Uncover the Power of Joy (SoulPancake ep. #126)

SoulPancake is an entertainment company with a mission to make the world a better place. How? By creating content that explores meaningful topics with integrity, heart + humor. You've likely seen some of their viral hits (that have amassed nearly one billion views!) like Kid President, Tell My Story + My Last Days.  Shabnam Mogharabi, co-founder, shares the best tips she's discovered while curating the signature SoulPancake content for 10 years. SHOW NOTES It doesn’t matter what you do, just try to be of service to the world. Take it offline: Use relationships formed online to initiate offline experiences in order to build deeper connections.  Be present: The internet makes us feel more connected but, we're forgetting to actually show up in a real way for others outside of social media. Counteract negativity by embracing joy: Build a practice: Shift your brain to reinforce positive reactions. Express gratitude: Regularly expressing gratitude for others, without any strings attached, has a profound impact on our own happiness. Be vulnerable: Vulnerably builds deep, meaningful relationships and creating a critical a sense of belonging, ultimately combating loneliness. Build deep relationships to create your community: Give non-romantic + romantic relationships a similar level of care + attention. Make a consistent habit of connecting with others. Create simple touch-points to build relationships (ex: texting emojis once a week) Make mental notes that can trigger you to touch-base with others SoulPancake's co-creator actor Rainn Wilson,  and Shabnam built SoulPancake as a positive space to counteract the negative news cycle. My main takeaways: Social media is changing the way we show up for others.  It can elevate, but should not, replace our interactions with others. Break down walls that divide us: Shabnam's father hosts a weekly open house of worship to build community and unity across religions. Watch SoulPancake's viral hits like Kid President, Tell My Story, My Last Days and others on YouTube. I wrote a Monday Motivation essay about Susan sitting shiva with her friend. Read it here. For more ways to create belonging through building a community, listen to our guest Radha Agrawal on ep. #98 of the Live Inspired Podcast. SHABNAM MOGHARABI'S LIVE INSPIRED 7  1. What is the best book you’ve ever read? Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. I read it once a year. 2. What is a characteristic or trait that you possessed as a child that you wish you still exhibited today? Playful and imaginative nature. I try to bring it into the culture of SoulPancake. 3. Your house is on fire, all living things and people are out. You have the opportunity to run in and grab one item. What would it be? My great grandmother’s ring. It's passed to the oldest woman in every generation and represents family, tradition and togetherness and bridges generations. 4. You are sitting on a bench overlooking a gorgeous beach. You have the opportunity to have a long conversation with anyone living or dead. Who would it be? My grandfather. I didn’t have as many deep conversations as I wish I had. He grew up with seven siblings, five of which died before they were adults. I’d ask him about him growing up as one of the two surviving children. 5. What is the best advice you've ever received? Professionally: hire people that are smarter than you. Personally, self-care is important. If you’re not full, it’s hard to care for others. 6. What advice would you give your 20-year-old self? Don’t take things so seriously. There is a very long life ahead of you. 7. It’s been said that all great people can have their lives summed up in one sentence. How do you want yours to read? Aristotle said, "a person cannot truly determine if they’ve had a happy life until their end of the live". I have a very long life left to live. I don’t feel like to committing to one sentence yet. *** If you enjoyed today’s episode: Subscribe, rate & review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. See you here next Thursday! Live Inspired with John daily on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram + get his Monday Motivation email.