Show Notes
The Live Happy Summer Reading Program continues this week as host Paula Felps sits down with author and activist Deborah Santana to talk about Loving the Fire: Choosing Me, Finding Freedom, her powerful memoir about identity, courage, reinvention, and choosing a life aligned with your spirit. In this episode, Deborah candidly shares how she found the strength to leave a life that no longer reflected who she was, the spiritual practices that guided her, and the generational resilience that shaped her path. Listen as Deborah shares how stepping into your truth can transform not only your life, but the lives of those around you. In this episode, you’ll learn:
How Deborah found the courage to leave a life that no longer aligned with her spirit. The role generational strength, family history, and activism built her identity — and continue guiding her work today. What it means to “walk through the fire” in your own life, and how to recognize misalignment, reclaim your voice, and choose a path rooted in integrity and self‑reflection.
More from Live Happy Now
For more than 35 years, Jennifer Buchanan has used music to help others heal. Now, with the release of her new digital platform, Wellplayed, the author and music therapist is helping all of us use music more intentionally for well-being. In this episode, Jennifer explains how reconnecting with our personal soundtrack can strengthen identity, boost resilience, and support emotional health. Join us as she explains how creating a daily music ritual can deepen our relationship with ourselves — and with the music that shaped us. In this episode, you’ll learn:
Shame is one of the most misunderstood emotions we carry, and Dr. Frank Spinelli wants us to see it not as an enemy but as information that can guide us toward healing. In this episode, Frank shares how childhood trauma shaped his relationship with shame, how it resurfaced decades later, and how learning “shame literacy” helped him reclaim his identity and well-being. He explains why shame is so deeply rooted, how it affects our relationships and self‑worth, and how the COMPASS framework from his new book, The Shame Compass, can help us confront, understand, and integrate shame so we can live more authentically. In this episode, you’ll learn:
Halloween isn’t just costumes and candy — it’s a well-being booster! In this episode, Paula Felps and Live Happy social media manager Michelle Jones dig into new research showing how Halloween decorations, traditions, and playful rituals can lift our mood, strengthen community connection, and even help regulate our nervous system. From the joy‑evoking color orange to the science of anticipatory savoring and permission to play, Paula and Michelle explore why this holiday is such a powerful emotional anchor as we head into fall. In this episode, you’ll learn:
Confidence isn’t something you’re born with — it’s something you practice. And this week’s guest is here to walk us through how we all can build this skill. In this episode, Dr. Cindra Kamphoff shares the powerful message behind her bestselling book The Confidence Habit: 7 Core Practices to Transform Self-Doubt to Self-Belief and opens up about a TEDx moment that reshaped her understanding of self‑belief. She explains why women and Gen Z are struggling most with confidence today, and teaches practical tools to silence the inner critic and bounce back from setbacks. Her insights are warm, actionable, and perfect for anyone ready to build confidence as a daily habit. In this episode, you’ll learn:
What if feeling calmer, kinder, and more grounded didn’t require long meditation sessions or major lifestyle changes? This week, psychologist Eli Susman joins us to share the science behind micropractices — tiny, 30‑second well-being tools that can make a real difference. He shares research from his new book that shows how just 20 seconds of self‑compassionate touch can improve stress and emotional wellbeing. Eli also explains how movement, breath, touch, and everyday awareness can help you build habits that actually stick. If you’ve ever felt “time poor,” this episode is your new favorite shortcut to feeling better. In this episode, you'll learn: