The Daily Smile

Have you ever wanted to experience the life of a legend before they were famous? Well now you can. From Wondery, Imagined Life is a podcast that allows you to live vicariously through someone world-famous – before they stepped into the limelight.

Season 5 Premiere: The Madman. Imagine this: Your family has a history of mental illness. You’ve seen what it’s done to your brother, and you don’t want to wind up like him. But how long can you hide from your true self?

Listen now at wondery.fm/ImaginedlifeS5

Wondery’s newest kids and family podcast, Little Stories Everywhere, transports your family to an imaginative world with enchanting stories and exciting adventures. Whether you’re listening during story time or enjoying screen-free entertainment, Little Stories Everywhere has a story for everyone. Listen to our latest original story, Alfred and the Iceland Fairies, available now at wondery.fm/StoriesEverywhere

In July 2018, 12 youth soccer players and their coach found themselves trapped 6 miles deep in a cave with no food or water and depleting oxygen. The rock formed maze became almost completely submerged as the water rose to levels nearly impossible for survival. There was no light and no way to communicate with the outside world. The first season of Wondery’s new original series Against the Odds takes you into the incredible events of when an adventurous group of teens found themselves fighting to save their lives, and the brave heroes that gave them their only chance at survival. With step by step recounts, experience for yourself what it was like to be in their shoes, and how they survived against the odds. Listen to Against the Odds at wondery.fm/ATO.

A car is stolen with a beloved calico cat inside. Nikki and Mr. Malone try to solve the Case of the Missing Calico in this episode and — a final farewell.

Follow Mr. Malone on Twitter and Instagram

Listen ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App. 

Tell us what’s making you smile! Send a voice memo to smile@wondery.com

Our theme song is “Smile” by Ryan Innes

“Heart hacker” Amy Chan healed her broken heart by turning to old remedies and new sciences for answers. Renew Breakup Bootcamp is the program she created to help others ease their own heartaches. And today, she’s sharing her tips on all things love and relationships with our Daily Smile community.

Buy Amy’s book, Breakup Bootcamp: The Science of Rewiring Your Heart

Learn more about Renew Breakup Bootcamp

Follow Amy on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook

Listen ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App. 

Tell us what’s making you smile! Send a voice memo to smile@wondery.com

Our theme song is “Smile” by Ryan Innes

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Make your mental health a priority! For 10% off your first month, go to BetterHelp.com/DAILYSMILE

Amy Chan’s love life didn’t go according to plan — and it was a hurt that wouldn’t go away. But that breakup would be the shake-up her life needed to make a change for the better... for her and the broken-hearted she helps to find a brand new start. 

Buy Amy’s book, Breakup Bootcamp: The Science of Rewiring Your Heart

Learn more about Renew Breakup Bootcamp

Follow Amy on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook

Listen ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App. 

Tell us what’s making you smile! Send a voice memo to smile@wondery.com

Our theme song is “Smile” by Ryan Innes

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Support us by supporting our sponsors!

Make your mental health a priority! For 10% off your first month, go to BetterHelp.com/DAILYSMILE

English TV star Sabra Williams landed in LA with a new career path in mind. And then landed in prison — as an acting teacher. With the encouragement of an Oscar-winning actor, she’s bringing workshops to cell blocks — offering help, hope, and change to those who need it most.

Learn more about Sabra’s work online: CreativeActs.us

Follow Sabra on Twitter: @sabraarbas

Listen ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App. 

Tell us what’s making you smile! Send a voice memo to smile@wondery.com

Our theme song is “Smile” by Ryan Innes

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Support us by supporting our sponsors!

Make your mental health a priority! For 10% off your first month, go to BetterHelp.com/DAILYSMILE

Christian Robinson drew on his hope and imagination to brighten his life and find his way growing up without a lot in L.A. Now he’s a gifted children’s book illustrator telling stories that reflect the life he knows — and shedding light on the unseen kids who are growing up a lot like he did. 

Order Milo Imagines The World, out today

Follow Christian on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook

Check out Christian’s website

Photo credit: John Kwiatkowski

Listen ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App. 

Tell us what’s making you smile! Send a voice memo to smile@wondery.com

Our theme song is “Smile” by Ryan Innes

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Support us by supporting our sponsors!

Make your mental health a priority! For 10% off your first month, go to BetterHelp.com/DAILYSMILE

What do you do with a theater arts degree and no real idea what you want to do next? Emily Brandwin moved home and tried everything. And when she answered an unlikely  job ad, a little bit of movie magic happened. Emily became a spy for the CIA. 

Follow Emily on Twitter: @CIAspygirl

Read more of Emily’s story on her website: CIASpyGirl.com

Listen ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App. 

Tell us what’s making you smile! Send a voice memo to smile@wondery.com

Our theme song is “Smile” by Ryan Innes

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Support us by supporting our sponsors!

Make your mental health a priority! For 10% off your first month, go to BetterHelp.com/DAILYSMILE

Sometimes finding what you were born to do takes time -- and a leap of faith. And sometimes it also takes a big bus and a bunch of furry friends. Instagram star Lee Asher’s life went to the dogs. And he couldn’t be happier.

To learn more about The Asher House click here or follow Lee Asher and his pups on Instagram

Promo photo courtesy of Lee Asher

Listen ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App. 

Tell us what’s making you smile! Send a voice memo to smile@wondery.com

Our theme song is “Smile” by Ryan Innes

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Download Best Fiends today!

Nikki talks to TV writer and producer Austin Winsberg about his work, his inspiration, and how he turned heartache into a whimsical, uplifting and meaningful hit TV show.

Watch Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist on NBC

Follow Austin Winsberg on Twitter: @austinwinsberg

Listen ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App. 

Tell us what’s making you smile! Send a voice memo to smile@wondery.com

Our theme song is “Smile” by Ryan Innes

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Support us by supporting our sponsors!

Download Best Fiends today!

Catie Turner has always been herself, but didn’t know where she belonged until she sang her way onto American Idol at the age of 17. Her unique personality and soulful voice made her an instant fan favorite. Today, she’s still the same girl, but she knows exactly where she belongs.

Follow Catie on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and TikTok

To listen to Catie’s music on your platform of choice, check out her website

Photo credit: Jimmy Fontaine

Listen ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App. 

Tell us what’s making you smile! Send a voice memo to smile@wondery.com

Our theme song is “Smile” by Ryan Innes

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Support us by supporting our sponsors!

Download Best Fiends today!

Singer-songwriter Krigarè played the Grammys at just 8-years-old. She was on her way. Yet just a few years later, she couldn’t sing a note and was fighting for her life. Now she’s back. Alive and well and living in Dreamland.

Listen to Krigarè on SoundCloud

Follow Krigarè on Instagram (@krigaremusic) or check out her website: krigaremusic.com

Listen ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App. 

Tell us what’s making you smile! Send a voice memo to smile@wondery.com

Our theme song is “Smile” by Ryan Innes

--

Support us by supporting our sponsors!

Download Best Fiends today!

Good things take time, right? This week, Nikki tells Mr. Malone two stories about special relationships that have each spanned seven decades. 

Follow Mr. Malone on Twitter and Instagram

Listen ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App. 

Tell us what’s making you smile! Send a voice memo to smile@wondery.com

Our theme song is “Smile” by Ryan Innes

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Support us by supporting our sponsors!

Download Best Fiends today!

What if chasing happiness actually leaves you feeling unhappy? In the last episode of our Hunt for Happiness series, Nikki talks to Emily Esfahani Smith about how pursuing meaning in different ways can actually lead to a happier life.

Learn more about Emily’s work and take her Pillars of Meaning quiz on her website: emilyesfahanismith.com

Snag your own copy of The Power of Meaning on Amazon

Watch Emily’s TED Talk: There’s More to Life Than Being Happy

Follow Emily on Twitter: @EmEsfahaniSmith

Listen ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App. 

Tell us what’s making you smile! Send a voice memo to smile@wondery.com

Our theme song is “Smile” by Ryan Innes

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Support us by supporting our sponsors!

Maintain your health goals with Care/of! For 50% off your first order, go to TakeCareOf.com and enter code SMILE50

What does science have to say about happiness? As Yale’s Dr. Laurie Santos discovered… quite a lot. In this episode of our Hunt for Happiness series, Dr. Santos shares the secrets of a scientifically happier life. 

Follow Dr. Laurie Santos on Twitter: @lauriesantos

Sign up for The Science of Well-Being for free on Coursera

Listen to The Happiness Lab podcast: http://podcasts.pushkin.fm/dailysmile

Listen ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App. 

Tell us what’s making you smile! Send a voice memo to smile@wondery.com

Our theme song is “Smile” by Ryan Innes

--

Support us by supporting our sponsors!

Maintain your health goals with Care/of! For 50% off your first order, go to TakeCareOf.com and enter code SMILE50

It may seem like happiness is pretty black-and-white. You’re happy or you’re sad. But author Helen Russell knows that this isn’t the case. Other cultures around the world have many different ways to think about happiness that might actually make your daily life happier.

Buy your copy of The Atlas of Happiness

Follow Helen for updates on appearances and her forthcoming book, How To Be Sad, on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and her website: helenrussell.co.uk

Listen ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App. 

Tell us what’s making you smile! Send a voice memo to smile@wondery.com

Our theme song is “Smile” by Ryan Innes

--

Support us by supporting our sponsors!

Maintain your health goals with Care/of! For 50% off your first order, go to TakeCareOf.com and enter code SMILE50

How do tangible things create an intangible feeling of joy? This is the question author and designer Ingrid Fetell Lee pondered while researching the relationship between joy and design. In this episode, she shares her findings with Nikki for Hunt for Happiness Week. 

Buy a copy of Ingrid’s book, Joyful: https://aestheticsofjoy.com/the-book/

Learn more about the aesthetics of joy online at AestheticsOfJoy.com/

Follow Ingrid on Instagram @aestheticsofjoy

Listen ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App. 

Tell us what’s making you smile! Send a voice memo to smile@wondery.com

Our theme song is “Smile” by Ryan Innes

--

Support us by supporting our sponsors!

Maintain your health goals with Care/of! For 50% off your first order, go to TakeCareOf.com and enter code SMILE50

How can you boost your happiness and enjoy life more each day? Gretchen Rubin started a year-long experiment trying to do just that. She called it “The Happiness Project,” and she wrote a book to share her findings with the rest of the world.

Order Gretchen’s books online: https://gretchenrubin.com/books/

Follow Gretchen on Instagram (@gretchenrubin) or check out her website: https://gretchenrubin.com/

Take the Four Tendencies Quiz: https://quiz.gretchenrubin.com

Listen ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App. 

Tell us what’s making you smile! Send a voice memo to smile@wondery.com

Our theme song is “Smile” by Ryan Innes

--

Support us by supporting our sponsors!

Maintain your health goals with Care/of! For 50% off your first order, go to TakeCareOf.com and enter code SMILE50

Cristina Zenato grew up in South Africa and always knew her life’s work would involve the ocean. What she didn’t know is that she’d end up in the Bahamas swimming with sharks.

For more information about Cristina and her work with sharks, you can visit her website, or follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook

Listen ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App. 

Tell us what’s making you smile! Send a voice memo to smile@wondery.com

Our theme song is “Smile” by Ryan Innes

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Support us by supporting our sponsors!

Get a free home security camera with your purchase of a SimpliSafe security system. Go to SimpliSafe.com/DAILYSMILE