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Do you feel overwhelmed with your todo list? Is "creating fulfilling happiness" missing from that list? Everyday Happiness with Katie Jefcoat is here to help you. In 2-minutes a day, over time, you’ll discover how to reduce overwhelm and create lasting happiness through Katie’s signature method of Intentional Margins, happiness science, and musings about life. Start your day with a positive mindset. Many of us can get deep in the feeling of overwhelm. The anxiety of our own ambition can weigh heavily on our thoughts and emotions. We lay down and close our eyes at night and our chest begins to feel heavy. More items on the to-do list than the day before. How will we ever going to get off the hamster wheel of to-dos? When are we going to start living life for more than the hustle? As a recovering lawyer and passion driven entrepreneur, Katie knew something had to change. What she found is that you can have harmony, be intentionally productive and create massive impact, all at the same time - without feeling guilty. So she asked herself a simple question: "How can I get off the hamster wheel and how can I show others how to do the same? She knew she'd had a system for herself, but she’d never put it into defining words. On August 15, 2019, she sat down at her dining room table with her friend Jenna (her business bestie). Post-It notes covering the table. This is where she first defined the concept of Intentional Margins. What are Intentional Margins? INTENTIONAL MARGINS™ (n): A buffer of space and time to create harmony between your to-do’s and your priorities. Now you can get the support you need to manage your overwhelm, one little tip at a time. Regardless of the industry, Everyday Happiness blends inspiration with a pragmatic approach to finding Harmony. You'll be encouraged to throw “balance” out the window for a more achievable approach called harmony. Through Intentional Margins™, you'll be encouraged to develop what harmony means to you, by identifying your priorities at work and at home. Every day, we'll end the podcast help you feel equipped to jump off the hamster wheel of overwhelm and go out there and crush your day. --About the Host-- Katie Jefcoat is a community curator, speaker, author and motivator who supports ambitious women (and a few good men) move from feeling hectic to harmonious. As a recovering trial lawyer, she knows first hand what it feels like to have a demanding job. As an entrepreneur with a passion that lights her hair on fire and a busy family she’s in the thick of it with you. Many people strive for balance and think overwhelm is just a part of life. Sadly, the hustle culture and our never-ending to-do list is creating a life where our priorities are getting the leftover scraps of time. Katie introduces people to what she calls - Intentional Margins™ - a kind of life in which they reduce randomness, create harmony between their to-dos and their priorities and intentionally enjoy the meaningful parts of life - without feeling guilty. Without exposure to a different way, we remain stuck on the hamster wheel of to-dos and never find the “balance” we yearn for. Katie works diligently to expose her community to different ways of doing things, because she fundamentally believes we deserve to make time for our priorities. We deserve to live a life of harmony. And it’s within our control to create it. Katie curates a smorgasbord of content related to managing your calendar, handling overwhelm, setting boundaries, reducing randomness, saying no, self-care, the power of your choices, and more in her Intentional Margins™ Membership Community -- which she calls the coziest virtual coffee shop (on Facebook). Connect and learn more at www.katiejefcoat.com.
Episodes

Monday Jul 05, 2021
34- Will money buy me happiness?
Monday Jul 05, 2021
Monday Jul 05, 2021
34-Will-Money-Buy-Happiness?
Will money buy me happiness? Well, the answer is, maybe.
Transcript:
Welcome to Everyday Happiness where we create lasting happiness, in 2 minutes a day, through my signature method of Intentional Margins (creating harmony between your to-dos and your priorities), happiness science, and musings about life.
I'm your host Katie Jefcoat and I was curious,
Will money buy me happiness? Well, the answer is, maybe. Artur Brooks, Harvard professor and contributing editor for the Atlantic said it’s less about money and more about satisfaction. That got me thinking.
The research says that after you make about $75,000 a year salary in America, your happiness does not rise exponentially when you make more money. In fact, the social scientists mostly say that “money doesn’t buy happiness”. This is because of a scientific principle called Hedonic Adaptation or known as the hedonic treadmill. It’s this idea that when you have what you have, you get used to those circumstances and you eventually want more.
Think back to your last pay raise or big bonus? Do you want another one? It probably felt great in the moment, but it’s been a while and you don’t have that same euphoria you once did. It’s natural human behavior. The scientists named this hedonic adaptation.
Instead, to counteract our human biology and appreciate more of what we have. We can create a “haves” bucket list instead of a “wants” bucket list. We can write down our gratitude for the things we have right now. This will help trick our mind and bring us lasting happiness.
I’m curious, would this work for you? Join the discussion on the hashtags #IntentionalMargins and #everydayhappinesswithkatie on Instagram.

Sunday Jul 04, 2021
33-50 Percent Of Happiness Is In Our DNA
Sunday Jul 04, 2021
Sunday Jul 04, 2021
If 50 percent of our happiness is pre-programed in our DNA. Let’s call that our baseline happiness. What can we do to manipulate the other 50-ish percent?
Transcript:
Welcome to Everyday Happiness where we create lasting happiness, in 2 minutes a day, through my signature method of Intentional Margins® (creating harmony between your to-dos and your priorities), happiness science, and musings about life.
I'm your host Katie Jefcoat.
I found it fascinating that researchers have settled on the idea that our DNA makes up for about 50% of our happiness. It’s our baseline happiness. And the other 50% is made up of our circumstances and our habits. So our circumstances come and go, both good and bad. What’s interesting from the researches is that our circumstances don’t keep us happy or sad for very long, that’s just not part of the way our mind works. So the lottery won’t keep you happy for the rest of your life and the same is true if you are in a terrible accident or get cancer.
That leaves us with what we can control. And this is what gets me super excited about life. This percent of happiness we can directly affect by how we show up. Who we surround ourselves with, what types of content we consume, if we move our bodies, if we have good happiness habits, like gratitude and if our work is purposeful to us, not the type of work, but it’s more about the feeling it gives us. This is where the magic happens.
Today, think about what you can control. How are you showing up? What is one thing you can do to give yourself a boost in happiness? And make it a good day.
Let me know how you are intentionally showing up today by DMing me on social at @everydayhappinesswithkatie and join the community on the hashtags #IntentionalMargins and #everydayhappinesswithkatie on Instagram.

Saturday Jul 03, 2021
32-Harmony For More Happiness
Saturday Jul 03, 2021
Saturday Jul 03, 2021
What seems to be universal in happiness research is that it is completely opposite to goal setting and productivity. In fact, you shouldn’t focus on one aspect of happiness (work) at the exclusion of other parts (connection). What we need, is harmony.
Transcript:
Welcome to Everyday Happiness where we create lasting happiness, in 2 minutes a day, through my signature method of Intentional Margins® (creating harmony between your to-dos and your priorities), happiness science, and musings about life.
I'm your host Katie Jefcoat.
So many of us go all-in on our careers, thinking that when we “make it”, we’ll finally be happy. That elusive quest for happiness is such a big word. I know so many people who have put everything into their professional career at the expense of their personal lives. Were there times they were happy, of course. But lately, those friends are looking back and wondering why they’re successful and still unhappy. It’s like they’re on the treadmill and can’t reach this destination they think exists.
It’s also so common for people to have all the things you “want” - the car, the house, the fancy jewelry and be really unsatisfied with life.
What the research tells us is that there has to be balance. Or as I like to call it, Harmony. It’s clear, money is important, a good job is part of the equation for most people, the threshold seems to be that anything over $75,000 a year won’t have a more positive affect on your happiness. More money won't actually make you happier.
We must look at other factors that promote happiness including your health, your connection with others, your level of an optimistic outlook on life, and even your purpose.
What seems to be universal in the happiness science is that it is completely opposite to goal setting and productivity, is that you shouldn’t focus on one aspect of happiness (work) at the exclusion of other parts (connection). It’s harmony. One aspect might be more critical at a certain time, it’s not equal devotion to each part of the happiness spectrum, it’s recognizing that happiness is much bigger than one achievement and when we are in harmony, we can uncover lasting happiness.
Join the discussion on the hashtags #IntentionalMargins and #everydayhappinesswithkatie on Instagram.

Friday Jul 02, 2021
31-Happiness Hack Gratitude
Friday Jul 02, 2021
Friday Jul 02, 2021
When you are feeling like you want more. Gratitude can be the hack you are looking for.
Transcript:
Welcome to Everyday Happiness where we create lasting happiness, in 2 minutes a day, through my signature method of Intentional Margins® (creating harmony between your to-dos and your priorities), happiness science, and musings about life.
I'm your host Katie Jefcoat.
We’ve talked about hedonic adaptation before, it’s the scientific term for adapting to what you have and wanting more. It’s kind of human nature. You get a raise at work, you get used to that salary and then you want another raise. You’ve become accustomed to that level of income and you want more.
One sure fire way to combat hedonic adaptation is really digging into gratitude. What happens in our brains is that we start to adapt to what we have and we become less grateful for these things, they become necessities rather than luxuries. So expressing our gratitude or appreciation helps trigger our brain to resist hedonic adaptation.
Now that we know this. We need to make gratitude a habit. Either in the form of a gratitude journal or intentionally thinking about gratitude. Bonus, if you tell someone. We need to rewire our brains for as much positivity as possible and gratitude is a surefire way to do it.
The more positivity, the happier we'll be.
What are you grateful for today! Let me know by DMing me on social at @everydayhappinesswithkatie and join the community on the hashtags #IntentionalMargins and #everydayhappinesswithkatie on Instagram.

Thursday Jul 01, 2021
30-Monkey See Monkey Do
Thursday Jul 01, 2021
Thursday Jul 01, 2021
If misery loves company, then happiness must also be contagious. Want proof?
Transcript:
Welcome to Everyday Happiness where we create lasting happiness, in 2 minutes a day, through my signature method of Intentional Margins® (creating harmony between your to-dos and your priorities), happiness science, and musings about life.
I'm your host Katie Jefcoat.
I’ve been obsessed with this scientific principle of behavioral contagion. This is the tendency of behaviors exhibited by one individual to be copied by others nearby. In other words: monkey see, monkey do.
Look, if we’re surrounded by people that are miserable, we start to see things through that lens, and perhaps, we may start to dip on our own happiness scale. That’s no good.
But, what is so exciting is that behavioral contagion will also cause the spread of happiness because when people are happy, they exude happiness, they want to do upbeat activities, talk about their happiness, laugh, and focus on the positive in a situation.
So if we are around these people, we unconsciously mimic these behaviors and in the process actually become happier. This initiates a chain reaction, making everyone around us happier, and this is what results in the formation of the clusters of happiness found in the University of California, San Diego research study (University of California, San Diego in 2008).
How cool is that? There is actually scientific research that shows that who you invite into your space and who you surround yourself with, makes a difference on your personal happiness.
So, I’m asking you today - who will you seek out for happiness today? Let me know by DMing me on social at @everydayhappinesswithkatie and join the community on the hashtags #IntentionalMargins and #everydayhappinesswithkatie on Instagram.

Wednesday Jun 30, 2021
29-Happiness Hack Smile More
Wednesday Jun 30, 2021
Wednesday Jun 30, 2021
Turn up the corners of your lips for more happiness. Here is why!
Transcript:
Welcome to Everyday Happiness where we create lasting happiness, in 2 minutes a day, through my signature method of Intentional Margins® (creating harmony between your to-dos and your priorities), happiness science, and musings about life.
I'm your host Katie Jefcoat.
I heard of this theory that you literally cannot hold two emotions at the same time. When you smile, you can’t be mad. You are also sending the signal to the universe that you are happy and you will accept more happiness.
I was curious what the science said about this and if I could hack my bad mood, just by smiling.
Well, the scientific research shows that if you smile, your mood actually improves. This is great news for us. We can effectively improve our mood by smiling.
Researchers think that by smiling, even when you don’t want to, you activate a specific set of muscles in the face. That set of muscles is closely connected to the emotions of happiness and joy. By smiling, you give your brain that signal that you’re good. So even if it's not totally true, it will be soon. And that is incredible.
For me, I’m working on a mediation practice and I can 100% see how turning up the corners of my lips during my meditation will help increase my happiness. So, how will you smile more today?
Let me know by DMing me on social at @everydayhappinesswithkatie and join the community on the hashtags #IntentionalMargins and #everydayhappinesswithkatie on Instagram.

Tuesday Jun 29, 2021
28-Happy People Make You Happier 2 of 2
Tuesday Jun 29, 2021
Tuesday Jun 29, 2021
Surrounding yourself with happy people will distract you from negative thoughts, like that annoying co-worker. Happiness is contagious - scientifically speaking.
Transcript:
Welcome to Everyday Happiness where we create lasting happiness, in 2 minutes a day, through my signature method of Intentional Margins® (creating harmony between your to-dos and your priorities), happiness science, and musings about life.
I'm your host Katie Jefcoat and we’re talking about who you surround yourself with.
I was reading this article in Psychology King that was fascinating and I’m going to give you the cliff notes here.
There are apparently a number of reasons why being around happy people makes us happier. For one, it distracts us from the negative thoughts, the annoyance at work, the email you just received. You literally cannot be happy and mad at the same time.
But what was interesting is this concept called behavioral contagion. This is the tendency of behaviors exhibited by one individual to be copied by others nearby. In other words: monkey see, monkey do. This is why it’s so difficult not to yawn when you see somebody else yawning.
Now, you’re yawning… I get it. Me too.
Now, I get it, we can’t always choose who we have to interact with. But what about the people we can choose. Perhaps we limit the time with the negative nellie and increase the time with the friend that’s supportive and happy. That happiness will wear off on you. It’s scientifically proven that when we are around happy people, we will be happier.
I invite you to choose an interaction today, just for happiness. Perhaps you limit one or you intentionally seek out someone that you know brings you happiness. Either way you’re winning.
Let me know how it went, DM me on social at @everydayhappinesswithkatie and join the community on the hashtags #IntentionalMargins and #everydayhappinesswithkatie on Instagram.

Monday Jun 28, 2021
27-Happy People Make You Happier 1 of 2
Monday Jun 28, 2021
Monday Jun 28, 2021
The science is overwhelmingly clear. The people you surround yourself with matter for your personal well-being.
Transcript:
Welcome to Everyday Happiness where we create lasting happiness, in 2 minutes a day, through my signature method of Intentional Margins® (creating harmony between your to-dos and your priorities), happiness science, and musings about life.
I'm your host Katie Jefcoat and what I know for sure, is that the people you surround yourself with matter.
So, I’m sure you’ve heard the saying “misery loves company”, but research shows that being around miserable and unhappy people also creates more misery and unhappiness within ourselves. You could see this in 2020 as we entered a global pandemic.
The good news is that it also works the other way—being around happy people makes us happy. So, how do we make sure the people we interact with every day are happy? It’s actually easier than you think.
I mean, we’ve also all heard “laughter is the best medicine” right? It’s contagious. Happiness is contagious and that’s pretty cool.
There is a study out of the University of California that pretty much proves this.
I went down a psychology rabbit hole on this topic. I wanted to understand why we were happier when we surround ourselves with happy people and what tweeks we could do to enhance this effect for ourselves. So tomorrow we’ll dig deeper into contagious happiness.
But for now, make a mental note of who you surround yourself with? Who would you like to spend more time with and how can you make that happen?
Join the community on the hashtags #IntentionalMargins and #everydayhappinesswithkatie on Instagram.

Sunday Jun 27, 2021
26-Gratitude List
Sunday Jun 27, 2021
Sunday Jun 27, 2021
It’s proven. A number of studies have shown that making daily lists of the things you feel grateful for—so we focus our attention on it—improves our happiness and well-being. Have you tried it?
Transcript:
Welcome to Everyday Happiness where we create lasting happiness, in 2 minutes a day, through my signature method of Intentional Margins® (creating harmony between your to-dos and your priorities), happiness science, and musings about life.
I'm your host Katie Jefcoat and today we’re chatting about a gratitude list.
A number of studies have shown that making daily lists of the things you feel grateful for—so we focus our attention on it—improves our happiness and well-being.
There is research that verbally expressing the gratitude we feel to people close to us helps increase and sustain our well-being above and beyond simply feeling or writing down gratitude.
Today, I invite you to take that gratitude list and speak life into it by sharing with others your gratitude. Maybe you are grateful for your partner and you share that with them today.
Maybe you are grateful for the cup of coffee you are sipping and you tell someone in your home how much you appreciate your morning coffee. Or better yet, call a friend you haven’t spoken to in a while and share gratitude and positive experiences, the science says, it will boost your happiness.
Let me know what you are grateful for today, send me a message on Instagram at @everydayhappinesswithkatie and join the community on the hashtags #IntentionalMargins and #everydayhappinesswithkatie on Instagram

Saturday Jun 26, 2021
25-Sharing Positive Experiences Boosts Happiness
Saturday Jun 26, 2021
Saturday Jun 26, 2021
When you verbally share a positive experience, it boosts your happiness. And spoiler alert, it boosts the other person’s happiness too. The research suggests that people who habitually tend to talk to people they are close with about the good things that are happening to them also tend to feel happier and more satisfied with life.
Transcript:
Welcome to Everyday Happiness where we create lasting happiness, in 2 minutes a day, through my signature method of Intentional Margins® (creating harmony between your to-dos and your priorities), happiness science, and musings about life.
I'm your host Katie Jefcoat and I saw a recent study by Nathaniel Lambert and colleagues at Brigham Young University that show that discussing positive experiences leads to more happiness.
This is incredible. It’s so easy to get caught up in the negative, in the gossip, in the ho-hum of the week when you get together with friends or even your partner. There is a common bond that forms when you have a common enemy.
So many of us don’t share all the good things, and we need to. It boosts everyone's happiness.
But the research suggests that you should not feel guilty for sharing the good experiences, because people who habitually tend to talk to people they are close with about the good things that are happening to them also tend to feel happier and more satisfied with life.
During the study, the researchers invited participants into a laboratory with a romantic partner or friend. Participants were asked to write down a positive experience or a neutral experience like a fact they had learned in class and either share it with their partner or not.
Those that shared a positive experience with their partner experienced a greater boost in well-being than those who did not share their experience with their partner or who shared a neutral experience with their partner.
These findings suggest that it is the act of sharing happiness (and not of just thinking about happiness but not sharing it, or of sharing neutral information) that boosts well-being.
Go out and share your happiness today and share it with me on social. @everydayhappinesswithkatie and join the community on the hashtags #IntentionalMargins and #everydayhappinesswithkatie on Instagram.