Mental Wellness Mastery: Mental Health Expert Jessica Lyonford Of zant On Everyday Life Hacks For Optimal Mental Wellness

An Interview With Eden Gold

Check in with yourself more often. Regularly checking in with yourself and your feelings throughout the day is crucial for understanding what your body is telling you. Set reminders on your phone if needed. This habit helps you stay on top of anxiety and stress.

In our modern, fast-paced society, mental wellness is a crucial aspect of leading a fulfilling life. However, for many people, achieving and maintaining good mental health can be a challenging task, with obstacles such as stress, anxiety, depression, and more. That’s why it’s essential to have practical and accessible strategies for mental wellness that can help build resilience, emotional intelligence, and overall well-being. As part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Happiness Coach Jessica Lyonford.

Jessica Lyonford is an ICF-Certified Life Coach and the visionary founder behind Project More Happy, a company dedicated to spreading the science of happiness. Drawing from positive psychology, her framework of The Eight Pillars of Happiness helps people design lives rooted in purpose and joy. Jessica is also the host of the Project: More Happy podcast and serves as a certified provider on the zant app.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series. Before we dive into our discussion about Mental Wellness Life Hacks, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share with us the backstory about what brought you to your specific career path?

This answer is always so hard because there are so many different reasons I ended up where I did. This is a second career for me, and honestly, I never thought I would be a Happiness Coach and Consultant. But I’ve also never felt more fulfilled and excited about work than I do now.

I originally wanted to be a writer but settled for a career in advertising to have a steady paycheck and a rockstar title. It turns out, I was good at it and quickly climbed the ranks to Creative Director and then Creative Strategist. I had everything people are supposed to have to be happy — a great job that paid well, a successful husband and partner, and a home in a trendy neighborhood. I had all of it and more.

But I was miserable. So, I quit my job to figure things out. That’s when I stumbled into the field of Positive Psychology and I have been leaning into the space more and more ever since. First, it was about understanding the science for my own happiness. Then it spilled over into parenting. Now it’s everything. The purpose of my work is to make the science of happiness and human flourishing accessible to all.

It’s the best job in the world and it just keeps getting better.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career?

The most interesting thing that’s happened since I started my career is how I’ve been able to shape my work into what it is today and keep pushing myself and the opportunities further and further.

I love my one-on-one coaching work because it’s so personal and I get to watch people come alive and step into their inner strength and wisdom. Seeing that transformation firsthand is incredibly rewarding.

My consulting work is equally fascinating. When companies, schools, and communities embrace the science of happiness, amazing things happen: innovation increases tenfold, collaboration becomes second nature, and curiosity wipes out judgment and indecisiveness. People and spaces that follow the science are the ones designing a future where we all flourish together.

Witnessing this firsthand makes me so excited for our collective future and the possibilities that await if we just follow the science and take care of ourselves and one another.

You are a successful individual. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?

Creativity has allowed me to pivot and change directions throughout my life. My non-neurotypical brain helps me see possibilities where others see challenges. I can problem-solve my way out of just about anything.

Curiosity led me from a career that wasn’t quite right to building a business focused on happiness. My curiosity about my own happiness changed my life and became the core of Project More Happy. This eagerness to learn and grow keeps me and my business moving forward.

Compassion binds it all together. Understanding our interconnectedness and recognizing that small actions can have a big impact is crucial. I run my business with the belief that we all want to be seen, heard, valued, and loved. Compassion keeps me authentic and committed to making the world a better place for everyone.

Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview about mental wellness mastery. What is one often-overlooked daily habit that can significantly improve one’s mental wellness?

Practicing gratitude is simple and powerful when it comes to our mental health. It’s one of The Eight Pillars of Happiness for a reason.

Taking a few moments each day to appreciate the goodness around you can shift your mindset and improve your well-being. For example, starting a gratitude journal where you write down three things you’re grateful for each day can help you focus on the positive and reduce stress. This simple habit can transform your outlook and enhance your mental wellness.

How do you recommend individuals recalibrate their mental wellness after experiencing a significant setback or failure?

Accepting setbacks and processing your feelings around them is crucial for recalibrating mental wellness. Often, we ignore our feelings during hard times, leaving things unprocessed and keeping us stuck. To bounce back, we need to first feel what we need to feel. By really listening to our emotions, we can find our next step forward.

Think of emotions as messages our body is trying to communicate to us. To recalibrate, we need to first hear those messages. In doing so, we can uncover new directions and opportunities. By acknowledging and processing our emotions, we can move forward with clarity and purpose

In your experience, what is a common misconception about mental health that hinders people from seeking help or improving their wellness?

A common misconception is the belief that it’s shameful to suffer or need help.

Everyone suffers. To be human is to suffer. Accepting that is the first step on the journey toward improving your mental health. We all need support and help at different times in our lives. Needing help doesn’t mean you are broken. It means you are human.

I really wish the stigma and shame of seeking help would go away because it negates our humanity. Seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness, and it’s a crucial part of taking care of our mental health.

Can you share a transformative moment or client story that highlights the power of a specific mental wellness strategy?

I have a client who excels at checking in with her body, a practice she calls ‘muscle testing.’ She uses this technique to make decisions that previously caused her anxiety and stress.

This strategy aligns with her goal of asking for and accepting help — something entirely new for her. When stressed or uncertain, she calms herself and listens to her body’s physiological responses. Her body’s response gives her guidance for the next step, whether it’s reaching out for help or trusting in herself.

The hardest part of this practice is learning to truly listen to what you need. By doing so, you become an ally to yourself and can be more confident in your next step — whether that’s asking for help, pausing to rest, or learning to let go. This practice can significantly reduce anxiety and empower you to navigate life more confidently.

Based on your experience and research, can you please share “5 Everyday Life Hacks For Optimal Mental Wellness?”

1 . Check in with yourself more often. Regularly checking in with yourself and your feelings throughout the day is crucial for understanding what your body is telling you. Set reminders on your phone if needed. This habit helps you stay on top of anxiety and stress.

2 . Keep a gratitude list. Keep a running list of things you are thankful for as they arise. You can write these down, keep a list on your phone, or snap photos throughout your day. This practice rewires your brain to focus on the goodness in your life. For instance, one of the practices in Project More Happy’s Daily Happiness Journal is to jot down what you’re grateful for at the end of each day. This practice helps me focus on all the goodness in my life.

3 . Take time to celebrate your wins. Celebrating your achievements, no matter how small, is essential for mental health. Our brains have a negativity bias so it’s easy to see our faults and worry about negative outcomes. We can counter this by celebrating the positive things we do. Make a delicious lunch? Celebrate that! Go for a 10-minute walk between meetings? Celebrate it! Make it to bed on time? Woohoo — celebrate! When we celebrate our wins, we train our brains to repeat those positive actions.

4 . Start each day on a good note. Literally, begin each day by declaring that it’s going to be a good one. This habit of optimism can transform your outlook and make everything feel lighter. If you struggle to remember to do this, place a Post-it note next to your bed or write it on your mirror. Grounding your morning in optimism sets a positive tone for the entire day.

5 . Give yourself some grace. We are our own toughest critics, often thinking we’ve failed if things aren’t absolutely perfect. But we are imperfect beings–there is no right way to be human. Just try your best, keep showing up, celebrate the good, and give yourself grace and compassion when you fall short. Stop beating yourself up and learn to love your imperfections. This shift in mindset can lead to greater self-acceptance and overall mental wellness.

What role does technology play in mental wellness today, and how can individuals leverage it positively without exacerbating mental health issues?

Technology is a tool. If viewed and used that way, it can be a huge asset to our mental health, but that requires intentionality.

When you are on your phone, ask yourself if what you’re doing is in service of who you want to be and the life you want to live. Suddenly, endless scrolling on Facebook won’t be so appealing. Instead, use technology to support your goals and your mental wellness.

There are many tools designed to help with exactly that. As a certified provider on the zant app, I see firsthand how access to mental health professionals can be a game-changer. Need help? Book a session. It doesn’t get any easier than that.

It’s all about being intentional with technology and aligning its use with what we want out of life. By doing so, we can leverage technology positively without exacerbating mental health issues.

You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

Honestly, it would be Project More Happy.

The work we do is to make the science of happiness accessible to everyone, creating a world that is more just, more sustainable, and more deeply rooted in our shared humanity. With The Eight Pillars of Happiness as our guide, we empower people to integrate the science of happiness into their lives, helping everyone flourish together.

Happiness has the potential to transform the world. As more people invest in their own happiness and mental well-being, our communities will thrive.

How can our readers further follow you online?

Readers can learn more about Project More Happy and how to collaborate with me by visiting projectmorehappy.com. You can also follow me on Instagram @themorehappycoach. And of course, search for Coach Jess on the zant app for a free coaching session.

Thank you for the time you spent sharing these fantastic insights. We wish you only continued success in your great work!

About The Interviewer: Eden Gold, is a youth speaker, keynote speaker, founder of the online program Life After High School, and host of the Real Life Adulting Podcast. Being America’s rising force for positive change, Eden is a catalyst for change in shaping the future of education. With a lifelong mission of impacting the lives of 1 billion young adults, Eden serves as a practical guide, aiding young adults in honing their self-confidence, challenging societal conventions, and crafting a strategic roadmap towards the fulfilling lives they envision.

Do you need a dynamic speaker, or want to learn more about Eden’s programs? Click here: https://bit.ly/EdenGold.