I Think I Can Be Happier

About I Think I Can Be Happier

This one's for the person who knows they could be happier but isn't quite sure how to get there. Join us, Hannah Choi and Amy McDuffie, as we embark on this adventure with you. We're two people who work as executive function coaches and care deeply about living well. We're still figuring this whole happiness thing out ourselves and want to share what we learn with you! I Think I Can Be Happier brings you the stories of people who are finding their own path toward happiness, the science behind why it's so hard, and tools and strategies that might make things a little easier. Stories and science for people in progress.

Publisher

Hannah Choi and Amy McDuffie

Category

education · education · health & fitness

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

13 Apr 2026

Latest episode

12 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

17 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   12 Oct 2026

   Becoming the Coolest Person I Know with Tiffany Yu, Disability Advocate | Ep. 16

   In this episode, Hannah and Amy sit down with Tiffany Yu, disability advocate, founder of Diversability, and author of The Anti-Ableist Manifesto. If you are listening on the day this drops, the paperback version comes out tomorrow, October 13, 2026, and it is available in hardback, paperback, e-book, audiobook, and plain language editions. Tiffany’s story begins at nine years old, on a car ride home with her dad and siblings. He lost control of the car. He passed away, and Tiffany acquired several disabilities including a permanently paralyzed arm and, diagnosed almost two decades later, PTSD. She calls what she experienced compounded grief: the grief of losing a loved one, the body grief of existing in a suddenly changed body, and the grief of lost childhood innocence. Naming those layers, she says, is what allowed her to begin healing through them. The conversation covers what it means to use the word disability without euphemism, the difference between person-first and identity-first language, the cultural dimensions of disability within Asian families, the shift from pathology to culture, and what disability pride and disabled joy actually look like in practice. Tiffany also shares her five pillars of advocacy, community, education, economic empowerment, civic engagement, and joy, and talks about her current recovery era, navigating her first surgery in 30 years and the unexpected emotions it has surfaced. Find Tiffany tiffanyyu.com (https://tiffanyyu.com) Diversability (https://mydiversability.com) — Tiffany’s community organization focused on helping disabled people self-actualize and become proud of who they are. The Anti-Ableism series on social media features guests sharing one way to show up better for the disability community. (https://mydiversability.com) The Anti-Ableist Manifesto by Tiffany Yu Now available in paperback. Also available in hardback, e-book, audiobook, and plain language editions. The book is organized from me to we to us: what anti-ableism means for you, within your community, and at the societal level. Every chapter is seven to eight pages, the chapter title is the takeaway, and each closes with reflection questions. At the end of the book is the anti-ableist manifesto artwork, 30 statements corresponding to chapters, now available as merch through Diversability. (https://www.amazon.com/Anti-Ableist-Manifesto-Smashing-Stereotypes-Disability-Inclusive/dp/0306833662/ref=sr_1_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.uz0znw568CQxjctXUzogDjK4ZGnUmZ24m6ceG8D_ZwE8eKT9I5fMwDVs7he0uPwCOMCj1ki0KkVN1yaKoJRqQiheiYTPTBNNau3_6DN6m0rqlGuhOtLI5GM5-ORDUvYLxj1zfBzfPEY0JUjNDeKtyeduiBxFLnJiDRBx8v8wDEX5PfQCBP7u0vQemPTwzYz0ZPlQ-l1hxzk5CflBkyJs3LjV9Ni4V3H4T4h9vRoENv4.ZRMzV0VnKx9LmSuMOg4nB8tuP3rEZ92GLoHbGeQ-XFs&dib_tag=se&keywords=The+Anti-Ableist+Manifesto+by+Tiffany+Yu&qid=1791718009&sr=8-1)Buy the book here. (https://www.amazon.com/Anti-Ableist-Manifesto-Smashing-Stereotypes-Disability-Inclusive/dp/0306833662/ref=sr_1_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.uz0znw568CQxjctXUzogDjK4ZGnUmZ24m6ceG8D_ZwE8eKT9I5fMwDVs7he0uPwCOMCj1ki0KkVN1yaKoJRqQiheiYTPTBNNau3_6DN6m0rqlGuhOtLI5GM5-ORDUvYLxj1zfBzfPEY0JUjNDeKtyeduiBxFLnJiDRBx8v8wDEX5PfQCBP7u0vQemPTwzYz0ZPlQ-l1hxzk5CflBkyJs3LjV9Ni4V3H4T4h9vRoENv4.ZRMzV0VnKx9LmSuMOg4nB8tuP3rEZ92GLoHbGeQ-XFs&dib_tag=se&keywords=The+Anti-Ableist+Manifesto+by+Tiffany+Yu&qid=1791718009&sr=8-1) MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE VIA Character Strengths Assessment: A free quiz that identifies your top character strengths and values, originally introduced to Tiffany through the Science of Happiness course on Coursera. (https://www.viacharacter.org/survey/account/register)Take the assessment here. (https://www.viacharacter.org/survey/account/register) The Science of Happiness Course (Coursera): Developed by UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center and Dr. Laurie Santos. (https://www.coursera.org/learn/the-science-of-well-being)Find it here. (https://www.coursera.org/learn/the-science-of-well-being) Made of Millions A nonprofit working to destigmatize mental health disabilities. Tiffany references their finding that the average treatment gap for mental health conditions is approximately 10 years. madeofmillions.com (https://www.madeofmillions.com) What My Bones Know (https://amzn.to/3VwdxF9) by Stephanie Foo: A memoir about healing through complex PTSD, recommended by Tiffany for listeners who want to understand the Asian immigrant experience and how mental health conditions are often hidden through achievement. Find it here. Minds of All Kinds | Kaleidoscope Society (https://www.kaleidoscopesociety.com/celebrating-kaleidoscope-society-and-introducing-minds-of-all-kinds/) Founded by Margo Joffe, a community for women with ADHD, now expanded into Minds of All Kinds, focused on neurodivergent inclusion. Annie B's Homemade Ice Cream Shop (https://anniebsicecream.com/) A family-owned ice cream shop created so their daughter with disabilities would have employment after high school. They hire people with disabilities as their primary staff. Cape Abilities (https://capeabilities.org/) An organization providing work training, work opportunities, and learning for adults with disabilities on Cape Cod. They run a store supporting local artists, operated by people with disabilities. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) (https://www.ada.gov): The law Tiffany references when explaining why the word disability matters. Knowing your rights starts here. Disability Is Not a Bad Word Campaign (https://www.togetherwebloom.org/notabadword) The campaign running on buses and in LAX that Tiffany references. CONNECT WITH US Reach out to us! Email us at hello@icanbehappier.com or visit icanbehappier.com (http://icanbehappier.com/). Find us on Instagram at icanbehappier.podcast, on YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or a comment on Spotify. We read them and they mean a lot. This podcast is not a substitute for professional mental health support. Please reach out to a qualified licensed provider if you need help. As an Amazon affiliate, we get a small percentage of the sale of any books you purchase through our links. It's an easy way to support us! Thank you!

2. 

   28 Sept 2026

   How to Stop Letting the Unexpected Ruin Your Day | Ep. 15

   Listen as Hannah and Amy discuss one of the most universal human experiences: when things do not go as planned. Whether it is a task you cannot seem to start, a goal that keeps not getting done, or a day that goes completely sideways before 9am, this episode is about what to do when life lifes. We want to hear from you! Record yourself telling a story about an unexpected thing that came up and how you handled it. They will feature listener stories in a future episode. Email your recording or story to hello@icanbehappier.com. Hannah opens with a story that will feel very familiar: a morning she had planned entirely for herself that unraveled within an hour thanks to a forgotten chiropractor appointment and a stranger's sewing machine. The difference between how she would have handled it years ago and how she handled it this time, by laughing in the bathroom instead of crying, is the thread that runs through the whole episode. That shift happened because of practice, reflection, and accumulated evidence that things tend to work out even when they go sideways. Hannah and Amy cover the executive function skills at the heart of this topic: cognitive flexibility, task initiation, emotional regulation, planning and organization, and working memory. They share real client stories, practical strategies, and a reminder that the unexpected is not just an obstacle. It is information, and sometimes the most useful information you could have gotten. All clients stories are shared with permission from the clients. In this episode: cognitive flexibility and why it matters, task initiation and productive procrastination, emotional regulation and emotional agility, Plan A versus Plan B, adjusting your definition of success, adding friction, body doubling, planning as a skill worth practicing, and why the unexpected might be pointing you somewhere you needed to go. MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE Susan David, PhD and Emotional Agility: Amy references David's work on turning toward difficult emotions rather than avoiding them as one of the strongest predictors of long-term wellbeing. Hannah's favorite quote, "Discomfort is the price of admission to a meaningful life," is also David's. (https://www.susandavid.com)Learn more about Susan David's work here. (https://www.susandavid.com) Her book (https://www.amazon.com/Emotional-Agility-Unstuck-Embrace-Transform/dp/1592409490)Emotional Agility (https://amzn.to/4ACwINi) is well worth reading. We also enjoyed her appearance on one of our favorite podcasts, The Happiness Lab (https://www.drlauriesantos.com/happiness-lab-with-dr-laurie-santos-podcast) with Dr. Laurie Santos. John Lennon, Beautiful Boy: Hannah opens with the quote "Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans," made famous by Lennon's 1980 song Beautiful Boy (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HB5KwxPwQj8&list=PL-9zk0gg1jJ_jVnze-nWHylGEeY_gdL3u). She notes it was originally written by Allen Saunders in 1957. Cognitive Flexibility: Read more about cognitive flexibility in Hannah's blog post on the topic, including benefits for both children and adults shared by Dajani & Uddin (2017) (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5414037/) and others. Body Doubling Sessions: Hannah and Amy now offer body doubling sessions, where you work alongside others virtually to get things done. People have reported completing tasks they had been avoiding for months, sometimes in as little as 20 minutes. (https://lu.ma/bodydoubling)Find the sessions at luma/bodydoubling. (https://www.luma.com/bodydoubling) CONNECT WITH US Reach out to us! Email us at hello@icanbehappier.com or visit (http://icanbehappier.com/)icanbehappier.com (http://icanbehappier.com/). Find us on Instagram at icanbehappier.podcast, and on Facebook and LinkedIn. This podcast is not a substitute for professional mental health support. Please reach out to a qualified licensed provider if you need help. As an Amazon affiliate, we get a small percentage of the sale of any books you purchase through our links. It's an easy way to support us! Thank you!

3. 

   14 Sept 2026

   Decluttering Your Priorities with Tyler Moore, The Tidy Dad | Ep. 14

   Hannah and Amy welcome Tyler Moore, AKA Tidy Dad, author of Tidy Up Your Life, Today Show guest, and New York City elementary school teacher. Hannah first interviewed Tyler on her previous podcast Focus Forward, complete with a coughing fit that almost took her out entirely. This time around, the conversation opens a little differently than usual: Hannah shares that she is recording this episode on the same day she learned that one of her favorite musicians, Glen Hansard, died the night before. Tyler's book is now available in paperback, and he has also launched a podcast called Tidy Tidbits, short digestible episodes on tidying, organization, and priorities. Both are worth checking out. The conversation covers a lot of ground, all of it connected by a through line about what it actually means to live in alignment with your values rather than everyone else's expectations. Tyler talks about his twenties as a decade of building, his thirties as a decade of proving himself to others until it led to a complete mental health breakdown, and his forties as a decade of ruthlessly decluttering other people's opinions. He lives in a 750-square-foot New York City apartment with his wife and three kids, walks six blocks to school, comes home for lunch every day, and considers that a life well designed. It might not be what others would choose, but it is what aligns with what his family actually values: family, connection, freedom, and time. Hannah and Amy connect Tyler's philosophy throughout to executive function skills, particularly organization, prioritization, metacognition, and interoception, making the case that tidying your physical life and tidying your inner life are the same skill practiced in different rooms. In this episode: living in alignment with your values, the messy middle, priorities vs. time management, organization as a life skill, the focusing illusion, what your body is trying to tell you, metacognition and interoception, starting over, the oxygen mask principle, ruthless decluttering of other people's opinions, and why the bathroom being on floor three and a half of a New York City school is just fine. Find Tyler thetidydad.com (https://thetidydad.com) Instagram: (https://www.instagram.com/tidydad/)@tidydad (https://www.instagram.com/tidydad/) Substack: The Tidy Times | Substack (https://tidydad.substack.com/) Tidy Up Your Life by Tyler Moore is now available in paperback. (https://amzn.to/4gSb0NL)Amazon link (https://amzn.to/4gSb0NL) Tidy Tidbits, Tyler's podcast: short episodes on tidying, organization, and priorities. Find it wherever you get your podcasts. MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE Tyler's previous appearance on Focus Forward (https://www.beyondbooksmart.com/podcast?wchannelid=y1lzulxlcs&wmediaid=pcr8a1lkgb) The Viral Sensation Sweeping the Nation: Eric's delicious dinner. Trader Joe's lobster bisque over pasta with Argentinian pink shrimp and scallops. Hannah promised the recipe in the show notes. (https://www.allrecipes.com/we-tried-trader-joes-lobster-pasta-recipe-11740307)Here it is. (https://www.allrecipes.com/we-tried-trader-joes-lobster-pasta-recipe-11740307) Thinking, Fast and Slow (https://amzn.to/3T2kQ6w) by Daniel Kahneman: Hannah references the focusing illusion and Kahneman's quote: "Nothing in life is as important as you think it is while you are thinking about it." The Body Keeps the Score (https://amzn.to/3UP00rM) by Bessel van der Kolk: Hannah brings this in during the conversation about the physical signals our bodies send us when something needs to change. Tyler's eye twitch during the book editing process is a perfect example. Metacognition and interoception: Two helpful skills that come up throughout the episode. Metacognition is the ability to think about your own thinking and notice patterns in yourself. Interoception is your awareness of what is happening inside your body: tension, stress, hunger, fatigue. Both are learnable and both are, as Hannah and Amy point out, things Tyler has clearly put real work into developing. Glen Hansard (https://glenhansard.com/home/): The Irish folk singer Hannah mentions at the opening of the episode, whose music has been a companion through some of her hardest seasons. CONNECT WITH US Reach out to us! Email us at hello@icanbehappier.com or visit (http://icanbehappier.com/)icanbehappier.com (http://icanbehappier.com/). Find us on Instagram at icanbehappier.podcast, and on Facebook and LinkedIn. This podcast is not a substitute for professional mental health support. Please reach out to a qualified licensed provider if you need help. As an Amazon affiliate, we get a small percentage of the sale of any books you purchase through our links. It's an easy way to support us! Thank you!

4. 

   31 Aug 2026

   Get Out of Your Head and Into Your Life with Bill Abel | Ep. 13

   In this episode, Hannah and Amy sit down with Bill Abel, certified yoga instructor, watercolor artist, and, as Amy is happy to report, one of her own yoga teachers. Bill has been teaching yoga for nearly 11 years, and discovered his practice at 52 after a cold call from a stranger invited him to try a free class. That phone call changed everything. Bill's story is one of the most warmly human conversations the show has had. An unexpected and unwanted divorce, a deep sense of disconnection, a body that needed moving and a mind that needed quieting, and then one unexpected phone call that became a catalyst for a whole new life. He talks about what it felt like to be stuck, how fear and vulnerability became his teachers rather than his enemies, and why the yoga mat is a mirror for who you are in life. He also introduces his inner gremlin, Richard (short for something he's not sure if he can say but learns he can), and how naming and living with your limiting beliefs, rather than trying to silence them, is part of what actually moves you forward. In this episode: finding your catalyst, beginner's mind, fear as a sign of growth, self-limiting beliefs and the gremlin, connection and belonging, pure listening, contribution as a path to happiness, the minimalist mindset, and what it looks like to sell everything and start over at any age. Find Bill Bill Abel is a certified yoga instructor and watercolor artist based in North Carolina. His watercolor work is genuinely worth seeing. Bill Abel – Watercolor painter and yoga instructor in Hendersonville, NC (http://www.wherearthappens.com/) MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE Baron Baptiste and Baptiste Yoga: The yoga methodology that shaped Bill's practice and teaching. Built on three principles: physicality, empowerment, and possibility. www. (https://www.baptisteyoga.com)baptisteyoga.com (https://www.baptisteyoga.com) Dancing Mind Studios, Falls Church, Virginia: Where Bill took his very first yoga class after that cold call. The studio that started it all. Two Wolves (https://www.virtuesforlife.com/two-wolves/): Bill references the well-known parable about two wolves, one of fear and one of courage, and which one wins depending on which one you feed. David Bowie on aging: Bill references a Bowie quote about getting older being the beautiful process of becoming who you were really meant to be. "Aging is an extraordinary process whereby you become the person you always should have been." ADDITIONAL RESOURCES The Gift of Fear (https://amzn.to/4qTsGMk) by Gavin de Becker: For listeners who want to go deeper on the relationship between fear and growth, and how to tell the difference between fear that protects and fear that holds you back. Daring Greatly (https://amzn.to/4zSnEDY) by Brene Brown: Bill's conversation about vulnerability, belonging, and letting others see the beginner in you maps directly onto Brown's research. A natural companion to this episode. Mindset: The New Psychology of Success (https://amzn.to/4qKvbjT) by Carol Dweck: The foundational book on growth mindset, directly relevant to everything Bill describes about leaning into discomfort, embracing failure, and staying in the learning zone. The Untethered Soul (https://amzn.to/4wWxHF2) by Michael A. Singer: For listeners moved by Bill's reflections on getting out of your head and coming into your body and your life. CONNECT WITH US Reach out to us! Email us at hello@icanbehappier.com or visit (http://icanbehappier.com/)icanbehappier.com (http://icanbehappier.com/). Find us on Instagram at icanbehappier.podcast, and on Facebook and LinkedIn. This podcast is not a substitute for professional mental health support. Please reach out to a qualified licensed provider if you need help. As an Amazon affiliate, we get a small percentage of the sale of any books you purchase through our links. It's an easy way to support us! Thank you!

5. 

   17 Aug 2026

   Stop Playing Small with Kiin Sauna Founder Ginger Richardson | Ep. 12

   Listen in as Hannah and Amy sit down with Ginger Richardson, certified sauna and cold plunge coach, health coach, and founder of Kiin, a contrast therapy business based in Westport, Connecticut. Ginger runs a wood-burning Nordic style mobile sauna and cold plunge operation that pops up at beaches, wellness retreats, and private events across the area, and Hannah has personally experienced it firsthand, breaking a lantern on the way in and staying in the cold plunge for two full minutes despite having Raynaud's. Liking our show? Leave us a tip (https://icanbehappier.com/support) to say thanks! Ginger's story is one of the most honest and inspiring the show has featured. Divorce after 12 years out of the workforce, a mother's stroke, a lost friendship, a relationship ending, a rental sold out from under her, all within five months. Instead of playing small, she woke up one morning and put her savings into a mobile sauna business she designed herself. Less than a year later she has investors, two employees, and a permanent location. But the real heart of the conversation is not the business success. It is what Ginger learned along the way about discomfort, the central nervous system, community, and what happiness actually requires. Ginger's definition of happiness is a calm central nervous system, and everything she does, contrast therapy, breathwork, grounding, movement, community, filtering relationships through how they make her feel in her core, is in service of that. She talks about the tools she has built, how she uses humming to regulate in the middle of the night, how breathwork in the cold plunge translated into getting air into closing airways during an anaphylactic episode, and why she believes all the hard things in her life led her exactly where she needed to be. In this episode: contrast therapy and its benefits, the physiological effects of heat and cold, breathwork as a life skill, building your toolbox before you need it, cognitive flexibility and metacognition, the central nervous system and happiness, filtering relationships, doing the inside work first, why you just have to start, and why life being hard is actually the best part. Find Ginger Kiinsauna.com (https://www.kiinsauna.com/) for booking, private events, corporate events, and wellness partnerships. Instagram: @kiinsauna (https://www.instagram.com/kiinsauna/) Kiin is based in Westport, Connecticut with mobile pop-ups throughout the area. MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE The Upside of Stress (https://amzn.to/4hCRHbV) by Kelly McGonigal: Hannah references the episode they did on this book and McGonigal's finding that people who believe stress is harmful have a significantly higher mortality rate than those who see stress as something useful. (http://icanbehappier.com)Listen to that episode here. (http://icanbehappier.com) (https://www.amazon.com/Upside-Stress-Why-Good-You/dp/1101982934) The Happiness Lab with Laurie Santos: Hannah references Santos on the idea that we don't expect to get fit from one exercise class and never work out again, yet we somehow expect happiness to work that way. (https://www.happinesslab.fm)Listen here. (https://www.happinesslab.fm) Contrast therapy research: Ginger references research that suggests regular sauna use may be associated with reduced cardiovascular risk. Read it here (https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/article-abstract/2130724). Reach out to us! Email us at hello@icanbehappier.com or visit (http://icanbehappier.com/)icanbehappier.com (http://icanbehappier.com/). Find us on Instagram at icanbehappier.podcast, and on Facebook and LinkedIn. This podcast is not a substitute for professional mental health support. Please reach out to a qualified licensed provider if you need help. As an Amazon affiliate, we get a small percentage of the sale of any books you purchase through our links. It's an easy way to support us! Thank you!

6. 

   10 Aug 2026

   The Foundations of a Happier Life, Part 2 | Ep. 11

   Listen as Hannah and Amy wrap up their two-part series on foundational routines with nutrition and social connection. If you missed part one on sleep and movement, go back and listen to that one first since these four areas are deeply interconnected and build on each other throughout both episodes. Amy takes the lead on nutrition, walking through why the brain, despite being only about 2% of your body weight, uses roughly 20% of your daily energy and needs to be fed accordingly. She covers the gut-brain axis, the role of blood sugar stability in executive function, and the surprising research on dehydration showing that even mild fluid loss, before you feel thirsty, measurably impairs attention, working memory, and processing speed. Hannah adds observations from years of working with college students including that students who cook for themselves tend to do significantly better academically, and she believes nourishing their brains more consistently is a big part of why. Hannah dives into the social connection section with genuine enthusiasm, covering the three dimensions outlined in The World Happiness Report — quantity, quality, and structure — and sharing some striking research: social relationships are better predictors of long, happy lives than social class, IQ, or genetics, and 19% of young adults globally now report having no one to count on, a 39% increase since 2006. She also touches on synchrony and collective joy, the value of brief everyday interactions with strangers, diversifying your social portfolio across ages, and a simple but powerful self-check after spending time with people. In this episode: the sleep-nutrition connection, the gut-brain axis, blood sugar and executive function, omega-3 fatty acids and brain health, hydration as a cognitive tool, cooking as an executive function practice, social connection and longevity, synchrony and collective joy, body doubling, the connection crisis, the three dimensions of social connection, diversifying your social portfolio, and why brief interactions with strangers matter more than you think. RESEARCH MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE The World Happiness Report: An annual global study out of Harvard covering a wide range of wellbeing factors. Hannah references the chapter "Connecting With Others" by Pai and Zaki, which outlines the three dimensions of social connection: quantity, quality, and structure. (https://worldhappiness.report)Read the report here. (https://worldhappiness.report) The Global Flourishing Study: Another major Harvard-based study consistently finding that social relationships are better predictors of long, happy lives than social class, IQ, or genetics. (https://hfh.fas.harvard.edu/global-flourishing-study)Learn more here. (https://hfh.fas.harvard.edu/global-flourishing-study) Lassale et al. (2019), published in Molecular Psychiatry: Analysis of data from over 45,000 people across multiple countries finding that a healthy diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and healthy fats was associated with significantly lower risk of depression. Masento et al. (2014), published in the British Journal of Nutrition: Found that even mild dehydration, before you feel thirsty, measurably impairs attention, working memory, and processing speed. Omega-3 fatty acids and the brain: Amy references research linking DHA specifically to better working memory, attention, and processing speed. A good overview can be found in Stonehouse (2014), published in Nutrients. THREE DIMENSIONS OF SOCIAL CONNECTION From The World Happiness Report, chapter by Pai and Zaki: Quantity: The number of existing social relationships in your life, from isolation to high connectivity. The actual number matters less than whether it feels right for you. Do you have enough? Are you spread too thin? Quality: The emotional, social, or practical support provided by your relationships. A useful question to ask yourself after spending time with people: do you feel supported, and do you feel good about yourself? Structure: The organizational makeup of your social network, including how interconnected your people are with each other. Being part of a community, however small, has a surprisingly meaningful impact on wellbeing. It can be friends, family, coworkers, an online group, or a neighborhood. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES Lost Connections (https://amzn.to/4wN6OUR) by Johann Hari: One of the most important books on the social roots of depression and anxiety, directly relevant to the connection crisis Hannah discusses. Bowling Alone (https://amzn.to/4gkYp5e) by Robert Putnam: The foundational research on the decline of social capital and community in America. This Is Your Brain on Food (https://amzn.to/4wNA9yF) by Uma Naidoo MD: A Harvard-trained psychiatrist and nutritionist on the direct relationship between diet and mental health, including anxiety, depression, and cognitive function. In Defense of Food (https://amzn.to/3RSoBef) by Michael Pollan: A readable and reassuring case for eating real food without overcomplicating it. His summary, "Eat food, not too much, mostly plants," is a useful antidote to nutrition overwhelm. Greater Good Science Center (https://greatergood.berkeley.edu): Berkeley's research hub for wellbeing science. Their sections on social connection and gratitude are particularly strong. CONNECT WITH US Have something that works for you around nutrition and social connection? Hannah and Amy would love to hear it. Email hello@icanbehappier.com, find them on Instagram at icanbehappier.podcast, or visit (http://icanbehappier.com/)icanbehappier.com (http://icanbehappier.com/). This podcast is not a substitute for professional mental health support. Please reach out to a qualified licensed provider if you need help. As an Amazon affiliate, we get a small percentage of the sale of any books you purchase through our links. It's an easy way to support us! Thank you!

7. 

   3 Aug 2026

   The Foundations of a Happier Life, Part 1 | Ep. 10

   In this episode, Hannah and Amy kick off a two-part series on foundational routines, the things we do in daily life that quietly support everything else, including our executive function, our mood, and our ability to show up as the people we want to be. This is part one, covering sleep and movement. Part two, covering nutrition and social connection, drops next week. Before they dive in, Hannah and Amy are clear about what this episode is not: it is not a lecture, it is not a list of shoulds, and it is definitely not about perfection. The goal is simply to share some of the science, offer a few ideas, and invite listeners to think about which of these foundations might deserve a little more love and attention. On sleep, Amy walks through why the brain needs it so much more than we tend to give it credit for, including what happens to the prefrontal cortex and emotional regulation when we are running on too little, and why we are often worse off than we realize. Hannah adds the ADHD angle and the hormonal piece that many women do not know about until it is already affecting them. On movement, Hannah digs into a wealth of research showing that almost any amount of regular movement has real cognitive and happiness benefits, that frequency matters more than intensity, and that exercising with other people makes the whole thing significantly more powerful. The episode closes with an invitation to ask one simple question: what would this look like if it were fun? In this episode: why the brain is active during sleep, the ADHD and sleep connection, hormonal changes and sleep disruption, the minimum effective dose of movement, why frequency beats intensity, the cognitive benefits of getting outside, moving in community, interoception and executive function, the default mode network, and why you absolutely do not need to run a marathon. BOOKS MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE The Joy of Movement (https://link.amazon/B0eSlBYrR) by Kelly McGonigal — Hannah references this extensively in the movement section. McGonigal makes the case that movement does not have to be a slog and covers the profound benefits of moving outdoors and in community. She also discusses the Hadza tribe of Tanzania, studied by Herman Pontzer, whose high levels of physical activity correlated with uncommonly low rates of anxiety and depression. (Note: Hannah mentions she has not read it cover to cover yet but did a deep dive on the content.) The Upside of Stress (https://link.amazon/B02vJo9nw) by Kelly McGonigal — Referenced briefly as the subject of an earlier episode. McGonigal's work on reframing stress connects naturally to her work on movement. Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain (https://link.amazon/B0c5dV2gT) by John J. Ratey — Amy recommends this one from memory as a compelling read on the mind-body connection, full of case studies including research on a school district that incorporated exercise and saw lasting cognitive benefits in children. Say Good Night to Insomnia (https://link.amazon/B00N78cm1) by Gregg D. Jacobs — Based on a Harvard Medical School program using cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, known as CBT-I, which is currently the gold standard treatment for chronic insomnia and is recommended before medication. A practical and research-backed resource for listeners who specifically struggle with falling or staying asleep. RESEARCH MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE Laura Barca (2024) — Hannah references a recent meta-analysis by Barca that summarizes the broad cognitive and emotional benefits of movement, including its effects on interoception, executive function connectivity, self-awareness, and emotion regulation. Zhang and Chen (2018) — A review of 23 studies drawn from over 1,500 candidates, all reporting positive associations between physical activity and happiness. Key finding: as little as 10 minutes a day or one session per week of physical activity can make a meaningful difference. Scullin and Bliwise (2015) — Amy references this research showing that a consistent wake time is one of the most impactful single changes you can make for sleep quality, often more achievable than trying to fall asleep earlier. Killgore (2010), a review published in Progress in Brain Research: Amy refers to this research that found that sleep loss impairs not just cognitive performance but emotional regulation, moral reasoning, risk assessment, and social judgment. In other words, sleep does not just affect how well you think. It affects who you are in your relationships and how you make decisions about your life. MOVEMENT IDEAS FROM THE EPISODE Hannah mentions she will include a list in the show notes. Here it is: Hiking, pickleball, walking around your neighborhood, yoga, chair yoga, cleaning, dance, stretching, playing games at an arcade, gardening, folding laundry, walking a dog, walking with a friend, a workplace lunch walk, walking club, Hiking with Hounds at your local animal rescue, a Saturday morning fitness class, getting outside for 10 minutes in the morning, pickleball, walking around a parking lot while you wait for someone whose brownies took longer than expected. The guiding question: what would this look like if it were fun? A NOTE ON PART TWO Nutrition and social connection are coming next week. Hannah and Amy will cover the science behind both, why they matter for executive function and happiness, and what small experiments you might try. CONNECT WITH US Have something that works for you around sleep or movement? Hannah and Amy would love to hear it. Email hello@icanbehappier.com, find them on Instagram at icanbehappier.podcast, or visit (http://icanbehappier.com/)icanbehappier.com (http://icanbehappier.com/). This podcast is not a substitute for professional mental health support. Please reach out to a qualified licensed provider if you need help. As an Amazon affiliate, we get a small percentage of the sale of any books you purchase through our links. It's an easy way to support us! Thank you!

8. 

   20 Jul 2026

   Everyone Has a Story with Matt Shearer of WBZ Boston | Ep. 9

   Listen to Matt Shearer, a reporter for WBZ Newsradio in Boston and New England's most viral journalist, according to The Boston Globe. Matt has won multiple awards including a national Edward R. Murrow Award for excellence in innovation, and has built a devoted following through social media videos that capture the stories of everyday people across Massachusetts. Hannah has been a fan for a while and, by her own admission, had to work very hard not to fangirl throughout the entire conversation. Matt came to journalism through years of morning radio, and when he landed at WBZ he made it his mission to do things his way: just real people with stories that might not otherwise be told. Hear about the man whose M&M collection turned out to be a story about grief and loneliness, to Richard from Aeropostale who hadn't performed as drag persona Maria Christina False Eyelashes in 30 years until Matt brought him to a Boston drag club. His work is a masterclass in what happens when you actually stop and listen to people. His sold-out live show at the Wilbur Theatre, featuring everyday locals who'd gone viral through his videos, proved that authentic human connection translates to any stage. The conversation gets real when Matt talks about what viral success has cost him, including a new kind of anxiety he'd never experienced before and the sting of very public mistakes. He also shares what years of talking to strangers has taught him: that human connection is what actually makes people happy, that we are losing precious face-to-face interaction, and that common ground is almost always there when you're willing to sit across from someone and listen. In this episode: human connection as the foundation of happiness, storytelling as a path to joy, going viral and what it costs, learning from public mistakes, the loneliness hiding behind humor, creative freedom as self-care, presence over achievement, and why the best stories are always the ones you never see coming. Find Matt Follow Matt on Instagram: (https://www.instagram.com/reportermatt/)@reportermatt (https://www.instagram.com/reportermatt/) Follow WBZ Newsradio on TikTok: @WBZBoston (https://www.tiktok.com/@wbznewsradio) WBZ Newsradio (https://wbznewsradio.iheart.com/) on air and online in Boston A special shout-out Amy's son Ian wrote the intro music and theme song for I Think I Can Be Happier. Hannah's business partner Bonnie Liang, co-owner of Bonaco Fiber Arts, created the podcast artwork. Thank you both! MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE The Wilbur Theatre, Boston: The historic 1,000-seat venue where Matt held his first-ever live show, featuring everyday locals who had gone viral through his videos. It sold out in under two weeks. (https://www.thewilbur.com)thewilbur.com (https://www.thewilbur.com) Jacquez Cabaret, Boston: The legendary drag club where Matt brought Richard, aka Maria Christina False Eyelashes, to perform for the first time in 30 years. A genuinely magical moment. (http://jacquescabaret.com/v3/)Check it out here. (http://jacquescabaret.com/v3/) Marie Kondo: Referenced by Matt in the context of fitting two kids and all their stuff into a very small electric car. Her Netflix show and philosophy around keeping only what sparks joy are well worth exploring if you haven't already. (https://konmari.com)Marie Kondo's website (https://konmari.com) Market Basket: A beloved New England grocery chain with a famously devoted following. If you're not from the region, the passion people have for this grocery store will surprise you. (https://www.shopmarketbasket.com)marketbasket.com (https://www.shopmarketbasket.com) Billy Eichner: The comedian and actor Matt fanboyed over the night before recording this episode. Matt was on stage with him, which is the kind of thing that happens when you spend years telling people's stories with genuine joy and care. No Mow May: The environmental initiative encouraging people to skip mowing their lawn in May to support pollinators. Matt tried it. He did not enjoy it. (https://www.plantlife.org.uk/campaigns/nomowmay/)Learn more here. (https://www.plantlife.org.uk/campaigns/nomowmay/) Edward R. Murrow Awards: One of the most prestigious awards in broadcast journalism. Matt won a national award for excellence in innovation. (https://rtdna.org/edward-r-murrow-awards)Learn more here. (https://rtdna.org/edward-r-murrow-awards) ADDITIONAL RESOURCES Lost Connections (https://amzn.to/44wASI1) by Johann Hari: Matt's observation that we're losing face-to-face human connection and it's making us miserable is exactly what Hari documents in this deeply researched and readable book. One of the most important books on happiness and mental health of the last decade. Bowling Alone (https://amzn.to/3Ta9Rrh) by Robert Putnam: The foundational book on the decline of social capital and community connection in America. Heavy but important, and directly relevant to what Matt describes. Tribe (https://amzn.to/4gEqvcl) by Sebastian Junger: A short and powerful read about belonging, community, and why human beings need each other more than modern life allows. The Art of Noticing (https://amzn.to/4frmvtr) by Rob Walker: For anyone inspired by Matt's ability to find extraordinary stories in ordinary moments, this book is a practical and beautiful guide to paying attention. Reach out to us! Email us at icanbehappier@gmail.com or visit (http://icanbehappier.com/)icanbehappier.com (http://icanbehappier.com/). This podcast is not a substitute for professional mental health support. Please reach out to a qualified licensed provider if you need help. As an Amazon affiliate, we get a small percentage of the sale of any books you purchase through our links. It's an easy way to support us! Thank you!

9. 

   6 Jul 2026

   Being a Dad, ADHD, and Finding Your Own Happiness with Archie Chimanayi | Ep. 8

   In this episode, Hannah and Amy sit down with Archie Chiminayi, a neurodevelopmental specialist clinician based in the UK and founder of ADHD Care. Hannah met Archie at the CHADD ADHD conference in Baltimore in 2023, where he walked up to her with a microphone and interviewed her on the spot for his podcast. He brings nearly two decades of professional expertise alongside deeply personal lived experience as the father of an 11-year-old with autism and ADHD, and that combination, as he puts it, taught him things that no clinical training ever could. Knowing what to say to a struggling parent is one thing, but being that struggling parent is something else entirely. The conversation weaves through some of the most honest territory the show has explored yet: what it means to ask for help when you've been raised to believe that strength means coping quietly, how cultural stigma around mental health and neurodiversity shows up even within families who love you, and how vulnerability on a public platform can break down walls that private conversations cannot reach. They also dig into what actually helps: exercise, music, quiet time, getting outside, recognizing overwhelm early, and having a small handful of trusted people you can speak to honestly. Archie closes with his personal definition of happiness: peace of mind, emotional presence, contentment, connecting with the people he loves, having a purpose, and watching his children feel at ease in the world. In this episode: neurodiversity and happiness, the power of lived experience, vulnerability as connection, cultural stigma around mental health, supporting a neurodivergent child, self-care for parents and caregivers, asking for help, ADHD diagnosis and what comes after, comparison culture online, and what happiness actually looks like when you stop chasing it. Find Archie ADHD Care (https://adhdcare.co.uk) is Archie's UK-based private practice offering diagnostic assessments and treatment for ADHD and autism, as well as resources for individuals and families. The website has a wide range of resources worth exploring. The ADHD Care Podcast (https://open.spotify.com/show/0ik8BBNI732CndkgnYinWO) covers all things ADHD and neurodiversity, with a focus on raising awareness and sharing honest conversations from the field and from lived experience. Follow Archie and ADHD Care on social media: @ADHDCareLtd on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Focus Forward Podcast: Hannah's previous podcast, hosted during her time at Beyond BookSmart. Archie was a guest on Focus Forward before joining I Think I Can Be Happier. Focus Forward: An Executive Function Podcast (https://open.spotify.com/show/1lehV74qcVQnnFu9aTLRfF) ADDITIONAL RESOURCES ADHD Foundation (UK) (https://www.adhdfoundation.org.uk) — A neurodiversity charity with a strengths-based approach to ADHD and related conditions. ADDitude Magazine (https://www.additudemag.com) — One of the most trusted and comprehensive resources for individuals and families living with ADHD and learning differences. CHADD (https://chadd.org) — US-based education and advocacy organization for children and adults with ADHD, with a national directory of support groups. The Explosive Child (https://amzn.to/43xqZJB) by Ross W. Greene — A widely respected resource for parents of children with challenging behaviors, including ADHD. Takes a collaborative rather than punitive approach. Driven to Distraction (https://amzn.to/4eJ8ZCb) by Edward Hallowell and John Ratey — One of the most accessible and compassionate books ever written about ADHD, from two psychiatrists who have it themselves. How to ADHD (https://www.youtube.com/@HowtoADHD) on YouTube — A practical and warm channel run by Jessica McCabe, widely loved by the ADHD community for making the science accessible and human. Reach out to us! Email us at icanbehappier@gmail.com or visit (http://icanbehappier.com/)icanbehappier.com (http://icanbehappier.com/). This podcast is not a substitute for professional mental health support. Please reach out to a qualified licensed provider if you need help. As an Amazon affiliate, we get a small percentage of the sale of any books you purchase through our links. It's an easy way to support us! Thank you!

10. 

    22 Jun 2026

    Happiness is Found in Progress with Nick Kellar | Ep. 7

    Hannah and Amy sit down with Nick Kellar, a real estate entrepreneur, community leader, and mentor based outside of Baltimore. We knew he'd be a great guest and from the first few minutes it's clear why: he is, as Hannah puts it, a human version of the show's tagline. A person in progress who actively learns from stories and science, applies what he reads, and then passes it forward to the people he mentors. Nick's journey from happiness as a chase to happiness as a practice started with a commitment to lifelong learning and deepened through one of the hardest moments of his life. Sitting alone with his mother on her last day, a priest he'd never met gave him what he calls one of the most transformational gifts he's ever received: the reminder that the only thing that actually matters is the present moment, where your feet are. From there, his philosophy took shape. Happiness is in progress, not in outcomes. Small wins compound. Your definition of success is yours to decide. This is a rich, warm, and surprisingly moving conversation that covers grief, fatherhood, relationships, letting go, and what it actually means to play an infinite game. Nick needed tissues. So did we. In this episode: happiness as progress not perfection, priority management vs. time management, the windows and mirrors metaphor, lead indicators for a winning day, the circles of control and influence, the be-do-have equation, treating life like a scientist, grief as unexpressed love, the infinite game, defining your own success, the wheel of life, and what it feels like to be a girl dad of teenagers. Nick Kellar is a real estate entrepreneur and mentor based in the Baltimore area, passionate about community impact and helping people in his industry and beyond define their own version of success. LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-kellar/ Heidi Shoemaker-Burnett is the executive function coach who connected Hannah with Nick. LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/shoemakerburnett/ BOOKS MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE The Happiness Hypothesis (https://amzn.to/4utNAlc) by Jonathan Haidt: Nick cites this as a foundation for his belief that happiness is in progress, not arrival. The Almanack of Naval Ravikant (https://amzn.to/4upVcW0) compiled by Eric Jorgenson: Naval's philosophy on wealth, peace of mind, and the cost of desire maps closely onto Nick's framework throughout the conversation. The Four Disciplines of Execution (https://amzn.to/49S0MZH) by Chris McChesney, Sean Covey, and Jim Huling: The source of Nick's lead indicators framework, which he adapted from business execution into a personal philosophy for identifying what actually constitutes a winning day. Think Again (https://amzn.to/3QvL3Jh) by Adam Grant: Nick recommends this in the context of holding your perspectives loosely and being willing to consider that you might be wrong. Thinking, Fast and Slow (https://amzn.to/4gfCcFY) by Daniel Kahneman: Hannah brings this in alongside Nick's "scientist vs. attorney" reframe, pointing to System 1 thinking (automatic, bias-prone) and System 2 thinking (effortful, reflective). The Infinite Game (https://amzn.to/43odwUs) by Simon Sinek: Nick calls Sinek one of his favorite authors and cites this book specifically for the reframe that business and life are not finite win-lose games but ongoing processes of improvement and impact. Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters (https://amzn.to/43Z73PQ) by Meg Meeker: Nick returns to this one as he navigates the teenage years with his daughters, taking comfort in the reminder to keep showing up, meet them where they are, and be their hero. The Breakthrough Years (https://amzn.to/4w2Jd2J) by Ellen Galinsky: Hannah recommends this to Nick during the closing conversation about parenting teenagers. It covers adolescent development through an executive function lens and draws on interviews with over 1,000 teenagers about what they wish adults understood about them. Reach out to us! Email us at icanbehappier@gmail.com or visit (http://icanbehappier.com/)icanbehappier.com (http://icanbehappier.com/). This podcast is not a substitute for professional mental health support. Please reach out to a qualified licensed provider if you need help. As an Amazon affiliate, we get a small percentage of the sale of any books you purchase through our links. It's an easy way to support us! Thank you!

11. 

    8 Jun 2026

    Your Executive Function Skills Want You To Be Happier | Ep. 6

    In this episode, Hannah and Amy revisit the strategies from their conversation with Neha, Hannah's therapist and a psychotherapist with nearly a decade of experience, and put an executive function spin on them. If you haven't listened to (http://icanbehappier.com)Episode 3 — What Hannah's Therapist Wants You to Know About Happiness (http://icanbehappier.com) yet, start there first as this episode is a direct callback to it and builds on everything Neha shared. Executive function skills are the cognitive tools that get us through our days: attention, memory, task initiation, planning, prioritization, time management, cognitive flexibility, self-regulation, organization, metacognition, and goal-directed persistence. Hannah and Amy make the case that these skills don't just help us function, they help us be happier. And as it turns out, many of the strategies for building happiness are also, quietly, exercises in building executive function. We walk through frameworks for organizing and prioritizing your wellbeing, including the PERMA model and the Covey Quadrants, and then dig into the practical, in-the-trenches strategies: how to push through discomfort and why the research says it's worth it, how to tell the difference between being unhappy and just being uncomfortable, how to challenge the stories you're telling yourself with the Table Exercise, why naming your emotions actually moves you out of your emotional brain and into your thinking brain, and how to build a gratitude or mindfulness practice that actually fits your life rather than the one you think you're supposed to have. In this episode: the PERMA model through an EF lens, Covey Quadrants, Zones of Growth, pushing through discomfort, cognitive flexibility, the Table Exercise, name it to tame it, gratitude practice, mindfulness without the ohm, metacognition, and why you don't have to do any of this perfectly - you just have to take a step. MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE Episode 3 — What Hannah's Therapist Wants You to Know About Happiness (http://icanbehappier.com) The episode this one builds on directly. Neha introduces the PERMA model, the RAIN framework, cognitive flexibility, flow states, and more. Start here if you haven't already. The PERMA Model: Developed by psychologist Martin Seligman, PERMA stands for Positive Emotions, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishment. It's one of the most widely used frameworks in positive psychology for understanding and assessing wellbeing. (https://positivepsychology.com/perma-model/)Learn more here. (https://positivepsychology.com/perma-model/) Covey Quadrants / Eisenhower Matrix: A prioritization tool that organizes tasks by urgency and importance, helping you figure out where to focus your time and energy. Hannah and Amy suggest using it alongside the PERMA model to figure out which areas of your wellbeing need the most attention right now. See the matrix here. (https://www.eisenhower.me/eisenhower-matrix/) Zones of Growth Model: The comfort zone, fear zone, learning zone, and growth zone. A visual model that maps the journey from safety into discomfort and out the other side into actual growth. See it here. (https://www.coachabilityfoundation.org/post/navigating-from-comfort-zone-to-growth-zone) Moshe Bar research on pushing through discomfort: Hannah references research showing that pushing through discomfort supports mood, builds resilience, improves physical health, slows aging-related processes, and strengthens executive function skills. Learn more here. (https://www.wsj.com/health/wellness/dont-get-too-comfortable-your-quality-of-life-depends-on-it-a4440a85?st=WPeSGC&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink) The Table Exercise: Neha's cognitive reframing tool, described in detail by Hannah in the episode. When you have a sticky negative thought, especially one with an absolute in it like "never" or "always," draw a table. Write the thought at the top. Under each leg, write a piece of your supporting evidence. Then reframe each leg, looking for opportunity within it. When all four legs are reframed, rewrite the thought at the top. It's a pause, a regulation tool, and a mindset shift all in one. Works best when you write it out. Name It to Tame It: Coined by Dr. Daniel Siegel. When you name an emotion out loud, you literally move from the emotional part of your brain into the language and thinking parts, which is why it works. It's not just a nice idea, it's neuroscience. (https://drdansiegel.com)Learn more about Dr. Siegel's work here. (https://drdansiegel.com) Dan Harris: Hannah references Dan Harris talking about meditation as a bicep curl for the brain and meditating in Times Square. His book (https://www.amazon.com/10-Happier-Self-Help-Actually-Works/dp/0062265431/ref=asc_df_0062265431?tag=bingshoppinga-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=80883033960554&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=82751&hvtargid=pla-4584482511927798&psc=1&msclkid=f09918cedf1b13bc4d6572d582974608)10% Happier (https://www.amazon.com/10-Happier-Self-Help-Actually-Works/dp/0062265431/ref=asc_df_0062265431?tag=bingshoppinga-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=80883033960554&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=82751&hvtargid=pla-4584482511927798&psc=1&msclkid=f09918cedf1b13bc4d6572d582974608) and his (https://www.danharris.com/podcast)10% Happier (https://www.danharris.com/podcast) podcast (https://www.danharris.com/podcast) are both worth exploring if you're curious about meditation but skeptical - he's one of the most honest and accessible voices on the topic. Growth Mindset: Amy references this in the context of pushing through discomfort and building resilience. The concept was developed by psychologist Carol Dweck and is the foundation of her book (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40745.Mindset)Mindset: The New Psychology of Success (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40745.Mindset). Worth knowing the research behind it. Hannah’s blog post on cognitive flexibility Read Hannah's blog post (https://www.hannahchoi.me/executive-function-blog/what-is-cognitive-flexibility) on her website about cognitive flexibility and how we can benefit from and practice it. Gratitude journaling research: It really is science-backed, not woo-woo. (https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/topic/gratitude/definition#why-practice-gratitude)This overview from the Greater Good Science Center (https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/topic/gratitude/definition#why-practice-gratitude) pulls together some of the best research on why gratitude practice works and how to do it well. Five-year line-a-day journal: Hannah kept one for five years and used it as a gratitude journal. She says looking back on it, especially through the pandemic, was genuinely helpful. (https://www.amazon.com/Canvas-One-Line-Day-Five-Year/dp/1452174792/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3FRPMXS6MOACV&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.1EslZFsi_DImTzgeioh8nE4RadK0M6O_Nd2_lnJ3VIbEYxaHYdu04u4WebP9iPUlW1oCPd_Q5A6d0E8g2kFYKIJtAEZIgJhkVLqbdKhBLnzRQDde2sGaIEjCm1U72J8Gfj-_GZd0tSweUqn_v-vzaMx8kKUqrgnPTfbRcc9zNab1FP_nR7jrJpgjIHyxVvOg7Mqp8zjN31kIOHnDBIUgzL7uHY8AYUKUX3_XXL5Qx5M.rFa8U-9iFFs15PmOhsBZEl7ofCL3_NecD62AdlqFbfc&dib_tag=se&keywords=5+year+line+a+day+journa%3B&qid=1780178498&sprefix=5+year+line+a+day+journa+%2Caps%2C197&sr=8-1)Here's the journal she used. (https://amzn.to/4uaFRIN) ADDITIONAL RESOURCES Atomic Habits (https://jamesclear.com/atomic-habits) by James Clear: Almost everything Hannah and Amy talk about in this episode, including small steps, consistent routines, building habits that stick, maps directly onto James Clear's framework. If you want the science and the system behind why starting small actually works, this is the book. Reach out to us! Email us at icanbehappier@gmail.com or visit (http://icanbehappier.com/)icanbehappier.com (http://icanbehappier.com/). This podcast is not a substitute for professional mental health support. Please reach out to a qualified licensed provider if you need help. As an Amazon affiliate, we get a small percentage of the sale of any books you purchase...

12. 

    25 May 2026

    What Grief Taught Me About Happiness, with Jody LaVoie | Ep. 5

    In this episode, Hannah and Amy sit down with Jody LaVoie, who became a grief coach after the most unimaginable of circumstances, the murder of her husband Steve eleven years ago. What began as survival mode, taking over her husband's business, raising three young daughters alone, became, over time, a profound journey of self-discovery, resilience, and a new, deeper understanding of what happiness actually means. Jody shared with us honesty about the non-linear messiness of grief, about the guilt of laughing too soon, about learning to trust yourself when there's no one to make decisions with, and about the slow, surprising ways that loss can add meaning to a life rather than only taking from it. This is one of the most important conversations we've had on the show, and it's worth listening to even if you haven't experienced loss like this, because as Jody says, grief isn't only about death. It's about any major life transition that changes who you are. We dig into the stages of grief and why the model is so often misunderstood. We talk about what people say to grieving people that actually doesn't help and what does. Jody talks her job as a grief coach and how she walks beside someone in their grief rather than taking it on, and about the moment she realized that helping other widows find their path forward was where her joy lived. In this episode: the non-linear nature of grief, the guilt of joy, what grieving people actually need from the people around them, how to find your people, the unexpected gifts of loss, grief as any major life transition, present-moment happiness, and the courage it takes to keep going. MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE Jodie LaVoie (https://www.widowsintheworkplace.com/) works one-on-one with widows virtually to help them find their new path forward and rediscover their identity. She also offers corporate grief workshops to help employees and managers better support each other through major life transitions. If you're a widow, or know someone who is, Jody welcomes inquiries and consultations. Jody's Guide to Joy & blog posts can be found here: Free Resources | Widows in the Workplace (https://www.widowsintheworkplace.com/free-resources) The five (and six) stages of grief (https://grief.com/the-five-stages-of-grief/): Originally developed by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross. A sixth stage, finding meaning, was later added by David Kessler. As Jody emphasizes, these stages are not linear, not sequential, and not a checklist. You can experience multiple stages in the same hour. "American Pie" by Don McLean: Steve's song. Listen here. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRpiBpDy7MQ&list=PL-9zk0gg1jJ_jVnze-nWHylGEeY_gdL3u) ADDITIONAL RESOURCES It's OK That You're Not OK (https://amzn.to/4dpPbmU) by Megan Devine: The book that doesn't try to fix grief or rush you through it. Deeply aligned with Jody's message that grieving people want to be heard, not fixed. Option B (https://amzn.to/4tWLz0O) by Sheryl Sandberg & Adam Grant: About resilience and building a meaningful life after loss. Accessible and honest. The Year of Magical Thinking (https://amzn.to/4f5GmzY) by Joan Didion: The classic memoir on grief. Raw, literary, and unlike anything else on the subject. What's Your Grief (https://whatsyourgrief.com): One of the best grief education resources online. Articles, courses, and tools for people navigating loss of all kinds. Modern Loss (https://amzn.to/4dH2pKG): Essays and community around grief. Human, candid, and decidedly non-clinical. Open to Hope (https://opentohope.com): A nonprofit resource for people coping with loss, founded by grief professionals. Reach out to us! Email us at icanbehappier@gmail.com or visit (http://icanbehappier.com/)icanbehappier.com (http://icanbehappier.com/). This podcast is not a substitute for professional mental health support. Please reach out to a qualified licensed provider if you need help. As an Amazon affiliate, we get a small percentage of the sale of any books you purchase through our links. It's an easy way to support us! Thank you!

13. 

    11 May 2026

    Ian Paynton Hasn't Arrived Yet, and That's Okay With Him | Ep. 4

    In this episode, Hannah and Amy sit down with Ian Paynton, an entrepreneur and content agency owner who built his dream life in Hanoi, Vietnam, and then found himself asking a question he wasn't prepared for: now what? Ian takes us back to a childhood shaped by anxiety, loss, and a fierce determination to take care of his family and how that became fuel for decades of relentless performance mode, chasing a ladder of success he'd defined as 10 million pounds. He built the business, moved to Vietnam, got married, and checked every box. And still, the feeling he was waiting for never quite arrived. Together we explore the (https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/arrival-fallacy)arrival fallacy (https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/arrival-fallacy), the well-documented phenomenon where reaching a goal delivers far less happiness than we expected, and its close companion, hedonic adaptation, the brain's tendency to normalize new circumstances and quietly reset our baseline. Ian's story is one of the most honest and human illustrations of both. The conversation closes with a beautiful reframe: that happiness isn't a destination, it's a butterfly that lands on you and floats away. What lasts is contentment, and that lives in the middle ground. In this episode: the arrival fallacy, hedonic adaptation, anxiety as fuel, performance mode, contentment vs. happiness, discipline as grounding, the courage of hard conversations, and what it means to finally live in alignment with your values. Find Ian: We Create Content (https://wecreatecontent.vn/) Ian is a brand director, podcast host, and former journalist and magazine editor based in Hanoi, Vietnam. Books recommended by Ian: THE TOOLS (https://amzn.to/3Rt7VsW) by Phil Stutz and Barry Michels Learning to Love Midlife: 12 Reasons Why Life Gets Better with Age (https://amzn.to/49AAA5y) by Chip Conley Reach out to us! Email us at hello@icanbehappier.com (mailto:hello@icanbehappier.com) or visit (http://icanbehappier.com/)icanbehappier.com (http://icanbehappier.com/). This podcast is not a substitute for professional mental health support. Please reach out to a qualified licensed provider if you need help.

14. 

    27 Apr 2026

    What Hannah's Therapist Taught Us About Happiness, with Neha Aamir, LPC | Ep. 3

    In this episode, Hannah and Amy sit down with Neha Aamir, a psychotherapist with nearly a decade of experience - and yes, Hannah's own therapist. Together they explore what happiness really is, why it looks so different across cultures, and why the Western model of "get the house, the car, the job" often leaves us feeling empty. Neha introduces the PERMA model (https://positivepsychology.com/perma-model/) (Positive Emotions, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishment) and explains why noticing joy is actually a skill, not a personality trait. We dig into the power of cognitive flexibility, the difference between being unhappy and being uncomfortable, and why relationships remain the single biggest predictor of wellbeing, for better and for worse. We also walk through the RAIN framework (https://adaa.org/living-with-anxiety/personal-stories/rain-mindful-framework-addressing-anxious-thoughts) (Recognize, Accept, Investigate, Nurture) as a practical tool for sitting with hard emotions instead of avoiding them, and close with a deeply personal conversation about when they each last felt truly happy. In this episode: cultural perspectives on happiness, hedonic adaptation, the PERMA model, cognitive flexibility, self-trust, flow states, the zones of growth, and why emotional intelligence peaks at 82 (yes, really). Find Neha: Neha Aamir, Licensed Professional Counselor, Milford, CT, 06460 | Psychology Today (https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/neha-aamir-milford-ct/1052664) She currently practices in Connecticut and welcomes inquiries and consultations. Reach out to us! Email us at icanbehappier@gmail.com (mailto:icanbehappier@gmail.com) or visit icanbehappier.com (http://icanbehappier.com). This podcast is not a substitute for professional mental health support. Please reach out to a qualified licensed provider if you need help.

15. 

    13 Apr 2026

    The Upside of Stress by Kelly McGonigal - Book Club with Hannah + Amy | Ep. 2

    What if everything you've been told about stress is not exactly true? In this episode, Hannah shares one of her all-time favorite books, The Upside of Stress by Dr. Kelly McGonigal, and makes a pretty convincing case that it's a must-read for everyone. Amy, who just got her copy the night before recording, comes in as the curious newcomer asking Hannah all sorts of good questions. Together we dig into McGonigal's central argument: that stress isn't something to eliminate, but something to understand and work with. It's hard to believe, but the research says it's true! Hannah talks about how she used to think stress was just something to avoid and how this book completely shifted her perspective. We explore what stress actually does in the body, why your interpretation of those physical sensations matters waaaayyyy more than you'd think, and why trying to live a stress-free life might actually be getting in the way of a living a meaningful one. We also look at the three conditions that make stress genuinely harmful, Hannah's one non-negotiable takeaway from the book, and why Amy is very glad she finally picked up her own copy. Not familiar with the book? Dr. McGonigal's TED Talk "How to Make Stress Your Friend" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcGyVTAoXEU) is a great place to start. Want to buy a copy for yourself? Buy it here (https://amzn.to/4cPPQxO) and your purchase will support us as an Amazon affiliate! Thanks! This podcast is not a substitute for professional mental health support. Please reach out to a qualified licensed provider if you need help.

16. 

    13 Apr 2026

    Welcome, Fellow People in Progress | Ep. 1

    What does it actually mean to be happier? Not perfectly happy, of course, just...more? That's the question driving this podcast, and in this first episode, hosts Hannah Choi and Amy McDuffie introduce themselves and the show they've been dreaming about building together. You'll hear how two executive function coaches met virtually, started monthly coffee chats, and realized their connection was something worth sharing with the world. They talk about what this podcast is (real stories, real science, honest conversation) and what it isn't (toxic positivity, expert advice from people who claim to have it all figured out). Because as Hannah and Amy are the first to tell you that they're people in progress, too. In this episode: who they are, how they met, why executive functioning and happiness are more connected than you might think, and a peek at what's coming up, including conversations about happiness vs. contentment, stress, grief, goals, and what happens when you achieve everything you wanted and still wonder what's next. Other happiness resources: The Happiness Lab (https://www.drlauriesantos.com/happiness-lab-with-dr-laurie-santos-podcast) with Dr. Laurie Santos The Science of Well-Being (https://www.coursera.org/learn/the-science-of-well-being) - Dr. Laurie Santos Happier with Gretchen Rubin (https://gretchenrubin.com/podcasts/) 10% Happier with Dan Harris (https://www.danharris.com/s/10-happier) Happiness Podcast with Dr. Robert Puff (https://www.happinesspodcast.org/) Psychology Today article on "being happier" (https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/living-forward/202103/you-can-be-happy-and-heres-why-you-should-never-stop-trying) This podcast is not a substitute for professional mental health support. If you need help, please reach out to a qualified licensed provider.

17. 

    13 Apr 2026

    Introducing the "I Think I Can Be Happier" Podcast

    Have you ever had that quiet thought, "I think I can be happier," but weren't quite sure how to get there? That's exactly where this podcast begins. Your hosts are Hannah Choi and Amy McDuffie. We are two executive function coaches who care deeply about living well and are still figuring the happiness thing out themselves. In this short trailer, we introduce who we are, what the show is about, and why we're so excited to go on this journey with you. I Think I Can Be Happier brings you real stories from people finding their own path toward happiness, the science behind why it's so hard, and tools and strategies that might make things a little easier. Just as our tagline says, "Stories and science for people in progress." New episodes drop every other week on Mondays. Find us on any podcast platform including YouTube, visit us at icanbehappier.com, or reach us at hello@icanbehappier.com (mailto:hello@icanbehappier.com). This podcast is not a substitute for professional mental health support. Please reach out to a qualified licensed provider if you need help.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

5 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

12 ratings

Contact I Think I Can Be Happier

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

Shows with a similar audience

• 

  Tidy Tidbits

• 

  The Lazy Genius Podcast

• 

  The Jess Connolly Podcast

• 

  A Drink With a Friend