Small Practices for Brighter Days With Paula Felps and Michelle Jones

A new Gallup poll says that Americans are feeling unusually pessimistic about the future, with optimism hitting its lowest point in two decades. This week, host Paula Felps and social media manager Michelle Jones dig into the poll results and explore why so many people are struggling emotionally, and — more importantly — what practical, evidence‑based habits can help us stay grounded, hopeful, and connected during difficult times. They also share what’s ahead for Happiness Month and how listeners can participate in this year’s community‑driven initiative. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why Americans are reporting historically low levels of optimism. How negativity bias and nonstop news consumption intensify feelings of gloom. Why balancing heaviness with humor or uplifting content can help regulate emotions.

You can listen to Small Practices for Brighter Days With Paula Felps and Michelle Jones online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Small Practices for Brighter Days With Paula Felps and Michelle Jones is an episode from Live Happy Now by Live Happy LLC.

This episode is 19:33 long.

This episode was published on Mar 3, 2026.

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