Show Notes
Summary: On this episode of the Act To Live Podcast, Scott and Jaime explore a broader definition of humor, which involves the experiences of being positive and fun. The duo then talks about the age-old adage - "Laughter is the best medicine" and discusses some of the known benefits of laughter to one's physical health, mental health, and social health. Jaime and Scott wrap up the episode by talking about the power of humor and laughter - especially during stressful times. ACTion Event of the Week: LAUGH! Find as many reasons as possible to laugh this week. What do you notice during this experience? Join us on the next episode of the Act To Live Podcast as we talk about active listening with guest stars Dr. Derek Daniels and Dr. James Panico. So come on, let's take a walk! References: Anguis, J. (March, 2021). Prescribing humor and creativity in the workplace. Montreal Fluency Webinar Series. Weems, S. (2014). Ha!: The science of when we laugh and why. https://www.amazon.com/Ha-Science-When-Laugh-Why/dp/0465031706 Sabato, G. (2019). What's So Funny? The science of why we laugh: Psychologists, neuroscientists and philosophers are trying to understand humor. Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/whats-so-funny-the-science-of-why-we-laugh/ Laughter in the best medicine. Accessed April 28, 2021. https://www.helpguide.org/articles/mental-health/laughter-is-the-best-medicine.htm
More from Act to Live
Summary: On this episode of Act To Live, Jaime begins by sharing a recent conversation with a friend which centered around the idea that some people may be driven by hope while others may be driven by faith. Jaime asks Scott his perspective on the idea and the two then delve into the meaning of both terms and the roles these entities may have in life. The duo arrives at the idea that perhaps these concepts allow us to make sense of, and even find comfort in, the uncertainties and unknowns of life. ACTion Event of the Week: Take some time to explore the concepts of hope and faith. What roles do they play in your life - particularly in more challenging situations. How might you focus on strengthening either of these skill sets? Where do we walk next? Join us on the next episode of Act to Live as we delve into the multifaceted topic of change! References: Unknown (2023). The psychology behind faith. PsychoLogs Magazine. https://www.psychologs.com/the-psychology-behind-faith/ Preston, C. (2021). The Psychology of Hope: Rebuilding in the face of ongoing adversity. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/mental-health-in-the-workplace/202110/the-psychology-of-hope
Quote: "Never help a child with a task that he feels he can succeed." – Maria Montesorri "Development is a series of rebirths." –Maria Montesorri Summary: On this episode of Act To Live, Scott and Jaime are joined by Kirsten Nichter. Kirsten is a special education teacher and parent coach. Through her experiences working with young children, Kirsten realized her passion for helping parents. Kirsten shares her story of becoming a parent coach, as well as guiding Scott and Jaime in exploring topics like self-compassion (as a parent), building resilience within oneself and their children, and more! ACTion Event of the Week: Each day, take a few minutes to answer the following two questions - What was your parenting win today? What is something that you are grateful for? Where do we walk next? Join us on the next episode of Act to Live as we explore HOPE and FAITH! Kirsten links: https://www.connectionsparentcoaching.com/ https://www.instagram.com/connectionsparentcoaching/ https://www.facebook.com/ConnectionsParentCoaching References: Chow, K. (2017). Building Resilience Through Play Based Learning. Housman Institute. Li W, Tan F, Zhou Z, Xue Y, Gu C, Xu X. Parents' Response to Children's Performance and Children's Self-Esteem: Parent-Child Relationship and Friendship Quality as Mediators. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 May 15;19(10):6012. Neff, K. (2015). Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself. Siegel, D. and Bryson, T. P. (2019). The Yes Brain: How to Cultivate Courage, Curiosity, and Resilience in Your Child.
Quote: Trust is "the most effective way of relating to and working with others" and "one of the most powerful forms of motivation and inspiration." -Stephen Covey Summary: On this episode of Act To Live, Scott and Jaime are joined by Dr. James Panico. James guides a thought-provoking discussion about trust. How is it defined? What role can it play in one's life? What happens when trust is harmed? And more!
Summary: On this episode of Act To Live, Scott and Jaime take some time to share pieces of their unique stories. They then delve into the idea of stories - the ways stories differ depending on who's living or viewing them, the ways stories can change (often unexpectedly) over time, and the impact time and space can have on one's ability to tell a story. ACTion Event of the Week: Write YOUR story! Take some time to ponder and reflect. Then, sit down and start writing. Perhaps from the beginning…or maybe you choose to focus on a time or event that stands out most in your mind. Where do we walk next? Join us on the next episode of Act to Live as we explore HOPE and FAITH! References: Dibdin, E. (2022, March). The Mental Health Benefits of Journaling. Psychology Central. https://psychcentral.com/lib/the-health-benefits-of-journaling Dingfelder, S. (2011, January). Our stories, ourselves. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/monitor/2011/01/stories McAdams, D.P. (2006). The Redemptive Self: Stories Americans Live by. New York: Oxford University Press. Sutton, J. (2018, May). 5 Benefits of Journaling for Mental health. Positive Psychology. https://positivepsychology.com/benefits-of-journaling/
Summary: On this episode of Act To Live, Scott and Jaime introduce the theme of Season Six - exploration! Each episode will feature a single word meant for listeners to explore right along with the duo. Jaime and Scott begin the episode by defining exploration and the role it plays in their lives currently. They then discuss some ways that we can engage in self-exploration and a few of the benefits. ACTion Event of the Week: Take some time to think about an area of your life in which you'd like to explore. Then, dive in…in any way that feels right to you…write, meditate, talk with family and friends, etc. Where do we walk next? Join us on the next episode of Act to Live as we explore FAITH and HOPE!