Ep 21: Key Drivers of Happiness and the Influence of Alcohol

Anna Donaghey sits down with Matt Phelan, co-founder of The Happiness Index, to explore what makes us happy and the profound effects of alcohol on personal well-being, safety and relationships.They challenge the notion of alcohol as a social adhesive, advocating instead for genuine friendships that thrive beyond the presence of a drink. Together, they examine the importance of psychological safety, not only in the workplace but in all aspects of life, and how alcohol can hinder our abilities to meet basic human needs.Don't miss this enlightening conversation that promises to reshape how you view alcohol, happiness, and the strength of your social connections. Tune in as Anna and Matt share their journeys of self-discovery and the ongoing benefits of living an alcohol-free life.Here are the highlights:05:09 Neuroscience and psychology influence happiness research widely.09:21 Essential human needs endure through the ages.11:40 Alcohol's impact on psychological safety and relationships.16:01 Self-worth influences drinking habits and recovery.19:36 Balanced view on alcohol and regrets.20:41 Regret, self-belief, and the pursuit of happiness.27:35 Alcohol is a poison and happiness from drinking is temporary.33:13 Learn from getting drunk after a long sobriety.33:57 Matt talks about his LinkedIn article re. his journey, happiness and sobriety pros & cons.41:06 Employee happiness and alcohol article feedback.43:56 LinkedIn connections show genuine interest and empathy.47:26 Friendship based on alcohol isn't genuine; explore new genuine friendships.🔗 Get all the free resources from the series at: Toolkit OptinAnna’s group coaching community ‘Unstuck!’ helps identify your alcohol ‘stories’ and beliefs, breaking the cycle of alcohol and all the shame that goes with it. For more information and to find out how to join, please follow this link: Unstuck! community informationTo further explore your relationship with alcohol, check out Anna’s self-guided programme, The Big Drink Rethink Experiment: https://www.thebeliefscoach.com/the-big-drink-rethink-experimentAnd apply the code POD99 to purchase for just £99 as a podcast listenerIf you’re loving the podcast and would like to give Anna a warm, fuzzy feeling of appreciation, then you can buy her a coffee:https://buymeacoffee.com/bigdrinkrethinkAbout the host Anna:Anna is a certified Alcohol Mindset Coach, trained by Annie Grace of This Naked Mind. Drawing on her own journey out of alcohol addiction, she now helps others explore and control their drinking. With a career spanning 25 years as a Strategist in the Advertising industry, she combines her own lived experiences, with great insight into what makes us tick and what influences us to behave the way we do.Connect with Anna:Website: thebeliefscoach.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/annadonagheyInstagram: instagram.com/bigdrinkrethinkAbout Matt Phelan:Matt Phelan is a Co-Founder of the Happiness Index. In his day-to-day role, he's responsible for the strategic direction of the business.Matt is the founder of The Happiness and Humans Community, host of The Happiness and Humans Podcast and author of Freedom To Be Happy: The Business Case for Happiness & The Happiness Index: “Why Today's Employee Emotions Equal Tomorrow's Business Success". Matt recently completed a TEDx talk where he presented 12 million data points on happiness from 1 million human beings in 100+ countries in less than 15 minutes.Connect with Matt:Website: mattphelan.co.ukLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewphelan/Twitter: https://x.com/MatthewPhelanProduced by winteraudio.co.ukMentioned in this episode:Anna and fellow coach Tabbin Almond are excited to announce they’re hosting a free webinar on Thursday 9th July to share what they’ve learnt about what women actually need when they want to change their relationship with alcohol. You can save your spot here: https://www.thebigdrinkrethink.com/webinar