Hack Your Happiness

Today's episode is about something every single one of us is searching for: What's the secret to creating a life filled with moments you'll never forget? Our guest is Christa Pitts, co-founder and co-CEO of The Lumistella Company, home of The Elf on the Shelf. What began as a simple family tradition around an elf named Fisbee has become one of the most beloved holiday traditions in the...

In this episode, you will learn the truth about women's health + hormones, along with the misinformation that keeps so many women confused, overwhelmed, and constantly questioning their bodies. Today, Mercedes and Anastasia sit down with Dr. Lauren Colenso-Semple, researcher, science communicator, women's health expert, and one of the leading voices cutting through the noise in the health...

In this episode, you’ll learn how to build a healthier relationship with money. Not just how to save it. Not just how to invest it. But how to stop letting money control your confidence, your happiness, and your sense of self-worth. Maybe you constantly feel behind financially. Maybe you feel guilty every time you spend money on yourself. Maybe you're working hard, earning money, and still fee...

Today, you’re going to learn what it really takes to become the person you want to be. In this episode, we sit down with astronaut, engineer, author, and former commander of the International Space Station, Scott Kelly. But this conversation isn’t really about space. It’s about resilience. It’s about overcoming the identities that hold you back. And it’s about learning how to stay calm, focused, a...

If your room is messy, your schedule feels overwhelming, your mind won’t slow down, and you constantly feel behind in life, this episode is for you. In today’s conversation, Mercedes and Anastasia sit down with world-renowned organizing expert and bestselling author Shira Gill. And Shira is about to completely reframe what clutter actually is. Because according to Shira, clutter isn’t just about m...

Prepare to unlock the key to staying calm under pressure, never spiraling in uncertainty, and building real confidence - even when life feels overwhelming. If you constantly overthink the future…If you feel stuck, anxious, or frozen when life gets uncertain…If you struggle with confidence, fear of failure, or stepping outside your comfort zone… If you feel overwhelmed by big goals and don’t know w...

YOU need to hear this. If you’ve ever felt confused about food, overwhelmed by health advice online, or guilty every time you eat something “unhealthy,” you need to hit play. Because the truth is: nutrition has become way more complicated than it needs to be. And today’s episode is going to change that. In this conversation, Mercedes and Anastasia sit down with Dr. Jessica Knurick - a nutrition sc...

In today’s episode, you’re going to learn what performance actually means - and why it has nothing to do with being an athlete. Whether you feel overwhelmed trying to stay consistent, stuck in an all-or-nothing mindset, or like you’re doing everything “right” but still not feeling your best, this conversation will show you how to take back control of your energy, your health, and your life. Joinin...

Today’s episode is a masterclass in turning your biggest insecurities into your greatest power. If you’ve ever felt like your differences make you an outsider… if you’ve hidden parts of yourself to fit in… if perfectionism, comparison, or fear has held you back from going after your goals - this one’s for you. What you’ll learn here will completely shift how you show up for yourself! Today, Merced...

If you feel confused about food, frustrated by wellness advice online, or like you’re trying to “be healthy” without even knowing what that actually means, you are not the only one. A lot of us are stuck in this place where we don’t feel great in our bodies, but we also don’t know what feeling good is supposed to feel like. We're tired of diet culture, tired of overthinking food, tired of tryi...

This episode is for you: the person who’s trying hard, but feeling stuck. If you’ve been putting pressure on yourself, doubting your progress, or wondering whether you’re doing enough, this is what you need to hear right now. Today, Mercedes and Anastasia sit down with Alan Stein Jr.: renowned performance coach who spent 15+ years working with elite NBA superstars, including Kevin Durant ,  Steph...

In this episode, you’re going to learn how to slow down and enjoy your everyday life more - without disconnecting from the modern world. Whether you’re in a season of change, feeling stuck, questioning your current path, trying to get off your phone more, or simply wanting to enjoy your life again, this episode is for you. Today, Mercedes and Anastasia are joined by Chloe Crane-Leroux. Chloe is a...

Today’s episode will change how you see your life, especially in moments that feel uncertain or out of your control. Because today, you’re meeting someone who will help you answer a question most of us don’t stop to ask: How do you stay hopeful when the world feels heavy? Maybe you’ve been feeling overwhelmed -- like there’s so much going on, and you don’t even know where to start. Maybe you’ve be...

If you feel like the world is exhausting right now - and you’re just trying to stay happy and calm in the middle of all of it - you are not the only one. So many people are carrying stress they can’t even name. Constant news. Social media overload. Friendship drama. Toxic people. Uncertainty about the future. And underneath all of it, this quiet question: How do I stay okay when everything feels l...

If you’re tired of tying your worth to achievement, this episode is for you. If you’ve ever felt like your worth depends on how well you perform… if you’ve ever wanted to quit when something got hard… or if you’ve ever thought, once I achieve this one thing, then I’ll finally feel good - this episode is for you. Today, Molly Seidel is here for you. Molly is an Olympic bronze medalist, elite distan...

This conversation changed how we view our body. Truly, this might just be the MOST important fitness and body advice that you ever hear. Today’s guest, Sadie Lincoln, is the co-founder and CEO of Barre3. She's also one of the boldest voices redefining what success, fitness, and belonging really mean. But Sadie Lincoln didn’t build her company on six-packs or before-and-after photos. She built...

A successful business and meaningful relationships. A stacked work schedule and time for self-care. Reaching all your goals and time with family. Can you have it all? Well, today, we're diving into the mind of a brilliant entrepreneur who shows us how. Mercedes and Anastasia are joined by Alina Starr Morse, founder of Zolli Candy. Alina didn’t set out to become an entrepreneur - she was just s...

You’re about to learn how to understand your brain, steady your emotions, and build habits that actually stick. In this firecracker of an episode, we're not just diving into brain health - we're diving into hormones. Women's hormones. Teenage hormones. The hormones behind happiness, stress, and change. Mercedes and Anastasia are joined by Dr. Sarah McKay. Dr. McKay isn’t just a neurosc...

Most people spend years trying to fit into systems that were never designed for how they think, create, or dream. The moment you step into an environment that values curiosity, courage, and creativity, everything changes. Interlochen Center for the Arts isn’t just a school. It’s a launchpad. In 2026, it was ranked the #1 School for the Arts in America - and today, we're all getting to attend....

We’re hitting rewind on history and stepping into the ancient world. Michael Scott is a professor of Classics at the University of Warwick, a bestselling author, and the historian behind hit documentary series like Invisible Cities . Mercedes and Anastasia join Michael for a journey back in time to ancient Greece and Rome, uncovering the hidden layers beneath modern cities and the timeless questio...

What happens when you stop chasing perfection, and choose yourself instead? Amelia Boone is a four-time world champion obstacle course racer, an elite ultrarunner, and an attorney at Apple. But her story isn’t just about medals or finish lines. It’s about what happens after you win, when the applause fades and you’re left wondering if you’re actually enough. In this raw and radically honest conver...

The voice holding you back isn’t life… it's the way you talk to yourself. Dr. Karen Bluth is a leading researcher, author, and educator in self-compassion, whose work spans decades of mindfulness research and mental health education. But Karen’s story starts with her, as a teenager, struggling with self-doubt and quietly discovering practices that would later transform her life — and the lives of...

What happens when you stop forcing a path, and start listening to curiosity instead? Ellen Mirojnick is a legendary costume designer whose work spans decades of film and television, including Bridgerton, Oppenheimer, and The Greatest Showman. But Ellen's story doesn’t start with certainty or a perfect plan. It starts with being asked to leave fashion school, not fitting the mold, and choosing...

What do you do when life completely falls apart? Michael Chernow’s answer: you build it back, one healthy habit at a time. This episode will meet you where you are, then show you how to move forward with discipline and results. Michael Chernow is a serial entrepreneur, founder of The Meatball Shop, Seamore’s, and Kreatures of Habit, host of the Kreatures of Habit Podcast , and a professional athle...

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by stress or stuck in anxious loops, and wondered, “Why am I like this?”, you’re not alone. In this episode with one of the internet’s most trusted psychiatrists reframes anxiety, helps you build resilience, and reveals practical tools anyone can use in minutes. Dr. Tracey Marks is a psychiatrist, bestselling author, and YouTuber whose straight-to-the-point videos h...