The Essay: Kudos to Kindess
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The Essay: Three Strikes and I am In
Applying to college brings an array of emotions, varying from extreme stress to an abundance of joy. Kate Mautz opens up about her college application experience, sharing the lessons she learned from hearing the word “no” and speaking to the realities she faced during her process.
The Essay: Lost and Found
Michael Chernow shares his experiences with addiction and recovery, opening up about his path to lead a life centered around fitness, sobriety, nutrition, and wellness.
The Essay: A Love Letter to My Therapist
Phoebe Gates reflects on her experiences through therapy and writes a letter to thank her therapist.
The Essay: Nicole Berrie on navigating body image and family through the holiday season
Nicole Berrie opens up about her past anxieties surrounding the holiday season and shares the habits she has built to heal from her past pain and trauma.
Halloween: The one day a year a girl…
There is a lot left unsaid & undiscussed about the mental health realities of Halloween. In our latest essay, Grace Mautz speaks to her personal experiences and ever-evolving relationship with the holiday.
The Essay: Becca Means on Mental Health and Social Media
Becca Means opens up about her experiences as a content creator navigating the world of social media and how she has worked to support her mental health throughout the ebbs and flows of her journey on and offline.
The Essay: Colin Yeager on Navigating Transitions and Change
Content creator Colin Yeager, also known as yeahcolin, opens up about his experience moving to college and the emotions, uncertainty, and realities that accompany the transition.
More Than a Monolith: Unpacking the Model Minority Myth
Asian Americans are often referred to as the model minority: smart, hard-working, rich, and successful. But what happens when we can’t keep up with this stereotype, and how does it affect our mental health?
How Landon Barker, Valentina Ferrer, & More Take Care of Their Mental Health
We recently brought together members of our Local Optimist Group to ask how each of them take care of their mental health.
The Mental Health Impact of Quitting Your High School Sport
When high school athletes quit their respective sports before they head to college, they can be left with an identity crisis that takes a toll on their mental health.
The Essay: Joy Corrigan on Determining Your Own Value
Model and actress Joy Corrigan opens up about her journey to building a sense of self-worth after years of relying on other people’s superficial opinions of what makes her worthy.
How To Practice Ecotherapy
Four ways to use nature’s restorative powers to better your mental health.
The Essay: Skier Alex Ferreira on the Beauty and Pain of Competition
Columbia Athlete and halfpipe skier Alex Ferreira explores the mental health toll of competitive sport.
Is Reality TV Good For Your Mental Health?
Despite the popularity of reality TV dating shows, is watching them harmful for your mental health?
Boys Do Cry: How to Unlearn Toxic Masculinity
There is a reason men account for 79% of suicides in America, and it starts with toxic masculinity and its impact on mental health. But there are steps we can each take to reconstruct what it means to be a man.
How To Be a True LGBTQIA+ Mental Health Ally
Last year, 45% of LGBTQIA+ youth considered suicide. Committing to our LGBTQIA+ loved one’s mental health has never been more important.
The Essay: Bryce Xavier on the Stigma of Pansexuality
In our latest edition of The Essay, TikTok star Bryce Xavier opens up about his journey to coming out as pansexual in the public eye and his ongoing fight to break the term’s stigma.
Student Series: Living With Endometriosis
A senior at NYU reflects on the mental health toll of living with endometriosis as a college student.
The Guilt Complex
What is guilt actually, how is it misunderstood, and how is it affecting our lives?
Are You an Infomaniac?
If information overload has got you down, you’re not alone. Here’s how to make the best use of this increased access to information without letting it wear you down.
The Essay: Loren Gray on Navigating Sexual Assault
The TikTok star Loren Gray shares her story of navigating and overcoming the PTSD she experienced after childhood sexual assault.
How To Manage Social Anxiety
Feeling extra anxious in social situations? Here are five resources to help.
Student Series: The Power of Writing
A senior at The University of Maryland explores how her dad’s early advice to “write a letter” to her grandfather after his passing set her on a path of self-discovery and growth.
The Impact of Overturning Roe V Wade on Our Mental Health
What is happening, what we can expect, and how we can prepare and protect our mental health in the process.
Friends Who Drift
Friends grow apart, but boy does it suck. Here’s how to cope with letting go of those friends who dodge, drift, and disappear.
The Dangers of Toxic Positivity
Why the phrase “everything happens for a reason” should be put to rest for good.
How To Fight Climate Anxiety
Feelings of uncertainty around our environmental future can be debilitating. Finding ways to live with them is key.
The Essay: Lexi Hidalgo on Writing Self-Love Letters
In our new series The Essay, we hear from content creator and podcast host Lexi Hidalgo about how the endless comparison game of social media led her to start writing love letters to herself.
The Sleep Crisis: Why We Can’t Get Any Sleep + What To Do About It
America is facing a sleep crisis, and it's impacting our mental health. Why is it happening and how can we cope?
The Oral History of Madhappy
In 5 years, Madhappy has sold hundreds of thousands of sweatshirts, held 14 pop-ups in some of the hardest markets in the world, and made mental health central to its mission long before it was cool to do so. This is how it happened.
How to Recognize and Deal with Burnout
Burnout tends to result from unrelenting work or school stress and can manifest in exhaustion and ambivalence towards our work. If you're looking for ways to identify and tackle burnout, we've outlined some tips to help you get started.
The Check-In Episode 5: Raven B.
In our fifth episode, we speak to photographer Raven B. Varona about how she’s built self-confidence and has learned to deal with disappointment.
Are You in a Codependent Relationship?
Expert tips for identifying and overcoming codependency.
I Had An Eating Disorder That Often Goes Unnoticed
And even I didn’t realize it, until nearly a decade later.
Student Series: Why I Left People Pleasing Behind
One college sophomore reflects on her experience as a people pleaser, how it was damaging to her life, and why letting go of perfection enabled her to embrace her authentic self.
How To Feel In Control of Your Life
Feeling out of control of your life can be overwhelming and frustrating. But by prioritizing your personal evolution and making conscious decisions that work best for you, you can land in a more grounded place.
The Evolution of Mental Health in the NBA
Playing pro and being human — the steps the league has taken in recognizing the importance of mental health.
Hermones: The Story Behind Madhappy’s IWD Collection
80% of women suffer from hormonal imbalance, beginning around age 10 and lasting through menopause, an experience that directly impacts our mental health.
The Check-In Episode 4: Luke Davis
In our fourth episode, we speak to surfer Luke Davis about his experience battling depression, how he’s built self-confidence, and how surfing helps him de-stress.
Practicing Self Love Using Your Love Language
Learning your own love language can be more than just a tool to help you master romantic relationships; it can also help you unlock your most optimal form of self-love.
Word of the Month: Empowered
In March, we’ll be talking about all things empowerment. To kick things off, our team got together to chat about their experiences with self-empowerment and the areas of their life where they’d like to work on feeling more empowered.
How to Avoid Dating Fatigue
Dating can be overwhelming, especially in a post-pandemic world, but there are steps you can take to keep it exciting rather than daunting. Madhappy team member Stephanie White shares her go-to tips.
How to Get Help for an Eating Disorder
With early intervention and access to care, recovery from eating disorders is possible.
How To Cope With a Breakup
It’s easy to fall into negative habits after a breakup. By shifting the focus to what we can control, we can begin to move on in a healthy way.
Black Mental Health Matters… Right?
The pandemic and racial tensions of the past few years have left the Black community in a mental health crisis that is being ignored, writes Ariel Baise.
Finding Hope in Antidepressants
One college sophomore reflects on her journey with persistent depressive disorder and how going on antidepressants provided her with a much-needed sense of hope about the future.
A Month About Love
In February, we’ll be talking about all things love. To kick things off, our team got together to chat about what love means to them, how they cultivate self-love, and how they approach the often-dreaded Valentine’s Day.
Learning About Love from My Parents' Separation
One college sophomore reflects on navigating her parents’ separation and the lessons she learned about love from watching their relationship come apart.
7 Journal Prompts for Personal Growth
Personal growth is a never-ending and sometimes challenging process. Getting your thoughts out on paper is a great way to help you understand where you have room to grow.
The Check-In Episode 3: Alyssa Coscarelli
In our third episode, we speak to fashion entrepreneur and influencer Alyssa Coscarelli about her experience with anxiety and dermatillomania, how she’s built self-confidence, and what keeps her motivated.
Forget Your New Year’s Resolutions
When you go into a change thinking that it alone will make you feel better about yourself, you set yourself up for failure.
Word of the Month: Growth
We’re kicking off 2022 not by focusing on surface-level accomplishments but on growth.
How to Develop a Healthy Relationship with Exercise
It’s important to find ways to relate to exercise that are focused on joy and self-care rather than calorie deficits or appearance-focused goals.
Find Your Flow And Boost Your Creativity
Five tips from a therapist to help you get into a flow state and boost your creativity.
What to Do When You Don’t Have Holiday Plans
Tools for enjoying a plan-less holiday to help you see an empty calendar as something to celebrate rather than mourn.
The Check-In Episode 2: Chelsea Cutler
In our second episode, we speak to singer Chelsea Cutler about navigating depression and how she’s developed a healthy sense of self-worth.
Word of The Month: Rest
Rest is one of the most important tools we have for taking care of our mental health, but it’s not always easy to prioritize.
Student Series: Learning to Love Thanksgiving
How recovering from an eating disorder helped one high school senior see Thanksgiving in a new light.
Surviving Suicide Loss
One writer’s journey through the complicated grief that’s come from losing both of her parents to suicide.
Ask a Therapist: Dr. Emily Anhalt
The clinical psychologist joined us on The Local Optimist Hotline to answer all your questions about therapy.
5 Fresh Ways to Practice Gratitude
We’ve put together a list of different ways you can practice gratitude to help you find a routine that works for you.
How Cold Weather Impacts Our Mood
Hibernating during the winter sounds cozy, but being indoors all the time can be detrimental to our mental health.
The Healthy Amount of Stress (+ How to Get There)
Although we would rather avoid feeling stressed, there are certain types of stress that we can use to our advantage.
The Check-In Episode 1: Tai Verdes
For our first episode, we spoke to singer-songwriter Tai Verdes about how he deals with insecurity, what he’s had to give up in order to grow, and what lights up his day.
Word of the Month: Balance
In November, we’ll be talking about balance: what it looks like for different people and how to achieve it in your own life.
Eating Disorder Recovery in a Disordered World
The rise of social media and a convoluted version of wellness pose new challenges for people in recovery from an eating disorder.
The Evolution of Therapy
Therapy as we know it is changing: no longer relegated to Sopranos-style sessions, we can now text, video chat, and even use virtual reality to consult with our therapists.
Student Series: The Pressure of Sunshine
A senior at Florida State University reflects on the pressure to live up to other people’s perception of her.
An Inside Look at The Madhappy Journal
Our journal is meant to be a space for you to get to know yourself and your emotions better.
A Look at Mental Health Around the World
Mental health looks different across the globe in how it’s recognized, supported, and prioritized.
Is Ketamine the Future of Mental Health Treatment?
Why a new company called Wonder Sciences is working to get ketamine into the hands of people struggling with anxiety and depression.
Word of the Month: Curiosity
In October, we’ll be exploring the positive impact that curiosity can have on our well-being and turning our curiosity towards the future of mental healthcare.
8 Journal Prompts to Help Strengthen Your Friendships
The more we understand how we feel in our friendships, the better we will be at strengthening them.
Body Talk: The Harm of Eating Disorder Recovery Content
Is eating disorder recovery content a helpful display of vulnerability or a misguided exercise that does more harm than good?
Getting Sober in College
A post-grad student reflects on the loneliness, shame, and culture of binge drinking that led to her alcohol abuse and eventual decision to get sober in college.
Suicide Prevention Week Stories
Every day this week, we shared a story of someone touched by suicide in some capacity. We hope their stories serve to remind you that you’re never alone.
Word of the Month: Friendship
In September, we’ll be focusing on one of the greatest joys in life: friendship.
Student Series Round-Up: Finding Community in College
4 current and former college students reflect on the connection, community, and purpose that comes from being in school.
Student Series: It’s Okay to Change Your Mind
How one senior in college learned that changing your mind and perspective in life can boost your personal growth.
6 Journal Prompts to Help you Adapt to Change
The more we understand our feelings surrounding change, the better we’ll be at embracing it rather than resisting it.
Learning to Deal with Expectations vs. Reality
The pressure to achieve certain goals by a certain age can set us up for disappointment when our lives don’t follow a cookie-cutter plan. In this essay, one writer explores how she learned to make peace with her present.
Navigating Changes in Your Mental Healthcare
To help you get through periods of flux with a little more ease, we outlined tips for navigating changes in your coping strategies, support, medication, and therapy.
Word of the Month: Change
In August, we’ll be focusing on one of life’s most common experiences: change.
Taking Up Space For Myself After an Eating Disorder
College junior reflects on what she’s learned after recovering from an eating disorder brought on by the dangerous standards of the ballet world.
Who Gets to Be an Olympian?
For Black athletes, the spirit of unity the Games were founded on has never really existed.
What Gets Lost in the Monetization of Self-Care
Commercialized self-care practices have brought greater awareness to mental health but can they also be a scapegoat for not doing the hard work necessary for our wellbeing?
The Power of Choosing Joy
Podcaster and creative activist Dom Roberts on how learning to choose joy has changed her outlook in tough moments.
TLO Recommends: Moments That Feel Like Summer
Our team on the summer moments that bring us the most joy each year.
Forget Achieving Happiness: Cultivate Moments of Joy
In place of the flashier life events that happiness is often tied to, joy stems from the small wins, the brief moments, and the minor details.
Katie Sturino On Making Exercise More Inclusive
The fashion blogger and founder on the mission behind Babe Body, her inclusive workout series, and how she’s developed a healthier relationship to exercise.
Word of the Month: Joy
In July, we’ll be sharing stories exploring the feeling of joy and tips on how to cultivate it.
Student Series: Letting Go of Labels
A student from New Zealand reflects on coming to terms with her bisexual identity in college.
Navigating Identity with Chella Man
How embracing the nuances of identity can foster a stronger sense of self.
How to Foster Self-Awareness
Taking the time for intentional reflection on how you’re feeling or behaving can have a huge impact on your overall well-being.
Learning to Set Boundaries
Madhappy team member Stephanie White on the importance of setting her own boundaries after years of putting other people first.
3 Tips From a Therapist on Building Self-Confidence
Because learning to love and accept yourself, flaws and all, is key to living a full life.
The Singer Exploring His Emotional States Through Song
Clide, a singer/songwriter from Berlin, is exploring six of his different emotional states on a new EP called “feelings.”
How Contact is Giving Power Back to Models
To counteract the industry’s exploitative practices, one company is putting the power in the hands of a diverse group of models by allowing them to vet the brands they work with and ensure fair pay.
Identification of Self as a Queer Boy
Madhappy team member Sam Culp opens up about how growing up queer in rural Ohio and enmeshed in the Baptist Church shaped the way he self-identified throughout his adolescence.
TLO Recommends: Our Go-to Self-Help Books
The books our team turns to when we’re looking for motivation and guidance.
Making Mental Health a Priority During Pride Month
Although many LGBTQ+ individuals struggle with mental illness each year, accessible and culturally affirming care is still lacking.
Self
In June, we’ll be sharing stories, interviews, and strategies geared toward fostering a better sense of self.
7 Ways We Celebrated Mental Health Awareness Month
A roundup of what we launched, dropped, and hosted this year for Mental Health Awareness month.
Looking in the Mirror
How a case of body dysmorphia after surgery led podcaster Weslie Christensen to reflect on and prioritize her mental health.
An Expert’s Advice on Tackling the Mental Health Crisis
The founder and CEO of Project Healthy Minds on the importance of utilizing technology and pop culture to tackle the mental health crisis.
How to Combat Intrusive Thoughts
Tips from a psychotherapist on navigating uncomfortable and unwanted thought patterns.
Channeling Creativity to Stay Grounded
How diving headfirst and unknowingly into the creative world led Jess Girillo to take their mental health more seriously.
MHAM Toolkit: What to Say & What Not to Say
As we continue to open up the conversation surrounding mental health more and more, we learn the power our words hold. Here are some tips on how to speak about mental health with a friend.
Student Series: That Girl, She Is Going To Move Mountains
College sophomore and student-athlete reflects on moments spent in her vacation cabin in Idaho, the lessons she has learned there, and how they shaped who she is today.
Still Falling
Mason Spector, co-founder of Madhappy, shares his mental health story and what he has learned along the way.
Helping All Humans Affected By All Eating Disorders
We spoke with the founder of The Alliance, a nonprofit organization specializing in eating disorders, about her personal experience with an eating disorder and more about her organization.
"A Conversation on Mental Health" Panel Recap
Check out the recording of Madhappy’s “A Conversation on Mental Health” panel and some highlights from the discussion.
My Great Awakening
After a life-threatening health scare, TLO team member Hallie Sheinbaum came to realize how important prioritizing her physical and mental health are.
Meet The Panelists
Check out the details for Madhappy’s “A Conversation on Mental Health” panel, and meet the panelists.
May: Mental Health Awareness Month
In May, we will be sharing stories, interviews, and strategies that explore mental health from many different perspectives.
Madhappy Outdoors Field Guide
Welcome to The Madhappy Field Guide. Your introduction to getting outside, mindfully.
10 Journal Prompts To Explore Your Mind
Here are 10 journal prompts to help you gain a better understanding of yourself.
Hotline Roundup: Alyssa Petersel (LMSW) Edition
See what Alyssa Petersel, therapist and founder of the therapy matching service MyWellbeing, had to say during her takeover of The Local Optimist Hotline.
Student Series: Studying Abroad During a Pandemic
A college junior shares her experience so far while studying abroad in Florence, Italy during a pandemic.
Walking In The Woods With Dr. Qing Li
The author of “Forest Bathing” shares why we should all be spending more time among the trees.
How Exploring Keeps Callie Stark Grounded
For her latest Inner Piece interview, Sadie Newman connects with LA native Callie Stark about how exploring and traveling impact her life.
The April Edition Of The Local Optimist Movie Club
This month’s movie is "Free Solo." Watch it on your own and then join our staff and community for a discussion.
Finding Your Therapy Match With Alyssa Petersel
We spoke with the founder and CEO of the therapy matching service MyWellbeing before her takeover of The Local Optimist Hotline on April 14.
TLO Recommends: Travel Destinations
These are some of the TLO team's picks for favorite travel destinations to go back to or visit for the first time.
Word of the Month: Explore
In April, we will be sharing stories, interviews, and strategies geared towards helping you explore all areas of your life.
What The Dodgers Mean To Me
To celebrate Madhappy for the Los Angeles Dodgers, we asked some of the team’s most passionate fans to share their memories and messages.
Why Multitasking Is a Myth
The key to being more productive is not about how many things you can juggle at once.
Hotline Roundup: Jesse Israel Edition
See what The Big Quiet founder had to say during his takeover of The Local Optimist Hotline.
Student Series: Finding Focus In Zoom School
A college senior recalls her steep learning curve adjusting to remote classes and shares her tips for success.
MadhappyⓇ / Los Angeles LakersⓇ Ring: By The Numbers
To celebrate its partnership with the NBA champions, Madhappy designed a one-of-a-kind replica of the Lakers’ title ring.
For Alisha Ramos, Doing Nothing Is Doing A Lot
The founder and CEO of Girls Night In and Whiled is helping people slow down and reclaim their downtime.
Hotline Roundup: Your Questions. Answered.
Our monthly series features answers to frequently asked questions from our mental health Hotline so that others can benefit.
Looking Inward With The Big Quiet’s Jesse Israel
We spoke with the meditation leader before his takeover of The Local Optimist Hotline on March 24.
How To Sleep Better—Tonight!
Sleep expert and MyWellbeing psychotherapist Ric Mathews breaks down the science of sleep.
How Photographer Lauren Loncar Finds Focus
For her latest Inner Piece interview, Sadie Newman connects with the fashion and beauty photographer about focus in her work and personal life.
4 Tech Hacks That Can Improve Your Focus
For all the great things that technology and devices do, they can also be a great source of distraction. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
The March Edition Of The Local Optimist Movie Club
This month’s movie is Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry. Watch it on your own and then join our staff and community for a discussion.
Student Series: The Winding Road To Choosing A Major
The pressure to pick a major led one student to a major change, which resulted in an unconventional solution.
Introspection and Inspiration In Clay With Carrie Lau
After starting ceramics as a lark, the founder of Object-Matter found that working with clay helps her focus evolve.
TLO Recommends: Songs To Focus To
These are the tracks the TLO team turns to when they want to block out distractions.
Word Of The Month: Focus
In March, we’ll be sharing stories, interviews, and strategies geared toward helping you block out distractions and concentrate on the task at hand.
Rapper KeithCharles Has Found His Own Lane
The rapper and producer has learned to be more accepting of himself, and now he’s making the best music of his life.
Harnessing The Power Of Art
Urban Beats is an organization that uses music and other forms of creative expression to destigmatize conversations around mental health.
Find Your Flow And Boost Your Creativity
Professor and MyWellbeing flow coach Dr. Julia Colangelo shares five tips to help you get into a flow state.
Behind The Design: Madhappy “Vintage Goods”
Get an inside look at how the Madhappy creative team developed the unique pieces.
TikTok Star Stacy Thiru Is Making Boss Moves
As part of the first Black TikTok creator house, Thiru is bringing joy through her comedy and empowering future generations.
7 Easy Ways To Get Creative…Now!
When you experience creative blocks, these tips can help you get through, over, and around them.
Student Series: Why An HBCU Was Right For Me
Spaces that prioritize the welfare of Black women are rare. Aren Barnes found one at Spelman.
Uncomfortable Conversations With Dom Roberts
The podcast host and visual artist talks about how her mental health impacts her creative work.
The February Edition Of The Local Optimist Movie Club
This month’s movie is Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Watch it on your own and then join our staff and community for a discussion.
How Model Nathalie Darcas Finds her Creative Energy
Learning to be present through the highs and lows helps Darcas get to a better place.
Behind The Lens With Skate Photographer Atiba Jefferson
Photographer Atiba Jefferson has shot the world’s top skateboarders, basketball players, and musicians with a unique eye and vision.
TLO Recommends: Creativity Inspo
Books, TV shows, and movies that get The Local Optimist team feeling creative.
Word of the Month: Creativity
Being creative opens up your mind to more possibilities and more ways to express yourself.
Finding Success On Her Own Schedule
Despite not getting serious about real estate until her late 30s, Jade Mills has more than $6 billion in sales.
Letting Go With Climbers Emily Harrington And Adrian Ballinger
Free-climbing El Capitan and summiting Mt. Everest are great ways to cultivate patience and calm.
How To Build Better Habits, According To A Hypnotherapist
Matt Walczak, a MyWellbeing Integrative Hypnotherapist, shares three tips to help you form habits that actually stick.
Zen And The Art of Bonsai Maintenance
After studying in Japan, Matt Puntigam of Dandy Farmer brought his own interpretation of the ancient art of bonsai to New York City.
What Buddhism Can Teach Us About Patience
World-renowned Buddhist scholar Robert Thurman shares his insights on the practice of patience.
How To Be More Patient In Your Relationships
4 tips from a licensed therapist that can help you cultivate greater patience with those closest to you.
Hotline Roundup: Our Question. Your Answers.
This month, we asked the question and wanted to share your answers about how you practice patience.
How “Industry” Actor Branden Cook Learned Patience
For her latest Inner Piece story, Sadie Newman connects with actor Branden Cook about trusting the process.
Introducing The Local Optimist Movie Club
Our first movie is Pixar’s Soul. Watch it on your own and then join Local Optimist staff and others for a discussion.
Student Series: Lessons Of A Transfer Student
How patience helped one student navigate a long and winding path to the college of her dreams.
5 Ways To Manage Your Time Better
Learn helpful strategies to help you make the most of the time you have so you can achieve your goals.
Word of the Month: Patience
January can be a month full of resolutions. The more patient we can be, the more likely we are to achieve those goals.
What’s Your Family of Origin, and What Can You Do About It
The family that kids are raised in can have an enormous influence, both good and bad, on the types of adults they grow into.
How to Survive Your Family During The Holidays
Disagreements with family members during the holidays can cause a lot of stress. These 5 strategies can help.
8 Mental Health Books We Love (And Think You Will, Too)
A good book can help you develop greater empathy, find solace, and validate personal experiences.
Hotline Roundup: Your Questions. Answered.
Our monthly series answers frequently asked questions from our mental health Hotline so that everyone can benefit.
Family Matters, With Greyboy Author Cole Brown
Reconciling a privileged upbringing with his race helped shape the writer’s worldview.
How Model Bree McCann Found Body Confidence
After years of struggling to figure out where she fit in, McCann now approaches her career and mental health from a more positive place.
Finding Beauty In The Pain
How one person learned to cope with her father’s suicide by learning to accept the value of acceptance.
How To Deal With Seasonal Affective Disorder
Try these 5 tips to help keep the “winter blues” at bay
Word Of The Month: Family
While it means different things to different people, the concept of family plays a constant role in our lives.
Stoked On Gratitude
Using skateboarding, surfing, and snowboarding, Stoked is a mentoring organization that builds bridges with boardsports.
How To Stay Optimistic In Pessimistic Times
These 4 strategies can help you cultivate a positive response, even in challenging situations.
The Art Of Grateful Cooking
Learn about the connection between cooking and mental health. Plus, discover how to make green shakshuka.
A Fridge Grows in Brooklyn
A community fridge in New York's Greenpoint shows the power of neighbors stepping up to help each other.
Hotline Roundup: Your Questions. Answered.
Our monthly series answers frequently asked questions from our mental health Hotline so that everyone can benefit.
Chef Chris Scott’s Nourishing Journey of Discovery
For the renowned former Top Chef contestant, the ripple effects of sobriety stretched inside and outside the kitchen.
3 Ways To Be Present To Foster Gratitude
Feeling gratitude isn’t always easy, but these three mindfulness practices can help.
WORD OF THE MONTH: GRATITUDE
This month’s theme at The Local Optimist is Gratitude. So get to know what it means, how it’s good for us, and how you can practice it, even now.
On The Same Team With The Other Side
How a mixed Israeli and Palestinian basketball team is changing the world one person at a time.
Student Series 05: Coping In Times of Danger
Our fifth installment of the Student Series: Perspectives on COVID-19.
Understanding with AIM Youth Mental Health
Understanding mental health comes through research and how research can lead to mental wellness. Which is exactly why we’re partnering with our friends at AIM Youth Mental Health to help fund urgently needed mental health research.
Hotline Roundup: Your Questions. Answered.
We created this series to answer our most asked Hotline questions for our entire community. To see that other people are going through some of the same challenges you are, and to get real answers from a real person.
Student Series 04: To Being
Our fourth installment of the Student Series: Perspectives on COVID-19.
World Mental Health Day with UNINTERRUPTED®
NFL legend Marshawn Lynch sat down with psychologist Dr. Michael Gervais as part of the Madhappy® / UNINTERRUPTED® “More Than My Feelings” campaign to celebrate World Mental Health Day.
Meditation Toolkit with Headspace®
We teamed up with the meditation and mindfulness app Headspace to guide you through the most popular mediation techniques. The only part that really matters is, which one works best for you?
The Local Optimist Hotline
The Local Optimist Hotline is back and here to stay! Text “Hotline” to 310.299.9414 to tell us whatever’s on your mind. We can’t wait to talk to you!
Understanding Anxiety
What's the difference between stress and anxiety? How about feeling anxious vs having an anxiety disorder? We're breaking down the basics to help us understand anxiety, so we can then tackle coping with it.
Coping With Anxiety
Part 2 of our Anxiety Booklet covers four different research-backed coping strategies for helping alleviate our anxiety.
My Story of Suicide Loss
Suicide is not your only option. There are always more ways to get help, take away the pain, and feel better - even when you can’t see them right now.
September: A Month About Anxiety
At Madhappy, we like to call Anxiety the result of resisting our feelings... The more we learn about ourselves, and what type of anxiety we struggle with, the better we can be at both identifying it and overcoming it.
Taking Back My Time
Our fourth installment of the Student Series: Perspectives on COVID-19.
Student Series 03: Zoom In to Zoom Out
Our third installment of the Student Series: Perspectives on COVID-19.
How Can Playing Help Us Heal?
While play seems like the antithesis of work, fostering a sense of playfulness and bringing that to our work can be extremely helpful.
Student Series 02: Staying In
Our second installment of the Student Series: Perspectives on COVID-19.
So, What Can Play Look Like? How Do I Find My Play?
There is no one-size-fits-all formula for play; it is highly individualized depending on what brings the most joy and happiness to one’s life.
Discoveries Through PTSD
One son's story of learning about his father's personality, beyond his PTSD, through the legacy he left behind and the stories of people he touched along the way.
Student Series 01: Preparing for Uncertainty
Our first installment of the Student Series: Perspectives on COVID-19.
So, What Is Play?
Play can take us back to our childhood days: running around in your backyard with the neighborhood kids or playing pretend with Polly Pockets. But, what is it now?
Find Pause In Play
We can still find small and beautiful moments of stillness despite the chaos. We can pick up our puzzles and our paints and find what gives our inner child light.
August: A Month Of Play
Play can look, feel, and manifest itself to different people in a myriad of ways, but it always follows one common theme: enjoyment for the sake of enjoyment.
U IS FOR UNDERSTAND
What must primarily be acknowledged is that sometimes we don’t understand. Every individual has a unique experience with mental health that manifests in several different ways.
L IS FOR LISTEN
While expressing our feelings and emotions is important, making others feel seen, heard, and understood is the ultimate goal when talking about mental health.
T IS FOR TALK
It can be difficult to express how depression or anxiety feels. It can be even more difficult to share those feelings with someone else.
Log Off and Look In
The dissonance between how we present ourselves on social media and how we really are can be quite damaging to mental health. How can we restore a healthier relationship with our online selves?
C IS FOR COMMUNICATE
Part 1 of our Communication Toolkit! The more we talk, the more we know. The more we know, the more we grow. The more we grow, the better we feel.
July: A Month of Communication
This July, we are turning our attention to talking, listening, and understanding- the patchwork mosaic of good communication.
Cognitive Dissonance
"The first step towards resolving that uncomfortable feeling of cognitive dissonance. Who was I beyond addiction?"
June: A Month of Truth
We’re celebrating what it feels like to be true to yourself and exploring the relationship between truth, acceptance, and pride. Through each conversation, we hope to take another step toward a more open and optimistic world.
HOW ARE YOU FEELING: FEAR
Where Fear gets complicated, is when we start to anticipate threats or have thoughts about potential dangers.
HOW ARE YOU FEELING: SADNESS
If Happiness is something that we are always chasing, Sadness must be something that we always want to avoid, right? Not quite.
HOW ARE YOU FEELING: HAPPINESS
Happiness can look 100 different ways to 100 different people, and that is part of what makes it so special.
Thoughts From The Frontline
Aaron, a homeless outreach worker, shares his perspective of being an essential worker during the COVID-19 pandemic.
May: A Month of Awareness
May is our favorite month - Mental Health Awareness Month! For 2020, our theme is 'How Are You Feeling?'. Get a glimpse into this jam packed month with Mason & Meadow.
How To Accept The Tough Shit
When you surrender into your reality, you accept that this is, put simply, what it is. And when you recognize that this is what it is, you can work towards making that reality a stronger, better, more positive experience.
It’s Not a Binary Decision: Acceptance or Healing
"How can it be problematic to just like yourself right now while you're in the process of healing? It's not a binary decision: acceptance or healing."
Hi Me, It’s Me
I really pinpoint the precise moment in which I outwardly decided to accept others’ portrayal of what my life was supposed to be, but I do know that it happened.
April: A Month of Acceptance
Acceptance is a theme that is more pertinent now more than ever. Whether it's accepting where you are, the state of the world, or yourself - there is a lot of lessons wrapped up in Acceptance.
Your Internal Roommate Part 2
You can take the self work even further by adding more mindfulness and awareness in, rather than attempting to push your thoughts out.
Your Internal Roommate Part 1
As another week in social isolation comes around, Meadow notices that my inner roommate is quite chatty.
Coping With Coronavirus In Your 20's
Elizabeth Segran, author of The Rocket Years: How Your Twenties Launch The Rest of Your Life, helping us navigate this new reality.
Make Today A Good Day
Sometimes, waking up and choosing to have a good day feels impossible. But, we have more control over how our days go than we like to believe.
March: A Month of Happiness
With World Happiness Day coming up this month, we chose to dedicate the entire theme of the month to just that: Happiness. The seemingly never fully attainable concept we all strive for.
More Isn't Better
"What was wrong is that we are conditioned to believe that 'more' is always 'better.'” A story on burn out by therapist and friend of the blog, Alyssa Petersel.
February: A Month of Love
Meadow & Mason here to introduce February's theme: LOVE. Each month of 2020 we'll be announcing our word of the month that will be the central theme for our digital content and monthly events!
Setting Boundaries
“When I first started therapy, boundaries are not what I went in for, but they are what I came away with."
The Healthy Amount of Stress
Stress is one of those fun Darwinisms that I really would rather do without.
Saying is Believing
The “elevator pitch” version of my life includes a family that has coped with bipolar disorder, addiction, suicide, cancer, homelessness, and that’s just to name a few.
Back On The Horse
“When I first started therapy, boundaries are not what I went in for, but they are what I came away with."
Little Things
What does it mean to express gratitude? What if we thanked the little things each day? How would this improve our lives?
Falling Up :(:
I know we always ask each other and ourselves if we’re happy, truly happy, but what does happiness really look like? Editorial piece written by Madhappy Co-Founder, Mason Spector.