A Q&A With Shannon Kaiser, author of Find Your Happy and Founder of Playwiththeworld.com

Shannon Kaiser is one of our travel writers and talented designers for Healing Lifestyles & Spas. She is dedicated to living life to the fullest and she puts her entire heart into everything she does. We are happy to announce her new book “Find Your Happy, an Inspirational Guide to Loving Life to Its Fullest.”

Shannon is the founder of the website PlayWithTheWorld.com, and a four-time contributing author to the best-selling book series Chicken Soup for The Soul. Shannon’s work has been featured in media outlets such as Good Morning America, Good Day New York, Inside Edition, KATU AM Northwest, MindBodyGreen, Tiny Buddha, Elephant Journal and The Daily Love.

We sat down with the author to find out what makes her happy and how she gets through the tough times.

1. How do you maintain your positive outlook on life?

I’ve always been a glass half full kind of gal. I see opportunities rather than problems. I think by focusing on what I want versus what I don’t want it has helped me stay connected to my true self. When things get tough, a mantra I usually say is, “This too shall pass.” Knowing that change is constant and that we will cycle through good and bad times helps me through any situation.

2. What’s the most important strength you possess that allows you to be successful in life?

My outlook on life helps me the most. I honor myself and have self-compassion and love. The more I develop my personal relationship with myself, the more rewarding my life is.

3. What does happiness mean to you?

Happiness means being true to myself. For me it means honoring and respecting myself. Loving me for me, and always following my heart. True happiness is living every moment of life with an understanding that there is always a bigger picture at play.

3. In your book FIND YOUR HAPPY, you talk about hitting rock bottom while working in the corporate world. What inspired you to leave that behind and become a self-help author and motivational speaker?

When I was in the corporate world, in a career I didn’t relate to, I would always ask myself, is this all there is? There’s got to be more to life. After years of settling and staying in depression, I finally got clear about what I wanted and realized my own happiness was a choice and that I could choose to be happy and love life. So what inspired me was living through the darkness. My rock bottom was enough for me to say “I can’t do this anymore,” I want to be happy.

4. What inspired you to start on your current path?

I am inspired by people. I feel most connected to my true self when I am helping others. I realized I can make a difference by being myself and sharing my truth with others who need hope. I know what it is like to suffer through addictions and depression. If I can help another person along their own path, then I am the happiest girl in the world.

5. What inspired you to write FIND YOUR HAPPY?

I knew I wanted to be a writer, and writing the book came to me when I first left the corporate world. I knew that there were millions of people who felt “stuck” in life, and after overcoming my own trials, I felt empowered to share this message with others. To me, this book is bigger than just finding happiness. It is about living a life beyond your wildest dreams, living the no regrets lifestyle and being madly, passionately in love with everyone and everything in your life.

How do we find out more about you and your work?

Website: Playwiththeworld.com

Facebook: ShannonKaiserWrites

Twitter: ShannonLKaiser

Youtube: PLAYWITHTHEWORLD