Dear friends,
I am so so so excited about today’s edition of Observing Hope. This Earth Day, I’m joined by someone whose work has deeply shaped how I think about happiness, purpose, and our shared humanity—
, founder of The New Happy. I could have talked to Stephanie for hours, but in the 45 minutes we had together, we covered ground from the overview effect to the lies of the old happy to how to unleash your love on the world.In the conversation, we explore what it means to live a joyful and meaningful life on our one fragile, extraordinary planet. We start by unpacking The New Happy—Stephanie’s powerful redefinition of happiness rooted in service, connection, and community—and contrast it with the “Old Happy” model of individual success and perfectionism.
From there, we zoom out to space, reflecting on Carl Sagan’s Pale Blue Dot and the overview effect—how seeing Earth from a cosmic perspective can transform the way we live down here.
We talk about hope—not as a passive feeling, but as a practice made up of a goal, motivation, and a plan—and how to cultivate it in the face of global challenges. We also share small, grounded ways to reconnect with awe, belonging, and the beauty of Earth, even if we never leave the ground.
This episode is a gentle, powerful reminder that we’re not alone—and that creating a better world starts with how we care for each other, and for this pale blue dot we all call home.
We hope that this episode helps you create hope in your lives. We’d love to hear what resonated with you through the comments here. What gave you hope? What made you pause?
With my eyes on the stars and hope in my heart,
Emma
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