In the Arena: A LinkedIn Wisdom Podcast

For years, Dr. Russell Kennedy tried everything to treat his crippling anxiety – therapy, medication – nothing worked. It wasn't until he stopped searching in his head and started looking to his body that everything changed. Today, Russell helps others heal by targeting what he calls “background alarm,” a residue of unresolved childhood trauma stored in the body. On this week's episode of Everyday Better, Leah sits down with Russell to explore why traditional treatments for anxiety often fall short, and what it really takes to heal from the inside out. Russell shares the somatic tools and mindset shifts that have helped him and his patients regulate their nervous systems, reconnect with their inner child and break free from the anxiety loop. He also explains why healing starts not with fixing your thoughts but by feeling what's been buried in your body all along. If you liked this episode, you'll also love this one: Why We Panic: The Evolutionary Roots of Anxiety and How to Copy Today

This week, Leah shares her story of living with and learning to manage her anxiety. Additional Resources: Anxiety and Depression Association of America A Return to Love by Marianne Williamson Anxiety Rx by Dr. Russell Kennedy Overcoming Unwanted Intrusive Thoughts by Dr. Martin Seif and Dr. Sally Winston The Tapping Solution by Nick Ortner

In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, Everyday Better is spotlighting some of the most common, yet least understood, mental health challenges. This week, ABC News' Chief National Correspondent Matt Gutman joins Leah to share his personal journey with anxiety and panic attacks – struggles he hid for nearly two decades, even while reporting live on national television. But in 2020, after a career-altering on-air mistake, Matt was forced to confront his panic head-on, or walk away from the job he loved. In his book “No Time to Panic,” Matt explores the science behind anxiety and panic attacks. He explains why humans have panic attacks and how evolution has made anxiety a surprisingly adaptive trait. He also shares the practical tools and mindset shifts that helped him regain control, from breathwork and mindfulness to self-compassion and daily gratitude rituals.  Get Matt's book No Time to Panic here. If you liked this episode, you'll also love this one: Conquer Everyday Anxiety with Dr. Wendy Suzuki

In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, we're exploring some of the most common, yet least understood, mental health challenges. This week, Leah speaks with Dr. Anna Lembke, author of “Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence.” Anna shares the science behind compulsive overconsumption and explains how the brain's pleasure-pain balance can lead us into addictive loops — even when it comes to seemingly harmless behaviors. If you liked this episode, you'll also love this one: The Number One Predictor of a Long and Happy Life with Dr. Robert Waldinger

Here at Everyday Better, we're always striving to improve our mental health. This May, in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, we're exploring some of the most common, yet least understood, mental health challenges. This week, Leah's joined by four-time Grammy nominated singer-songwriter and mental health advocate Jewel. Before she got famous, Jewel was a homeless teenager battling an addiction to shoplifting – who, despite her circumstances, committed to finding happiness for herself. Today, Jewel shares how that commitment has kept her grounded in the face of fame, protected her from burnout and equipped her with the tools to heal her self-worth. Find information on Jewel's upcoming Mental Health Awareness Month events here. If you liked this episode, you'll also love this one: Annie Grace's Guide to Conscious Behavior Change

When it comes time to choose a career, we're often told to follow our passions and optimize for things like title and salary. But rarely do we pause to consider the impact of our work and whether or not it actually matters. In a world where preventable tragedies occur every day, failing to consider the social impact of our careers is a missed opportunity – and perhaps a moral failing, too.  On this week's episode of Everyday Better, guest host Jessi Hempel talks with historian and bestselling author Rutger Bregman about his new book “Moral Ambition: How to Stop Wasting Your Talent and Start Making a Difference.” Rutger introduces his concept of “moral ambition,” which challenges readers to rethink what it means to success. Rutger makes the case that talented, privileged professionals must move beyond aiming for status, wealth and personal achievement and use their skills to address the world's most pressing problems. Preorder Rutger's book here. If you liked this episode, you'll also love this one: Finding Your Purpose Through Ikigai with Tim Tamashiro 

After Jodi Wellman's mother passed away at just 58-years-old, Jodi was left to clean out her apartment. Everywhere she looked, she found remnants of her mother's unfulfilled dreams: business cards from enterprises that never took off, book manuscripts that were never submitted. The experience forced Jodi to realize that life is painfully short, and it's up to us to make the most of it. A speaker, author and executive coach, Jodi wants you to think more about death. On this week's episode of Everyday Better, she shares the essential things we all need to know about death and dying and how we can use our mortality as a motivator to live our lives more fully. Follow Jodi Wellman on LinkedIn and follow Leah Smart on LinkedIn and Instagram. If you liked this episode, your next listen should be this one: How to Make the Most of Your 24 Hours with Researcher Cassie Holmes

In this special episode of Everyday Better, Leah walks through one of her favorite personal growth exercises: defining your core values. When you're facing a tough decision and unsure which path to take, a clearly defined set of values can equip you with the clarity and confidence you need to move forward.  After explaining her own approach to uncovering what truly matters, Leah revisits some powerful moments from a previous conversation with personal growth educator Amanda Hilton. Together, they discuss prompts for identifying the values that resonate most deeply with you and how to apply them in your own life to make better decisions. Listen to Leah's full conversation with Amanda Hilton here. Download Brené Brown's List of Values here.

We often imagine mentorship as a formal relationship between an experienced professional and someone who's just starting out. But sometimes the most valuable guidance doesn't emerge from something structured, but from candid conversations with colleagues. On this week's episode of Everyday Better, we're bringing you one of those conversations. Leah is joined by two of her LinkedIn colleagues, Jessi Hempel and Gianna Prudente, for an honest discussion about their biggest career challenges. In their conversation, they discuss imposter syndrome, work-life balance and what happens when Plan A—and maybe Plans B, C, and D—don't work out. For more advice on mentorship, subscribe to the Everyday Better newsletter. Follow Jessi Hempel on LinkedIn. Follow Gianna Prudente on LinkedIn. Follow Leah Smart on LinkedIn and Instagram.

Thomas Curran is a Professor of Psychology at the London School of Economics and the author of The Perfection Trap: Embracing the Power of Good Enough. In it, he charts the recent rise in perfectionism among young people, exposes the paradoxical effects of perfectionism on everything from work performance to relationships and argues for a “good enough” approach to work that prioritizes sustainability over achievement. On this week's episode of Everyday Better, Thomas joins Leah to discuss the harms of perfectionism and how to break free from both internal and external pressures to be perfect. Leah and Thomas also take a critical look at the concept of the “growth mindset” and reflect on their own journeys toward overcoming perfectionism. If you liked this episode, your next listen should be this one: The Art of Feel Good Productivity with Ali Abdaal

Judy Smith built a career handling some of the most high-profile scandals of our time. As the founder of crisis management firm Smith & Co., she's advised many notable clients including Monica Lewinsky, Michael Vick and Wesley Snipes. But Judy is perhaps better known for what she inspired: ‘Scandal,' the hit television series created by Shonda Rhymes. On this week's episode of Everyday Better, Judy joins Leah to discuss the core principles of crisis management. Judy reveals how she decides which cases to take on, why telling the truth is always the best move and what it takes to rebuild a damaged reputation. She also discusses how she's working to change the perception of Black women in Hollywood – both in front of and behind the camera. Follow Judy Smith on LinkedIn. Follow Leah Smart on LinkedIn. If you liked this episode, your next listen should be this one: How to Forgive Better with Philosopher Myisha Cherry

Imagine your life ten years from now. Where are you, who are you with and how do you feel? On this week's episode of Everyday Better, Leah introduces the 10-Year Plan, a powerful visualization exercise for making your dreams a reality. After sharing how this tool helped her clarify her own career goals, Leah explains how to create your own 10-Year Plan. So grab a pen, a piece of paper and start shaping the life you want. Listen to Debbie Millman on Hello Monday here. If you liked this episode, your next listen should be this one: No Regrets Living: Designing Your Life Brief with Brand Strategist Bonnie Wan

Medical journalist Dr. Trisha Pasricha is back this week for part two of our deep dive into the latest health and wellness trends. In this episode, Trisha pulls back the curtain on her research process, revealing how she tracks down reliable health information and how fact-checking works at The Washington Post. Later, she shares practical tips for reading academic studies and evaluating health claims made on social media. Trisha and Leah also discuss the role wellness influencers play in spreading health misinformation.  Listen to the first part of our conversation here: Demystifying Wellness Trends with Medical Journalist Dr. Trisha Pasricha (Part 1)

Full-body MRIs. Red light therapy. Vitamin B12 supplements. Seemingly every day, there's a new wellness fad taking over the internet. But how do we know which health claims are backed by science – and which are just hype? In this episode of Everyday Better, we're demystifying the latest health and wellness trends with medical journalist Dr. Trisha Pasricha. Trisha discusses the pros and cons of magnesium supplements, breaks down the science behind ‘leaky gut syndrome' and sets the record straight on seed oils. She also answers listener questions about cortisol, glucose monitoring and more. If you liked this episode, your next listen should be this one: The Number One Predictor of a Long and Happy Life with Dr. Robert Waldinger.

Carole Hopson is a Boeing 737 captain for United Airlines and the author of ‘A Pair of Wings,' a historical fiction novel about Bessie Coleman, the first Black woman to get her pilot license. After a successful twenty-year career working for iconic brands like the National Football League, Foot Locker and L'Oréal, Carole quit her job to pursue her lifelong dream of flying planes.  On today's episode, Carole tells the story of how she turned her childhood dream into a second-act career. She outlines the five-step plan she created for making a major career pivot, and shares tips on how to balance work with family responsibilities. She also discusses her next big dream – to send 100 Black women to flight school by 2035 – and how she's going to make it happen. Follow Carole Hopson on LinkedIn and follow Leah Smart on LinkedIn. If you liked this episode, your next listen should be this one: Redefine Your Relationship to Work with Writer Jennifer Romolini

When Dr. Uché Blackstock was a student at Harvard Medical School, she didn't learn about racial health disparities or the history of racial violence that mark the field of medicine. It wasn't until years later, while working in an urgent care in Brooklyn, that Dr. Blackstock was moved to investigate the history of healthcare in America. Now, as a health equity advocate and author of the New York Times bestseller ‘LEGACY: A Black Physician Reckons with Racism in Medicine,' Dr. Blackstock is on a mission to dismantle racism in healthcare. On this week's episode, Dr. Blackstock speaks to the alarming racial disparities in the American healthcare system and the historic roots of these inequities. Together, Dr. Blackstock and Leah reckon with the past and discuss how we can work towards a more equitable future. She also tips on advocating for yourself as a patient the next time you're at the doctor. If you liked this episode, your next listen should be this one: How to Forgive Better with Philosopher Myisha Cherry Follow Leah Smart on LinkedIn and follow Dr. Uché Blackstock on LinkedIn.

When Chelsea Jackson Roberts was 24, she lost her best friend to gun violence. That's when Chelsea's yoga practice became about something much more than exercise; it became a tool for coping with grief and, eventually, rediscovering joy. Today, as a Peloton yoga and meditation instructor, Chelsea teaches others how to tap into a deeper, more emotionally supportive yoga practice. On this week's episode of Everyday Better, Chelsea shares how yoga and meditation keep her grounded in an unpredictable world. She reflects on how, as a teacher, she creates a supportive class environment where everyone feels welcome, no matter their skill level. Later, Chelsea opens up about her pregnancy journey, sharing how yoga helped her navigate loss and become the parent she strives to be.  If you liked this episode, your next listen should be this one: Can't Meditate? Just Breathe with JP Crimi Follow Leah Smart on LinkedIn.

When Leah and her husband decided to start a family, she found herself facing a daunting question: could she balance the career she'd worked so hard to build with the life she dreamed of creating at home? Would becoming a parent mean sacrificing her professional goals, or could she find a way to thrive in both worlds? In this special episode of Everyday Better, Leah brings her most pressing questions about balancing kids and career to three of her LinkedIn colleagues and fellow mothers: Jessi Hempel, host of the Hello Monday podcast, Courtney Coupe, Head of Original Programming and Alyssa Merwin, Vice President of Global Sales Solutions. In their conversation, the women get honest about the joys and challenges of being a working mother. They each share how becoming a parent changed their relationship to and definition of ambition, as well as reflect on how companies can better support working parents. This episode is for anyone who has both caretaking and career ambitions, anyone who feels curious about the existential questions embedded in the choice to become a parent and everyone who wants to show up as a more empathetic and supportive colleague to the working parents in their life.

The research is clear: how satisfied you feel at work impacts the quality of your relationships at home, and the quality of your relationships at home impacts the way you show up at work.  That's why Dr. Alexandra Solomon wants you to think more deeply about the work-related arguments you have with your partner. Are you really fighting about how many hours you or your partner work, or are you feeling shortchanged for quality time? Dr. Alexandra is a professor, podcast host and psychologist. author. She teaches the internationally-renowned undergraduate course ‘Marriage 101' at Northwestern University, a class about the fundamentals of thriving relationships. In this week's episode, Alexandra explains why, as a couples therapist, she has turned her focus towards the intersection between work and relationships. She explores how burnout or stress at work can harm our relationships and how conflict at home or our emotional baggage can impact our productivity at work. Along with Leah and a special guest, they examine what happens when people with different orientations towards ambition become partners. If you liked this episode, your next listen should be this one: Navigating Conflict: The Gottman's Roadmap to Better Connections Follow Leah Smart on LinkedIn and follow Alexandra Solomon on LinkedIn.

What does 'success' mean to you? Jennifer Romolini is a writer, author and podcaster. Her second book is ‘Ambition Monster,' a memoir about the connection between workaholism and childhood trauma. In it, she traces the evolution of her voracious ambition and reckons with the price she paid to obtain career success. On this week's episode of Everyday Better, Jennifer joins Leah to discuss how her relationship to work has evolved since she entered the workforce as a teenager. A self-described ‘workaholic,' Jennifer also reflects on how she learned to redefine success and ambition for herself. Later, she shares strategies for how to manage your time so you can prioritize what matters most. Follow Leah Smart on LinkedIn. Follow Jennifer Romolini on LinkedIn.

Everyday Better is kicking off 2025 with a month's worth of conversations designed to help you reset for the year ahead. Each week, you'll learn about research-backed techniques to improve your mental, physical, work and relational well-being. No matter what your goals are this year, our 2025 Reset Series will equip you with the tools you need to make measurable, lasting changes in your life. In our productivity-obsessed world, getting a good night's rest is probably low on your to-do list. But what would change if you made sleep a priority this year? Today's guest Dr. Rebecca Robbins has a clear answer: prioritizing sleep will help you achieve your goals because sleep and performance are linked. Dr. Robbins is a sleep scientist and Assistant Professor in Medicine at Harvard Medical School.  In this conversation, Dr. Robbins debunks some of the most pervasive myths about sleep, including the belief that eight hours is the magic number, that we can catch up on sleep over the weekend and that falling asleep should only take you a few minutes. She also explains the science behind sleep and shares actionable tips for getting a better night's rest that you can try out yourself tonight. Follow Leah Smart on LinkedIn. Follow Dr. Rebecca Robbins on LinkedIn.

Happy New Year! To kick off 2025, Everyday Better is bringing you a month's worth of conversations designed to help you reset for the year ahead. Each week, you'll learn about research-backed techniques to improve your mental, physical, work and relational well-being. No matter what your goals are this year, our 2025 Reset Series will equip you with the tools you need to make measurable, lasting change in your life. Today's guest is here to help you reset your relationship to stress. Dr. Aditi Nerurkar is a Harvard physician and expert in stress and burnout. Her first book is The Five Resets: Rewire Your Brain For Less Stress and More Resilience.  In this conversation, Dr. Nerurkar walks through five powerful strategies for resetting your baseline stress level and preventing burnout. She explains the difference between stress and anxiety, as well as what happens in the brain and body when we experience stress. She also addresses why it's so hard to build new habits and shares tips for creating boundaries with your phone. Follow Leah Smart on LinkedIn. Follow Dr. Aditi Nerurkar on LinkedIn.

Meik Wiking is the founder and CEO of the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen. He's also the author of several books including The Little Book of Hygge and My Hygge Home.  On this week's episode of Everyday Better, Meik joins Leah to discuss ‘hygge' – a Danish word that loosely translates to “coziness.” Meik shares how he and other Danes prepare for winter each year by creating ultra-cozy indoor environments to support well-being. He also explains why hygge and happiness are interconnected and why simple pleasures are the key to happiness. Follow Leah Smart on LinkedIn. Follow Meik Wiking on LinkedIn.

Each winter, life slows down. It's dark and cold, yet the season offers an opportunity for rest. This week's episode of Everyday Better honors the beginning of winter with Katherine May, author of Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times. In Wintering, Katherine shares the story of navigating a personal ‘winter' – a challenging period of time during which she retreated into herself in order to cope with everything happening around her. Drawing on research about how Northern cultures weather their own harsh winters, Wintering is a balm for weary souls everywhere. In this episode, Leah and Katherine discuss the art of slowing down and how to embrace the metaphorical seasons we all go through in life.  Follow Leah Smart on LinkedIn. Follow Katherine May on Instagram.

Andrew Adams, co-founder and CEO of Headway, is making access to therapy easier. Headway is a mental health care marketplace that matches patients with providers who accept insurance. Earlier this year, Headway was named a LinkedIn top 50 startup. On this week's episode of Everyday Better, Andrew joins Leah to discuss the barriers to accessing mental health care. He shares his experience with finding a therapist and going to therapy, as well as his personal motivation for building a national network of mental health care providers. Andrew also reflects on how his mental health hygiene routine has changed as his company and responsibilities as a CEO have grown.  Follow Leah Smart on LinkedIn. Follow Andrew Adams on LinkedIn. To learn more about Headway, check out their website.

Athena Aktipis is an Assistant Professor at Arizona State University and co-Director of The Human Generosity Project. She studies how people work together, especially during crises, through the lenses of evolutionary biology and psychology. Her latest book, “A Field Guide to the Apocalypse: A Mostly Serious Guide to Surviving Our Wild Times”, digs into the history and science of cooperation. On this week's episode of Everyday Better, Athena joins Leah to discuss the history of human survival during times of crisis. Drawing from her research with the Maasai tribe, Athena explains why cooperation is key to surviving both natural and human-caused disasters. She also shares how game theory can be used to build more cooperative communities.  Follow Leah Smart on LinkedIn. Follow Athena Aktipis on LinkedIn.

Scott Rick is a behavioral scientist and marketing professor at the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business. He holds a PhD in Behavioral Decision Research from Carnegie Mellon, where he was a National Science Foundation graduate research fellow. On this week's episode of Everyday Better, Scott joins Leah to explore the complicated role of money in relationships. He shares advice for couples who have different views on spending money, including strategies for those who hate spending and those who enjoy it too much. He also discusses the importance of gift-giving in relationships and how to use psychology to find the perfect gift this holiday season. Follow Leah Smart on LinkedIn. Follow Scott Rick on LinkedIn. To learn more about how money messes with relationships – and how you can keep it from messing with yours – check out Scott's book Tightwads and Spendthrifts: Navigating the Money Minefield in Real Relationships.

Shasta Nelson is a leading expert in healthy relationships and intimacy. For over 15 years, she's been translating the science of human connection into actionable practices for enhancing belonging and well-being. On this week's episode of Everyday Better, Shasta joins Leah to discuss the key components of healthy relationships. Shasta shares strategies for developing new friendships and nurturing existing ones, as well as advice for ending a friendship. She also draws on data about loneliness and happiness to explain why working on our relationships is the most important thing we can do to improve our overall health.  Follow Leah Smart on LinkedIn. Follow Shasta Nelson on LinkedIn. To learn more about how to foster healthy relationships, check out Shasta's book Frientimacy: How to Deepen Friendships for Lifelong Health and Happiness.

Lynne Peeples is a journalist and author of The Inner Clock: Living in Sync With Our Circadian Rhythms. She covers science, health and the environment and holds master's degrees in biostatistics and science journalism. On this week's episode of Everyday Better, Lynne joins Leah to discuss the science behind our circadian rhythms. Lynne explains why our inner clocks are out of sync and what that means for our physical and mental health. She also offers strategies for resetting our clocks, including limiting the hours during which we eat and following a consistent sleep/wake schedule. Follow Leah Smart on LinkedIn. Follow Lynne Peeples on LinkedIn. To learn more about circadian rhythms, check out Lynne's book The Inner Clock.

Carole Hopson is a Boeing 737 captain for United Airlines and the author of ‘A Pair of Wings,' a historical fiction novel about Bessie Coleman, the first Black woman to get her pilot license. After a successful twenty-year career working for iconic brands like the National Football League, Foot Locker and L'Oréal, Carole quit her job to pursue her lifelong dream of flying planes.  On this week's episode of Everyday Better, Carole tells the story of how she turned that childhood dream into a second-act career. She shares wisdom on balancing your career alongside the responsibilities of being a parent, demonstrating why moms make for some of the best employees. She also discusses her novel and her next big dream: sending 100 Black women to flight school by 2035.  Follow Carole Hopson on LinkedIn.  Follow Leah Smart on LinkedIn. To learn more about the life of Bessie Coleman, check out Carole's novel A Pair of Wings.

Cassie Holmes is a Professor of Marketing and Behavioral Decision Making at UCLA's Anderson School of Management. Her first book Happier Hour: How to Beat Distraction, Expand Your Time, and Focus on What Matters Most is a practical guide for how to think about and spend time in order to experience joy every day.  On this week's episode of Everyday Better, Cassie joins Leah to discuss her research on time and happiness. After dispelling the notion that more free time equals more happiness, Cassie offers tips for making the things you have to do every day – commuting, house chores, etc. – more enjoyable. She also explains the concept of ‘time crafting' and why it's so important to account for how we spend the hours in our days. Follow Leah Smart on LinkedIn. Follow Cassie Holmes on LinkedIn.

Jeffrey Hall is a Professor of Communication Studies and the Director of the Relationships and Technology Lab at the University of Kansas. He studies the way technology influences relationships, including the impact of social media on feelings of belonging, connectedness and loneliness. The harms of social platforms have been well documented over the past decade – political polarization, misinformation – but is social media also to blame for the rise in loneliness? On this week's episode of Everyday Better, Jeffrey joins Leah to discuss the role of social media in the loneliness epidemic. Jeffrey argues that when used more intentionally, social media can fulfill its original promise: help us stay connected and deepen our connections with the people we care about most. Follow Leah Smart on LinkedIn. Follow Jeffrey Hall on LinkedIn. Keep an eye out for Jeffrey's forthcoming book The Social Biome: How Everyday Communication Connects and Shape Us.

Thubten Chodron is an American Tibetan Buddhist Nun and the founder of Sravasti Abbey, the only Tibetan Buddhist training monastery in the United States. In her recently re-released book Working With Anger, Thubten describes different practices for dealing with our anger that don't involve expression or suppression. On this week's episode of Everyday Better, Thubten and Leah explore the Buddhist perspective on some of the toughest emotions we experience, including anger. While many of us believe that anger is useful or even righteous, Thubten argues that anger distorts our perception of reality. She encourages us to reframe our anger using techniques such as meditation, self-reflection and humor. Follow Leah Smart on LinkedIn. Follow Thubten Chodron on LinkedIn. To learn more about the Buddhist perspective on anger, check out Thubten's book Working with Anger: Buddhist Teachings on Patience, Acceptance, and Transforming Negativity.

We'd love to hear from you! Take our audience survey here. David Kessler is a grief and loss expert and the author of several bestselling books, including two he co-authored with Elizabeth Kubler Ross. He's worked with thousands of people on the edge of life and death, helping them to find happiness and fulfillment after experiencing life's gravest tragedies.  On this week's episode of Everyday Better, David joins Leah to discuss the role of meaning and how we make it after experiencing a loss and the grief that accompanies it. He describes the process of ‘excavating' one's pain – a crucial step in the grieving process that must precede meaning-making. He also offers advice for talking to your coworkers about grief, stressing the importance of simply being present for those who are in the midst of grieving as opposed to offering solutions.  Follow Leah Smart on LinkedIn. Follow David Kessler on LinkedIn. To learn more about the meaning-making process, check out David's new workbook, The Sixth Stage of Grief: Tools for Releasing Pain and Remembering with Love.

We'd love to hear from you! Take our audience survey here. This week, in honor of World Mental Health Day, Everyday Better host Leah Smart is sharing her story of living with anxiety – and how she's learned to manage it.  Follow Leah Smart on LinkedIn. Additional Resources: Anxiety and Depression Association of America A Return to Love by Marianne Williamson Anxiety Rx by Dr. Russell Kennedy Overcoming Unwanted Intrusive Thoughts by Dr. Martin Seif and Dr. Sally Winston The Tapping Solution by Nick Ortner

We'd love to hear from you! Take our quick audience survey here. Bonnie Wan is a brand strategist and author of The Life Brief: A Playbook for No Regrets Living. She's passionate about helping people uncover their true desires and believes deeply in the power of intention to propel personal and professional growth. On this week's episode of Everyday Better, Bonnie joins Leah to explain the concept of a life brief, which is a tool for getting clear on what you want and how you're going to get it. Bonnie highlights the importance of wanting when it comes to personal growth, as well as the role privilege plays in shaping our desires. Follow Leah Smart on LinkedIn. Follow Bonnie Wan on LinkedIn. To learn more about Bonnie's work, check out her book The Life Brief: A Playbook for No Regrets Living.

We'd love to hear from you! Take our quick audience survey here. Corey Keyes is a sociologist and professor emeritus at Emory University. He studies how people find satisfaction in their lives, and why achieving a sense of well-being is no easy feat.  On this week's episode of Everyday Better, Corey joins Leah to discuss his research on languishing, flourishing and how to move from one to the other. Corey argues that good mental health isn't just the absence of mental illness but the presence of well-being. He also explains the concept of “functioning well” and why working towards that is more important than chasing happiness.  Follow Leah Smart on LinkedIn. Follow Corey Keyes on LinkedIn. For more tips on how to move out of languishing and into flourishing, check out Corey's book, Languishing: How to Feel Alive Again in a World That Wears Us Down.

We'd love to hear from you! Take our audience survey here. Anna Sale is a journalist, author and host of the award-winning podcast Death, Sex & Money. On her show, Anna has intimate conversations with people about life's toughest yet often under-discussed moments – infidelity, bankruptcy, aging and illness to name just a few. On this week's episode of Everyday Better, Anna joins Leah to discuss what it was like when her podcast was unexpectedly canceled after nearly ten years on the air. Anna talks about how she transformed a moment of major career uncertainty into an opportunity to clarify her purpose. Anna and Leah also explore the evolution of ambition and what happens when we mine deep meaning from our work. Follow Leah Smart on LinkedIn. Follow Anna Sale on LinkedIn. To hear more from Anna, listen to Death, Sex & Money wherever you find your podcasts.

This week on Everyday Better, we're featuring the first episode of Let's Talk Offline, a new podcast from LinkedIn and iHeartPodcasts. Each week on the show, co-hosts Gianna Prudente, LinkedIn's early career development editor, and Jamé Jackson Gadsden, a LinkedIn community manager, will answer your questions about what it takes to thrive in the early years of your career – without sacrificing your values, sanity or sleep. Listen to Let's Talk Offline wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes drop every Tuesday.

We'd love to hear from you! Take our audience survey here. Oliver Burkeman is a journalist, author and former “productivity geek.” His bestselling book Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals outlines a saner approach to managing your time in a world of never-ending demands and distractions.  On this week's episode of Everyday Better, Oliver explains why all of the tools and techniques meant to save us time and maximize our productivity ultimately make us feel more stressed and short on time. Oliver argues that the only time management technique that works involves recognizing that you'll never feel on top of things. Once you accept that, you can actually start crossing things off of your to-do list – and he has strategies for how to do that as well. Follow Leah Smart on LinkedIn. Follow Oliver Burkeman on LinkedIn. To learn more about how to actually get stuff done, pre-order Oliver's new book Meditations for Mortals: Four Weeks to Embrace Your Limitations and Make Time for What Counts.

We'd love to hear from you! Take our listener survey here. Dr. Robert Waldinger is a psychiatrist, Zen master and director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development, one of the longest-running longitudinal studies on human happiness ever conducted. His TED Talk on the major takeaways from the study has received over 43 million views since 2015 and is one of the most-watched TED Talks of all time. Today, Robert joins Leah to discuss the most significant – and surprising – findings from the study, as well as how we can use these insights to build a healthy and happy life. To learn more about the Harvard Study of Adult Development, check out Robert's latest book The Good Life: Lessons from the World's Longest Scientific Study of Happiness. Follow Leah Smart on LinkedIn. Follow Robert Waldinger on LinkedIn.

Tim Tamashiro is a jazz singer, radio broadcaster and the author of How to Ikigai: Lessons for Finding Happiness and Living Your Life's Purpose. On this week's episode of Everyday Better, Tim joins Leah to explore the concept of Ikigai, an ancient Japanese philosophy that encourages us to live our “life's worth.” After explaining what his Ikigai is and how he discovered it, Tim guides Leah through the process of uncovering her own. He also shares his perspective on how to achieve lasting happiness, and offers tips for when you get stuck in the process of identifying your own Ikigai. Follow Leah Smart on LinkedIn. Follow Tim Tamashiro on LinkedIn. To learn more about Ikigai, check out Tim's book, How to Ikigai. And, don't forget to sign up for Leah's weekly newsletter to get practical tips on how to level up with small steps every day.