Glad #FeelingsMatter

In this episode of #FeelingsMatter, hosts Michelle Stinson Ross, Tina Schweiger, and Heather Hampton explore the emotion of feeling glad - that sense of being pleased, happy, and gratified. The conversation delves into how gladness differs from related emotions like happiness and joy, examining its unique combination of gratitude and surprise. The hosts discuss the sustaining nature of gladness compared to more fleeting emotions and emphasize the importance of recognizing these positive feelings when they occur.

Episode Highlights:

• Michelle defines gladness as "the intersection of joy and gratitude," distinguishing it from simple gratitude (being grateful for paid bills doesn't spark gladness) and noting how relationships with friends create true gladness in her life
• Tina connects gladness to unexpected pleasant encounters, using the phrase "I am so glad that I ran into you" as an example of how gladness often contains an element of surprise mixed with gratitude and joy
• The hosts distinguish gladness from happiness, describing happiness as more ephemeral and fragile (like a balloon that could pop), while gladness has a "longer shelf life" and is more nourishing to the soul
• Heather notes that while happiness can be more superficial and driven by external circumstances, gladness has more substance because of its gratitude component, which helps ground it and make it sustaining
• Michelle emphasizes that the goal isn't necessarily to have more positive emotions in our lives, but to become more aware of when we're experiencing them, noting that we often miss moments of gladness rather than lacking them entirely

Podcast theme music by Dubush Miaw from Pixabay

This episode of the #FeelingsMatter Podcast was recorded and produced at MSR Studios in Saint Paul, MN.Copyright 2025, all rights reserved. No reproduction, excerpting, or other use without written permission.

This episode is sponsored by 
FeelWise - bridging the gap between reflection and resilience, offering practical tools to help people overcome obstacles, embrace change, and grow stronger emotionally. https://www.feel-wise.com/

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