Best Ashish Kothari Podcasts (2025)

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How to Activate Boundless Leadership to Shift from Survival to Flourishing with Joseph Loizzo and Elazar Aslan 52:47

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19d ago52:47

52:47

We’ve got more tools, more tech, and more opportunities than any generation before us. On paper, we should be thriving. So why is it that, despite all this progress, work still feels exhausting? Why have our workplaces become places of stress and burnout even though we've never been more prosperous? In this episode of the Happiness Squad Podcast, J…

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The Trust-First Approach to Leadership and Culture That Led to a Major Company Breakthrough with Michelle Poole 57:07

26d ago57:07

57:07

On paper, everything looks right: your team is talented, your strategy is solid, and your goals are clear. So why does it still feel like progress is harder than it should be? Often, the real barrier isn’t a lack of strategy. It's because your people don't feel safe to bring their best selves to work. The issue is in your culture, which may have be…

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The Case for Flourishing: The Smartest $12 Trillion Business Move You’re Not Making with Ashish Kothari 42:44

1M ago42:44

42:44

Organizations love to talk about well-being. But scratch beneath the surface, and it’s the same old perks: gym discounts, meditation apps, an extra day off. All while work itself remains exhausting. Leaders, you need to wake up! Only 20% of employees are thriving. More than 60% report daily stress. And the economic cost of poor workplace well-being…

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Why Happiness at Work Starts with the System, Not the Individual with Jennifer Moss 57:29

1M ago57:29

57:29

If a factory machine breaks, leadership responds within hours. If a system glitch halts production, it’s triaged immediately. But when a team’s morale is tanking, the response takes 6–12 months—if it comes at all. How did we get to a point where our physical assets get more respect than our human ones? We've spent years treating burnout like a solo…

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How to Flourish and Be More Productive By Leading From a Place of Wholeness with Mieke Jacobs 1:01:06

2M ago1:01:06

1:01:06

When an organization is trapped in survival mode, it doesn’t just face external pressure. It suffers an internal collapse of energy, creativity, and coherence. Chronic stress becomes the culture, innovation dries up, and people burn out trying to keep the lights on. But just as individuals can heal from trauma, so can organizations, if leaders are …

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Making Happiness a Conscious Choice and Lifelong Practice with Karen Guggenheim 45:45

2M ago45:45

45:45

The happiness we used to know was like a reward, something that shows up once life finally goes our way. But what if that moment never comes? What if life hands you unimaginable loss instead, and you're left trying to piece together who you are and what comes next? The truth is, happiness isn’t a finish line. It’s a conscious choice, and a lifelong…

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Money as Energy: The Mindset Shift That Turns Financial Planning Into a Flourishing Practice with Tom Shepard 49:26

2M ago49:26

49:26

We often treat money as the finish line. We chase it, measure ourselves by it, and let it shape our choices. But in doing so, we lose sight of the real question: What are we trading our money for—and is it making us truly flourish? As we live in a world that often celebrates achievement, it's easy to build wealth while unintentionally bankrupting o…

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Business Is Human: The Leadership Model That Turns Care into Enterprise Value with Niren Chaudhary 55:41

2M ago55:41

55:41

We often talk about strategy, technology, and profit as the engines of success. And in times of rapid change and uncertainty, it’s easy to double down on those levers. But what if we’re missing the most important one? In this episode of the Happiness Squad Podcast, Niren Chaudhary, former CEO of Panera Brands, joins Ashish Kothari to share a leader…

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The Real Cost of Misinformation on Human Flourishing and Leadership Choices with Alex Edmans 57:44

3M ago57:44

57:44

What if the success stories you believe, the leadership advice you follow, and the wellness rules you swear by are built on shaky evidence—or no evidence at all? Even well-meaning ideas like grit, purpose, and diversity can cause harm when taken at face value. So, we challenge you to think critically before embracing feel-good narratives. In today’…

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How to Build and Repair Exceptional Relationships at Work and in Life with Dr. Carole Robin 54:49

3M ago54:49

54:49

Ever walked into a conversation with the best intentions…only to walk out with a broken relationship? The cost of emotional avoidance in the workplace is massive, and invisible. Most people don’t fail at communication because they’re cruel. They fail because they never learned how to do it without causing damage. In today’s Happiness Squad Podcast …

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Achieving Peak Performance Through Grit and Grace with Alison Tetrick 52:54

3M ago52:54

52:54

We live in a world that glorifies hustle, high performance, and constant doing. We rarely pause to ask what truly drives us or what it might cost to keep going without pause. Success demands work, but what if it's not always about pushing harder? While it might not sound like it, slowing down, looking inward, and rediscovering your purpose can rede…

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Ending the Human Suffering in a Tech-Driven World of Work with Richard Sheridan 55:20

3M ago55:20

55:20

Sometimes, it feels like work wasn't designed with us, humans, in mind. Human suffering at work is becoming far too common in our tech-driven world of work. It’s burning us out, disconnecting us, and draining our energy. We’ve lost sight of the one thing that truly powers progress: people. But there's a way to break that mean cycle. A better way to…

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Building Emotional Intelligence through the Power of Neurocoaching with Dr. Dan Docherty 50:40

3M ago50:40

50:40

Many leaders today are emotionally dysregulated, and that shows up in the way they lead, communicate, and coach others. If you think emotional intelligence is just a “soft skill,” this one’s your wake-up call. In this episode of the Happiness Squad Podcast, Ashish Kothari sits down with Dr. Dan Docherty, President of Braintrust and Neurocoach, to e…

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How to be a 10X More Productive Leader using the SHARP framework with Angus Ridgway 1:08:46

4M ago1:08:46

1:08:46

Our workplaces are full of smart, capable people who are stuck in survival mode. They’re overwhelmed, constantly busy, and unsure how to sustain high performance. Meanwhile, organizations continue to default to control-based leadership, even though it's no longer effective in a fast-changing, “loosely coupled” world. Does this mean consistently dri…

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Part 2: How to Lead Better Through Positive Communication with Julien Mirivel 45:59

4M ago45:59

45:59

At work, we often operate in transactional mode, almost always skipping the human side of communication. But if you want to build trust, boost performance, and create a culture of belonging for your teams, you need to let go of silence, stress, and surface-level interactions. The only way to make meaningful connections is intentionally embracing po…

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Part 1: How to Lead Better Through Positive Communication with Julien Mirivel Part 1 50:29

4M ago50:29

50:29

Too often, leaders think their biggest job is solving problems and driving results. But in the process, they unintentionally become task machines: skipping the “hello,” missing the human moments, and delivering feedback like checklists. That’s a sure way to build a culture where people feel unseen, unappreciated, and disconnected. In this episode o…

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Building More Human-Centered Leaders in the AI Era with Rasmus Hougaard 54:05

4M ago54:05

54:05

It's no secret that artificial intelligence is reshaping the future of work. But one question looms large: will AI strip us of our humanity—or help us become more of who we’re meant to be? As technology accelerates, it's easy to fear that empathy, connection, and self-awareness will fall behind. But what if the secret to thriving in the age of AI i…

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How to Improve Your Brain Health and Stay Sharp as You Age with Dr. Ryan Williamson 51:41

5M ago51:41

51:41

Would you trade your brain health for career wins? You might already be and you're not noticing it. It's in the way you push through the back-to-back meetings, rely on caffeine to stay sharp, and squeeze in rest when you can. Your brain is keeping score of that behavior, and if you keep doing it, your performance, energy, and health will slowly dec…

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3 Ways Small Businesses Can Survive the $150B Tariff Shock with Ashish Kothari 36:39

5M ago36:39

36:39

What do you do when $150 billion in economic pressure is knocking on your door? If you're leading a small or medium-sized business right now, you're not just navigating volatility—you're steering through a full-blown storm. Between plummeting markets, rising tariffs, and a fog of uncertainty, we can no longer afford to keep doing business as usual.…

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How to Negotiate Fearlessly by Being More Human, Not More Perfect with Mori Taheripour 1:00:26

5M ago1:00:26

1:00:26

So many of us are negotiating every day: at work, at home, and most importantly, with ourselves—without even realizing it. Yet, when we think of “negotiation,” we often imagine a high-stakes business deal or a zero-sum game where someone wins and someone loses. That mindset is long obsolete. It's been holding us back from better relationships, grea…

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Reclaiming Business as a Force for Flourishing through Conscious Capitalism: A New Path to Purpose, Wellbeing, and Performance with Thomas Eckschmidt 58:14

5M ago58:14

58:14

Most businesses start with a bold “why,” but along the way, profits take over, and purpose fades into just another corporate slogan. Now, with ESG and purpose-driven business facing backlash, companies are backing away, fearing controversy and short-term losses. But the truth is that leaders who abandon purpose risk more than just bad PR; they lose…

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How Leaders Can Win The Fight For Better Workplace Mental Health For Good with Michael Landsberg 54:08

5M ago54:08

54:08

Employees are burnt out, disengaged, and silently struggling with their mental health. Meanwhile, leaders assume they’re doing enough because their company offers an EAP (Employee Assistance Program) or has a "Mental Health Matters" poster in the breakroom. But most employees never use these resources. Not because they don’t need help, but because …

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Why Growing Your People Is The Ultimate Growth Strategy Your Business Needs To Prioritize Now With Ryan Heckman 1:10:19

6M ago1:10:19

1:10:19

If you want your company to scale, here's one question you need to ask yourself: Are you growing your people as fast as you're growing your revenue? Too many leaders obsess over business expansion but ignore the foundation that makes it possible—PEOPLE. In this episode of the Happiness Squad Podcast, Ashish Kothari and Ryan Heckman remind us that w…

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How To Build A Well-Being-Driven Organization That Creates Flourishing People with Teresa Roche 57:14

6M ago57:14

57:14

We’ve been sold this idea that work and life are two separate things—one to survive, the other to enjoy. But here’s the truth: It’s all just life. The best workplaces don’t force people to "balance" their time between stress and fulfillment. They create cultures where work itself is a source of purpose, growth, and well-being. That’s exactly what T…

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How to Shift from Surviving to Thriving Leadership with Renee Moorefield 44:01

6M ago44:01

44:01

keep up with endless demands. Trying to "just get through the day" instead of truly thriving can impact you far beyond your personal well-being. It cascades down to your teams, organizations, and long-term success. So how do you shift from just surviving to actually thriving? That’s what we dive into in this episode of the Happiness Squad Podcast w…

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Rewire & Relaunch: Transforming Your Beliefs and Igniting Change 45:44

6M ago45:44

45:44

Episode Summary: In this episode, we dive deep into the power of rewiring our minds and relaunching our lives with transformational coaches Hillary DeCesare and Ashish Kothari. We explore how limiting beliefs hold us back, why traditional habits don’t always stick, and how the Belief Blaster tool can help you break free from subconscious patterns. …

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How to Use Creativity as a Leadership Advantage with Will Day 58:20

6M ago58:20

58:20

Most leaders think of creativity as something exclusive to artists, but it’s actually a skill leaders can learn to master. Just like art, leadership requires taking risks, challenging assumptions, and building what doesn’t exist yet. If you’re ready to stop playing it safe and start making a real impact, it’s time to unleash your creative edge. In …

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The Self-Discovery Every Entrepreneur Must Do To Conquer Any Leadership Challenge with Alex Raymond 1:00:44

6M ago1:00:44

1:00:44

The world glorifies the grind of entrepreneurship, but nobody talks about the toll it takes on your well-being. Stress, self-doubt, and a constant need to prove yourself can leave even the most driven entrepreneurs feeling stuck. Without addressing the root cause, you risk burnout and a loss of purpose. Self-discovery is the game-changer most entre…

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How to Make Happiness Accessible with Ashish Kothari, Founder & CEO of Happiness Squad 20:24

7M ago20:24

20:24

We live in a world where success often leads to burnout, anxiety, and loneliness instead of fulfillment. Ashish Kothari, Founder and CEO of Happiness Squad, faced this firsthand, realizing that titles and achievements alone weren’t enough. His journey from relentless striving to meaningful happiness led him to uncover truths about well-being that m…

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How Grounded Leadership Helps You Lead with Strength and Confidence in Uncertain Times with Jason Hanson 46:25

7M ago46:25

46:25

Uncertainty has become the new normal, and as a leader, it can feel like the ground beneath you is constantly shifting. How do you inspire confidence when you're struggling to find it yourself? Without a strong foundation in your leadership, it can be difficult to respond to challenges and your team could feel it too. In this episode of the Happine…

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Why Mental Calmness, Not Toughness, Creates Resilient Leaders with Brent Lang 47:37

7M ago47:37

47:37

Leadership often feels like navigating a high-stakes game where every decision could make or break the outcome. Yet, the best leaders aren’t the ones who power through with toughness alone—they are the ones who master the ability to stay calm under pressure. In this episode of the Happiness Squad Podcast, Ashish Kothari and Brent Lang explore how m…

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Reversing The Negative Effects of Social Media On Mental Health with Mark Weinstein 49:27

7M ago49:27

49:27

Social media was supposed to connect us, but instead, it’s become a source of stress, manipulation, and mental health challenges. From endless scrolling to harmful algorithms, the negative effects are clear. In this episode of the Happiness Squad Podcast, we uncover the truth about social media’s negative impact on our minds and explore practical w…

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Breaking Free From Unhappiness Habits to Reclaim Happiness 29:06

8M ago29:06

29:06

Stress and burnout aren’t inevitable—they’re symptoms of how we’ve been working. Habits like juggling too many tasks, always staying connected, and back-to-back meetings have become so routine that we hardly question them anymore. But these habits are taking a toll on our happiness and well-being. In this episode of the HAPPINESS SQUAD Podcast, Ash…

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Why Workplace Well-being Should Be A Strategic Priority with Jen Fisher 54:20

8M ago54:20

54:20

Leaders, here’s the wake-up call: More than half of your workforce is burned out. Ignoring it won’t make it go away, and throwing tools like mindfulness apps at the problem won’t fix it either. The solution lies in redesigning how work happens. In this episode of the HAPPINESS SQUAD Podcast, Ashish Kothari and Jen Fisher, Former Human Sustainabilit…

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Thriving at Life and Work: The Top Episodes of 2024 45:32

8M ago45:32

45:32

Sometimes, life and work can feel like a never-ending loop—same routines, same challenges, no real progress. If 2024 felt like a year where things didn’t quite click, you’re not alone. Many of us struggle with finding the right balance between leading effectively, making meaningful changes, and just feeling genuinely happy. But it’s time to change …

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How Conscious Leadership Transforms Lives and Organizations Through Purpose with Raj Sisodia 46:12

8M ago46:12

46:12

Nowadays, big challenges are silently destroying workplaces. Employees feel unmotivated, leaders face retention challenges, and meaningful impact is lost. That's because people want more than a job, they crave purpose. Without it, work becomes a grind, teams disengage, and potential goes untapped. But conscious, purpose-driven leadership changes ev…

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Building a People-first Culture with Chris Wright 50:50

9M ago50:50

50:50

How does a company remain resilient and successful during challenging times? How can leaders steer their companies to thrive, not just survive, during times of uncertainty and change? Complex strategies or advanced technologies can help, but there’s something more impactful that can lead any company to long-term gains. According to Chris Cright, Fo…

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Addressing Holistic Health at Work with Ashish Kothari and Barbara Jeffery 42:01

9M ago42:01

42:01

Let's face it, work can be a pressure cooker sometimes. Aside from the physical toll, it's also about mental stress and feeling isolated, making us less productive and more likely to call in sick. But what if our workplace focused on keeping us healthy in every way? We'd probably feel more motivated, stick around longer, and do better work. In this…

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How Positive Leaders Use Purpose and Meaning to Create Extraordinary Organizations with Kim Cameron Part 2 47:30

9M ago47:30

47:30

As pressure in today’s work environments rises, teams are increasingly seeking a sense of purpose and genuine connection. Traditional leadership might keep things on track, but it often misses the core of what truly inspires people to thrive. That’s why now, more than ever, we need positive leadership. In this second part of our two-part episode, A…

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How Positive Leaders Use Purpose and Meaning to Create Extraordinary Organizations with Kim Cameron Part 1 53:20

9M ago53:20

53:20

Studies show that people naturally thrive when they feel a sense of purpose and positive energy at work. So why not make that same energy a core strategy in leadership? In this episode of the Happiness Squad Podcast, Ashish Kothari and Kim Cameron, Professor and Co-founder of the Center for Positive Organizational Scholarship at The University of M…

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The 4 Keys to Real Happiness at Work 14:40

10M ago14:40

14:40

Despite countless self-help resources, workplace perks, and wellness programs, why are we still struggling to find real happiness? In this milestone 100th episode of The Happiness Squad Podcast, Ashish Kothari, Founder and CEO of Happiness Squad, digs into the hard truth: happiness can’t be bought or chased—it must be cultivated from within. Drawin…

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How to Shift from Reacting to Responding When Facing Triggers with Renelle Everett Darr 40:28

10M ago40:28

40:28

Triggers are a part of the job—but constant reactions don’t have to be. It’s easy to get stuck in that reactive mode, but it’s exhausting and distracting from what matters. In this episode of the HAPPINESS SQUAD Podcast, Ashish Kothari and Renelle Everett Darr, Founder and CEO at InSight Coaching & Consulting LLC, dive into the tools you need to ta…

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How Thriving Employees Build Win-Win Workplaces with Dr. Angela Jackson 48:06

10M ago48:06

48:06

More than 50% of employees don’t feel heard at work. This disconnect can cost companies more than just morale—it’s affecting productivity, retention, and ultimately, profits. If your company is still relying on surveys and feedback forms as your main tools for "listening" to employees, it might be time to rethink your approach. In this episode of t…

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The Role of Brain Science in Building Inclusive Teams with Shannon Murphy 56:12

10M ago56:12

56:12

Did you know? Our brains make instant, unconscious judgments about who’s “safe” or “like us.” This hardwired survival instinct can make it tough to create inclusive workplaces! But the good news is there are crucial steps to overcoming it, and we’ll explore just that in this episode of the HAPPINESS SQUAD Podcast. Ashish Kothari sits down with Shan…

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The Top Athlete’s Approach to Peak Leadership Performance with Jeff Salzenstein 53:28

10M ago53:28

53:28

Do you want to know how to achieve peak leadership performance? A lof of people don't realize that athletes and corporate leaders share similar requirements to perform at their peak. The key difference is that athletes understand that peak performance requires nurturing the mind, body, and soul, while many leaders don’t. Today’s fast-paced corporat…

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Meeting and Befriending Your Inner Critic with Rosi Greenberg 41:06

11M ago41:06

41:06

We all have that little voice in our heads. The one that says, “You’re not good enough,” or “Why even bother?” Instead of letting it boss you around, what if you could turn that nagging voice into a helpful guide? Rosi Greenberg, Artist, CEO & Leadership Development Facilitator at Drawn to Lead, calls her inner critic Sam, and in our latest episode…

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Rewiring Your Life Using the MAGIC Formula for Happiness with Brian Dubow 50:20

11M ago50:20

50:20

Are you making happiness a daily reality? The truth is, most of us have fallen into a routine where we're just surviving, not thriving. Our brains are wired to keep us safe, not happy—and that’s where the problem begins. We settle for less, waiting for weekends, vacations, or "someday" to finally feel alive. But in this episode of the HAPPINESS SQU…

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Boosting Your Mental Edge through Psychological Fitness with Dr. Karen Doll 42:26

11M ago42:26

42:26

As the world's pressures pile up, many of us struggle to bounce back in life and at work. How do you keep performing at your best without losing your mental edge? Just like we can train our bodies to handle physical demands, we can also improve our mindsets to stay resilient under pressure. In this episode of the HAPPINESS SQUAD Podcast, Ashish Kot…

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Finding and Activating Purpose at Work with Ashish Kothari 40:45

11M ago40:45

40:45

Are you tired of waking up every morning, dragging yourself to the office, and counting the hours until you can clock out? If you feel your job is just a series of endless tasks without real meaning, you're not alone. Many professionals find themselves stuck in a cycle of monotony, feeling like they're just going through the motions. But work doesn…

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Reclaiming Your Life by Choosing Happiness with Dr. Elia Gourgouris 44:40

12M ago44:40

44:40

Life’s challenges are inevitable. The stress and setbacks are part of the deal. But while you can’t always control what happens to you, you can always control how you respond; you can always CHOOSE HAPPINESS! However, choosing happiness isn’t always easy. It takes effort, intention, and courage, especially when the going gets tough. But making that…