Happiness Hacks Podcast

Jim Wills
  • 0.0 (0)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Semiweekly

Real conversations with thought leaders, scientists, artists, and everyday people who have discovered practical ways to create a happier life. Each episode explores what living in joy really looks like in the real world, and how small shifts in mindset and daily habits can help you become the happiest person you know.

Episodes

  1. 1d ago

    Happiness After Death – Eva Levina

    October 31, 2026 Happiness After Death – Eva Levina Find AcceptancePractice GratitudeTrust Life YouTube Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music Listen to the Audio Version Show Notes What if you lost yourself so slowly that you didn’t notice until your heart stopped? In this episode Jim sits down with Eva Levina, a Ukrainian-born author and coach who spent 25 years in an emotionally abusive marriage. After one final fight, her heart stopped and she spent five days in a coma. She woke up to a life she never asked for, and decided to make it a happy one. Since then she has written two memoirs, Death Is No Reason to Stop Living: In the Fog of the Spell and Beyond the Fog of the Spell. They talk about how control and manipulation can hide inside a marriage that looks perfect from the outside. Why therapy is a necessity, not an option. And how Eva rebuilt her life from nothing at 62, with a new career, new friends, and a return to the dance floor. Eva also shares a simple tool for moving through grief, why you don’t have to forgive your abuser to move on, and how she found gratitude for even the hardest parts of her story. Whether you’re healing from a toxic relationship or just finding your way through a hard season, you’ll come away reminded that there’s always a flicker of light worth walking toward. In This Episode 25 years of subtle control: how emotional abuse can feel like a normal, even ideal, marriage Reactive abuse, and how Eva came to understand her own reactions Why therapy is a necessity, not an option Starting over at 62: a new career, new friends, and a return to the dance floor One step forward, two steps back is still moving forward The grief contract: giving yourself permission to feel, with a time limit Self-acceptance and letting go of people who don’t respect you Why you don’t have to forgive your abuser, and finding gratitude anyway Resources & Links The Happiness Collection on Amazon Eva Levina Website Featured Guest Eva Levina Guest Eva Levina is a Ukrainian-born author, coach, and survivor of emotional abuse. After 25 years in a marriage she later recognized as one of coercive control, she nearly lost her life when her heart stopped after a final fight. She woke from a five-day coma and started over at 62 with nothing. She built a new career and a new circle of friends, and went back to the dance floor. Eva tells her story in the memoir series Death Is No Reason to Stop Living. In the Fog of the Spell follows the years of abuse, and Beyond the Fog of the Spell follows the healing that came after. Readers have written to say her books helped them see the subtle signs in their own relationships. She is now finishing her third book, Fault Lines Beneath Her, a story based on real events, and is working on a fourth, 251 First Dates. Through her coaching, Eva helps people spot the small red flags she missed for years, and guides them toward a happier life. Ready to Raise Your Baseline of Happiness? Take the free quiz to discover where you are today and get a personalized plan for where to go next. Take the FREE Happiness Quiz

  2. Oct 22

    Happiness is a Trip: Plant Medicine and the Path to Joy – Doug Red Hail Pineda

    October 22, 2026 Happiness is a Trip: Plant Medicine and the Path to Joy – Doug Red Hail Pineda Quiet the MindFind AcceptanceTrust LifeLive in the Present YouTube Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music Listen to the Audio Version Show Notes What if happiness is the buoy you see on the surface, and joy is the anchor holding it in place? In this episode Jim sits down with Doug Red Hail Pineda, the founder of the Church of Psychedelics. Doug is a Lakota-trained ceremonial leader, and one of the people who helped bring natural medicine legislation to Colorado. They talk about why it’s okay not to be happy all the time as long as you can find your way back. How psilocybin helps remove the filters that keep us from seeing what’s already there. And why healing comes from within rather than from the mushroom itself. Doug also shares the Lakota idea of thinking seven generations ahead, the power of assuming positive intent, and why love and forgiveness sit at the root of every major religion. Whether or not psychedelics are part of your path, you’ll come away with practical wisdom for staying grounded and remaining anchored in your happiness. In This Episode The buoy and the anchor: why happiness comes and goes, but joy keeps you grounded Why it’s okay not to be happy all the time, as long as you can find your way back Doug’s journey from industrial hemp to founding the Church of Psychedelics The meaning behind the name Red Hail and the vision quest that changed his path Set and setting, and why you need to do the work before a deep psychedelic journey Are you afraid of the dark, or the absence of light? A lesson in perception The seven generations teaching and the power of assuming positive intent Love and forgiveness as the shared roots of every major religion Resources & Links The Happiness Collection on Amazon The Church of Psychedelics Featured Guest Doug Red Hail Pineda Doug Red Hail Pineda is the founder of The Church of Psychedelics, a Denver-based psilocybin church, and a spiritual leader, entrepreneur, and environmental advocate. He is of Apache and Mexican heritage, and was raised in Lakota spiritual teachings. Doug spent decades working alongside Native American tribes, veterans living with PTSD, and people experiencing homelessness. Before founding the church, he helped legalize industrial hemp in Colorado, building processing plants, laboratories, and supply chains for the industry, and later lent his hands to the passage of Colorado’s natural medicine legislation. Following a vision quest, he created Ayüna, a spiritual path built on the belief that we are spiritual beings having a human experience. Rolling Stone has called Doug a purveyor of spiritual knowledge. Ready to Raise Your Baseline of Happiness? Take the free quiz to discover where you are today and get a personalized plan for where to go next. Take the FREE Happiness Quiz

  3. Oct 13

    Laughing Your Way to Happiness – Cathy Nesbitt

    October 13, 2026 Laughing Your Way to Happiness – Cathy Nesbitt Find AcceptancePractice GratitudeTrust Life YouTube Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music Listen to the Audio Version Show Notes Can you really laugh your way to happiness? Cathy Nesbitt says yes, and she should know. Every morning her laughter buddy calls, and instead of saying hello, they just start laughing. She’s done it every day for over four years. Jim sat down to chat with Cathy, the Laughing Bean Queen, a certified Laughter Yoga teacher, worm composting pioneer, and someone who hasn’t gone a single day without sprouts since 2002. In this episode of the Happiness Hacks Podcast they talk about all things laughter and joy, from why your body can’t tell a fake laugh from a real one, to how one laughter session helped a woman sleep through the night for the first time in eight weeks. They even discuss why the heavier the world feels, the more we need to laugh. As Cathy states, joy isn’t something you save for weekends and vacations. It’s your birthright. Time to let it in. In This Episode How Cathy turned a garbage crisis into a 24-year worm composting mission What Laughter Yoga really is (hint: no yoga mat required) Why your brain releases your daily D.O.S.E. of dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin and endorphins when you laugh Remarkable stories of laughter helping people sleep, heal and reconnect Why managing stress is the key to clear thinking and a happier, more vibrant life Growing sprouts: nature’s original fast food Cathy’s free weekly online laughter club, the Global Giggle Gang Resources & Links The Happiness Collection on Amazon Cathy’s Crawly Composters Cathy’s Chuckle Club Featured Guest Cathy Nesbitt Guest Cathy Nesbitt, known to many as the “Laughing Bean Queen,” is a Certified Laughter Yoga Teacher, speaker, and health and wellness advocate based just north of Toronto, Canada. A self-described philomath and lifelong learner, Cathy earned her degree in psychology after 15 years of night school, and her fascination with why people do what they do runs through everything she shares. Her mission is simple: help people feel good, because when we feel good, we do good. Cathy discovered Laughter Yoga in 2012, trained as a leader in 2015, and became a teacher in 2016. Today she trains new laughter leaders and brings the practice to seniors, people with special needs, adult day programs, and cancer support communities. Since June 2020, she has hosted the Global Giggle Gang, a free online laughter club every Tuesday morning, which she now co-leads with her husband, Rick. She also starts every day with a laughter buddy, a practice she’s kept up since December 2021. Laughter isn’t Cathy’s only passion. In 2002, after watching her region begin shipping its garbage across the border, she founded Cathy’s Crawly Composters to help families turn food waste into rich soil with red wiggler worms. That same year, she began eating sprouts every day, and she now teaches others to grow their own as “nature’s original fast food.” With a goal of living vibrantly to 111, Cathy is living proof that joy, curiosity, and a good belly laugh are some of the best medicine there is. Ready to Raise Your Baseline of Happiness? Take the free quiz to discover where you are today and get a personalized plan for where to go next. Take the FREE Happiness Quiz

  4. Oct 7

    The Happiness of Acceptance – Kristen Renee Appleby

    October 7, 2026 The Happiness of Acceptance – Kristen Renee Appleby Find AcceptancePractice GratitudeTrust LifeLive in the Present YouTube Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music Listen to the Audio Version Show Notes What happens when the life you’ve built starts working against you? Kristen Renee Appleby spent years caught in the hustle, trying to keep everything together while living for other people’s expectations. Then an autoimmune diagnosis, panic attacks, and years of physical symptoms forced her to look more deeply at the connection between her body, emotions, mindset, and the way she was living. Kristen shares how she eventually decided to blow up her life, leave her career, move to a new place, slow down, and begin rebuilding from the inside out. We cover everything from childhood patterns, people-pleasing, self-acceptance, emotional trauma, therapy, meditation, gratitude, authenticity, purpose, and the beliefs we carry around money. Kristen also explains why she believes healing requires looking at the whole picture, from your mindset and environment to your daily habits, relationships, your body, and what you’re putting into it. And we talk about why you don’t have to quit your job and move into the wilderness to start making meaningful changes. At the heart of the conversation is a simple message: wherever you are right now is okay, and change is possible. Because sometimes finding your way forward starts with accepting exactly where you are. In This Episode Kristen’s journey from the corporate rat race to rebuilding her life from the ground up How an autoimmune diagnosis and panic attacks changed the way she saw her life The connection between our mind, body, emotions, and environment Why self-acceptance is an important part of creating Happiness How meditation, presence, and gratitude can shift the way we experience life Kristen’s journey with money, purpose, and finding a healthier, happier way to live Why she believes that no matter where you are, you can rebuild Resources & Links The Happiness Collection on Amazon Kristen Renee Appleby Website Featured Guest Kristen Renee Appleby Guest Kristen Renee Appleby is a transformation coach, speaker, and wellness author whose work helps people rebuild what she calls a “Healthy Foundation” across body, finances, and career. Drawing on a long corporate career and her own healing journeys through chronic inflammation, mystery symptoms, panic attacks, and burnout, she teaches that our symptoms aren’t separate problems but signals from a body that is guiding us toward balance. Her approach blends the spiritual with the practical, helping clients release limiting beliefs, shift their energy, and step into a more confident, connected, and authentic life without sacrificing health for success. She is the author of Healing the Money Wound, The Elements of Healing, and The Purpose Workbook. She also writes The Rebuild Collective on Substack, sharing insights on rebuilding foundations for your body, business, and bank account. Ready to Raise Your Baseline of Happiness? Take the free quiz to discover where you are today and get a personalized plan for where to go next. Take the FREE Happiness Quiz

  5. Sep 25

    The Happiness of Play – Zander Phelps

    September 25, 2026 The Happiness of Play – Zander Phelps Explore CreativityMove the Body YouTube Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music Listen to the Audio Version Show Notes Play isn’t a break from a happy life, rather, it’s one of the best ways to build one. In this episode of the Podcast, Jim talks with Zander Phelps, the zPlayCoach, about footbags, juggling, origami, and why play is one of the simplest ways to raise your Baseline of Happiness. Zander shares how burning out at a 100-hour-a-week job led him to sell everything and travel the world with a backpack and a footbag in his pocket. A three-hour game in an airport terminal became the start of a lifelong mission to spread play around the world, one hand-sewn HackiDo at a time. Throughout the conversation, Zander explains why he calls juggling the ultimate brain exercise, how play lowers stress and shifts the brain into what he calls the Play Flow State, and how simple tools like the HackiDo and Craniogami can keep the mind and body active at any age. He and Jim also talk about the four play archetypes (the Warrior, the Wizard, the Bard, and the Druid) and why putting down the phone to connect with the people around us matters now more than ever. You don’t have to be a juggler or a footbag player to benefit from Zander’s wisdom. Happiness can come from just remembering that we were born to play. In This Episode Zander defines Happiness as a state of being and a higher vibration The HackiDo: why he hand-sews them from hemp and gives them away Why juggling is the ultimate brain exercise and a fast way to de-stress Craniogami: folding your brain into shape with dollar bill origami Phones, disconnection, and why play is fundamentally human Why play fuels productivity and creativity at work Resources & Links The Happiness Collection on Amazon zPlayCoach Featured Guest Zander Phelps Guest Alexander “Zander” Phelps, known as the zPlayCoach, is a PlayFlowState coach and the founder of HACKiDO and the Path of Play. For more than 30 years he has traveled the world sharing juggling, footbag, and creative movement as tools for joy, connection, and a healthier brain. Based in Ventura, California, Zander blends evidence-based behavior change with playful movement to help people overcome burnout, reconnect with their inner child, and rediscover the power of play. His new book is The Path of Play. Ready to Raise Your Baseline of Happiness? Take the free quiz to discover where you are today and get a personalized plan for where to go next. Take the FREE Happiness Quiz

  6. Sep 12

    The Happiness of Creating – Jordan & Jillian

    September 12, 2026 The Happiness of Creating – Jordan Truster & Jillian Reece Explore Creativity YouTube Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music Listen to the Audio Version Show Notes What happens when we stop consuming and start creating? In this episode of the Happiness Hacks Podcast, Jim talks with twin sisters Jordan Truster and Jillian Reece, the founders of Loveleigh Loops, about calligraphy, creativity, and the surprising ways making something with your hands can bring more Happiness into your life. Jordan and Jillian share how a childhood interest in calligraphy eventually led them to leave their careers in engineering and business analytics and build a business teaching calligraphy to more than 65,000 students around the world. Throughout the conversation they explore the connection between creativity and being in the ‘flow’. The sisters discuss why slowing down can be so rewarding, and why the process of creating can matter more than the finished product. They also talk about teaching as a way to deepen your own learning, the value of creative hobbies, and the growing challenge of spending our free time scrolling and consuming rather than making something ourselves. You don’t have to be an artist or learn calligraphy to benefit from the wisdom of these talented sisters. Sometimes Happiness comes from simply putting down the phone, picking up a pen, and just creating. In This Episode How a childhood interest in calligraphy became a full-time business Leaving careers in engineering and business analytics to teach calligraphy Building Loveleigh Loops and teaching more than 65,000 students worldwide The connection between creativity and being in a state of flow Why slowing down can be so rewarding Why the process of creating can matter more than the finished product Teaching as a way to deepen your own learning The value of creative hobbies in everyday life The growing challenge of scrolling and consuming instead of making Why you don’t have to be an artist to benefit from creating something with your hands Resources & Links The Happiness Collection on Amazon Calligraphy Together Calligraphy Together on Skool Featured Guests Jordan Truster & Jillian Reece Guests Jordan Truster and Jillian Reece are twin sisters, calligraphy artists, and the founders of Loveleigh Loops. What began as a childhood interest in calligraphy eventually became a creative business that has taught tens of thousands of students around the world. Today, they share their passion for calligraphy through online courses, workshops, and a growing creative community, helping people discover the joy of making beautiful things by hand. Ready to Raise Your Baseline of Happiness? Take the free quiz to discover where you are today and get a personalized plan for where to go next. Take the FREE Happiness Quiz

  7. Aug 27

    You Can’t Fake Happiness – Atilia Haron

    August 27, 2026 You Can’t Fake Happiness – Atilia Haron Explore CreativityMove the Body YouTube Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music Listen to the Audio Version Show Notes Can you fake being happy? You can smile. You can perform. You can tell everyone, “I’m fine.” But when the noise fades and you’re alone with yourself, you know the truth. In Episode 3 of the Happiness Hacks Podcast, Jim and Janrace sit down with Malaysian jazz and R&B singer, performer, yoga teacher, and wellness advocate Atilia Haron for a deeply personal and joy-filled conversation about what it really means to be happy. From growing up surrounded by music, with a singer mother and a wildly creative grandmother, to building a life that includes singing, performing, teaching yoga, connecting with others, and embracing every creative impulse she can, Atilia has learned that happiness isn’t something you can put on like a costume. Together, they explore creativity, yoga, family, connection, menopause, following your many passions, and the sometimes uncomfortable question at the heart of it all: Are you truly happy, or are you just really good at pretending? If you love Atilia, music, yoga, creativity, wellness, or simply want to become a little more honest about what happiness looks like in your own life, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss. Because at the end of the day—you can’t fake happiness. In This Episode Why you cannot fake true happiness What really makes Atilia Haron happy Growing up in a family surrounded by music and creativity The influence of Atilia’s mother and grandmother on her life and career Finding your own voice while following in the footsteps of talented family members Why Atilia refuses to limit herself to just one passion The journey from singer and performer to yoga and wellness teacher What yoga really means beyond the physical poses Creativity, music, movement, and the connection between them How Atilia brings her personality and creativity into her yoga classes Why connection with other people is such an important part of happiness Can yoga and religion coexist? What menopause taught Atilia about happiness and taking care of herself Why men need yoga too How to find happiness when life gets difficult The difference between performing happiness and actually feeling it Why, at the end of the day, you always know whether your happiness is real Resources & Links The Happiness Collection on Amazon Atilia Haron Instagram Prahara Studios Instagram Featured Guest Atilia Haron Guest Raja Putri Atilia Raja Haron is a Malaysian singer, songwriter, actress and performer whose career has spanned music, television and live performance. Known for her distinctive voice, warmth and expressive stage presence, she has performed on major international stages and remains an active recording and performing artist. Alongside music, Atilia has built a second calling as a yoga teacher and wellness advocate. She began practicing yoga in her 30s after struggling with breathing during performances, eventually discovering how deeply the practice could transform not only her physical strength and breath, but also her mental balance and sense of self. She went on to become a certified yoga teacher and founded yoga communities and studios in Malaysia. Today, Atilia brings the worlds of music, movement, breath and mindfulness together. For her, yoga isn’t just exercise; it is a practice of awareness, balance and connection; principles that continue to shape both the way she performs and the way she lives. Ready to Raise Your Baseline of Happiness? Take the free quiz to discover where you are today and get a personalized plan for where to go next. Take the FREE Happiness Quiz

  8. Jul 10

    The Happiness You Don’t Have to Chase – Amitha Khema

    July 10, 2026 The Happiness You Don’t Have to Chase – Rev. Amitha Khema Quiet the MindLive in the Present YouTube Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music Listen to the Audio Version Show Notes What if the happiness we’ve been searching for isn’t something we find, but something we stop chasing? In this conversation, Amitha Khema shares the Buddhist perspective on happiness, mindfulness, and the causes of suffering. We discuss why external achievements can never provide lasting fulfillment, how meditation and mindfulness help us respond rather than react, and what it means to develop a deeper sense of peace regardless of life’s ups and downs. If you’re looking for practical ways to live with more awareness, this conversation offers timeless insights that anyone can apply. In This Episode The difference between external pleasure and inner happiness Why chasing happiness often leaves us feeling empty How mindfulness helps us respond instead of react The Four Noble Truths and what they mean in everyday life Why attachment is at the root of suffering Growing up Buddhist in Sri Lanka and attending a Catholic school The value of questioning your own beliefs Meditation as a practical skill, not an escape Finding contentment regardless of circumstances What it really means to live with awareness Resources & Links The Happiness Collection on Amazon Buddhist Meditation Center Featured Guest Venerable Amitha Khema Guest Amitha Khema is a Sri Lankan Buddhist monk, mindfulness teacher, and Buddhist chaplain who is dedicated to making the timeless wisdom of Buddhism accessible to modern life. Drawing on the Theravāda tradition, he teaches practical mindfulness, compassion, and meditation to help people cultivate greater peace, resilience, and inner happiness. His work bridges ancient teachings with the challenges of everyday living, showing that lasting fulfillment comes not from changing our circumstances, but from transforming the mind. Ready to Raise Your Baseline of Happiness? Take the free quiz to discover where you are today and get a personalized plan for where to go next. Take the FREE Happiness Quiz

  9. Jun 28

    The Happiness Baseline: Why Happiness Doesn’t Last – Janrace Prudent

    June 25, 2026 The Happiness Baseline: Why Happiness Doesn’t Last Quiet the MindExplore CreativityFind AcceptanceMove the BodyPractice GratitudeTrust LifeLive in the Present YouTube Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music Listen to the Audio Version Show Notes This first episode introduces the heart of Happiness Hacks. Janrace Prudent and Jim Wills come together to share the story behind the project and the idea that drives it forward: Happiness isn’t something we chase, it’s something we practice. Through small, intentional daily choices, we can shift our baseline experience of life. This opening conversation lays the foundation for the journey ahead, simple, honest, and rooted in lived experience. In This Episode The story behind the Happiness Hacks book and journal What the “Happiness Baseline” is and why it matters Why happiness isn’t a destination but rather a daily practice How small, intentional choices shift your baseline experience of life What listeners can expect from the Happiness Hacks Podcast going forward Resources & Links The Happiness Collection on Amazon Ready to Raise Your Baseline of Happiness? Take the free quiz to discover where you are today and get a personalized plan for where to go next. Take the FREE Happiness Quiz

  • 9 Episodes

About

Real conversations with thought leaders, scientists, artists, and everyday people who have discovered practical ways to create a happier life. Each episode explores what living in joy really looks like in the real world, and how small shifts in mindset and daily habits can help you become the happiest person you know.

Information

  • Creator
    Jim Wills
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    9
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Satori Tribe Publishing
  • Show Website
    Happiness Hacks Podcast