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Happy Living is a magnificent journey — an adventure filled with triumph, defeat, mystery, and magic. We know this because we live it and study it. We practice Happy Living every day and collect ideas to share along the way.
Our mission
We are on a mission to improve the Happy of the world, one person at a time.
Who are we?
Matt Gersper and a hand-picked team of Happy Living Experts.
Matt Gersper
a.k.a. Mr. Happy Living
Founder of Happy Living | Publisher | Writer | Speaker | Lake Dweller | Dad | Married to my one true love!
I live on Lake Norman in Mooresville, North Carolina with my beautiful wife and our two daughters.
I graduated from the University of California – Davis where I studied Economics, ran track, and played football. I dedicated my first two years after college to becoming a professional athlete, only to come up short with the unique distinction of being cut from three different teams, in three different leagues: Canadian, USFL, and NFL.
Over the next 30 years, I focused on training myself to become a successful businessman. I was given many opportunities to learn and gain expertise in the various functions required to start, grow, and lead successful businesses.
I am shifting my focus from helping businesses to helping people. On January 16, 2014, I decided to sell my previous company and dedicate my time and resources to researching and sharing best practices for happy living. I write to inspire others to believe that a better self is always possible – today, every day, for the rest of their lives.
At Happy Living, we are on a mission to improve the Happy of the World, one person at a time.
I live in Missoula, MT but my heart will always be in the Rockies of Colorado. Prior to moving to Missoula, I have spent the last 5 years in Oregon, where I’ve studied wilderness leadership, got my puppy dog (Yampa – a 4-year-old, 85 pound, adorable Chesapeake Labradoodle), met the woman of my dreams and until recently managed a local kayak shop.
The last 6 years, I have fallen in love with the outdoors (spending well over 100 days in the backcountry), found a healthy pursuit for adventure (including kayaking over a ~45-foot waterfall, on purpose), and found the joy I get from instructing and guiding others (I am a certified white-water kayak and stand-up paddle board instructor, and lead corporate team building events outdoors).
As the content manager for Happy Living, my mission is to peruse the internet and life for inspiration and tools for living a happy life!
I chef for happy people. I’ll make you and your partner a succulent Chilean Sea Bass paired with fine Chardonnay or Chicken Parm for 20 folks drinkin’ house wine. I believe any atmosphere and any occasion can be elevated with good food prepared with a happy heart.
Raised in the rich-tradition of the Tuscan-Style, I learned the secrets of the Old Italy. I know all manner of cuisine because before becoming a private chef I learned from the greats in all manner of restaurants. I know ‘farm to table’ because I’ve owned a farm and a table, too. I know good wine because, well, I’m Italian.
And along with the food, I love bringing a night alive with stories and tales and laughter—transforming your meal into an event that’s savored long after dessert has disappeared.
I’m Chef Joe, at your service at the Happy Living House…
Jonathan Richard Grant quarterbacked football teams in four countries before moving to the Sierra Nevada where he’s lived in a loft, a hallway, a van, a tent, a trailer, and his truck—to work less and ski more. He holds a Master’s of Fine Arts from Northern Arizona University and a degree in ancient history from the University of California Davis.
Happy Living Expert, Personalized Performance Coaching
As America’s first ever Olympic Gold Medalist in Whitewater Canoe Slalom, I promote strategies and shares stories for living and performing at your best, doing the work that matters and engaging with purpose.
I am a Performance Coach and Executive Trainer who teaches my clients the advanced skills necessary to reveal talents which have been set to idle due to external and internal distractions.
I, then, transfer my own Olympic Gold Medal performance strategies that streamline decision-making and actions when engaged in complicated life currents with an aim towards the freedom of playing your own game.
Over the past year, organizations such as General Electric, Ernst & Young, John Hancock, and the University of Oklahoma among many others have utilized my programs to build stronger performance cultures, manage transition and change more effectively, and increase the capacity of its leaders.
I take “Happy Living” to heart as my family and I recently embarked on a new adventure – we are living in La Seu d’Urgell, Spain, the town that hosted the 1992 Olympic Whitewater Canoeing events.
I live in Northern California with my wife and five-year-old daughter.My path to Happy Living has been a circuitous and magical journey, driven by my curiosity for all things human.
I graduated from UC Davis with a degree in Mechanical Engineering, while earning All-American honors in football. After a short stint in the NFL, followed by a longer stint in the corporate world, I took an acting class on a whim..Twenty years later I’ve written a dozen plays a few films, and I have also written and performed two critically acclaimed solo shows.
Aside from my family; writing, speaking, and passionate conversation are what inspire me every day.
It’s with great joy that I currently hold the title of the “Blog Tester” at Happy Living. Matt writes these great blogs and I take the ideas in them for a test run. Hopefully, they’ll inspire you as much as they have inspired me.
Happy Living Expert, Personalized Fitness Founder of OPEX
The guy that paints the picture, James is the founder of OPEX (formerly OPT) and The International Center for Fitness. When not coaching, he’s a full time husband, father and fitness athlete, having played top level soccer, short and long distance running to CrossFit, earning the title of “The Fittest on Earth,” at the 2007 CrossFit Games. His 20+ years of experience and service as a strength coach/technician, tireless practice on refining energy system work, nutritional and lifestyle balancing techniques and training of other coaches has made OPEX a sought after method of bringing fitness to a Higher Order. James has found a desire and passion to understand fitness though assessment, testing, research, programming and more.
I live a small town life with my wife Robin and two Newfoundland dogs, Otso and Grizzley. I enjoy an active outdoor life of biking, skiing, sailing, and mountaineering. I also have an active family life with two sons, their wonderful wives, and three grandchildren.
I practice functional medicine and strive to find the fundamental cause of health issues. I also love to inspire others as a motivational speaker and author of Just Be Well: A Book For Seekers of Vibrant Health.
Let me ask you a question: When was the last time you felt truly well? I don’t mean the last time you felt like there was nothing wrong. I mean the last time you felt deep, full wellness in your body, mind, and spirit. It’s a hard question to answer, isn’t it? And yet it’s crucial, and it’s where I start with every new patient.
I believe wellness is so much more than the absence of disease. I practice functional medicine because its is a system that addresses the underlying causes of disease, takes into account the interactions of the complex systems of the body, and builds a therapeutic partnership between patient and physician.
Happy Living Expert, Personalized Nutrition Founder of Nutrition. QED.
I love everything about food… cooking it, eating it, thinking about how it works in the body, and learning how to use it to my advantage. I believe that food should be good and good for you. And I know that changing your food can change your life.
As a long-time foodie, lover of nutrition science and Registered Dietitian, I put my passion about food to work by helping people connect with food in a healing, enriching, and satisfying way. I “see” clients virtually and in person through my private practice in New York City, and host on-line group programs for people who enjoy the camaraderie that comes with working toward a common goal.
I have a Master’s degree in nutrition and am continuing my learning in the area of integrative and functional nutrition (a sibling of functional medicine). The science of nutrition is changing at a rapid pace, and I am dedicated to learning everything I can and sharing my knowledge with anyone who will listen!
I am thrilled to partner with Matt and the other Happy Living experts to improve the health and well-being of every person, because all of us deserve to live full, amazing, happy lives.
I live in sunny Austin, Texas with my husband. I gather inspiration, and write to-do lists. I consider myself a flexitarian, experimental home cook, and occasional foodie who loves coffee & tea. I am former collegiate swimmer, reluctant runner, and avid yogini.
I graduated cum laude from the University of Nevada – Las Vegas with a degree in Education. In 2007, I moved to San Francisco to pursue an opportunity in software sales. My competitive nature and penchant for helping others led to a six-year stint in corporate recruiting. In that time, I hired over 400 employees for high-growth startups.
Connecting online has become a true passion over the years. In 2009, I started sharing stories and inspiration over at kaileenelise.com. In 2010, I helped lead an end-of-year blogging project that grew from zero to over 4,000 participants in one month.
I believe in the magic of dreaming big, and I’m thrilled to bring the mission of Happy Living to you!
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