Have you ever told yourself, “I’ll be happy when…”? It’s such a common thought that we really don't question it. But what happens when you finally reach that goal, milestone, or dream? Too often, the happiness you imagined doesn’t last, or doesn’t show up at all.

In this episode, we’ll explore why the emotional payoff we expect from achievement often fades so quickly. We’ll talk about the human tendency to overestimate how good...

Building a Happiness Ritual: One Small Moment That’s Just for You

If you ever feel like your days carry you along without giving you a moment to breathe, this episode is for you.

Today we’re talking about happiness rituals. Simple, intentional moments you choose on purpose to reconnect with how you want to feel. Unlike habits you do on autopilot, these rituals are interruptions you welcome. A way to slow down and remember that you’re...

The Role of Habits in Happiness: How small, consistent actions shape our identity and well-being

When we think about what creates happiness, we often imagine big events or major life changes. But research shows that the real foundation of happiness is built through small, everyday habits. In this episode, we explore how habits influence our emotional well-being, how they’re formed in the brain, and why repetition and environment, no...

In this final episode of our Broaden-and-Build series, we explore the big picture: what all those small moments of joy and positive emotion are really leading to: flourishing.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re just going through the motions, you’re not alone. Many people today are stuck in a state of languishing, not depressed, but not thriving either. In this episode, I break down what flourishing actually looks like, how it dif...

In today’s episode, we’re continuing our look at positive emotions by exploring how they build on each other over time to create lasting change. We’ll break down the concept of the upward spiral—how one good moment can lead to another—and look at the science behind why it works.

You’ll also learn about the 3-to-1 positivity ratio, what it means for your daily life, and how to use it as a guide for creating more balance, growth, and ...

What if the way you respond to stress could actually make you stronger?

In this episode of Redefining Happiness, we’re continuing our look at the Broaden-and-Build Theory with a focus on resilience. You’ll learn how positive emotions like joy, amusement, and curiosity can help you bounce back from adversity, not by pretending everything’s fine, but by expanding your capacity to cope with clarity and creativity.

We’ll talk about how r...

Positive emotions do more than just feel good, they help you grow, recover, and build lasting resilience. In this episode of Redefining Happiness, we explore why positive and negative emotions feel so different, and what those differences mean for your health and happiness.

Drawing on Dr. Barbara Fredrickson’s Broaden-and-Build Theory, you’ll learn how emotions like joy, interest, and contentment expand your thinking, create long-te...

The Focusing Illusion: Is One Goal Defining Your Happiness?

What if lasting happiness isn’t found in one big goal, but in how you choose to focus on your everyday life?

In this episode of Redefining Happiness, we explore the Focusing Illusion, a concept from Dr. Daniel Kahneman and Dr. David Schkade that shows how our minds exaggerate the importance of whatever we’re currently thinking about. That hyperfocus on one goal, one mileston...

Episode 7: How the Peak-End Rule Shapes Your Happiness

Do you remember how something felt, or just how it ended?
This week on Redefining Happiness, we explore the Peak-End Rule, a concept from psychologist Daniel Kahneman that shows how our memories of experiences are shaped by two key moments: the emotional high point and the ending. The rest often fades away.

You’ll learn why these two moments matter so much, how they influence...

Episode 6: The Two Selves of Happiness

Welcome back to Redefining Happiness. I’m Karen Castillo, and today we’re exploring an important, and often overlooked, idea about happiness:

We don’t just live our lives once—we live them twice.

There’s the version we experience moment by moment, and the version we remember and tell ourselves later. And understanding the difference between these two selves can change the way we make decisions, d...

Episode 5: Prioritizing Positivity: A New Way to Think About Happiness Habits

Most of us go through our days on autopilot—tackling to-do lists, handling responsibilities, and hoping that something fun might happen along the way. But what if we could intentionally design our days to include moments of joy, fun, meaning, and peace?

In this episode of Redefining Happiness, I introduce the concept of "prioritizing posi...

If you’ve ever caught yourself saying, “I’m searching for happiness” or “I’m trying to find happiness,” this episode is for you.

We’re rethinking the idea that happiness is something you have to go out and find. What if it’s not out there waiting to be discovered—but already within you, waiting to be noticed?

In this episode, we’ll explore how the way we talk about happiness shapes the way we experience it, and why shifting your focu...

Would you trade your best friend for a million dollars? Probably not—but that question gets at the heart of something important: what do we really value, and can happiness ever be measured in dollars?

For years, we’ve heard that money doesn’t affect happiness beyond a certain point—usually around $75,000, but recent research paints a more nuanced picture, one that’s worth paying attention to.

In this episode, I walk through the updat...

In this episode, I’m diving into a powerful yet simple shift in your happiness journey—expanding your happiness vocabulary.

Happiness isn’t just excitement or joy—it’s also peace, contentment, connection, and so much more. The way we talk about happiness shapes how we experience it, and when we broaden our understanding of what happiness feels like, we start to recognize more of it in our daily lives.

I’ll walk you through:

• How yo...

When you think of happiness, what comes to mind? Feeling joyful? Excited? Content? While we often think of happiness as simply feeling good, science tells us there’s much more to it. In this first episode of Redefining Happiness, we’re laying the foundation by breaking down the three key types of happiness—pleasure, purpose, and life satisfaction—and how each one shapes your well-being.

You’ll learn:

• Why happiness is more than ju...