Live Happy Now

For Week 2 of the Live Happy Summer Reading Program, award‑winning journalist and author Donna Jackson Nakazawa sits down with host Paula Felps to discuss her groundbreaking new book, Mind Drama: The Science of Rumination and How to Outwit Your Inner Defeatist. Donna explains that rumination is an evolution‑wired survival response that has gone rogue in modern life, trapping us in negative “mental movie reels” fueled by the brain’s default mode network. Using neuroscience, personal insight, and research‑backed tools, she shares how we can transform rumination into clarity, creativity, and a renewed sense of belonging.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

Why rumination happens and how the brain creates vivid “movie reels” of old stories, future fears, and intense emotional and physical reactions.

How the MIST framework works — and how to use it to interrupt rumination and reduce stress chemistry.

How to turn rumination into insight, using neuroscience‑based strategies that help you rewrite outdated beliefs, reclaim your voice, and use your mental energy for more meaningful, joyful pursuits.

This week on Live Happy Now, we launch our Summer Reading Program with Jodi Wellman, whose book You Only Die Once: How to Make It to the End with No Regrets invites us to rethink how we spend our days and start living with fewer regrets. Jodi joins host Paula Felps to explain how embracing the reality of our limited time can actually make life feel richer, more vibrant, and more meaningful. Drawing from personal experience, positive psychology research, and her signature humor, she explains why we’re so prone to postponing our lives — and how small, intentional choices can help us feel more “astonishingly alive” every day.

In this episode, you'll learn:

Why the concept of memento mori can be a powerful motivator for living more fully.

How Jodi’s personal wake‑up call shaped her mission to help others stop postponing their lives.

Simple, accessible ways to feel more alive — without a dramatic life overhaul.

Summer is here, and so is our very first Live Happy Summer Reading Program. In this episode, Live Happy Now Host Paula teams up with Senior Happiness Editor Chris Libby to unveil six weeks of books designed to inspire, uplift, and spark real‑world joy. From science‑backed guides to deeply personal memoirs, they walk through each pick, explain why it made the cut, and tell you how to join the fun.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

How the Live Happy Summer Reading Program works — and how to follow along each week

What’s on this year’s reading list and why these books were chosen

The new book‑lover goodies coming to Live Happy, including Shelf Care and Shelf Care for Kids

This week on Live Happy Now, host Paula Felps sits down with Dr. Sherry Hamby, a leading researcher on trauma and resilience and author of Stronger Than You Think: Building Lifelong Resilience. Drawing from more than three decades of studying violence, healing, and human strengths, Dr. Hamby explains why our biggest misconception about trauma recovery is believing we must “push through” alone — and why resilience is not a trait but a multidimensional journey. She introduces her four-part resilience portfolio, shows how nature and supportive relationships can accelerate healing, and shares why even those with heavy trauma histories can still move toward thriving.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

Why resilience isn’t about toughness but about building a diverse portfolio of strengths.

The four domains that shape your resilience — and how to use the ones you already have.

How nature, meaning-making, and connection can support healing just as powerfully as regulation strategies.

In a world where fake news and misinformation is rampant, what role does honestly play? This week, Wake Forest philosopher Christian B. Miller dives into the ideas behind his new book The Honesty Crisis, revealing why honesty is far more complex — and essential — than simply telling the truth. In this thoughtful conversation with host Paula Felps, Christian explores why honesty feels harder in today’s world and what’s at stake for our relationships, our well-being, and our society when we abandon it.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

Why honesty means more than just telling the truth.

How modern technology makes dishonesty easier, more tempting, and harder to detect — especially in classrooms and workplaces.

How honesty supports trust, reduces stress, and allows for genuine connection.