Hack Your Happiness

She left Google to chase something even bigger. Jenny Wood is a former Google executive, now bestselling author and keynote speaker! Jenny joins Mercedes and Anastasia for a conversation all about her nine traits to going after what you want, and getting it. Jenny dives into: What it means to focus on the BIG picture (and how to do this) Hacks to overcome shame Her advice for communicating your ne...

She’s a gold-medal-winning Olympic athlete, a powerhouse of perseverance, and a role model for anyone chasing big goals. Mercedes and Anastasia are joined by Gwen Jorgensen. She’s an Olympic triathlete turned marathon runner, and today she’s sharing what it really takes to succeed, not just physically, but mentally and emotionally too. Listen in to this episode to hear how Gwen overcame the fear o...

He’s one of the world’s top psychologists, a bestselling author, and a leading expert on how we understand and manage emotion. Mercedes and Anastasia are joined by Ethan Kross. He's a professor of psychology and management at the University of Michigan and director of the Emotion & Self Control Laboratory. Listen in to this episode to unravel what’s really going on in our heads, why we're wire...

She's a champion in both Hollywood and athletics. Mercedes and Anastasia sit with Lesley Paterson, the triathlon world champion who also co-wrote the Oscar-nominated screenplay for All Quiet on the Western Front . Lesley unpacks the uncommon discipline that lets her juggle athletic training with script writing, reveals how she turns raw emotion into fuel instead of roadblocks, and shares the tiny...

What if changing what we eat could change the future of a nation? Mercedes and Anastasia are joined by Nancy Easton: leader and founder of Wellness in the Schools, a nonprofit on the mission to replace ultra-processed school lunches with fresh, scratch-cooked meals. In this powerful conversation, Nancy describes tangible tips for prioritizing healthy eating within a busy lifestyle, go-to meals and...

Your mindset shapes every challenge you face—be it climbing a mountain, or in daily life. This week, Mercedes and Anastasia sit down with Hazel Findlay: legendary climber, mindset coach, and expert in the psychology and neuroscience of mental health. Hazel opens up about how she went from teen climbing prodigy to one of the most respected voices in performance coaching. She shares how to overcome...

Your mindset shifts your reality. In this week's episode, Mercedes and Anastasia sit with Dr. Ellen Langer. Dr. Langer is the first woman to reach tenure in psychology at Harvard, and she's known as the 'mother of mindfulness'. She joins us to share her definition and hacks to mindfulness, why most of us are operating on autopilot (and how/why we can change this), and why fun is essential to mindf...

Asha Curran turned a simple idea into a global movement. The GivingTuesday founder joins Mercedes and Anastasia to share the backstory behind this global organization, and the benefits of generosity. Asha explains how anyone can give, in ways aside from financial, shares her thoughts on how technology will impact the future of philanthropy, and recalls some of the most memorable GivingTuesday dona...

Bold moves built S'well, one of the world's most recognized water bottles! Join Mercedes and Anastasia as they speak with the founder of S'well, Sarah Kauss. Sarah walks through her journey (from teenage-hood to exiting a multi-million dollar company), and the lessons she learned along the way. From leaving her stable accounting job, to pitching the CEO of Starbucks, Sarah recounts how being bold...

Ever wondered what it takes to reach the top of the world? This week, Mercedes and Anastasia speak with Bonita Norris, the youngest person to summit both Mount Everest and reach the North Pole. Bonita started with no climbing experience, but she defied the odds and achieved her dreams by conquering some of the world’s tallest peaks. In this conversation, she shares how she overcame the challenges...

Adversity doesn’t break you – it builds you! Mercedes and Anastasia sit with Commander Rorke Denver, a former Navy SEAL, and current speaker and bestselling author. Rorke dives into his story of overcoming rejection after initially being denied entry to the Navy SEAL program, and his experiences in the forces. Rorke shares how he views motivation vs discipline (and how we can apply these principle...

Change is inevitable - let's conquer it together! Today, Mercedes and Anastasia are joined by Laura Gassner Otting. A WSJ Bestselling author, TEDx Speaker, and renowned keynote speaker; Laura is everyone's favorite hype-woman. Laura takes us through the twists and turns of her journey; from working at the White House, to quitting her job, and where she's at, today. Additionally, Laura breaks down...

Ready for a masterclass in resilience? Robyn Benincasa is a two-time World Champion Adventure Racer, and a top keynote speaker. This week, Robyn shares some of her most extreme stories as an adventure racer, how she shapes her mindset to favor her outcomes, and how to work well with others - especially under pressure. Next, Robyn opens up about how anyone can persevere through challenges, and tell...

Your body speaks louder than words—Traci Brown reveals how to understand it like a pro! In this episode of Hack Your Happiness, Mercedes and Anastasia sit with Traci Brown. One of the top three body language experts worldwide, TIME Magazine has named Traci one of the nation’s top deception detection experts. She’s trained alongside top law enforcement, and is a bestselling author. Traci walks us t...

Want to know the key to lifelong learning and happiness? Malcolm Gladwell joins Mercedes and Anastasia in this weeks episode of Hack Your Happiness. The bestselling author and podcaster shares how he came to be one of the most influential authors of our time, and small moments that have made a large impact in his life. Malcolm describes why we should all be more curious, and how to seek curiosity...

Let's conquer the toughest of moments! Mercedes and Anastasia sit with Former Formula 1 racer and broadcaster, David Coulthard. David shares his journey from racing at 11 to becoming one of the highest-scoring British drivers of all time. He opens up about the mental challenges he faced on the track, how anyone can bounce back from fear and mental anguish, and his most important lesson from racing...

Tired of feeling tired? Join Mercedes and Anastasia as they speak with Dr. Wendy Troxel. Dr. Troxel is an award-winning clinical psychologist and behavioral sleep medicine expert. In addition, Wendy is an editor for well-respected journals, including Sleep Health . In this episode you'll find out the TRUTH behind napping, whether you're a morning vs night person, what to do when you can't stop tos...

What's the secret to starting a business as teens? Sydney and Toni Loew started their toy company, Poketti, as two teenagers. Now in their 20s, the dynamic duo sits with Mercedes and Anastasia, embarking on the story behind their journey. Sydney and Toni describe overcoming the fear of being judged, managing school with their booming business, and tangible tips for any teen to start a business. In...

What's the secret to handling pressure like a pro? Winner of So You Think You Can Dance, and actress, Jeanine Mason joins hosts Mercedes and Anastasia. In this episode, Jeanine takes us behind the scenes of SYTYCD , shares how she manages pressure, and gives her top tips for overcoming self-doubt—whether in auditions, performances, or everyday life. Not to mention, Jeanine shares her insights...

Ready to turn your passion into purpose? On this week's episode, the founding director of the UN UPEACE Centre For Executive Education, Mohit Mukherjee, joins us. Mohit describes his experiences in the corporate world, and how he transitioned into becoming a social entrepreneur. Join us as we discuss staying positive under pressure, advice for leading change in any realm of life, and hacks for exp...

Anyone can change the world. This week, Mercedes and Anastasia are joined by Neil Bush—renowned international businessman, chairman of the Points of Light board of directors. As the son of George H. W. Bush, Neil has dedicated his career to expanding his father’s vision of empowering individuals and communities through volunteerism and service. Tune in to learn about growing up in the Bush househo...

It's time to level up our productivity! Bestselling author and professor, Cal Newport discusses how we can all tap into our potential in this New Year. He shares with Mercedes and Anastasia how we can all reduce distractions (from social media), the role of downtime in productivity, and his top hacks for studying and organizing our day. Shop our Happiness Products: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

Tap into your inner leader! This week, Julie Baker Finck, President of the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation, joins Hack Your Happiness. She shares her story to becoming a leader in literacy, as well as the importance of reading + top book recommendations for leaders. In addition, Julie breaks-down her top leadership habits, and how we can all become better communicators. Shop our Happiness...

Let's unpack happiness. World happiness expert, Sonja Lyubomirsky is a Distinguished Professor of Psychology at the University of California, Riverside, and bestselling author. Sonja shares tangible and practical hacks for boosting your happiness, her most fascinating findings, and the easiest ways for all of us to connect with loved ones (+ why we should!). Shop our Happiness Products: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

NASA Icon Ellen Ochoa sits with Mercedes and Anastasia, sharing her challenges and journey to becoming the first Latina to go to space. Ellen talks about the number of times she applied to NASA, and how she finally got in. She shares her experiences of being in space, and advice on managing and overcoming rejection. Ellen also breaks down the importance of + how to ask for what you need, and her t...