he challenges us to build more reverence for all the living beings on this planet by going beyond our own perceptions and immersing ourselves in the richness of life through their eyes.

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Exploring the Universe: A Conversation with NASA’s Michelle Thaller Apr 18, 2023

Michelle Thaller, Astronomer, Research Scientist, and Assistant Director for Science Communication at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, joins Leah Smart to talk about science and spirituality, how you are a bit of the universe made conscious briefly, and why being grateful and in awe is the key to everyday life.

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Cheryl Strayed on The Courage to Be Vulnerable Apr 11, 2023

Cheryl Strayed, the bestselling author of Wild, Tiny Beautiful Things and host of the Dear Sugars podcast,joins Leah Smart to open up about how vulnerability allows us to tap into universal themes and emotions, how it has played a crucial role in her writing journey, and why it’s powerful to embrace your vulnerability and tell your story with courage and authenticity.

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Engineering A Happier Life with Tal Ben-Shahar Apr 04, 2023

World-renowned teacher and student in the field of happiness studies, Tal Ben-Shahar, taught the largest course at Harvard on "Positive Psychology", and authored Happier, No Matter What: Cultivating Hope, Resilience, and Purpose in Hard Times. He joins Leah Smart to examine how we can stay motivated, what to know about growing after trauma, and how his SPIRE method can help us achieve happiness in our day to day life.

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Yung Pueblo on the Power of Self-Awareness Mar 28, 2023

Leah Smart sits down with Yung Pueblo—author, meditator, and one of social media’s leading voices on the topics of healthy relationships and knowing ourselves. They discuss his new book Lighter, andexplore self-awareness practices that can help us experience the world around us in crisp and vibrant ways.

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Navigating the Complexities of Our Emotions Mar 21, 2023

Leah sits down with Marc Brackett, founding Director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and Author of Permission to Feel, to talk about what emotional intelligence really is, how to become an Emotion Scientist versus an Emotion Judge, and why it matters that we use words like trauma, gaslighting and narcissist accurately.

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The World Unfolding Ahead with Krista Tippett Mar 14, 2023

Krista Tippett, the host of “On Being” an adventure in the mystery and the art of living, joins Leah Smart to examine and talk about life after the pandemic, economic challenges, events that have changed us and more. They dive into the importance of finding our meaning and how to manage the matter of our inner lives.

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Understanding Yourself Using the Enneagram Mar 07, 2023

This week, Leah chats with Ashton Whitmoyer-Ober, writer, community psychologist and certified Enneagram coach as they dive into the Enneagram, one of the most powerful personality typing system that helps you understand your core motivations, your biggest fears, your biggest desires, and the best ways to improve.

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Shawn Achor on Optimizing Happiness Feb 28, 2023

In today’s episode, Leah sits down with Shawn Achor, author and happiness researcher who is best known for his book, The Happiness Advantage, as they discuss how happiness is a choice we can make each day. They explore ways we can focus on the positive aspects of our lives, why being mindful of our circumstances matters, and how to change the way you think to be content in your day to day.

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Dr. Mark Hyman on Exploring Longevity Feb 21, 2023

In today’s episode, Leah sits down with New York Times bestselling author and international leader in the field of Functional Medicine Dr. Mark Hyman as they discuss how we can live a lifestyle that makes us feel 20 years younger than our chronological age. They dive into the four main pillars of longevity: diet, exercise, stress management, and sleep and how to make this a part of your everyday life.

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John and Julie Gottman on Making a Relationship Last Feb 14, 2023

In today’s episode, Leah sits down with world-renowned relationship researchers and authors Drs. John and Julie Gottman as they discuss what they have observed in 40 years of research on couples and the small strategies you can use to improve the quality of your partnership or prepare for what’s around the corner.

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Finding Our Purpose Through Ikigai with Tim Tamashiro Feb 07, 2023

Leah talks to Tim Tamashiro, author of “How to Ikigai” about finding your purpose. As an ongoing student and teacher, Tim shares the tools to find your ikigai, where most people get stuck, and how we tend to go wrong with purpose.

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Dr. Myron Rolle on The 2% Way Jan 31, 2023

In this episode of In the Arena, Leah speaks with neurosurgeon, author & former NFL Player, Dr. Myron Rolle about his 2% methodology. Myron’s philosophy of incremental improvement has taken him from Oxford to a Rhodes Scholarship, and the NFL to a residency at Harvard.

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Can’t Meditate? Try This with JP Crimi Jan 24, 2023

If you think you've found your favorite kind of meditation, maybe you haven't considered breath work yet. It can help reduce stress, restore your energy and improve your mental health. In this episode Leah and In the Arena’s former producer, Michele O’Brien, experimented with conscious connected breathing. Celebrity trainer and sober coach turned breathwork teacher, JP Crimi, has created a class where everyone gets an experience like personal training (for your breath) and leaves blissful.

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Negotiating Better Relationships with Kwame Christian Jan 17, 2023

In this episode of In The Arena Leah talks with Kwame Christian, CEO of The American Negotiation institute, about how having tough conversations enhances the quality of our relationships. Leah and Kwame share past discomforts and anxieties with conflict and Kwame reflects on the what he’s learned over the years of teaching people to communicate better.

Great News! Before the holidays we told you that In the Arena had been nominated for Signal Listener’s Choice Award, for Most Inspirational Podcast and we asked for your vote. We received a gold award for most inspirational podcast. Thank you for voting and sharing with your friends. Thank you, thank you for helping us grow the show! We couldn’t do it without you.

Grow Your Own Joy Jan 10, 2023

Maria Failla, the author of Growing Joy: The Plant Lover’s Guide to Cultivating Happiness, wasn’t always a plant lady: in fact, she was a self-proclaimed plant killer. But after some time, trust, and patience, she discovered that plants have a lot to teach us about growth, dormancy, and well-being – and she explores all that and more on her podcast, also called Growing Joy. She joined Leah in studio last year to dig into why our green friends are unexpected metaphors for meaningful life lessons.

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