Podcast Archives ⋆ The Happier You

10Jan 2025 by Bona No Comments

2025 Planning Made Easy: Celebrate Wins, Set Goals, and Love Your Life EP#122

Podcast

2025 Planning Made Easy: Celebrate Wins, Set Goals, and Love Your Life Do you want to make 2025 the year you truly love? In this episode, I simplify the process of goal-setting and annual planning with a fun and practical approach designed to work for you. Whether 2024 left you feeling accomplished or drained, this framework will help you celebrate your wins, set meaningful goals, and create a life you’re excited to wake up to every day. If you’ve ever struggled with staying motivated or sticking to resolutions, this episode is packed with tips to make 2025 planning easy, inspiring, and totally doable. What You'll Learn in This Episode: Why celebrating your wins is the most overlooked (but essential!) part of planning. A 4-step system to simplify your annual planning and…

18Dec 2024 by Bona

Happiness Isn’t Always Easy: A Real Talk About Struggles, Joy, and Resilience EP#121

Podcast

Happiness Isn’t Always Easy: A Real Talk About Struggles, Joy, and Resilience What does it really mean to find happiness when life throws challenges your way? In this heartfelt and thought-provoking episode, I’m joined by someone incredibly special to me—Patricia Vander Laan. Patricia has been my happiness mentor for over four years, and she continues to amaze me with her resilience, grit, and unwavering ability to find joy, even in the face of adversity. Overcoming Adversity with Resilience Patricia’s journey is nothing short of inspiring. This year especially, she has weathered immense challenges, and yet she remains steadfast in her pursuit of happiness and meaning. Her wisdom and authenticity shine as she shares how she finds moments of joy every day, even in difficult times. This episode is a real…

05Dec 2024 by Bona

Gratitude, Spoons, and The Gap: Why Happiness Takes Practice

Podcast

Gratitude, Spoons, and The Gap: Why Happiness Takes Practice Gratitude is a simple yet life-changing tool—but let’s be real, it’s not always easy to practice. In this episode of The Happier You podcast, I share why gratitude is such a powerful happiness tool and how we can strengthen it, even during life’s busy and stressful moments. Spoiler Alert: Happiness takes practice! Inspired by the book The Gap and The Gain by Benjamin Hardy and Dan Sullivan, this episode explores the concept of living in “The Gap” (focusing on what you’re missing) versus “The Gain” (celebrating what you have). You’ll hear a heartfelt story about rubber spoons, sibling squabbles, and a powerful reminder about how often we focus on what’s missing instead of appreciating the blessings right in front of us.…

22Nov 2024 by Bona

December Gratitude Challenge: A Great Way to Unlock Holiday Happiness EP#119

Podcast

December Gratitude Challenge: A Great Way to Unlock Holiday Happiness Podcast Episode Summary:The holiday season is often described as "the most wonderful time of the year," but for many of us, it can also feel overwhelming, stressful, or even lonely. That’s why I created the December Gratitude Challenge—to help us shift our focus from holiday chaos to holiday happiness. In this episode of The Happier You, we explore how practicing gratitude can transform your mindset, helping you find joy even amidst the hustle and bustle of the season. Whether you're managing endless to-do lists or navigating holiday blues, gratitude is a simple yet powerful tool to help you pause, reflect, and reconnect with the blessings in your life. What You’ll Learn in This Episode Why gratitude is the key to…

07Nov 2024 by Bona

The Best Gift You Can Give Yourself EP#118

Podcast

The Best Gift You Can Give Yourself This Holiday Season 🎁 With the holiday rush around the corner, have you paused to consider: what’s the best gift you could give yourself this season? Spoiler—it’s not something you’ll find in a store or wrapped in paper. As holiday ads flood our screens, we’re often led to believe that happiness can be bought. But here’s the reality: the best gifts are rarely things. In this episode of The Happier You podcast, we explore what it truly means to give yourself a meaningful gift and why it doesn’t come with a price tag. Discover How the Five Love Languages Can Transform Self-Care In this episode, we dive deep into the concept of the Five Love Languages—originally a relationship tool, but one with immense…

23Oct 2024 by Bona

Holiday Happiness: How to Plan Ahead and Find Joy Without the Stress EP#117

Podcast

Episode Title: Holiday Happiness - How to Plan Ahead and Find Joy Without the Stress The holidays are just around the corner—are you ready? Whether you’re the type to have your Christmas shopping done in September or you prefer to wing it, this episode is for you! Today, we’re diving into how planning ahead can transform your holiday season from chaotic to calm. With practical tips and personal stories, you’ll learn how to set boundaries, create new traditions, and design a holiday season that brings more joy and less stress. Tips for Simplifying Your Holiday Plans Inspired by Brené Brown’s approach to family vacations and my own happiness journey, I’ll show you how asking the right questions—of yourself and others—can lead to more meaningful holidays. This episode will help you…

11Oct 2024 by Bona

Turning Setbacks into Stepping Stones: How to See Failures as Growth Opportunities EP#116

Podcast

Turning Setbacks into Stepping Stones: How to See Failures as Growth Opportunities Episode Summary:In this episode of The Happier You, I’m exploring how a shift in perspective can help us turn our setbacks into stepping stones for personal growth. Drawing from my own experiences in the military, I’ll share how I transformed my biggest failures into valuable lessons. If you’ve ever felt like a victim of your circumstances, this episode offers practical steps to help you reclaim your power. I’ll guide you through a five-step process designed to help you reframe setbacks, build resilience, and recognize the support you need along the way. By the end of the episode, I hope you’ll feel empowered to view challenges not as barriers but as opportunities for growth. Key Takeaways: How to shift…

25Sep 2024 by Bona

The Secret to Healthier Relationships: Demystifying Boundaries with Diane Sorensen EP#115

Podcast

The Secret to Healthier Relationships: Demystifying Boundaries with Diane Sorensen Are you ready to improve your relationships and create a happier, more authentic life? In this powerful episode of The Happier You podcast, I sit down with relationship expert Diane Sorensen to discuss one of the most crucial elements of personal growth—setting boundaries. Why are boundaries so important? Whether you're navigating a relationship with your partner, children, friends, or even coworkers, boundaries are the key to healthy, respectful connections. But for many of us, setting boundaries feels uncomfortable or even impossible. Sound familiar? During this episode, Diane shares her personal experience of going from living without boundaries to discovering their life-changing impact. We explore why boundaries matter, how they foster more authentic relationships, and the steps you can take to…

11Sep 2024 by Bona

What You Offer to Others, You Give to Yourself: Happiness Tools for Real Life EP#114

Podcast

Episode Title: What You Offer to Others, You Give to Yourself: Happiness Tools for Real Life Welcome back to season five of The Happier You podcast! In this episode, Bona shares a powerful interview with Teri Murray, who participated in one of the early 21 Day Happiness Challenges. Together, they explore key happiness tools, including “What You Offer to Others, You Give to Yourself” and the importance of self-compassion. Teri opens up about how she used these tools in her life, including helping her son navigate anxiety during the pandemic. Her journey reminds us that when we offer acceptance, kindness, and understanding to others, we are also working on giving those things to ourselves. Bona also reflects on the struggle we all face when learning new skills like self-compassion, sharing…

28Aug 2024 by Bona

Embrace Your Strengths – Discover & Own Your Unique Abilities EP#113

Podcast

Embrace Your Strengths - Discovering & Owning Your Unique Abilities In this episode I’m talking about something that’s been a game-changer in my own happiness journey: acknowledging and embracing your strengths. It’s easy to get caught up in what we think we’re doing wrong—trust me, I’ve been there. But how often do we take a step back and actually celebrate what we’re doing right? In this episode, I want to remind you to focus on your strengths and stop being so hard on yourself. Here’s what I’m sharing with you: My own experiences with learning to honor my strengths instead of fixating on my weaknesses Why it’s so important to stop comparing yourself to others, especially on social media The power of self-awareness and how it can lead to a…