I had some fun the other day in the dentist chair. She was replacing a crown and, my gawd, that drill is loud. So I turned up the audiobook I was listening to, but nothing was happening. I kept pressing the button and cursing my Airpods — you’re supposed to be noise-cancelling, FFS! Then my phone started vibrating. My audiobook went silent and the 911 recording started.

What I thought was the Volume Up button was actually the SOS.

When the dentist took her hand out of my mouth for a brief second, I shot up, and started pressing every button to end the call. You have to confirm you want to end the call, BTW. With the glare from the overhead lamp and my privacy shield keeping things private, it was hard to see the screen. I noticed a countdown — 3, 2, 1 — for what, I wasn’t sure. Before I could stop it, my emergency contacts were called and the dentist had her hand back in my mouth.

Lying there, helpless, I started getting calls and texts from my two besties who serve as my emergency contacts. Couldn’t do anything about it until the dentist’s hand was out of my mouth and she was off to her next victim.

I was finally able to pick up one call and return the text of another before my temporary crown was attached. Good to know that SOS system works! And also that my besties have great senses of humor. BTW, you have to turn off the SOS or they will keep getting texts with location pins until you do. Learned that on the drive home. The more you know…

I have amazing friends. That was intentional and truly worth the effort to make, maintain and deepen those relationships.

Follow the podcast on Instagram, Threads and Facebook @HappyRebelPodcast and go deeper into your eudaimonic wellbeing at The Happyist Substack.

Leave a review on Apple Podcasts and DM a screenshot of it to me on Instagram (@happyrebelpodcast) along with your preferred email address to receive a free month of The Happyist Substack plus a discount on a continuing subscription. (Please note, this is a manual process. The only AI I use is *actual* intelligence.)

Be a Happy Rebel VIP! Join our email group!

To work with me, or for further inquiries, please visit TheHappyist.me

Ready to start your own podcast? Consider Buzzsprout as your host. They make it easy and affordable. Use my referral link for a $20 credit on any paid plan.

©2025-2026 Happy Rebel LLC All Rights Reserved

Music: "Punk Attitude" by Flash Fluharty licensed via PremiumBeats

Dollars to doughnuts, if you are listening to this — especially if you are GenX — you have seen and/or read The Secret. If you haven’t, you really didn’t miss anything. In a nutshell, and what I found really irritating, was that it focused on a materialism mindset. Think really hard about the shit you want and you’ll get it! It really missed the mark on manifestation and it sent people — yes, including me — into what I call Malignant Optimism. Because, as we were told, “the secret” was to really, really, really believe that what you wanted would come true. You would manifest it. And, if you didn’t, you were doing it wrong. You didn’t believe enough. It’s all your fault.

Let me tell you, I did believe. I had the LLC and bank account open, ready to receive. The team around me telling me it was going to happen any day now. I could see it, smell it taste it. And nope. I just wound up deep in a five-figure hole.

And that’s okay, because it led me to discover what the real secret really is.

Follow the podcast on Instagram, Threads and Facebook @HappyRebelPodcast and go deeper into your eudaimonic wellbeing at The Happyist Substack.

Leave a review on Apple Podcasts and DM a screenshot of it to me on Instagram (@happyrebelpodcast) along with your preferred email address to receive a free month of The Happyist Substack plus a discount on a continuing subscription. (Please note, this is a manual process. The only AI I use is *actual* intelligence.)

Be a Happy Rebel VIP! Join our email group!

To work with me, or for further inquiries, please visit TheHappyist.me

Ready to start your own podcast? Consider Buzzsprout as your host. They make it easy and affordable. Use my referral link for a $20 credit on any paid plan.

©2025-2026 Happy Rebel LLC All Rights Reserved

Music: "Punk Attitude" by Flash Fluharty licensed via PremiumBeats

I don’t know about yours, but my ego is a petty, petty bitch. I'm trying to help her grow the eff up. Mature. Evolve! And we are having this ongoing battle —- which I'm sure anyone who’s elevating, changing, and stepping into your next-self experiences as well.

TBH, I don't want to be bothered by people who are not worth my time. You know the ones. And I'm sure they know who they are. Unfortunately, I can't just cut them out of my life. I have to deal with them on a day-to-day basis. Welcome to the world. I just have to get to the point where I not only don't take it personally — because at least I’ve gotten that far — I have to get to the point where I don't want to engage. Because I am really good at engaging. And that petty, petty bitch of an ego of mine is too happy to play a game she will likely win. But at what cost?

Follow the podcast on Instagram, Threads and Facebook @HappyRebelPodcast and go deeper into your eudaimonic wellbeing at The Happyist Substack.

Leave a review on Apple Podcasts and DM a screenshot of it to me on Instagram (@happyrebelpodcast) along with your preferred email address to receive a free month of The Happyist Substack plus a discount on a continuing subscription. (Please note, this is a manual process. The only AI I use is *actual* intelligence.)

Be a Happy Rebel VIP! Join our email group!

To work with me, or for further inquiries, please visit TheHappyist.me

Ready to start your own podcast? Consider Buzzsprout as your host. They make it easy and affordable. Use my referral link for a $20 credit on any paid plan.

©2025-2026 Happy Rebel LLC All Rights Reserved

Music: "Punk Attitude" by Flash Fluharty licensed via PremiumBeats