What's on Your Bookshelf?

When the weight of the world feels like it's on our shoulders, happiness can seem like a distant dream. That's why Samantha Powell and I open our hearts to you, sharing our personal struggles with stress and the pursuit of joy amidst life's tumultuous waves. We don't just talk about the dark times; we shine a light on how to navigate through them, armed with problem-focused cop...

Join us in this episode for heartfelt discussion, laughter, and a shared commitment to consciously cherish and enrich the relationships that bring happiness to our lives. Recall the last time you initiated a heartfelt connection with someone who crossed your mind and the joy that a simple act brought into your life. Today, Denise and Sam unwrap the profound joy found in the human connections we nu...

Unlock the secrets to a happier life with our exploration of "The How of Happiness," where we dissect the potent influence of playing to your strengths. Denise and Sam share personal insights and stories on how honing in on the activities that resonate with us can elevate not just our mood but also our professional endeavors. We're joined by insights from leadership gurus like John...

What if the key to a gratifying life was right within you, nestled in your perspective and thought patterns? Buckle up, listeners, as we, your hosts Denise Russo and Samantha Powell, navigate you through the stimulating realm of optimism, debunking myths, and highlighting the joy in little things. We'll guide you through the labyrinth of big and little optimism, illustrating the profound impa...

Ready for a deep dive into gratitude and its transformative power? Join us, Denise Russo and Sam Powell, as we kick off our series about cultivating happiness, with a special focus on the art of expressing gratitude. We share our own journeys, exploring how we've unlocked the joy of acknowledging and appreciating the present moment. Discover the little everyday actions that can spark a powerf...

What if you had the power to build your own roadmap to happiness? Let's embark on this journey together! Hosts, Denise Russo and Samantha Powell  dissect "The How of Happiness", offering you an incredible spectrum of twelve happiness strategies to personalize your joy journey. A crucial insight from our discussion is the connection between these happiness strategies and our previous...

Get ready for an enlightening journey through the realm of happiness, as we, your hosts, Denise Russo and Samantha Powell, dissect the insightful guide, "The How of Happiness". We promise that by the end of this episode, you'll have a clearer understanding of your happiness set points and the power you possess to enhance them. We delve into the science of happiness and dispel common...

Is happiness a puzzle you've been trying to solve? Let's unravel the mystery together. On today's episode of What's On Your Bookshelf, Denise and Sam dive headfirst into the science of happiness, dissecting the fascinating research that goes beyond the surface of joy and positivity. Uncover the secrets of the art of well-being and see how understanding this can lead us to evolv...

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In this episode, Denise and Sam wrap up the final chapters of Atomic Habits by james Clear. To increase your chances of success, it's crucial to choose the right field of competition. Your genes cannot be easily altered, which means they can give you a significant advantage in favorable circumstances and a severe disadvantage in unfavorable ones. Your habits are easier to develop when they al...

In this episode, Denise and Sam discuss Chapter 17: How an Accountability Partner Can Change Everything from the book, Atomic Habits by James Clear. Avoidance of certain behaviors can occur if the experience of those behaviors is unpleasant or unsatisfying. Pain is an effective teacher, and the more immediate the pain is, the less likely the behavior will continue. To prevent bad habits and elimin...

This week Denise and Sam discuss Chapter 16: How to Stick with Good Habits Every Day from the book, Atomic Habits by James Clear. Tracking progress is one of the most rewarding experiences in life. One easy way to achieve this is by using a habit tracker, which could be as simple as marking an X on a calendar. By doing so, you can keep track of your habits and avoid breaking the chain. Visual form...

What if you could unravel the secrets of leadership from the movie Braveheart, or learn profound life lessons from King Solomon’s wisdom? Join Denise Russo and Scott Miller  as we cap off our 12 Days series. We journey through cherished narratives, revealing the transformative power of music via the Pied Piper, and decode the allegoric final verse of "The Twelve Days of Christmas".  If y...

Behavior is repeated when the experience is satisfying. For habits to stick, you need to feel immediately successful – even if it’s in a small way. Habits produce outcomes across time that often need to be more aligned. The costs of your good habits are in the present. The costs of your bad habits are in the future. The Cardinal Rule of Behavior Change: “What is immediately rewarded is repeated. W...

In this episode of What's on Your Bookshelf, Denise and Scott talk about Chapters 9 and 10, Nine Ladies Dancing and Ten Lords a-Leaping. If you would like to download the 12 Days playlist from Spotify, the link is available here . If you would like to purchase your copy of 12 Days, use this link to order for your Kindle, soft cover, or hard cover.  Connect with us on our LinkedIn page School...

On this episode of What's on Your Bookshelf, Denise and Sam discuss Chapter 14: How to Make Good Habits Inevitable and Bad Habits Impossible from James Clear's book, Atomic Habits. Success can depend on more than just making good habits easy. It can also rely on making bad habits harder to maintain. Commitment Devices are choices made in the present that ensure better behavior in the fut...

In this episode of What's on Your Bookshelf, Denise and Scott talk about Chapters 7 and 8, Seven Swans a-Swimming and Eight Maids a-Milking. If you would like to download the 12 Days playlist from Spotify, the link is available here . If you would like to purchase your copy of 12 Days, use this link to order for your Kindle, soft cover, or hard cover.  Connect with us on our LinkedIn page Sch...

In this episode, Denise and Sam discuss Chapter 13, How to Stop Procrastinating by Using the Two-Minute Rule.  Your goal might be to run a marathon, but your gateway habit is to put on your running shoes.  The point is to master the habit of showing up. You can’t improve a habit that doesn’t exist. Make it easy to start and the rest will follow. The more you ritualize the beginning of a process, t...

In this episode of What's on Your Bookshelf, Denise and Scott talk about Chapters 5 and 6, Five Gold Rings and Six Geese a-Laying. If you would like to download the 12 Days playlist from Spotify, the link is available here . If you would like to purchase your copy of 12 Days, use this link to order for your Kindle, soft cover, or hard cover.  Connect with us on our LinkedIn page School of Tho...

It's a fact that the Law of Least Effort governs human behavior. Our natural tendency is to choose the option that requires the minimum amount of work. Therefore, one should make their habits so easy that they can be carried out even when they don't feel it's essential. It's important to create an environment that makes doing the right thing as easy as possible. Instead of tryi...

In this episode of What's on Your Bookshelf, Denise and Scott talk about Chapters 3 and 4, Three French Hens and Four Calling Birds from her book, 12 Days. If you would like to download the 12 Days playlist from Spotify, the link is available here . If you would like to purchase your copy of 12 Days, use this link to order for your Kindle, soft cover, or hard cover.  Connect with us on our Li...

In this episode, Denise and Sam explore Chapter 11 of Atomic Habits by James Clear : Walk Slowly, but Never Backward We are so focused on figuring out the best approach that we always need to take action. For example: Motion : outlining twenty ideas for articles. Action : sitting down and writing an article Motion : search for a better diet plan and read a few books. Action : eat a healthy meal Mo...

In this episode of What's on Your Bookshelf, Denise and Scott talk about Chapters 1 and 2, A Partridge in a Pear Tree and Two Turtle Doves from her book, 12 Days. If you would like to download the 12 Days playlist from Spotify, the link is available here . If you would like to purchase your copy of 12 Days, use this link to order for your Kindle, soft cover, or hard cover.  Connect with us on...

Every behavior has both a surface-level craving and a more profound underlying motive. For instance, smoking cigarettes or checking Instagram may not be something we truly desire. Instead, at a deeper level, we may aim to reduce uncertainty, relieve anxiety, win social acceptance and approval, or achieve status. Essentially, our habits are modern-day solutions to ancient desires. Some people may t...

In this episode, Denise and Sam discuss Chapter 9: The Role of Family and Friends in Shaping Your Habits. The culture we live in determines which behaviors are attractive to us. We tend to adopt habits that are praised and approved of by our culture because we have a strong desire to fit in and belong to the tribe. We tend to imitate the habits of three social groups. Each group offers an opportun...