Shows
Unreasonably happy44 - All the overlapping timelinesNew HUGE timeline started today, as I recorded this episode in my new apartment! My own home! There is chaos and I don’t have lights everywhere and all my clothes are in the corner and I have ONE spoon, but I'm so excited and emotional and grateful and this is simply a sweet little episode inspired by the fact that I brought Norwegian cinnamon back from Paris in my luggage today.
Long timelines can be wonderful and so can short ones. Tiny moments of meeting, something you experience that marks a before and after, a first ti...2024-05-2808 minUnreasonably happy43 - The Laura one! - The annoying truth about "overnight change" and how to practice joyI'll let Laura tell her story below, and I hope you'll join us for this lovely, silly, honest conversation about perfectionism, should's, how long change can take, vulnerability around people pleasing and how hard (and rewarding) going after what you actually want is! I hope you find this as comforting and normalizing as I did, always nice to know we're not alone 2024-05-221h 04Unreasonably happy42 - The last episode... as a 35 year old!An unreasonably happy year 2024-05-0811 minUnreasonably happy41 - The Lena one! - The importance of play and how unselfish it is to take care of yourselfOh how I loved this conversation!
Join in our talk about self care and how we define it, how it's perfect to be an accountant (if you want to be an accountant), how putting yourself in new situations can unexpectedly bring you to exactly where you want to go, the battle of play and productivity, how to habit stack self care with picking up your phone and the importance of making your routines and rituals fit you.
Who's this episodes happiness worker?
Lena is a playful experience designer on a mission to make...2024-04-301h 17Unreasonably happy40 - All the Messy Moving MetaphorsA thought or seven about moving, from the middle of a messy mess, all about big cleanups and decisions and changing and shifting and all the metaphors that come up with this process.
What you hold on to, what you want to bring with you, what you accidentally accumulated and how to decide what comes into the next chapter.
Also, can you believe it's episode 40?!? So glad you're here!
Assuming we're already friends on Instagram ;)
Class available here, come boost your gratitude practice friend!2024-04-2311 minUnreasonably happy39 - *From class!* How your attention is like currency, prediction, noticing and gratitudeTodays episode is a clip from my gratitude class (so it's extra fancy and also has video)!
As mentioned during the episode, this one was actually taken out of the Skillshare version, while left as a bonus in the version you can get directly from me, and I'm really excited to share the perspectives of what you're really doing and practicing when you start a gratitude habit.
Because it seems so simple! Noticing what you like? And writing down three things? Seems too small to be training your brain to find solutions and be able...2024-04-1609 minUnreasonably happy38 - Tattoo-esday - The story of my first one!In the spirit of feeling for yourself if something is a big deal or not, here is the story of my first little tattoo and how that felt for me, it was such a fun sweet experience and I can't stop looking at it and showing it to everyone ✨
GREAT exercise for self trust!
*Yes yes, technically this came out on a Wednesday, but I got it on a Tuesday ;) 2024-04-1008 minUnreasonably happy37 - Choosing the "right" discomfortAaah, the skill of discomfort tolerance, a term I learned from Karin Nordin, is todays topic, and not just "How good are you at being uncomfortable?" but also "What kind of discomfort is worth it?"
If both options are uncomfortable, what's the right one for me? Speaking up or not speaking up? Getting up early or being late for work? Staying or going?
Not all discomfort is created equal, and what's horrendously uncomfortable for me, might be fine for you. And vice versa of course. Sometimes what seems easy, is the hardest. Oh, to be...2024-04-0210 minUnreasonably happy36 - The Tina one! - Finding the right kind of hard, the ripple effects of joy and 7000 other things (like strawberries!)Tina Ethridge is one of my favorite humans to follow online for acceptance and gentle self kindness reminders, which makes perfect sense, as she is a radical ADHD and AuDHD acceptance coach.
In this glorious all-over-the-place conversation we touch on so many elements of happiness and figuring out who we are, topics of fun and joy and pleasure, how to work with your brain, how to know if you're feeling joy, what a happiness-worker is and a ton of non-sense. I hope you'll love it as much as I do!
Find more info below and...2024-03-261h 27Unreasonably happy35 - What happens when you do something (anything) that isn't nothingWhen you feel like nothing matters and everything feels blah and unnecessary and stuck and you're not sure what would help, let me share some Facebook/Reddit wisdom with you (which is backed with the book "Burnout" by Emily and Amelia Nagoski (sidenote, I haven't read it, but it's on the list!) about learned helpnessness and how much it matters to do something... that isn't nothing.
A sweet little emotional episode of tiny things that remind me that I matter, and a reminder that you matter, you literally have the power to change the world and I'm...2024-03-2013 minUnreasonably happy34 - If you feel like you're doing everything at the "wrong" timeOne of my favorite permission slips and also a reminder I still need CONSTANTLY!
Sneaky sneaky perfectionism showing up as "Oh, this isn't the right time to do this!"
And catching it when it happens, like right now, this feels like the wrong time to post this episode (surprise surprise, brain is often like that) so here it is!
2024-03-1212 minUnreasonably happy33 - The Marie-Claire one! - How to make a f*ck it bucket and be the YOUest you!Not to play favorites, but y'all...
I've been so excited to bring you this DELIGHT of a conversation, tune in, turn on the video to see both of our wonderful faces and enjoy! We cover everything from gratitude to depression, photography to raincoats and a lot of buckets and beach balls
More about Marie-Claire:
Marie-Claire Ashcroft, known as the Professional Rebel, is a Self-Expression Specialist combining personal brand photography with rebel confidence facilitation for creative, unconventional, quirky, and often neuro-divergent humans.
With her trademark smile and infectious energy, her background in...2024-03-051h 24Unreasonably happy32 - Why I always recommend waving at bus-driversIt's not even an exaggeration to say that other humans are my biggest source of joy.
And yes, I realize that this is the most obvious thing in the world, because yours probably is too (even if you classify yourself as an introvert): your friends, your favorite artists, authors, musicians, your family, your favorite podcast-host, and also random people, the guy who makes your lattes, the woman who inspired you to follow your dreams, the kid who blew you a kiss at work, all human connections and what makes life worth living.
However, the ones...2024-02-2723 minUnreasonably happy31 - "Am I allowed to show up when I'm a tired little munchkin?"Do you suspect that you're more loved/valuable/worthy, just overall BETTER, if you're not tired?
Because this still sometimes trips me up. That if I can't "give it my all" then why bother, because it's not gonna be amazing and I might as well... not.
But I don't actually believe that. And knowing what I know about persistent beliefs and how we change our minds and brains to allow for more flexibility and acceptance, this your permission-slip, from one tired human to another, that you can still choose to show up when you're tired...2024-02-2014 min
Unreasonably happy30 - The Vicki one - How friendships based on people-pleasing and perfectionism backfire (and what to do instead)Is it too dramatic to say that friends make life worth living?
Probably not! One of the longest running studies from Harvard university says this:
"Robert Waldinger, director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development, says one of the biggest surprises they encountered was that what makes people happy is also what helps keep them healthy — relationships."
So if you want to be happy and healthy (who doesn't?), putting energy into the relationships and community around you, is one of the best things you can do for yourself and it also benefits those aro...2024-02-131h 03
It's All Poetry6: Everyone loves to hate on "should" — and other words (with Elise Aabakken)Words, like all living things, evolve. Which means they also branch away from each other and sometimes you have to look at a word from multiple angles, and in multiple languages, to get a full picture of what it means and the effect it has on those of us who speak it.
In this episode I'm joined by Elise Aabakken — who is a coach, a dancer, an artist, and performer at Disneyland Paris, and a speaker of many languages.
Today we focus on four words. Tune in to learn:
Why everyone loves to hate on...2024-02-1358 minUnreasonably happy29 - Here's how to become a better friend to your sweet silly self"Be your own best friend" has SUCH a cliché ring to it, but I still wholeheartedly agree that it's one of the best recommendations for a happier life. Gretchen Rubin talks about this too, that yes, relationships with others are one of the biggest keys to happiness, but also supported by your relationship to yourself!
So in this episode I'm talking about where to start if you don't feel like you're being a great friend to YOU, what I do and an example of what to avoid, as well as some gushing over next weeks episode!
2024-02-0610 minUnreasonably happy28 - Why I'm not a makeup-artistOne of my many many beloved jobs, so why did I stop?
Sharing a lot of love for transformation and some new perspectives on makeup in this episode (a surprisingly vulnerable topic!) and I'd love to know what you think!
Appearance and makeup and the visual aspect of someone is SO impactful and it's been on my mind lately, and even though there are still many paradoxes and more conversations to be had, I wanted to share this with you.
Mentioned is pretty privilege, which is the tendency to judge based on appearance...2024-01-3119 minUnreasonably happy27 - My silliest tip for sticky decisionsDo you get stuck when making decisions?
Even seemingly "easy" ones, like when you're decluttering?
"Oooh but it's just things, this SHOULD be easy..."
Blah
Often, it's not a case of not knowing what to do or how to do it, but more a situation where you don't really want to be the one responsible for the decision made. For the consequences.
Or (raising my hand here) not wanting to deal with what I think making that decision means about me as a person.
Here is a...2024-01-2409 minUnreasonably happy26 - How little yoga you can do... and still have it countDo you feel like no matter how much you get done, it's never good enough? That the moment something is finished, you either overthink it (perfectionism, I see you) or go into comparison mode, wondering if someone else is doing it better?
The thing is, it doesn't really matter how much you get done or how wonderfully you do something, if it never counts!
This approach of "I won't be kind to myself before it's perfect" might sound like a good idea, all disciplined and serious-adult-mode, but it is probably hindering you in moving forward...2024-01-1612 min
Unreasonably happy25 - The Amber one - Finding joy in food AND in body? Yes!Another fantastic guest!
Ah, I'm so excited for you to hear this conversation with Amber Abila, my friend and colleague. Hope you are ready to be pleasantly surprised by a conversation with a coach for bingeing and overeating!
Because honestly? I was a liiiiittle skeptical to having food and eating and body image as a topic for a January episode, with diet culture feeling like it's EVERYWHERE after the holidays, but after chatting to Amber about her approach as a coach, what she focuses on and debunking myths around having a coach for issues around...2024-01-0939 minUnreasonably happy24 - The outside matching the inside for 2024!Spot my three favorite new words... or not NEW-new, but important and reframed for your enjoyment!
- Temporal landmarks like New years eve for energy and change!
- Encouragement as a concept, I have fallen in love with the concept after reading it in "The courage to be disliked"
- Congruence aka how your values, actions and words match to be an honest, whole, real version of you (one of my main focuses for this year, to allow more of me!)
One of my absolute best decisions of 2023 was starting this...2024-01-0212 minUnreasonably happy23 - Are your labels doing these two things? Then I approve!You probably relate to and resonate with lot of different labels and so do I! And I believe they can be used as tools for change and be genuinely helpful, not just to put you into a restrictive box (all a matter of interpretation surprise surprise!). Listen in to hear what I think the two criterias and how much impact a newer one of mine has had.
I wasn't sure I actually wanted to share this, but in the spirit of being honest and real and courageous, it's had the biggest impact on me in the past...2023-12-2628 minUnreasonably happy22 - The idea that replaced "doing my best"I just found one of the best (!!!) explanations I've heard for why we shouldn't do our "best", and I wanted to share it with you, as the whole concept of "Doing your best" has been on my mind lately and annoys me more than it should.
Join me for a lovely capacity rant (feel free to check out episode 19 about The Energy Budget if you want even more context for that!) and the referenced reel "How to stop burnout" was by @mind.psy.guidance on instagram, run by Morgan Starr-Riestis.
My instagram @elise.aabakken2023-12-2624 minUnreasonably happy21 - Playful problem solving - What if there's a third way...?A two-for-one episode!
First, a little reminder to not fix routines and habits and systems that ain't broken. Trying to reinvent something that works is rarely the most efficient use of your time and this quote always reminds me of that.
Secondly, a silly exercise for when you feel stuck thinking there are only two options and a very theatre improv-y example of how there might be... a third way. (Or more)
And since my brain works like this and loves associations, these felt like they belong together because they both involve socks! 2023-12-2410 minUnreasonably happy20 - Here's what coaching means... to meI love coaching! And like most things I feel strongly about, it can sometimes be really hard to explain it in a coherent way (you might be able to relate, try explaining your favorite human!). SO, this is perhaps the most honest look into my brain yet, in the first (of many probably) attempts of an explanation of how coaching came into my life, how it works, what it means to ME and all the things I love about it.
Will I get emotional? Absolutely
Will it be messy and enthusiastic and a bit all...2023-12-0557 minUnreasonably happy19 - Energy budget for beginnersAre you allowed to feel tired from fun? One of my favorite metaphors and one of my favorite permission slips, all in one! Talking about the parallels of energy and time and also:
how you’re totally allowed to get tired from having spent your energy budget on joyful things you really really want to do
how you don’t HAVE to be at full capacity to do anything
how time often equals energy and the butter equivalent
and what is worth it for you to get tired for.
Would love to hear what you got out of th...2023-11-2813 minUnreasonably happy18 - The Lennon one - Our first ever Unreasonably Happy guest!Lennon Bone, one of my first creative coaches, from «Stop the starving artist», his company that helps artists monetize and build community around their art online. Make a hot beverage and enjoy this heartwarming, laughter filled conversation about business and art and humans and appreciation and the magic of a voice note sent at the right time.
We talk about (amongst other things):
the gift of internet
what lies beyond social media
our matching core values of making people feel seen and heard
how do you scale kindness?
how money could equal time
findi...2023-11-211h 13Unreasonably happy17 - When someone says nothing at allAh, the joys of overthinking someones silence... Silence is such a huge topic and I'd love to go into more and what kind of subconscious messaging is happening when we communicate and our body language and the whole "Action speaks louder than words" theory, BUT in this episode, I'm talking about a quote I think you already know and, that might, nowadays, trip you up (if you're anything like me). Join me for a little reframe of what someone saying nothing, might mean and not mean. And what to do instead of assuming silence means horrible things! 2023-11-1413 minUnreasonably happy16 - If you're feeling lonely, try thisA little association exercise if you're feeling a little down and alone and your brain conveniently remembers every other situation and time in your life when you've felt this way (thank you brain, you're doing great...) And hey, you're here, and listening to this, you're automatically connected to me! There is one human connection already 2023-11-0710 minUnreasonably happy15 - Unexpected Lessons from a Villainous OctoberDid I expect lessons in empathy, meal prep, more restful rest and boosted entertainment from being inspired by villains this October?
Not exactly, but tune in for this roundup of my favorite learnings from this past month, why it makes sense that you don't want anything in common with villains, my LEAST favorite moment and what the focus is for November. And I hope you have a very Happy Halloween! 🎃 👻
Link to my calendar here to book a 15 min coaching call to change
2023-10-3116 minUnreasonably happy14 - Here is how to actually love yourselfI feel like self-love is one of those big concepts that feel a bit vague and abstract, and sure, if I stop and actually think about it, I totally agree! It's pretty much one of the most important things in the world, AND, I believe in the perspective of it being a verb. There is doing involved. And what might that look like, for like, a normal human person like me and you? This episode is a real life example of just that, with some actionable steps for you to consider... I'm excited for you to hear it 2023-10-2415 min
Going For SomethingCreativity & imposter syndrome with EliseOur Guest today is Elise Aabakken
In this episode we talk about Elises first course on skillshare, through to her transition into coaching and of course about her inner critic - Chad.
Where you can find Elise:
Link to instagram: https://instagram.com/elise.aabakken?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
website: where you can find classes and original artwork:
www.eliseaabakkenstudios.com
Where you can find me:
my instagram - https://www.instagram.com/going_for_something/
my...2023-10-241h 50Unreasonably happy13 - Why being more villainous is a good thingTis the season! Could embracing your inner villain help you thrive? I say yes 😎 Looking at why the way you INSIST on being the hero is actually keeping you stuck in perfectionism and people-pleasing, heading straight for burnout, and what you can do about right now.
The villain perspective might sound strange and counterintuitive, but this wonderfully ranty episode will make it all make sense. Or will it...? 👀
Sign up here for the Villainous workshop the 25th of October
Instagram @elise.aabakken
Website www.eliseaabakkenstudios.com
2023-10-1729 minUnreasonably happy12 - This is clickbaitA trailer? Maybe! The most ambiguous, intriguing information about episode 13, so that you feel tempted to go listen to that one and incorporate more villain goodness into your life. Is it working....? 👀 2023-10-1702 minUnreasonably happy11 - "But... I don't have green hair?" - A mindset shift for criticismOh hi friend! Here is one of my favorite ways to let others mean, judgmental comments stay with them, instead of being something that you carry around with you and let infiltrate the way you feel about yourself. Easier said than done, I know, but check with your body how detached you feel from others assessment if they say you have green hair. Can you feel that? That distance, that "meh", that "that doesn't bother me" feeling? Yeah, knowing you CAN feel like that in the face of others comments, imagine the power to stand in someones feedback and...2023-10-1007 minUnreasonably happy10 - Villain season aka a time to brag, cringe and resist vandalismThe spooky season has fully inspired this episode (clearly, as there is like ONE WHOLE SWEARWORD in this) and here to encourage you to embrace and include the parts of you that are harder to love, invite those to your Halloween party and also potentially the strangest thought experiment yet about a bike and a tesla. Would LOVE to know what you think about this one and if there is anything you're embracing for October! Stay tuned for news on The Thing happening at the end of the month on instagram @elise.aabakken! 2023-10-0315 minUnreasonably happy9 - Soft belly mini-reminderA reminder borrowed from a random friend of friend a million years ago, but still true and helpful advice. Come back to this when you need a little body-check-in 2023-09-2602 minUnreasonably happy8 - Are you feeling impressed or inspired? (or both)I'm sure there are more eloquent and research backed definitions and descriptions of these two feelings, but this is the biggest difference for me! Also this episode makes sense as I just got back from a fantastic trip to Barcelona with wonderful humans yesterday and was both VERY impressed and SUPER inspired, and I really, truly, most of the time... want both :D
www.eliseaabakkenstudios.com
Instagram - @elise.aabakken
Happy mail sign up here2023-09-1907 minUnreasonably happy7 - You might be more satisfied than you thinkAnother sweet little "Norwegian Non-Sense" episode and in this one, you'll learn what "satisfied" literally translates to in Norwegian, because it doesn't have the same exact vibe (in my opinion) as it does in English. And more about my take on enough-ness and peace (and another perspective to try on than the most obvious reference and association, if you know what I mean) 2023-09-1205 minUnreasonably happy6 - The neutral-stranger-smile-minimum"Love yourself" and "Treat yourself kindly" are fantastic suggestions, and how in the WORLD do we actually do that? What might that actually look like in a normal human life? Hint: it's not doubling down on bubble baths... I have a quick, easy suggestion, it doesn't take any extra time out of your day, it's simply a tip to start signalizing some more kindness, more care and (dare I say) more love to yourself. 2023-09-0508 minUnreasonably happy5 - Three delightful books about happinessIf you also love reading and learning and growing and being reminded that you're human, these inspirational books are some of the ones that have made the biggest difference in my personal development journey, giving permission-slips and helpful perspectives to start shifting into more of what makes you happy, sparks joy and keeps you going. I'd love to know which others you'd add to the list!
1) Gretchen Rubin - The happiness project
https://gretchenrubin.com/articles/25-secrets-of-adulthood-that-ive-learned-the-hard-way/
2) Marie Kondo - The life-changing magic of tidying up
2023-08-2916 minUnreasonably happy4 - My favorite Norwegian joy-conceptÅ glede seg - The delightful Norwegian expression of joyful anticipation and how embracing this can bring you more joy, even if it’s something far away. Even something TINY can connect you to more of your joy AND FUN FACT, did you know dopamine is an anticipation chemical (not a reward one), how cool is that?!?!
The first of a series (maybe?) of episodes called "Norwegian Non-sense"! Nuance in translations, expressions and meaning of different words in different languages is SO much fun to me, so stay tuned for more tiny reframes and perspective-shifts by viewing concepts we...2023-08-2905 minUnreasonably happy3 - How to gently stretch your comfort zoneIf you're familiar with yoga (or any other type of stretching) you know that aggressively forcing a stretch usually either leads to injury or at least discourages you to try again, because it's so uncomfortable and painful. And then you'll walk strangely for like three days after...
Enjoy this slightly chaotic episode with a bunch of easy examples and tips on how to start small, lower the threshold to get started, and make the changes you want both kinder and more sustainable. Also a reminder for me to follow my own advice and a vulnerable share of...2023-08-2911 minUnreasonably happy2 - Why NOT "Creativity Janitor"?A little explanation as to why this isn't called the Creativity janitor podcast (even though I still proudly hold that title ;) ) and more about how I ended up here! Introducing you to my love of metaphors and imagery. 2023-08-2209 min
Unreasonably happy1 - Why "Unreasonably happy"?First ever episode of this new adventure!
A little introduction to what this podcast will be about and basically, it's just me practicing what I preach: making it easier to do the things you want, and sharing perspective shifts, ideas and thoughts that might help you too (if you often end up on the "should" train of how to be a human). Learn more about me and what I want to share here, in a real time "Let me try this because I'm pretty sure it will add to my happiness and what I believe I'm here...2023-08-1909 min