Podcast appearances and mentions of Helen Russell

As our literary season continues to the publication of Cally's book, we bring you this classic episode from the Namaste archive where Cally talks to journalist, speaker and best-selling author Helen Russell about happiness, sadness, life, death, parenthood, fertility, arrival fallacy, being ginger, crying on planes, crying off planes, telephone phobia, loneliness, Scandinavia, altruism, therapy, medication and washing machines. Instagram ⁠@MsHelenRussell⁠ Helen's book ⁠How to Be Sad⁠ Helen's website ⁠helenrussell.co.uk⁠ Bereavement support for ⁠SIDS ⁠loss ⁠Could having a baby give you PTSD?⁠ Harvard ⁠happiness course⁠ ⁠Mo Gawdat Order Cally's Book Get tickets for Cally's Tour More about Cally Produced by Mike Hanson for Pod People Productions Music by Jake Yapp Cover design by Jaijo Part of the Auddy Network   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Helen Russell, an early careers specialist, talks about apprenticeships and as well as sharing highlights from the recent UON Employer Connect event. Hear about Helen's business, The Right Track Consultancy, and her views on embedding and developing talent for long-term business success.Open4Business Originally broadcast Tuesday 29th April 2025

Are you looking for the secret to happiness? Journalist Helen Russell thinks she found the answer after embracing hygge (the Danish art of cosiness), friluftsliv (the joy of the open air), and janteloven (realising you're no better than others) while living in Denmark. But are these life lessons from one of the happiest places on Earth all they're cracked up to be?Helen Russell talks to Reged Ahmad about her decade living like a Dane

In this episode we explore one of the most frequently discussed themes in our conversations with CHROs - empathy.  As businesses navigate a rapidly changing world, empathy is rising up the people agenda, shaping leadership and workplace culture. We looked back through the library to bring you five perspectives on the benefits of empathy for your workplace culture: Yetunde Hofmann, Non-Exec & Remco Chair – Exploring the powerful link between love and results, Yetunde shares how leading with love can transform organisational culture. Stephane Charbonnier, Former CHRO, L'Oréal North America – Highlighting L'Oréal's Listening Circles, Stephane demonstrates how genuine listening fosters a true sense of belonging. Donna Murray Vilhelmsen, CHRO, Trustpilot – Advocating for vulnerability in leadership, Donna discusses its role in building trust and authenticity. Helen Russell, Chief People Officer, HubSpot – Emphasising connection, Helen explains how HR leaders who embrace empathy drive meaningful change. Kaylee Darkins, CHRO – UK and Lloyd's, AXA XL – Sharing insights from AXA XL's Authentic You programme, Kaylee underscores the importance of psychological safety.   How HR Leaders Change the World is brought to you by Uplifting People We're an amazing community of cutting-edge HR Changemakers. Together, we share experiences, tools and clear, actionable ideas.  Ideas that will help you solve the challenges you face today and will inspire you with brilliant opportunities to push boundaries and positively impact people in your organisation - and beyond.  And what's even better, is every penny of our profit empowers vulnerable children to be safe, loved and learning. Together, we uplift people.

Jak dogadywać się z osobami wychowanymi w innych kulturach, kiedy goni deadline? Z Pauliną Kozub-Chwastek rozmawiamy o podejściu do pracy, czasu, relacji z szefem czy podejmowania decyzji w zależności od kraju, w którym pracujemy.Materiały polecane przez Paulinę: "Mapa kulturowa. Jak skutecznie radzić sobie z różnicami kulturowymi w biznesie" – Erin Meyer"Atlas szczęścia" – Helen Russell

It has been quite the year! Let's look back on some of our favourite episodes including Montana Brown, Zoe Blaskey, Helen Russell, and so much more! We have laughed, cried and certainly learnt a lot ...Listen by clicking ‘Play', subscribe or follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Acast, and please do rate and review to help others find the podcast. Find a new episode every Tuesday & Friday and in the meantime check out Made By Mammas on Instagram: @madebymammas. Made By Mammas®, this has been an Insanity Studios production. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sharing her journey from Yorkshire to California, Helen discusses the importance of customer empathy in driving meaningful business change and emphasises the value of opportunities for employees to interact with customers, fostering a culture of understanding and relatability. Helen also explores the evolving landscape of HR, discussing the interaction between AI in enhancing workforce productivity and the potential for remote work to revitalise communities. Helen advocates for empathy and connection and leaves us with a reminder that by embracing curiosity, respect, and empathy, HR leaders can build trust and integrity, driving positive change.   Thank you to HEX Talent & Development for supporting How HR Leaders Change the World Is your organisation doing everything it can to ensure its people and teams are reaching their full potential? This episode is sponsored by Hex Talent and Development. HEX is a people performance consultancy that's laser focused on making individuals, teams and organisations the best they can be. Hex isn't just another learning provider, they are the full package. They offer individual and team coaching, facilitation of team events and gatherings, leadership development and broader HR consultancy. They are thought leaders and have their own model for leadership, the intentional leader and the CHRO impact framework for developing high performing senior HR leaders. Above all, HEX brings passion, challenge and joy to all their clients. Want to learn more? Head on over to HEX Talent & Development to see how they can help your organisation thrive.    

British journalist and internationally bestselling author Helen Russell returns to the podcast to discuss THE DANISH SECRET TO HAPPY KIDS, a refreshingly funny, witty, and heart-warming roadmap to raising kids the Viking way—and helping them be happier, healthier, and more independent. Helen shares the experience of moving from London to Denmark, initially just for a year and before she had children, and discovering the unique parenting methods that prioritize unstructured play, spending time in nature (regardless of the weather!), and genuine connection, aided by the supportive social systems in the Nordic countries. She reflects on how these practices have shaped her parenting journey and her own perspectives on happiness and well-being.Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/4g0Z9KHShare, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens! Now there's more! Subscribe to Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books on Acast+ and get ad-free episodes. https://plus.acast.com/s/moms-dont-have-time-to-read-books. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What do Vikings know about raising children? Turns out, quite a lot… After a decade of living in Denmark and raising a family there, Helen Russell noticed that Nordic children are different. They e... Uitgegeven door SAGA Egmont Spreker: Helen Russell

Dr Helen Russell, research professor with the ESRI, discusses new research on families living in poorer quality housing.

Helen Russell, journalist, and author of How to Raise a Viking: The Secrets of Parenting the World's Happiest Children // Ciara Carolan, Reporter with The Brussels Times // Maya Oppenheim, Women's Correspondent, The Independent UK and author of The Pocket Guide to the Patriarchy // Ellen Coyne, News Correspondent with the Irish Independent

Helen Russell, ESRI Professor, discusses a new study which shows the factors influencing gender and labour market inclusion on the island of Ireland, on both sides of the border.

To celebrate the publication of How to Raise a Viking and as a special thank you to listeners of the podcast we are delighted to share this exclusive extract from the audiobook.  What do Vikings know about raising children? Turns out, quite a lot… After a decade of living in Denmark and raising a family there, Helen Russell noticed that Nordic children are different. They eat differently. They learn differently. They run, jump and climb out in nature for hours a day, even though the weather is terrible and it's dark October to March. And then they grow up to be some of the happiest adults on the planet. Her question was: how? In How to Raise a Viking, Russell takes a deep dive into the parenting culture of Denmark and the other Nordic nations, from parental leave policies to school structure, screen time, and the surprising customs that lead to happy, well-adjusted humans. This fascinating peek behind the cultural curtain allows readers a glimpse of another world, where babies sleep outside in their prams up to -20°C and pre-schoolers wield axes. Refreshingly funny and unfailingly optimistic about the new generation of humans growing up in the world right now, this is a heart-warming love letter to Russell's adopted homeland and proof that we could all use a bit more Viking in our lives. Follow Helen on X, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook @MsHelenRussell Read more about Helen's new book, How to Raise a Viking, and get your copy here. Get in touch with the show at howtobesadpodcast@gmail.com

Studies show those living in the Nordic regions are happier than in the rest of the world. Why? Helen Russell is a best selling author and speaker and has raised her children in Denmark. She shares with Georgie what she's discovered about how the culture of a place can truly sway the happiness dial. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

UK author and journalist Helen Russell left her job in London as editor of Marie Clare and relocated to Jutland, Denmark, with her husband in 2013. What initially set out to be a year-long trip quickly turned into a decade. Her freelance career had seen her work as Scandinavia correspondent for ‘The Guardian', write for publications such as ‘The Observer', ‘Stylist' and ‘Grazia', and publish six books including ‘The Year of Living Danishly: Uncovering the Secrets of the World's Happiest Country', which became an international bestseller and was translated into 21 languages. Her latest book, ‘How to Raise a Viking' uncovers the secrets to parenting the world's happiest children.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What makes the Danish some of the happiest people on earth? How can we steal their ideas, and what's stopping us? Why are Norwegian women like oil rigs? Answering all these questions is the amazing Helen Russell! We talk about her brilliant new book,How to Raise a Viking. Join us as we go on a wonderful journey to a land where the streets are paved with trampolines, children are given knives to play with, and men are having VR sex in enormous spunk factories. We talk about dating in Denmark, and the dark side of living Danishly - is it really all hygge, all the time? And to finish, we have some super Scummy Mummy Confessions involving cat pee and Easter treats. Helen's book is out now! You can follow her on Instagram and X @mshelenrussell. *WE ARE ON TOUR!* Come and see our live comedy show in 2024! We are on our way to Northampton, Sutton Coldfield, Stockport, North London, Kent, Oxford, Swansea, Cardiff, Mansfield, Leicester, Liverpool, Nottingham, Exeter, Redruth, Newbury, Watford, York, Sevenoaks... And new dates are being added all the time! Keep an eye on scummymummies.com for announcements and tickets. *WE HAVE A SHOP!* Visit scummymummiesshop.com for our ace t-shirts, mugs, washbags, sweatshirts and beach towels. FREE UK DELIVERY! We're on Twitter (@scummymummies), Instagram, and Facebook. If you like the podcast, please rate, review and subscribe. Thank you for listening! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After a quick pop in from a very sick Anna, author and journalist Helen Russell joins Polly to spill the secrets behind happy Nordic living. From five year olds that talk back to an equal share of the mental load, we find out if the Nords really do parent the worlds happiest children.

Refouler sa tristesse est plus dangereux qu'on ne le pense. A force de trop garder les choses pour soi, on finit parfois par ne plus pouvoir, vouloir ou savoir comment les exprimer. La tristesse prend alors de plus en plus de place, de temps, d'énergie… Pourtant, exprimer ses sentiments douloureux est bon pour la santé, et c'est prouvé scientifiquement. Est-ce que vous avez déjà pleuré dans un bus, la tête appuyée contre la vitre, une musique mélancolique dans les oreilles ? Et est-ce que vous vous souvenez à quel point ça fait du bien de se reconnecter à ses émotions ? On se sent presque libéré·es, quand on arrive enfin à les exprimer.Mais alors, pourquoi peut-on avoir honte de laisser couler ses larmes, même devant ses proches ? Pourquoi a-t-on a parfois tant de mal à exprimer sa tristesse ? Et comment faire pour qu'elle soit une force plutôt qu'une faiblesse ?Dans cet épisode, la journaliste Léna Couffin interroge son ami Roberto sur le blocage émotionnel qui l'empêche de pleurer, quand bien même il en meurt d'envie. Elle revient aussi avec la journaliste Helen Russell sur le tabou qui entoure la tristesse, et détaille ses bienfaits avec la neuropsychologue et psychologue clinicienne Ginevra Uguccioni. Finalement, l'autrice Morgane Ortin se livre sur sa propre relation à la tristesse, et raconte la soirée organisée à l'occasion du lancement de son livre “Le Club des larmes” lors de laquelle elle a rendu toute sa beauté au fait de pleurer à plusieurs.Pour aller plus loin : Le livre “How to be sad” de la journaliste Helen Russell aux éditions 4th EstateLe livre “Le Club des larmes” de Morgane Ortin aux éditions LeducL'étude “The Paradox of Music-Evoked Sadness: An Online Survey", publiée dans le journal PLOS ONEL'étude “The Psychological Health Benefits of Accepting Negative Emotions and Thoughts: Laboratory, Diary, and Longitudinal Evidence” de l'Université de Berkeley, publiée dans le Journal of Personality and Social Psychology en 2018Léna Couffin a tourné, écrit et monté cet épisode. La réalisation sonore est signée Thomas Rozès. Le générique est réalisé par Clémence Reliat, à partir d'un extrait d'En Sommeil de Jaune. Lena Coutrot est la productrice d'Émotions, accompagnée d'Elsa Berthault. Suivez Louie Media sur Instagram, Facebook, Twitter. Si vous aussi vous voulez nous raconter votre histoire, écrivez-nous en remplissant ce formulaire. Et si vous souhaitez soutenir Louie, n'hésitez pas à vous abonner au Club. Hébergé par Acast. Visitez acast.com/privacy pour plus d'informations.

In this episode of the HR Leaders podcast, I'm thrilled to welcome Helen Russell, the Chief People Officer at Rivian. She joined us to share how Rivian successfully maintained its aspirational culture while experiencing explosive growth, scaling from 1,000 to over 16,000 employees in just a few years. Stay tuned for some fascinating insights!

Now this is exactly the episode we needed to shape how our parenting journey will look in 2024.Zo & G sit down with the incredible Helen Russell (all the way to her home in Denmark!) to hear about key parenting trends we can look to export here, from equal load parenting, to trust, rougher play, adjustments in schooling, and so much more.Helen's Favourite Products:Coffee!A SnowsuitSilk PillowcaseLego & Lego DuploPortable CD PlayerListen by clicking ‘Play', subscribe or follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Acast, and please do rate and review to help others find the podcast.Find a new episode every Tuesday & Friday and in the meantime check out Made By Mammas on Instagram: @madebymammas.Made By Mammas®, this has been an Insanity Studios production. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thank you SO much for following The LitJoy Podcast! We just reached the Top 500 listened-to podcasts and are so thankful to our listeners!Guest Bio: Kim is a writer, book-matchmaker, and grad student in creative writing. She shares her best book recs and bits of her writing journey online at Talk Wordy to Me and is a book reviewer for the lifestyle show Good Things Utah. Kim is a former audiobook narrator, magazine editor, and small-press publicist. When she's not working on her next novel, you can find her wrangling her three kids, listening to an audiobook at the gym, or curled up in bed with a BBC drama. In this interview, LitJoy owners Kelly and Alix interview writer, reader, and book influencer Kimberly Christenson. They discuss the reading recommendations to battle the winter blues and seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Join us for some hygge chit-chat! Topics discussed in this episode:SAD and winter blues [3:00]Wintering by Katherine May [5:45] audiobook The Year of Living Danishly: Uncovering the Secrets of the World's Happiest Country by Helen Russell [13:20] audiobook Hygge!! [15:40]84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff [22:20] audiobook Devotions by Mary Oliver [24:25] book A Book That Takes Its Time: An Unhurried Adventure in Creative Mindfulness by Irene Smit and Astrid van der Hulst [25:10] book Neil Gaiman and writing by hand [29:00]All the Lonely People by Mike Gayle [32:30] audiobook The loneliness epidemic and creating real connection with others [34:25]Creating a "third place" in your community with clubs, especially a book club [38:40]The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin [45:00] audiobook The Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale [46:45] audiobook What the Wind Knows by Amy Harmon [49:00] audiobook The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton [49:50] audiobook What's Next?!We deeply appreciate your support in creating community around stories! Subscribe to our email list at https://litjoycrate.com/podcast-email Join our Lunacorns private membership group at https://litjoycrate.com/podcast-lunacorns Follow us on Instagram @litjoycrateFollow us on TikTok @litjoycrateUse the code PODCAST10 at litjoycrate.com/podcast for a 10% off discount! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on From the Front Porch, it's time for another Literary Therapy session! Our literary Frasier Crane, Annie, is back to answer more of your reading questions and dilemmas. If you have a question you would like Annie to answer in a future episode, you can leave us a voicemail here. To purchase the books mentioned in this episode, visit our website (type “Episode 454” into the search bar and tap enter to find the books mentioned in this episode) or download and shop on The Bookshelf's official app: Flight by Lynn Steger Strong Wintering by Katherine May The Year of Living Danishly by Helen Russell (unavailable to order) Joy Enough by Sarah McColl (unavailable to order) Beartown by Frederick Backman Five Tuesdays in Winter by Lily King History of Wolves by Emily Fridlund (unavailable to order) Tinkers by Paul Harding Lucy by the Sea by Elizabeth Strout Backwater by Joan Bauer (unavailable to order) Landline by Rainbow Rowell The Family Game by Catherine Steadman The Christmas Guest by Peter Swanson Christmas Presents by Lisa Unger The Christmas Appeal by Janice Hallett “The Night Before Christmas” by Clement C. Moore “Santaland Diaries” by David Sedaris (featured in Holidays on Ice) “A Christmas Story” by Walter Dean Myers (145th Street) (unavailable to order) God Speaks Through Wombs by Drew Jackson Miracle on 10th Street by Madeleine L'Engle (unavailable to order) Little Women by Louisa May Alcott Why Christmas Trees Aren't Perfect by Richard Schneider The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson The Christmas Bookshop by Jenny Colgan Midnight at the Christmas Bookshop by Jenny Colgan New Girl in Little Cove by Dahmnait Monaghan Faking Christmas by Kerry Winfrey Holiday Romance by Catherine Walsh Kissing Kosher by Jean Meltzer Christmas by the Book by Anne Marie Ryan Once Upon a Wardrobe by Patti Callahan Shepherds Abiding by Jan Karon (unavailable to order) Bright Lights, Big Christmas by Mary Kay Andrews 84, Charing Cross Road by Helen Hanff Love & Saffron by Kim Fay The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy Perestroika in Paris by Jane Smiley (unavailable to order) Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan Mr. Dickens and His Carol by Samantha Silva (unavailable to order) From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in South Georgia. You can follow The Bookshelf's daily happenings on Instagram at @bookshelftville, and all the books from today's episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com.  A full transcript of today's episode can be found here.  Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Podcast Production for sound and editing and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations.  This week, Annie is reading Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros. If you liked what you heard in today's episode, tell us by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. You can also support us on Patreon, where you can access bonus content, monthly live Porch Visits with Annie, our monthly live Patreon Book Club with Bookshelf staffers, Conquer a Classic episodes with Hunter, and more. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch. We're so grateful for you, and we look forward to meeting back here next week. Our Executive Producers are...Ashley Ferrell, Cammy Tidwell, Chanta Combs, Chantalle C, Kate O'Connell, Kristin May, Laurie Johnson, Linda Lee Drozt, Martha, Nicole Marsee, Stacy Laue, Stephanie Dean, Susan Hulings, and Wendi Jenkins.

Helen Russell - On The Front Porch [00:00:00] Helen Russell - On The Front Porch [00:11:52] 2023-10-18 16:23:34 - HELEN RUSSELL PART TWO [00:23:28] 2023-10-18 16:30:22 - HELEN RUSSELL PART 3 [00:34:57] 2023-10-18 16:31:50 - HELEN RUSSELL PART 4See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Helen Russell, Chief People Officer at Rivian, joined us on The Modern People Leader.   We talked about scaling the culture as they've grown to 15k employees in the last few years, how Rivian is changing the face of what it looks like to be a manufacturing employee, and how they improved decision making throughout the company. ---- This episode was brought to you by People Leader Accelerator. Learn more here. ---- (3:22) Good news stories (9:30) Helen's career journey to becoming Chief People Officer at Rivian: Sonos, Atlassian, Rivian (16:38) How she's approached picking the right role (19:57) Her hypothesis on why there's a shortage of people leaders right now (23:43) Why we should be jealous that she gets to work at Rivian (27:10) Capturing the essence and scaling what it felt like to work at Rivian in the early days (31:00) Their quarterly recharge conversations (34:04) Measuring culture at Rivian (37:40) The onboarding process at Rivian (40:57) Changing the face of what it looks like to be a manufacturing employee (50:46) How Rivian involved their frontline employees in their IPO (54:48) The difference between scaling a company and operating at scale (1:00:53) Spotting which leaders are going to be able to succeed in the next phase of growth (1:04:20) How Rivian improved decision making throughout the organization (1:12:08) Rapid fire questions ----

In this episode we're looking back at a brilliant episode with Helen from January 2022...Steph talks with bestselling author, journalist and speaker Helen Russell about how and why so many of us try to bury sadness, and the harm that causes.After eight years of researching happiness, Helen realised that most of us desperately want to avoid sadness, but all the experts have said we can't, so we need to work out how to be sad, better. Helen and Steph talk about grief, infertility, perfectionism, anorexia, men and sadness, and a whole lot in between. Helen's websiteHelen's InstagramSteph's Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How can we best look after ourselves when we're sad? We find out on this episode with journalist Helen Russell, who is the bestselling author of two previous books on happiness. Her latest book explores how and why we could all benefit from learning the art of sadness. It reveals her own experiences with sadness and discusses the latest scientific thinking on the topic. The book is called, "HOW TO BE SAD: Everything I've Learned About Getting Happier by Being Sad". Her website is helenrussell.co.uk

Helen Russell, author of The Year of Living Danishly, Rebecca Plantier, Journalist & author of French School Lunch: Why delicious and nutritious cafeteria food is a national priority in France, Elna Nykanen Andersson, Press and cultural councilor at the Finnish Embassy in Stockholm and Prof. Donal O'Shea, HSE's clinical lead for obesity

Show notes: We love a good nonfiction book around here - memoir, self-help, history, you name it, we've read it. Today, we're sharing 10 nonfiction recs with you, with some bonus recs from our podcast patrons. There is absolutely a nonfiction book out there for everyone. Happy listening!   Click here to join us on Patreon to get an exclusive bookish goodie every single Friday. With fun bonus episode series like: Monthly Overflow Books, Backlist Book Club, The New Books in Our Lives plus a private community for RTL Book Nerds only, you're going to love being a part of our Patreon. Not only that, but you're helping to support our show by saying I LOVE WHAT YOU DO.    Find the time stamped show notes below with links to all of the fun things we mentioned.   Support indie bookstores by shopping our picks on Bookshop.org!   Something Bookish: [3:36] M: 1) Writer's Coaching 2) Our RTL pen [5:09] S: Love Buzz by Neely Tubati Alexander - out May 2   Our Nonfiction Recs: [11:55] S: Into Thin Air: A Personal Account Of The Everest Disaster by Jon Krakauer [13:26] M: Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson Small Fry by Lisa Brennan-Jobs [15:17] S: The Year of Living Danishly: My Twelve Months Unearthing the Secrets of the World's Happiest Country by Helen Russell [16:39] M: Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich [18:20] S: The Beauty in Breaking by Michele Harper [19:45] M: A Stolen Life by Jaycee Dugard [21:05] S: You are a Badass at Making Money by Jen Sincero [22:33] M: The Accidental Creative by Todd Henry [23:32] S: Inside the NBA Bubble by Jared Dudley [25:44] M: The Missing Teacher by Lani Cox   [27:23] Nonfiction Recs from Our Patrons: A Knock at Midnight by Brittany K Barnett Paris: The Memoir by Paris Hilton Stiff by Mary Roach How the Word is Passed by Clint Smith The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann Know My Name by Chanel Miller The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls To Shake the Sleeping Self by Jedidiah Jenkins I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy The Art of Dying Well by Katy Butler “You Just Need to Lose Weight” and 19 Other Myths About Fat People by Aubrey Gordon Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language by Amanda Montell Shady Characters: The Secret Life of Punctuation, Symbols, and other Typographical Marks by Keith Houston   Also Mentioned: Gallup poll on American reading habits Episode 13: Our Nonfiction Must Haves Follow RTL on Instagram: @readingthroughlifepod Follow Sarah on Instagram: @sarahhartleycoaching  Follow Mia on Instagram: @fastlifeinslowlane + @thekindredwriters    * The books noted above contain affiliate links. This means that we may get a small kickback if you purchase through our links, at no additional cost to you.

Jess and Layne reveal their personal histories with depression (and some bonus mental health issues). Layne shares about how a life crisis led to healing from life-long pain, how nutrition healed her anxiety and how to talk to kids about the hard things you are going through. Jess walks us through the life transition and isolation in early motherhood that found her needing treatment at a mental facility and her journey with medication. She talks about the importance of having a community who knows how low you can get and how to make sure you get the help you need (also the importance of movement and SLEEP!). Finally, we take a question about wether or not it is ethical to have a child if you have a history of mental illness (SPOILER: we think you should go ahead and live your life

Paul Boross is joined by best-selling author Helen Russell to discuss how humour can play a role in your mental health. From resilience to creativity, Russell knows that humour and happiness go hand in hand. “I think there's definitely something in humour when it comes to improving your mood, improving your relationships with the people around you. It attracts others to us. If you think somebody is funny, you want to be around them, and they want to be around you. I think for that bonding and that bringing the people together and even defusing conflict, it's really important.”Join Paul Boross and Helen Russell as they discuss how humour can improve your help and happiness, only on The Humourology Podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

All Christmas classics have a sequel and in this episode our second annual Christmas Cracker. Despite it being a question that most guests moan about, and worryingly, most comedians try to cop out with 'I'm not good at telling jokes,' Cally persevered with it in 2022 (and will do so in 2023) and here are just some of our favourites including guests like Angela Barnes, Shaun Keaveny, Jon Holmes, Helen Russell, and more. If you haven't already, why not follow Namaste Motherf**kers  at https://auddy.co/shows/entertainment/namaste - that way you'll never miss a show! More about Cally Instagram: @callybeatoncomedian Twitter: @callybeaton Produced by Mike Hanson for Pod People Productions Instagram: @podpeopleuk Music by Jake Yapp Cover art by Jaijo Sales & advertising: advertising@audioboom.com Sponsorship: info@theloniouspunkproductions.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week's episode of Currently Reading, Kaytee and Meredith are discussing: Bookish Moments: snow day reading + scheduled reading time Current Reads: books that blew us away Deep Dive: finding your nonfiction fit The Fountain: we visit our perfect fountain to make wishes about our reading lives As per usual, time-stamped show notes are below with references to every book and resource we mentioned in this episode. If you'd like to listen first and not spoil the surprise, don't scroll down!  We are now including transcripts of the episode (this link only works on the main site). The goal here is to increase accessibility for our fans! *Please note that all book titles linked below are Bookshop affiliate links. Your cost is the same, but a small portion of your purchase will come back to us to help offset the costs of the show. If you'd prefer to shop on Amazon, you can still do so here through our main storefront. Anything you buy there (even your laundry detergent, if you recently got obsessed with switching up your laundry game) kicks a small amount back to us. Thanks for your support!*   . . . . 1:32 - Bookish Moment of the Week 6:09 - Current Reads 6:16 - A Place Called Home by David Ambroz (Kaytee) 11:20 - Death and Croissants by Ian Moore (Meredith) 12:36 - The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman 15:04 - Blackwell's UK 15:29 - Plain Bad Heroines by Emily Danforth (Kaytee) 15:37 - The Novel Neighbor 16:45 - Run Time by Catherine Ryan Howard 19:19 - My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing (Meredith) 22:58 - The Ogress and the Orphans by Kelly Barnhill (Kaytee) 23:14 - The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill 23:20 - When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill 27:24 - Bookmarks 27:47 - Comfort Me With Apples by Catherynne M. Valente (Meredith) 30:45 - Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn 31:05 - Piranesi by Susanna Clarke 32:44 - Fable App 34:54 - Finding Your Nonfiction Niche 36:59 - CR Season 4: Episode 24 38:32 - A Place Called Home by David Ambroz 38:49 - Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry 38:56 - Down and Out in Paradise by Charles Leerhsen 39:16 - Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow 39:24 - You Never Forget Your First by Alexis Coe 40:13 - Zero Fail: The Rise and Fall of the Secret Service by Carol Leonnig 40:33 - The Palace Papers by Tina Brown 41:12 - Happy At Any Cost by Kirsten Grind and Katherine Sayre 44:13 - The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin 44:25 - The Year of Living Danishly by Helen Russell 45:04 - Julie and Julia by Julie Powell 46:00 - Love and Saffron by Kim Fay 46:12 - Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus 46:16 - The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas 46:19 - The Black Count by Tom Reiss 46:37 - The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Nayler 47:39 - Meet Us At The Fountain I wish to let everyone know about Everyday Reading. (Kaytee) 47:55 - Everyday Reading blog 48:09 - Everyday Reading Instagram 48:22 - Everyday Reading Christmas Reading Advent Calendar  I wish everyone would jump on the ASMR bandwagon. (Meredith) 0:33 - The Vault of Ambience on Youtube Connect With Us: Meredith is @meredith.reads on Instagram Kaytee is @notesonbookmarks on Instagram Mindy is @gratefulforgrace on Instagram Mary is @maryreadsandsips on Instagram Roxanna is @roxannatheplanner on Instagram currentlyreadingpodcast.com @currentlyreadingpodcast on Instagram currentlyreadingpodcast@gmail.com Support us at patreon.com/currentlyreadingpodcastand www.zazzle.com/store/currentlyreading

In this episode, originally published in January 2022, Cally talks to journalist, speaker and best-selling author Helen Russell about happiness, sadness, life, death, parenthood, fertility, arrival fallacy, being ginger, crying on planes, crying off planes, telephone phobia, loneliness, Scandinavia, altruism, therapy, medication and washing machines. Twitter @MsHelenRussell and Instagram @MsHelenRussell Helen's book How to Be Sad Helen's website helenrussell.co.uk Bereavement support for SIDS loss Could having a baby give you PTSD? Harvard happiness course Mo Gawdat More about Cally Instagram: @callybeatoncomedian Twitter: @callybeaton Produced by Mike Hanson for Pod People Productions Instagram: @podpeopleuk Music by Jake Yapp Cover art by Jaijo Sales & advertising: advertising@audioboom.com Sponsorship: info@theloniouspunkproductions.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

People who live in some places are happier than others. But if you move to a happy country, happy city or happy district, will it make you feel better? And what can do if you can't uproot from your current home, can you make sad spaces happier?   Dan Buettner introduces us to his "Blue Zones", and explains why these places score so highly in wellbeing surveys. Helen Russell tells her story of moving to one of the happiest nations on earth...in bleak midwinter. And Texan Jason Roberts admits he had to break the city laws to make his neighborhood in Dallas a bit nicer.  For further reading:  Helen Russell - The Year of Living Danishly: Uncovering the Secrets of the World's Happiest Country. Dan Buettner - The Blue Zones of Happiness: Lessons From the World's Happiest People.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How can we best look after ourselves when we're sad? We find out on this episode with journalist Helen Russell, who is the bestselling author of two previous books on happiness. Her latest book explores how and why we could all benefit from learning the art of sadness. It reveals her own experiences with sadness and discusses the latest scientific thinking on the topic. The book is called, "HOW TO BE SAD: Everything I've Learned About Getting Happier by Being Sad". Her website is helenrussell.co.uk Thanks to our sponsors of this episode!: Everlywell is digital healthcare designed for you — all at an affordable and transparent price. With over thirty at-home lab tests, you'll be able to choose the test that makes the most sense for you to get the answers you need, like the Metabolism Test or Food Sensitivity Test. Everlywell ships products straight to you with everything needed in one package. To take your at-home lab test, simply collect your sample and use the included prepaid shipping label to mail your test back to a certified lab. Your physician-reviewed results get sent to your phone or device in just days! If you've been experiencing symptoms and don't know where to start, Everlywell is committed to listening and supporting your journey towards better health and wellness. For listeners of Nobody Told Me!, Everlywell is offering a special discount of twenty percent off an at-home lab test at everlywell.com/nobody. That's everlywell.com/nobody for twenty percent off your next at-home lab test. Coda.io With teams working all across the country, if your best work is spread out across documents and spreadsheets, and a stack of workflow tools you have to jump in and out of all day, you need Coda, the doc that brings it all together. Coda is endlessly customizable AND connected. There are templates for anything and everything. Product roadmap, remote onboarding, OKR tracker, meeting notes...You name it, Coda has it. Coda adapts to growing teams and changing strategies. And perhaps most importantly Coda seamlessly integrates with the tools you need. Everything in Coda is synched. Make an update in a table, and it automatically shows up everywhere. No more relying on copy & paste to keep lynchpin projects current! Your team can operate on the same information and collaborate the way we all want to, quickly and efficiently. With Coda, you can solve just about anything. And right now you can get started having your team all working together on the same page for FREE. Head over to Coda.IO/nobodytoldme to get started for FREE.  Coda.IO/nobodytoldme Policygenius is an insurance marketplace that makes it easy to compare quotes from top companies like AIG and Prudential in one place to find your lowest price on life insurance. You could save 50% or more on life insurance by comparing quotes with Policygenius. Options start at just $17 per month for $500,000 of coverage. Just head to Policygenius.com to get personalized quotes in minutes and find the right policy for your needs. The licensed agents at Policygenius work for you, not the insurance companies. They're on hand through the entire process to help you understand your options so you can make decisions with confidence. Policygenius has options that offer coverage in as little as a week and avoid unnecessary medical exams. Policygenius has thousands of five-star reviews across Google and Trustpilot and they've helped more than 30 million people shop for insurance since 2014. Head to policygenius.com to get your free life insurance quotes and see how much you could save. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The pursuit of happiness, which is a beautiful thing, can turn into an extreme when we become afraid to be sad and try to avoid it at all costs. Why are we so scared to be sad? And why is it not only ok to be sad, but important to sit with the sadness? Today's guest, Helen Russell, is a journalist, bestselling author, speaker and happiness researcher.  Her first book, https://www.amazon.com/Year-Living-Danishly-Uncovering-Happiest/dp/1785780239/ (The Year of Living Danishly: Uncovering the Secrets of the World's Happiest Country), became an international bestseller and has been optioned for television. She is the author of four other critically acclaimed books, translated into 21 languages. Helen also writes for magazines and newspapers globally, including The Times and The Sunday Times, the Telegraph, the Independent, National Geographic, Wall Street Journal, and the Observer, amongst others. She's spent the last ten years studying cultural approaches to emotions and now speaks about her work internationally. In her book, https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08RZ5R7XT/ (How to be Sad), Helen explores why we get sad, what to do when we are sad and how we can all get happier, by learning to be sad, better. Especially while living in these unprecedented times. Most of us are struggling in one way or another and getting better at having difficult conversations and finding ways to handle our sadness will help us become whole, reclaim our wellbeing and be able to truly and fully live. In this interview with Helen, you'll discover: -Why we're so afraid of being sad...03:30 -The social stigma of acknowledging sadness leads to social disconnection...08:02 -Tools and strategies to "move through" our sadness...12:15 -What we can learn from the Danish people about being happy...15:10 -Using unhappiness as a tool to discovering real happiness...18:30 -The time and place for medications to deal with sadness, anxiety, depression, etc...20:30 -Helen's personal journey with happiness and sadness...23:14 -Empathizing with friends and family who are processing sadness...26:43 -How to remain hopeful in challenging times...28:46 -Helen's best personal practice...33:43 -And much more... Resources mentioned: https://www.amazon.com/Year-Living-Danishly-Uncovering-Happiest/dp/1785780239/ (The Year of Living Danishly: Uncovering the Secrets of the World's Happiest Country) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08RZ5R7XT/ (How to be Sad) https://www.helenrussell.co.uk (Helen's Website) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-be-sad-with-helen-russell/id1550928939 (How to Be Sad podcast) https://superhumanize.com/captivate-podcast/dr-ellen-vora/ (Ariane's interview with Dr. Ellen Vora) Helen's social handles: https://www.linkedin.com/in/helenrussell/ (LinkedIn) https://twitter.com/MsHelenRussell (Twitter) https://www.instagram.com/mshelenrussell/ (Instagram) https://www.facebook.com/MsHelenRussell/ (Facebook) 

Join us as we discuss  The Year of Living Danishly, by Helen Russell;  True Biz, by Sara Novic;  How the Word is Passed,  by Clint Smith;  Kaikeyi, by Vaishnavi Patel, and Pilgrims Way, by Abdulrazak Gurnah.To learn more about the books or to purchase - click below!https://bookshop.org/shop/youvegottoreadthisVisit us on our Instagram Page - Click below!https://www.instagram.com/youvegottoreadthispodcast/Visit us on our Facebook Page - Click below!https://www.facebook.com/Youve-Got-to-Read-This-100997165428924Please note - we receive a percentage of each purchase you make on our Bookshop page that goes to support the production of our podcast.

On this episode of When Harry Met Daphne  we interviewed Suswati Basu, winner of the Emma Humphries Memorial Prize in 2007, shortlisted for the Guardian Mary Stott Prize the same year, and longlisted for the Guardian International Development Journalism Award.  Suswati has written for the Guardian, Huffington Post, and the F-Word blogs, and has worked for various media outlets such as the BBC, Channel 4 News, and ITV News. As a survivor and thriver from trauma, living with both mental health and physical disabilities, she began the How To Be... podcast looking at helping mental well-being through reading and interviewing authors.  Speaking to 36 authors in 2021, including powerhouse women such as powerlifter and journalist Poorna Bell, and the Year of Living Danishly author Helen Russell, Suswati gained huge insight throughout the year and has been developing and creating a like-minded community who discuss these topics on Twitter Spaces and Clubhouse on a weekly basis. Specialties: Specialties in women in technology, DEI, gender, social model of disability, race, and social politics; British, Chinese and Indian politics, mental health, eating disorders, nonfiction books.Connect with Suswati Basu:   Instagram   |  WebsiteSupport the show

A book about a British couple adapting to life in Denmark as they try to see if it really is the happiest country in the world.

Goodbye, Marko & Alana. We're not ready. No other comic book couple has occupied as much space on our podcast as these two. Therefore, it's not terribly surprising that our final conversation discussing their epic romance is our BIGGEST EPISODE EVER! You probably remember where you were when you first read Saga #54. And you probably remember exactly how its last few pages made you feel. Saga Volume 9 is a tough storyline to process, and we've had years to do it. We trudge through the comic, practically page-by-page, emotion-by-emotion. The conversation was...a lot, but also incredibly cathartic. Thankfully, helping us grapple with sorrow is author Helen Russell and her book, "How to Be Sad: The Key to a Happier Life: Everything I've Learned About Getting Happier, by Being Sad, Better." We can't fight sadness, and it's not good or bad. It's merely essential to our human experience. Embrace it. Issues Covered in this Episode: Saga # 49 - 54, collected in trade paperback Volume 9. They were written by Brian K. Vaughan, fully illustrated by Fiona Staples, and lettered by Fonografiks. Image Comics originally published the issues between February 2018 and July 2018. If you require catchup on our Saga series, please listen to our previous episodes discussing Marko & Alana:  Saga Volume 1 Saga Volume 2 Saga Volume 3 Saga Volume 4 Saga Volume 5 Saga Volumes 6 & 7 Saga Volume 8 Other relevant links discussed this week: The Saga #54 Reaction Twitter Thread "Why Saga #54 Hurts So Bad" by Zack Quaintance Grieving with Martian Manhunter Lisa on Capes on the Couch And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren. Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-Star Review on Apple Podcasts. SUPPORT THE PODCAST BY JOINING OUR PATREON COMMUNITY. Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators. Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

When you think Saga, you think of "fun-filled" adventures, right? Oh, and tears. So many, many tears. Welcome to our penultimate episode discussing the heroically heartbreaking relationship between Marko & Alana. No other comic book couple has preoccupied as much space on our podcast as this one, and as we approach their end, we prepare to embrace our own grief as well as theirs. Helping us grapple with sorrow is author Helen Russell and her book, "How to Be Sad: The Key to a Happier Life: Everything I've Learned About Getting Happier, by Being Sad, Better." Ignoring sadness is not only impossible, the attempt to do so is detrimental to our health. Marko, Alana, and Helen are here to lend aid. Issues Covered in this Episode: Saga # 43 - 48, collected in trade paperback Volume 8. They were written by Brian K. Vaughan, fully illustrated by Fiona Staples, and lettered by Fonografiks. Image Comics originally published the issues between May 2017 and October 2017. If you require catchup on our Saga series, please listen to our previous episodes discussing Marko & Alana:  Saga Volume 1 Saga Volume 2 Saga Volume 3 Saga Volume 4 Saga Volume 5 Saga Volumes 6 & 7 Other relevant links discussed this week: BKV Brings Saga Out West for 'Fun-Filled' Arc Thanos & Death & Brene Brown Bustle's "Why The Miscarriage in Saga is so Revolutionary" And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren. Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-Star Review on Apple Podcasts. SUPPORT THE PODCAST BY JOINING OUR PATREON COMMUNITY. Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators. Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

In Saga, Marko & Alana cannot escape sadness. Rather than running, they lean into it, and by sharing their sorrow, they gain strength. Any Star Trek V: The Final Frontier fans out there? Sybok knew what was up. We race toward Saga's halfway point and the tragic cliffhanger ending to end all tragic cliffhanger endings, which is really saying something when discussing Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples' sci-fi romance masterpiece. As we did the last episode, we consulted Helen Russell's "How to Be Sad: The Key to a Happier Life: Everything I've Learned About Getting Happier, by Being Sad, Better." If she can help us embrace our sadness, maybe she can help Marko & Alana through their tumultuous journey. Issued Covered in this Episode: Saga # 31 - 42, collected in trade paperback Vols. 6 & 7. They were written by Brian K. Vaughan, fully illustrated by Fiona Staples, and lettered by Fonografiks. Image Comics originally published the issues between November 2015 and January  2017. Previous CBCC Saga Episodes:  Saga Volume 1 Saga Volume 2 Saga Volume 3 Saga Volume 4 Saga Volume 5 Other Relevant Links: Christian Holub's Entertainment Weekly Interview w/Vaughan & Staples Depression Textline (US): Text HOME to 741741 Be sure to follow the podcast on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren. Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-Star Review on Apple Podcasts. SUPPORT THE PODCAST BY JOINING OUR PATREON COMMUNITY. Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators. Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

This is a special, bonus episode where the tables are turned and I'm the one interviewed by none other than Laurie Santos, Yale professor and host of The Happiness Lab podcast.   On The Happiness Lab, Dr Laurie Santos shares evidence-based research that challenges what we think it means to live a happy life. This season, she's helping listeners navigate something most of us avoid: so-called ‘bad' feelings – with guests including the wonderful Julia Samuel, Brené Brown, Adam Grant and…me!   In this episode, we talk about: why our view of sadness needs to be rehabilitated how we react to sadness in a variety of unhelpful ways why we try to suppress sadness experiencing guilt - and apologising for feeling …because, spoiler alert, sadness will touch us all - so to be happier and more resilient we need to accept the emotion. You can hear more episodes of The Happiness Lab at https://link.chtbl.com/helenrussellhappinesslab @lauriesantos on Twitter and @ lauriesantosofficial on Instagram. Follow me @MsHelenRussell - and the book, How To Be Sad is out now in the US (hardback, HarperOne) and the UK (in paperback! @4th Estate)   I'll be back next week with another very special guest for more on how learning to be sad may be the key to a happier life. If you enjoy the podcast, I'd be utterly delighted if you could rate, review and subscribe so you never miss an episode.   Thanks so much to Joel Grove for production and Matt Clacher at HarperCollins for making the podcast happen.

In this episode, Cally talks to journalist, speaker and best-selling author Helen Russell about happiness, sadness, life, death, parenthood, fertility, arrival fallacy, being ginger, crying on planes, crying off planes, telephone phobia, loneliness, Scandinavia, altruism, therapy, medication and washing machines. Twitter @MsHelenRussell and Instagram @MsHelenRussell Helen's book How to Be Sad Helen's website helenrussell.co.uk Bereavement support for SIDS loss Could having a baby give you PTSD? Harvard happiness course Mo Gawdat More about Cally Instagram: @callybeatoncomedian Twitter: @callybeaton Produced by Mike Hanson for Pod People Productions Instagram: @podpeopleuk Music by Jake Yapp Cover art by Jaijo Sales & advertising: advertising@audioboom.com Sponsorship: info@theloniouspunkproductions.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You’d think author and speaker Helen Russell — whose professional obsession for the past few years has been happiness — would be loathe to discuss the topic of sadness. Au contraire. As she’s learned more about what it takes to be happy, she’s discovered it relies on perfecting the lost (at least in America) art of being sad. We talk with Helen about her book How to be Sad, discuss why American culture is particularly bad at embracing melancholy, and discover what we could all learn from those strapping Danes.Find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Podcast Addict, and Stitcher. Check out our Patreon for behind-the-pod updates. Follow @UncertainPod on your social media of choice.On the agenda:-Making Space for Sadness, in all its flavors [3:51-9:14]-Cross-Cultural Comparisons [9:15-12:54]-Gender and the emotions we're allowed to access [12:55-17:54]-The emotional burden of an artless life [17:55-23:48]-Our atrophied social connections [23:49-29:24]-Inequality, addiction, and social media [29:25-36:54]-Raising kids and deciding to have them in the first place [36:55-44:21]-Sadness taboos and rituals [44:22-48:33]-Diagnosing Brexit (and other dark times) [48:34-53:58]-Sadness Post-Script [54:28-1:24:32]Uncertain Things is hosted and produced by Adaam James Levin-Areddy and Vanessa M. Quirk. For more doomsday rumination, subscribe to: uncertain.substack.com. Get full access to Uncertain Things at uncertain.substack.com/subscribe

It's the emotion we most try to avoid, but what if shunning sadness keeps us from being happy? Journalist Helen Russell explains, with a reflection from Mike Albo.

To celebrate the publication of How to be Sad in America and as a special thank you to listeners of the podcast we are delighted to share this exclusive extract from the audiobook. We will be back with a new episode of How to be Sad with Helen Russell next week. An expert on the pursuit of happiness combines her powerful personal story with surprising research and expert advice to reveal the secret of finding joy: allowing sadness to enrich your life and relationships. Helen Russell has researched sadness from the inside out for her entire life. Her earliest memory is of the day her sister died. Her parents divorced soon after, and her mother didn't receive the help she needed to grieve. Coping with her own emotional turmoil—including struggles with body image and infertility—she's endured professional and personal setbacks as well as relationships that have imploded in truly spectacular ways. Even the things that brought her the greatest joy—like eventually becoming a parent—are fraught with challenges. While devoting a career to writing books on happiness, Helen discovered just how many people are terrified of sadness. But the key to happiness is unhappiness—by allowing ourselves to experience pain, we learn to truly appreciate and embrace joy. How to Be Sad is a memoir about living with sadness, as well as an upbeat manifesto for change that encourages us to accept and express our emotions, both good and bad. Interweaving Helen's personal testimony with the latest research on sadness—from psychologists, geneticists, neuroscientists and historians—as well as the experiences of writers, comics, athletes and change-makers from around the world, this vital and inspiring guide explores why we get sad, what makes us feel this way, and how it can be a force for good.  Timely and essential, How to Be Sad is about how we can better look after ourselves and each other, simply by getting smarter about sadness.  Follow Helen on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook @MsHelenRussell Read more about Helen's new book, How To Be Sad at Waterstones, Amazon or Apple. Get in touch with the show at howtobesadpodcast@gmail.com Thanks to Joel Grove for production and to Matt Clacher at HarperCollins for making this podcast happen.  

We will learn:  What we can learn from different cultures around managing emotions.  Why we cry.  Healthier strategies to cope with sadness. How often do you get sad? What does being sad feel like to you? How long does it usually last? Are you sad right now? Do you even know? Do you know the answer to any of these questions?   We all have feelings, so we should know these things right? But I don't think most of us do know the answers to these questions… well, some of them at least.   Our words create our realities. I don't know about you, but I don't want to be “fine”. I want to feel good, like really good. So why am I reinforcing a mediocre reality with words that keep me in the in-between… that space of just coasting. Not feeling bad, but not feeling good… so really just not feeling anything. What kind of life is that?   Maybe actually admitting and really feeling our sadness is the only way to feel the true depths of our joy.    Well that's what we're talking about today. Our guest is Helen Russell, bestselling author, journalist and speaker. Links from the episode: Show Notes: https://mindlove.com/x60 Sign up for The Morning Mind Love for short daily notes from your highest self.  Get Mind Love Premium for exclusive ad-free episodes and monthly meditations.  Support Mind Love Sponsors   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to "How To Be...", exploring how to gain life skills, whilst attempting to gain some myself. Sadness is a reasonable response to the horrors of the world and the absurdities and disappointments of modern life and yet we tend to be averse to this notion, running in the opposite direction in a bid to pursue happiness. So why can't we sit with sadness, and can it be good for us? Looking into what the 'experts' say about sadness and whether it is truly helpful? And also hearing from others who have gained some mastery over themselves. Please hit subscribe to hear the whole series on life skills! It should be short and sweet. I look forward to journeying with you through this maze of hacks.

Today is publication day for Helen's new book How to be Sad. As a special thank you to listeners of the podcast we are delighted to share this exclusive extract from the audiobook. We will be back with a new episode of How to Be Sad with Helen Russell next week.   We live in an age when reality TV shows climax in a tearful finale. But feeling sad – genuinely sad – is still taboo. Yet, sadness happens to us all, sometimes in heartbreakingly awful ways. If we don't know how to be sad, it can be isolating for those experiencing it and baffling for those trying to help others through dark times. Today, most of us know intellectually that ‘sad' is normal. But we're not always brilliant at allowing for it, in practice. Sadness is going to happen, so we might as well know how to ‘do it' right. And it's time to start facing our problems and talking about them. Positive psychology may have become more accepted in mainstream culture, but rates of depression have continued to rise. We're trying so hard to be happy. But studies show that we could all benefit from learning the art of sadness and how to handle it, well. We cannot avoid sadness so we might as well learn to handle it. Helen Russell, while researching  two previous books on happiness,  found that today most of us are terrified of sadness. Many of us are so phobic to averse to negative emotions that we don't recognise them.   Follow Helen on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook @MsHelenRussell Read more about Helen's new book, How To Be Sad at Waterstones, Amazon or Apple. Get in touch with the show at howtobesadpodcast@gmail.com Thanks to Joel Grove for production and to Matt Clacher at HarperCollins for making this podcast happen.