Reducing unhappiness isn't the same as being happy, and most people don't know the difference. In this episode of Behind the Village, we explore why avoiding what makes you unhappy only gets you to neutral, not fulfilled.

This is the introduction to our next podcast theme on hobbies and passions, where we break down one of the most important insights about happiness: you can spend your whole life removing sources of unhappiness, clearing your plate, avoiding discomfort, but at a certain point, there's nothing left to remove. You're just neutral. Real happiness requires actively pursuing something. It requires caring deeply about things outside of work, building communities around what you love, and making space for the hobbies and passions that give you something you can't get anywhere else.

You'll hear us discuss why hobbies aren't optional extras in a good life, how fear-based decisions keep you stuck, and why the people who light up when they talk about what they love are onto something essential. This episode sets the stage for conversations with people who've found belonging, purpose, and sometimes survival through the things they're passionate about, even when it's hard, even when it's inconvenient.

Who are we

Behind the Village is a podcast about how to live a life worth living. Real conversations about mental health, personal growth, and finding fulfillment.

Follow Us

Website: https://villagermagazine.ca/podcast/

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Chapters

0:00 Introduction

0:14 How to Be Happy vs Reducing Unhappiness

4:49 Why Hobbies and Passions Are Important for Mental Health

7:44 Finding Community and Belonging Through Hobbies

11:28 What's Coming in This Series

What happens when you build your entire identity around work, then realize it's not enough? In this episode of Behind the Village, we sit down with animator and production company owner Anne Douris to explore her journey from working 12-hour days to redefining what success actually means.

Anne opens up about the hard work of separating self-worth from productivity, why COVID forced her to confront what was missing in her life, and how becoming a parent completely shifted her priorities. You'll hear honest insights about learning to say no, the guilt that comes with slowing down, and why physical community matters more than ever in our low-stakes digital world. Anne's story challenges the hustle culture narrative and offers a different path forward for creatives trying to build careers that actually fit their lives.

Anne Douris Animation

Website: https://www.annedouris.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bossieperson/

Behind The Village Podcast

Website: https://villagermagazine.ca/podcast/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheVillagerCommunityNews/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thevillagermagazine/

Newsletter: https://villagermagazine.ca/subscribe/

Chapters

01:03 - Learning to say no

02:55 - How COVID revealed that work wasn't enough

05:14 - Separating self-worth from productivity and performance

10:08 - Protecting your time and being present as a parent

16:00 - Trading city opportunities for family support and community

18:38 - Why physical presence matters more than digital connection

21:07 - Building a creative career through in-person connections

Ever wondered how Santa actually pulls off Christmas Eve, or what he does the other 364 days of the year? In this special holiday episode of our Behind the Village podcast, we sit down with the man himself, Santa Claus, to get answers to the questions kids (and adults) have been asking for generations.

Santa reveals the surprising blend of Christmas magic and modern technology he uses to visit every house, shares which reindeer might secretly be his favourite, and settles the great cookie debate once and for all. You'll hear about tropical post-Christmas vacations, year-round reindeer training, the secret to staying on the nice list, and his heartfelt message to children everywhere. Whether you're watching with kids who still believe or you're curious about the logistics of global gift delivery, this conversation brings the magic of Christmas to life.

Santa Claus

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NSimcoeSanta/

Behind The Village Podcast

Website: https://villagermagazine.ca/podcast/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheVillagerCommunityNews/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thevillagermagazine/

Newsletter: https://villagermagazine.ca/subscribe/

Chapters

00:05 - Welcome to the North Pole

00:54 - How does Santa visit every house in one night?

02:38 - Which reindeer is Santa's favourite?

04:09 - Do the reindeer get rest time?

05:04 - Flying in wind and blizzards with GPS technology

07:08 - How to stay on the nice list

08:15 - Santa's casual wardrobe

09:43 - What Santa does during the rest of the year

11:59 - The favourite cookie debate

13:39 - How people don't wake up when Santa visits

14:34 - Do reindeer eat as many carrots as Santa eats cookies?

15:25 - Santa's message to children

In this episode of our Behind the Village podcast, we sit down with Risha Yorke from Yorke Motivational Consulting to explore her powerful journey from burnout to balance. After juggling a demanding IT career and running a theatre company, Risha made the bold decision to quit her job and focus on what truly matters: health, wellness, and living life on her own terms.

She shares candid insights on the importance of saying no, setting boundaries, and prioritizing lifestyle over work. You’ll hear about how she learned to slow down, embrace relaxation, and find joy in everyday moments. Even when it felt impossible.

Yorke Motivational Consulting

Website: https://www.yorkemotivational.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YorkeMotivational/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yorkemotivational/

LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/risha-yorke-b6825711

Behind The Village Podcast

Website: https://villagermagazine.ca/podcast/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheVillagerCommunityNews/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thevillagermagazine/

Newsletter: https://villagermagazine.ca/subscribe/

Chapters

01:38 - Burnout and the negative effects on health

04:20 - Shifting your mindset from being a workaholic

08:17 - Rest as an act of rebellion

10:35 - Learning how to relax

16:06 - Longevity and the importance of connections

16:53 - Losing happiness

17:40 - The power to say no

19:03 - Feminist theory and setting healthy boundaries

22:46 - Can someone actually achieve work life balance?

27:44 - Mental Health, Mindfulness and Meditation

Reinvent your career with Jessica Lovett in this inspiring episode where we dive deep into career transitions, career development, and embracing change. Join us as Jessica, the director of Career Services at Lakehead University, shares her powerful lessons on navigating career shifts, finding clarity, and making thoughtful decisions to align your work with your passions and values.

Learn about the importance of self-exploration, adaptable career planning, and leveraging community involvement to ease transitions. Whether you’re looking to make a big change, explore new opportunities, or simply need guidance, this episode is packed with actionable advice to make a difference in your career journey.

Lakehead University

Website: https://www.lakeheadu.ca/about/orillia-campus

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lakeheaduniversity/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mylakehead/

Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/mylakehead

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/edu/school?id=10839

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/lakeheaduniversity/

Behind The Village Podcast

Website: https://villagermagazine.ca

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheVillagerCommunityNews/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thevillagermagazine/

Newsletter: https://villagermagazine.ca/subscribe/

Chapters

00:00 - Intro

02:20 - How to make a big career change

08:00 - Career development theory

10:53 - Career wellness checkup

15:52 - Job satisfaction and love for work

20:44 - Starting points for a career change

27:33 - Reframing career change as a "loss"

30:12 - Creating a career change plan

31:07 - The role of dreaming in career planning

In this episode of Behind the Village Podcast we sit down with Mike Bailey, a lifelong learner who spent decades reinventing his working life, moving from grocery clerk and electrical apprentice to corrections officer and HR advisor before retiring into a second act as a full‑time photographer. Mike shares how he recognized when it was time for change, how he rebuilt confidence, and how photography gave him purpose; he explains his pre‑visualization approach to storytelling, the daily "do nothing" practice that reduced stress and sharpened focus, and offers practical advice on midlife career change, retiring into creative work, photography as therapy and income, overcoming self‑doubt, slow living, and balancing family and work.

A Shoebox of Memories

Website: https://ashoeboxofmemories.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AShoeboxOfMemories/

The Villager Magazine

Website: https://villagermagazine.ca

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheVillagerCommunityNews/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thevillagermagazine/

Newsletter: https://villagermagazine.ca/subscribe/

Chapters

00:00 Intro

01:10 Life After Retirement

03:21 When is it Time to Make a Change

05:09 Self-Confidence is the Secret

07:55 Finding Balance

09:52 Photography as a Creative Endeavour

17:05 What Does Success Mean

19:13 The Effects of Negativity and How to Combat it

27:14 A Look Back - What Would Mike Change

In this episode of the Behind the Village Podcast, we explore early retirement, work‑life balance, and how to choose presence and purpose even when life takes unexpected turns. Our guest today, Mark Vessey, shares a candid story about retiring before 50, navigating a career pivot from burnout to small‑business ownership, earning a commercial captain’s license, and confronting a stage 4 pancreatic cancer diagnosis.

The Villager Magazine

Website: https://villagermagazine.ca

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheVillagerCommunityNews/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thevillagermagazine/

Newsletter: https://villagermagazine.ca/subscribe/

Chapters

00:00 - Intro

02:51 - Mark’s Career Path

08:03 - Balancing Business and Life

13:36 - Early Retirement Strategies

14:59 - Life After Retirement

16:43 - Cancer Diagnosis

18:55 - Accepting Terminal Illness

24:15 - Facing Mortality Questions

27:56 - Staying Authentic in Tough Times

31:35 - Pride and Regrets in Life

Work should serve life, not the other way around. In this episode of the Behind the Village Podcast, we talk about work life balance, slow living, and how we are choosing to live a life worth living. We introduce the new direction of the podcast and explain the first topic we're focusing on which is making work fit your life, through interviews, community stories and actionable habits.

The Villager Magazine

Website: https://villagermagazine.ca

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheVillagerCommunityNews/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thevillagermagazine/

Newsletter: https://villagermagazine.ca/subscribe/

Chapters

00:00 Intro

00:13 Why The Podcast is Changing

01:05 The Problem of Not Being Present in Life

03:48 What “A Life Worth Living” Means to Us

06:23 Regret, Priorities and The Wake Up Call

09:38 Paying Attention to Details and Practicing Presence

13:32 New Podcast Direction

16:23 First Topic Explained: Work Life Balance