1: Happy Is Not an Accident-12 Habits for a Happy Life

Ever feel like midlife has you running on an endless hamster wheel of responsibilities while your own dreams gather dust? You're not alone. The chaos of career transitions, empty nests, relationship shifts, and the hormonal hurricane of menopause can leave even the strongest women feeling depleted and lost. But what if this challenging chapter could become your most authentic and vibrant one yet?

Welcome to Life is Delicious, where host Marni Martin—multi-passionate entrepreneur, best-selling author, and self-proclaimed "hot midlife mama"—guides you back to your inner wisdom. Drawing from her own journey through career pivots, divorce, empty nesting, and caretaking, Marni transforms midlife challenges into invitations for profound reinvention. This isn't about surviving midlife; it's about crafting a next chapter overflowing with purpose, joy, and delicious possibilities.

Each week brings conversations with wellness specialists, spiritual growth experts, and guests with transformative stories that will inspire you to break free from overwhelm. You'll walk away with practical strategies, meaningful insights, and the permission to prioritize yourself again. Whether you're navigating menopause symptoms, processing an empty nest, or craving a complete life makeover, you'll find the guidance to create an intentional life that truly nourishes your soul. Remember, we weren't put here to merely survive—we were born to thrive and experience life as the delicious feast it's meant to be. Subscribe now and join a community of midlife women who are turning up the volume on their inner voice and writing their own recipes for a life that satisfies on every level.

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:01

Hey beautiful friends, it's Marni Martin, and welcome to this episode of Life is Delicious. I'm a multi-passionate entrepreneur, best-selling author, foodie, and voiceover artist, and I created the Life is Delicious podcast with one simple mission in mind, to help you add more flavor to your life and to help you write your own recipe for a life that feeds your soul. I'm so glad you're here. First, before we get started, I know that it is a great big noisy world out there and the fact that you have carved out a little bit of time for yourself to be here with me, it is truly an honor. And if you're new here, welcome to the Life is Delicious family. This is going to be so much fun. I created this podcast because over the past several years, I've been dedicated to creating a life that I love. And let me tell you, it wasn't always easy. Back in 2016, I went through my second divorce. And while I knew for sure that we were both going in different directions and had come as far as we could together on this journey, I was still pretty lost. I really had a vague idea of what I wanted because I had gotten pretty clear about what I didn't want. but I still spent the next few years letting go of a lot of my old life without a clear picture of what I truly wanted my new life to look like or who I actually wanted to be. Over the next few years, I struggled immensely with my self-worth and my real place in the world. I switched careers, I was living paycheck to paycheck, and I was up to my eyeballs in debt. I went through some pretty heavy personal challenges, and as a result, I spent a lot of my time living in fear, lack and discomfort. I knew there had to be something better. I think I'm really lucky because I was raised in a family that always encouraged positivity. And even from a young age, I was taught that I was responsible for my thoughts and that I was able to change my life for the better at any time. I had a great support system and family, but I tend to be a little bit of a lone wolf. And during that time, I forgot some of my true nature. I forgot that I could ask for help. I felt a lot of shame that I wasn't thriving, and I was afraid to admit that I was struggling. So I promised myself that I would excavate that girl that I once knew. And I made it a practice every day to pay attention to my thoughts and actions, and I started writing every day about the life I wanted to live and who I wanted to become. I have become incredibly passionate about cultivating joy in my life, and I have healed myself from being a chronic people-pleaser. I've learned to set boundaries that honor my needs. And of course, as I've gotten older, I just don't take as much shit as I used to. And listen, I don't claim to have all the answers, because I certainly don't. But I wanted to start this conversation because it's never too late to change course, fall back in love with ourselves, and remember who we truly are. I'll be coming to you every Monday with episodes on everything from managing stress to calling in abundance. to creating happy habits and environments that support a happy life and everything in between. Sometimes you and I will just have a one-on-one heart-to-heart. And other times, I'll have powerhouse guests, friends, and experts who will join us to shine their light on you. My motto here at Life is Delicious is ask better questions, cultivate happy habits, and live on purpose. It is my hope that with each episode you will be inspired to take action and create your own recipe for a life that feeds your soul. Because we deserve a big, juicy, delicious life. I love this quote by Buddha. A thousand candles can be lit from a single candle and the life of that candle will never be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared. There are tons and tons of studies that show that people whose general default for joy and happiness practice similar habits. Here are a few happiness habits that you might find that you'd like to add to your life. Happy people tend to regularly examine their behavior through journaling or meditation. It is in our nature to be social and to create connection with others. These relationships can be the one with ourself, with our loved ones, friends, family, co-workers, and our extended social circles. Number three, the habit of healthy environments. We're going to be doing a whole episode on this one. But this can be the environment of our mind, the thoughts and words that we say to ourselves, the environment of our home. our work environment, our social environment, and so much more. Number four, the habit of deliberate language. This is a big one, and we're going to be doing a whole episode on this as well. This is the words we speak to ourselves and to others. The agreements we make with ourselves, these agreements or beliefs, good or bad, will create the lens from which we view the world and everyone and everything in it. Number five, the habit of gratitude. Happy people generally look for reasons to be grateful in their life. They cultivate a habit of gratitude and default to living with a grateful heart. Number six, the habit of optimism. It is generally impossible to feel optimism and worry at the same time. In general, happy people see the world with a glass half full or a silver lining type of mentality. Number seven, the habit of kindness. Generosity and giving back are the usuals here. They look for ways to be kind and to be of service and generally enjoy giving to others. Number eight, the habit of self-love and nurturing. While we all have a tendency for self-sabotage and overly critical thinking sometimes, Happy people generally look for opportunities to be kind to themselves, and they have habits focused on recharging their batteries, doing self-care practices, and they usually have set at least some healthy boundaries. Number nine. The habit of curiosity. Instead of taking everything at face value, happy people tend to ask questions like, what else could this mean? And they seek to know more about things before they form an opinion. Number ten. The habit of growth. This one speaks for itself. Happy people in general look for ways to better themselves and their circumstances. Number 11. The habit of healthy boundaries. Oh boy, this is a big one. Although we've touched on this in self-care, happy people get clear about what makes them happy and what doesn't and put boundaries in place to honour their needs. And number 12. The habit of play. Happy people regularly cultivate creativity and have hobbies and sports that take them out of their head and into their bodies. Brene Brown says that play is a vital part of life as it helps us to lose track of time, reduce stress, and promote joy. So there you have it. I hope you found value in this episode. And if you did, I hope you'll share it with someone you love. This is just the beginning, my friends. We have so much more to unpack as we go on this journey together. If you have ever thought that you are not enough or you live with an itch for something greater, you want to live your life with enthusiasm and exhilaration, you love to just color outside the lines, you want to be open to fully expressing yourself, or you simply want to be the candle that lights up the world in your own unique way, then you are in the right place and this podcast is for you. Because I'm on a mission, to help you write your own recipe for a life that feeds your soul, I've created a book just for you. It's called Happy is Not an Accident, and it's a guided journal with exercises, awesome inspiring prompts, and deep provoking questions to help you get massive clarity on what you really desire and what truly makes you happy. I've been journaling for most of my life, and it's where I feel safest to be truthful with myself and where my greatest manifestations begin. And that's why I wanted to create something to specifically help you to do the same. Happy is Not an Accident is up on Amazon now. It's a great thing to grab to start your new year off right. And it makes the perfect gift for someone you love this holiday season. I hope you'll check it out. And in case nobody has told you today, there is not one person on this planet that is exactly like you. And the world is a better place because you're here. So thank you for being here. Go make it a great day and I'll see you next time on Life is Delicious.