Hack Your Happiness

She went from fighting for her life as a child to flying into space as the youngest American astronaut. In this episode, Mercedes and Anastasia are joined by Hayley Arceneaux. Hayley talks us through her experiences as a child with cancer, getting her dream job, and her unexpected opportunity to go to space! From her seat on the Inspiration4 mission (literally called “Hope”) to her daily habits of self-care and optimism, Hayley sha...

She’s the musical powerhouse behind some of Broadway’s most unforgettable shows! Andrea Grody has shaped productions like Suffs, The Band’s Visit, and more. This week, she's sitting with Mercedes and Anastasia for an honest and heartfelt conversation about following an unconventional career path, being a leader, and navigating chaos + uncertainty.

Listen to learn about:

• How Andrea first fell in love with music and what inspired ...

If you've ever said "I can't do this" or "I'm not smart enough" this conversation is for you! This week, Duncan Wardle sits with Mercedes and Anastasia. Duncan spent decades creating magic as the Head of Innovation and Creativity at Disney, leading teams at Imagineering, Pixar, Marvel, and more. Today, Duncan is a global speaker and author, helping people of all ages rediscover their creativity and curiosity. In this episode, he’s ...

She made history as the first Black woman to win an Oscar Award for costume design — and she did it twice. Ruth E. Carter is the visionary behind the unforgettable costumes of Black Panther, Malcolm X, and Do the Right Thing. This week, she’s joining Mercedes and Anastasia for an inspiring conversation about changing your path (initially, Ruth wanted to be a teacher!), resilience, and telling powerful stories through design.

Ruth g...

They were just teens when they started making music. Soon, they were on stage at the JUNOs. Tyler Armes and Cameron Hunter are two of members of the Canadian genre-blending band Down With Webster. Today, they’re joining Mercedes and Anastasia for a real talk about creativity, courage, and carving your own path.

Tyler and Cam dive into:

• How Down With Webster got started, and how they balanced music with being teens in school.
• What...

He created one of the most beloved sitcoms of all time, Everybody Loves Raymond. Now, Phil Rosenthal travels the world, tasting food and learning about joy, in his Netflix series, Somebody Feed Phil. Today, Phil is joining Mercedes and Anastasia for a feel-good conversation about his journey into show business, and what he's learned from traveling the world!

Phil dives into:

• What his travels have taught him about happiness (and...

She left Google to chase something even bigger. Jenny Wood is a former Google executive, now bestselling author and keynote speaker! Jenny joins Mercedes and Anastasia for a conversation all about her nine traits to going after what you want, and getting it. Jenny dives into:

• What it means to focus on the BIG picture (and how to do this)
• Hacks to overcome shame
• Her advice for communicating your needs and wants.
• Plus, Jenny takes u...

She’s a gold-medal-winning Olympic athlete, a powerhouse of perseverance, and a role model for anyone chasing big goals. Mercedes and Anastasia are joined by Gwen Jorgensen. She’s an Olympic triathlete turned marathon runner, and today she’s sharing what it really takes to succeed, not just physically, but mentally and emotionally too. Listen in to this episode to hear how Gwen overcame the fear of success, found motivation through...

He’s one of the world’s top psychologists, a bestselling author, and a leading expert on how we understand and manage emotion. Mercedes and Anastasia are joined by Ethan Kross. He's a professor of psychology and management at the University of Michigan and director of the Emotion & Self Control Laboratory. Listen in to this episode to unravel what’s really going on in our heads, why we're wired to feel things so deeply, and how...

She's a champion in both Hollywood and athletics. Mercedes and Anastasia sit with Lesley Paterson, the triathlon world champion who also co-wrote the Oscar-nominated screenplay for All Quiet on the Western Front. Lesley unpacks the uncommon discipline that lets her juggle athletic training with script writing, reveals how she turns raw emotion into fuel instead of roadblocks, and shares the tiny daily rituals that keep her body bul...

What if changing what we eat could change the future of a nation? Mercedes and Anastasia are joined by Nancy Easton: leader and founder of Wellness in the Schools, a nonprofit on the mission to replace ultra-processed school lunches with fresh, scratch-cooked meals. In this powerful conversation, Nancy describes tangible tips for prioritizing healthy eating within a busy lifestyle, go-to meals and snacks, and advice for handling th...

Your mindset shapes every challenge you face—be it climbing a mountain, or in daily life. This week, Mercedes and Anastasia sit down with Hazel Findlay: legendary climber, mindset coach, and expert in the psychology and neuroscience of mental health. Hazel opens up about how she went from teen climbing prodigy to one of the most respected voices in performance coaching. She shares how to overcome fear, redefine self-worth, and trai...

Your mindset shifts your reality. In this week's episode, Mercedes and Anastasia sit with Dr. Ellen Langer. Dr. Langer is the first woman to reach tenure in psychology at Harvard, and she's known as the 'mother of mindfulness'. She joins us to share her definition and hacks to mindfulness, why most of us are operating on autopilot (and how/why we can change this), and why fun is essential to mindfulness. Dr. Langer also describes s...

Asha Curran turned a simple idea into a global movement. The GivingTuesday founder joins Mercedes and Anastasia to share the backstory behind this global organization, and the benefits of generosity. Asha explains how anyone can give, in ways aside from financial, shares her thoughts on how technology will impact the future of philanthropy, and recalls some of the most memorable GivingTuesday donations. Listen in to learn how you c...

Bold moves built S'well, one of the world's most recognized water bottles! Join Mercedes and Anastasia as they speak with the founder of S'well, Sarah Kauss. Sarah walks through her journey (from teenage-hood to exiting a multi-million dollar company), and the lessons she learned along the way. From leaving her stable accounting job, to pitching the CEO of Starbucks, Sarah recounts how being bold has shifted her journey. Listen in ...

Ever wondered what it takes to reach the top of the world? This week, Mercedes and Anastasia speak with Bonita Norris, the youngest person to summit both Mount Everest and reach the North Pole. Bonita started with no climbing experience, but she defied the odds and achieved her dreams by conquering some of the world’s tallest peaks. In this conversation, she shares how she overcame the challenges of securing a sponsor, and the ins ...

Adversity doesn’t break you – it builds you! Mercedes and Anastasia sit with Commander Rorke Denver, a former Navy SEAL, and current speaker and bestselling author. Rorke dives into his story of overcoming rejection after initially being denied entry to the Navy SEAL program, and his experiences in the forces. Rorke shares how he views motivation vs discipline (and how we can apply these principles into our lives), the power of a t...

Change is inevitable - let's conquer it together! Today, Mercedes and Anastasia are joined by Laura Gassner Otting. A WSJ Bestselling author, TEDx Speaker, and renowned keynote speaker; Laura is everyone's favorite hype-woman. Laura takes us through the twists and turns of her journey; from working at the White House, to quitting her job, and where she's at, today. Additionally, Laura breaks down how we can exit the victim mentalit...

Ready for a masterclass in resilience? Robyn Benincasa is a two-time World Champion Adventure Racer, and a top keynote speaker. This week, Robyn shares some of her most extreme stories as an adventure racer, how she shapes her mindset to favor her outcomes, and how to work well with others - especially under pressure. Next, Robyn opens up about how anyone can persevere through challenges, and tells us more about her non-profit, Pro...