The Art of Living Happy Podcast with Gina Haines

In this deeply personal episode, Gina Haines reflects on grief — not as an abstract concept, but as the real, lived, circular experience of loss that doesn't follow a straight line or a tidy checklist.This episode was inspired by the passing of a very dear friend, who faced motor neuron disease with extraordinary grace and courage, and who lived as fully as she could right until the end. She is woven through every word.Gina explores the idea that grief isn't something we get over — it's love with nowhere to go. She talks honestly about the way old losses resurface alongside new ones, the way grief layers and cycles and circles back when you least expect it, and what it might look like to grieve well: not by moving on, but by carrying love forward.In this episode:→  Why grief is not linear — and why that's OK→  The way loss opens up other losses we thought we'd already moved through→  A fresh look at the Kübler-Ross's stages — as experiences, not a checklist→  What her friend taught her about choosing how to show up, even when you can't choose what's happening→  What it means to grieve well — to honour the love, not just survive the loss→  Coming home to yourself, even in — especially in — the hard seasonsIf you are grieving something — a person, a relationship, a chapter of your life — this episode is for you. You're not doing it wrong. You're just grieving. And that's enough.

Quick question: When was the last time you let yourself be proud of yourself - without the resume, without the proof, without needing someone else to tell you, you did a good job?I have achievements and awards coming out of my ears. And I'm proud of them. But you know what I still catch myself doing? Listing them. Like I'm building a case. Like I need to prove I'm enough.Until recently, something shifted.In this episode, I explore:Where we learn our value (as children - valued for WHAT we do, not WHO we are)The adult pattern this creates (proving yourself constantly, listing achievements, needing external validation)How this connects to the chains - the things that hold you back (Perfection, Should, People-Pleasing - all rooted in "I have to DO to have value")Gabor Maté's insight: "I'm not living in myself. I'm living in other people's minds!"The moment everything changed for me (water-blasting the driveway at my parents' house)The breakthrough: "Nice job. I'm proud of that." - and catching myself before calling for validationWhat true self-satisfaction feels like (from the inside, not needing external approval)Where your value ACTUALLY is (not in achievements, but inherent - you beat 400 trillion to 1 odds just to exist)How to shift from external validation to internal satisfactionThe practice: writing yourself a love letter (I share excerpts from mine)The truth: Your value is from the inside. You don't have to prove it. You just have to come home to it.Duration: ~10 minutesThe invitation: Write yourself a love letter. Tell yourself what you need to hear. Then LIVE from that place - BE true to who you are, DO work that works for you, LOVE living your life.Resources: You-phoria: The Art of Authenticity by Gina Haines

Today is International Women's Day. And I want to tell you about a woman.Her name was Mary Dora Ballantyne. She was my great-great-grandmother. And she was a right-hand woman to Kate Sheppard - the woman who led the suffrage movement in New Zealand, making us the first country in the world to give women the vote in 1893.Mary Dora fought for women's rights. For women's voices. For the right to BE who they were.And 130+ years later, here I am - still talking about women coming home to themselves.In this episode, I explore:My great-great-grandmother Mary Dora Ballantyne and the NZ suffrage movementKate Sheppard and the fight for women's right to vote (first in the world!)The lineage of women who fought so we could BEWhy coming home to yourself as a woman is still revolutionaryHow the battles have changed (then: legal rights, now: internal permission)The 5 Chains that keep women from coming home to themselvesWhy we're not just doing this for ourselves - we're creating shoulders for the next generationReflections from my Zonta talk this week on "Coming Home to Yourself"The responsibility we have to honour those who came before AND be the women the next generation needs to seeThe truth: They fought for the right to BE. We get to claim it.The invitation: You're standing on the shoulders of women who fought for your rights. AND you're creating shoulders for the next generation. Come home to yourself - not just for you, but for all of us.Duration: ~12 minutesHappy International Women's Day to every woman who came before, every woman here now, and every girl who will come after. 💚

This is Episode 20 - a milestone. So I'm taking a moment to reflect on what's stayed the same in my work over 20+ years, what's evolved, and what I've finally come to understand.My grandfather used to say, "The greatest word in the English language is understanding." And maybe he was right.In this episode, I share:What's remained constant (You-phoria, BE-DO-LOVE, positive psychology foundations)What I've been struggling with for quite some time (the 5 Patterns or Chains - and why they wouldn't fit my framework)Why I resisted calling them "chains" (it felt too negative for positive psychology)The breakthrough moment (Deb MacIntyre's teaching on trauma as energetic imprints)Why wounds guard gifts and patterns replay to complete unfinished businessHow these patterns or chains finally made sense (acknowledge patterns, heal wounds, accept and build forward)Coming home to yourself as a compass, not a destination (ongoing practice, not arrival)Why the quiz "What's Holding You Back?" is finally ready to launchThe key insight: What's evolved isn't the WHAT of my work - it's my UNDERSTANDING of it. Same tools. Deeper understanding.The invitation: You're not going backwards when patterns replay. You're spiralling deeper. The soul is calling you to complete what was left unfinished.Duration: ~30 minutes of reflection, honesty, and breakthrough understandingResources:You-phoria: The Art of Authenticity by Gina Haines"What's Holding You Back?" quiz - launching soon!TAOLA (The Art of Living Authentically) - launching in 4 weeks at ginahaines.com

Last week I talked about being your own Valentine - about self-love as the foundation. And I got this question: "Okay, but HOW? What does this look like in real life?"So today, I'm getting really practical (and vulnerable) about the daily practice of choosing yourself.I share:What choosing yourself actually means (putting yourself first and trusting yourself)My real morning practice - from reviewing my day in bed to my naked cold plunge in the poolWhy guilt, fear, and anxiety stop us from choosing ourselvesHow I've learned to separate guilt from action (feel it, acknowledge it, choose yourself anyway)The key question I ask throughout my day: "Is this what I actually want to do?"Boundary-setting moments (saying no, managing interruptions, checking in with yourself first)Why "selfish" and "self-full" are different thingsEvening reflections (where did I choose myself? where did I abandon myself?)The two truths that changed everything:Small daily choices add up to a life you loveYou teach people how to treat you by how you treat yourselfThe invitation: Start small. Choose yourself ONCE today. Then do it again tomorrow. That's the practice.Duration: 17.57 minutes of real, messy, practical truthPlus: TAOLA (The Art of Living Authentically) launching in 5 weeks! Details at ginahaines.com

Today is Valentine's Day, and while the world celebrates romantic love with roses and chocolates, there's a giant pink elephant in the room.From the moment you beat 400 trillion other contenders for fertilisation to this very moment, you've been in the most sacred relationship of all: the one with yourself.In this episode, I explore what it means to truly love yourself - not bubble baths and chocolate (though those are nice), but real, transformative self-love that changes everything.I share:The giant pink elephant we all ignore (the relationship with yourself)Gary Chapman's 5 Love Languages - but applied to YOURSELFHow to speak to yourself with Words of Affirmation (not criticism)Acts of Service you can do for yourself that show loveWhy Quality Time with yourself matters (not just scrolling/distracting)Gifts you can give yourself (just because you exist)Physical Touch with yourself (kindness, not judgment)How loving yourself like you love your children changes everythingPractical ways to be your own Valentine TODAYThe invitation: Self-love is the heart of the heart of the heart. And giant pink elephants need a whole lotta lovin'.Duration: 23 minutesResources: You-phoria: The Art of Authenticity by Gina HainesPlus: TAOLA (The Art of Living Authentically) launching in 6 weeks! Details at ginahaines.com

What does it mean to live a life that matters?This week I explore legacy (both material and impact), Viktor Frankl's three ways to find meaning, and a revolutionary idea: you don't find yourself by just looking inward. You find yourself by forgetting yourself and giving yourself to something beyond you.Featuring Emerson's definition of success, my time at my mum and dad's house by the sea, and the Ten of Cups.The question that changes everything: "What is wanted FROM me?" (not just "What do I want?")32 minutes on legacy, meaning, and coming home to yourself.TAOLA course launching in 8 weeks - details at ginahaines.com

I recorded this episode from my late dad's favourite place - my parents' holiday house by the sea.This week, instead of being at home working, generating income, selling books, promoting courses - doing all the things I "should" be doing - I'm here.Cleaning. Water-blasting. Giving this house some fresh energy and love. For it. And for me too.My mum didn't come with me this time. Too far. Too many stairs. The house is for sale, but no buyers yet. It's this liminal space.Before I came, I visited my dear friend, who has motor neurone disease. And as I left, I was reminded: Our life on planet earth is fleeting. Everything hangs in a heartbeat.In this episode, I talk about:The tension between the Call and the ShouldWhy I chose presence over productivity this weekWhat visiting my friend reminded me about impermanenceLife moving through different stagesThe question: What are you waiting for?The invitation: What's calling you? Not what you should be doing - what's actually calling you? Because life hangs in a heartbeat. And you never know what's around the corner.Duration: 10 minutes

It's mid-January 2026.And everywhere you look, people are talking about:→ New goals to achieve→ New habits to build → New you to becomeAdd, add, add. More, more, more.What if this year was different?What if 2026 was the year of SUBTRACTION, not addition?Not because you're giving up. But because you're already carrying so much that was never yours to begin with.The shoulds from your family. The perfectionism you learned to survive. The people-pleasing that keeps you exhausted. The fear. The past.You already know what you're carrying. So why are you still carrying it?In this episode, I talk about the gap between knowing and doing, why awareness isn't enough (but you absolutely can't skip it), and how to start releasing what's not yours.Listen for:The year of subtraction (releasing vs. adding)Why you repeat patterns even when you know betterThe journey: awareness → choice → practice → integration"Awareness is the light switch. It doesn't clean your house. But you can't clean in the dark."The 5 things most of us are carrying (and how to see yours)What's launching soon to help you with step 1The invitation: What are you ready to release?Duration: 15 minutes

Recently, someone very close to me went through three rounds of interviews for a job they really wanted.And then... they didn't get it.I watched them sit with the disappointment. Really feel it.And then I watched something beautiful: I watched them pivot.Not immediately. Not dismissively. Not with 'ick' positivity.But after feeling the feelings, they refocused on what's next.It got me thinking: The question isn't whether we'll end up in the valley. We all do. The question is: How long will we stay there?In this episode, I share:The difference between processing and dwellingHow to hold space for disappointment without getting stuckPractical tools for the pivot (feel first, then ask "what's next?")"Nothing that's meant for you passes you by" - without being dismissiveWhy the exhaustion after the pivot is normalThe invitation: You can feel the feelings AND choose to refocus. You can honour what hurts AND trust what's coming. You get to do both.Duration: 10 minutes

The other morning, I sat outside with my daughter. The sun was warm. The world was quiet.And we started talking about the meaning of life.Not small talk. Deep talk.And something became really clear: We need to be connected to something bigger than ourselves.In this episode, I share what emerged in that conversation, Viktor Frankl's profound insight from surviving concentration camps ("Those who have a 'why' can bear with almost any 'how'"), and the four ingredients for inherent happiness: hope, faith, trust, and something to look forward to.Listen for:The conversation with my daughter (what became clear in the quiet)Viktor Frankl's wisdom on meaningThe difference between manufactured and inherent happinessWhat YOUR "something bigger" might beWhy this matters as we move into a new yearThe truth: You can achieve every goal and still feel empty if there's no meaning. But when you're connected to something bigger, you can face anything.Your invitation: As we move into this new year, don't just set goals. Connect to your WHY.Ask yourself:What's my something bigger?What am I hoping for?What do I have faith in?What can I trust?What am I looking forward to?Duration: 13 minutesPlus: Something new launching soon that helps you identify what's unconsciously blocking you from living with meaning. Stay tuned!

It's Boxing Day. The big day is done. The build-up is over. And now? Most people rush to cleanup, sales, resolutions. But what if you just... exhaled?In this episode, I share why rest isn't something you earn - it's sacred. I talk about my afternoon nap in the sun (my own stay-cation), where the Perfection and People-Pleasing Chains show up after big events, and why the most radical thing you can do right now is honour yourself.You just gave a lot. Now you get to receive.Listen for:The stay-cation story (creating space without going anywhere)Why rest is self-love in actionPermission to exhale after the crescendoWhat to do when the 'should' voices show upwww.ginahaines.com

It's that time of year - the lead up to Christmas - it's busy and fractured at times and it seems that everyone's doing year-end reviews, tallying up goals achieved/goals missed and there's a feeling of doom and gloom, overwhelm, and "not enoughness"What if we did year-end reflection differently?Well... I'm suggesting approaching it differently this year, and focusing on joy and appreciation.I invite you to do the same and ask yourself questions like:What aligned with me? (as in felt like joy)What didn't align? (felt like a 'should' or 'heavy')What do I want to keep? (as in the feelings)What do I want to release? (as in 'let go' of)I'd love to know how this sits with you and please follow and like and share and do the things people with 'pods' ask you to do!Big love and Merry ChristmasIn joy xxGina

Feeling a bit "blah"? Unmotivated? Directionless? You're not alone - and you're not broken.In this episode, I share what it feels like when things "go west" in my life and work, and three simple practices for finding your way back:The One Thing Rule - Simplifying to what still lights you upRest and recalibration - The Monet story that will change how you think about restThe Mini Experiment - Trying something new to shift the energy“Going west” isn't failure - it's feedback. Your purpose hasn't disappeared, it's just buried. Let's talk about how to recalibrate.Resources mentioned:You-phoria: The Art of Authenticity by Gina Haines - https://ginahaines.com/you-phoria-bookConnect with me:Website: ginahaines.comInstagram: @gina_hainesFacebook: ginahaines.theartoflivinghappy

In this episode, I share how going back to my own teaching in 'You-phoria: The Art of Authenticity' helped me break through, why vulnerability creates connection, and what I'm doing differently now.It refers to my creative processes, why they matter and how they affect the way I am in the world. I know I paint to process emotions. I write and talk to share understanding. I move to feel. But I realised I've been hiding behind a veneer with my own art - showing the surface without revealing what I was actually working through.Three questions for you to ponder:💭 How do YOU process, understand, and feel? (Maybe you cook to process, journal to understand, garden to feel grounded - what's YOUR version?)💭 What stories are you keeping hidden? What's the veneer you're showing the world versus the truth underneath?💭 Are you honouring ALL the ways you express yourself? Or forcing yourself into one box?Drop your wonderings in the comments or email me at [email protected] next week - keep being authentically you. Keep coming home to yourself.Big love xxxGPS: In this episode I refer to my award-winning book, 'You-phoria: The Art of Authenticity '. You can see it here... https://ginahaines.com/you-phoria-book

You have the career. The family. The security.So why aren't you happy?This episode is about the "something's missing" feeling - and why closing that gap isn't about achieving more. It's about being TRUE to yourself.Featuring LL's story of finding courage at 55, and what I learned this week about visibility, validation, and the joy of simply BEING.Flash sale ends Sunday 30 November, 2025: You-phoria: The Art of Authenticity - 20% offhttps://ginahaines.com/you-phoria-book

Happiness is optional AND it's a choice - both are true. In this episode, I explore how these two ideas work together, the unconscious choices keeping you stuck, and how to start choosing consciously. Featuring a story about my friend who's lost some choices but still chooses joy - and what that teaches me about the privilege of choosing.KEY TAKEAWAYS:Happiness is optional - you're not required to be happy, and you're not failing if you're notHappiness is also a choice - when you're ready, you can cultivate it consciouslyWe're all making choices unconsciously (staying in draining situations, letting fear decide, replaying the past, waiting to be "ready," putting others first)(3 practical steps) How to start choosing happiness consciously Conscious choosing starts with noticing - just seeing what you're choosing right now = AWARENESSAsk yourself 'Is this choice serving my wellbeing?'One small conscious choice, repeated over time, creates a different lifeRemember - You can't change what you can't see and you just need to make ONE choiceMENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor FranklHappy for No Reason by Marci ShimoffYou-phoria: The Art of Authenticity by Gina HainesCONNECT WITH GINA:🌐 Website: ginahaines.com Facebook: Join the community 📺 GinaHainesTV: Watch hereSUBSCRIBE:I'd love to have you on board :)Coming soon: I'm releasing a quiz where you discover what's holding you unconsciously back. It's super cool and I can't wait to share it with you. Keep an eye out for it and have a great week - xxxG

Life is short. We're only here for a blink.So why are we sitting on dreams we had as kids? The rockstar, the astronaut, the [fill in your dream here]?In this episode, recorded spontaneously in my car, I share my teenage rockstar dream and how I finally fulfilled it at my 60th birthday party. Not because I wanted to BE a rockstar full-time, but because I wanted to meet that daydream face-to-face.What dreams are you sitting on? And what would it take to give them a go? Have a wonderful week, Big Love, Gina xxx

What felt absolutely true on Friday - that I needed to lower my prices, that maybe I wasn't qualified enough, that I should just play it safe - felt completely different by Sunday.Not because the facts changed, but because I moved through the overwhelm and found clarity.This episode is about finding your way out of the forest when you can't see the path. About why "just find your purpose" doesn't help when you're stuck. And about the real antidote to overwhelm: one small, imperfect step. Then another.I'm sharing my own messy journey this weekend - pricing fears, money struggles, and the patterns I'm breaking around worth and scarcity. Because maybe you're breaking them too.If you're in the forest right now, this one's for you.

Knowing who you are helps you understand why you do the things you do. Character Strengths are one way to develop your awareness. In today's episode I share my top 5 character strengths and how they help and sometimes chain me too. The classification I am referring to here is the Values in Action or 'via' Character Strengths Classification and is available free at https://www.viacharacter.org/ and my book 'You-phoria: The Art of Authenticity' is available at https://ginahaines.com/you-phoria-book Enjoy!And Big Love to you!xxG

In this episode of The Art of Living Happy Podcast with Gina Haines, I talk authentically about what happens when I procrastinate and also what happens when I get on and do the things I am putting off as well! Let's face it - everyone procrastinates - me too! In this episode I break down into small steps what I am dealing with and how I am going to overcome it... no more "I'll do it tomorrow or later." I'm showing up and doing it - this is my veggie pod moment! I'd love to hear what yours is, how you overcome it and what it feels like once you have! Big Love xxG

In today's episode of The Art of Living Happy Podcast with Gina Haines, I speak from the heart about the idea of 'Living Happy'; what that means, why it's important and ways to raise your happiness levels. Leave a comment if you want to, as I'd love to hear your ideas on how you raise your happiness levels or if my suggestions resonate with you ;)Big Love and have a wonder-filled day xxG

Hello beautiful xxx Welcome to Episode 1 of The Art of Living Happy Podcast with Gina Haines - a space where I'll be talking about coming home to yourself and illuminating a pathway for you to consider and relate to your own journey 'home'. Home to self-love, self-awareness, authenticity and happiness. I'd love you to join me on this part of the journey.Big love to you xxxG