Pathways to Happiness with Nena Lavonne

Welcome to the the Pathways to Happiness Podcast! In this episode, we discuss what it means to be "unbalanced" in life, how and why that can happen, and the steps to make to make meaningful and significant changes in order to find true balance. The Pathways to Happiness with Nena Lavonne Podcast is available on multiple platforms. Please subscribe here to our YouTube channel where we cover all topics having to do with self-growth and emotional well-being such as anxiety relief, mindfulness, self-care and acceptance, living in the moment, motivation, cultivating joy and much more! Thanks so much for watching! Other Helpful Videos: * How To Stop Seeking External Validation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLCAa... * How To Achieve Any Goal: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQllb... * Negative Mindsets to Finally Break in 2020: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsA2s... Nena is a certified life coach, author, and motivational speaker that specializes in personal development. Nothing brings her more happiness than helping others lead more meaningful, joyful, and fulfilling lives. MAKE LIFE EXTRAORDINARY! Support the show

How to stop being afraid of life & adopt a fearless approach to living PODCAST: Today's episode discusses how to break free of the anxiety and worry that keep us from living the life we truly deserve. When we understand our psychology, we can start to re-program our negative thoughts and beliefs and become confident, fearless, and ready to enjoy life on a whole new level! I hope you find it helpful and healing! ✧ If you haven't already, please subscribe to our channel where we cover all topics having to do with self-growth and emotional well-being such as anxiety relief and management, mindfulness, psychology, philosophy, personality theory, forgiving ourselves, overcoming procrastination, moving forward, positivity, self-care and acceptance, taking inspired action, mental health, living in the moment, motivation, cultivating joy and much more! Thanks so much for watching! ✧ Nena Lavonne is a certified life coach, author, and motivational speaker with an educational background in developmental and personality psychology who specializes in self development. Nothing brings her more happiness than helping others lead more meaningful, joyful, and fulfilling lives. Nena also has a weekly podcast called "Pathways To Happiness" which is available on multiple platforms. ✧ If you need additional support and feel that your mental health is suffering, seeking help from a licensed mental health professional can provide further guidance, support, treatment options, and coping strategies. This channel is for informational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing on this channel is intended to substitute therapy. Please know that positive change is possible! Support the show

Cognitive Distortions - Should Statements - How the "shoulds" are keeping you in a cycle of guilt, shame, anxiety, inadequacy, and depression, and how to reframe this toxic thought pattern PSYCHOLOGY & PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT: In today's episode, we talk about "should statements" - they are the seemingly harmless things we tell ourselves in our mind that are connected to what we think we SHOULD be doing or MUST do, that we are not. This self-pressure not only does NOT motivate us, but instead lowers our self-esteem and fills us with negative emotions. We will discuss the very simple way we can break this habit and re-claim control of our lives and choices. I hope you find it healing and helpful! ✧ If you haven't already, please subscribe to our channel where we cover all topics having to do with self-growth and emotional well-being such as anxiety relief and management, mindfulness, psychology, philosophy, personality theory, forgiving ourselves, overcoming procrastination, moving forward, positivity, self-care and acceptance, taking inspired action, mental health, living in the moment, motivation, cultivating joy and much more! Thanks so much! Support the show

Are We Lying to Ourselves? The Psychology of Self-Deceit : Why are we so afraid to be honest with ourselves? Are you hiding your truths from yourself? Today's episode dives deep into the reasons why we do this, how to know if we are lying to ourselves, the harm that it causes to ourselves, our relationships, and our authenticity, and how to learn to face our fears and true reality. Even when we believe we are telling ourselves a "noble lie", we have good intentions, or we are completely unaware that we are deceiving ourselves, it comes at a great cost to us. Today's episode addresses this topic through a lens of compassion and empowerment. It is never too late to live our truth and heal from the emotions and situations in our life that are causing us suffering. I hope you find it healing and helpful! ✧ If you haven't already, please subscribe to our channel where we cover all topics having to do with self-growth and emotional well-being such as anxiety relief and management, mindfulness, psychology, philosophy, personality theory, forgiving ourselves, overcoming procrastination, moving forward, positivity, self-care and acceptance, taking inspired action, mental health, living in the moment, motivation, cultivating joy and much more! Thanks so much for watching! Support the show

TRUE SELF-AWARENESS & SELF DISCOVERY: HOW TO KNOW YOURSELF MORE DEEPLY AND CREATE YOUR BEST LIFE: In today's episode, we discuss the value of knowing and understanding ourselves fully, and how it can help us to design a life that is meaningful and fulfilling. We'll talk about different fun and effective approaches to getting to know ourselves better and strategies for digging beneath the surface and getting to know what truly drives our thoughts and behaviors. When we can truly understand our own personality, quirks, needs, motivation, and habits, we can respond more effectively to life, reduce suffering, and increase joy. Getting to know yourself and your own psychology is a gift that continues to give throughout our lifetime and leads to authenticity and self acceptance. I hope you find it inspiring and helpful! ✧ If you haven't already, please subscribe to our channel where we cover all topics having to do with self-growth and emotional well-being such as anxiety relief and management, mindfulness, psychology, philosophy, personality theory, forgiving ourselves, overcoming procrastination, moving forward, positivity, self-care and acceptance, taking inspired action, mental health, living in the moment, motivation, cultivating joy and much more! Support the show

HOW TO SPOT AND DEAL WITH NEGATIVE PEOPLE AND ENERGY VAMPIRES / PSYCHOLOGY AND SELF HELP: A psychic vampire (or energy vampire) is a term for those who drain the emotional energy from us and leave us feeling overwhelmed and exhausted. This video explains how to identify and respond to this toxic behavior can help you preserve your energy & protect yourself from a great deal of emotional distress. How can we identify energy vampires?These are the people who suck out all our positive energy out of in order to fuel their never-ending hunger for negativity and drama and can include toxic family members, co-workers, and friends. They may be intrusive, show poor boundaries, be overly critical, be overly dramatic, find fault with everything, make mountains out of molehills, be chronic complainers, always find problems in everything, refuse to take no for an answer, unable to accept responsibility, and blame everyone but themselves for their problems and unhappiness. Needless to say, we end up completely drained when we spend time with them. This video offers 8 effective strategies for dealing with, and disarming, energy vampires and offers a psychological look at why this behavior might be there in the first place. I hope you find it empowering and helpful! ✧ If you haven't already, please subscribe to our channel where we cover all topics having to do with self-growth and emotional well-being such as anxiety relief and management, mindfulness, psychology, philosophy, personality theory, forgiving ourselves, overcoming procrastination, moving forward, positivity, self-care and acceptance, taking inspired action, mental health, living in the moment, motivation, cultivating joy and much more! Thanks so much for watching! Support the show

Are you thriving...or just surviving life as best you can? This motivational podcast talks about how to escape the cycle of constantly living survival mode and just barely getting by in our life and how to get inspired by life again and truly begin to thrive and enjoy ourselves. We will talk about how to recognize the signs of survival mode, as well as reasons why we may have gotten there. If you feel like you are just kind of stuck, like you are going through the motions, but not really getting anywhere, we will discuss how to break this vicious cycle and shift from just existing to taking action and rebooting using strategies from Positive Psychology. When we live in survival mode too long, it can negatively affect our mental and physical health. If you feel like your life is overwhelming, chaotic, stressful, and filled with anxiety, changes need to be made. It's time to start living and stop surviving. Life is too short not to enjoy the journey. I hope you find this podcast healing and inspiring! ✧ If you haven't already, please subscribe to our channel where we cover all topics having to do with self-growth and emotional well-being such as anxiety relief and management, mindfulness, psychology, philosophy, personality theory, forgiving ourselves, overcoming procrastination, moving forward, positivity, self-care and acceptance, taking inspired action, mental health, living in the moment, motivation, cultivating joy and much more! Thanks so much for watching! Support the show

The Importance of Self-Belief - how to learn to trust yourself and believe in your ability to succeed / how to increase self efficacy - PSYCHOLOGY & SELF DEVELOPMENT PODCAST - Self-efficacy (self belief) is concept originally developed the psychologist Albert Bandura and it refers to our own beliefs about our capabilities and ability to achieve goals or to complete tasks. Our self belief affects every area of our lives and influences our ability to face challenges competently and the choices that we make. Strong self-efficacy promotes accomplishment and well-being. This video discusses all aspects of this concept and discusses real ways to raise self efficacy and how to start to believe in ourselves and our own abilities. I hope you find it healing and helpful! ✧ If you haven't already, please subscribe to our channel where we cover all topics having to do with self-growth and emotional well-being such as anxiety relief and management, mindfulness, psychology, philosophy, personality theory, forgiving ourselves, overcoming procrastination, moving forward, positivity, self-care and acceptance, taking inspired action, mental health, living in the moment, motivation, cultivating joy and much more! Thanks so much for listening! Support the show

HOW TO STOP HOLDING A GRUDGE AND LET GO OF ANGER & RESENTMENT: Are you feeling bitter, holding grudges, or trapped in a loop of negative emotions when replaying the actions or words of other people in your mind over and over? Do you dream of getting even, getting revenge, or feel like your emotions are getting the best of you? Are you simply finding it impossible to forgive someone and move on? Today's episode is all about overcoming feeling resentful, and healing the hurt of this complex emotional reaction. We will discuss what resentment really is, some of the obvious and not so obvious causes, signs that we might be harboring resentment, the psychological underpinnings, the impact it has on our mental health, and of course, how to let go of resentment and begin to heal ourselves and our relationships and begin to forgive and forget. I truly hope you find it helpful and insightful. ✧ If you haven't already, please subscribe to our channel where we cover all topics having to do with self-growth and emotional well-being such as anxiety relief and management, mindfulness, psychology, philosophy, personality theory, forgiving ourselves, overcoming procrastination, moving forward, positivity, self-care and acceptance, taking inspired action, mental health, living in the moment, motivation, cultivating joy and much more! Thanks so much for watching! Support the show

MUSIC PSYCHOLOGY - USING MUSIC THERAPY TO IMPROVE MENTAL HEALTH, WELLNESS, SELF-AWARENESS & TO HELP US THROUGH DIFFICULT TIMES - In today's episode, we discuss the psychological benefits of using our favorite music as a form of self therapy, and how to use music to improve our mood, self--understanding, life satisfaction, and overall mental health. Music therapy is the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals and to aid in healing. Using techniques from this powerful therapeutic practice can help us process difficult emotions and and has numerous other benefits, including improved cognitive performance, mood regulation, and enhanced motivation. Studies have also linked listening to music or playing an instrument with a reduction in stress, anxiety, grief and depression. Analyzing our musical tastes and the lyrics and musical genres we are drawn to can also help us to better understand ourselves, our needs, and our desires. I hope you find it interesting and insightful! ✧ If you haven't already, please subscribe to our channel where we cover all topics having to do with self-growth and emotional well-being such as anxiety relief and management, mindfulness, psychology, philosophy, personality theory, forgiving ourselves, overcoming procrastination, moving forward, positivity, self-care and acceptance, taking inspired action, mental health, living in the moment, motivation, cultivating joy and much more! Thanks so much for watching! Support the show

Today's episode discusses the psychology behind why we tend to romanticize the past so much and long for the way things were, and offers strategies for how we can finally let go and move forward in our lives. It talks about "rosy retrospection" , which is a psychological phenomenon in which we tend to judge the past disproportionately more positively than the present, and how we can begin to separate our glamorized version of memories from reality. When we romanticize someone or something, we can become disillusioned with his present, and fail to see the positive or possibilities there. This podcast discusses how we can stop thinking about or fantasizing about the past, and begin to fully step into the here and now and finally enjoy life again. I truly hope you find it helpful and healing! ✧ If you haven't already, please subscribe to our channel where we cover all topics having to do with self-growth and emotional well-being such as anxiety relief and management, mindfulness, psychology, philosophy, personality theory, forgiving ourselves, overcoming procrastination, moving forward, positivity, self-care and acceptance, taking inspired action, mental health, living in the moment, motivation, cultivating joy and much more! Support the show

This episode discusses a cognitive distortion in psychology called "splitting", which is often referred to as "black and white thinking" or "all or nothing thinking". We can think of it as the failure in our thinking to bring together the dichotomy of both positive and negative qualities of the self and others into a cohesive, realistic whole. It is a common defense mechanism that can lead to anxiety, depression, and extreme negative emotions. Black and white thinking can also harm our relationships, and greatly lower our self esteem. In today's "Pathways to Happiness Podcast" episode, we'll talk about what exactly this means, discuss some examples, and most importantly, go over some effective strategies to eliminate this destructive thinking pattern forever. I hope you find it healing and helpful! ✧ If you haven't already, please subscribe to our channel where we cover all topics having to do with self-growth and emotional well-being such as anxiety relief and management, mindfulness, psychology, philosophy, personality theory, forgiving ourselves, overcoming procrastination, moving forward, positivity, self-care and acceptance, taking inspired action, mental health, living in the moment, motivation, cultivating joy and much more! Thanks so much for watching! ✧ Nena Lavonne is a certified life coach, author, and motivational speaker with a background in developmental and personality psychology who specializes in self development. Nothing brings her more happiness than helping others lead more meaningful, joyful, and fulfilling lives. Nena also has a weekly podcast called "Pathways To Happiness" which is available on multiple platforms. Support the show

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF STRANGER THINGS & THE PSYCHOLOGICAL CONCEPT OF NOSTALGIA As we await Season Four of Stranger Things, I thought it would be fun to do a tribute & deep dive into some of the psychological principals and concepts that make the show so popular. This episode brings us back to the eighties and talks about why the decade is so appealing, and why the show feels nostalgic, even to people who weren't alive during the decade. Join me as turn the Upside Down inside out, and examine why we love it so much. If you would like to request more Stranger Things or other Pop Psychology Topics, please leave a comment below, and subscribe for more psychology, mental health, and personal development topics. Support the show

HOW TO BECOME PATIENT: Are you impatient? In this chaotic, rushed world of instant gratification we live in, it seems difficult not to be. More than ever, we feel irritable, restless, and we find it difficult to deal with setbacks, delays, wastes of time, and inconveniences. It can cause great frustration, anxiety, and agitation in our life and relationships as well as greatly interfere with our ability to relax and enjoy life. Today's episode discusses the three major causes of impatience, the psychology and benefits of patience to our health and wellbeing, signs that we struggle with impatience, and most importantly, how to rein in our impatience and learn the true virtue of patience. Being patient is linked to incredibly positive consequences such as better mental and physical health, stronger relationships, more life fulfillment, and a deeper sense of joy and happiness. I hope today's episode is relatable and helpful! Support the show

The hidden power of kindness: This episode discusses the healing power of kindness, how to be more kind and altruistic, the psychology behind it, and why it can seem so difficult to be kind when we are experiencing our own suffering. When we are intentionally kind and compassionate, it leads to many significant positive changes in our mood, brain, and life. It is a simple yet impactful concept that truly has the power to heal and enhance our well-being. Every act of kindness creates a ripple effect that leads to others being more kind themselves, as well as more empathetic and grateful. Simply put, kindness matters. Nena Lavonne is a certified life coach, author, and motivational speaker that specializes in personal development. Nothing brings her more happiness than helping others lead more meaningful, joyful, and fulfilling lives. If you need additional support and feel that your mental health is suffering, seeking help from a licensed mental health professional can provide further guidance, support, treatment options, and coping strategies. Support the show

In today's episode, I answer audience questions and address topics such as: * Will things ever be the same? Can things go back to the way they were? * Is it possible to change another person? * Minimalism & the benefits of being a minimalist * Book, Movie & Television Recommendations * How to cope with & address differences in religion and spirituality between family members / what to do when loved ones disapprove of your decisions and beliefs * How to find a purpose & passion / what to do when your life feels like it has no meaning I hope you find it both healing and helpful! Nena Lavonne is a certified life coach, author, and motivational speaker that specializes in personal development. Nothing brings her more happiness than helping others lead more meaningful, joyful, and fulfilling lives. If you need additional support and feel that your mental health is suffering, seeking help from a licensed mental health professional can provide further guidance, support, treatment options, and coping strategies. Support the show

This episode discusses powerful insight from the film "Nomadland" and the path towards finding self liberation and mental freedom at a time when authenticity seems to have been forgotten. In this thought-provoking movie, the character Fern learns to carve her own path and sets on a healing journey to overcome her grief and the limitations she had previously lived her life by. Today we reflect on the common thread that we all have with this character, and how we can start to break away from our own perceived limitations and begin to live a life that is truly a beautiful adventure. See you down the road! :) Nomadland is currently in theaters and streaming on Hulu. Nena Lavonne is a certified life coach, author, and motivational speaker that specializes in personal development. Nothing brings her more happiness than helping others lead more meaningful, joyful, and fulfilling lives. If you need additional support and feel that your mental health is suffering, seeking help from a licensed mental health professional can provide further guidance, support, treatment options, and coping strategies. Support the show

Is your life becoming a show? So often, we unconsciously let the judgements and opinions of others shape our lives and we begin to lose sight of the importance of living authentically and feeling free to create and experience life on our own terms. This episode invites us to make life and adventure again and to stop giving the world a backstage pass to our unique experience. It is time to become the author of our lives, and write whatever story brings us the most happiness! I hope you find it both healing and helpful! Nena Lavonne is a certified life coach, author, and motivational speaker that specializes in personal development. Nothing brings her more happiness than helping others lead more meaningful, joyful, and fulfilling lives. If you need additional support and feel that your mental health is suffering, seeking help from a licensed mental health professional can provide further guidance, support, treatment options, and coping strategies. The Pathways to Happiness with Nena Lavonne Podcast is available on multiple platforms. Please subscribe here to our YouTube channel where we cover all topics having to do with self-growth and emotional well-being such as anxiety relief, mindfulness, mental health, psychology, self-care and acceptance, living in the moment, being our authentic self, motivation, cultivating joy and much more! Support the show

Does everyone have a dark side? In this episode, we explore what psychologist Carl Jung described as the "Shadow Self" - the unconscious, unknown parts of our personality that we repress or hide. It can contain aspects of ourselves that we are ashamed of, our most painful memories, and any of our thoughts or instincts that we are afraid to share. We will define the concept and its history, and then discuss how we can face, heal, integrate, and understand this part of ourselves. When we make peace with our shadow, and offer ourselves the love and compassion we deserve, we can begin to heal on the deepest level possible. I hope you find it interesting and helpful! Nena Lavonne is a certified life coach, author, and motivational speaker that specializes in personal development. Nothing brings her more happiness than helping others lead more meaningful, joyful, and fulfilling lives. If you need additional support and feel that your mental health is suffering, seeking help from a licensed mental health professional can provide further guidance, support, treatment options, and coping strategies. Support the show

Breaking out of a half lived life: Have you gotten to a place where you feel your life is on repeat? That everything is redundant, uninspiring, and boring? Are you simply going through the motions and merely surviving, or are you truly thriving and living your best life? If you are reading to snap out of zombie-mode and start creating a joyful, meaningful and fufilling life, it is more than possible! This episode offers strategies and tips for becoming engaged and having fun again. I hope you find it both healing and helpful! Nena Lavonne is a certified life coach, author, and motivational speaker that specializes in personal development. Nothing brings her more happiness than helping others lead more meaningful, joyful, and fulfilling lives. If you need additional support and feel that your mental health is suffering, seeking help from a licensed mental health professional can provide further guidance, support, treatment options, and coping strategies. The Pathways to Happiness with Nena Lavonne Podcast is available on multiple platforms. Please subscribe here to our YouTube channel where we cover all topics having to do with self-growth and emotional well-being such as anxiety relief, mindfulness, mental health, psychology, self-care and acceptance, living in the moment, being our authentic self, motivation, cultivating joy and much more! Support the show