The Science-Backed Tool for Reducing Stress You’ve Probably Never Tried
When author and entrepreneur Nick Ortner first discovered tapping, he had no idea the impact it would have on his life. Nearly two decades later, he’s helped millions manage stress, anxiety, chronic pain and other physical and mental health challenges using the research-backed practice also known as Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT).
This week, Nick joins Leah to break down the science behind tapping, how it targets the brain’s stress response and why naming the negative emotions we carry with us is the first step to letting those emotions go. He also guides Leah through a short tapping exercise you can follow along with, and explains how tapping can be used in conjunction with other tools like meditation, therapy and mindfulness to support your mental and emotional well-being.
If you liked this episode, you’ll also love this one: Can't Meditate? Just Breathe with JP Crimi
Follow Leah Smart and Nick Ortner on LinkedIn.
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How to Get Better at Being Wrong
Every single day, we’re confronted with more information than we could possibly verify. So how do we ever know we’re right? And what do we do when we find out we’re wrong?
This week on Everyday Better, professor Alex Edmans shares why you’re probably less open-minded than you think—and what you can do about it. As a researcher, Alex loves data. But after witnessing firsthand our tendency to cherry-pick the data we want to be true, he began searching for a better way to find truth in an era of information overload.
In this conversation, Alex breaks down our most common mental biases and shares the steps you can take to confront them. He also explains why challenging our beliefs is the key to living a freer, more self-led life.
Get Alex’s book May Contain Lies: How Stories, Statistics, and Studies Exploit Our Biases – And What We Can Do About It here.
If you liked this episode, you’ll also love this one: Demystifying Wellness Trends with Medical Journalist Dr. Trisha Pasricha
Follow Leah Smart and Alex Edmans on LinkedIn.
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A Guide for Living Fully and Dying Well (From a Hospice Nurse)
Most of us avoid thinking about death until it hits close to home – but what if facing it head-on could actually help you live more peacefully and joyfully?
This week, Leah sits down with Julie McFadden, better known as Hospice Nurse Julie. After working as an ICU nurse for many years, Julie transitioned to hospice care, where she now helps patients and families navigate the end of life with honesty, compassion and even a little humor. In their conversation, Julie reflects on her personal philosophy: that contemplating death daily has helped her live with more intention and contentment. She also breaks down the biology of how we die and explains end-of-life phenomena.
Whether you’ve faced loss yourself or want to live more fully today, this episode will shift the way you think about life, death and everything that happens in between.
If you liked this episode, you’ll also love this one: How a Career in Hospice Care Made Nurse Hadley “Death Positive”
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How to Take Control of Your Calendar with Time Crafting
Do you ever wish you had more time for what matters most to you?
Today, Leah shares a simple time management exercise designed to bring more clarity and joy to your schedule. Developed by researcher Cassie Holmes — a fan-favorite guest on the show — this technique, known as Time Crafting, helps you understand how you’re really spending your time and how to build your calendar around what energizes you.
Using her own schedule as a guide, Leah walks through the Time Crafting method step-by-step. She shares which activities left her feeling fulfilled, which ones drained her energy and what changed after just one week of mindfully tracking her time.
If you’ve ever reached the end of a packed day and wondered where your time went — or questioned if you spent it on what truly matters — this exercise is for you.
Listen to Leah’s full conversation with Cassie Holmes here.
Download Cassie’s templates for Time Crafting here.
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Leah's Pick: Why “Following Your Passion” Is Bad Career Advice
“Do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.” We’ve all heard it, maybe even lived by it. But what if turning your passion into a career is doing more harm than good?
In this episode, sociologist Erin Cech challenges our cultural obsession with finding fulfillment at work. Drawing from her book “The Trouble with Passion”, Erin explains how the “passion principle” can exacerbate societal inequalities as well as burnout. She also shares practical questions to ask yourself about the relationship you want to have with paid work, and offers ways to find meaning in a variety of places.
If you liked this episode, you’ll also love this one: Redefine Your Relationship to Work with Former Top Magazine Editor Jennifer Romolini
Everyday Better is your essential podcast for leveling up in personal development, life, and career success. Hosted by Leah Smart, an educator in self-improvement and positive psychology, this podcast offers transformative conversations with influential experts sharing real-life success stories, actionable insights, and research-backed tips.
Elevate your mindset, gain clarity, and unlock your potential as you journey toward becoming 'Everyday Better.' Whether you're at a crossroads or simply seeking more daily clarity, every episode leaves you inspired, empowered, and ready for more.
Find new episodes of Everyday Better, right here, every Tuesday.
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