One Happy Thing

Is your 'To Do' list always longer than your 'To Done' list? Do youtend to fall into a spiral of beating yourself up for not having done enough, or for not being farther along your chosen path? Are you beset by gremlin attacks of ‘the shoulds’ (or ‘the should-haves’)? Do you have difficulty resting, or taking time off, even when you’ve been working hard? Welcome to the Super Slacke...

In today’s episode, guest author Mallory Kass shares a storyabout a gift from her mother—that arrived after her mother’s death!! It gave us all goosebumps. In this wide ranging and free flowing conversation, we’re also talking about everyday magic showing up in surprising ways and unusual objects (a magicskirt, anyone?), and also about writing and publishing, memories, photograph, and a heap of ot...

Maddie calls it ‘set it and forget it.’ Jennifer calls it ‘bless & release.’ Kerry pretty much just calls it hard. But we all agree that sometimes the best way to get what you really want is to just give up on it. Just release your grasp and be willing to walk away and let it go. What about you? Are you a give it up and let it go kind of person? Or do you hold on like grim death? Let us know i...

If you’ve ever gotten caught up in the loop of being mad atyourself for being mad at somebody else... (come on, you know you have) then this is the episode for you! We’re talking about letting ourselves be human. About welcoming all of the emotions, including anger, and giving them a chance to tell us what they’re all about. Also—and this is huge— we're exploring the idea of taking responsibil...

During Covid—and the Writer's Guild strike—screenwriterLaura Lekkos chose to pursue a big dream. Instead of sinking into gloom and doom and worry, she wrote the novel that had been calling to her for years.  And now it is being published! Listen to her story and let it inspire YOU to go after your own dreams.   About ALL THE LITTLE WAYS: In the vein of  Pineapple Street  and  Such a Fun Age,  ...

Today we're talking about wonder - and the way it lives in tiny little moments that are easy to miss if we're not paying attention. Kerry shares her rough English translation from French of an Instagram post she stumbled over that touched her deeply (by Valentin Auwercx, @pticrayon on IG). And then we're all sharing small and wonderful things that light us up (sometimes literally!) and...

In today's episode, we're sharing some incredibly wise and helpful advice from Maddie's five-year-old granddaughter: experience your life! It's so easy to get caught up in one aspect of life, often something unpleasant, that we forget how wonderful it can be to experience everything! We've got a super simple grounding and getting present activity for you that literally only tak...

In this very honest and heartfelt episode we’re talkingabout how to thrive when it feels like nothing is happening. You know those times: when you’re waiting for the healing, or the book contract, or the financial situation to resolve, or the grief to lift. We’ve all been there, and it’s so tempting to get impatient or even become despondent, to believe that nothing is happening and nothing will e...

Sometimes happiness comes to us from unexpected places, and today we're talking about some life altering wisdom that Kerry stumbled over from... are you ready?.. the Mary Tyler Moore Show. We're talking about embracing the energy of enthusiasm and exploring how a simple shift can change everything in your current reality. Also? We triple dog dare you to give it a try! And then let us know...

Today we’re tossing around the idea of “Just One More Minute”—in a feel good way, not a sadness & loss kind of way. We talk about our thoughts, experiences, and  yes, challenges,around learning to revel in the experience of the unique, never-to-happen-again moment we’re in rather than always looking forward to what is coming next. Also the realization that the 'you' that you are in thi...

Anybody else feeling the cold and dark of winter pressing in? In this episode we're talking about some of our very favorite cozy and comforting rituals. It's amazing how a candle or a favorite blanket or a soak in a warm bath can raise your spirits. Listen in to hear some of the cozy things we love, and then do us a huge favor and share yours! We can use all of the comforting and cozy we c...

Whether you made some resolutions for 2026, or chose a word or set an intention -- there's something in this wide ranging conversation for you! Also, yes, we know it's the end of January already but hey, we actually recorded this one a while ago. No judging! Besides, this is the perfect time to give yourself grace or cut yourself slack if you haven't quite measured up to your own expec...

On this episode of One Happy Thing, we're talking about some creative ways of letting go of fear and worry by getting clear on what you do want, putting in a request with God or the Universe or whatever higher power you believe in -- and then letting go with trust. We cover God Boxes, treasure chests, pink bubbles and more... and we'd love to hear your ideas as well! Drop us a comment, ema...

In this fun and free flowing episode we’re bouncing around ideas for joyful, stress free collaboration. Whether you’rewriting a novel together with a group of friends like Jennifer, talking through plot ideas with a friend like Maddie, brainstorming book ideas with another writer like Kerry, or collaborating on something completely different, this lively episode is for you! We’d love to hear about...

In this episode we're asking some important questions about our relationship with our cell phones. How connected is too connected? Does that restless, uneasy feeling some of us get when we haven't looked at the phone for awhile signal an addiction? Do you know where your cell phone is right now and how long has it been since you last looked at your social media or played a game? Kerry admi...

Today we’re diving into a question that sounds, and feels, important: what does it mean to live with purpose? And how do we go about doing that? As we discovered in this conversation, all three of us  have slightly different ways of thinking about the idea, but really we’re all talking about the same thing in the end: finding something in your life that calls to you, brings you joy, and benefits o...

In this episode, we're delighting in remembering the childhood toys and games and ways of thinking that were full of magic and wonder. From Strawberry Shortcake to homemade paper dolls, elaborate games of house, and creating forts practically anywhere... our days were full of creativity and discovery. The joy of these memories leads to the question: how can we bring that playful and creative w...

If you've ever had the experience of not being able to seesomething that was right there in front of your eyes, you'll relate to this lively and wide ranging conversation. From invisible Wordle letters to missing recipes and elusive plot points, we're brainstorming ways to look at problems with different eyes. Download and listen now, because you never know what fabulous opportunity or...

Sleep. We all know it's good for us, but most of us have unhelpful sleep habits or hangups—or even, like Maddie Dawson—outright sleep avoidance. What to do? And how important is sleep anyway? Join us for a lively discussion about what works for us and what doesn't, and why we're all on a quest for more refreshing and rejuvenating sleep. The app Maddie mentions where you can listen to M...

We've all been there—on the edge of going after a big dream, but scared to take the leap. In this inspiring conversation (hey, we inspired ourselves!) we talk about some of the things, beliefs, and well-meaning people that can get in the way of us pursuing our dreams. We also talk about why dreams matter and the joy of doing what we feel called to do. If you want to check out the book we refer...

In this episode, singer, songwriter, and radio host LindsayLawler joins us with a story about numbers and synchronicity that made us all gasp (literally!) in awe and wonder. Kerry confesses to a little hang up about the number 7, Jennifer shares about her own special number that keeps on showing up everywhere, and Maddie discovers that she already has number synchronicities in her life. Whether yo...

In this episode, we're diving into the idea that we can shape our own reality by choosing our thoughts and our focus. Curating social media, limiting exposure to the news, and consciously starting the day with things that bring us joy are a few of the suggestions we discuss. We also talk about deliberately choosing joy even when the world is suffering, including a discussion about the contagio...

Maddie Dawson has got a humdinger of a story to share with ustoday, all about a necklace that brings good luck to her writing life.  Does her lucky writing pendant really have magicalpowers? Can our brains create miraculous transformations? Or is it all in the way we're looking at things? Listen in for a lively discussion about the amazing power of mindset to bring joy and good things into our...

In today's laughter-filled episode, we're talking about the small things (or big ones in the case of Bruno!) that bring magic and happiness into our everyday lives. Listen in as we exchange stories about the little happinesses that light us up—and then drop us a comment and let us know what small things are making you happy right now. Happy things are even happier when shared with somebody...

We’re getting physical in this episode, looking to our bodies to help us move into a state of happiness. We talk about contraction vs. expansion, how different body postures inspire different emotions,  the art of ‘finding a yes’ and a yoga practicecalled ‘breath of joy.’ Speaking of which, here’s a YouTube link that will walk you through a Breath of Joy practice: https://youtu.be/HFrLhp3-DX0?si=E...