Jake Pearson  00:00

Are you trying to figure out the secret to happiness, we're here What Makes You Happy with Jake Pearson, we want to make that happiness more accessible for you in your life. So stick around as we interview everyday people, inspirational leaders and your favorite celebrities on what makes them happy.

Welcome back to the podcast where we ask the simple question, what makes you happy? 

My name is Jake Pearson and today we have with us a Healer and Transformational Coach, Sally DiCesare from Alexandria, Virginia, USA. Sally, it's a pleasure. How are you?

Sally DiCesare 00:43

I am super happy. Thanks, Jake. I'm delighted to be with you and your guests and your audience and this morning, it was so funny because as I was going through my emails and getting ready for today's call that-- I got this thing in my mail, I've got to read it to you. It's by a guy named Russell Nelson and it was so appropriate. 

The joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives. It has more to do with the focus of our lives and that really does. Doesn’t that say at all? I mean, I've been listening to some of your amazing previous podcasts and with all the information, it's like, when we trying to change our focus from Oh, this is horrible to well, now how can this work out for me or whatever. Oh, it totally shifts it, but I jumped right in because that was so—It was so appropriate. Things don't happen by accident, in my opinion. 

Jake Pearson  01:44

No, I completely believe that things don't have my accident and I really resonate with what you've just said. That little quote, there is a gold nugget and that could be one of the very first knowledge bombs were dropping through this episode but let's start with what makes you happy?

Sally DiCesare 02:04

Oh, gosh, well, I recently started taking an improv class. I'd been wanting to do improv for a long time. It scared me a little bit but I wasn't as scared as when I told people I was taking it and they went, Oh my gosh, you're going to do that, which made me go, why? Why should I be as scared as they're making, I mean, I'm a little timid but it has been so fun because the instructor is really like, you can't do anything wrong. Have fun with it. We're all here to support each other and it's a perfect analogy for how I like my life to be.

I like to have, just notice how I'm getting supported around. It's been a lot of fun to just say what's on my mind right off, and very freeing because you have to be present moment. Yes, that's what I'm doing for fun right now. I like to just be out in nature, we just went up to Vermont and hiked in the mountains and just listening to the water, the streams, babbling brooks, and it just feels good to get out there with the big old trees have been here forever. Yes, those things being out and moving in nature.

Jake Pearson  03:19

Now that was beautiful. I really love nature myself, like you sit and you just, instead of focusing on what's in your head, you pay attention to your senses, the sounds of the birds, the wind and the trees, sometimes just nothing and it. Yes, and there's a lot of peace and joy in that. You find that for you.

Sally DiCesare 03:39

Totally and just watching and looking at how quiet nature is and yet how powerful. There were trees that had grown through into rocks. I don't know how they even got started because there was no dirt on these rocks and they were growing through and breaking up the rocks just with the-- Just being who they were, right? I mean, I'm sitting here going wow, that's a really good analogy. As it comes out, yes. Oh, wow. So if we just sit and be who we are. Sometimes that's all it takes.

Jake Pearson  04:16

Yes and so that would probably tie into what you would share with our listeners in a way. We want to ask you, Sally, for our listeners who struggle finding their own happiness, what would you say to them? Is it pattern tied to that analogy there? Is there a little bit more there?

Sally DiCesare 04:34

Yes, I think I you really nailed it, Jake. I believe you're right, that it does have something to do with being where you are and who you are but it's also I'd add the piece of compassion. So often we are supportive of everybody else around us. We try to make everybody else's life easier. When we are ourselves are giving too much and not actually receiving and I like to remember that when we breathe, we breathe out and we breathe in, and you can't only breathe in and receive and you can't only breathe out. You have to have both. 

We want to give ourselves that same compassion and that same care that we give others and sometimes, right, it's not always going to be-- It's going to be a little more one sided than others but in in the whole balance of thing, you surely can't just breathe out the whole time and give, give, give.

Jake Pearson  05:35

I really love how you've put that because that's just another great analogy that I've never heard before. You can't just keep breathing out and I guess give, give, give. You need to breathe in and start to give to yourself or take for yourself because it's a balance, right? And if too much of one, you're very-- I guess, unhappy. Too much of the other, you could be considered selfish but if you find that balance, and I think that just ties into a lot of people are unhappy because they're not giving enough to themselves. 

They're not being compassionate. They're not being kind. They're not caring for themselves, but it's a hard thing to start with but that's a beautiful way of putting it in framing how to be a bit happier in your life. Sally, it's been an absolute pleasure having you on the podcast. Thank you so much.

Sally DiCesare 06:27

Thank you. It's been my pleasure. It's been my pleasure, Jake.

Jake Pearson  06:32

Thank you and if you'd love to connect with Sally, you can do so by checking out our podcast episode subscription below. Sally, once again, thank you so much for coming on the podcast. 

Thanks for listening to the podcast. We hope it gives you something to think about on your quest to discover what makes you happy. Make sure to check out whatmakesyouhappypodcast.com to connect with today's guest and follow us on all our social media platforms and to stay up to date on what's happening next and what makes you happy. Don't forget to share this episode with a friend and we'll see you next time.