The Happier Life Project

Love, Mental Health & The Glow Up Project with Victoria Niamh

The role of love in mental health is significant. When people think of love, they usually think of the positive feelings associated with a deep connection. However, love can encompass more than just happiness and radiate in many different ways. We experience love when we interact with others and ourselves. Science shows that love involves multiple neurotransmitters and hormones that affect our physiology and mental health.
Loving and stable relationships can help improve a person's ability to manage stress and can help to decrease levels of anxiety and depression. But while love and mental health for the most part are positively related, researchers have found some correlation between love and mental illnesses (or mental health conditions) too. The most common being anxiety, depression, trauma and chronic stress. 
Victoria Niamh is a female confidence coach, mentor, social media Influencer and founder of ‘The Glow Up Project’ which aims to inspire women to understand that the real glow up is an inside job. Vic advocates for body confidence and breaking stigma around mental health, and is passionate about empowering women to unconditionally own and love themselves.
As this episode arrives during the week in which Valentines Day falls Vic, with host Gabby, look at some of the different reasons people's mental health suffers around Valentines Day; whilst discussing possible solutions to relieve these struggles. Vic also shares how the love and support from her partner Mike was a huge factor to her own self love and body healing journey. The Glow Up Project founder also explains the driving force behind helping women shine from the inside out, without changing anything externally, so they can find inner happiness and peace. 
To Learn More about The Glow Up Project : https://theglowupproject.co.uk/To follow The Glow Up project on Instagram: @theglowupproject_To follow Victoria Niamh on Instagram: @victorianiamhTo download the free My Possible Self App: https://mypossibleself.app.link/podcast To follow My Possible Self on Instagram: @mypossibleself

Lost & Found: Reconnecting with Who You Are with Dr. Sara Kuburic

'What if I die before I have the chance to exist?'An existential crisis, or existential dread, can be described as persistent negative feelings and emotions linked to questioning the value of your life and how you are spending it. An existential crisis may result from intense feelings of despair as you consider questions like, "What is the point?” or “Why does any of this matter?” And these strong emotions can increase when your questions remain unanswerable. 
An existential crisis can happen to anyone, leading many to question their existence, identity and purpose in life. Experiencing an existential crisis may cause you to feel angry, helpless, lost, panicked and is usually accompanied by dread, anxiety, stress and depression; often to such a degree that they disturb your normal functioning in everyday life.
But it doesn’t have to be a bad thing or something to fear. Experiencing an existential crisis forces you to examine your life and consider “how can I show up in the world that means something to me?”
Dr. Sara Kuburic is an existential psychotherapist, speaker, essayist, columnist, consultant, influencer and author of ‘It's On Me. Accept hard truths, discover your self, and change your life’.
IT’S ON ME is a guide to identifying self-loss, and discovering the freedom that comes from taking responsibility for how we live. It offers an enlightening blueprint to find your own answers to the questions “who am I?” and “why am I here?” 
Known as the millennial therapist online (with over 1.7 million followers on Instagram), Dr. Sara believes that “in order to be who we truly are, we need to shelve who we are not.” Dr Sara talks about how her own existential crisis changed the trajectory of her entire life and put her on the path to a life of alignment, authenticity and purpose. Host Gabby and Dr. Sara also talk about the mental health ramifications of not living a life true to your beliefs and values… and how it’s so easy to get lost in the labels and expectations of family, friends, work and society, so you don’t even realise who you have become isn’t who you are supposed to be. 
Dr. Sara is a passionate advocate for being the leading character of your own life. She believes we need to stop pretending and choose the truth. To all who feel lost, it’s never too late to steer yourself home. 
For all things Dr. Sara Kuburic: https://www.sara-kuburic.com/To follow Dr. Sara Kuburic on Instagram: @millennial.therapistTo download the free My Possible Self App: https://mypossibleself.app.link/podcast To follow My Possible Self on Instagram: @mypossibleself

Ask The Expert: Navigating and Managing Life's Stress with Dr Bernadette Dancy

Stress is a natural part of our lives. Bills, work, relationships, life events, health issues…
A little bit of stress is inevitable, and sometimes that’s a good thing. Stress helps you meet your daily challenges and motivates you to reach your goals, ultimately making you a smarter, happier and healthier person.
But on the flip side. They say stress is the number one killer for a reason. It’s a silent, slow poison which left unmanaged can have catastrophic effects on your physical and mental health. Stress becomes a problem when it starts to take over your life, therefore the key to stress management is identifying the bad stressors in your life and developing healthy ways to deal with them.
Today’s guest, Dr Bernadette Dancy, a stress management specialist, knows all the best ways to manage or combat her clients stress levels. We don’t just have to accept we live a hectic, super stressful life, and ‘that’s life’. Meditation, breathing or a warm bath might help, but it really only scratches the surface. Dr Bernadette uses mindset and lifestyle interventions that get to the root of the stress and in today’s Ask The Expert, she’s getting to the crux of yours.
For all things Dr Bernadette Dancy: https://www.bernadettedancy.co.uk
To follow Dr Bernadette on Instagram: @bernadettedancy_stresscoach
To learn more about Stress Ed: https://stress-ed.co.uk
To take the Stress Ed test: https://stress-ed.scoreapp.com
To download the free My Possible Self App: https://mypossibleself.app.link/podcast
To follow My Possible Self on Instagram: @mypossibleself
To email a question for our next expert: podcast@mypossibleself.com

Pour Decisions: Breaking Free from Unhealthy Habits and Drinking Patterns with Amanda E. White

Let’s get curious about our drinking habits! In this episode of The Happier Life Project we are looking at the role alcohol plays in our life; as a comforter, socializing tool, way to relax, blow off steam, or avoid uncomfortable emotions.
 
Guest Amanda E. White is a licensed therapist and the creator of the popular Instagram account @therapyforwomen Amanda also hosts the podcast “Recovered-ish” and is author of the book “Not Drinking Tonight” and its corresponding workbook.
Not Drinking Tonight isn’t a manuscript to help you stop drinking. Not Drinking Tonight is the first book to help you address the root issues that cause you to reach for a drink, while helping you unpack your relationship with alcohol.
 
Chatting to host Gabby Sanderson, Amanda discusses why you don’t need to hit rock bottom - or label yourself an alcoholic - to review your relationship with booze and make some positive changes to your drinking habits. Amanda also chats with Gabby about some of the most common reasons people turn to the bottle, and why it often tends to be more about the ritual leading up to taking that first sip, such as popping the cork when the girls come over, or kicking back after a long day and pouring yourself a glass, or switching on the match and opening a can, that is the most satisfying part.
 
Amanda also touches upon the effect alcohol plays on our mental health and addresses the myth that a glass of something a day is actually good for us (spoiler alert, research has since dispelled). Gabby and Amanda talk about the pros and cons of taking part in dry (or damp) January and Amanda explains how by removing alcohol, we have the opportunity to build a life we don’t want to escape from.
 
“Alcohol is the only drug on earth you have to justify NOT taking.” Annie Grace
 
Amanda is the founder of the group therapy practice, Therapy for Women Center, based in Philadelphia serving clients across the US. She has been featured in notable publications such as Forbes, Washington Post, Shape, Women’s Health Magazine, and more.
 
For all things Amanda E White visit: amandaewhite.com
To follow Amanda on Instagram: @therapyforwomen
To download the free My Possible Self App: https://mypossibleself.app.link/podcast
To follow My Possible Self on Instagram: @mypossibleself

Orthorexia: When Healthy Eating Goes Bad - Pt 2 with Renee McGregor

Part two of our exploration into orthorexia sees host Gabby Sanderson breakdown with guest Renee McGregor the most common elimination food groups in orthorexia, and how and why doing this can be dangerous on the body. Renee busts more food myths when it comes to things like sugar and refined sugar, pasta made from vegetables or lentils, and the ongoing white versus brown or wholemeal debate. Renee also explains why we need to be cautious with who we follow on social media that use the term ‘professional’ or ‘medic’ when it comes to healthy eating, and wraps up the conversation with how orthorexic's can begin to heal and change their beliefs, by getting to the truth of the dangerous messages they have bought into. 
For all things Renee McGregor: https://reneemcgregor.com/ To follow Renee on Instagram: @r_mcgregor To download the free My Possible Self App: https://mypossibleself.app.link/podcast To follow My Possible Self on Instagram: @mypossibleself

Orthorexia: When Healthy Eating Goes Bad - Pt 1 with Renee McGregor

January is traditionally a time for many when we look at improving our diet. But In our current culture, to which cutting out entire food groups like sugar, fats, carbohydrates and dairy are encouraged and commended, we must stop to question where these recommendations and messages have come from. And should we believe them?
Although being aware of and concerned with the nutritional quality of the food we eat isn’t a problem in and of itself, people with orthorexia become so fixated on so-called ‘healthy eating’ or ‘clean eating’ that they actually damage their own well-being and experience health consequences such as malnutrition and/or impairment of psychosocial functioning as a result. Excessive exercise or exercise addiction is also extremely common in orthorexic's. 
The term orthorexia nervosa is used to describe the pathological fixation associated with consuming healthy food. In the first of two episodes dedicated to looking at when the obsession to eat healthily goes too far and has the opposite effect, host Gabby talks to Renee McGregor, a leading Sports and Eating disorder specialist dietitian and best selling author, with 20 years experience working in clinical and performance nutrition. 
Orthorexia nervosa was first proposed by Dr Stephen Bratman  in the late 1990s, perhaps not coincidentally around the same time as the first social media site was born. And although Orthorexia Nervosa is not currently a clinically recognised eating disorder, this unhealthy obsession with healthy eating is becoming a widespread problem. 
Part 1 of this conversation into the pitfalls of obsessive 'health eating', restriction diets and over exercising will help you to understand where orthorexia came from, why eliminating food groups without medical reason is not a healthy choice, and why so called 'wellness guru's', celebrities and influencers have a lot to be accountable for. 
For all things Renee McGregor:  https://reneemcgregor.com/To follow Renee on Instagram: @r_mcgregorTo download the free My Possible Self App: https://mypossibleself.app.link/podcastTo follow My Possible Self on Instagram: @mypossibleself

New Year, New Relationship with Exercise with Dan Hancock

Welcome to the first episode of The Happier Life Project 2024! 
January is often associated with cold weather and short, dreary days. And there are many reasons why we might struggle. The financial aftermath of all the Christmas costs, if you're self-employed the dreaded tax return, trying to set New Year's resolutions when you're not sure what you want the new year to have in store, the pressure to embark on dry January, the feeling you have to diet after all the Christmas feasting... and the misery of believing you have to set your alarm to get up extra early (when it's still dark!) to hit the gym, or a class, and punish your body for cutting loose in December. 
According to the IHRSA, the Global Health & Fitness Association, 12% of all gym sign-ups happen in January, while the rest of the year accounts for an average of 8.3% of sign-ups. And 80% of people who sign up for a gym membership in January will cancel their membership within five months... welcome to the January gym rush!
So why do so many of us fall off the workout wagon? Dan Hancock, aka the mental health PT, is pretty confident he knows the answer. Frustrated by the lack of mental health support available for gym goers, Dan took it upon himself to create the world’s first Mental Health & Exercise Coaching Certification for Personal Trainers, which is revitalising the health of millions across the U.K. 
In this episode of The Happier Life Project Dan shares why so many people struggle to sustain the abundance of 'new year, new me' fitness and diet plans. Dan also discusses why the gym floor is so cathartic and how exercise plays such a vital role in our mental health. The mental health PT offers tips on how to seek out the right personal trainer to meet your individual needs, and explains why PT's need to be better equipped and educated to help a person with their overall health, including mental and emotional support. And best of all, Dan will get you excited to move!
For more on the Mental Health Exercising Coaching program: https://mymhec.com/To follow Dan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentalhealthpt/
To download the free My Possible Self App: https://mypossibleself.app.link/podcastTo follow My Possible Self on Instagram: @mypossibleself

Ask The Expert: Coping At Christmas with Dr Claire Plumbly

It’s meant to be a time of good cheer, relaxation and celebration, but for many, Christmas is the opposite. Stressful, depressing, lonely… Many people are unhappy at Christmas and according to the National Institute of Health, they can experience mental health problems. And for those who already struggle with their mental health, they may find these problems worsen. 
Dr Claire Plumbly is a clinical psychologist specialising in trauma, anxiety and burnout. Alongside her online therapy practice she creates engaging short-form videos on improving your mental health for social media, plus regularly runs online workshops for overcoming stress, procrastination and unhealthy boundaries. Dr Claire is also currently writing a book on how to recover from burnout, due for release in 2024. 
In the second Ask The Expert episode, where listeners and the My Possible Self app users send in their questions for host Gabby to put to a mental health or wellness professional, Dr Claire is on hand to offer advice on all things Christmas related. 
Covered in the conversation Dr Claire offers guidance on the following: how to implement financial boundaries to avoid overspending, how to cope with unpredictable family members that might be excessively drinking, how we might honour any lost loved ones and get through the period if we are grieving, ways we might ease social anxiety, addressing a fear of food and overeating, what to do about the stress and pressure of feeling like we have to be happy and jolly all the time... and more. 
Dr Claire Plumbly's website: https://www.drclaireplumbly.com/To follow Dr Claire on Instagram, TikTok, FB, YouTube: @drclaireplumblyTo download Dr Claire's FREE Guide to Setting Boundaries: https://www.subscribepage.com/drclaireplumbly_copy2
To download the free My Possible Self App: https://mypossibleself.app.link/podcastTo follow My Possible Self on Instagram: @mypossibleself

Laughter As Medicine with Josh Johnson

We’re all familiar with the old saying ‘laughter is the best form of medicine’. Dig a little deeper and scientists and doctors are discovering more and more this to be true - laughter is a strong medicine - for our physical and mental health. When we are highly amused, this has physiological effects; it changes our body chemistry and brain function. 
Laughter strengthens your immune system, boosts mood, diminishes pain, and protects you from the damaging effects of stress. Laughter can also help lessen your stress, depression and anxiety and may make you feel happier. Humour helps relieve tension, reassures people, and draws them together. Laughter, like humour, typically sparks from recognizing the incongruities or absurdities of a situation. 
In a world plagued by stress, and absurd situations; when we can, surely it’s better to laugh rather than cry? By seeking out more opportunities for humour and laughter, you can improve your emotional health, strengthen your relationships, find greater happiness—and even potentially add years to your life. This is why The Happy Life Project welcomes Josh Johnson who gets paid to make millions of people laugh, to explore this further.
Josh Johnson is an Emmy-nominated writer, comedian, actor, podcaster and NAACP award-winner from Louisiana by way of Chicago. He is currently a writer on the prestigious The Daily Show, and is a former writer and performer on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where he made his late-night debut in 2017. In addition, Johnson is Comedy Central’s ‘most watched comedian ever’ with 40M+ views to date across their platforms.
Josh talks to host Gabby about how making people laugh, along with going to therapy, saved his life. He also shares how he uses laughter to process his own feelings, “it’s a way to exhale hurt. Some people cry, scream… I laugh.” Josh discribes the incredible power in people coming together, charged on the currency of laughing out loud at a comedy show and offers suggestions on how we can invite more joy, fun and humour into our life. 
 
For all things Josh Johnson: https://www.joshjohnsoncomedy.com/To download the free My Possible Self App: https://mypossibleself.app.link/podcastTo follow My Possible Self on instagram: @mypossibleself

Mind, Body Liberation with Michelle Hopewell

Many of us feel uncomfortable in our bodies and skin. A negative body image can cause us to struggle in many ways such as; with depressive and anxiety symptoms, increased risk of suicidal thoughts, low self-esteem, Interpersonal problems, alcohol and drug use and abuse, reduced physical activity, loss of sex drive, stress, social isolation, decreased motivation to seek help, perfectionistic tendencies and repetitive negative thoughts. 
Body Liberation is freedom from all outside expectations of how your body should look. It is is the independence from social and political systems of oppression that determine certain bodies as more worthy, healthy and desirable than others. And whilst body liberation is the belief that all bodies are worthy and deserve to exist just as they are; its main mantra is, you are more than your body.
Michelle Hopewell is a body empowerment and menstrual wellness content creator and actress, who has done the work to reconnect with her body and come to a place of body neutrality. Eager to see as many people reconnected and in tune with their own bodies, Michelle shares her own experiences as well as information and tips on period health on her Instagram page and blog. 
Chatting to host Gabby, Michelle shares her journey from having a disassociated relationship with her body, to coming to a place of neutrality and accepting her body as it is.  Michelle and Gabby discuss the 'beauty standard' that puts immense pressure to look a certain way, and the lengths people will go to to try and achieve it. Michelle reveals how her journey into acting opened her eyes to how just how much body bias there is, and why she pushed back. Gabby and Michelle also look at how some women may still be, without realizing, conforming to the patriarchal 'male gaze'. 
“To be beautiful means to be yourself. You don’t need to be accepted by others. You need to accept yourself.” ~Thich Nhat Hanh
To follow Michelle Hopewell on Instagram: @mybodyliberation
To download the free My Possible Self App: https://mypossibleself.app.link/podcastTo follow My Possible Self on instagram: @mypossibleself