Is happiness a skill you can develop? Or is it a place you find yourself, if you’re lucky? Today’s podcast is a bonus episode that I’ve recorded, from me to you, to demonstrate that yes, happiness is about more than just chance.

These special Boxing Day podcasts are becoming a bit of a tradition now (look out for one I’ll be releasing on New Year’s Day too). And in this one, I share five powerful ideas with you – five happiness habits that can transform your life in meaningful ways.

They’re all explored in much greater detail in my book Happy Mind Happy Life: 10 Simple Ways to Feel Great Every Day, which is being re-published in the UK in an exciting new format on 1 January 2026. But you can leverage your happiness levels right away by listening today.

Here’s a quick overview of what you’ll learn:

1. Happiness is a Skill Discover the difference between ‘junk happiness’ and ‘core happiness’ to feel more content, in control, and aligned with your values.

2. Define Success for Yourself Imagine yourself on your deathbed and identify three things you’ll wish you had done. What can you do now to move toward that ending?

3. Eliminate Choice We make thousands of decisions a day, and each one drains mental energy. By creating routines and reducing choice, you can reduce that stress.

4. Make Time Stand Still Identify ‘flow state’ activities that make you lose track of time, and schedule them as investments in your happiness.

5. Seek Out Friction If someone upsets you, ask yourself why their words affected you so much. Rewriting their story with compassion will increase your own sense of control.

I hope this episode helps you and your family cultivate lasting happiness in 2026 and beyond. I explore all these ideas and many more in my newly formatted book Happy Mind Happy Life – available here as a paperback or as an audiobook, which I am narrating.