Canadian Positive Psychology Podcast
Season 1
Inspiring Interviews with Louisa Jewell: Tom Rath "What's the Point"
Inspiring Interviews with Louisa Jewell: John Jeff Hutter "Good Grief"
by Canadian Positive Psychology Association
In this episode of Inspiring Interviews, Louisa Jewell sits down with researcher and author Tom Rath to talk about his new book, What's the Point? Turning Purpose into Your Daily Superpower. Rath, known for How Full Is Your Bucket and his earlier well-being research at Gallup, makes the case that purpose is not a single grand revelation but something built hour by hour, in the choices we make from the moment we wake up. Jewell and Rath also talk about mortality, attention, and technology, including Rath's practice of locking away his phone and his approach to using AI as something that works for him rather than something that quietly directs his day. It is a grounded, practical conversation about meaning, career, and the small daily decisions that add up over time. About Tom Rath Tom is an author and researcher who studies how careers impact health and wellbeing. He has written 12 books that have sold more than 10 million copies and made hundreds of appearances on global bestseller lists. Tom's first book, How Full Is Your Bucket?, was an instant #1 New York Times bestseller. His book StrengthFinder 2.0 was listed as Amazon's top-selling non-fiction book of all time. Tom's other bestsellers include Strengths Based Leadership, Wellbeing, Eat Move Sleep, and Are You Fully Charged? Tom is currently co-founder and CEO of CareerSight. He previously led Gallup's workplaces business and served as a Senior Scientist. Tom was also a Vice-Chair of the VHL cancer research organization. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan and the University of Pennsylvania, where he has also been a guest lecturer. https://tomrath.org/ About "What's the Point? Turning Purpose into Your Daily Superpower." In his most personal and provocative book yet, Tom reveals that your daily superpower isn't your title, your salary, or your "brand." It's your ability to contribute to others. Drawing from the clarity of a man who's lived on borrowed time since a terminal diagnosis at age fifteen, Rath combines the rigour of a researcher with the candour of a friend who refuses to let you settle. https://tomrath.org/whats-the-point
On this episode of Inspiring Interviews, Louisa Jewell sits down with John Jeff Hutter, author of Gutsy Grief, for an honest conversation about what loss asks of us, and what it can show us in return. A decade on from his father's death, John Jeff reflects on grief as something non-linear and "squiggly," better understood through a series of what he calls portals than through stages or timelines. John Jeff and Louisa explore the difference between "everything happens for a reason" and what he describes as a gratitude "upgrade," the shared responsibility inside conflict, the messy "year of excuses" that can follow a loss, and the quiet relief of letting go of the idea that healing has a finish line. Along the way, there is practical wisdom for anyone trying to support a grieving friend, starting with why "don't say sorry" may serve them better than you would expect. About John Jeff Hutter John Jeff Hutter writes and speaks about how life's hardest moments invite us into greater honesty with ourselves and the lives we're authoring. His work explores how storytelling, language, and curiosity shape identity, especially in the aftermath of change, loss, and trauma. He holds master's degrees in Human Dimensions of Organizations from the University of Texas at Austin and in Happiness Studies from the Happiness Studies Academy. Originally from Cumberland, Maryland, he now lives in Austin, Texas, with his partner, George. https://johnjeffhutter.com/ About Gutsy Grief Gutsy Grief is a book about grief beyond death: the loss of identity after burnout, the end of a relationship you thought would last, the unravelling of a career you built your sense of self around, or the future you expected but will never live. After John Jeff Hutter's father died by suicide, he discovered decades of journals and letters his father had written over more than thirty years. Reading them created an ongoing conversation across time that reshaped how John Jeff understood grief, meaning, and what it means to be human. Those writings form the narrative backbone of Gutsy Grief, grounding the book in lived experience rather than advice or theory. Blending memoir with research-informed insight from happiness studies and organizational behaviour, Gutsy Grief is for readers who feel out of sync with conventional grief narratives, who are tired of being told to "move on,” and who sense there is meaning here but do not want it spoon-fed or packaged in toxic positivity.
Join CPPA president Louisa Jewell as she sits down with renowned happiness researcher Sonja Lyubomirsky to discuss her new book, How to Feel Loved: The Five Mindsets That Get You More of What Matters Most, co-authored with relationship expert Harry Reis. Drawing on decades of research in positive psychology and relationship science, Sonja shares practical, evidence-based insights on how shifting our mindsets can deepen connection, belonging, and fulfillment in every area of life. Whether you’re interested in strengthening relationships or understanding the science of feeling loved, this conversation offers actionable tools and inspiring perspectives. To learn more about Sonja Lyubomirsky and her new book, visit howtofeelloved.com