Happy Side Of Neutral

Ultimate Recipe for Balance

In this final episode of the season, we reveal the ultimate recipe for happiness!  Well… at least a summary of what we are taking away from all the brilliant women we heard from this season. I’m joined by my sister Heather Johnson who has been behind the scenes helping me process what we are hearing and was happy to chat about her own conclusions.

Jackie Ostberg (aka Nana) on Delighting in the Small Things

If you have been following along you will know that I said this would be the final episode. Well, another episode emerged that I think you will love. In this week’s episode, I interview one of the matriarchs of my family Jackie Ostberg. Nana is turning 95 in a few months and during this interview, she shared stories ranging from her childhood to what she’s currently reading and everything in between. Through these stories, we get a glimpse of the things that have continued to hold meaning and what has left her feeling happy as she looks back at her life. Influencers mentioned: The Book of Delights by Ross Gay

Corey Zehngebot on Why You Too Should Take a Sabbatical and Find Your Mojo

This week I’m joined by Corey Zehngebot. Corey is an urban designer, architect, and planner. She has worked in both government and the private sector. I know Corey from her time at the City of Boston, where she was one of the creative, outside-of-the-box thinkers that I gravitated to. But in this episode, we flipped the script and Corey mostly interviewed me. Corey has recently decided to take a sabbatical of her own. We got to talking about the value of taking this time and how to make the best use of it. Influencers discussed: * Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson * Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World by David Epstein * Me and White Supremacy: Combat Racism, Change the World, and Become a Good Ancestor by Layla F. Saad * Civilla, a non-profit design studio reimagining public institutions https://civilla.org/ [https://civilla.org/] * What Is Life Like When We Subtract Work From It? by Joe Pinsker [https://www.theatlantic.com/author/joe-pinsker/] The Atlantic May 23, 2022

INTERLUDE: Meaning Making - Tell me what you think?

We are taking a one-week break from the release schedule. So, while you are anxiously waiting for the next episode to drop, I would love to hear your thoughts. A few questions I have for you: * What has resonated with you from episodes you have listened to so far? * What themes have you heard across multiple guests? * Any other thoughts you want to share? Here are a few ways you can collaborate: * For folks listening on Spotify or Anchor, you can respond to the Q+A. * Put your thoughts in this form here https://bit.ly/happysidethoughts [https://bit.ly/happysidethoughts] * Or drop me a line at Marcy.Ostberg@gmail.com [Marcy.Ostberg@gmail.com]

Alex Lawrence on Key Ingredients to Fulfilling Work

Alex Lawrence has worked in both the public and non-profit sectors in roles aimed at making systems and services work better for the people they are meant to serve. She recently stepped into a big role on Boston Mayor Michelle Wu’s cabinet and is energized by the role. Alex has held many hard jobs and in her assessment of what made some life-giving and others draining she described three key ingredients to feeling fulfilled in her work. Hear from Alex about being busy and balanced and how unique the equation of finding happiness is to each individual. Alex’s recommend influencers: * The Practice of Adaptive Leadership by Ronald Heifetz