The Relative Perspective

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The Relative Perspective

This podcast was born out of my pandemic experience and the belief that there is always something to learn by listening to someone else's story. My story isn't special, it's simply the case that in 2020/2021, I felt angry, frustrated, resentful, trapped and unheard so in an attempt to articulate and reconcile those feelings, I decided to share the impact of the pandemic on my life and health via a podcast. Fast forward to 2024 and 2 seasons of 'processing' later, it's time for a new topic of conversation and, with the world as it is now, I can think of no better focus than 'Happiness'.

  1. JAN 31

    The Relative Perspective - Season 3 - Hygge and Hibernation

    Happy New Year - but not a new season. I’m back to finish season 3 of The Relative Perspective which means I’m still on my hunt for happiness.   This episode is about the concept of Hygge which is the feeling of contentment, togetherness, safety, and warmth.  A concept not about having stuff, but rather, having connections and experiencing a sense of peace and coziness. It sounds great doesn’t it. Especially this time of year - Hygge and hibernation are the order of the day.  But how do we achieve it?   To answer this question, I’m going to be sharing the best bits of Meik Weiking’s beautiful work, ‘The Little Book of hygge’.

    16 min

  2. 08/31/2024

    The Relative Perspective - Season 3 - My Hygge Home

    This month's episode is an acknowledgement and celebration of me buying a house. I promise it's not that self indulgent! Rather, as I move in, decorate, and settle into living alone again, I wanted to explore the question 'what makes a house a home?' and also look at whether our homes impact our happiness. To that end, I read (and listened to) Meik Wiking's book 'My Hygge Home' and I want to share some of my favourite takeaways from his research and analysis. It's an amazing, beautiful and informative book and I feel like I have more hygge just by it being in the house.

    54 min

  3. 07/31/2024

    The Relative Perspective - Season 3 - How to get into the habit of being happy

    July has been another busy month, but not just the usual daily grind, this month I bought a house.  I bought my first house.  It’s been very overwhelming and there is a lot to do and I’ve not always approached the difficulties with optimism or managed the stress with a smile.  In short, I haven’t really deployed the tips and tricks I’ve been sharing with you over the last 7 months in my own life - very pot calling kettle black. But that’s the thing about happiness; we can’t be happy all the time, and when we do, it is the result of consistency, of effort, of living with purpose and within our values. That’s where Gill Hasson’s book ‘Happiness How to get into the habit of being happy’ comes in.  Gill suggests ways we can make happiness a habit and an everyday part of life.   I loved this book and I really think you should read or listen to it.  In the meantime, I’ve done a very short summary for you in this episode and picked out my favourite parts/habits which I hope help you on your hunt for happiness in the short, medium and long term.

    24 min

  4. 06/30/2024

    The Relative Perspective - Season 3 - Happiness by Design

    Welcome back to another episode of The Relative Perspective. The research I have done to date (in season 3) shows that relationships are the key to happiness; the quantity and quality of those relationships is critical to our wellbeing.   However, my relationships (with friends) are changing for various reasons as we all move through life.  I’m not in a romantic relationship and I don’t feel like I have a tribe.  To that end, I worry that happiness is out of my reach.  In other words, how can I be happy if I don’t have relationships? That’s where Paul Dolan’s book comes in; Happiness by Design.  Dolan sets out the school of thought that in order to be happy, we must do things that bring us pleasure and purpose and allocate our time and attention to those activities.   I also share Dr Arlene Unger’s book ‘Happy’ in this episode because compliment’s Dolan’s work in so many ways. I especially enjoyed her practical tips to train your mind towards a more joyful outlook on life. As such, I end this episode by sharing with you three of her fifty happiness habits to help you build happiness into your day and your life.

    23 min

  5. 04/30/2024

    The Relative Perspective - Season 3 - The Joy of Small Things

    I'm back to talk about another book I've read about happiness. This month's episode is based on 'The Joy of Small Things' by Hannah Parkinson.  It's an easy read filled with all those little details that we encounter on a daily basis but rarely put into words. In a world where the news is bleak, our time is precious and our money is being stretched, it's reassuring to know that we don't have to go far or look hard for pockets of happiness all around us. It is important for us to remember that, even when it doesn't seem like it, there is happiness to be found in our lives right now. We should take the time to enjoy what we have and Hannah Parkinson offers 109 suggestions for just that.

    21 min

  6. 03/31/2024

    The Relative Perspective - Season 3 - The role of economics and philosophy in happiness

    This month’s (short and sweet) episode is based on the book titled ‘Happiness: Lessons from a new science’ by Richard Layard.  This book opened my eyes to the role of economics and philosophy in the pursuit of happiness.  It wasn’t the easiest of reads and I did a lot of extra research and reading on both the author and the concepts which he champions in his book.  In doing so, but I hope you feel like you get an understanding of what collective wellbeing is and why other people’s happiness is more important that your own and why, if we want to be happy, we should all be striving towards making as many people happy as possible.

    25 min

  7. 02/26/2024

    The Relative Perspective - Season 3 - How to be sad in February

    I’m early with this month’s episode to the point that I think I’ve forgotten something.  The fact that the episode is less than 40 minutes in length is also worrying.   I say that because I’m just not sure 40 minutes does this book, or this topic justice. That aside, this month I read ‘How to be Sad’ by Helen Russell, well I listened to it (twice) on audiobook. This is a book about sadness, specifically the importance of being sad. Helen explores how staring into sadness allows us to address negative emotions and feel them in a more managed way so that we are not consumed by sadness, but comforted and motivated by it.  Helen writes that there are ways to be good-sad and by addressing sadness and finding a way through it, we are happier for it. To that end, this podcast is a summary of Helen’s book with some of my experiences and feelings thrown in for good measure (in and outside the context of covid).  The episode concludes with ways to be sad and tools which will help you through your sadness.   Whilst I am not an advocate of wallowing, I recognise that the lows in life give you perspective when it comes to the highs of happiness so I hope this episode encourages you to take steps to face your feelings and share your sadness in your own personal hunt for happiness. Please note, that despite the title, you can be sad in all other months and not just February. https://www.helenrussell.co.ukhttps://www.helenrussell.co.uk

    39 min
  8. The Relative Perspective - Season 3 - Hunting for Happiness in January

    01/31/2024

    The Relative Perspective - Season 3 - Hunting for Happiness in January

    Welcome back to The Relative Perspective and a belated Happy New Year! This episode is short and sweet and seeks to introduce this year's theme of 'HAPPINESS'. All the episodes this season will explore the science behind and the topic of happiness through a blend of book reviews, on location recordings, conversations and experiences (you name it, I'll try it). My aim and hope is to learn about what makes people (and me) happy so that I can make better choices about how I should invest my time and money (i.e. doing things that bring me joy). I'm going to share my findings with you and encourage you to make little changes that can have a huge impact on your happiness and in turn, your health.

    18 min
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About

This podcast was born out of my pandemic experience and the belief that there is always something to learn by listening to someone else's story. My story isn't special, it's simply the case that in 2020/2021, I felt angry, frustrated, resentful, trapped and unheard so in an attempt to articulate and reconcile those feelings, I decided to share the impact of the pandemic on my life and health via a podcast. Fast forward to 2024 and 2 seasons of 'processing' later, it's time for a new topic of conversation and, with the world as it is now, I can think of no better focus than 'Happiness'.

Information

  • Creator
    therelativeperspectivepodcast
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2025
  • Episodes
    28
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © therelativeperspectivepodcast
  • Show Website
    The Relative Perspective

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