01: Emiliya Zhivotovskaya and the Science of Flourishing

Emiliya Zhivotovskaya is a leading voice in the world of positive psychology & the science of flourishing. She's a widely sought-after speaker, educator, facilitator, and coach. Jonathan Fields says, "she offers that astonishingly rare blend of deep insight, wisdom beyond her years, a fierce grounding in science and the heart of a teacher."   Backstory: At the age of 5, Emiliya and her family fled from Kiev, escaping the fall of Communism and the nuclear disaster at Chernobyl. She found herself in a new land, faced with challenges completely foreign to the average kid growing up in a New York suburb.   Then, 9 years later, she faced yet another tragedy, the sudden loss of her brother as he ran to save his fiancé from drowning and lost his life in the process of saving hers. And years later, the loss of her mother. From this place of deep challenge, she could have turned to the dark side. She could have given up, blamed the world and walked away from joy. From happiness. From possibility. Instead, she found awakening, strength and a renewed sense of gratitude.   She discovered within herself a wellspring of resilience and a relentless desire to understand where this came from and how to bring a similar lens to others. She was determined to help others flourish.   For more information about Emiliya, visit her webste at http://www.emiliya.com.