In February, I sat down with Momentum CEO, April Benetollo, to discuss how our psychological state manifests itself in our physical body. I’m passionate about this topic because how we think and feel directly affects our bodies and thereby our ability to be our best selves.
In our discussion, April and I delved into
- How my choice to pursue a 2nd career in leadership development was driven by my desire to get the tools I offered in therapy to more people earlier so fewer would end up in a psychologist office burned out or in a doctor’s office with a serious health concern.
- What being in a chronic state of stress does to the cells in our bodies and the Noble prize-winning research of Elizabeth Blackburn and Elissa Epel about this called the Telomere Effect.
- What we each need to be psychologically and physically healthy — a good night’s sleep, exercise, a healthy diet, and participation in activities that are meaningful and connect us with people.
- And finally, what elements are essential to well-being and ultimately happiness – positive emotion, engagement, positive relationships, meaning, and accomplishment. These elements are known as the PERMA model, designed by Martin Seligman, the father of positive psychology.
To listen to our full conversation and all the above topics we covered, click here. If you just have time to catch a short clip about happiness and PERMA, click on the video below.
