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On today’s episode of Perspective Shift, Dr. Robyne unpacks a question so many parents, caregivers, partners, and leaders may have wondered: Am I allowed to be happy when someone I care about isn’t? She explores what happens when we become the “happiness coordinator” for the people around us, taking responsibility for everyone else’s emotions and trying to create lives free from frustration, disappointment, or discomfort. Along the way, she shares a memorable story about how a dog with its head out a car window helped her and her kids turn a difficult morning around and introduces a practical framework for unplugging from someone else’s emotional state so we can care deeply without taking on what isn’t ours to carry.  This is a conversation about caring without carrying, being compassionate without trying to fix, and remembering that someone else’s feelings can be real and important without becoming ours to hold. Have a question you'd love answered? Send us a DM, leave a comment, or email us at [email protected]. Continue the Conversation   If this conversation resonated with you, we'd love to welcome you inside the Perspective Shift community → https://drrobyne.ca/perspective/   Additional Resources:  Episode mentioned with happiness research: Four Questions for When You Don’t Know What to Do NextYou might also enjoy this episode: The Truth About HappinessI Hope So by Dr. Robyne Hanley-DafoeConnect with Dr. Robyne:  Website: https://drrobyne.ca/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_robynehd/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drrobynehd/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr_robynehdNewsletter: https://drrobyne.ca/newsletter/Disclaimer

On today’s episode, Dr. Robyne and social worker and psychotherapist Jake Ernst take a closer look at one of the questions many parents, educators, and adults are asking: Are screens actually the problem? What if the bigger question is what we’re doing on our screens, what we’re missing when we’re on them, and whether our relationships are still intact? How do we help kids practice sitting with discomfort, communicating face-to-face, managing their attention, and doing hard things in a world designed to keep us scrolling? Plus, a closer look at how dopamine-seeking plays a role in our attachment to devices, why the first and last seven minutes of the day matter so much, and why relationships may be the most important technology we have. Continue the Conversation  If you're looking for more just-in-time perspectives, join us inside the Perspective Shift community. There's a place for you here.    Join the Perspective Shift community → https://drrobyne.ca/perspective/  Additional Resources:  Jake’s Podcast: This Isn’t Therapy (co-hosted with Simon Paluck)Jake’s episode mentioned: Co-Regulation & Passive Aggressive TextsConnection Crash by Jake Ernst (Pre-order now – releases January 12, 2027)Connect with Jake:  Website: www.mswjake.comInstagram: www.instagram.com/mswjakeLinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/jake-ernst-msw-rsw-8210548aConnect with Dr. Robyne:  Website: https://drrobyne.ca/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_robynehd/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drrobynehd/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr_robynehdNewsletter: https://drrobyne.ca/newsletter/Disclaimer

Have you ever come up short on something you worked really hard for? In this solo episode, Dr. Robyne shares a story from a recent ultra-endurance challenge that didn't unfold the way she had hoped. Drawing on neuropsychology and her experience on and off the mountain, she reflects on what it means to face disappointment, recognize where we may have dropped the ball, and still meet ourselves with radical self-compassion. She explores why harsh self-criticism can keep us from learning from our mistakes, while self-compassion creates the space to reflect, integrate, and grow. Along the way, she shares powerful lessons about choosing hard, the people who show up when we need them most, and why an experience can still be meaningful even when the outcome isn't what we expected. Continue the Conversation If this conversation resonated with you, we'd love to welcome you inside the Perspective Shift community. It's a place for thoughtful conversations, practical perspective shifts, and a community of people committed to living with greater clarity, compassion, and intention. There's a place for you here. Join the Perspective Shift community → https://drrobyne.ca/perspective/ Additional Resources:  29029 Dustan Woodhouse – Be The Better Broker Connect with Dr. Robyne:  Website: https://drrobyne.ca/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_robynehd/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drrobynehd/  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr_robynehd  Newsletter: https://drrobyne.ca/newsletter/ Disclaimer

In this episode, Dr. Robyne sits down with integrative spiritual consultant, chaplain, and bestselling author Catherine Duncan for a thought-provoking conversation about slowing down, awakening to the present moment, and reconnecting with what truly matters. Together, they explore what can happen when we quiet the noise enough to listen to our bodies, our intuition, and the wisdom that emerges in stillness, and how making space for grief can also create more room for love, joy, and peace. Drawing on her own near-death experiences and years of accompanying people at the end of life, Catherine shares insights on spirituality, finding meaning, and what it means to be alive. They explore simple practices such as breath, nature, meditation, and curiosity, along with a powerful reminder: when we look back on a life, love and connection are often what matter most. Continue the Conversation  If you're looking for more just-in-time perspectives, join us inside the Perspective Shift community. There's a place for you here. Join the Perspective Shift community → https://drrobyne.ca/perspective/ Additional Resources: Everyday Awakening by Catherine DuncanCatherine’s Podcast: Everyday AwakeningDr. Robyne on Everyday Awakening Connect with Catherine: Website: https://www.catherineduncan.org/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/catherineduncanmabcc/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rev-catherine-duncan-ma-bccFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/CatherineDuncanmabcc/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@catherineduncanmabcc Connect with Dr. Robyne: Website: https://drrobyne.ca/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_robynehd/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drrobynehd/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr_robynehdNewsletter: https://drrobyne.ca/newsletter/ Disclaimer

This special episode continues the live conversation from the tea party celebrating the launch of Dr. Robyne's latest book, I Hope So: How to Choose Hope Even When It's Hard. In this audience Q&A, Dr. Robyne responds to thoughtful questions about self-compassion, belonging, routines, ADHD, overwhelm, and what it really looks like to choose hope in everyday life. Together, they explore simple practices for navigating hard seasons, caring for ourselves without guilt, and creating more space for what matters most. Plus, two simple questions that can become a permission slip to hope, for yourself and for the people you care about. Continue the Conversation  If this conversation resonated with you, we'd love to welcome you inside the Perspective Shift community.  It's a place for thoughtful conversations, practical perspective shifts, and a community of people committed to living with greater clarity, compassion, and intention. There's a place for you here.  Join the Perspective Shift community → https://drrobyne.ca/perspective/ Additional Resources:  Listen to Part 1 of the conversation: A Spot of Tea and a Dash of Hope (Part 1) I Hope So by Dr. Robyne Hanley-Dafoe Connect with Natalie Davison:  Website: https://nataliedavison.ca/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natalie_i_davison/  LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/natalie-davison Connect with Dr. Robyne:  Website: https://drrobyne.ca/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_robynehd/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drrobynehd/  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr_robynehd  Newsletter: https://drrobyne.ca/newsletter/ Disclaimer

In this episode, Dr. Robyne explores the tension between everything and enough, and what happens when our drive to achieve, grow, and do more turns into a perpetual game of chase. Drawing on a journal entry she wrote a year ago, she reflects on the pressure to keep reaching for “the next thing,” the ways we can begin to tie our worth to achievement, and how the finish line can keep moving. She invites us to consider what it might look like to decide what is enough for this season of our lives, creating space for contentment, agency, and what truly matters. Continue the Conversation  If this conversation resonated with you, we'd love to welcome you inside the Perspective Shift community.  It's a place for thoughtful conversations, practical perspective shifts, and a community of people committed to living with greater clarity, compassion, and intention.  There's a place for you here.  Join the Perspective Shift community → https://drrobyne.ca/perspective/  Additional Resources:  Calm Within the Storm by Dr. Robyne Hanley-Dafoe Stress Wisely by Dr. Robyne Hanley-Dafoe  Connect with Dr. Robyne:  Website: https://drrobyne.ca/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_robynehd/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drrobynehd/  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr_robynehd  Newsletter: https://drrobyne.ca/newsletter/   Disclaimer

In this episode, Dr. Robyne welcomes the original Phillie Phanatic, Hero of Happiness, keynote speaker, author, and brand consultant Dave Raymond for a conversation about finding lightness, connection, and joy, even when life feels its heaviest. As the man inside the giant green costume for 16 years, Dave shares how creating moments of joy for millions revealed the deeper power of fun and ultimately helped him find his way back to hope. Together, they explore what it means to make room for laughter and play when the world feels unwell, how joy and hard things can coexist, and why sometimes the next right thing is simply reaching for the tiniest “finger hold” to help us move forward.  Continue the Conversation  If you're looking for more just-in-time perspectives, join us inside the Perspective Shift community. There's a place for you here.    Join the Perspective Shift community → https://drrobyne.ca/perspective/    Additional Resources:  The Power of Fun by Dave Raymond Connect with Dr. Robyne:  Website: https://drrobyne.ca/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_robynehd/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drrobynehd/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr_robynehdNewsletter: https://drrobyne.ca/newsletter/ Disclaimer

In this episode, Dr. Robyne explores how our genetics, circumstances, and habits influence our capacity to experience happiness. She also shares a four-step framework she uses in coaching to help navigate sticky situations, solve problems, and figure out what to do next. Plus, what becomes possible when we tap into the perspective, insight, and collective wisdom of a community.  Continue the Conversation  If this conversation resonated with you, we'd love to welcome you inside the Perspective Shift community.  It's a place for thoughtful conversations, practical perspective shifts, and a community of people committed to living with greater clarity, compassion, and intention. There's a place for you here. Join the Perspective Shift community → https://drrobyne.ca/perspective/ Additional Resources:  First Year, For Real – a live conversation for parents and families navigating the transition to post-secondary. August 19th. Use code ROBYNE to save 15%. Dr. Arthur Brooks Connect with Dr. Robyne:  Website: https://drrobyne.ca/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_robynehd/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drrobynehd/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr_robynehdNewsletter: https://drrobyne.ca/newsletter/ Disclaimer

Sometimes one idea, one question, or one new way of seeing a situation can change everything. In this episode, Dr. Robyne introduces the next season of the podcast and explores why perspective is one of the most powerful tools we have for navigating stress, relationships, leadership, and everyday life. Through relatable stories, psychology-backed insights, and practical perspective shifts, she shares how broadening the way we see ourselves, others, and the situations around us can help us manage expectations, reduce unnecessary suffering, and create more space for clarity, compassion, and possibility.  Continue the Conversation  If this conversation resonated with you, we'd love to welcome you inside the Perspective Shift community.  It's a place for thoughtful conversations, practical perspective shifts, and a community of people committed to living with greater clarity, compassion, and intention. There's a place for you here.  Join the Perspective Shift community → https://drrobyne.ca/perspective/   Additional Resources:  Stress Wisely by Dr. Robyne Hanley-Dafoe Dr. Arthur Brooks Connect with Dr. Robyne:  Website: https://drrobyne.ca/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_robynehd/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drrobynehd/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr_robynehdNewsletter: https://drrobyne.ca/newsletter/ Disclaimer

This special episode was recorded live at a tea party celebrating the launch of Dr. Robyne's latest book, I Hope So: How to Choose Hope Even When It's Hard. Joined by her dear friend Natalie Davison and a room full of thoughtful guests, they explore what it means to choose hope, the stories that inspired the book, and why hope is something we can strengthen, even in life's hardest seasons. You'll hear the difference between hope and optimism, the power of belonging, and why sometimes we need to borrow hope from others until we can hold it ourselves.  Additional Resources:  Listen to Part 2 of the conversation: What Are You Hoping For? | A Spot of Tea and a Dash of Hope (Part 2)I Hope So by Dr. Robyne Hanley-DafoeDr. Robyne on The Mark Divine Show Connect with Natalie Davison:  Website: https://nataliedavison.ca/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natalie_i_davison/LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/natalie-davison Connect with Dr. Robyne:  Website: https://drrobyne.ca/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_robynehd/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drrobynehd/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr_robynehdNewsletter: https://drrobyne.ca/newsletter/ Disclaimer

What stories have been quietly shaping your life for years without you even realizing it? Today on Life by Design, Dr. Robyne is joined by leadership keynote speaker, author, and joy expert Amanda Gore for a conversation about joy, fear, and the stories we tell ourselves. Together, they explore how childhood beliefs continue to influence our adult lives, why fear often sits beneath our reactions to change, and how awareness, gratitude, and compassion can help us rewrite the narratives that no longer serve us. If you've ever struggled with people-pleasing, self-judgment, or the feeling that you need to hold everything together, Amanda offers thoughtful perspective and practical tools for moving toward greater joy and inner peace.  Additional Resources:  Joy Is an Inside Job by Amanda Gore & Lenore LewisYour Erroneous Zones by Wayne Dyer Connect with Amanda:  Website: https://amandagore.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandagorejoy/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandalgore/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/amandagoretv Connect with Dr. Robyne:  Website: https://drrobyne.ca/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_robynehd/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drrobynehd/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr_robynehdNewsletter: https://drrobyne.ca/newsletter/ Disclaimer

Today on Life by Design, Dr. Robyne is joined by criminal defence lawyer Jordana H. Goldlist. From surviving addiction and living on the streets as a teenager to becoming one of Canada's leading criminal defence lawyers, Jordana's journey shows that reinvention happens one courageous step at a time and that creating distance from the environments that keep us stuck can open the door to a different future. Together, they discuss the realities of addiction, recovery, and the criminal justice system. It's a conversation about the power of hope, support, and honest dialogue, and recognizing that a person's hardest season does not erase their potential or define their entire story. Additional Resources:  Jordana’s Podcast: Who Judges the Judge?Jordana’s TEDx Talk: Who Judges the Judge?Dr. Robyne on Who Judges the Judge? Connect with Jordana:  Website: https://www.jhgcriminallaw.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jordanagoldlistLinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/jgoldlist Connect with Dr. Robyne:  Website: https://drrobyne.ca/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_robynehd/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drrobynehd/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr_robynehdNewsletter: https://drrobyne.ca/newsletter/ Disclaimer

In this uplifting episode, Dr. Robyne welcomes comedian and mental health and well-being expert Jessica Holmes for a conversation about the power of humor and wholehearted living. Together, they explore why joy can feel so out of reach during difficult seasons, and how simple practices like sharing a laugh, telling a story, or looking at a challenge through a different lens can offer real relief. Through personal rituals, family moments, and the science behind noticing the funny, the hopeful, and the simply kind, they share practical ways to lighten hard days without minimizing them. You'll also hear why asking our loved ones what they truly need can strengthen our relationships and why we were never meant to carry life's challenges alone. Additional Resources:  Depression the Comedy by Jessica HolmesI Hope So by Dr. Robyne Hanley-Dafoe Connect with Jessica:  Website: https://www.jessicaholmes.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/happyfunholmes/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-holmes-50ab90202/  Connect with Dr. Robyne:  Website: https://drrobyne.ca/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_robynehd/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drrobynehd/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr_robynehdNewsletter: https://drrobyne.ca/newsletter/ Disclaimer

In this episode of Life by Design, Dr. Robyne sits down with nationally syndicated radio host, former CFL player, and media personality Brad Smith for a thoughtful conversation about growth, reinvention, and owning your story. Together, they explore how to embrace the opportunities in front of you, learn from the past without being defined by it, and navigate the complexities of life with ADHD. They also discuss handling criticism, the power of self-awareness, and why so many high performers find themselves chasing a feeling they can never quite recreate.  Additional Resources:  Brad’s Podcast: No BS with Brad SmithPrevious episode with Dr. Ross Ellenhorn: The Fear of HopeWhy Does Everybody Hate Me? by Alex Partridge Connect with Brad:  Website: https://www.nobswithbs.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bradcsmith/ Connect with Dr. Robyne:  Website: https://drrobyne.ca/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_robynehd/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drrobynehd/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr_robynehdNewsletter: https://drrobyne.ca/newsletter/ Disclaimer

Feeling weary, overwhelmed, or caught in a never-ending stress cycle? In this solo episode, Dr. Robyne introduces the Four R's of Nervous System Recovery: Restoration, Regulation, Reflection, and Reimagining. She explores why restoration must come before regulation and shares practical insights to help listeners tune into what their body, heart, mind, and community truly need. Through reflective questions and relatable stories, she encourages a balanced self-awareness that honors both challenge and progress while helping you close stress loops, rebuild capacity, and reimagine what is possible on the other side of hard seasons.  Ready, Set, Rest Workshop: Nervous System Recovery for Educators  Ready to move from exhaustion to restoration? Join Dr. Robyne for Ready, Set, Rest, a one-hour live workshop designed to help educators recover from a demanding school year, restore their nervous system, and step into summer with greater intention, spaciousness, and well-being. Offered live on June 26 or June 29. Register here: https://drrobyne.ca/ready-set-rest-workshop/ Connect with Dr. Robyne:  Website: https://drrobyne.ca/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_robynehd/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drrobynehd/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr_robynehdNewsletter: https://drrobyne.ca/newsletter/ Disclaimer