JOY Unfiltered: Joy is the strategy

What Is Joyful Leadership? A Conversation with Dr. Katie McIntyre

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Fri, 3 Jul 2026 13:05:56 +0000

In this episode, Rachel sits down with Dr. Katie McIntyre, founder and CEO of the Joyful Leadership Academy, speaker, author, coach, and leadership researcher. Katie's PhD research — literally titled "What Is Joyful Leadership?" — uncovered what happens when leaders bring warmth, lightheartedness, and calm consistency into how they lead, and why it's one of the most under-tapped strategies for building resilient, engaged, financially sustainable organizations. Rachel and Katie nerd out on the research behind joyful leadership, why it's not "fluffy," and how any leader — in any industry — can start building it as a skill today. In This Episode The Harvard Business Review article that sparked Katie's PhD research into joyful leadership Katie's definition of joyful leadership: warmth, lightheartedness, relationship-based, and calm consistency The link between joy, emotional contagion, and resilience Why joy is a practice and a skill — not a personality trait The "attitude of gratitude" practice Katie used as a school leader Reframing pushback like "that sounds fluffy" or "that's a feminine way to lead" Why joyful leadership drives real business outcomes: lower turnover, less burnout, stronger retention The generational shift toward purpose-driven, engaged workplaces Bringing your whole, integrated self to work instead of a separate "work self" Katie's validated tool for measuring joyful leadership in individuals, teams, and organizations What it looks like to work with Katie — from individual coaching to full organizational development Book and research recommendations for going deeper on joy and positive leadership About Dr. Katie McIntyre Katie is the founder and CEO of the Joyful Leadership Academy. A speaker, author, coach, and leadership researcher, she helps organizations build thriving workplace cultures through joyful leadership. She has held leadership roles including school principal and Chief Operating Officer of an aeromedical airline, has published multiple book chapters and peer-reviewed journal articles, and regularly presents at national and international conferences. Connect with Katie: Website: www.joyfulleadershipacademy.com.au Resources & Mentions Brené Brown Aunty (Aunt) Middleton, Zero Negativity Barbara Fredrickson's broaden-and-build theory Shawn Achor Kelly McGonigal, The Joy of Movement Catherine Price, The Power of Fun Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What Is Joyful Leadership? A Conversation with Dr. Katie McIntyre

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Thu, 2 Jul 2026 22:23:12 +0000

In this episode, Rachel sits down with Dr. Katie McIntyre, founder and CEO of the Joyful Leadership Academy, speaker, author, coach, and leadership researcher. Katie's PhD research — literally titled "What Is Joyful Leadership?" — uncovered what happens when leaders bring warmth, lightheartedness, and calm consistency into how they lead, and why it's one of the most under-tapped strategies for building resilient, engaged, financially sustainable organizations. Rachel and Katie nerd out on the research behind joyful leadership, why it's not "fluffy," and how any leader — in any industry — can start building it as a skill today. In This Episode The Harvard Business Review article that sparked Katie's PhD research into joyful leadership Katie's definition of joyful leadership: warmth, lightheartedness, relationship-based, and calm consistency The link between joy, emotional contagion, and resilience Why joy is a practice and a skill — not a personality trait The "attitude of gratitude" practice Katie used as a school leader Reframing pushback like "that sounds fluffy" or "that's a feminine way to lead" Why joyful leadership drives real business outcomes: lower turnover, less burnout, stronger retention The generational shift toward purpose-driven, engaged workplaces Bringing your whole, integrated self to work instead of a separate "work self" Katie's validated tool for measuring joyful leadership in individuals, teams, and organizations What it looks like to work with Katie — from individual coaching to full organizational development Book and research recommendations for going deeper on joy and positive leadership About Dr. Katie McIntyre Katie is the founder and CEO of the Joyful Leadership Academy. A speaker, author, coach, and leadership researcher, she helps organizations build thriving workplace cultures through joyful leadership. She has held leadership roles including school principal and Chief Operating Officer of an aeromedical airline, has published multiple book chapters and peer-reviewed journal articles, and regularly presents at national and international conferences. Connect with Katie: Website: www.joyfulleadershipacademy.com.au LinkedIn: [Add Katie's LinkedIn URL] Resources & Mentions Brené Brown Aunty (Aunt) Middleton, Zero Negativity Barbara Fredrickson's broaden-and-build theory Shawn Achor Kelly McGonigal, The Joy of Movement Catherine Price, The Power of Fun Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Unique Brilliance: New Paradigm Leadership and Living Your Freaking Amazing Life with Regina Huber

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 01:00:00 +0000

Regina Huber has lived and led across five continents — from Germany and Spain to Brazil, Argentina, the U.S., and most recently across Africa. Her path through Boston Consulting Group and her own businesses shaped her into a multicultural transformational leadership coach who built three signature frameworks: Powerful Leadership Transformation, New Paradigm Leadership, and Get Your Dream Salary. She's a conversational intelligence-enhanced skills practitioner, former TV host, and someone who insists joy, energy, and dance belong in the leadership conversation. What We Cover in This Episode Growing up the shyest kid on a farm in Bavaria — and the curiosity that pushed her out into the world Why leadership style differs less by country than by the individual leader's level of self-awareness Unique brilliance — what it is, why naming it removes the need to compete with anyone, and how it changes how you build a team Why human design (and frameworks like it) aren't about boxing people in, but giving language to real differences The four elements of Regina's New Paradigm Leadership framework: Mind, Heart, Message, Trust The wild stat: it takes the brain just 0.07 seconds to decide whether it can trust someone — and why your energy speaks faster and louder than your words A simple solar-plexus breathing technique to boost confidence and presence before any high-stakes moment Why trust has to run both directions — leaders trusting their teams, not just the reverse The role of vulnerability in building a team that actually shares its best ideas The story behind her new book, Living My Freaking Amazing Life, and its "create the life that's perfect for you, anywhere in the world" philosophy A wild, joy-filled story from Johannesburg: night bike rides, a long walk to the Drill Hall with a new friend, an impromptu Rasta rap performance, and a hidden pair of scissors Dancing live on Cameroonian television with zero notice Her newest framework, LIVE FULLY (the A LIFE Method), for successful people whose lives have started to feel flat despite the achievements Key Concepts & Quotes "Your energy speaks faster than your words, but it also speaks louder than your words." "Once we gain self-awareness, we become clear on what our unique brilliance is — and that alone takes the need for competition away." "Fear is in the mind, but courage is in the heart." "We live life as if we were on autopilot, and it's not really what we want. That's when it all starts feeling off." Regina's Confidence & Presence Tool Sit or stand upright, close your eyes if you can Breathe into your solar plexus (stomach area) — this is where most people access their personal power energy Imagine that energy expanding through your body and into a bubble surrounding you Hold for a few seconds to a few minutes Step into your meeting, conversation, or moment with that expanded presence The New Paradigm Leadership Framework Mind — mindset, vision, drive Heart — courage, intuition, the human center of any organization Message — communication, including the energy underneath your words Trust — built both ways, leader to team and team to leader Connect with Regina Website: transformyourperformance.com Free resource: transformyourperformance.com/success-now-what Books: Speak Up, Stand Out and Shine and Living My Freaking Amazing Life (available on Amazon in English and Brazilian Portuguese) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Aloha Reboot: Adaptive Resilience, Surrender, and Healing Twice with Savio P. Clemente

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Tue, 23 Jun 2026 01:00:00 +0000

Savio P. Clemente helps leadership teams rebuild after disruption - when the crisis is over but performance hasn't fully recovered. After 2,000+ interviews with global leaders and his own experience surviving non-Hodgkin's lymphoma twice (2014, and a 2024 relapse), Savio developed his Adaptive Resilience Leadership framework, working at the intersection of healthcare, leadership, and human performance. What We Cover in This Episode Savio's roots in Goa, India, growing up Catholic outside NYC, and the identity questions that came with it The 2014 stage three non-Hodgkin's lymphoma diagnosis and reframing chemo as an "elixir" instead of poison The 2024 relapse: stem cell transplant, 29 days in the hospital, and getting a literal second "birth date" Psychological distancing — creating a buffer from the problem without disconnecting from it Metacognition — the thinking about the thinking Reframing resilience into adaptive resilience: staying flexible in the mess, not just bouncing back Giving himself permission to just sleep — and why rest isn't the opposite of progress The Aloha Reboot framework from his TEDx talk: Acknowledge, Listen, Open, Harness, Act Why action is the missing ingredient in most healing and manifestation work What being a patient inside healthcare — twice — taught him about leader burnout and "armor" The $935 billion medical waste stat, and why AI can't optimize human performance A story from the Oscars red carpet about leaders "still acting" — and what real humanity looks like instead Key Quotes "I reframed the chemotherapy not as poison. I reframed it as an elixir." "To know thyself is to heal thyself." "Healing is not linear. The truth... requires action." "Nature doesn't need us. We need nature. It will always exist. We are the ones who wither away." The Aloha Reboot — Savio's 7-Minute Framework Acknowledge → Listen → Open → Harness → Act (with courage). No time? Start with one letter, one minute a day. Connect with Savio Website: saviopclemente.com · Substack: The Human Resolve · Social: @thehumanresolve From my heart to yours, I am celebrating you today and every day. Have fun. Live well. ENJOY. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Legacy Over Ledgers: Why Your Bank Statement Reveals Your Values with Albert Butler

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 01:00:00 +0000

Albert Butler spent 25 years living hustle culture — until a 2 a.m. moment of joyless success finally broke him. Burned out, overweight, and disconnected from his family, he realized he'd been teaching his four kids how to hustle but not how to live. That reckoning forced him to rebuild with joy as the foundation, not the finish line. Today he blends financial expertise with deep life wisdom to help individuals and organizations move from legacy over ledgers to lives of genuine meaning, connection, and purpose. What We Cover in This Episode What the "2 a.m. moment" really is — and why it doesn't only happen at 2 a.m. Why your bank statement and your YouTube feed tell more about your values than you do How to use curiosity (not shame) as your starting point when the numbers don't match your values Why Albert parks the paperwork and talks about you before he ever looks at a spreadsheet The difference between winning at life and winning in life Why you have to scale yourself before you can scale anything else What legacy actually means — and why it has nothing to do with money The story behind Life — a book written over 17 years, born on a flight over the Pacific Ocean, given to his son as a graduation gift Why transparency about family health history is an act of love How to find your spiritual anchor when you're tired and can't keep going Why nobody can beat you but you — and why that's actually the most empowering thing you can hear Key Concepts & Quotes "Joy came after achievement, after the partnership, after the revenue goals, after proving myself. That belief nearly destroyed me." "Your bank statement will tell everybody about you. What are your numbers saying?" "We have to scale you before we can scale anything else." "Legacy is not about money. It is what you have to pass. Are you leaving prosperity or chaos? Transparency or clutter?" "You don't fail until you stop." "Life is 10% what happens and 90% how you deal with it." "I can because I will. I will because I can. I don't say can't because I can." "Accounting is the heartbeat of business — and the key to personal finance success." Practical Takeaways The Bank Statement Exercise — pull up your statement and ask: does this reflect what I say my values are? Curiosity, not judgment, is where you start. The Why Questions — When you're tired, ask: Why am I doing this? Who am I doing it for? What do I actually have to pass? Find your spiritual anchor — whatever that looks like for you, get quiet enough to hear clarity. Define your legacy culture — what does your family do consistently? What are you passing down beyond money? Albert's Book Life: Truth, Love, Loss, Success, and Failure — available on Amazon in ebook (99¢), paperback, hardcover, and audiobook. No excuses to not grab a copy. Connect with Albert Website: albertbutler.com Search: Albert Butler CPA — published in Forbes, Yahoo Finance, AccessWire, and more Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Joy Is a Practice, Not a Personality

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 01:00:00 +0000

We've been sold a myth: that joy is something you're either born with or you're not. The "fun one." The "naturally happy one." The one with the sparklier nervous system. In this episode, I'm taking that myth apart piece by piece — and recorded just days into being a married woman, voice a little softer around the edges, thank-you notes still piled high. What we dig into: Why the research says roughly 40% of happiness is within our control through intentional activity — not genetics, not circumstances, but the stuff we actually choose to do. Why joy is trainable, the same way strength and endurance are. (And what three Ironmans taught me about reps, plans, and showing up on the days you don't feel like it.) A full walkthrough of the ENJOY Method — Engage in Wellness, Nurture Connection, Join in Giving, Open to Something Greater, Yes to Joy — broken down the same way I used to break down a training block. The Joy Macros: Notice. Allow. Share. A ten-second practice you can run standing in a grocery line, in the middle of a hard meeting, or at the end of a day that didn't go anywhere close to plan. The honest part — what it actually feels like when the big milestone happens (a wedding, a finish line, the thing you circled on the calendar for months) and life just... continues. Why joy can't only live at the summit, or it's temporary by design. The line of the episode: "Joy is not who you are. Joy is what you do again and again and again until it starts to feel like who you are." This week's practice: Pick one moment a day. Notice it. Allow yourself to feel it for a few extra seconds. Share it with someone. Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe, and share it with someone who needs a little more joy in their life today. From my heart to yours, I am celebrating you today and every day. Have fun. Live well. ENJOY. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Your Body Already Knows: Nervous System Healing, Pleasure, and the Path Back to Yourself with Melanie Bonk

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 18:43:22 +0000

Melanie Bonk is a wife of 27+ years, mama of four, and the founder of Bonk Better. Blending neuroscience, nervous system regulation, embodied communication, and tantric philosophy, Melanie helps individuals and couples cultivate presence, emotional intelligence, and deep relational safety — so success doesn't come at the expense of aliveness. Her last name really is Bonk, her birthday is Valentine's Day, and she is truly here to help you bonk better. What We Cover in This Episode How Melanie's childhood and family history set her on a path to build something different — a grounded, alive, long-term love What it actually means to feel safe in your body, your relationship, and yourself The difference between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system — and why it matters for pleasure What somatic work is (and why talk therapy alone often isn't enough) How we can build new neural pathways not just in our brains, but throughout our entire bodies The research-backed truth: love is the fastest route to transformation Why pleasure isn't optional — it's medicine How to start a self-love practice when "I love you" feels too far away (hint: start with gratitude) The inner critic as a nervous system protector — and how to meet it with love instead of resistance Practical ways to begin a pleasure practice, with or without a partner The power of awakening all five senses to create safety and presence How pleasure can be used for manifestation, business clarity, and energetic magnetism The emotional release that becomes possible when your body finally feels safe enough to surrender Key Concepts & Quotes "The quickest, fastest route to transformation out of any other self-help tool is love." — Melanie Bonk "Pleasure isn't optional. It's medicine. It's how the body recalibrates into aliveness." "You don't need to fix your life or your body. You simply need to help your body feel safe enough to enjoy it." "The magic, the wisdom, the intuition — it lives in your body. I'm just guiding you back to what's already there." Practical Tools Melanie Shares The Love Gym — meeting yourself with compassion is a practice, not a decision. Do the reps. Inner Critic Reframe — when the inner critic speaks, try: "I hear you. I love you. Thank you for keeping me safe." Micro Moments of Pleasure — holding a warm cup of coffee, feeling fabric on your skin, breathing into your body. Small moments make macro changes. The Five Senses Practice — intentionally awakening smell, sight, touch, taste, and sound to create an environment of safety and presence The Mirror Practice — a foundational (and sometimes uncomfortable) step in building a relationship with your own body Breathwork for the Body — breath as a tool to awaken sensation, increase blood flow, and begin creating new neural pathways Connect with Melanie Website & Free Resources: melaniebonk.com (free meditations, self-love practices, couples connection practices, and more) Social Media: @BonkBetter Podcast: Love Under Construction Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Lead from the Bottom of the Pyramid: Joy, Trust & the Leader's Hour with Dr. Andy Neillie

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Fri, 5 Jun 2026 01:00:00 +0000

What does a rescued dog teach you about leadership? More than you'd expect. In this episode, I'm sitting down with Dr. Andy Neillie — business coach, bestselling author, award-winning speaker, and owner of a $3M retail business — to talk about the thing most leadership conversations skip entirely: the inner game. We get into trust, transparency, authenticity, and why resolute joy is the foundation every high-performing leader is missing. This one is quotable from start to finish. What we dig into: Dr. Andy's first chapter in The Golden Principles isn't about strategy — it's about why trust takes time, and what a puppy mill rescue dog taught him about leading people who've been burned before. We unpack the difference between delegation and abdication (yes, there's a massive difference), and why "I'm giving you the keys" without a safety net isn't leadership — it's escape. Dr. Andy drops what might be the line of the episode: "Grow from your people, not just grow your people." Read that again. We talk about the loneliness epidemic, why social media has confused influencers with leaders, and what it actually looks like to be authentically transparent without emotion-dumping on your team. Dr. Andy introduces the Leader's Hour — the morning practice that separates reactive leaders from intentional ones. Not a perfect routine, but a powerful one. Hydration, movement, spiritual grounding, and getting in front of your day before it gets in front of you. And we close on this: the best leaders aren't at the top of the pyramid. They're at the bottom. And the ones who get that? They're the ones people actually want to follow. Connect with Dr. Andy Neillie: LinkedIn.com/in/AndyNeillieLinkedIn.com/in/AndyNeillie https://neillieleadershipgroup.com/ Enjoyed this episode? Hit subscribe and share it with the leader in your life who's ready to stop managing and start leading. From my heart to yours, I am celebrating you today and every day. Have fun. Live well. ENJOY. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Your Story Is the Strategy

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Thu, 4 Jun 2026 01:00:00 +0000

There are two versions of a lot of us. The one the world sees - capable, driven, always showing up. And the one that comes home at night, trying to hold it all together with whatever we can find to take the edge off. In this episode, I'm telling you the real version of my story. Not the polished bio. The actual truth - about drinking too much, being at war with my body, and genuinely believing joy was something that existed for other people but not for me. And then I'm going to tell you why your story - however messy, however non-linear, however unfinished - is the most powerful strategic asset you have. In this episode: The two versions of me I lived for years (and what finally cracked that open) My honest, non-linear journey to sobriety and what I wish someone had told me about recovery How reconnecting with faith changed everything and what "spirit guides" means to me Why my body didn't change until my inside changed (and the order actually matters) The Before / Turning Point / Now framework for finding your strategic story thread Why specificity is not a liability - it's the strategy What to do with your story this week Your homework: Write three sentences. Before. Turning point. Now. Don't make it perfect. Make it true. Then share it in The Joy Project on Skool, in my DMs, or wherever feels right. Your story doesn't just belong to you. It belongs to the woman who hasn't found her words yet. 📲 Join The Joy Project on Skool https://www.skool.com/thejoyproject/about 📖 Joy Is the Strategy https://a.co/d/0gslUbmc 🌐 www.enjoymyeveryday.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Joy Blocker Nobody Talks About with Alena Candova

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Wed, 3 Jun 2026 11:21:57 +0000

What if the nervous system regulation tools you've been using are just band-aids? In this episode, Rachel sits down with Dr. Alena Candova — chiropractor, neurocoach, and author of Grace Over Grit — for a rich, science-meets-soul conversation about what it actually takes to create lasting change in the body and mind. Dr. Alena's journey began with yoga in her twenties during a difficult season, eventually leading her through chiropractic training, somatic therapy, and subconscious reprogramming work. What she discovered along the way? Most of us are using emergency regulation tools — breathwork, cold exposure, quick resets — without ever addressing the deeper nervous system wiring underneath. In this episode, you'll learn: Why nervous system regulation is so much more than calming down in a triggered moment — and what neuroplasticity-based rewiring actually looks like The three-layer framework Dr. Alena uses: neurocognitive awareness → interoceptive awareness → emotional resolution How to find your body's baseline (especially if chronic stress has made it hard to feel anything at all) The neuroscience behind the 90-second rule — why allowing a physiological response to complete for just 60–90 seconds can actually dissolve it Why you don't have to process the story of your emotions — just the raw neurochemical reaction in your body What "co-regulation" is and why working with a skilled practitioner can fast-track your healing in ways solo work often can't Simple daily practices to start building interoceptive awareness right now — no yoga mat required Why joy is fleeting for so many high-achievers — and how subconscious blocks and a narrow nervous system capacity are often the culprit Dr. Alena also shares a client story that will give you chills: after deep work together, her client triggered, gave herself a "session" at home, and said it felt like being in the room with Dr. Alena. That's the kind of inner authority this work is building toward. Connect with Dr. Alena Candova: Website: satvaintegralhealth.com Book (Grace Over Grit): available on Amazon Email for a free PDF overview: pdf@sattvaintegralhealth.com AI Concierge: available directly on her website Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Joy Blocker Nobody Talks About with Alena Candova

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Tue, 2 Jun 2026 01:00:00 +0000

Guest: Alena Candova — Chiropractor, Neurocoach, and Author of Grace Over Grit Episode Description What if the reason you can't sustain joy isn't a mindset problem — it's a nervous system problem? Alena Candova joins me to talk about the deeper wiring beneath our behaviors, why "nervous system regulation" is so much more than a buzzy breathing exercise, and how to finally stop repeating the patterns that keep joy just out of reach. In This Episode Why most nervous system regulation tools are just band-aids — and what lasting rewiring actually looks like The difference between emergency regulation and neuroplasticity-based practice How to develop interoceptive awareness so your body can tell you what it needs before you hit a breaking point The 90-second rule: what neuroscientist Jill Bolte Taylor discovered about emotional activation Why you don't have to process the emotional story — just the neurochemical reaction underneath it How co-regulation with a skilled practitioner creates the safety your nervous system needs to release old patterns What it means when joy feels fleeting — and what that tells you about subconscious blockages Simple daily practices to start building nervous system flexibility today Alena's 3-Layer Framework Layer 1 — Neurocognitive Awareness: Recognize your nervous system's behavioral patterns — fight/flight vs. freeze/withdraw — and separate your identity from the activation. Layer 2 — Interoceptive Awareness: Tune into subtle body signals (jaw tension, chest tightness, clenched fists) before the amygdala takes over. Catch the pattern early. Layer 3 — Emotional Resolution: Allow the nervous system to complete the stifled neurochemical charge — not by reliving the story, but by letting the body process and release. Quotable Moment "Joy is a state of inner freedom. And when something bad happens and it hits me, if I've done the work, I have my feet on the ground. I know who I am. It's not going to shake me as badly." — Alena Candova Where to Find Alena Website: www.sattvaintegralhealth.com Book: Grace Over Grit — available on Amazon Free nervous system overview PDF: pdf@sattvaintegralhealth.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Regulate, Rewire, and Be Seen: Nervous System Work for Women Entrepreneurs with Melissa Hoffman

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Fri, 29 May 2026 01:00:00 +0000

What if the next version of you does not require more hustle? What if she requires more safety? In this episode of Joy Unfiltered, Rachel sits down with Melissa Hoffman, holistic mindset coach and breathwork facilitator, to talk about nervous system regulation, subconscious belief work, identity alignment, and what it really means to feel safe being seen. Melissa shares her journey from corporate sales to luxury makeup artistry to coaching women entrepreneurs through the deeper inner work of confidence, visibility, and business growth. After years of helping women feel beautiful on the outside, she realized many of them were still struggling with fear, self-doubt, and the belief that who they were was not enough. Now, through hypnosis, NLP, EFT tapping, somatic breathwork, and nervous system work, Melissa helps high-achieving women entrepreneurs grow their businesses with more ease, authenticity, confidence, and capacity. Rachel and Melissa explore the fear of visibility, imposter syndrome, subconscious rewiring, breathwork, emotional regulation, heart rate variability, and why a flexible nervous system may be one of the most underrated business tools a woman can develop. Because success is not just about what you build. It is about who your body feels safe becoming. Melissa Hoffman is a holistic mindset coach and breathwork facilitator who helps high-achieving women entrepreneurs regulate their nervous systems, rewire subconscious beliefs, and embody the version of themselves who feels safe being seen, fully expressed, and abundantly paid. Through her signature blend of nervous system work and identity alignment, Melissa guides women to grow their businesses with ease, confidence, and authenticity without the hustle. Before becoming a coach, Melissa spent 12 years as a luxury makeup and hair artist, helping women feel beautiful and confident for weddings, photo shoots, and brand sessions. That work revealed a deeper calling: helping women feel confident not just for a day, but from the inside out. www.melissahoffmann.com Instagram Support the show Connect with Rachel Joy-Led Leadership Forum Take the Pledge to send 1 Text a Day The JOY Project Joy is THE Strategy Instagram LinkedIn YouTube Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Playing at a Level 10: Awareness, Leadership, and the Power of Enough with Steve Barton

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Tue, 26 May 2026 05:00:00 +0000

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What if the next level of leadership is not about pushing harder, doing more, or proving yourself again and again?

What if it is about awareness?

In this episode of Joy Unfiltered, Rachel sits down with Steve Barton, executive coach, author, and creator of Game of Ten, an awareness-based framework that helps leaders operate with greater clarity, confidence, peace of mind, and purpose.

Steve shares how many high-achieving leaders are operating from fear, self-doubt, guilt, or shame without even realizing it. Through his Game of Ten framework, he explains how we can begin to recognize those thought patterns, let them go, and return to a deeper truth:

I am enough.
I do enough.
I have enough.

Rachel and Steve talk about awareness, overthinking, leadership, emotional clarity, intuition, the power of the present moment, and why “enough” may be one of the most powerful words in both life and leadership.

This conversation is part practical, part spiritual, part brain science, and fully human.

Because joy is not fluffy.
Awareness is not extra.
And leadership does not have to be powered by pressure.

Guest Bio

Steve Barton is an executive coach, author, and creator of Game of Ten, a powerful awareness-based framework that helps leaders operate at their highest level of clarity, confidence, and performance.

With over 30 years of real-world business experience, Steve grew a company from $200,000 to $2 million in annual revenue. His work blends practical business strategy with deep insight into human awareness, decision-making, and emotional intelligence.

Steve has presented his coaching process to the Harvard Business School case study team and works with executives, entrepreneurs, and high achievers who want more than financial success. They want peace of mind, stronger relationships, and a clear sense of purpose.

He is also the author of The Father, the Son, and the Aha Moment and is currently writing his next book focused on helping leaders and professionals develop the mindset, emotional clarity, and inner alignment needed to succeed in both business and life.

Steve Barton Coaching

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Brainwash Yourself for Joy: The Power of Your First 30 Minutes

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Mon, 25 May 2026 05:00:00 +0000

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What if the first few minutes after waking could change the way you experience your entire day?

In this episode of Joy Unfiltered, Rachel talks about the science of the waking brain, theta brain waves, nervous system regulation, priming, gratitude, and how to “brainwash” yourself for more joy.

Not in a toxic positivity way.

Not in a pretend-life-is-perfect way.

In a grounded, practical, science-backed way.

You’ll learn why your brain is especially open during the transition from sleep to waking, how your first inputs can shape your mood and attention, and what to do before reaching for your phone.

Rachel shares a simple 5-minute joy reset you can try this week:

Take three breaths.
Ask one joy question.
Choose one sentence.
Do one joyful thing.

Because joy is not waiting at the end of the day.

Joy is available at the beginning.

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Your Nervous System Is Choosing the Familiar, Not the Joyful with Anni Eza

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Fri, 22 May 2026 05:00:00 +0000

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In this episode of Joy Unfiltered, Rachel sits down with Anni Eza, mental health expert, master healer, shadow priestess, teacher, and co-founder of Seeds of Bliss.

Annie brings a powerful perspective on healing, nervous system resonance, shadow work, fear, grief, and what it means to expand your capacity to hold the life you actually want.

This conversation explores why the nervous system often chooses what is familiar over what is freeing, why shadow work is not about “getting rid” of the dark parts of ourselves, and how grief, fear, anger, and joy all belong in the full human experience.

Rachel and Annie also talk about the difference between living from endurance and living from capacity, especially for high-functioning leaders, nurturers, creatives, and people who are used to holding everything together.

This episode is a beautiful reminder that you are not broken. You are not here to fix yourself into perfection. You are a miracle in progress.

Connect with Anni:

https://seedsofbliss.life
FREE NEWSLETTER
Instagram
Facebook

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Finding Your Cultural Catalyst: Leading Change from the Inside Out with Jaclyn Orent

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Tue, 19 May 2026 05:00:00 +0000

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What does it actually mean to be the change — not just talk about it? In this episode, Rachel sits down with Jaclyn Orent, cultural catalyst and CEO of the Cultural Catalyst Network, for a rich conversation about inner transformation, feminine leadership, and what it really takes to shift culture from the inside out.

Jaclyn shares her remarkable journey — from a 36-day water fast that cracked her world open, to building a science-backed framework that helps purpose-driven leaders create exponential cultural change. If you've ever felt like you've achieved what you set out to achieve and wondered now what? — this episode is for you.

In this episode, you'll hear about:

How a 36-day water fast became the unlikely catalyst for Jaclyn's transformation and life's work
What a "cultural catalyst" actually is — and how to know if you are one
The Cultural Catalyst System: visioning, setting impossible frames, and why your goals might be keeping you stuck
Why feminine leadership is rooted in desire rather than force — and how that distinction prevents burnout
The Positive Emotional Attractor (PEA) and why your vision has to truly light you up to fuel change
Why purpose-driven leaders are siloed right now — and what happens when they connect
EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) as a tool for expanding leadership capacity
The Gene Keys and finding your unique path to self-actualization
Why joy, love, and inner states are not "fluffy" — they produce quantifiable, exponential outcomes

Resources & Links Mentioned:

🌐 Cultural Catalyst Network & 15-page synopsis: culturalcatalysts.net
🌐 Cultural Catalyst Initiation (half-day to full-day experience with Jaclyn & Tracy): culturalcontribution.com
🌐 World Tapping Circle (EFT library with 300+ videos by Sonia Sophia): available at culturalcatalysts.net
📖 Gene Keys by Richard Rudd
📖 Science of Scaling by Dr. Benjamin Hardy
📖 Power vs. Force by David Hawkins
🔬 Intentional Change Theory (Richard Boyatzis)

Connect with Jacqueline Orand:

Website: culturalcatalysts.net

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Joy Is the Strategy: A New Model for Joy-Led Leadership

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Mon, 18 May 2026 05:00:00 +0000

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What if the goal was never to simply endure more?

After starting with one of the hardest endurance races in the world, Rachel learned a truth that reaches far beyond athletics: just because you can endure something does not mean endurance should become your life strategy.

This episode introduces Rachel’s Joy-Led Leadership framework and the four shifts at the heart of The JOY Collective:

Joy over Endurance
Regulation over Urgency
Integration over Compartmentalization
Community over Competition

This is not about forced happiness, toxic positivity, or pretending life is easy. It is about building a new model of power where joy becomes strategic infrastructure, leadership becomes more sustainable, and women no longer have to abandon themselves in order to succeed.

If you have ever been praised for carrying too much, leading through pressure, holding it all together, or proving how strong you are by how exhausted you are, this conversation is for you.

Joy is not the reward.

Joy is the strategy.

Let’s use it.

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Relaxed Productivity: Angela Jamieson on Doing More of What Actually Matters

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Fri, 15 May 2026 05:00:00 +0000

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What if productivity wasn’t about doing more…
but about missing less of your life?

In this insightful and refreshingly honest conversation, Rachel sits down with Angela Jamieson - former petroleum engineer turned author, speaker, and creator of Relaxed Productivity - to challenge everything you thought you knew about success.

Angela shares how a deeply personal loss led her to rethink life, work, and what actually matters—and how she now helps high-achieving professionals slow down mentally so they can show up more fully in their lives.

This isn’t about doing less.
It’s about living more.

🎙️ In this episode, we explore:

The hidden cost of “doing everything right”
Why your brain might be working against you (and how to override it)
The real meaning of productivity beyond work
How stress can actually point you toward what matters most
The power of stepping back to see the bigger picture
Why joy, presence, and success belong in the same sentence

And yes… we also talk about her unforgettable book:
https://mybook.to/2to1book - a wildly creative, hilarious, and surprisingly profound take on personal growth. 💩➡️🥇

Website: https://www.angelajamieson.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angejamieson

Freebie: The Glide Test: https://www.angelajamieson.com/glidetest

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Joy Is the Strategy: The Science of Fun, Variety, and Feeling Alive

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Thu, 14 May 2026 05:00:00 +0000

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What if joy isn’t something you wait for… but something you build?

In this episode of Joy Unfiltered, Rachel breaks down the science and strategy behind joy—and how fun, variety, and happiness work together to create a life that actually feels good.

Blending research from leading experts like Arthur Brooks, Catherine Price, Kelly McGonigal, Ross Gay, and Shawn Achor with her own ENJOY Method™, Rachel shows you how to move from checking boxes to truly experiencing your life.

You’ll learn:

Why happiness alone isn’t enough (and what’s missing)
The real definition of fun—and why it matters more than you think
How movement creates joy in your body (not just results)
Why variety is the secret to feeling alive again
How noticing small moments can rewire your brain for joy
Rachel’s “Macros of Joy” and how to use them daily

This isn’t about doing more.

It’s about feeling more… with what you already have.

🎯 Your takeaway: Joy isn’t the reward. It’s the way forward.

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You’re Not Lost - You’re Becoming: Luna Westish on Identity, Curiosity, and Creative Courage

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Tue, 12 May 2026 05:00:00 +0000

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What if the life you’re building isn’t about perfection… but about curiosity?

In this deeply honest and expansive conversation, Rachel sits down with author, traveler, and creative soul Luna Westish to explore identity, reinvention, and what it really means to become who you are—on your own terms.

From leaving a high-control religion to navigating parenthood, neurodivergence, and creative expression, Luna shares a powerful story of self-discovery that will resonate with anyone who has ever asked: Who am I now?

This episode is a reminder that you don’t need a complete roadmap. You just need the next right step.

🎙️ We talk about:

Rebuilding identity after major life shifts
Why curiosity is more powerful than judgment
The truth about perfectionism (and where it comes from)
Neurodivergence, creativity, and self-acceptance
Why you don’t need permission to call yourself a writer, artist, or leader
The healing power of storytelling—especially through fiction

And of course, we dive into Luna’s novel Meet Me at the Ruins, a reflective, cross-genre story about identity, belonging, and love.

If you’ve been feeling stuck, boxed in, or unsure of your next move… this episode will gently crack open the door.

Purchase the book (also available on Amazon):

https://bookshop.org/a/115025/9798986371665

Social Media Links:
https://www.instagram.com/lunawestish
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61576278556728
https://www.tiktok.com/lunawestish

Author website:
www.lunawestish.com

Non-fiction writing:
https://www.medium.com/@allisonbishins

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Stress Is Rewiring You… So Is Joy

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Mon, 11 May 2026 05:00:00 +0000

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What actually happens in your brain under stress… and how does joy help you recover?

In this episode of Joy Unfiltered, Rachel goes deep into the neuroscience of resilience, breaking down how chronic stress impacts the brain and why joy is not a luxury—but a biological strategy.

You’ll learn:

How the amygdala becomes more reactive under chronic stress
Why your prefrontal cortex goes offline when you need it most
The role of blood flow, cortisol, and nervous system regulation
How stress reshapes your brain—and how joy helps reshape it back
Why “pushing through” is not resilience (and what is)
Simple, science-backed practices to regulate your nervous system in real time

This is a nerdy, empowering deep dive into how your brain actually works—and how to use joy to lead, live, and recover more powerfully.

Because joy isn’t the reward.

It’s the strategy.

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Your Nervous System Is Running the Show with Tiffany Toombs

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Fri, 8 May 2026 05:00:00 +0000

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What if the thing holding you back… isn’t your strategy, your discipline, or your motivation?

What if it’s your nervous system?

In this episode of Joy Unfiltered, Rachel sits down with global expert Tiffany Toombs to unpack the real reason so many high-achieving women feel stuck, overwhelmed, or caught in cycles they can’t seem to break.

This isn’t surface-level self-help. This is a deep, grounded look at how your body, brain, and past experiences shape your reality—and what you can actually do about it.

Inside this conversation, you’ll learn:

Why 70–80% of your day may be spent in survival mode
How your nervous system confuses emails with actual danger
The real reason behind self-sabotage (and why it’s not your fault)
How limiting beliefs are formed—and why they feel so real
3 simple, science-backed exercises to regulate your nervous system
How to move from reactive living to intentional decision-making

This episode will help you stop trying to “fix” yourself…
and start understanding yourself in a way that changes everything.

Because joy, clarity, and growth don’t come from pushing harder.
They come from feeling safe enough to expand.

🔑 KEY TAKEAWAYS

Your nervous system is designed to protect you, not grow you
Self-sabotage is a safety mechanism, not a character flaw
Most limiting beliefs were formed before age 7
Chronic stress fuels both mental and physical health issues
Regulation is a practice, not a one-time fix
Safety is the foundation for growth, clarity, and joy

Connect with Tiffany:

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From Frazzled to Focused: Reclaim Your Time (for Real) with Alyssa Wolf

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Tue, 5 May 2026 15:00:00 +0000

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Feeling overwhelmed, overbooked, and like there’s never enough time in the day?

In this episode of Joy Unfiltered, Rachel sits down with time management expert Alyssa Wolf to unpack a refreshing, realistic approach to getting your time back—without doing more or pushing harder.

Instead of productivity hacks that leave you exhausted, Alyssa shares a powerful three-part framework: scheduling, mindset, and delegation—designed to help you create space, reduce stress, and actually enjoy your life again.

They also explore the deeper layers of time management, including:

Letting go of “should” thinking
Rewriting limiting beliefs (aka “mind trash”)
Creating realistic schedules with margin
Delegating at home and in business
Understanding your natural energy through Human Design

This conversation is for anyone who wants more clarity, more space, and more joy in their day.

Because the goal isn’t to do more.
It’s to live better.

🔑 KEY TAKEAWAYS

Time management is not just about your calendar—it’s about your mindset
“Should” thinking is one of the biggest sources of overwhelm
Scheduling without margin = guaranteed stress
Delegation is essential, not optional
You don’t need more discipline—you need a better system
Personalization (like Human Design) can unlock ease and alignment

Connect with Alyssa

Website

Podcast

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Collaboration Over Competition: The Science of Connection

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Mon, 4 May 2026 05:00:00 +0000

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What if the fastest way forward… wasn’t doing more alone—but connecting more deeply with others?

In this episode of Joy Unfiltered, Rachel dives into the science and strategy behind connection, collaboration, and why surrounding yourself with the right people can completely transform your life, leadership, and success.

After attending a powerful conference filled with driven, purpose-led women, Rachel shares what really stood out—and it wasn’t strategy. It was belief, energy, and the undeniable power of being in rooms where people see you, support you, and expand what feels possible.

Inside this episode:

Why connection is a biological need—not a luxury
The neuroscience behind mirror neurons and belief expansion
How collaboration boosts confidence, creativity, and performance
Why competition keeps you stuck (and what to choose instead)
The role of oxytocin, dopamine, and nervous system regulation in connection
How to find your people—and become someone others want to collaborate with
A simple daily practice to build meaningful connection (starting today)

This isn’t just about networking.
This is about building a life—and leadership style—rooted in connection, trust, and shared growth.

Because joy isn’t something you wait for.
It’s something you build… together.

And - if you are interested in connecting with Sheryl Raphael Whitaker

Sheryl Raphael Whitaker, ICF-ACC | LinkedIn

It Starts with Joy: The Inner Shift that Changes Everything

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Feeling Off? Your Nervous System Knows Why

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Fri, 1 May 2026 05:00:00 +0000

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You’re tired… but it’s more than tired.

You’re overwhelmed.
You’re procrastinating simple things.
You don’t feel like yourself anymore.

In this episode of Joy Unfiltered, Rachel sits down with Dr. Holly King to explore what burnout really is and why it’s not just about doing too much, but about a dysregulated nervous system.

This conversation blends science, self-awareness, and practical tools to help you understand what’s happening in your body and how to guide yourself back to balance.

Because burnout isn’t a personal failure.
It’s a signal.

And when you learn how to listen… you can begin to feel like yourself again.

🎯 KEY TAKEAWAYS

What burnout actually is (beyond exhaustion)
Common signs: overwhelm, procrastination, disrupted sleep
How your nervous system shifts into fight, flight, freeze, or fawn
Why simple tasks can feel impossible when you’re dysregulated
How to create space before reacting
Breathwork as a fast, accessible reset
EFT tapping to reduce emotional intensity
Why joy and gratitude help regulate your system
The power of a “joy list”
How keystone habits support your energy
Journaling to shift mindset and future direction
When to change your mindset and when to change your environment

🛠️ SIMPLE TOOLS TO TRY

1. 3–5 Breath Reset
Take 3–5 slow, deep breaths.
Signal to your body: I am safe.

2. Joy List
Write what brings you joy - use it when you feel off.

3. Keystone Habit
Identify one habit that stabilizes your day and protect it.

🌿 CONNECT WITH DR. HOLLY KING

Instagram
Free Resource

💛 CALL TO ACTION

If this resonated:

👉 Take a breath right now
👉 Send one joyful text today
👉 Sign the One Joyful Text a Day pledge
👉 Share this episode with someone who needs it

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Why You Want It… But Still Don’t Do It

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 05:00:00 +0000

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You want it.
You know how to do it.

So why aren’t you doing it?

In this episode of Joy Unfiltered, Rachel sits down with performance coach, international speaker, and bestselling author Kam Knight to unpack one of the most misunderstood forces in personal growth: internal resistance.

This conversation goes far beyond surface-level mindset talk. You’ll learn why your brain can create powerful desires… and block you from acting on them at the exact same time.

If you’ve ever felt stuck, inconsistent, or frustrated with yourself, this episode will change how you see it and more importantly, what you do about it.

Because you’re not broken.
You’re resisting.

And once you understand that?
Everything shifts.

🎯 KEY TAKEAWAYS

Why wanting something does NOT mean you’ll take action
The two competing systems in your brain: desire vs resistance
Why fear is not the cause - but a symptom - of resistance
The hidden “board of directors” in your mind making decisions for you
How beliefs, habits, comfort zones, and self-image silently block progress
Why your brain prefers familiar - even if it’s painful
The surprising role your past (yes, even childhood voices) still plays today
How strong desire can actually increase resistance
Why letting go of the timeline accelerates results
The simplest and most powerful tool to rewire your brain: self-talk

🛠️ PRACTICAL TOOL FROM THIS EPISODE

The “Do It Now” Self-Talk Formula:

Repeat daily:

I am a do it now person.
I easily do things now.
I easily accomplish my goals right away.

Simple. Repeatable. Powerful.
This is how you start retraining your brain to act.

🎁 FREE RESOURCES FROM CAM

Grab all three at: kamknight.com

Prompt Engineering for Your Mind
Build Skills & Habits in Your Sleep
Deep Dive into Internal Resistance

💬 CONNECT WITH CAM

Website: kamknight.com

💛 CALL TO ACTION

If this episode hit you - don’t just nod your head… move.

👉 Send one joyful text today
👉 Sign the One Joyful Text a Day pledge (link in show notes)
👉 Share this episode with someone who needs it

Because one text can shift a moment…
and a million texts can shift the world 🌍✨

⭐ RATE, FOLLOW, SHARE

If you loved this episode:

Hit FOLLOW so you never miss one
Leave a review (it helps more people find this message)
Share it with someone who’s ready to move forward

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The Science of Micro Joy (And Why You Need It Daily)

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 05:00:00 +0000

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What if joy isn’t something you wait for… but something you practice?

In this episode of Joy Unfiltered, Rachel breaks down the science and strategy behind micro joys - the small, often overlooked moments that can completely shift your mood, your nervous system, and your life.

We’re not talking about big, once-in-a-while happiness. We’re talking about daily, repeatable joy you can access anytime.

You’ll learn:

Why your brain is wired to miss joy (and how to retrain it)
The neuroscience of micro-acts of joy and nervous system regulation
How small moments can reduce stress, improve focus, and increase resilience
The 3 Joy Macros: Noticing, Allowing, and Sharing
A simple daily practice to create more energy, connection, and clarity

This episode will change how you think about joy and how you live it.

✨ Ready to take action?
Sign the One Joyful Text a Day pledge - send your text, and join the ripple.

Because one moment of joy can change your day.
A million can change the world.

📝 SHOW NOTES

In today’s episode, Rachel explores how micro joys can become a powerful daily strategy for improving your energy, mindset, and overall well-being.

🧠 Key Topics:

Negativity bias and how it shapes your perception
Neuroplasticity and rewiring your brain for joy
Dopamine, serotonin, and stress regulation
Micro-acts of joy and their impact on mental health
The Joy Macros framework:
- Noticing
- Allowing
- Sharing

💡 Your Daily Practice:

Notice 3 micro joys
Allow each moment for 10–20 seconds
Share one with someone (text, conversation, or reflection)

📲 Take the next step:
👉 Sign the One Joyful Text a Day pledge
👉 Send your first joyful text
👉 Share your experience

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Release the Past, Reclaim Your Joy: A Conversation with Lesley Christine

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 12:00:00 +0000

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What if the thing keeping you stuck… isn’t your life - but what you’re still holding onto?

In this episode of Joy Unfiltered, Rachel sits down with emotional clearing expert and meta-psychology coach Lesley Christine to explore how unresolved emotions shape our energy, decisions, and ability to experience joy.

Lesley shares her powerful personal story—from burnout and a life-altering flood to full-time RV travel, emotional healing, and ultimately helping other women release the invisible weight they’ve been carrying for years.

Together, they dive into:

What “emotional clearing” actually means (and how it works)
The role of intention in releasing stored emotions
Muscle testing and intuition as tools for self-awareness
Why journaling is more powerful than you think
How grief and joy can exist at the same time
Leslie’s RECLAIM framework for helping women rediscover themselves in midlife

This conversation is a reminder that joy isn’t something you earn after everything is perfect—it’s something you practice, even in the middle of life’s hardest moments.

And sometimes… the breakdown is actually the breakthrough.

🔑 KEY TAKEAWAYS (Bullet Section)

Emotional “baggage” isn’t just mental—it’s stored in the body
Intention is one of the most powerful tools for emotional release
You don’t need to relive the full story to heal from it
Journaling helps surface subconscious beliefs and patterns
Joy and grief are not opposites—they can coexist
Expecting good things can literally change your experience of life
Small daily practices build emotional resilience over time

⏱️ EPISODE CHAPTERS

03:00 Leslie’s Story: From Burnout to Emotional Healing
08:30 What Is Emotional Clearing?
14:00 Muscle Testing + Intuition Explained
22:00 The Role of Intention in Healing
28:00 Journaling as a Release Tool
36:00 The RECLAIM Framework
44:00 Joy + Grief: Can They Coexist?
52:00 Expectation, Mindset & Finding the Good

👤 GUEST BIO

Lesley Christine is a certified meta-psychology coach, emotional clearing expert, and creator of Living the Game of Life, a platform inspired by the teachings of Florence Scovel Shinn.

Through her RECLAIM framework, Leslie helps high-achieving midlife women release emotional baggage, reconnect with themselves, and create lives filled with clarity, peace, and joy.

She is also the publisher of the 100th anniversary expanded edition of The Game of Life and How to Play It, bringing timeless wisdom into modern life.

🔗 LINKS

Connect with Lesley:

Living the Game of Life

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One Text Could Change Someone’s Life (And the Science Proves It)

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 05:00:00 +0000

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What if changing someone’s entire day… their mood… even their life… took less than 30 seconds?

In this solo episode of Joy Unfiltered, Rachel breaks down the science behind one simple, powerful habit: sending a joyful text.

This isn’t about being “nice.”
This is about rewiring the brain, regulating the nervous system, and creating real human connection in a world that feels increasingly disconnected.

Backed by research from Barbara Fredrickson and Julianne Holt-Lunstad, this episode explores how small, intentional acts of connection can improve mental health, increase resilience, and even impact longevity.

If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, disconnected, or just tired of doing everything on your own… this episode will give you a simple, powerful way to shift your energy—and someone else’s.

🎯 In this episode, you’ll learn:

Why your brain is wired for negativity (and how to interrupt it)
The science behind “micro-moments” of joy and connection
How one text can regulate your nervous system
Why high-achieving women feel exhausted—and how joy reduces decision fatigue
A simple, repeatable action to create real impact today

Call to Action (include at bottom of description)

Join the movement: Send one joyful text a day.
Take the pledge and be part of creating 1 million moments of connection.

Subscribe, follow, and share this podcast to help us spread more joy - one message at a time.

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Releasing Armor Weight: Midlife Reawakening & True Self-Trust with Lisa Barwise

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 05:00:00 +0000

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What if the weight you’re carrying isn’t just physical?

In this powerful and eye-opening episode, Rachel sits down with Lisa Barwise, founder of The Warrior Goddess Saga, to explore the concept of “armor weight”—the emotional, energetic, and identity-based weight many women carry, especially in midlife.

After years in the fitness industry helping women build strength, Lisa noticed a deeper issue: women were getting physically stronger, yet still feeling stuck, burned out, and disconnected. Her own experience with burnout, anxiety, and chronic fatigue became the catalyst for a new approach—one that blends biology, psychology, and spirituality.

This conversation reframes midlife not as a crisis, but as a reawakening—an invitation to reconnect with who you truly are.

💡 Key Takeaways

Midlife is a reawakening—not a breakdown
Your body is asking for alignment, not punishment.
Armor weight goes beyond the scale
It includes emotional stress, trauma, identity patterns, and subconscious beliefs.
Hormones impact your entire system
Changes in estrogen increase stress sensitivity and affect mood, energy, and weight.
Your inner dialogue matters
Thoughts like “I’m not enough” or “I can’t stop” directly shape your experience.
Healing must be holistic
True transformation happens when you address body, mind, and purpose together.
Quick tools can create real change
Practices like EFT tapping, breathwork, and somatic movement can reduce stress fast.

🧠 Topics We Covered

Burnout and nervous system dysregulation
Why traditional fitness approaches fall short
The science of cortisol, stress, and midlife
What “armor weight” really means
EFT tapping and somatic healing practices
Identity shifts and rediscovering purpose
Midlife as an opportunity for reinvention

🔥 Key Concept

Armor Weight:
The invisible load of emotional stress, energetic fatigue, and identity patterns that can show up as overwhelm, exhaustion, and physical resistance.

🌿 Practical Tools to Try

✋ EFT tapping for stress and anxiety
🫁 Breathwork + humming for nervous system regulation
🥤 Protein-first mornings (30–50g) for energy and balance
💪 Strength training for longevity and resilience
🌙 Magnesium + adaptogens for recovery and sleep

🔗 Resources & Links

🌐 Website + Quiz: https://thewarriorgoddessaga.com
📘 Book: Unarmored
🎙️ Podcast: Goddess Got Goals
📱 Instagram: https://instagram.com/lisa_barwise

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Why Laughter Might Be Your Greatest Leadership Advantage

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 05:00:00 +0000

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What if laughter isn’t a break from leadership… but the reason you lead better?

In this episode of Joy Unfiltered, Rachel breaks down the science behind laughter, nervous system regulation, and why integration—not compartmentalization—is the future of high-performance leadership.

We’ve been taught to separate who we are at work from who we are in life. But your body doesn’t operate in silos—and neither should your leadership.

Laughter isn’t just “fun.” It’s a physiological reset that improves clarity, connection, creativity, and decision-making.

If you’ve been feeling exhausted, “on” all the time, or disconnected from your energy… this episode will show you a different way.

A more powerful way.

A more human way.

🎟 Join the Joy-Led Leadership Forum (May 19–21)

🔑 KEY TAKEAWAYS

Laughter reduces cortisol and improves nervous system regulation
You cannot compartmentalize your state—your body carries it everywhere
Integration leads to better clarity, connection, and leadership performance
Regulated leaders make better decisions and build stronger teams
Joy is not the reward—it’s the strategy

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From Diet Culture to Compassion: A Joyful Plant-Based Life with Jenny Cheifetz

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 05:00:00 +0000

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What if the way you eat could bring more joy—not just to your body, but to the world?

In this powerful and honest conversation, Rachel sits down with Jenny Cheifetz, vegan lifestyle coach and host of The Flirty Vegan Podcast, to explore her journey from chronic dieting and burnout to a compassionate, plant-based life.

Jenny shares how the pandemic became a turning point—leading her to heal her relationship with food, discover personal development, and ultimately embrace veganism from an ethical and environmental perspective.

This episode goes beyond food—it’s about identity, values, and what happens when you align your choices with what truly matters.

💡 Key Takeaways

Diet culture disconnects us from joy
Food becomes restrictive, stressful, and tied to self-worth.
Healing your mindset comes first
Jenny’s transformation began with addressing binge eating and emotional patterns—not food rules.
Veganism isn’t just about food—it’s about compassion
For animals, the planet, and ultimately yourself.
Plant-based doesn’t automatically mean healthy
You can still eat processed foods—intentional choices matter.
You’re not just nourishing your body—you’re shaping your energy
Jenny highlights the emotional and energetic impact of what we consume.
Small shifts can lead to big transformation
Simple swaps and batch cooking make this lifestyle approachable.
You don’t lose anything—you expand your options
A plant-based lifestyle can feel abundant, creative, and freeing.

🧠 Topics We Covered

Breaking free from binge eating and dieting cycles
The role of the pandemic in personal transformation
Ethical vs. health-driven plant-based journeys
The emotional and energetic impact of food choices
Navigating family dynamics when changing your lifestyle
Misconceptions about veganism and health
Practical tips for transitioning to plant-based eating
Aligning your values with your daily habits

🥗 Simple Plant-Based Swaps & Ideas

🥣 Breakfast upgrade:
Oats + plant milk + berries + seeds (hemp, flax, chia)

🥤 Smoothies:
Fruit + greens + plant milk + optional beans/seeds for protein
🍲 Batch cooking staples:
- Brown rice + lentils
- Air-fried potatoes
- Tofu (cubed, crumbled, or blended)
- Canned beans & tomatoes
🍜 Easy meals:
Grain bowls, stir-fries, soups, and stews with different spice profiles

👉 Key tip: Change the seasoning or cooking method to create variety—even with the same ingredients.

🔗 Resources & Links

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Your Patterns Are Your Power: The Science Behind Joy-Led Leadership

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 05:00:00 +0000

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What if the patterns you’ve been trying to fix… are actually the key to your next level of leadership?

In this episode of Joy Unfiltered, Rachel breaks down the Gene Keys in a way that is both grounded and practical—bridging science, behavior, and self-awareness to show how your patterns shape your energy, decisions, and results.

This is not about labels or personality types.
This is about recognizing how you operate under pressure—and learning how to shift into a more aligned, regulated, and powerful state.

Rachel walks you through her own Gene Keys (2, 1, 13, and 7) and shows exactly how they revealed her natural leadership style and led to the creation of Joy-Led Leadership.

You’ll learn:

What Gene Keys actually are (without the confusion or overwhelm)
The science behind patterns, stress, and decision-making
Why we start with the 4 core Gene Keys (Activation Sequence)
How to recognize your own “Shadow” patterns in real time
A simple 3-step process to use your Gene Keys in daily life and leadership
How to move from reactivity → awareness → aligned action

This episode is for leaders who are ready to stop forcing outcomes…
and start working with their natural patterns to lead with clarity, energy, and impact.

🧬 Get your free Gene Keys profile:

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Rewiring Your Mind Through Creativity: Finding Calm, Clarity & Joy with Crystal Mills

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 05:00:00 +0000

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What if the key to clarity, calm, and joy… was as simple as picking up a pen?

In this inspiring episode, Rachel sits down with Krystal Mills, a teacher, life coach, and NeuroGraphica practitioner, to explore how creativity can unlock powerful personal transformation. After experiencing burnout in her teaching career, Crystal discovered coaching—and later NeuroGraphica—a unique blend of art, mindfulness, and neuroscience that helps people process emotions, rewire limiting beliefs, and reconnect with themselves.

Together, they dive into how small, intentional shifts can help women move from overwhelm to alignment—and why joy truly is a choice.

If you’ve been taking care of everyone else and feel disconnected from yourself, this conversation will open up a whole new way to come back home to you.

💡 Key Takeaways

Burnout is often a signal—not a failure
It can be the catalyst for meaningful change and self-discovery.
Joy is a choice (even when life isn’t)
You can’t control everything—but you can control your response.
NeuroGraphica blends art + psychology
A powerful tool to process thoughts, reduce stress, and gain clarity through drawing.
You don’t need to be “creative” to benefit
This is process-based, not performance-based—no artistic skill required.
Small shifts create big change
Even 10–15 minutes of intentional reflection can transform your mindset.
Perfectionism will show up—and that’s the point
Awareness is the first step toward releasing limiting patterns.
You already know what brings you joy
Revisit what you loved at age 8—that’s your starting point.

🧠 Topics We Covered

Teacher burnout and rediscovering purpose
The connection between self-worth and overworking
What NeuroGraphica is and how it works
Using drawing as a form of meditation and nervous system regulation
The role of subconscious processing in creativity
Perfectionism, self-judgment, and personal growth
How to build habits of self-connection in small, doable ways
Creating “Permission to Play” in everyday life

🎨 What is NeuroGraphica?

NeuroGraphica is a guided drawing practice that combines:

🧠 Neuroscience (rewiring thought patterns)
✏️ Simple lines, shapes, and colors
🧘 Mindfulness and emotional processing

It helps you:

Gain clarity on challenges
Reduce stress and overwhelm
Access new insights and solutions
Create a visual “anchor” for growth

🔗 Resources & Links

🌐 Website: https://krystalmillscoaching.com
🎁 Free Resource: 5-Day Mindful Drawing Challenge
💫 Membership: Permission to Play (includes creative practices, self-reflection tools & more)
📱 Instagram / Facebook: @krystalmillscoaching

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Stop Forcing It. Start Living It.

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 05:00:00 +0000

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What if the reason things feel hard… is because you’re forcing them?

In this episode of Joy Unfiltered, Rachel dives into the powerful shift that changed everything in her life: surrender.

Not giving up.
Not checking out.
But releasing control over the how… while staying committed to the what.

Backed by neuroscience and lived experience, Rachel breaks down why forcing outcomes keeps you stuck in stress, and how shifting into a regulated, open state unlocks clarity, creativity, and aligned action.

This is the work of co-creating your life… without the pressure.

Inside this episode:

The real definition of surrender (and why it’s not weak)
What happens in your brain when you stop forcing
How stress narrows your thinking and blocks opportunity
The role of dopamine, regulation, and aligned action
How Rachel lost 40 pounds, shifted her finances, and met her partner—without force
Why timing matters more than you think
How this applies to Joy-Led Leadership and leading others effectively

If you’ve been pushing, striving, and wondering why it still feels hard…

this episode will feel like a deep exhale.

Joy isn’t something you earn at the end.
It’s how you get there.

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From “Fine” to Fulfilled: Reclaiming Joy with Connie Cotter

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 05:00:00 +0000

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What happens when your life looks “good on paper”… but something still feels missing?

In this heartfelt and energizing conversation, Rachel sits down with Connie Cotter, a faith-forward, joy-driven high-performance coach, to explore what it really means to move from fine to fulfilled. Connie shares her personal journey from a successful IT career to discovering her true calling—helping others reconnect with their purpose, rediscover joy, and design a life that feels aligned and meaningful.

Together, they unpack the difference between happiness and joy, the power of asking better questions, and simple ways to ground yourself in the present moment—even in the middle of a busy day.

If you’ve ever felt like something is “off” but couldn’t quite name it… this episode is for you.

💡 Key Takeaways

“Fine” isn’t the same as fulfilled
You can have everything you thought you wanted—and still feel something missing.
Joy is internal, not external
Happiness comes and goes; joy is something you cultivate and choose.
Ask better questions
Instead of “Why am I like this?” try: “Where is this coming from?”—a gentler, more productive approach.
The 3-2-1 Reset Tool
A simple way to ground yourself in the present moment:
- 3 things you can see
- 2 things you can hear
- 1 thing you can physically feel
You don’t need all the answers to start
Clarity comes from action—not overthinking.
You are not broken
Growth isn’t about fixing yourself—it’s about reconnecting with who you already are.
Joy is a choice—and a practice
It’s something you build daily through awareness, curiosity, and intentional living.

🧠 Topics We Covered

Transitioning from corporate success to purpose-driven work
Faith and science: finding alignment between logic and belief
The danger of “should” thinking and external expectations
How coaching creates clarity through powerful questions
Morning routines vs. realistic grounding practices
Whole-life coaching: why business and personal growth are connected
The neuroscience of joy and decision-making
Cultivating awe, wonder, and playfulness in everyday life

🔗 Resources & Links

🌐 Connie’s Website: https://conniecotter.com
🎁 Free Resource: 13 Ways to Cultivate Your Sense of Wonder
→ https://conniecotter.com/wonder
📱 Connect with Connie: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn

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Micro-Joy: The Small Shift That Changes Everything

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Thu, 9 Apr 2026 05:00:00 +0000

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What if you don’t need a new routine, more discipline, or a complete life overhaul to feel better?

In this episode of Joy Unfiltered, Rachel explores the concept of micro-joy - small, intentional moments that can dramatically shift your mood, mindset, and performance in just days.

Backed by neuroscience and real-life application, you’ll learn how your brain’s negativity bias works and how micro-joy interrupts it to create more clarity, energy, and emotional balance.

This isn’t about chasing big milestones.
It’s about learning how to feel better right now.

Key Takeaways:

Why your brain is wired to focus on what’s wrong
How micro-joy activates dopamine and motivation
The link between joy and better decision-making
Why joy comes before success—not after
Simple ways to practice micro-joy daily

Practical Steps Shared:

Notice small positive moments
Allow yourself to feel them (just 5 seconds longer)
Share joy to amplify it

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What Nobody Tells You About Aging (And Why It’s Actually Beautiful)

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Tue, 7 Apr 2026 05:00:00 +0000

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What if aging isn’t something to fight… but something to embrace?

In this heartfelt episode of Joy Unfiltered, Rachel sits down with author Mary Westheimer to explore what nobody tells us about getting older—and why joy might be the most important foundation we can build.

From meditation and mindset to friendship, loss, and laughter, Mary shares wisdom drawn from decades of life experience (and a whole lot of humor).

This is a conversation about aging with open eyes, an open heart… and maybe a few laughs along the way.

🔑 Key Takeaways

Why joy is a foundation, not just a fleeting feeling
How meditation rewires your brain for peace and resilience
Why starting small (even 5 minutes) matters
The surprising connection between aging, mindset, and physical health
How humor becomes a powerful tool as we age
Why loss isn’t the opposite of joy—it lives alongside it
The importance of evolving friendships (and letting some go)
Why multi-generational relationships matter more than we think
How shifting your perspective can literally change how you age

💡 Memorable Quotes

“Joy is my lifeblood.”
“The more you think about aging, the faster you age.”
“We don’t lose just people—we lose dreams, abilities, and expectations.”
“If you can laugh, you have joy in your life.”
“The problem is we think we’re alone. The solution is we’re not.”

📚 About Mary Westheimer

Mary Westheimer is the author of What Nobody Tells You About Getting Older—a thoughtful, humorous, and deeply human exploration of aging.

Her work has appeared in:

USA Today
Columbia Journalism Review
Publishers Weekly

She writes to help people navigate life—and aging—with honesty, humor, and grace.

🔗 Resources & Links

🌐 Website: https://whatnobodytellsyou.com
📖 Get the book: Available on all major online bookstores + Bookshop.org

💛 Call to Action

If this episode resonated:

Share it with someone who needs a new perspective on aging
Subscribe to Joy Unfiltered
Leave a review to help others discover the show

And remember—
✨ We are not anti-aging… we are aging forward.

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The Science of Joy, Energy, and Your Nervous System

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Mon, 6 Apr 2026 05:00:00 +0000

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What if joy isn’t something you earn—but something you lead with?

In this episode of Joy Unfiltered, Rachel challenges the deeply ingrained belief that burnout is the price of success. Instead, she introduces a powerful reframe: joy is not the reward—joy is the strategy.

Blending science, nervous system awareness, and practical tools, this episode explores how your thoughts shape your internal state, how your state drives your behavior, and how that ultimately creates your life.

If you’ve been stuck in pressure, urgency, or constant “doing,” this conversation will help you shift into a state where creativity, clarity, and connection actually thrive.

🔑 Key Takeaways

Your thoughts are not harmless—they are generative
Your internal state directly shapes your outcomes
The nervous system prioritizes safety, not success
Productivity ≠ creation (you can be busy and still stuck)
Endurance is often just survival in disguise
Joy shifts your brain into a state of creativity and possibility
Leadership is about the energy you bring, not just what you say
Small state shifts create massive long-term change

🧠 Core Concept

Your thoughts → create your internal state
Your state → shapes your behavior
Your behavior → creates your results

Repeat that loop—and you create your life.

🛠️ Practical Tools You Can Use Today

1. Regulate Before You Create
Try box breathing:

Inhale 4
Hold 4
Exhale 4
Hold 4

2. Use Your Body to Shift Your State
Move for 30 seconds—walk, shake, stretch, or dance.

3. Direct Your Attention
Train your brain to notice what’s working—not just what’s wrong.

4. Interrupt Thought Loops
Try tapping (EFT-style) and say:
“I don’t have to solve everything right now.”

5. Ask Better Questions
Instead of “What should I do?” ask:
“What state am I in—and how can I shift it?”

🔥 Memorable Quotes

“Joy is not the reward. Joy is the strategy.”
“Endurance is survival with good PR.”
“You can be productive and still not be creating anything new.”
“Leadership is not just what you say—it’s the state you bring.”

💬 Call to Action

If this episode resonated with you:

Hit Subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes
Share this with someone who needs this message
Leave a quick review—it helps others find the show

And if something shifted for you today, even just a little… that matters.

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The Art of Noticing: How Small Moments Create a Joyful Life

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Fri, 3 Apr 2026 05:00:00 +0000

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What if joy isn’t something you wait for… but something you learn to see?

In this episode of Joy Unfiltered, Rachel sits down with fellow author Peg Guilfoyle to explore the art of noticing joy in everyday life.

From small, surprising moments (like finding “a million dollars” in a grocery aisle) to deeper reflections on curiosity, connection, and attention, Peg shares how cultivating awareness can transform how we experience the world.

This conversation is a gentle invitation to slow down, look closer, and rediscover the beauty that’s been there all along.

🔑 Key Takeaways

Why joy is something you train yourself to notice
How curiosity opens the door to everyday wonder
The role of small moments in creating a joyful life
Why “running with the enthusiasts” can elevate your energy
How connection amplifies joy (even with strangers)
The science behind noticing more of what you focus on
Why joy becomes even more important during difficult times
How storytelling helps us see the world differently

💡 Memorable Quotes

“The more you look for joy, the more you find joy.”
“We are ignitable.”
“Enthusiasm is transmissible—and life-giving.”
“Joy exists in the world. You just have to look.”
“These small connections are what knit the world together.”

📚 About Peg Gilfoyle

Peg Guilfoyle is the author of An Eye for Joy: Noticing the Good World Everywhere, a collection of essays inspired by curiosity, connection, and the beauty of everyday life.

She is also the creator of the Motley Peg essay series, where she shares short, reflective pieces every couple of weeks.

🔗 Resources & Links

🌐 Website + Motley Peg essays: https://www.pegguilfoyle.com/
📖 Get the book: Available on Amazon, Bookshop.org, and independent bookstores

💛 Call to Action

If this episode brought you a moment of joy:

Share it with someone who could use a little light today
Subscribe to Joy Unfiltered
Leave a review to help others discover the show

And today, try this:
✨ Notice one small, beautiful thing you might normally miss.

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Joy-Led Leadership: The 4 Shifts That Change Everything

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Wed, 1 Apr 2026 05:00:00 +0000

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What if leadership didn’t require burnout, pressure, or constant proving?

In this episode of Joy Unfiltered, Rachel breaks down a new way of leading—one rooted in joy as a strategy, not a reward.

She introduces the 4 pillars of joy-led leadership and a powerful reframe: joy isn’t something you wait for—it’s something you practice.

If you’ve been leading from exhaustion, this episode will help you shift into something more sustainable, grounded, and energizing.

🔑 Key Takeaways

Why traditional leadership models are unsustainable
The 4 pillars of joy-led leadership:
- Joy over endurance
- Regulation over urgency
- Integration over compartmentalization
- Community over competition
The difference between joy vs. happiness
The 3 “macronutrients” of joy:
- Noticing
- Allowing
- Sharing
How your energy directly influences others (emotional contagion)
A simple daily practice to create more joy immediately

💡 Key Quote

“Joy isn’t something you wait for—it’s something you practice.”

🔗 Call to Action

✨ Start your joy practice today:

Notice one thing
Stay with it for 10–20 seconds
Share it with someone

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The Truth About Starting a Business (No Magic Pixie Dust Required)

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 05:00:00 +0000

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What happens when getting fired becomes the best thing that ever happened to you?

In this episode of Joy Unfiltered, Rachel sits down with business coach Tammy Johnston—self-proclaimed “hold your hand and kick your ass” coach—to unpack the real, unfiltered truth about starting and growing a business.

From navigating the chaos of early entrepreneurship to understanding the four core activities that actually drive results, Tammy shares battle-tested insights that every new (and struggling) business owner needs to hear.

If you’re in your first two years—or thinking about making the leap—this episode will save you time, money, and a whole lot of frustration.

🔑 Key Takeaways

Why getting fired can be the push you actually need
The brutal truth about the first 2 years of business
The difference between working hard and working on the right things
The 4 “20% activities” that drive 80% of your results:
- Marketing
- Systematizing
- Knowing your numbers
- Building a strong advisory team
How lack of structure quietly kills new businesses
Why boundaries are essential (and how to actually enforce them)
The danger of taking advice from the wrong people
How to avoid “building a skyscraper with no foundation”
Why most businesses fail—and how to stay in the game

💡 Memorable Quotes

“You’re not a business owner—you’re a volunteer going broke if you’re not marketing.”
“You eat what you kill in business.”
“Most people are working hard… just on the wrong things.”
“If you don’t survive the first two years, nothing else matters.”
“You are devaluing yourself when you let your time be interrupted.”

🔗 Resources & Links

Connect with Tammy Johnston:
👉 https://ksabusiness.ca 👉KSA Business.ca: Overview | LinkedIn 👉 Instagram

🚀 Call to Action

If this episode resonated with you:

Subscribe to Joy Unfiltered
Share this episode with an entrepreneur who needs to hear it
Leave a review to help more people find the show

And remember—you don’t need perfection… you need foundation.

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Leading with Purpose, Connection, and Clarity

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 05:00:00 +0000

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In this episode of Joy Unscripted, Rachel Bents explores how embracing joy can transform leadership from one of exhaustion to one rooted in energy, authenticity, and long-term sustainability. Challenging the belief that great leadership requires sacrifice and depletion, Rachel offers a refreshing alternative - one where joy becomes a powerful and practical leadership strategy.

She introduces four foundational pillars of joy-led leadership: joy over endurance, integration over compartmentalization, community over competition, and regulation over urgency. Together, these principles create a framework for leading with greater clarity, creativity, and connection—even in complex, high-pressure environments.

Drawing on research, real-world examples, and thoughtful reflection, Rachel highlights how positive emotions expand cognitive flexibility, improve decision-making, and foster more collaborative, resilient teams. From cultivating authenticity and aligning personal values with organizational purpose to building trust through community and leading with calm instead of urgency, this episode is filled with insights leaders can apply immediately.

If you’ve ever felt drained by traditional leadership models, this conversation offers a new path - one where joy isn’t a reward at the end, but a resource you lead from every day.

Key Takeaways

Leadership doesn’t have to be exhausting to be effective
Joy enhances creativity, clarity, and team performance
Authentic, values-aligned leadership builds trust and engagement
Strong communities outperform competitive, siloed teams
Slowing down and regulating responses leads to better decisions
Small, intentional shifts can bring more joy into everyday leadership

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Race, Responsibility, and Real Conversation with Nicole Kelly

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 05:00:00 +0000

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In this episode of Joy Unfiltered, I sit down with Nicole Kelly for a deeply honest conversation about race, inequality, and community in Minnesota.

Nicole shares what it was like growing up in Minneapolis in a multi-ethnic family, with a Black father and a white mother, and how those different perspectives shaped the way she sees the world. We talk about how important it is to ask hard questions, examine our own assumptions, and have conversations that move beyond surface-level understanding.

We also reflect on the impact of George Floyd’s murder, what it means to build trust across communities, and how each of us can take small, meaningful steps toward greater awareness and accountability. This is a conversation about discomfort, courage, and the ongoing work of listening, learning, and showing up for one another.

In this episode, we discuss:

Growing up in a multi-ethnic household in Minneapolis
How personal experiences shape the way we see race and inequality
The impact of George Floyd’s murder on Minnesota communities
Why uncomfortable conversations matter
How to question our assumptions and biases
Small ways to become a more aware and engaged community member

Connect with Nicole

Home | respectfullynicole

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Mastering the Inner Critic and Embodying Joy with Tasha Wilson

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 05:00:00 +0000

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In this episode of Joy Unfiltered, I sit down with Tasha Wilson for a powerful conversation about inner healing, boundaries, purpose, and what it really means to embody joy.

Tasha shares her journey as a speaker, author, educator, and community leader, and how life experiences, grief, and personal transformation led her to help other women find their voice and strength. We talk about the inner critic, how to respond when that voice gets loud, and why giving ourselves grace is such an important part of growth.

We also explore boundaries, rest, listening to our bodies, and the courage it takes to live a fulfilling life that feels aligned. Tasha’s wisdom is both grounding and uplifting, and her reminder that joy is something we embody, not chase, is one I’ll be holding onto.

In this episode, we discuss:

What the inner critic is and how to quiet it
Why grace and self-awareness matter in healing
The importance of boundaries and rest
How to listen to your body and honor what you need
Tasha’s work as an author, speaker, and community leader
Why joy is something we embody, not something we chase

Connect with Tasha
Website: www.lifewithtashaw.com

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Embodied Self-Trust, Boundaries, and the Quiet Practice of Joy with Rebecca Thomas

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 05:00:00 +0000

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In this episode of Joy Unfiltered, I sit down with Rebecca Thomas for a thoughtful conversation about joy, self-trust, boundaries, and what it means to slow down in a world that constantly pushes us to do more.

Rebecca shares how her background in hospitality, hosting, and deep relational work led her into coaching women who appear capable on the outside but are quietly carrying too much. We talk about the difference between joy and happiness, how many of us live in a constant state of bracing, and why true growth is less about having the right language and more about actually integrating what we know.

We also explore boundaries, burnout, emotional honesty, and Rebecca’s work through Maria Venus and her AI reflection guide, Mira. This conversation is full of gentle but powerful reminders about presence, discomfort, and learning to trust ourselves more deeply.

In this episode, we discuss:

The difference between joy and happiness
What embodied self-trust looks like
How high-capacity women can move out of chronic self-questioning
Why slowing down is often the real work
How boundaries create more freedom and flow
The idea of “bracing” against joy and life

Connect with Rebecca
Nurture Your Nature | Substack

Rebecca Thomas (@marieofvenus) • Instagram photos and videos

Nurture Your Nature | Podcast on Spotify

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From Fear to Flow: Chris Vabre on Art, Color, and Creative Confidence

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 11:00:00 +0000

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In this episode of Joy Unfiltered, Rachel sits down with artist, designer, and watercolor coach Chris Vabre for a heartfelt conversation about creativity, fear, inspiration, and the healing power of art. Chris shares her journey from a creative childhood to working in retail and fashion, and how she eventually found her way back to her artistic voice through watercolor.

Together, they explore why so many people believe they are “not creative,” how to reduce the friction that keeps us from creating, and why inspiration is often rooted in joy, memory, and action. Chris also shares practical beginner tips for getting started with watercolor, how color connects to emotion, and why creative expression matters more than doing it “right.”

This episode is an invitation to stop waiting, release perfectionism, and reconnect with the part of you that simply wants to make something beautiful.

Full show notes

What if creativity isn’t something reserved for “real artists,” but something every human being already has?

In this episode of Joy Unfiltered, Rachel welcomes artist, designer, and watercolor coach Chris Vabre for a rich conversation about creativity, confidence, color, and self-expression. Chris shares how she returned to her creative roots after years in more traditional careers, and how watercolor became both a healing practice and a way to help others reconnect with themselves.

They talk about the fears that keep people from creating, the limiting beliefs many of us carry from childhood, and the powerful connection between inspiration and joy. Chris explains how creativity can calm the nervous system, reduce stress, and help us process emotion — and she offers simple, practical ways for beginners to get started without pressure.

Whether you see yourself as artistic or not, this conversation will encourage you to notice what lights you up, trust your inner spark, and take one small step toward creating again.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

Chris’s journey from creative child to artist and watercolor coach
Why so many adults believe they “aren’t creative”
How fear, shame, and limiting beliefs block self-expression
The connection between inspiration, memory, and joy
Why reducing friction makes it easier to create
How watercolor became a calming, grounding practice for Chris
The emotional and personal meaning behind color
Beginner-friendly watercolor supplies to start with
How to reclaim your creative power without needing perfection

Connect with Chris Vabre:

Website: octopusconnection.com
Community: The Watercolor Journey

Be sure to subscribe, share this episode, and leave a review if this conversation inspired you.

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Your Brain on Joy: The Neuroscience of Why Joy Makes You a Better Leader

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Mon, 9 Mar 2026 05:00:00 +0000

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Is joy just a nice feeling—or is it actually a leadership advantage?

In this episode of Joy Unfiltered, we explore the surprising science behind joy and how it impacts the way we think, lead, create, and connect with others.

Research in neuroscience and psychology shows that joy isn’t just an emotional experience—it changes the way our brain functions. When we experience joy and other positive emotions, our thinking expands, creativity increases, and our ability to build meaningful relationships improves.

In this episode, we break down the neuroscience behind joy and explore why leaders, entrepreneurs, and creators may actually perform better when joy is part of the process—not something saved for the end.

If you’ve ever felt pressure to hustle harder, push through exhaustion, or sacrifice well-being in order to succeed, this conversation offers a different perspective.

Joy might not be the reward for success.

It might be the path to it.

What You'll Learn in This Episode

• The neuroscience of joy and how it affects brain function
• The Broaden-and-Build Theory and why positive emotions expand thinking
• Why joy improves creativity and problem-solving
• How emotional states influence team culture and leadership
• The role joy plays in resilience and stress recovery
• Why joy may be one of the most overlooked leadership strategies

Research Mentioned

• Barbara Fredrickson – Broaden-and-Build Theory of Positive Emotions
• Research on dopamine and creativity
• Neuroscience studies on mirror neurons and emotional contagion

Reflection Question

Where in your work do you feel the most energized, curious, and aligned?

Those moments of joy may be pointing you toward the work where your leadership and creativity are most powerful.

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What Happens When Joy Becomes a Habit? with Bethany Shipley

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Fri, 6 Mar 2026 12:00:00 +0000

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This episode of Joy Unfiltered is a little different and a lot of fun.

Rachel welcomes speaker, writer, and personal brand guide Bethany Shipley to the podcast, but then the two flip the script and Bethany interviews Rachel. The result is a heartfelt, honest, and deeply practical conversation about joy, grief, recovery, nervous system regulation, and what it really means to make joy a way of life.

Rachel shares how joy is not just a feeling, but a choice, a practice, and eventually a habit. She opens up about her sobriety journey, why joy became the message she could no longer ignore, and how writing her first book, Joy Is the Strategy, helped her step more fully into her purpose.

Together, Rachel and Bethany explore the connection between joy and grief, how our brains are wired to notice what we focus on, and why joy is not fluffy at all. It is powerful, strategic, and deeply human.

This conversation is for anyone who has ever wondered:

Is joy something I feel or something I choose?
Can joy and grief exist at the same time?
What happens when I stop waiting for joy and start practicing it?
How do I train my brain to notice more good?
What changes when I let joy lead?

In this episode, we talk about:

Rachel’s personal definition of joy
Why joy is both a feeling and a decision
How small moments of joy build emotional resilience
Rachel’s recovery journey and choosing joy with clarity
The relationship between joy, grief, and nervous system regulation
Why practicing joy expands emotional capacity
How childhood vision and purpose shaped Rachel’s work
The science behind joy, dopamine, and the reticular activating system
Why morning thoughts matter so much
Rachel’s path to writing Joy Is the Strategy
The fear and vulnerability that came with publishing her first book
How joy became not just a message, but a movement

Key Takeaway:
Joy is not the reward at the end of life. It is a strategy for how we live it.

Closing Thought:
If joy has felt far away, this episode is your reminder that it may be closer than you think. Sometimes it starts with a cup of coffee, a deep breath, a sunrise, or simply deciding to notice what is still good.

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Stop Chasing the Checklist. Start Building Community.

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Tue, 3 Mar 2026 06:00:00 +0000

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In this episode of Joy Unfiltered, Rachel sits down with Brenda Rigney, business coach and founder of Aligned AF Community, to talk about what happens when the midlife “rule book” stops working.

Brenda shares why the question “How am I supposed to be?” can feel so triggering, how to rebuild trust with your body when life gets loud, and why community (not hustle) is the fastest path to clarity and momentum.

You’ll also hear Brenda’s practical advice for women who want to start something on the side without overthinking: start a Skool community first, then let your brand and offers evolve from real conversations.

If you’re navigating reinvention, burnout, divorce, a breakup, shifting identity, or simply that feeling of “there has to be more”… this episode is your permission slip to take one grounded step at a time.

Connect with Brenda

Instagram
Aligned AF Community
The AI-Driven Business Summit
Skool Scale Camp

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Living in Rhythm: How Safety Restores Energy and Clarity

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 06:00:00 +0000

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In this grounding episode of Joy Unfiltered, Rachel sits down with Leah Piera Murphy, a somatic practitioner, nervous system educator, and habits health coach supporting midlife women who feel tired, wired, or disconnected to rebuild a steady, trusting relationship with their bodies.

Leah’s work lives at the intersection of nervous system science, body awareness, and daily rhythm. Her philosophy is simple yet powerful: real change begins with safety. When the body feels safe, energy returns, clarity deepens, and sustainable habits stop feeling like a battle.

Together, Rachel and Leah explore:

• Why midlife women often feel simultaneously exhausted and overstimulated
• The nervous system as the hidden driver of consistency and behavior change
• How body awareness helps rebuild trust after burnout and chronic stress
• The role of rhythm in restoring energy, focus, and emotional steadiness
• Why pushing harder rarely creates lasting wellness
• Gentle ways to begin living in sync with your body instead of against it

Leah shares how her own journey through healing, motherhood, and burnout reshaped her understanding of wellness, revealing that ease is not something we earn through effort, but something we experience when we learn to listen.

Living in coastal Alaska, Leah draws daily inspiration from tides and seasons as reminders that balance is never static. It is rhythmic, alive, and continually unfolding.

If you’ve ever felt like you know what to do but can’t sustain it, this conversation offers a compassionate reframe and a softer, wiser path forward.

🌿 Connect with Leah

Website: https://www.leahpieramurphy.com

Living in Rhythm Community: https://www.skool.com/livinginrhythm/about

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leahpiera/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leah.piera

📘 About Rachel

Rachel Bents is the author of Joy Is the Strategy, a book exploring how joy isn’t a reward waiting at the finish line but a powerful approach to living, leading, and caring for ourselves in the middle of real life. Through personal storytelling, science, and reflection, Rachel invites readers to reimagine joy as something accessible, sustainable, and deeply transformative.

👉 Get your copy of Joy Is the Strategy on Amazon.

🔗 Connect with Rachel

Join The JOY Project community
Listen to more episodes of Joy Unfiltered
Instagram
LinkedIn
Website

✨ Joy Unfiltered Reminder

If this episode resonated, share it with someone who could use a little more calm, clarity, or rhythm in their life.

Joy isn’t something we earn some

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Rewire Your Brain for Joy Every Morning

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 06:00:00 +0000

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In this episode of Joy Unfiltered, Rachel explores the neuroscience behind morning mindset and identity change.

Key Topics Covered:

Why the brain is in a theta-dominant state upon waking
Neuroplasticity and identity formation
The Reticular Activating System (RAS) and attentional bias
The Broaden-and-Build Theory (Barbara Fredrickson)
How positive emotion increases resilience and cognitive flexibility
The impact of movement on dopamine, serotonin, and BDNF
Growth mindset vs perfectionism and cortisol regulation
Vagal tone and emotional resilience

Five Daily Rewiring Phrases:

Today, I lead myself.
Joy is available to me.
I move my body because I love it.
I choose progress over perfection.
Joy is my strategy.

This episode explores how intentional morning language shapes perception, behavior, and long-term identity.

Because joy isn’t the reward at the end.
Joy is the operating system.

🔗 Connect with Rachel

If this episode resonated, let’s stay connected.

📘 Grab the book: Joy Is the Strategy
Discover how choosing joy on purpose can reshape your mindset, relationships, leadership, and everyday life.

📸 Instagram

💼 LinkedIn

🎥 YouTube

🌐 Website

💛 Join The JOY Project Community
A space to practice joy daily, connect with others, and sprinkle joy like glitter in the world.

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From Lived Experience to Lasting Legacy with Dinah LaPrairie

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Tue, 17 Feb 2026 06:00:00 +0000

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What if the book inside you isn’t about becoming an author… but about becoming clearer, braver, and more impactful?

In this episode, I sit down with certified book coach Dinah LaPrairie, who helps everyday experts transform their lived and professional experience into big-hearted nonfiction and memoir. Dinah works with writers who feel called to share their wisdom, spark change, or leave something meaningful behind.

With a deeply reader-centered approach and rich editorial experience, Dinah guides writers from fuzzy idea to focused message, from scattered notes to solid structure. She helps authors clarify what they really want to say, shape it into something readers can receive, and stay accountable from first draft to final plan.

This conversation is for anyone who has ever thought:

I think I have a book in me…
Where would I even start?
Does my story matter?
How do I turn experience into something cohesive?

Dinah reminds us that writing a book is not just about publishing. It’s about purpose. It’s about contribution. It’s about possibility.

We also explore the practice of delight, creative courage, and what it means to write in the margins of real life.

In This Episode, We Talk About:

Why “everyday experts” are exactly who the world needs
The difference between having a story and shaping a message
The power of accountability and structure in creative work
The role of delight in sustaining long-term creative energy
How to know if your book idea has the heart and heat to grow

Connect with Dinah LaPrairie

📚 The Book Case – Dinah’s Substack publication
One of her regular features is 3 Small Items of Great Delight, where she explores the practice of delight in everyday life.
(You can read her first post describing the inspiration behind this series there.)

✍️ Writing What’s Possible – A Skool community
A supportive space for nonfiction and memoir writers who are writing in the margins of real life.

🔥 The Book Spark Test – Free Downloadable Worksheet
Wondering if your book idea has the heart, heat, and purpose to grow?
This worksheet includes five coaching-style prompts to help you explore your idea and take your first step.

Why This Conversation Matters

So many people carry wisdom. Fewer feel qualified to share it. Dinah’s work sits at that intersection of courage and craft, helping thoughtful humans turn experience into impact.

If you’ve ever felt the nudge to write something meaningful, this episode may be the permission slip you didn’t know you were waiting for.

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Coming Home to Your Body: Nervous System Healing & the Courage to Feel

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 12:00:00 +0000

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In this powerful and honest conversation, I sit down with Jennifer J. Grove, Nervous System Whisperer and Venting Coach, to talk about what it really means to stop performing “fine” and start feeling safe again.

Jennifer works with high-functioning, emotionally exhausted women who look like they have it all together… but feel anything but. Through breathwork, EFT tapping, somatic tools, and real emotional release, she helps women soften, regulate their nervous systems, and come back to themselves.

Together, we explore:

Why so many high-achieving women live in chronic stress mode
What nervous system dysregulation actually feels like
The difference between coping and healing
How breathwork and EFT tapping help the body release stored emotion
Why venting in a safe space is not weakness but medicine
The connection between emotional safety and sustainable joy

Jennifer shares practical tools listeners can begin using immediately, along with compassionate insight into why pushing harder is rarely the answer.

If you’ve been holding it together for everyone else, this episode is your invitation to exhale.

About Jennifer

Jennifer J. Grove is a Nervous System Whisperer and Venting Coach who helps high-functioning, emotionally exhausted women soften, release stress, and return to themselves. Through breathwork, EFT tapping, somatic practices, and honest emotional release, she creates spaces where women stop performing “fine” and start feeling safe in their bodies again.

She is also the host of the podcast Gettin’ in the Grove, where she shares real-life nervous system support, self-care that truly heals, and the courage to feel what’s been buried.

Connect with Jennifer:
JGroveWellness
Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn

Listen to Gettin’ in the Grove

Connect with Rachel:
Book: Joy Is THE Strategy
The JOY Project
Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube

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Joy Is Built, Not Found: How pauses. pushups. plants. biologically create joy

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Tue, 10 Feb 2026 06:00:00 +0000

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In this episode:
We unpack how joy isn’t something you wait for - it’s something you build through small, biological inputs that influence your nervous system, mood chemistry, and overall wellbeing. You’ll get practical science-backed tips around:

✨ Pauses — how interrupting stress helps your brain and body rest
💪 Pushups — how consistent movement rewires your chemistry and builds self-trust
🌿 Plants — how gut-focused nutrition supports your brain and mood

You’ll also hear personal stories about convincing yourself to move consistently, why joy shows up after effort, and simple everyday actions you can start today to feel better.

🛠️ What You’ll Learn

• Pauses: Why pausing actually resets your nervous system and how to practice it without meditation pressure.
• Pushups / Movement: How consistency trumps intensity, the brain chemicals involved, and a personal story of how movement changed self-trust.
• Plants / Nutrition: Why gut health matters for mood, simple ways to add more plant foods, and nutrition tips that support joy.

🧠 Tools Mentioned

• Headspace — for nervous system pauses and guided breaks
• AG1 — foundational nutrition to support gut health, energy, and recovery

✨ Quick Practice Tips

️Pauses
• Bookend your day with intentional breath
• Pause between tasks — let your body catch up to your brain
• Breathe with longer exhales to signal safety

Movement / Pushups
• Start with tiny doses (5–10 minutes)
• Prioritize consistency over intensity
• Notice how you feel after you move

Nutrition / Plants
• Add plant foods before restricting anything
• Put a plant on every plate — simple and sustainable
• Stay hydrated and support gut health daily

🗣️ Stay Connected

📍 Instagram
📺 YouTube:
📘 Book: Joy is THE Strategy

❤️ If You Loved This Episode

⭐ Subscribe and rate the show
💌 Share this episode with someone who needs joy today
📲 Tag me on Instagram and let me know what tip you’re trying first

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Healing Beyond the Individual: A Conversation with Chase Thayer

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Fri, 6 Feb 2026 06:00:00 +0000

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Guest: Chase Thayer — Long-Term Recovery Coach & Family Systems Specialist
Website: https://www.austinintegrationcoaching.com/

About Chase:
Chase Thayer brings nearly 20 years of experience supporting individuals and families impacted by addiction, mental health challenges, and complex relational dynamics. As both a professional coach and someone with lived experience in recovery, Chase combines empathy with accountability — guiding not just clients, but entire families — toward deeper understanding, structural healing, and long-term sustainable change.

💡 What We Explore in This Episode

🔹 Chase’s personal recovery journey
We dive into how his lived experience shapes his work, his lens on resilience, and the shifts that led him to family systems work.

🔹 What “long-term recovery” really means
This isn’t quick fixes or surface-level tools — Chase talks about recovery as an ongoing process, rooted in identity, connection, and self-trust.

🔹 Supporting families, not just individuals
Why individual change often stalls without healthy relational shifts — and how families can become part of the solution instead of the backdrop of the problem.

🔹 The role of boundaries, accountability, and compassion
Chase unpacks how compassion and accountability aren’t opposites — they’re the foundation for real transformation.

🔹 Breaking generational cycles
We talk about structural patterns in families, how they persist across generations, and the intentional work it takes to change them.

🔹 What sustainable change actually looks like
From emotional literacy to systems thinking — real stories, real challenges, and practical perspectives that go beyond slogans.

🎧 Key Takeaways

Recovery is relational. Healing happens not just within the person, but within the network of those who love them.
Families have roles. Understanding those roles (and reconfiguring them) can unlock deeper healing.
Accountability and compassion are partners. One without the other gets stuck in blame or permissiveness.
Patterns aren’t destiny. Generational cycles can be interrupted with intention, support, and insight.
Long-term growth > quick relief. Sustainable change is messy, but it’s also real.

🧠 Quotes to Share

“Recovery isn’t about behavior change alone — it’s about identity change in the context of relationships that matter.” — Chase Thayer“You don’t heal in isolation. You heal in connection — and connection requires accountability.”

📌 Connect With Chase

🌐 Austin Integration Coaching: https://www.austinintegrationcoaching.com/

Chase’s work with individuals and families blends trauma-informed systems thinking with compassion-based accountability.

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Why Joy Works (Even When Life Is Hard)

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Tue, 3 Feb 2026 06:00:00 +0000

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Joy isn’t about ignoring stress, grief, or reality.
It’s about how we stay human inside of it.

In this episode, Rachel explores why joy isn’t fluff, a personality trait, or a reward for surviving hard things. It’s a practical, science-backed strategy that helps us regulate our nervous systems, make better decisions, lead more effectively, and avoid burnout.

You’ll learn:

Why pressure and discipline alone don’t create lasting change
How joy signals safety to the brain and body
Why joy leads to consistency, resilience, and clarity
How joy can coexist with stress, grief, and hard seasons
Why joy isn’t a luxury, but a life and leadership skill

This conversation isn’t about forced positivity.
It’s about understanding how we’re wired, and choosing a way of living that actually works.

Joy is not the reward.
Joy is the strategy.

👉 Learn more about Rachel’s work and upcoming book Joy Is the Strategy
👉 Join The Joy Project community and practice joy together

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Joy Is the Strategy (Not the Reward)

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 17:00:00 +0000

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What if joy isn’t something you earn after everything is fixed, but the strategy that helps you live, lead, and feel better now?

In this first solo episode of Joy Unfiltered, I’m setting the foundation for everything this podcast stands for. Not forced positivity. Not bypassing hard things. And definitely not joy as a personality trait reserved for a lucky few.

This episode is about choosing joy as a practical, grounded, repeatable strategy, especially in seasons that feel heavy, uncertain, or exhausting.

I share how joy became the throughline in my work, my wellness, and my leadership, why it works when motivation runs out, and how small, intentional choices can change how you move through your day, your body, and your life.

This conversation also connects directly to two things I’ve poured my heart into:

📘 My upcoming book, Joy Is the Strategy
A deeper dive into why joy works, how it’s built, and how choosing it can change the way you live and lead.
👉 Pre-sales are open now.

✨ The Joy Project
A growing community for people who want joy that’s real, human, and shared. This is where connection, conversation, and collective joy live.
👉 Join The Joy Project.

If you’re tired of chasing happiness, burned out on hustle culture, or quietly wondering if there’s a better way to feel good without waiting for life to cooperate, you’re in the right place.

Joy isn’t the reward.
It’s the strategy.

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Joy Is a Business Strategy: How Feeling Good Helps You Earn More

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 05:00:00 +0000

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Most of us have been taught that stress = success. But what if the real secret to growth, clarity, and cash is… JOY?

In this episode of Joy Unfiltered, I’m showing you why feeling good isn’t a luxury - it’s your most powerful business strategy.

You’ll learn:

The science behind joy and productivity
How to rewire your habits to feel better and earn more
A powerful 3-part ENJOY Method™ to build joy into your workday (without adding more to your to-do list)

Whether you’re an entrepreneur, leader, or just tired of the grind… this one will change how you show up.

Joy isn’t the reward. It’s the strategy. Use it.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

✅ Why hustle culture is keeping you stuck
✅ What neuroscience says about joy + focus
✅ How cortisol impacts your energy and performance
✅ 3 practical ways to build joy into your business day using the ENJOY Method™:
• pauses – for clarity and calm
• pushups – movement that lights you up
• plants – food that fuels your brain and body

💬 Ready to feel better and earn more?

Join the free ENJOY Community

Explore the ENJOY90 coaching program: Basic, Prime or

📌 Mentioned Resources:

Dr. Barbara Fredrickson’s “Broaden and Build” Theory: https://positivepsychology.com/broaden-and-build-theory/
University of Warwick study on happiness + productivity: https://warwick.ac.uk/newsandevents/pressreleases/new_study_shows/

✨ Connect with Rachel:

Website

Instagram
LinkedIn
rachel@enjoymyeveryday.com

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You’re Not Lazy. You’re Just Tired

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Thu, 26 Jun 2025 12:00:00 +0000

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If you’ve ever looked in the mirror and thought, “What is wrong with me?” - this episode is for you.

This week on Joy Unfiltered, we’re busting one of the biggest lies in wellness:
That your lack of motivation is laziness. Spoiler alert: It’s not. You’re not lazy. You’re tired.

Join Rachel as she breaks down the 5 types of tired that high-achieving women often overlook—and how to tell the difference between needing rest and needing a reboot. With her signature mix of sass, science, and real-life truth bombs, you’ll learn simple, sustainable ways to reclaim your energy without burnout, guilt, or green juice obsession.

💥 What You’ll Learn:

Why calling yourself lazy is not only wrong—it’s harmful
The 5 types of tired (mental, emotional, physical, sensory, spiritual)
How hormonal shifts (hello perimenopause) might be draining your energy
A 5-step framework to feel more energized, focused, and vibrant
Rachel’s #1 mindset reframe to change everything: from lazy to listening

🛠️ Links + Resources:

💬 Join the FREE ENJOY Community – daily joy, workouts, plant-based recipes, and real support
🎯 Ready to go deeper? Check out ENJOY90 – Rachel’s 90-day coaching program with 3 levels of support
🛒 Browse ENJOY Supplements – plant-based protein, creatine, collagen & more
💌 Get Rachel’s Weekly Dose of ENJOY Newsletter

🧠 Quotable Moments:

“You don’t solve emotional tiredness with more coffee.”

“Lazy isn’t a personality trait—it’s a misdiagnosed cry for rest.”

“Movement isn’t punishment. It’s permission.”

“You’re not broken. You’re just burned out—and we can fix that.”

💬 Let’s Connect:

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Eat More. Weigh Less. Seriously.

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Thu, 19 Jun 2025 05:00:00 +0000

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Feeling hungry and stuck? It might be time to eat more - not less.

In this episode of Joy Unfiltered, I’m busting the toxic myth that weight loss requires restriction and misery. The truth? When you focus on high-fiber, high-volume, plant-based meals, you can finally feel satisfied and lose weight. Yes, seriously.

We’ll break down:

The science behind fiber, satiety, and fat loss
Why your body needs volume to feel full (hint: it’s not just about calories)
Easy plant-based swaps that actually taste amazing
My go-to high-protein breakfast for long-lasting energy
The real mindset shift that breaks the binge-restrict cycle

If you’re ready to ditch the diet drama and feel amazing in your body again, this one’s for you.

📥 Join the free ENJOY! Community
🎯 Want a personal plan? Let’s talk!

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Building Vegan Muscle on a Budget

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Thu, 5 Jun 2025 05:00:00 +0000

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Think you need a $90 protein powder and a boutique gym membership to build muscle on a vegan diet? Think again. In this episode of Joy Unfiltered, I’m busting the myth that strength gains require deep pockets. With 25 years of plant-based living under my belt - and muscles built during broke, busy, and just plain chaotic seasons - I’m sharing exactly how you can get strong without going broke.

What You’ll Learn:
💪 The 5 budget-friendly habits that fuel real plant-based muscle
🥦 How to shop smart (yes to bulk bins, no to $7 jerky)
📅 Why a loose meal plan saves you more than just time
🏋️ The minimalist workout gear that actually gets results
🍛 How batch cooking keeps your macros and money on point
✨ Plus, some good ol’ mindset truth bombs (as always)

Mentioned in this Episode:
✅ ENJOY Community — your hub for joyful, plant-powered strength
✅ My go-to high-protein vegan meal staples
✅ Why perfection is a myth and action is where it’s at

Links & Resources:
👉 Join the ENJOY Community
👉 Download my free plant-based protein cheat sheet
👉 Follow me on Instagram or LinkedIn
👉 More tips on my website

Subscribe & Review:
Love what you heard? Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review. It helps more women find the joy in getting strong, healthy, and energized - without the BS.

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The Plant Powered Muscle Blueprint: What to Eat to Actually Build Strength

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Thu, 22 May 2025 05:00:00 +0000

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Are oats, peanut butter, and beans really enough protein to build muscle on a plant-based diet?

Spoiler: Nope.

In this episode of Joy Unfiltered, we’re breaking down the top high-protein vegan foods that actually support muscle growth, recovery, and strength - without leaving you bloated, underfed, or confused.

I’ll walk you through the real MVPs of vegan muscle-building (think tofu, tempeh, seitan, TVP, and protein powders), bust the myths around so-called “protein-rich” foods, and give you simple, actionable tips to upgrade your plate and hit your goals.

If you’ve been strength training but not seeing results, this episode is your plant-powered reset button. 💪🌱

In this episode, you’ll learn:
✅ Why protein matters for muscle, metabolism, and recovery
✅ The 4 vegan protein sources that deliver real results
✅ What foods not to rely on (looking at you, peanut butter...)
✅ How to build 20–30g protein meals without tracking macros all day
✅ And how to make this work—sustainably and joyfully

Mentioned in this episode:
– ENJOY Plant-Based Protein
– Join the ENJOY Community
– Learn more about ENJOY coaching

🎙️ Hosted by Rachel Bents

Founder of the ENJOY Method - helping women over 40 lose weight, gain energy, and feel amazing in their bodies through mindfulness, movement, and plant-based nutrition. No BS. Just results.

Have fun. Live well. ENJOY.

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Is Your Snack Lying to You? How to Actually Read a Nutrition Label

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Thu, 15 May 2025 05:00:00 +0000

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Episode Title: Is Your Snack Lying to You? How to Actually Read a Nutrition Label
Podcast: Joy Unfiltered
Host: Rachel Bents

Episode Summary:
In today’s episode, we’re cutting through the food label fluff. If you’ve ever been tricked by clever packaging into thinking something was “healthy,” only to discover it wasn’t helping your goals—this episode is for you. I’m walking you through everything you need to know about reading nutrition labels so you can make choices that support your energy, your body, and your joy.

You’ll learn:

Why serving size is the first thing you should check
Why calories aren’t bad (but still matter)
The protein hack that tells you instantly if a food is worth it
How much fiber you actually need
What sugar number to really look at (hint: it’s not what you think)

Mentioned in this Episode:
🧃 ENJOY Supplements – Fuel your fun
💪 ENJOY Community – Join the sisterhood
📞 1:1 Coaching with Rachel

Let’s Connect:
🌐 Website
📸 Instagram
💼 LinkedIn

🎧 Subscribe so you don’t miss next week’s episode.

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Joy Unfiltered – Episode 2: Creatine: Your New Best Friend for Muscle, Brain, and Aging Like a Badass

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Thu, 8 May 2025 05:00:00 +0000

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🎙️ Episode 3 – Creatine: Your New Best Friend for Muscle, Brain, and Aging Like a Badass
Podcast: Joy Unfiltered
Tagline: No burpees. No BS. Just fun.

If you're a woman over 40 and not taking creatine… we need to talk.

In this episode of Joy Unfiltered, I’m diving into one of the most underrated, misunderstood, and underutilized supplements for women—creatine.

No, it’s not just for bodybuilders or gym bros.
It’s for YOU.
For your brain.
For your energy.
For your recovery.
And for your long-term confidence in that strong, powerful body of yours.

Here's what we unpack: 💪 Why creatine is essential for preserving muscle and strength as you age
🧠 How it boosts cognitive function, memory, and mood (yes, really)
💃 The science behind how creatine supports women during perimenopause and beyond
✅ What kind to take, how much, when, and how to make it part of your daily routine
❌ Plus, I bust the top myths that are keeping women from taking it

Did you know?
Creatine is the most well-researched supplement in the world—second only to caffeine.
And the benefits go far beyond performance.

Whether you’re lifting weights, managing a business, navigating hot flashes, or just trying to stay focused through your afternoon meetings—creatine supports all of it.

It’s time to stop sleeping on the supplement that could seriously change your game.

✨ Want to make it easy? Let’s do it together.

🥤 ENJOY Supplements – My clean, simple, and effective creatine is made for women like you. Fuel your fun and your focus with products that actually work.
→ Grab your ENJOY Creatine

🎉 ENJOY Community – For $9/month, get joyful workouts, plant-powered meal plans, meditations, and the support you need to finally feel like yourself again.
→ Join the Community

💥 ENJOY 90 – My signature 90-day program that helps women leaders get their energy, confidence, and income back—without extreme workouts or sad desk lunches.
→ Apply for ENJOY 90

🎧 If this episode gave you the “OMG WHY DIDN’T I KNOW THIS SOONER” moment…
→ Hit subscribe
→ Leave a review
→ Share it with a friend who’s still calling creatine a “bro supplement”

You’re not just lifting weights.
You’re lifting your entire life.

🎵 Intro & outro music credit:
"Inspiring Optimistic Upbeat Energetic Guitar Rhythm" by Oleg Mazur, used under license from Chosic.com

Have fun. Live well. ENJOY. 💛

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Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Joy Unfiltered – Episode 2: You’re Not Inconsistent - You’re Just Exhausted

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Thu, 1 May 2025 05:00:00 +0000

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🎙️ Episode 2 – You’re Not Inconsistent. You’re Just Exhausted.
Podcast: Joy Unfiltered
Tagline: No burpees. No BS. Just fun.

You’re not lazy. You’re not broken. You’re not inconsistent.

You're just exhausted from doing too much for everyone else—and nothing that actually fuels you.

In this episode of Joy Unfiltered, we’re rewriting the tired wellness narrative and giving you permission to stop chasing perfection and start building consistency from a place of energy, ease, and JOY.

I break down:

Why “starting over” every Monday is NOT a character flaw
The real reason your habits aren’t sticking (hint: it’s not willpower)
3 ways to rebuild your consistency without adding more to your plate

Plus, I share stories from my own burnout recovery—and how I reclaimed my energy, confidence, and body without sacrificing my success (or my sanity).

Because the truth is: when you feel good in your body, you show up differently in your business, your relationships, and your LIFE.

✨ Want more support? Let’s do this together.

🎉 ENJOY Community – My $9/month membership to help you feel good again (and make it fun). Weekly workouts, meal plans, meditations, and a group chat that actually helps you get results.
→ Join the ENJOY Community

💪 ENJOY 90 – My signature 90-day program for women leaders ready to reclaim their energy, confidence, and income. You get expert coaching, customized plans, and accountability to finally stop starting over.
→ Learn about ENJOY 90

🥤 ENJOY Supplements – Want better energy, recovery, and focus? Fuel your fun with my signature supplement line—protein, creatine, collagen, greens, and BCAAs. Kristen-approved.
→ Grab your ENJOY Supplements

🎧 Hit subscribe to Joy Unfiltered so you never miss an episode.
💬 Leave a review and tell me what hit home for you today.
📩 Share this episode with the smart, successful woman in your life who’s ready to feel like herself again.

🎵 Intro & outro music credit:
"Inspiring Optimistic Upbeat Energetic Guitar Rhythm" by Oleg Mazur, used under license from Chosic.com

Have fun. Live well. Joy Unfiltered. 💛

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Joy Unfiltered – Episode 1: Who Am I and Why This Podcast?

Booking@podgo.io (Rachel) — Thu, 24 Apr 2025 23:00:00 +0000

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Welcome to the very first episode of Joy Unfiltered — the show for high-achieving women who are ready to stop running on fumes and start feeling amazing in their bodies (and their lives).

In this kickoff episode, I’m reintroducing myself, pulling back the curtain on my own wellness journey, and walking you through the foundation of everything I teach: Pauses, Pushups, and Plants.

These are the three pillars that helped me lose 40 pounds, get my energy back, and show up bigger in both life and business — and now, they’re the backbone of this podcast.

What you’ll learn today:

Why I created Joy Unfiltered (spoiler: the wellness world needs less BS and more fun)
The real reason most women feel exhausted — even when they're doing everything "right"
How Pauses, Pushups, and Plants can completely change how you feel (and lead)

Links + Resources:

🎉 Join the ENJOY Community
💚 Founding members get 25% off ENJOY! supplements for life
📩 Get Your Weekly Dose of ENJOY! straight to your inbox.
💪 Ready for a personalized plan? Let’s make your wellness actually fun:

Mentioned in this episode:

My 40-pound transformation (and how it wasn’t just about the weight)
The importance of joy as a strategy, not a luxury
My core belief: fitness should feel good, not like punishment

🎵 Theme music: “Inspiring Optimistic Upbeat Energetic Guitar Rhythm” by Oleg Mazur
Licensed for podcast use.

📲 Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share!
💬 Got thoughts or questions? DM me on Instagram @enjoymyeveryday

I’d love to hear from you!

And remember - from my heart to yours - I am celebrating you today and EVERY day. Have fun. Live well. ENJOY!

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Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.