In Your Right Mind with Monique Rhodes

If you've ever snapped at someone over something tiny and then stood there thinking "why did I just do that?" — this episode is for you. I walk through five signs your nervous system is stuck in overdrive: overreacting to small things, the "wired but tired" paradox, brain fog, unconscious body tension, and the one almost nobody talks about — losing the ability to feel genuinely good. I share my own experience — how childhood trauma kept my body stuck in survival mode for years, even while I was living in the Himalayas doing daily meditation. My mind had healed, but my body hadn't gotten the memo. Then I give you three tools: the physiological sigh (the fastest science-backed way to calm your nervous system — 30 seconds, free), a daily practice that physically rewires your brain over time, and a perspective shift that changes everything: you don't need more discipline. You need more safety. Your nervous system isn't broken. It adapts to protect you. Now it's time to teach it that you're safe. Ready to break the cycle for good? If this episode resonated with you, there's something you need to try next… Take the Happiness Quiz at https://iintendtobehappy.com/ — it's a quick (and eye-opening) way to discover what's actually impacting your consistency, focus, and overall wellbeing. Most people are shocked by their results — and even more surprised by what it reveals about the patterns holding them back. Take the quiz here → https://iintendtobehappy.com/ Let's take this work deeper, together.

There's a number inside you that determines how happy you are — and most people go their entire lives without knowing it exists. In today's episode, I explain what your happiness baseline is, why it keeps pulling you back to the same level no matter what happens in your life, and why that's actually the best news you've heard in a while. I walk through the famous 1978 study on lottery winners and accident survivors, the 50/40/10 happiness model, and the four daily practices that research shows genuinely raise your set point over time. I also share my own story — how I went from a suicide attempt at 19 to spending 13 years traveling the world studying happiness, and what I found that changed everything. Today, my 8-week course The Happiness Baseline has a 100% success rate in raising students' happiness scores. That statistic still moves me every time I say it. If you've been wondering "why am I not happy?" even though your life looks fine on paper — this episode answers that question. Ready to break the cycle for good? If this episode resonated with you, there's something you need to try next… Take the Happiness Quiz at https://iintendtobehappy.com/ — it's a quick (and eye-opening) way to discover what's actually impacting your consistency, focus, and overall wellbeing. Most people are shocked by their results — and even more surprised by what it reveals about the patterns holding them back. Take the quiz here → https://iintendtobehappy.com/ Let's take this work deeper, together.

"I tried to meditate, but I can't do it — my mind won't shut up." It's the number one thing people say to me. And after twenty years of teaching meditation at more than seventy universities around the world, I can tell you: it's based on a complete misunderstanding of what meditation actually is. In today's episode, I break down why your busy mind is not a sign of failure — it's the raw material. I share the Harvard research on why our minds wander nearly half the time, what meditation really is (not the Instagram version), and four practical techniques you can start using today: The Puppy Method, Name It to Tame It, The Anchor Shift, and The 10-Minute Agreement. I also tell the story of how a group of women in India who wouldn't take no for an answer accidentally inspired what became The 10 Minute Mind — my meditation program now used at 70+ universities worldwide. If you've ever believed you're bad at meditation, this one's for you. Ready to break the cycle for good? If this episode resonated with you, there's something you need to try next… Take the Happiness Quiz at https://iintendtobehappy.com/ — it's a quick (and eye-opening) way to discover what's actually impacting your consistency, focus, and overall wellbeing. Most people are shocked by their results — and even more surprised by what it reveals about the patterns holding them back. Take the quiz here → https://iintendtobehappy.com/ Let's take this work deeper, together.

Perfectionism is the most socially acceptable form of anxiety — and most of us have been wearing it like a badge of honour without realising the cost. In today's episode, I'm breaking down the psychology behind perfectionism, the direct link to anxiety and procrastination that most people miss, and the shift from perfectionism to excellence that actually makes you feel better. If you've ever felt like nothing you do is quite good enough — this one is for you. Ready to break the cycle for good? If this episode resonated with you, there's something you need to try next… Take the Happiness Quiz at https://iintendtobehappy.com/ — it's a quick (and eye-opening) way to discover what's actually impacting your consistency, focus, and overall wellbeing. Most people are shocked by their results — and even more surprised by what it reveals about the patterns holding them back. Take the quiz here → https://iintendtobehappy.com/ Let's take this work deeper, together.

It's 11pm, you're exhausted, and your brain is wide awake running through everything. Sound familiar? In today's episode we're diving into brand new science that explains exactly why some brains can't switch off at night — and it's not a willpower problem. I'm sharing what's actually happening neurologically, and three things that are genuinely backed by research to help you finally rest. Ready to break the cycle for good? If this episode resonated with you, there's something you need to try next… Take the Happiness Quiz at https://iintendtobehappy.com/ — it's a quick (and eye-opening) way to discover what's actually impacting your consistency, focus, and overall wellbeing. Most people are shocked by their results — and even more surprised by what it reveals about the patterns holding them back. Take the quiz here → https://iintendtobehappy.com/ Let's take this work deeper, together.

If you've ever said yes when you meant no, apologised for things that weren't your fault, or shaped yourself around other people's moods without even realising it — this episode is for you. Today we're talking about people pleasing: what it actually is, where it comes from, and what it's quietly costing you every single day. This one might change the way you see yourself. Ready to break the cycle for good? If this episode resonated with you, there's something you need to try next… Take the Happiness Quiz at https://iintendtobehappy.com/ — it's a quick (and eye-opening) way to discover what's actually impacting your consistency, focus, and overall wellbeing. Most people are shocked by their results — and even more surprised by what it reveals about the patterns holding them back. Take the quiz here → https://iintendtobehappy.com/ Let's take this work deeper, together.

Something is missing. You can feel it. You just can't name it. It's not burnout. It's not ingratitude. It's not a productivity problem. It's a meaning problem. And it's affecting more people right now than at any other point in modern history — including the ones who look like they have it all figured out. In this episode, we get into what meaning actually is, why the way most of us are living is quietly blocking us from it, and what to do about it starting today. This one is going to stay with you. Ready to break the cycle for good? If this episode resonated with you, there's something you need to try next… Take the Happiness Quiz at https://iintendtobehappy.com/ — it's a quick (and eye-opening) way to discover what's actually impacting your consistency, focus, and overall wellbeing. Most people are shocked by their results — and even more surprised by what it reveals about the patterns holding them back. Take the quiz here → https://iintendtobehappy.com/ Let's take this work deeper, together.

There is a conversation happening inside your head right now. You didn't start it. You don't control it. And it is making every major decision in your life. Most people spend years chasing better circumstances — better jobs, better relationships, better results — without ever looking at the one thing underneath all of it. The story. The loop that's been running since childhood, quietly telling you who you are, what you deserve, and how much good you're allowed to let in. In this episode, we pull that story apart. Where it came from, how it gets wired, why your brain fights to keep it even when it's hurting you — and exactly what it takes to replace it with something that actually serves the life you're trying to build. This one will hit differently. Ready to break the cycle for good? If this episode resonated with you, there's something you need to try next… Take the Happiness Quiz at https://iintendtobehappy.com/ — it's a quick (and eye-opening) way to discover what's actually impacting your consistency, focus, and overall wellbeing. Most people are shocked by their results — and even more surprised by what it reveals about the patterns holding them back. Take the quiz here → https://iintendtobehappy.com/ Let's take this work deeper, together.

At 19 years old, I didn't want to be alive anymore. Not because life was impossible — but because I had built an identity out of being broken. And nobody talks about this. We talk about depression. We talk about anxiety. We talk about the circumstances that bring us to our knees. But nobody talks about what happens when your suffering becomes your personality — and how that single thing can silently destroy your shot at genuine happiness. In this episode, I'm sharing the question that cracked everything open for me, the science behind why your brain is keeping you stuck, and the exact shift that took me from rock bottom to building a life rooted in real, unconditional happiness. This one is personal. This one is raw. And I think it might be exactly what you needed to hear today. Ready to break the cycle for good? If this episode resonated with you, there's something you need to try next… Take the Happiness Quiz at https://quiz.iintendtobehappy.com/ — it's a quick (and eye-opening) way to discover what's actually impacting your consistency, focus, and overall wellbeing. Most people are shocked by their results — and even more surprised by what it reveals about the patterns holding them back. Take the quiz here → https://quiz.iintendtobehappy.com/ Let's take this work deeper, together.

Most people think their emotions are the problem. They try to control them, suppress them, or push them away… and wonder why nothing changes. But what if the real issue isn't your emotions at all — it's the way you've been taught to deal with them? In this episode, I unpack the emotional education almost nobody received growing up — and the simple framework that completely changes how you understand anger, anxiety, jealousy, and every other feeling you've been trying to fight. Ready to break the cycle for good? If this episode resonated with you, there's something you need to try next… Take the Happiness Quiz at https://quiz.iintendtobehappy.com/ — it's a quick (and eye-opening) way to discover what's actually impacting your consistency, focus, and overall wellbeing. Most people are shocked by their results — and even more surprised by what it reveals about the patterns holding them back. Take the quiz here → https://quiz.iintendtobehappy.com/ Let's take this work deeper, together.

Most people think they need more love in their lives. But what if the real problem is that you've been abandoning yourself? In this episode, I unpack the quiet habits that slowly destroy your self-worth — and the simple shifts that help you build a relationship with yourself that no external validation can replace. If you've ever felt like nothing is quite enough, this conversation might explain why. Ready to break the cycle for good? If this episode resonated with you, there's something you need to try next… Take the Happiness Quiz at https://quiz.iintendtobehappy.com/ — it's a quick (and eye-opening) way to discover what's actually impacting your consistency, focus, and overall wellbeing. Most people are shocked by their results — and even more surprised by what it reveals about the patterns holding them back. Take the quiz here → https://quiz.iintendtobehappy.com/ Let's take this work deeper, together.

You might think your clutter problem is about discipline. It's not. In this episode, I explain the surprising neuroscience behind why clutter builds up — and why your nervous system may be the real reason you can't seem to get organized, no matter how hard you try. Once you understand what's actually happening in your brain, everything about decluttering starts to make sense — and suddenly it becomes possible. Ready to break the cycle for good? If this episode resonated with you, there's something you need to try next… Take the Happiness Quiz at moniquerhodes.com — it's a quick (and eye-opening) way to discover what's actually impacting your consistency, focus, and overall wellbeing. Most people are shocked by their results — and even more surprised by what it reveals about the patterns holding them back. Take the quiz here → moniquerhodes.com Let's take this work deeper, together.

Most people won't recognise themselves in 2026. Not because they changed too much — but because they didn't change at all. In this episode, I share five tiny self-care micro-habits that quietly rewire your brain, regulate your nervous system, and shift your identity — without overhauling your life. If you want next year's version of you to feel calmer, clearer, and stronger… this is where it starts. Ready to break the cycle for good? If this episode resonated with you, there's something you need to try next… Take the Happiness Quiz at moniquerhodes.com — it's a quick (and eye-opening) way to discover what's actually impacting your consistency, focus, and overall wellbeing. Most people are shocked by their results — and even more surprised by what it reveals about the patterns holding them back. Take the quiz here → moniquerhodes.com Let's take this work deeper, together.

Some years ago, my brain stopped working. I couldn't focus. I couldn't remember things. I couldn't finish simple tasks. And I thought something was seriously wrong with me. What I discovered shocked me: chronic stress was physically changing my brain. In this episode, I break down what stress is actually doing inside your head — and the four science-backed ways you can protect (and rebuild) your brain starting today. If you've felt foggy, emotional, or not as sharp as you used to be… this is for you. Ready to break the cycle for good? If this episode resonated with you, there's something you need to try next… Take the Happiness Quiz at moniquerhodes.com — it's a quick (and eye-opening) way to discover what's actually impacting your consistency, focus, and overall wellbeing. Most people are shocked by their results — and even more surprised by what it reveals about the patterns holding them back. Take the quiz here → moniquerhodes.com Let's take this work deeper, together.