I Choose Happy With Marilyn

The Comfy
  • 5.0 (17)
  • Mental Health

We all carry something. In this soulful and deeply human podcast, Marilyn Getas Byrne holds heartfelt conversations with people who’ve lived through the unthinkable—and made their way back to joy. These are real stories of pain, healing, and what it truly means to choose happy.

  1. Sep 8

    Ep56: 25 Years After Flight 93: Jack Grandcolas on Losing His Wife, Lauren; and Carrying Her Love Forward

    On September 11th, 2001, Jack Grandcolas lost his wife, Lauren, aboard United Flight 93. What followed was a journey no one is ever prepared for. But before that day, Lauren was a woman who lived life wide open—full of curiosity, courage, and heart. And in this conversation, Jack brings us back to that life… while also sharing what it has meant to carry her memory forward. From grief and trauma to healing and perspective, Jack speaks with honesty about what it looks like to move forward without ever leaving love behind. This episode honors Lauren’s life, the courage of those aboard Flight 93, and the quiet strength it takes to keep living after loss. Jack shares more of his journey in his book, Like a River to the Sea. It's a powerful reflection on love, loss, and the enduring nature of the human spirit.__________ Connect with Marilyn and be a part of the conversation in the I Choose Happy private Facebook group. This is your safe space to share and be inspired — join today by clicking here.__________Find out more about Marilyn at marilyngetasbyrne.com__________ I Choose Happy is made possible by The Comfy, a Shark Tank sensation whose wearable blankets make life happier. Find out for yourself with 20% off your first order using the code ICHOOSEHAPPY at TheComfy.com

  2. Sep 1

    Ep55: The Music That Meant More: Johnny Irish on Survival, Sobriety & a Second Chance at Life

    John Borland, better known by his stage name Johnny Irish, has spent his life surrounded by music, but a near-fatal car accident changed the way he understood what really mattered. Then, in an instant, everything shifted. As his car flipped and he became convinced he was going to die, John wasn’t thinking about fame or the next album. He was thinking about the people he loved, the family he hadn’t yet built, and the life he still wanted to live. Years later, sobriety became another defining turning point, deepening his relationship with music, strengthening his connection to others, and helping him rediscover happiness in a new way. In this episode of I Choose Happy, Marilyn talks with Johnny Irish about survival, sobriety, family, teaching, connection, and the music that has carried him through every chapter.__________Subscribe to Kaleidoscope in Motion for reflections on resilience, perspective, and finding light through life’s changes.__________ Connect with Marilyn and be a part of the conversation in the I Choose Happy private Facebook group. This is your safe space to share and be inspired — join today by clicking here.__________Find out more about Marilyn at marilyngetasbyrne.com__________ I Choose Happy is made possible by The Comfy, a Shark Tank sensation whose wearable blankets make life happier. Find out for yourself with 20% off your first order using the code ICHOOSEHAPPY at TheComfy.com

  3. Aug 25

    Ep54: Raising Strong-Minded Kids In A Screen-Obsessed World With Diane Provo

    In an age of constant scrolling, comparison, and FOMO, today’s kids are under pressures that previous generations never faced. In this episode of I Choose Happy, Marilyn Getas Byrne sits down with child development specialist Diane Provo, who has spent decades helping families navigate the emotional challenges of modern childhood. Together they explore the hidden cost of social media on self-worth, why “keeping up” is eroding confidence, and how parents can re-center around what really matters. Diane offers practical ways to build resilient kids through humor, perspective, and authentic connection—plus simple tools families can use to create calm and joy at home. This conversation is a must-listen for anyone raising children in a digital world — and a powerful reminder that happiness starts with staying true to yourself. ------Connect with Marilyn and be a part of the conversation in the I Choose Happy private Facebook group. This is your safe space to share and be inspired. Please join today by clicking here.------Find out more about Marilyn at marilyngetasbyrne.com.------I Choose Happy is made possible by The Comfy, a Shark Tank sensation whose wearable blankets make life happier. Find out for yourself with 20% off your first order with the code ichoosehappy at TheComfy.com.

  4. Aug 18

    Ep53: I Choose Life: Grief, Grace, And A Grand Canyon Misadventure

    After a devastating accident in the Grand Canyon takes the life of a child, Margot Baker’s world is shattered. What follows is a harrowing journey through grief, survivor's guilt, and the tragic loss of her best friend. But in the silence of her home—and later, in the stillness of the Canyon—Margot hears a whisper that will change her life forever. This is a story about choosing life when everything in you wants to give up. It’s about rivers, rituals, and remembering who you are. And it’s a story we’ll never forget.------Connect with Marilyn and be a part of the conversation in the I Choose Happy private Facebook group. This is your safe space to share and be inspired. Please join today by clicking here.------Find out more about Marilyn at marilyngetasbyrne.com.------I Choose Happy is made possible by The Comfy, a Shark Tank sensation whose wearable blankets make life happier. Find out for yourself with 20% off your first order with the code ichoosehappy at TheComfy.com.

  5. Aug 11

    Ep52: The View From the Edge: What Harry Parker Learned About Life Through Facing Death

    Harry Parker has spent more than three decades at the edge: jumping from airplanes and cliffs, traveling the world as a photographer, and finding family in the close-knit communities of skydiving and BASE jumping. But a life spent confronting fear also brought Harry face-to-face with loss. After a devastating period in which many friends in the BASE jumping community died, Harry found himself helping create memorials for the people left behind. That work eventually led him to Project Recover, where he helped locate, document, and bring home American service members missing since World War II; an experience he describes as one of the pinnacles of his life. In this conversation with Marilyn, Harry shares what a lifetime spent close to death has taught him about actually living: moving through fear, making space for grief, choosing presence, nurturing the relationships that matter, and learning to practice happiness while we’re still here. Today, Harry continues that work through conservation and community as a leader with Surfrider Monterey and co-creator of SkyFamily, an emerging nonprofit supporting the skydiving and BASE communities through loss, remembrance, and healing. He has also trained as a death doula, an experience that deepened his relationship with mortality and gave him a new way of looking at the life still ahead of him. Because after all the jumps, risks, losses, and extraordinary adventures, Harry has come to believe that happiness isn’t simply something we find. It’s something we practice. Learn more about Harry Parker and his work: Harry Parker: https://harryparkerphotography.com/ Substack: @hparkerphoto Follow Harry on Instagram: @hparkerphotoSurfrider Foundation Monterey Chapter & Blue Water Task Force: Learn more about Harry’s work with Surfrider Monterey__________ Connect with Marilyn and be a part of the conversation in the I Choose Happy private Facebook group. This is your safe space to share and be inspired — join today by clicking here.__________Find out more about Marilyn at marilyngetasbyrne.com__________ I Choose Happy is made possible by The Comfy, a Shark Tank sensation whose wearable blankets make life happier. Find out for yourself with 20% off your first order using the code ICHOOSEHAPPY at TheComfy.com

  6. Aug 4

    Ep51: Eternal Life, Not Eternal Legs: A Colonel’s Story of Bravery, Grit, and the Power of Perspective

    In honor of Purple Heart Day, we're honored to share this conversation with Colonel Timothy Karcher once again. His story is a powerful reminder of the courage, sacrifice, and resilience of those who have been wounded in service to our country. In 2009, Colonel Timothy Karcher's vehicle struck a roadside bomb in Baghdad. The explosion took both of his legs and forever changed the course of his life. What followed was a journey through pain, perseverance, and perspective—one that revealed the power of humor, leadership, and the will to keep moving forward. As we recognize Purple Heart Day, we honor Colonel Karcher's extraordinary story and the countless service members whose sacrifices continue to inspire us.__________ Connect with Marilyn and be a part of the conversation in the I Choose Happy private Facebook group. This is your safe space to share and be inspired — join today by clicking here.__________ Find out more about Marilyn at marilyngetasbyrne.com__________ I Choose Happy is made possible by The Comfy, a Shark Tank sensation whose wearable blankets make life happier. Find out for yourself with 20% off your first order using the code ICHOSEHAPPY at TheComfy.com.

  7. Jul 28

    Ep50: Turning Survival Into Service: Finding Strength Through Two Cancer Journeys with Julie Rosenau

    When Julie Rosenau was diagnosed with breast cancer at 38, she never imagined that her greatest challenge was still ahead. Just a few years later, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, her four-year-old son, Ellis, was diagnosed with leukemia. In this powerful conversation, Marilyn and Julie explore what it means to face the unimaginable—not once, but twice. Julie shares the fear, grief, resilience, and hard-earned wisdom that carried her family through both cancer journeys, and how those experiences inspired her to create Parent Strong, a program supporting caregivers of children with cancer. Together, they discuss survivorship, motherhood, advocacy, learning to receive help, and the profound truth that healing doesn't end when treatment does. This is a moving conversation about choosing hope, finding purpose in pain, and discovering strength you never knew you had. Support Julie's efforts for Blood Cancer United by clicking here.To reach out to Julie about Parent Strong, send her an email at Julie.ParentStrong@gmail.com.__________ Connect with Marilyn and be a part of the conversation in the I Choose Happy private Facebook group. This is your safe space to share and be inspired — join today by clicking here.__________Find out more about Marilyn at marilyngetasbyrne.com__________ I Choose Happy is made possible by The Comfy, a Shark Tank sensation whose wearable blankets make life happier. Find out for yourself with 20% off your first order using the code ICHOOSEHAPPY at TheComfy.com

  8. Jul 21

    Ep49: The Mindset Behind the NFL Dream: A Conversation with Carolina Panthers Quarterback Haynes King

    When life doesn't go according to plan, how do you respond? This week, Marilyn sits down with Carolina Panthers quarterback Haynes King for a conversation about resilience, faith, and the mindset that carried him through injury, setbacks, and the pressure of competing at the highest levels of football. From growing up in Longview, Texas, to playing quarterback at Texas A&M and Georgia Tech before beginning his NFL career, Haynes shares why staying present, trusting the process, and surrounding yourself with the right people can change everything. This episode is a reminder that while we can't always control what happens to us, we can always choose our response.__________ Connect with Marilyn and be a part of the conversation in the I Choose Happy private Facebook group. This is your safe space to share and be inspired — join today by clicking here.__________Find out more about Marilyn at marilyngetasbyrne.com__________ I Choose Happy is made possible by The Comfy, a Shark Tank sensation whose wearable blankets make life happier. Find out for yourself with 20% off your first order using the code ICHOOSEHAPPY at TheComfy.com

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
17 Ratings

About

We all carry something. In this soulful and deeply human podcast, Marilyn Getas Byrne holds heartfelt conversations with people who’ve lived through the unthinkable—and made their way back to joy. These are real stories of pain, healing, and what it truly means to choose happy.

Information

  • Creator
    The Comfy
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    53
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Comfy

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