Everyday Better with Leah Smart

Latest Episodes:

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

Show notes

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.

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

Show notes

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.

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

Show notes

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.

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

Show notes

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.

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

Show notes

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.

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

Show notes

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.

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Escaping Perfectionism with Thomas Curran Jun 04, 2024

Show notes

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.

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

Show notes

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.

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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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.

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