#49 - Small Joys, Big Results: Dr. Gillian Mandich on Practicing Happiness
Today’s guest is Dr. Gillian Mandich
Most people chase happiness as a destination or wait for big, external wins—money, status, milestones—yet still feel flat. Dr. Mandich tackles this by reframing happiness as a learnable, daily practice driven by autonomy, micro-moments of joy, and evidence-based behaviors, not luck or life circumstances.
In today’s conversation Gillian Mandich explores why the goal isn’t to be happy all the time and how happiness and sadness are separate—often co-existing—experiences. She explains how autonomy and intentional habits raise our “happiness set point,” creating an upward spiral where both highs and lows trend higher over time. We unpack money myths (why buying time and experiences matters more than things), how smiles can shift brain chemistry, and why happiness spreads through social networks. You’ll leave with simple, research-backed ways to engineer small bursts of joy throughout your day.
You will learn how scientists define happiness and why meaning and momentary joy both matter; why autonomy outranks looks, popularity, money, and even sex life as a predictor of happiness; how to build “happiness muscles” with tiny, repeatable behaviors; the science of spending (buy time and experiences); and why your mood can ripple three degrees through your network.
You will discover that happiness isn’t found—it’s built through small, consistent practices that raise your baseline over time. You’ll also discover why chasing constant positivity backfires, and how welcoming the full emotional spectrum—without “marinating” in low states—actually makes you more resilient.
Feeling stuck, burned out, or “languishing”? Dr. Mandich shows how to regain agency with autonomy-boosting choices and daily micro-joys so you can perform better at work and feel better at home—no overhaul required.
Key take aways:
Don’t chase—practice happiness daily.
Autonomy fuels well-being.
Buy time and experiences, not stuff.
Small joys create upward spirals.
Smile to shift state.
“The goal is not to be happy all the time.”
Today’s Expert Guest - Dr. Gillian Mandich
Dr. Gillian Mandich is a Canadian happiness researcher with a PhD in Health Science (Health Promotion) from Western University. She is the founder of the International Happiness Institute of Health Science Research, a two-time TEDx speaker, frequent national media contributor, and (per LinkedIn) an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Manitoba.
Mandich translates the complex research of happiness into practical, evidence-based habits for workplaces and everyday life. Her approach blends academic rigor (research affiliations like the World Database of Happiness and Canadian Happiness at Work Study) with actionable tools that improve well-being, creativity, and performance across teams.
Schedule three “micro-joy reps” every day (2–5 minutes each): one to boost autonomy (choose what and when), one that buys back time (decline/Delegate), and one shared with someone else (happiness spreads). Repeat daily to raise your baseline.
Follow Dr. Gillian Mandich on Instagram & Linked In.
Check out her website.
This podcast contains advice and information relating to health and wellness. It should be used to supplement rather than replace the advice of your doctor or another trained health professional. If you know or suspect that you have a health problem, seek your physician’s advice before embarking on any medical program or treatment. All efforts have been made to assure the accuracy of the information contained in this podcast / interview / article as of the date of publication. The author and publisher disclaim liability for any medical or other outcomes that may occur as a result of applying the methods suggested in this material.
