Life By Design

Welcome to Life by Design with Dr. Robyne Hanley-Dafoe. This podcast is a space for real conversations about well-being, resilience, performance, leadership, and everyday life – and how the small choices you make each day shape the quality of your life. Living a big, beautiful life isn’t reserved for a select few; it’s built in the ordinary moments, the routines that ground us, the acts of self-care that restore us, and the intentional decisions that align us with what matters most. Each week, we take big ideas and turn them into practical habits, tools, and practices you can actually use. Those everyday choices are what allow you to be steady, capable, and even extraordinary when life calls on you. If you’re ready to be intentional about how you show up, what you prioritize, and the life you’re building over time, you’re in the right place. Together, we’ll explore what it truly takes to live well and be well by design. We’re so glad you’re here.

Life By Design is a education podcast hosted by Dr. Robyne Hanley-Dafoe, with 108 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Dr. Robyne Hanley-Dafoe hosts Life By Design, a education show with 108 episodes published.

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  Episode #109

  Are You Allowed to Be Happy When Someone You Love Isn’t?

  Sep 30, 202632 minS3

  On today’s episode of Perspective Shift, Dr. Robyne unpacks a question so many parents, caregivers, partners, and leaders may have wondered: Am I allowed to be happy when someone I care about isn’t? She explores what happens when we become the “happiness coordinator” for the people around us, taking responsibility for everyone else’s emotions and trying to create lives free from frustration, disappointment, or discomfort. Along the way, she shares a memorable story about how a dog with its head out a car window helped her and her kids turn a difficult morning around and introduces a practical framework for unplugging from someone else’s emotional state so we can care deeply without taking on what isn’t ours to carry. This is a conversation about caring without carrying, being compassionate without trying to fix, and remembering that someone else’s feelings can be real and important without becoming ours to hold. Have a question you'd love answered? Send us a DM , leave a comment, or email us at hello@robynehd.ca . Continue the Conversation If this conversation resonated with you, we'd love to welcome you inside the Perspective Shift community → https://drrobyne.ca/perspective/ Additional Resources: Episode mentioned with happiness research: Four Questions for When You Don’t Know What to Do Next You might also enjoy this episode: The Truth About Happiness I Hope So by Dr. Robyne Hanley-Dafoe Connect with Dr. Robyne: Website: https://drrobyne.ca/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_robynehd/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drrobynehd/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr_robynehd Newsletter: https://drrobyne.ca/newsletter/ Disclaimer

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  Episode #108

  Struggling With Screen Time? Here’s What We’re Missing | Jake Ernst

  Sep 23, 202644 minS3

  On today’s episode, Dr. Robyne and social worker and psychotherapist Jake Ernst take a closer look at one of the questions many parents, educators, and adults are asking: Are screens actually the problem? What if the bigger question is what we’re doing on our screens, what we’re missing when we’re on them, and whether our relationships are still intact? How do we help kids practice sitting with discomfort, communicating face-to-face, managing their attention, and doing hard things in a world designed to keep us scrolling? Plus, a closer look at how dopamine-seeking plays a role in our attachment to devices, why the first and last seven minutes of the day matter so much, and why relationships may be the most important technology we have. Continue the Conversation If you're looking for more just-in-time perspectives, join us inside the Perspective Shift community. There's a place for you here. Join the Perspective Shift community → https://drrobyne.ca/perspective/ Additional Resources: Jake’s Podcast: This Isn’t Therapy (co-hosted with Simon Paluck) Jake’s episode mentioned: Co-Regulation & Passive Aggressive Texts Connection Crash by Jake Ernst (Pre-order now – releases January 12, 2027) Connect with Jake: Website: www.mswjake.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/mswjake LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/jake-ernst-msw-rsw-8210548a Connect with Dr. Robyne: Website: https://drrobyne.ca/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_robynehd/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drrobynehd/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr_robynehd Newsletter: https://drrobyne.ca/newsletter/ Disclaimer

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  Episode #107

  You Experienced a Failure. Before You Blame Yourself, Do This.

  Sep 16, 202638 minS3

  Have you ever come up short on something you worked really hard for? In this solo episode, Dr. Robyne shares a story from a recent ultra-endurance challenge that didn't unfold the way she had hoped. Drawing on neuropsychology and her experience on and off the mountain, she reflects on what it means to face disappointment, recognize where we may have dropped the ball, and still meet ourselves with radical self-compassion. She explores why harsh self-criticism can keep us from learning from our mistakes, while self-compassion creates the space to reflect, integrate, and grow. Along the way, she shares powerful lessons about choosing hard, the people who show up when we need them most, and why an experience can still be meaningful even when the outcome isn't what we expected. Continue the Conversation If this conversation resonated with you, we'd love to welcome you inside the Perspective Shift community. It's a place for thoughtful conversations, practical perspective shifts, and a community of people committed to living with greater clarity, compassion, and intention. There's a place for you here. Join the Perspective Shift community → https://drrobyne.ca/perspective/ Additional Resources: 29029 Dustan Woodhouse – Be The Better Broker Connect with Dr. Robyne: Website: https://drrobyne.ca/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_robynehd/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drrobynehd/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr_robynehd Newsletter: https://drrobyne.ca/newsletter/ Disclaimer

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  Episode #106

  The Beauty of What It Means to Be Alive with Catherine Duncan

  Sep 9, 202633 minS3

  In this episode, Dr. Robyne sits down with integrative spiritual consultant, chaplain, and bestselling author Catherine Duncan for a thought-provoking conversation about slowing down, awakening to the present moment, and reconnecting with what truly matters. Together, they explore what can happen when we quiet the noise enough to listen to our bodies, our intuition, and the wisdom that emerges in stillness, and how making space for grief can also create more room for love, joy, and peace. Drawing on her own near-death experiences and years of accompanying people at the end of life, Catherine shares insights on spirituality, finding meaning, and what it means to be alive. They explore simple practices such as breath, nature, meditation, and curiosity, along with a powerful reminder: when we look back on a life, love and connection are often what matter most. Continue the Conversation If you're looking for more just-in-time perspectives, join us inside the Perspective Shift community. There's a place for you here. Join the Perspective Shift community → https://drrobyne.ca/perspective/ Additional Resources: Everyday Awakening by Catherine Duncan Catherine’s Podcast: Everyday Awakening Dr. Robyne on Everyday Awakening Connect with Catherine: Website: https://www.catherineduncan.org/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/catherineduncanmabcc/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rev-catherine-duncan-ma-bcc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CatherineDuncanmabcc/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@catherineduncanmabcc Connect with Dr. Robyne: Website: https://drrobyne.ca/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_robynehd/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drrobynehd/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr_robynehd Newsletter: https://drrobyne.ca/newsletter/ Disclaimer

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  Episode #105

  What Are You Hoping For? | A Spot of Tea and a Dash of Hope (Part 2)

  Sep 2, 202641 minS3

  This special episode continues the live conversation from the tea party celebrating the launch of Dr. Robyne's latest book, I Hope So: How to Choose Hope Even When It's Hard . In this audience Q&A, Dr. Robyne responds to thoughtful questions about self-compassion, belonging, routines, ADHD, overwhelm, and what it really looks like to choose hope in everyday life. Together, they explore simple practices for navigating hard seasons, caring for ourselves without guilt, and creating more space for what matters most. Plus, two simple questions that can become a permission slip to hope, for yourself and for the people you care about. Continue the Conversation If this conversation resonated with you, we'd love to welcome you inside the Perspective Shift community. It's a place for thoughtful conversations, practical perspective shifts, and a community of people committed to living with greater clarity, compassion, and intention. There's a place for you here. Join the Perspective Shift community → https://drrobyne.ca/perspective/ Additional Resources: Listen to Part 1 of the conversation: A Spot of Tea and a Dash of Hope (Part 1) I Hope So by Dr. Robyne Hanley-Dafoe Connect with Natalie Davison: Website: https://nataliedavison.ca/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natalie_i_davison/ LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/natalie-davison Connect with Dr. Robyne: Website: https://drrobyne.ca/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_robynehd/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drrobynehd/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr_robynehd Newsletter: https://drrobyne.ca/newsletter/ Disclaimer

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