Super Soul Special: Alanis Morissette: Is Happiness Temporary? (Maybe That’s Okay)

Oprah's Super Soul

Oprah

Society & Culture

4.6 • 32.9K Ratings

🗓️ 22 January 2025

⏱️ 34 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Original Air Date: August 22, 2017 Grammy award-winning singer/songwriter Alanis Morissette reflects on passion, art and the spiritual lessons that helped her become grounded. Alanis is candid about the toll that fame took on her life. After admitting she didn’t laugh for two years, Alanis shares what she has come to realize about happiness: “I think happiness is a state, and it’s a temporary state. … Sitting in the seat of awareness can give some relief … but I wouldn’t call it happiness. I would call it the bliss, or the joy, of consciousness.”

Transcript

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0:00.0	I'm Oprah Winfrey. Welcome to Super Soul Conversations, the podcast. I believe that one of the most
0:07.8	valuable gifts you can give yourself is time. Taking time to be more fully present. Your journey
0:16.5	to become more inspired and connected to the deeper world around us starts right now.
0:23.6	Alanis and her twin brother, Wade, were born in 1974 in Ottawa, Canada.
0:29.6	Raised Catholic, Alanis was a self-proclaimed God-girl,
0:33.6	recognizing a deeper connection to what she calls the divine early on.
0:39.1	She was also drawn to music at an early age, landing her first record deal at 14.
0:44.3	After releasing two pop albums in Canada, she took a big risk, moving to Los Angeles in 1994
0:50.5	at the age of 19.
0:52.4	It was in California where she began exploring an edgier, more
0:56.5	introspective approach to her music, resulting in her first U.S. release, Jagged Little Pill.
1:02.6	The album won four Grammys and sold more than 33 million copies breaking the record for a debut
1:09.1	by a female artist in the U.S.
1:11.5	But life in the spotlight took its toll.
1:14.2	Alanus struggled with eating disorders and was plagued with bouts of depression and anxiety,
1:19.8	buckling under the pressure to live up to the image of a fearless female rock star.
1:24.3	She found herself isolated and alone.
1:27.4	Searching for deeper meaning and purpose,
1:29.5	Alanis set out on a path toward self-healing, a path she continues to this day. I'm excited.
1:36.6	So many people first came to know you through jagged little pill. Wow. Yes. That was nearly 20 years ago.
1:45.7	Mm-hmm.
1:46.3	And now you've just recently turned 40.
	...

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