Moxiecast

If you ever find yourself saying, "I'll be happy when...then fill in the blank," today's episode is for you. I'm joined today by the "Happyologist," Susanna Halonen. Have a guess at what percentage of your happiness is predicted by your circumstances. I said 50 per cent, and Susanna set me straight (tune in to find out). Some show highlights include: Thinking of happiness as a muscle How to build your resilience and intuition How Susanna knew her happiness was at stake (and couldn't go through with her wedding) Learn about the famous Finnish 'Sisu' How to give happiness-inducing hugs (there's a science to it) If you're in need of an inspiring and uplifting conversation today - and want to learn some practices for cultivating more happiness in your life - join us. You might just find the corners of your mouth lifting.   Links and Resources Susanna Halonen’s Website Happiness Is Here: A 30-Day Guide to Joy and Fulfilment by Susanna Halonen Screw Finding Your Passion by Susanna Halonen Susanna Halonen on Inst

If you've ever grappled with the angst-producing question, "Is this all there is?", today's episode is for you. We're connected 24-7, yet we crave intimacy and true connection in our bellies. Am I right? We've learned to value productivity (and accessibility) over the soul-satisfaction of doing work that makes us feel alive. If you're nodding "uh-huh," I've been there too. I feel you. The challenge of asking 'Is this all there is?' is the icky feeling of ingratitude. We have SO much - an embarrassment of riches, really. It's almost shameful to feel empty. So how can we bring more purpose and joy into our lives? Many of us want more, but we can't (or don't want to) uproot our lives, grow a beard and move to the Himalayas. If that happens to be your thing, bon voyage! Send us a postcard, superstar! If that's not your shtick, what are some other options? Enter Jeff. Jeff Harmon is founder and head coach at Brilliance Within Coaching and Consulting. He shares on how to infuse your daily life with more feel-good.

Hands up if you've ever experienced a forehead-meets-keyboard moment late in the afternoon before necking back another coffee or Diet Coke? Or maybe you haven't eaten since breakfast - unless you count the biscuits in the 2pm meeting, or the breath mint you had in the taxi heading home. Living like this, it's easy to role play any (or all) of the seven dysfunctional dwarves: Cranky, Listless, Angry, Twitchy, Shaky, Sleepless and the long-named one: About-to-Effing-Lose-it. In the last episode of Moxiecast, we talked food mindset with Daniel Thomas Hind. Today we get really practical with Rhiannon Lambert, a Harley Street nutritionist specialising in weight management, eating disorders, and sport's nutrition. She's also the author of Re-Nourish: A Simple Way To Eat Well.  I've created a laser session (under 25 min) to help you get some tips that you can action right away. Food affects your mood, people! Even if your lifestyle isn't high-octane and your diet is pretty good, there's still plenty of goodies in th

"I know what it’s like to stand in front of a fridge and just eat and eat and eat. It's like you have no choice, you’re almost possessed.” Meet Daniel Thomas Hind, founder of EvolutionEat, a transformational lifestyle coaching company that helps overwhelmed people revolutionize their relationship with food. As a formerly fat Italian kid, Daniel's got some experience here. Food was comfort growing up. Food was love. It was also an antidote to boredom, loneliness and stress. Nowadays Daniel works with high-profile clients who have a complex relationship with food - even if they don't know it. Many of his clients are busy, high achievers, people who used to run from meeting to meeting hopped up on coffee. These are people who couldn't see a way of creating space to nourish themselves properly. They used to skip meals, too busy to eat. Then they would crash because they were running on empty, on fumes of sleep and caffeine. Where's my next espresso-hit (or family-sized chocolate bar) to get me through my next mee

Have you ever thought about over-achieving as a form of distraction? Me either. Enter Giovanna Capozza, today's guest. Giovanna is a transformational coach, speaker and host of She Rises, a podcast which focuses on everything from business leadership to spirituality for high-achieving women. She's witty, wise and has the best eyebrows on the planet, but I digress... In today's conversation we unpack the compelling, almost impulsive need to be "nexting" - working on the next achievement, the next purchase, the next thing that will bring validation and a little hit of dopamine ("We are getting high like this," she says). Giovanna gets us thinking about how we might be numbing our uncomfortable tasks, truths or fears with haagen-dazs, Netflix and over-working. Some show highlights include: How to get clear if your overachieving is coming from an unhealthy place (and what to do if it is) Identifying your garden variety distractions. Social media? Chasing "display success"? Eating when you're not hungry? How to l

Today’s guest is Monica Day, a self-described “instigator.” The topic of discussion today is how to create more intentional eroticism in your life. We all want to be swept off our feet and experience animal passion, but we also crave safety and security. Monica is going to tell us how those two ideas aren’t at odds. We’ll also talk about how to have more and better sex as well as how to manage this if you tend to be a bit shy. You won’t want to miss today’s juicy episode! Some of the highlights of the show include: The paradox of passion: What it is and why it’s important to balance the domestic and the erotic parts of your personality. How to rekindle the spark when you’re juggling work, kids, house, and all of the other obligations that accompany adulthood. Why fairy-tale romance is damaging the way we as a society and as individuals approach sex. The importance of playfulness, curiosity and communication when it comes to building up our sexual lives. What you can do to focus more on sensuality and sensati

If you want to create a different outcome in your life and something is uncomfortable, how can you stay the course? It can be hard to persevere when you don’t know what will happen; it’s a disconcerting feeling and it can make you feel insecure. You can get past all of that and get past your uncertainty and discomfort! Today’s guest is Nathan Seaward, aka Nathan the Pilot. He used to fly commercial aircraft, his boyhood dream. At some point, he decided it wasn’t for him anymore. While leaving behind the career, paycheck and identity of being a pilot is what he wants to do, it has thrown him into a state of flux and uncertainty. We’re going to explore Nathan’s feelings and how you can apply the truths he’s learned to your own life. Some of the highlights of the show include: How Nathan achieved his boyhood dream of becoming a pilot and why he realized that commercial flying wasn’t, in fact, his dream. Also, Nathan talks about what he decided to do instead. How Nathan knew it was time to leave his job as a com

Have you dealt with a difficult past? Do you struggle with forgiveness? Today’s show is all about getting past these challenges. Today’s guest is Kelly Childress. Kelly is a healthcare mediator and an ordained minister. She helps people process grief and other strong emotions as they go through challenging times. Kelly grew up with an emotionally abusive, alcoholic father and suffered the rejection of her mother when she came out as gay. The underlying theme of Kelly’s story is courage and an unwavering commitment to authenticity. Kelly has a lot of insight to share, so settle back, relax, and enjoy. Here are some of the highlights of the show: What Kelly does as a healthcare mediator and as a board-certified chaplain. What Kelly has learned about what’s important in life by listening to the dying: Compassion, integrity, friends and family, and more. Why difficulties are an important part of life and how you can reframe your thinking to take get through challenging times. Thoughts on reducing stress by pract

Today we are talking to James G. Butler, a man trained as a superhuman. The Canadian Government spent more than a million dollars on his training. He is an Afghanistan veteran and was an elite military diver. His career was cut short after a catastrophic lung collapse while on a dive. In our conversation, we talk about picking up the pieces and reinventing ourselves. There is no better guide for this topic than James. Some of the highlights of the show include: How James has exemplified bravery for Mandy as he set up his business and became who he is now. He is also an incredible coach. James shares what his diving experience was like. It’s not normal for a human to be in isolation 100 feet below the surface. How Afghanistan was interspersed with naps and being on edge in a reactive state. There was heat and chaos and James was tested like never before. Developing the proper narrative to remind oneself of where you are going and what you are doing. The if then plan. Overwhelm is a choice and a strategy that

Are you prone to worry? Most of us are! Do you want to stop worrying? Who doesn’t? Today we’re going to be chatting with Gabrielle Treanor. She’s going to help us learn to worry less so we can thrive more. Gabrielle, a self-professed former champion worrier,  is a blogger and she conducts classes designed to help people to be happier and more fulfilled. Today we’ll learn some tips on how to use basic routines to anchor ourselves and feel better in our own lives. You will want to take some time to glean some great tips from Gabrielle on this episode. Some of the highlights of the show include: What thriving means to Gabrielle and how she defines three different levels of worrying, from healthy worry to life-altering anxiety. Gabrielle’s personal experience with going from being a person with high levels of anxiety to one who is able to handle worry in a healthy way. Some practices that can help you reduce your worry-level, as well as the importance of being willing to try different things. Thoughts about medi

Today we are talking to Heidi Taylor, a sales coach who is also an introvert and a storytelling wizard. She crafts her own stories so compellingly that her readers or viewers can really get her. As part of her business, she teaches others how to craft and tell their own stories. If you’re wondering how to tell your own story, you’ll want to settle down and enjoy our conversation.  Some of the highlights of the show include:  How Heidi’s appearance, specifically her hair, helps her gain confidence while expressing herself. How Heidi came to clarity about telling her own story, beginning with the loss of her income from her business during the economic crash. Heidi’s thoughts on her failures and how they have impacted not only her life, but also her storytelling. How Heidi helps others tell their stories, including resources that she uses to draw out someone’s strengths and how others perceive them. A question that you should ask some of your friendly acquaintances so you can see how others receive you. This w

Porridge with berries for breakfast. Steamed veg with brown rice for lunch. Pint of Oreo ice cream before bed, with a bag of Doritos on the side, washed down with Prosecco. We laugh. Knowing laugher, perhaps. This episode is not about eating more greens, or drinking less bubbly (at least not directly). It's about willpower and habit formation when it comes to self-care. We know, more or less, what we need to do to feel nourished and vibrant and strong. But when we get busy - and we always get busy - all those energy and humour-sustaining practices vanish faster than a pizza in front of my teenaged son. We crash, and then, little by little, rejuvenate ourselves with those very self-care practices that kept us going in the first place. Sound familiar? People who are winning at life don't roll this way. Instead, they place self-care firmly in the centre of their lives. It's non-negotiable. They make large, regular deposits into their energy bank, and by doing this, they anticipate those stressful times that thro

f you’ve ever hidden in a loo cubicle at work to collect your thoughts, this episode is for YOU. Maybe you feel constantly overwhelmed and fried. No wonder. Apparently, we switch between 37 different tasks every hour. Maybe your mobile phone is the first thing you kiss in the morning. It's your companion at meals. It's even in bed with you. Being constantly accessible isn't making any of us more productive, even as technology advances. In fact, productivity trailed off six years ago, in spite of all the snazzy new gizmos and applications. If you recognise the madness of hyper-connectivity and overwhelm in your own life (but can't quit and move to a meditation retreat in Bali), don't worry, there's still hope. My guest today is Colette Heneghan. Colette was a successful account manager for a global telecoms company that helped to introduce the Blackberry - and the joys of being accessible 24-7 - to our lives way back when. She'd grab a sandwich on the hoof; or be glued to her desk till her legs felt cold and d

What does it mean to be brave? Is it about having bullet-proof confidence, or smug certainty? If so, I've been doing it wrong all my life. Reflecting on the times when I've been brave, I can't recall a single episode where I've felt bullet-proof or certain. The time I moved countries to attend grad school? I was terrified. For months, I had major imposter syndrome. The time I left my marriage? (...because, to paraphrase Cheryl Strayed, I realised I didn't love him hard enough or true enough or big enough or right). Was it the brave and right thing to do? Absolutely. Was I scared and uncertain? You bet. The time I left a well-paid, but soul-destroying career to start my own business? I was totally wracked with self-doubt. And yes, it turned out to be the bravest, best career choice ever. But still, I felt more weenie than winner at the time. I've learned one thing about bravery: Being brave doesn't mean you're not terrified. It's being terrified and proceeding anyway, in spite of the fear and uncertainty. And

Anxiety. It's part of our daily lives. Maybe you're up at 3am, tired but wired, stressing about your to-do list. Or maybe you've spent all week worrying about your big presentation, scared of flubbing it up. Or perhaps you're micromanaging your kids' choices, big and small, lest they screw up and fail. It could even be small, seemingly innocuous stuff - swiping through Instagram and seeing all those perfect abs and refrigerator contents, stocked full of edible flowers and other exotic garnishes. It can make us feel that our own comfy tummies and drab meals are kinda dull in comparison. So what can we do? I've got Chloe Brotheridge on the show today. She's a hypnotherapist, anxiety expert, and author of The Anxiety Solution: A Quieter Mind, a Calmer You. She has featured in Glamour, Women’s Health, Huffington Post, and elsewhere. Here's a few highlights from our conversation: Why you can get used to being on “high alert” (and why it can feel hard to relax) Chloe’s own experience with anxiety Tips on handling

Conflict. Shuddering at the very mention of the word? You're not alone. I recently asked my Daily Moxie readers to hit reply and tell me about their current challenges. I wanted to know what they were struggling with. What would they love support on? Conflict came up time and again. That got me thinking about how I could astonish you guys with useful information. I thought, why not do some episodes with TWO coaches to support you on your dilemmas. That's how this episode was born. And I knew just the person to help. Enter Varian Brandon. For those of you who don't know Varian yet, she’s an inspirational speaker, business coach and mentor. Aside from cooking a mean mac & cheese, she's also known for her bold, big-hearted wisdom, and for saying it like it is, with grace and tact and intelligence. Today's episode is for YOU if you're wondering how to handle conflict, and a few other juicy topics including: How to manage your expectations when you're running your own business (and life intervenes) How to han

I was really hoping that there was going to be a neat, tidy system for getting more comfortable in our own skin, something Marie Kondo-ish: throw this bit out, compartmentalise that, and Ta-Da! Spoiler alert: there is no system. Ok, so I had actually figured that out on my own, but I thought wild artist, intuitive life & business coach, and magical unicorn, Allison Crow, might, just might, have a system.  It was worth a shot, right? I don't know anyone more comfortable in their own skin than Allison - except maybe my nine-year-0ld daughter, who just took a series of selfies on my iPhone, dancing on the kitchen table (that's my girl).  I asked Allison to talk about her metaphorical striptease - her journey of shedding layer after layer of perfectionitis, and being led by how she was "supposed to" look, work and live in the world. I came to our conversation with so many questions:  How did you let go of all the performing and the pretending?  How did you just surrender all the BS and be yourself?  And how d

People pleasing: Why do we do it? How do we stop it? When we focus on pleasing others as a way of life, we can attract “takers” and have wrong motivations for our actions. People-pleasing has become somewhat of an epidemic, and its ramifications can be long-reaching. If you’ve gotten into the cycle of having bad feelings while trying to make others happy, you might be a people-pleaser, and today’s episode is a must-listen!   Today’s guest, Jason Goldberg (better known to his friends as “JG”), is a transformational speaker, coach, trainer, and the best-selling author of Prison Break: Vanquish the Victim, Own Your Obstacles, and Lead Your Life. He’s also the founder of the Not-So-Serious University. He shares his insights on people-pleasing (and what you can do about it).   Some of the topics we’ll talk about today include:   Why we should examine our motivations for wanting to please others, and how we can discern whether we actually want to bring joy to someone else, or just get others to like us or v

It can be so difficult to balance achievement with self-care. When all of your focus is on your work and your goals, it’s easy to spiral into an unhealthy pattern of ignoring your own needs and denigrating yourself for needing to engage in some self-love. If you’re a chronic overachiever who feels stressed and burnt out, or if you want to prevent turning into this person, today’s show is for you! Coach, writer and well-being queen, Christine Livingston, is our guest today. We’re talking about how we can push ourselves to achieve while still operating from a place of self-love. We need to rest and have boundaries, and it’s so important to listen to that little voice telling you to engage in self-care while still getting important things done and reaching goals. Some of the topics you’ll hear about today include: How Christine has struggled with being an overachiever herself, and how she finally realized that her mindset was unhealthy and unsustainable. Tips on changing our relationships with ourselves: How to

Motivation: No matter what line of work you’re in, sometimes you have motivation and sometimes you just don’t. When you are feeling motivated, it’s easier to make decisions and do what needs to be done; when your mojo is running low, you can get distracted and lose your productivity.   Today’s guest is Mark McGuinness. He’s a coach, motivational expert, poet and author. He has written two books Motivation for Creative People and Resilience: Facing Down Rejection and Criticism on the Road to Success. In addition, his work has been featured in Vogue US, the Wall Street Journal and the Discovery Channel.    Today Mark talks to us about motivation and resilience. Some of the topics discussed include:   What motivation is and what it isn’t: Mark defines it as whatever gets you moving.  How to foster long-term motivation when the project or goal is not short-term.  How organization and sticking to a schedule can help keep you motivated.  How curiosity makes a big difference when it comes to motivation and fo