Nine to Thrive: The Well-Being Podcast

Julie Fischer

Welcome to Nine to Thrive: The Well-Being Podcast, where we explore what it means to thrive and flourish in this complex world we are living in.. Join Julie Fischer, Positive Psychology Practitioner, Coach and Well-Being Advocate for meaningful and lively conversations with experts, thought leaders, authors, business leaders and more. We dive into the “un-well-being crisis” we are experiencing as a collective, and share tools and strategies that foster increased mental, emotional, physical, spiritual and financial well-being. Ready to connect with a community of people who strive to thrive? Tune in every other week for inspiration, insight and maybe what feels like a nudge from a friend to keep moving, keep uncovering and keep transforming yourself, your life and your sense of well-being.

  1. 4D AGO

    The Story You're Living In — How Our Beliefs Create Our Experience

    In this solo episode, Julie explores one of the most transformative ideas in positive psychology and in our ability to thrive: that our beliefs don't just reflect reality — they create it. Drawing on her own personal story about inherited beliefs around rest and worth, she walks listeners through the science of how beliefs wire the brain, and shares a simple four-step inquiry practice for identifying, questioning, and transforming limiting beliefs into ones that actually serve the life you want to build, based on Bryon Katie’s ‘The Work”. Practice for the Week: Take one belief you're carrying — especially one you inherited rather than consciously chose. Write it down. Take it through the four steps: name it, question it, feel what it costs you, and find the turnaround. Start with one story.  See what happens when you hold it up to the light. Our stories are not facts. And when you change the story you're living in, you change the life you're living. You move from surviving to thriving. Thrivers, you are the author. The pen is in your hand. Here is the link to Byron Katie’s “The Work”   Thank you for listening. We are so happy you found us. If you enjoyed today’s episode, follow Nine to Thrive: The Well-Being Podcast so our new episodes are automatically delivered to your favorite podcast feed, and please share it with  friends! Reviews and ratings matter 3  We would be so grateful if you left a 5 star rating and a few words about what you liked (or loved) about this episode.   Want more tools and strategies for thriving and flourishing?  -Check out Julie’s website and subscribe to her monthly newsletter here. Follow Julie on Instagram or LinkedIn for more daily thoughts and reflections on what it means to thrive and flourish in our complex world.

    16 min

  2. FEB 17

    Pathways for Peace in Challenging Times with Diane Dreher, PhD

    We're living through a period of profound disconnection—from ourselves, from each other, and from any sense of peace. The pandemic, technology, political division, and the World Health Organization's reported rises in anxiety and depression have left many of us feeling fragmented and alone. AND there is a pathway forward. In this episode, Julie sits down with Dr. Diane Dreher, positive psychology researcher, coach, and author of Pathways to Inner Peace, to explore nine powerful pathways drawn from centuries of spiritual tradition and validated by modern science that can help us restore connection, peace, and hope. From mindful presence and community to joy and intuition, Diane offers practical wisdom for navigating these challenging times with resilience and active hope. KEY TAKEAWAYS We've substituted convenience for community: COVID, social media, and digital delivery have broken many of our circles of connection—neighborhood stores, religious communities, face-to-face gatherings—leaving us more isolated despite being more "connected" than ever. Chronic stress keeps us stuck in fight-or-flight: When we're constantly in survival mode, we react instead of respond. Learning to pause, breathe, and shift from the amygdala to presence is essential for problem-solving and connection. 50% of our time is spent doing one thing and thinking about something else: Mindful presence—simply being here now—is the foundation for all other pathways. Start with three deep breaths and one-pointed attention. Micro-moments of connectivity matter: A wave to a neighbor, a kind word to a grocery clerk, or eye contact with a stranger activates our immune system, relieves stress, and creates positive ripple effects in our communities. The nine pathways to inner peace are: Mindful presence, nature, community, meditation, kindness, purpose, intuition, the arts, and joy—all interconnected and reinforcing each other. Joy is an act of resistance: We can acknowledge challenge while choosing joy. Community is essential to individual well-being: We're wired for belonging. Whether it's a book club, meditation group, spiritual community, or study group, connection with others makes us happier, healthier, and helps us thrive. Start with presence: If the nine pathways feel overwhelming, begin with mindful presence. Pause, breathe, and notice beauty around you. Presence opens the door to everything else.   YOUR PRACTICE THIS WEEK Choose ONE pathway from this episode and commit to incorporating it into your life this week. Remember: small changes can have a huge impact. Start with presence, gratitude, or one kind greeting to a stranger.   Thank you for listening. We are so happy you found us. If you enjoyed today’s episode, follow Nine to Thrive: The Well-Being Podcast so our new episodes are automatically delivered to your favorite podcast feed, and please share it with  friends! Reviews and ratings matter 3  We would be so grateful if you left a 5 star rating and a few words about what you liked (or loved) about this episode.   Want more tools and strategies for thriving and flourishing?  -Check out Julie’s website and subscribe to her monthly newsletter here. Follow Julie on Instagram or LinkedIn for more daily thoughts and reflections on what it means to thrive and flourish in our complex world.   About Diane: Diane Dreher, PhD, PCC, is a positive psychology researcher, coach, professor, and  author of eight books including the best-selling Tao of Inner Peace, and her new book, Pathways to Inner Peace. A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of California, Riverside, Diane has a PhD in Renaissance English literature from UCLA, and a master’s degree in counseling from Santa Clara University. She is a regular blogger for PsychologyToday.com, professor emeritus and associate director of the Applied Spirituality Institute at Santa Clara University, and senior research advisor/lecturer for the Positive Psychology Guild in the United Kingdom.   Where to find Diane: https://www.dianedreher.com/   https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/your-personal-renaissance     https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianedreher/  Purchase her book Pathways to Inner Peace

    53 min

  3. FEB 3

    Getting Off the Hedonic Treadmill

    Ever feel like you're constantly chasing the next achievement, the next milestone, the next thing—thinking that “happiness” lives there?  Like most of us at some time or another, you are on the hedonic treadmill. If you have ever felt like you are on this treadmill, this episode is for you. We explore why we adapt so quickly to the good things in our lives and how our culture keeps us “running in place”. More importantly, we dive into the science-backed strategies that can help you step off the treadmill and cultivate lasting, sustainable well-being. From gratitude and savoring to meaning and connection, discover how to shift from chasing happiness to actually thriving. KEY TAKEAWAYS The hedonic treadmill is real: Research shows we quickly adapt to both positive and negative life events, returning to our baseline happiness—which keeps us chasing the next thing. 40% is within your control: While 50% of happiness is genetic and 10% is circumstances, a full 40% is determined by your intentional activities and choices. Shift from hedonic to eudaimonic well-being: Instead of chasing fleeting pleasure, focus on meaning, purpose, growth, and connection for more sustainable satisfaction. PERMA-V is your blueprint: Positive emotions, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, Accomplishment, and Vitality are the building blocks of flourishing. Six practical strategies: Practice gratitude, savor the good, prioritize experiences over things, cultivate relationships, find meaning and purpose, and practice mindfulness. Reframe your relationship with "more": It's not about stopping growth—it's about wanting more while knowing you're already enough. YOUR PRACTICE THIS WEEK: Choose one strategy from this episode and commit to it for seven days. Notice what shifts. Thank you for listening. We are so happy you found us. If you enjoyed today’s episode, follow Nine to Thrive: The Well-Being Podcast so our new episodes are automatically delivered to your favorite podcast feed, and please share it with  friends! Reviews and ratings matter 3  We would be so grateful if you left a 5 star rating and a few words about what you liked (or loved) about this episode.   Want more tools and strategies for thriving and flourishing?  -Check out Julie’s website and subscribe to her monthly newsletter here. Follow Julie on Instagram or LinkedIn for more daily thoughts and reflections on what it means to thrive and flourish in our complex world.

    29 min

  4. JAN 20

    Writing Better Stories for Ourselves

    What if you approached your own life with the same strategy and intention as a major global exec or a brand launching a major campaign? In this conversation, Julie will sit down with reputation strategist and communications advisor Kate Haranis to explore how the principles of PR can be powerful tools for personal transformation.   Kate will share why narrative matters not just in business, but in how we show up for ourselves. Together, they'll unpack how to identify the old scripts holding you back, reframe your story with clarity and compassion, and activate the kind of visibility that feels authentic, not performative.   Whether you're in a career pivot, navigating burnout, or simply craving more alignment, this episode will help you get intentional about the story you’re telling to yourself and those around you. Because it IS possible to be intentional and still stay true to yourself.   At the end of the episode, we make reference to Byron Katie’s “The Work”. Here is a link to her four powerful questions that help you to get curious about the stories you tell yourself.    Thank you for listening. We are so happy you found us. If you enjoyed today’s episode, follow Nine to Thrive: The Well-Being Podcast so our new episodes are automatically delivered to your favorite podcast feed, and please share it with  friends! Reviews and ratings matter 3  We would be so grateful if you left a 5 star rating and a few words about what you liked (or loved) about this episode.   Want more tools and strategies for thriving and flourishing?  -Check out Julie’s website and subscribe to her monthly newsletter here. Follow Julie on Instagram or LinkedIn for more daily thoughts and reflections on what it means to thrive and flourish in our complex world.   About Kate:   Kate Haranis is a reputation strategist and strategic communications advisor. As founder of Haranis & Company, she helps executive leaders and organizations—especially in technical and highly-regulated industries—build reputational capital and communicate more clearly.   Throughout a career spanning nonprofits, private agencies and the Fortune 500, Kate has led national media campaigns, developed high-impact content for C-suite leaders, and advised clients ranging from social impact startups to global health innovators.   Her expertise lies in understanding the intersection of what matters most to her clients and what matters most to their audiences, creating narratives that lead to action without pulling leaders away from the work in their zone of genius that only they can do.   Clients describe her as a “secret weapon" and say she "doesn't just help us sound better, she actually makes us better."   Kate also serves as chair of a Massachusetts state agency focused on preventing child abuse and is a recognized leader in civic advocacy and organizational leadership. At the heart of her work is a simple belief: everything is storytelling.   You can find out more about Kate here:  www.haranisandco.com,  www.linkedin.com/in/kateharanis

    53 min

  5. 12/16/2025

    Year-End Inventory & Your 2026 Plan for Thriving

    This is our final episode of 2025! We're taking a break over the holidays and will return mid-January with new episodes, guests, and conversations about thriving and flourishing. In this episode, Julie shares her year-end practice for 2025—a powerful framework for looking back with awareness, taking stock of where you are, and looking ahead with intention to create the 2026 you want. What You'll Explore: Movement 1: Looking Back - The Inventory Reflect on what surprised you, when you felt most alive, and what you learned about yourself. Dive deeper with an energy audit, values clarification, positivity portfolio, growth mindset inventory, and connection audit. Movement 2: Taking Stock - The Integration Bridge reflection and planning through hope mapping, meaning-making, completion and release, and identifying what has momentum. Movement 3: Looking Ahead - The Intention Envision your life for 2026, get curious, create your positivity plan, use Stop/Start/Continue, and set implementation intentions. Download the Free Worksheet: Your 2026 Positivity Plan based on Barbara Fredrickson's research on the positivity ratio for human flourishing.  Download HERE Be sure to make a COPY. Episode Tips: Grab a notebook—this episode is full of reflection prompts Take it one section at a time, maybe one per day This isn't about perfection—it's about awareness, intention, and attention Wishing you a happy, healthy holiday season filled with peace, love, joy, and all the things that help you thrive. See you in 2026!

    27 min

  6. 12/02/2025

    Bringing Hope to the Holiday Season

    For thousands of years, people have gathered during the darkest time of year to celebrate light, warmth, and the promise of renewal. Our winter holidays—whether Christmas, Hanukkah, Winter Solstice, or Kwanzaa—originated as acts of hope about what would be, not celebrations of what was.   In this episode, we're reclaiming that ancient tradition of hope for modern life. You'll discover what hope actually is (hint: it's not wishful thinking), why the holidays can deplete it so quickly, and most importantly, how to actively build it this season.   WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:   The three essential components of real hope Why the holidays challenge hope—from expectation overload to loss of agency How to create a "Holiday Hope Map" with concrete pathways forward Practical strategies for moving from obligation to intention this season How hope connects to every dimension of well-being and helps you thrive   KEY TAKEAWAY: Hope isn't something you wait for—it's something you build. This episode gives you the tools to stop surviving the holidays and start shaping an experience that actually nourishes you. Ready to bring more hope, less stress to your holiday season? Listen to this episode and discover how to harness hope in this season. Thank you for listening. We are so happy you found us. If you enjoyed today’s episode, follow Nine to Thrive: The Well-Being Podcast so our new episodes are automatically delivered to your favorite podcast feed, and please share it with  friends! Reviews and ratings matter 3  We would be so grateful if you left a 5 star rating and a few words about what you liked (or loved) about this episode.   Want more tools and strategies for thriving and flourishing?  -Check out Julie’s website and subscribe to her monthly newsletter here. Follow Julie on Instagram or LinkedIn for more daily thoughts and reflections on what it means to thrive and flourish in our complex world.

    17 min

  7. 11/18/2025

    Nine Practices for More Joy and Less Overwhelm this Holiday Season

    The holidays can feel like a tug-of-war between expectation and reality. In this episode, Julie is sharing nine evidence-based practices to help you approach the season with intention rather than obligation, and presence rather than perfection. These aren't more things to add to your overwhelm—they're permission slips to create a holiday season that actually brings you more joy, a greater sense of peace, and avenues for deeper and more meaningful connections.. The 9 Practices: Morning light ritual Subtraction over addition Boundary-setting as gift-giving Possibility thinking The healing power of nature Strategic empathy Savoring micro-moments Community through genuine listening Well-being as fuel, not finish line Your well-being isn't something that comes after the holidays are over, or after your work or caretaking is done. It's actually the FUEL that allows you to show up fully for the moments and people that matter most.   Thank you for listening. We are so happy you found us. If you enjoyed today’s episode, follow Nine to Thrive: The Well-Being Podcast so our new episodes are automatically delivered to your favorite podcast feed, and please share it with  friends! Reviews and ratings matter 3  We would be so grateful if you left a 5 star rating and a few words about what you liked (or loved) about this episode.   Want more tools and strategies for thriving and flourishing?  -Check out Julie’s website and subscribe to her monthly newsletter here. Follow Julie on Instagram or LinkedIn for more daily thoughts and reflections on what it means to thrive and flourish in our complex world.

    30 min

  8. 11/04/2025

    The Power of Subtraction - Less is More

    What if the path to your goals isn't about adding more—it's about subtracting what's in the way? As we approach the end of the year, most of us are thinking about what to ADD: more workouts, more meditation, more productivity. But research shows we have an "addition bias"—we instinctively solve problems by adding rather than removing, even when subtraction would be more effective. In this episode, we explore: Why we default to addition (and why subtraction feels like giving up) Four key areas worth subtracting: narratives, distractions, behaviors, and physical clutter The science behind why less actually helps you accomplish more Real examples of people who reached their goals through subtraction, not addition A simple practice to start subtracting this week Your brain has limited processing capacity. Every choice, notification, and commitment takes up mental bandwidth. When you remove the noise, what's essential becomes clear. This week's challenge: Identify ONE thing to subtract. Just one. Notice the space it creates and what emerges. Remember: The trees are about to show us how lovely it is to let go. Subtraction isn't about deprivation—it's about discernment. Sound interesting? Take a listen and then explore what subtraction might look like for you. Thank you for listening. We are so happy you found us. If you enjoyed today’s episode, follow Nine to Thrive: The Well-Being Podcast so our new episodes are automatically delivered to your favorite podcast feed, and please share it with  friends! Reviews and ratings matter 3  We would be so grateful if you left a 5 star rating and a few words about what you liked (or loved) about this episode.   Want more tools and strategies for thriving and flourishing?  -Check out Julie’s website and subscribe to her monthly newsletter here.

    17 min
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About

Welcome to Nine to Thrive: The Well-Being Podcast, where we explore what it means to thrive and flourish in this complex world we are living in.. Join Julie Fischer, Positive Psychology Practitioner, Coach and Well-Being Advocate for meaningful and lively conversations with experts, thought leaders, authors, business leaders and more. We dive into the “un-well-being crisis” we are experiencing as a collective, and share tools and strategies that foster increased mental, emotional, physical, spiritual and financial well-being. Ready to connect with a community of people who strive to thrive? Tune in every other week for inspiration, insight and maybe what feels like a nudge from a friend to keep moving, keep uncovering and keep transforming yourself, your life and your sense of well-being.

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