Are your coping mechanisms actually part of your personality—and what would you be like without them?

Listen now to the latest episode of ‘Life Happens*’, where hosts Michelle R Williams and Nick Hirst explore the psychology behind the habits and behaviours we rely on to navigate stress, relationships, and everyday life. Why do we develop coping mechanisms? Where do they come from? And are they helping—or holding us back?

What do your coping mechanisms say about you?

Are you an over-thinker… an avoider… an optimist… or something else entirely?

Nick and Michelle took a psychology quiz to find out — and the results sparked a surprisingly honest conversation about how we all cope with life, stress, and everything in between. You can find it here:

https://www.idrlabs.com/the-cope-inventory/test.php?utm_source=chatgpt.com

🎧 Check out Life Happens* and be part of the conversation.

*but you can too!

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“What animal would you choose to be?” It sounds like a fun icebreaker—but it’s increasingly being asked in real job interviews. Why do employers ask it? Is there a right answer? And what can our animal choices reveal about personality, behaviour, and self-awareness?

In this episode of Life Happens* (but you can too!), inter-generational hosts Michelle R Williams and Nick Hirst explore the psychology behind this unusual interview question and what we can learn from the animal kingdom about ourselves.

They even put themselves to the test with a popular online quiz to discover their own animal matches—and show you how to try it for yourself.

Click here to take the quiz: https://www.wikihow.com/What-Animal-Am-I

Michelle also talks about some psychology experiments that started with animals but are hugely important in understanding the human mind.

If you are interested in that topic, she encourages you to watch this video about Harlow's monkey experiment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrNBEhzjg8I

🎧 Listen now to uncover the meaning behind the question—and maybe release the animal in you.

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Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/lifehappens.podcast/⁠⁠

TikTok: ⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@lifehappens.podcast?_r=1&_t=ZN-91UHpA5fArG

How do different cultures show emotion—and what can reality TV reveal about emotional expression?

In this episode of Life Happens*, Michelle and Nick explore how UK and US versions of the same reality TV show display strikingly different emotional responses. They unpack the cultural idea of “keeping a stiff upper lip,” its surprising American origins, and whether we’re becoming more emotionally literate as a society.

🎧 Listen in to this week’s episode as the two, inter-generational hosts discuss whether we are becoming more emotionally literate.

Check it out now to see where you might be on the emotions spectrum
Life Happens*

*but you can too!

Follow Life Happens* on:

Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/lifehappens.podcast/⁠⁠

TikTok: ⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@lifehappens.podcast?_r=1&_t=ZN-91UHpA5fArG