This one is for the ladies. Because we were taught to be ladies and to always be prim, proper and polite. And where has that gotten us exactly?

Exactly.

And, look, I am a please-and-thank-you kind of gal. I like manners. Manners make the world go 'round. But I'm sort of done with being polite.

Now, this isn't to say I condone being rude. I absolutely do not. We have enough rudeness in our society. And, please note, I didn't title this ep "Start Being Impolite". No. There's a big diff between not being polite and being impolite. Right? We just don't need to soften our responses in order to make rude people feel better.

And if you're interested in the t-shirt I mentioned, get it here.

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

Words are powerful things, in both good and bad ways. We can use them to build ourselves up or tear others down. And we should be mindful of how we use them.
We are taught from a young age to use our magic words. Aside from "Pretty please" and "Thank you", there are also mantras, the most magical of words. But we aren't taught to use them like we should.
You probably think mantras are only used while sitting in lotus position, eyes closed and speaking them in a language you may not know. Nope. The most powerful mantras are the ones we create for ourselves and we can say them with our eyes wide open and doing the things we need to do, like driving or getting groceries.
So, if you don't have a mantra of your own, let's create some magic words for you to use.

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.)

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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 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.)

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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