How To Be Happy

Turning Moments Into Movements: Vulnerability, Community, and Making a Difference with Luke "Cookie" Cook - Founder of Cuppa.

Happiness isn’t just about how we navigate life when everything is running smoothly. It’s about how we respond when things don't go to plan and we are faced with unexpected challenges. In this episode of How to Be Happy, I sit down with Luke "Cookie" Cook, the founder of Cuppa TV and the Cuppa Collective. Luke has built a social movement designed to elevate helpful voices, bring people together, and build real community. During our conversation, I share why I originally reached out to Luke over a year ago when I hit a point in my own career where I was feeling quite lonely and disconnected from a supportive community. Luke opens up about his approach to leading with vulnerability and why you don't need to have a perfectly put-together life to make an active, positive difference in the lives of the people around you. Please Note: This episode contains a brief mention of suicide. Please keep that in mind and exercise whatever boundaries you need for your own well-being as you listen. In this episode we explore: The Reality of Professional Loneliness: Why leaders and business owners hit patches of isolation, and how to start breaking through that disconnect. Moments Into Movements: Luke's philosophy on how small, intentional daily actions add up over time to create a larger collective impact. The Value of Imperfection: Why dropping the corporate guard and being completely human allows you to build genuine trust with a team. The Emotional Ripple Effect: A look at how localised, honest conversations directly influence happiness and well-being across a community. Links & Next Steps: Connect with Cookie: Want to explore the conversations happening inside the Cuppa collective? Find Luke on LinkedIn or head straight to Cuppa.tv. Subscribe to the Show: If this conversation resonated with you, please hit Subscribe on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and share the episode with a friend!

The Wellness Paradox: Why More Self Care Isn't Making You Feel Any Better - Interview with Amy Green

Have you ever ticked every single box of success—earned the degrees, smashed your goals, and meticulously followed every hot wellness trend—only to wake up feeling completely exhausted, disconnected, and hollow inside? We live in a society obsessed with peak performance, 5 AM morning clubs, and optimised routines. But the uncomfortable truth is that the commercialisation of modern self-care has turned being well into just another competitive performance metric. Sometimes, in our relentless pursuit of wellbeing, we are accidentally driving ourselves straight into the ground. In this interview episode of How to Be Happy, I sit down with my unofficial book bestie and fellow author, Amy Green! Amy is a prominent Australian wellbeing strategist, speaker, and the founder of The Wellness Strategy. She has just dropped her landmark new book, The Wellness Paradox, and today we are stripping away the generic fluff to explore why doing all of the "right" things is leaving high-achievers so deeply depleted. Amy opens up about her personal turning point with chronic stress, sharing what it was like to perform a polished wellness routine on the outside while secretly falling apart and sleeping in her car after work just to function. We dive straight into why millennials are currently trapped in a massive career crisis, how passion for your work can accidentally become an express ticket to burnout, and why learning to embrace being "average" is actually a revolutionary act of emotional freedom. Links & Next Steps: Connect with Amy Green: Ready to escape the performative wellness trap, book a keynote speaker, or audit your workplace's strategy? Connect with Amy directly on LinkedIn or Instagram, or check out her resources at AmyGreen.com.au. You can also listen to her podcast, Rethinking Success Grab Your Copies: Treat yourself to the ultimate fulfillment bundle! Pick up a physical copy of Amy's incredible new book, The Wellness Paradox, right alongside my book, How to Be Happy, at all good bookstores or online. Subscribe to the Show: If this conversation brought a wave of validation or a helpful reminder to your day, please click Subscribe on Spotify or Apple Podcasts! For every single person subscribes we pay to protect one square meter of threatened rainforest through B1G1.

How to Experience More Purpose in Your Life

Have you ever woken up on a Tuesday morning, looked at your stable life, and felt a bit of an ache open up in your chest? You are ticking every box society handed you, yet you still find yourself asking: “Is this it? ” We live in a world obsessed with keeping us occupied, but it rarely keeps us fulfilled. In this solo episode of How to Be Happy, I dive into the psychology of human meaning and purpose. For a long time, I treated purpose like a hidden treasure chest; a single, massive object I had to "find." But as a happiness researcher, I discovered that this treasure-hunt mindset is actually making people deeply unhappy. In this episode we explore: The Fractured Roots of Meaning: Why modern life has stripped away our traditional anchors of community, and the surprising biological toll that a lack of purpose takes on your physical health. The "Finding" Fallacy: Why your purpose isn't hiding under a rock waiting to be discovered, and how shifting from "searching" to "building" completely rewrites your timeline The Purpose Equation: A deep dive into my core actionable framework to help you hone more purpose in your life. Links & Connect With Me: Subscribe to the Show: If this perspective shift brings a sense of relief or clarity to your week, please hit Subscribe on Spotify or Apple Podcasts! For every single person who subscribes to the show, we pay to protect one square meter of threatened rainforest. Grab Your Copy of 'How to Be Happy': Want to explore the skills of happiness even deeper? An entire chapter of my brand-new book is dedicated exclusively to the science of shaping a profound sense of purpose. Pick up your copy at all good bookstores, grab it online via Amazon or Booktopia, or download it immediately as an audiobook on Audible.

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The Hardiness Effect: Using Stress as a Catalyst for Growth with Dr Paul Taylor

When the going gets tough, the tough get going—or so the old saying goes. But in a modern world where chronic, low-grade stress has officially become our most commonly cited daily feeling , why aren't we all naturally coming back stronger? The truth is that standard self-help culture has completely misdiagnosed resilience. Bouncing back to the exact same place after a crisis isn't enough—true hardiness is about using exposure to adversity to progressively expand your physical, mental, and emotional capacity. In this special interview episode of How to Be Happy, I am reversing the seats with Dr. Paul Taylor—a psychophysiologist, neuroscientist, and author of The Hardiness Effect. Following my recent appearance on his show , Paul joins me to pull back the curtain on his intense background in military survival training and share a framework for trading psychological fragility for long-term growth. In this episode we explore: Beyond Resilience: Why traditional coping mechanisms leave you fragile, and the core differences between a standard threat appraisal versus a challenge orientation. The Cortisol Hangover: Why viewing daily friction as a fundamental threat releases long-acting stress chemicals that systematically degrade memory, immunity, and mental health over time. The "Easy Dopamine" Trap: How typical relaxation routines like social media doom scrolling, binge-watching, and comfort eating mimic a stress state, leaving you depleted. The Wildcard Review: Paul's unfiltered, rapid-fire verdict on whether acupressure mats, float tanks, ice baths, and expensive vitamin supplements are genuinely moving the needle or are completely overrated. Links & Next Steps: Connect with Dr. Paul Taylor: Ready to master the habits of psychological hardiness, check out his podcast, or grab a copy of his best-selling books, The Hardiness Effect and Death by Comfort. Subscribe to the Show: If this perspective shift on handling the messiness of life brought value to you, please hit Subscribe on Spotify or Apple Podcasts! For every single person who subscribes we pay to protect one square meter of threatened rainforest through B1G1.

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Compensation: Let's Talk Money & Workplace Happiness

I want to have a conversation about a topic that a lot of corporate self-help spaces conveniently choose to ignore: Money. Throughout this season of the podcast, we have been breaking down the 7 Cs of employee happiness; dissecting concepts like Culture, Connection, and Celebration. But let’s be real: none of those other Cs matter if your people are not being paid adequately or fairly. In this solo episode, I am pulling back the curtain on the harsh economic realities of the modern workplace. I want to share the heavy-hitting data and research mapping the destructive impact of financial stress and insecurity on human wellbeing, mental health, and employee performance. We look at the staggering percentage of people across Australia, the US, and Canada who currently feel financially insecure, and use real-world data to back up why wage growth is lagging far behind inflation. We also tackle the elephant in the room: how we are living through an era of stagnant frontline wages contrasted with record-breaking executive compensation packages and soaring corporate profits. In this episode we explore: The "Hygiene Factor" of Money: Understand that while money alone cannot buy ultimate happiness, a lack of fair pay almost guarantees misery. The Hard Math of Financial Stress: Look at the evidence-based data proving how financial insecurity triggers chronic cognitive overload, decimates workplace productivity, and drives high employee turnover. The Stagnant Wage Reality: Break down the real metrics from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and global equivalents showing exactly how negative real wage growth is squeezing households. The Cost of Losing Good People: Discover the jaw-dropping findings from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) mapping what it actually costs a company to replace an employee. Subscribe to the Show: Please take a brief second to hit Subscribe on Spotify or Apple Podcasts! It is the single best way to support our independent show and help the skills and science of happiness reach more people. As our ongoing pledge to be a business for good, we pay to protect one square meter of threatened rainforest for every single person who subscribes

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Embracing Life's Changing Paces: Slow Times & Go Times

Do you constantly criticise yourself for not being 100% productive every single day? In our hyper-accelerated world, we have built an impossible expectation that we should always be performing at maximum optimisation. But trying to maintain a peak level of output 24/7 isn't sustainable. It’s a direct recipe for chronic burnout, exhaustion, and anxiety. In this solo episode of How to Be Happy, I want to tackle the psychological trap of toxic productivity. I'm sharing a personal perspective shift that completely transformed my own relationship with pressure and high performance/ If you are ready to let go of suffocating expectations, this episode will give you my exact, bite-sized blueprint to smooth out life's transitions and protect your mental health year-round. In this episode I share: The High-Performance Myth: Understand why your "best" is a biological peak metric meant to be an outlier, not your baseline daily average. The Neurobiology of Pacing: Explore the hidden wellness benefits of fast-paced "Go Times" (eustress and neuroplasticity) versus the deep necessity of "Slow Times" (consolidation and nervous system repair). The Gear-Shifting Dilemma: Discover why sudden shifts in life paces create acute anxiety and restlessness, and why your brain demands a cognitive "buffer zone" to match your surroundings safely. Links & Next Steps: Subscribe & Share: Enjoyed this episode? Hit Subscribe on Spotify or Apple Podcasts to support our independent show! For every single person who subscribes, we pay to protect one square meter of threatened rainforest. If you know a high-achiever who is currently burning out, please share this episode with them today. Leave Me a Book Review: If my book, How to Be Happy, has helped you navigate your life's pacing, please leave us a quick, honest review on Amazon or Goodreads. It takes less than 60 seconds and helps our message reach more hands globally! Grab Your Copy of 'How to Be Happy': If you haven't read it yet, pick up your copy of my evidence-based toolkit at all good brick-and-mortar bookstores, or grab it online via Amazon, Booktopia, or download it immediately as an audiobook on Audible. Upgrade Your Wellbeing: Ready to dive deeper into the positive psychology frameworks I teach? Visit BUHappinessCollege.com to explore our range of Self-Study Courses or apply for our premium 1-on-1 Personal Coaching Enrolment Options to build a life tailored entirely to your definition of happiness.

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Business for Good - A Conversation with B1G1 Founders Paul Dunn and Masami Sato

What if simply showing up to work and doing your day-to-day job could give you a profound sense of meaning, contribution, and joy? In a world where so many people feel like their work completely lacks a core purpose, we often default to a dangerous corporate mindset: “One day, when we are large or successful enough, then we will think about giving back.” But waiting for an arbitrary finish line is a massive trap that robs your team of fulfilment right now. In this special workplace edition of How to Be Happy, I am absolutely thrilled to be joined by Paul Dunn and Masami Sato, the visionary founders of B1G1 (Buy1Give1). For nearly six years, my organisation, BU Happiness College, has proudly partnered with B1G1 to embed real-world impact directly into our daily operations—including this very podcast, where every single subscription protects one square meter of threatened rainforest. Paul and Masami share the unfiltered story of how they flipped traditional philanthropy completely on its head by shifting away from grand corporate donations and focusing on the unshakeable momentum of micro-giving. We break down the behavioral psychology of why authentic generosity functions as a massive workplace performance lever, how to craft an internal giving culture that drives long-term resilience, and a sneak peek into their brand-new global program designed to bring this exact habit right into your family household In this episode we explore: The Power of Small to All: How tracking an aggregated total of over 404 million positive impacts shifts a business from an empty transaction mindset to a legacy mindset. The Forklift Example: A real-world look at how linking a basic manual labor task to a direct, external ripple effect instantly elevates employee engagement. Playful Micro-Giving Targets: The highly unique, creative ways businesses are using the B1G1 platform to incentivise good habits, reward meeting punctuality, and spark daily gratitude. Fostering Humanity’s Flourishing: Moving beyond the standard "Experience Economy" into the "Transformation Economy" to make business the most rewarding thing you do. Links and Next Steps: Bring B1G1 to Your Business or Family: Ready to turn business as usual into a vehicle for global good, explore their massive list of 495 active projects, or sign up your kids for the mobile app? Head straight to B1G1.com. Subscribe to the Show: If today's conversation on micro-kindness inspired you to take action, please hit Subscribe on Spotify or Apple Podcasts! For every new subscriber we pay to protect one square meter of threatened rainforest through B1G1. Connect with Me: If you are a business or HR leader who wants to learn more about how we personalise our giving filters to boost our team's satisfaction, reach out to me personally on any social media platform.

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Celebration & Recognition at Work

Are you running an organisation or managing a team that is constantly hitting milestones, only to immediately sprint toward the next KPI without a single moment of pause? In today’s high-pressure corporate world, we have institutionalised an endless treadmill of "more"—and it is driving our best talent straight into burnout and resignation. In this episode of How to Be Happy (at Work), host Declan Edwards breaks down the fifth pillar of employee happiness: Celebration. Written specifically for progressive leaders, people managers, and business owners, this episode dives into the heavy-hitting behavioural data showing why genuine recognition is your ultimate retention engine. Moving far beyond tokenistic corporate gestures like pizza parties or generic shout-outs, Declan shares the neurobiology behind true appreciation and reveals a practical blueprint to make your teams feel deeply seen, validated, and valued. In this episode we cover: The High Cost of Silence: Discover why employees who receive high-quality recognition are up to 56% less likely to look for a new job, while a lack of feedback is processed by the brain as an active social threat. The Addiction to "Next": Learn the organisational psychology behind the corporate "hedonic treadmill" and why intentional checkpoints are vital to refill your team's psychological fuel tanks. The BIA Praise Model: Master a simple, highly effective 3-part framework to move away from empty, performative praise and deliver surgical, high-impact validation that inspires peak performance. Bring Declan to Your Next Event: Want to transform your organisation's people experience or bring this data-backed approach to your executive leadership team? Declan regularly keynotes and runs immersive workshops at corporate events, company retreats, and team offsites. Click here to browse his offers and start the conversation: https://declanedwards.com.au/

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Why Your Environment Affects Your Mood

Have you ever walked through your front door after a long day, looked at the mess, and felt instantly overwhelmed? You are not alone. Our homes have become overcrowded warehouses for our stress . In this episode of How to Be Happy, happiness researcher Declan Edwards explains how your living space secretly rules your mood . We look at the fascinating science of "Environmental Wellbeing" . You will learn why online shopping only gives us a fake, temporary mood boost . We also share a UCLA study that shows how a cluttered room physically spikes your stress hormones . If you are ready to turn your home back into a peaceful sanctuary, this episode gives you the exact, bite-sized steps to do it . Quick Links & Resources: Take the Free Happiness Scorecard: Want to see how your environment is tracking? Take our quick 3-minute quiz for a personalised breakdown of your well-being . Read the Book: If you love relaxing in a clean space with a great read, grab Declan’s new book, How to Be Happy, at bookstores, Amazon, Booktopia, or on Audible . Subscribe & Protect: Hit subscribe on your podcast app ! For every single person who follows the show, we pay to protect one square meter of threatened rainforest .

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How Annelise McCarthy Became Her Happiest Self

Have you ever ticked every single box of success—earned the degrees, smashed your goals, and worked yourself to the bone—only to realise you’ve completely forgotten how to relax? It is incredibly easy to fall into a cycle of perfectionism, chronic people-pleasing, and hustle culture, running your health straight into the ground just to prove your worth. In this episode of How to Be Happy, I’m sitting down with the absolutely electric Annelise McCarthy; a women's communication expert, speaker, Coach, and proud graduated of BU Happiness College. Annelise spent 3 full years studying the skills and science of happiness at BU Happiness College, and she is the ultimate case study of what happens when you take radical responsibility for your life. We take a trip down memory lane to map her massive personal transformation from a high-strung, boundary-less overachiever to a woman who is now completely thriving. Annelise lifts the lid on her personal toolkit, sharing how tools like fierce self-compassion, firm boundaries, and the feelings wheel protect her mental health and wellbeing. We also explore the deep connection between positive psychology and confident communication, proving why public speaking is actually a game of self-trust, emotional vulnerability, and learning how to truly face yourself. In this episode: The "How to Be" Shift: What happens when you stop studying how to do more and start learning the baseline emotional skills required to actually live in the present. Redefining Self-Compassion: Why treating yourself with kindness isn't a lazy cop-out, but a form of discipline that gives your body what it needs instead of just what it wants. Internal vs. External Boundaries: How to build a healthier relationship with your phone and social media to protect your time and energy. The Real Secret to Public Speaking: Why consuming endless books and videos is useless if you lack the internal self-trust to back yourself in a boardroom or on a stage. The Fear of Being Seen: Why the universal dread of speaking is deeply tied to our fear of visibility, and how connecting with yourself unlocks your ability to connect with an audience. Links & Next Steps: Connect with Annelise: Ready to master communication and learn how to own any room you walk into? Check out her expert coaching and resources at AnneliseMcCarthy.com or find her on social media @theannelisemccarthy Claim Your Free Happiness Connection Call: Inspired by Annelise's journey to stop surviving and start prioritising your development? Let's chat! For a limited time, I am opening up my personal calendar for a free, 15-minute connection call to map out your next steps. Click here Grab Your Copy of 'How to Be Happy': Want to master the exact tools Annelise and I discussed today? Emotional intelligence and literacy are the very first skills I explore in my brand-new book, featuring a comprehensive breakdown of the feelings wheel. Pick up your copy at all good bookstores, online via Amazon or Booktopia, or download it immediately on Audible.

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What 250 Million Data Points Reveal About Happiness at Work - Interview with Matt Phelan; co-founder of The Happiness Index

We spend a massive chunk of our waking hours at our jobs, yet millions of people drag themselves through the week feeling completely unseen, disconnected, and burnt out. As organizations, we pour millions of dollars into flashy HR software, task-tracking apps, and corporate wellness initiatives. But according to the raw data, most companies are aggressively over-investing in operational systems that have zero impact on human fulfilment, while completely ignoring what actually makes us thrive. In this special workplace edition of How to Be Happy, I’m joined by Matt Phelan, the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of The Happiness Index. Matt and his team have analyzed an incredible 250 million data points from over 170 countries to map out the psychological reality of the modern employee experience. We dive straight into the findings of their 2026 Global Workplace Happiness Report, crunching the numbers on what happens to our performance when our basic human needs are ignored. Matt opens up about why he spent 11 years trapped in the "perfectionism loop" before finally declaring this "Year Zero" and getting the data out into the world. We challenge the standard corporate approach to return-to-office mandates, break down why 100% virtual environments are backfiring for younger workers, and expose why the executive suite is often a far lonelier, less happy place to be than middle management. In this episode we explore: The Flywheel Effect: How Matt utilised a basic efficiency workflow to bridge data and technology, and why it completely cleared the "cognitive debt" out of his business. The "Snickers Bar" Exception: A look at why the basic foundations of human motivation haven't evolved in thousands of years, proving that happiness at work costs absolutely nothing. Treating People How They Want to Be Treated: Why generic corporate recognition system defaults fail, and how to customise appreciation to fit introverts, extroverts, and everyone in between The Autonomy vs. Proximity Debate: A real-world breakdown of why location autonomy outscores office proximity for creative problem-solving and focus. Ignorance vs. Incompetence: A hard call-out to modern executive boards on why ignoring workplace culture metrics is no longer just a HR issue—it’s a commercial performance failure. Links & Next Steps: Download the Full Report: Ready to see how your own team or organisation stacks up against tens of millions of cultural insights? Click here to sign up for and download the complete Global Workplace Happiness Report for free! Connect with Matt: Follow Matt Phelan’s world-class thought leadership and research directly on Linkedin or check out his personal website at https://mattphelan.co.uk/ Subscribe to the Show: If this conversation helped you find a fresh perspective on your own work life today, please hit Subscribe on Spotify or Apple Podcasts! For every single person who follows the show we pay to protect one square meter of threatened rainforest

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Hygge: The Danish Secret to Wintering Well

How many times over the last few weeks have you looked out the window at a grey, freezing morning and felt your mood instantly take a nosedive? As human beings, we have a bad habit of becoming "weather hostages"—holding our happiness ransom until the sun graciously decides to return . We treat winter like an adversary to survive rather than a natural season to enjoy . In this solo episode of How to Be Happy, Declan Edwards shares a perspective shift . Year after year, the World Happiness Report is dominated by Nordic countries like Denmark and Finland . If happiness required blue skies, they would be at the bottom of the list . Instead, they thrive by practicing Hygge (pronounced hoo-gah); the deliberate curation of intimacy, presence, and sanctuary . Declan breaks down the cognitive psychology behind our "cultural scripts" about the cold and shares the hard science of how shifting your physical environment can soothe your nervous system . In this episode, we explore: The Scandi Contrast: Why populations dealing with sub-zero temperatures and under four hours of daylight report the highest life satisfaction on earth . The Psychological Impact of Low Light: How changing your environmental cues shifts your body out of "fight or flight" and directly into the parasympathetic nervous system . Cultural Schema: The difference between viewing winter as a negative cancellation of your plans versus an opportunity for cozy curation . Recommended Resources: Grab the Book: If your favourite way to practice Hygge is curling up under a heavy blanket with a hot drink and a great book, Declan’s brand-new book, How to Be Happy, is officially out now! Pick up a copy at all good bookstores, Amazon, Booktopia, or on Audible . Subscribe & Protect: Click subscribe on your podcast platform to support our independent show . For every single subscriber who joins the family, we pay to protect one square meter of threatened rainforest .

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Special Episode: Inside How to Be Happy (Ami Rankin Interviews Declan Edwards About His New Book)

If you opened up Google right now and typed in “how to be happy,” you would be hit with over eight billion different results. That is roughly one opinion for every single person alive on the planet today. In a world flooded with that much noise, it is completely normal to feel confused, overwhelmed, and stuck trying to figure out what actually works. In this special edition episode of How to Be Happy, I am stepping completely out of the interviewer's seat. For a change, I am sitting in the hot seat to be interviewed by our incredible Head of Personal Happiness Coaching at BU Happiness College, Ami Rankin. Ami has been diving into my brand-new book, How to Be Happy, and she has questions! In Part 1 of this multi-part series, we are focusing on the introduction and the first few chapters of the book. We call total time-out on modern "optimisation culture"—the exhausting checklist trap of 5 AM wake-ups, ice baths, and extreme routines that high-achievers use to score their worth. We look at why so many of us accidentally become "human doings" rather than "human beings," and break down the exact emotional stages our minds move through when trying to navigate our feelings. In this episode we explore: The Noise of 8 Billion Results: Why happiness feels so confusing when everyone on the planet has a different opinion, and what it means to be a "happiness translator". The Primary Color Trap: How limiting your language to standard "blanket emotions" like basic anger or sadness cripples your actual capacity for rich joy. Global Wellbeing Budgets: A look into how countries like Bhutan and New Zealand link economic frameworks to human quality of life, and where Australia has dropped the ball. The 100 "I Am" Lines: A powerful, direct practice to instantly build a three-dimensional identity so your worth isn't swallowed up by just your career or your parenting role. The 5 Stages of Emotional Intelligence: A deep dive into my signature framework—ranging from "The Rock" of total emotional numbness to "The Monk" of real-time emotional awareness. Grab a Copy of the Book & Support the Show Grab the Book or Audiobook: Ready to dive into the exact tools, reflection questions, and worksheets Ami and I discussed today? My brand-new book, How to Be Happy, is out on bookshelves everywhere! Grab your physical copy online via Amazon or Booktopia, or listen to me read it directly into your ears by downloading the audiobook on Audible. Subscribe to the Show: If this conversation brought a wave of relief or a helpful reminder to your day, please hit Subscribe on Spotify or Apple Podcasts! For every new subscriber we pay to protect one square meter of threatened rainforest.

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Movement is Life: How Rod & Jeni Cooper Blend Psychological & Personal Growth with Physical Fitness

Have you ever found yourself trapped in the frustrating "yo-yo" cycle of starting a strict new fitness routine, burning out after six weeks, and completely stagnating? We often look at physical health as a clinical chore; a prescribed block of time where we force ourselves to "exercise" to fix a lazy lifestyle. But what if true physical well-being isn't about isolated gym sessions, but about changing your entire mental relationship with your body? In this episode of How to Be Happy, I am joined by dear friends and local legends Rod and Jeni Cooper, the owners of The Movement Collective (TMC). We challenge the traditional fitness narrative by exploring why true, deep-seated transformation requires moving away from rigid expectations and stepping into a mindset of play, experimentation, and extreme curiosity. Rod and Jeni break down how the time and grit you invest into mastering a complex physical skill shapes your actual character and confidence. We also map out the exact blueprint they use to create an unshakeable sense of community and human connection. In this episode we explore: The Drivers of True Progression: Why long-term consistency is experienced by the people who walk into a space with total openness, an appetite for feedback, and a willingness to feel awkward. The "Short Wins" vs. "Long Wins" Data: Why hitting a quick, easy goal leaves you feeling completely empty, and how committing to a multi-year physical craft builds happiness skills that ripple into your marriage, parenting, and business. Social Fitness Integration: How to actively fight the modern loneliness epidemic by blending movement with group games, physical touch, and shared vulnerability. Links From This Episode: Connect with Rod & Jeni: Ready to break away from standard exercise and bring real movement into your life? Check out TMC's online training resources and content at The Movement Collective website or follow them on Instagram. Subscribe to the Show: Please hit Subscribe on Spotify or Apple Podcasts! It takes less than a second, and for every single subscriber we pay to protect one square meter of threatened rainforest. Grab Your Copy of 'How to Be Happy': Want to unpack the exact skills of introspection and self-awareness we discussed in today's interview? My brand-new book is officially out now in stores everywhere, on Amazon, Booktopia, and as an Audible audiobook.

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Beyond the Paycheck: Why Top Talent Needs to Feel Valuable, Not Just Valued

This episode of How to Be Happy: At Work explores the fourth of the 7 Cs of Workplace Happiness: Contribution. Declan Edwards dives into why "top talent" needs more than just a fair paycheck and recognition; they need to know that their work actually matters to another human being. Declan breaks down the "silent killer" of engagement: the rise of "BS Jobs", meaningless roles that leave employees feeling like cogs in a machine. By shifting from merely making employees feel valued to ensuring they feel valuable, leaders can unlock a level of discretionary effort and loyalty that traditional management styles simply can't reach. In this episode, we explore: Valuable vs. Valued: The critical difference between receiving praise and knowing your work makes a tangible, positive impact. The 5 Types of "BS Jobs": A look at David Graeber’s research into flunkies, goons, duct tapers, box tickers, and taskmasters; and why these roles destroy wellbeing. The Startup Edge: Why small teams often win on engagement because the "ripple effect" of an employee's work is immediately visible. The "3 Cs" of Meaningful Work: How clustering your team’s tasks around community, contribution, and challenge creates a core psychological sense of purpose. Job Crafting for Purpose: How to give employees the autonomy to shape their roles around the tasks they find most meaningful. Social Enterprise in Action: Declan shares how BU Happiness College uses its partnership with B1G1 to link everyday tasks—like subscribing to this podcast—to global impacts like planting trees and funding education. Meaningful work isn't a "nice-to-have" luxury; it is a core psychological experience that defines whether your best people stay or go. Use the resources below to start making contribution visible in your workplace. Action Steps & Resources: Check out B1G1 (Buy 1, Give 1): See how your organisation can embed real-world giving into your daily business activities. Use Declan’s referral code BUHAPPINESS to get started with impact tokens for your team. https://b1g1.com/ Book a B1G1 Strategy Call: If you want to bring this to your team, email Declan at declan@buhappinesscollege.com with the subject line "B1G1 in my workplace" for a complimentary 20-minute call to discuss the business benefits. The Executive Diploma of Happiness Leadership: Learn the evidence-based strategies to lead with purpose and build a high-performance culture. https://www.buhappinesscollege.com/excecutive-diploma

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Seasonal Self-Care: Why Your Routine Needs to Change with the Weather

This episode of How to Be Happy addresses a common frustration many of us face as the temperature drops and the days get shorter: the "winter slump." If you’ve been judging yourself for losing consistency with your morning walks or feeling a dip in your motivation, Declan Edwards is here to tell you that you aren’t lazy, you’re human. Declan explores the biological and psychological reasons why our summer self-care routines often fail us in the colder months. Instead of stubbornly relying on willpower to force a fixed routine, this episode teaches you how to design a "seasonal" self-care strategy that aligns with your biology and restores your energy In this episode, we explore: The Myth of the Fixed Routine: Why treating self-care as a year-round "constant" leads to guilt and burnout. The Science of the Winter Slump: How shifting levels of melatonin and serotonin impact your sleep, mood, and motivation during the darker months. The "Farmer" Analogy: Understanding that, like nature, humans have seasons for reaping and seasons for resting and conserving energy. Adapting vs. Forcing: Practical ways to swap high-intensity outdoor habits for cozy, "hygge"-inspired indoor alternatives. Nourishment and Light: The importance of seasonal eating and "letting the light in" to regulate your mood and counteract the winter blues. Low-Effort Connection: Why you should swap "going out" for high-connection, low-energy catch-ups to avoid the trap of isolation. Don’t try to wear your summer wardrobe in a winter storm. Use the steps below to adjust your self-care strategy for the season you’re actually in. Resources: Join the Happiness Blueprint: Learn all 75 skills of happiness and get the community support you need to stay intentional year-round for as little as $50 AUD/month. https://www.buhappinesscollege.com/happiness-blueprint Subscribe & Plant a Tree: For every new subscriber to the show, we fund the planting of a tree and the protection of rainforest. Hit subscribe to help us re-green the world. Share the Ripple: Know someone struggling with the "winter blues"? Forward this episode to them to help them find a bit more compassion for themselves. What is one "summer" habit you are giving yourself permission to put on ice for the season?

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The $10 Trillion Wake-Up Call: Lessons from the 2026 Gallup State of the Global Workplace Report

In this second part of our deep dive into the state of the world's wellbeing, Declan Edwards and Ami Rankin shift their focus from the global happiness rankings to the frontline of our daily lives: the workplace. We spend a massive portion of our existence at work, yet the latest data from the Gallup 2026 State of the Global Workplace report reveals a cooling engine in the global economy. For the first time in recorded history, global employee engagement has dropped for two consecutive years, leaving only 20% of the world's workforce actually "checked in" to their roles. Declan and Ami unpack the "Leader’s Paradox"—the startling discovery that while leaders report higher overall life satisfaction, they are actually suffering through more daily anger, sadness, and loneliness than the teams they lead. This episode moves beyond the "bad vibes" to look at the trillion-dollar cost of disengagement and why the much-hyped AI revolution is currently stalling at the manager's desk. This conversation is an essential guide for both leaders and employees on how to reclaim autonomy and choice in a rapidly automating world. It's a raw look at why the "engagement premium" for managers is dead and how building humanistic workplaces—where people feel valuable, not just valued—is the only way to navigate the disruptions of the 21st century. In this episode, we explore: The $10 Trillion Leak: Why global disengagement is costing the world 9% of its total GDP through lost productivity. The Manager Bottleneck: Why AI is making us more productive as individuals, but failing to transform our organisations because our human leaders are burnt out. The Power of Choice: The science showing that employees who have a say in how they work are 50% more likely to be optimistic about their future. Ready to help your team take ownership and buck the trend of declining engagement? Executive Diploma of Happiness Leadership: Our 12-week program for emerging leaders and managers looking to master evidence-based skills to build high-performance, happy teams. The 2026 Gallup State of the Global Workplace Report: Click through to read the full report and learn more about the global world of work in 2026.

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Paul Watkins: The Link Between Happiness and Hard Things

We live in an era obsessively designed for comfort, convenience, and hacking our way out of effort. But what if our non-stop pursuit of ease is actually rotting our resilience and long term happiness? In this episode of How to Be Happy, Declan Edwards sits down with Paul Watkins; a man described as a split between Harry Potter and Bear Grylls. Paul is an academic, a pharmacist, and an MBA graduate who also happens to push his mind and body to the absolute limits as an extreme ultra-marathon athlete. Paul shares the raw reality of his relationship with discomfort, including his grueling experience at the 6633 Arctic Ultra—a 600+ kilometer solo, unsupported footrace inside the Arctic Circle. He takes us out onto the ice to explore what happens when you have to reframe a crushing DNF (Did Not Finish) as an invaluable "training camp" rather than a failure. If you are currently feeling stuck in a repetitive routine, running at an emotional deficit, or trying to navigate a high-stakes life transition, this episode is your blueprint for building an elite mental toolkit. Declan and Paul dismantle the myth of the "overnight success" and map out how leaning into voluntary hardships can ripple out to make you a more patient parent, a more present partner, and an antifragile human being. Action Steps & Resources: Connect with Paul Watkins: Head over to PaulWatkins.com.au or follow his regular updates on LinkedIn to learn more about his corporate speaking and resilience frameworks. You can also follow his work on Substack Remember to subscribe to the show to receive more insights about happiness, wellbeing, and living a good life. We will also pay to protect a square metre of rainforest on your behalf. If you're listening on Spotify I'd love for you to answer in the comments: What is one "hard thing" you want to pursue in your life?

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How Andy Danesi Re-Prioritised His Life for Happiness

"We check all the standard boxes of success—the director title, the high corporate salary, the beautiful home—but what happens when you reach the top of that ladder and realise you’re still going to bed stressed and unfulfilled?" In this episode of The Ripple Effect, host Declan Edwards sits down for a raw, and deeply human interview with Andy Danesi . Three years ago, Andy was a high-performing director at a Fortune 500 company . Today, he, his partner, their six-year-old son, and their dogs live full-time on the road in a 30-foot RV . This isn't some fantasy story about quitting a job; it’s a lesson in evaluating alignment and allowing yourself to shifting chapters with grace . Andy opens up about the slow evolution of his career burnout and his personal "punch" moment—the heartbreaking evening he looked at his three-year-old son and chose his work laptop over playing together . They map out the realistic tools, deep marital communication, and profound mindsets required to willingly trade 3,000 square feet of comfort for a tiny, shared space where you are forced to process everything together 24/7 . In this episode, we explore: The Poke, Push, and Punch Framework: How to recognise the subtle warning signs life gives you that a chapter has ended before a major life event forces you into a "punch" change . The "Wasting Time Goods" of Consumerism: Why an unhappy, over-stressed lifestyle accidentally drives us to constantly buy physical possessions, and how minimalist living breaks that consumer trap . No Corners to Hide In: The realistic interpersonal and parenting skills needed to survive full-time family proximity in a 240 sq. ft. box without losing your patience . Ready to stop serving a lifestyle that isn't serving you? Use the resources below to map out your next steps. Connect with Andy Danesi: Follow Andy on LinkedIn to check out his family's updates, his perspective on road life, and his stunning nature photography . Access the Happiness Toolkit: Explore our self-guided resources and enrolment options at BUHappinessCollege.com to build the mindset and emotional skills needed to handle massive life transitions .

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Beyond Gratitude: The Secret Trio of Sustainable Fulfilment

"Happiness isn't a solo emotion. It’s a mix. It’s a blend. It’s a cocktail." In this episode of How to Be Happy, Declan Edwards challenges the myth that we are only supposed to feel one thing at a time. He introduces the concept of emotional complexity; the science-backed ability to hold and experience multiple, even contrasting, emotions at once to build higher resilience and wellbeing. Declan breaks down his personal favourite "happiness cocktail," a specific blend of three emotions that move beyond surface-level "good vibes" to create a grounded, sustainable sense of thriving. In this episode, we explore: Emotional Paint Mixing: Why primary emotions like joy and sadness blend to create rich, complex states like nostalgia or bittersweetness. The Gratitude Foundation: Using gratitude to zoom out and recognise the "bigger picture" and the good that already exists in life. Healthy Pride vs. Arrogance: Why acknowledging your own agency and the role you played in your success is essential for earned happiness. The Secret Ingredient (Compersion): Learning to find genuine joy in other people's success as the radical antidote to jealousy. The Science of the Blend: How these three specific emotions open the heart, connect us to our agency, and expand joy beyond ourselves. Ready to move from passive listening to active practice? Use the resources below to start mixing this cocktail in your own life. Action Steps & Resources: Join the Happiness Blueprint: Access the 75 proven skills and our supportive community for as little as $50 AUD a month. https://www.buhappinesscollege.com/happiness-blueprint Enrol in a Short Course: Start with the basics and take the guesswork out of your growth at BU Happiness College. https://www.buhappinesscollege.com/certificate Share the Ripple: If this episode gave you a "pride point" or a new perspective, forward it to a friend to keep the ripple effect going. What is one thing you are genuinely proud of yourself for today?

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