Jump Start Your Joy

for mindbodygreen, and she has just released the amazing book, Return to Nature: The New Science of How Nature Landscapes Restore Us. In it, she shares the different kinds of landscapes, how they effect your mental health, studies about why they improve your mental health, and things you can do to counter-act the effects of climate change on these landscapes. This discussion fits so well into this month’s theme of “finding home,” and I hope you love this conversation about the return to nature with Emma Loewe. Read the full show notes on my website. In this episode, Emma Loewe and I talk about: How the idea of this book came about A profound memory Emma has of a maple tree in her yard growing up, and why many of us have anchoring memories that revolve around nature. My resonance with the landscapes of oceans and coasts and forests and trees. What a forest bath is, and how to experience one The fractals in trees, and why that is soothing to humans How to handle grief and anxiety over climate change in an e

Fred LeBlanc is back for the third time on Jump Start Your Joy, and he’s joining me this time to talk about his new single, “Mardi Gras State of Mind” and his reflections on how things changed for him (and all of us) during the pandemic. In refreshing Fred style, we also dive into talking about the influences that shape people (including Elvis and Anne Rice), and how dreaming big can change the world. Read the full show notes on my website. In this episode, Fred LeBlanc and I talk about: His time during the pandemic: getting married, shelter in place, doing online concerts, and revisiting music Playing Lundy Gras and the Jazz Festival Tupolo Mississippi, the birth place of Elvis, and how our environments have a profound impact on our lives. Anne Rice, and how she was a friend of Cowboy Mouth The inspiration for Mardi Gras State of Mind His excitement about touring again. Their San Diego, CA concert. Resources Mardi Gras State of Mind by Cowboy Mouth The Things You Wanted to Do by Cowboy Mouth The

In this episode of Jump Start Your Joy, I’m so excited to welcome Heather Hall, a transformative Leadership Coach, strategic Executive Coach, and evocative Spiritual Director whom I met through CLCC. She’s also the author of Step Up and Stand Out: 20 Tips for Aspiring Introverted Leaders. Heather helps aspiring introverted leaders, and their managers, connect with their voices and values to bring their ideas and vision to life.  I hope that you enjoy this episode about stepping up and standing out for introverts with Heather Hall. In this episode, Heather and I discuss: What is an introvert, extrovert, and ambivert? What goes on inside the mind of an introvert? How discussions around “following your passions” puts pressure on introverts to prove themselves or go for something seemingly larger than life. The corporate world was created by extroverts for extroverts. So, how do you navigate leadership as an introvert? Why Heather wrote Step Up and Stand Out and the lessons she’s learned throughout her corporate

10 Things That Will Inspire More Passion and Joy in Your Work and Life Introspection - Using the tools above, or working with a coach, a mentor, or a journal can provide a lot of insight for you. It's also important that you take time to heal any sort of past trauma or issues that might be making it hard for you to define or get in touch with your passions. Just start moving and working on things. Lots of times people think that they need to have everything all figured out before they can take the first step. Instead, think of the first logical step and give it a try. Let your passion stand on it's own. If you're interested in something, give it a try. Sometimes, instead of taking a first step, you may think that you need to have a plan to monetize a hobby, or have an end goal in mind for why you'd begin working on it. Passion and creativity are often most joyful when they are done for the sake of being fun and playful. You don't need an end "result" on the horizon to begin. It's OK to make bold moves. Yo

In this interview, I'm excited to be joined by Scott Leftwich. Scott originally started collecting console video games, and then began collecting early arcade games. He now owns 125 video games, and has the largest privately held collection of video games on the East Coast. Once a month, he opens the arcade for "Wieners and Losers," where people can play games for three hours and enjoy hot dogs and other food. He also has a band named Scott Leftwich and The Atarians, and in 2021 he opened an 80s themed Airbnb in his home. I hope you enjoy this conversation celebrating the 80s!  Read the full show notes on my website. In this episode, Scott Leftwich and I talk about: the 1980s, and how as kids we had so much fun his love of early 1980s arcade games (1984 and earlier) how his collection of early 1980s arcade games grew, and how he learned to work on them Wieners and Losers, his monthly arcade event that he has 9 games of which there are 10 or less remaining in the world his band, Scott Leftwich and the Ata

In this episode, I'm honored to be interviewing Lauren Artress. She is an author, Canon of Grace Cathedral in San Francisco, founder of Veriditas, and a spiritual pioneer and a leading force in popularizing the Labyrinth in the US and around the world. I have been fascinated with Labyrinths for years, and this last December became a trained Labyrinth facilitator. I'm excited to have Lauren joining me to talk about her experience with the Labyrinth, The Labyrinth Movement, and how it offers parallels and insights into our lives. In this episode, Lauren and I talk about: - the labyrinth and what it is - her journey in finding the labyrinth in Cathedral de Chartres, France - the role of the labyrinth at Grace Cathedral, San Francisco - both now, and during the AIDS epidemic - the Holy Fool and how it relates to the Labyrinth - Hand labyrinths: how they work and how they came about - The parallels and metaphors of our lives and the walk of the labyrinth Resources Lauren Artress' Website Veriditas Website World La

Liminal space is defined as the transitional space that can be physical, metaphorical, spiritual, or emotional. Pulling from examples in Disneyland, Proper People, & Station Eleven I'm looking at how we navigate through liminal space when we encounter it. In this episode, I'm discussing: - the definition of liminal space - the four types of liminal space: physical, emotional, metaphorical, and spiritual - examples of liminal space in every day life - intentional liminal space and happenstance liminal space, and how they are different - 5 ways to work with liminal space when you encounter it in your life Resources Interview with William J Peters on JSYJ What is Liminal Space on "A Liminal Space" The Impact of Liminal Space on Mental Health on Very Well Mind The Proper People on YouTube Liminal Space at Disney Parks by Offhand Disney Station Eleven on HBO Max Watch Jump Start Your Joy interviews on YouTube Love the show, and what to show your support? Buy me a cup of coffee, and I'll give you a shout out on

Marion Abrams of Grounded Content joins the show and we're talking all things content creation, with a special lens around pocasts. I know so many of you that listen, have some sort of entrepreneurial pursuit where you are creating content week over week or on a regular basis. And some of those past episodes about content creation and creativity have been the most downloaded here on JSYJ.  Good content all comes back to purpose. What is your mission and why are you creating this thing? This applies to whatever it is that you are making if you are an entrepreneur, whether that be social media, videos, blog posts or written work, etc. It all comes down to your filter and purpose, and offering up something that other people want to engage with. What is a podcast? Is it the same as a video on YouTube? Is it another word for interview?  How do you approach editing a podcast or other content? What do you need to know about crafting something for an audience? What about publishing options? (specific to podcasting -

In this episode of Jump Start Your Joy, I am interviewing William J. Peters. He is the founder of the Shared Crossing Project and the director of its research initiative. He is the author of the new book, "At Heaven's Door: What Shared Journeys to the Afterlife Teach about Dying Well and Living Better." Recognized as a global leader in the field of shared death studies, he has spent decades studying end of life experiences. He is a practicing grief and bereavement therapist, and he holds degrees from Harvard and UC Berkeley. In this interview, we are talking about understanding shared death experiences. Read the show notes on my website. In this episode, William J. Peters and I discuss the definition of The Shared Death Experience Near Death Experiences An NDE (near death experience) that occured to William in his teenage years His new book, "At Heaven's Door" The research he has done on death, dying, and shared death experiences My own personal story of a shared death experience The work he does with the

I'm delighted to have guest Tami Hackbarth back for a second interview on Jump Start Your Joy. Tami is the host of a hundred percent guilt-free self-care podcast, and she runs a very successful coaching business where she works with women to help them define and follow up with self care. In this conversation, we're talking about taking the best care of yourself by addressing "deferred maintenance." In this episode, Tami and I talk about: how to approach deferred maintenance. what happens when you leave things unattended in your life, and how they can cause problems when they are not addressed. These can include getting the right amount of sleep, or getting basic checkups for your health. that taking care of the basics honors our future senior citizen selves, as it allows us to remain healthy and independent as we age. how our bodies change as we enter our 30s and beyond, and how it's important to intentionally make time and space for our own daily care the decline in muscle mass that all women experience

Signe Myers Hovem is a spiritual counselor, an energy worker, and the author of The Space in Between: An Empaths Field Guide. In this interview on Jump Start Your Joy podcast, we are talking about empaths and highly sensitive people (HSPs). If you are a highly sensitive person, or if you have a sense that you may be an empath, then I think you're going to get a lot out of this conversation (which ties so closely to this season's theme of intentional comfort on the podcast). HSPs and empaths notice the energy around people and places and things, and this can be overwhelming to them. The Empath's Field Guide, and this conversation, offers a lot of insight on how to manage your energy, hold space, and work with your gifts. In this episode, Signe Myers Hovem talk about: What it means to be a functional empath. The difference between empathy versus being an empath. Exploring what it means to identify as a highly sensitive person. The power of our words and what we choose to call things. Minding your energy,

I truly enjoyed getting to speak with Jonni, and felt myself sinking into the conversation in a deep way. One of the most inspirational parts of the discussion for me was when we walked through the Four Golden Insights, which are the pillars for the work Jonni does. Life is Sacred Love is our Nature – we serve, nature, and find connection Wisdom is our Power – Jonni talks about finding the intelligence of love, and reconciling the appearance of resistance and opposites. We also talked about “embodied leadership power, which equals the ability to influence the environment around us.” Wisdom can enliven and awaken the truth of who we are 4. Fulfillment is our Purpose – we find our purpose by fully understanding who we are Resources Jonni Pollard’s website The Golden Sequence by Jonni Pollard on Amazon   Jonni Pollard and I talk about: His earliest sparks of joy as a child – playing with other kids, playing games, and any kind of games where he could evolve and find excitement Being a multipassionate, where

Intentional Comfort is the theme of this season, and in this episode I'm taking inspiration from Priya Parker's Art of Gathering, and using her 3 rules of gathering to consider new ways to reconnect with what nourishes, fortifies, and supports you.  While her Ted Talk is about how to interact in groups and gatherings in new ways, I find that her rules and thoughts offer insights on how to connect with yourself, and how to determine what is meaningful to you when looking for intentional comfort. Here are the basics of what I'm covering: Don't leave it to chance This is the intentional part of things. If we leave the relationship and connection we have to and with ourselves to chance, it's far too easy to focus on the basics and logistics of life, and ignore time for self care. If you're longing for more time for yourself, or time to do thoughtful, comforting things, schedule that time in. Embrace your purpose For many of you, especially over the stretch of the pandemic, you may have developed some habits that

Stasia Savasuk is an amazing style coach, and the super power behind Stasia's Style School, The REVEL-You-Tion, and Wear Our Word. She helps women find "inside out congruency," which is all about how you can do the inner work to define your values, and match those in the clothes that you choose to wear. I've thoroughly enjoyed her leadership over the last year, and her program encourages beautiful, authentic growth that has people shining from the inside out. In this episode, Stasia and I talk about: - Bell Hooks' book, "All About Love" - Self-regulation, and how to regulate when you feel triggered - How Stasia chooses themes for her REVEL-You-tion program - Inside-out congruency: Who are you on the inside, and how can you reflect that on the outside? - Becoming happy with yourself now, just as you are - The BS of the standard cultural beliefs around what is beautiful - Why community is important in making change - Why self acceptance is so important and how it is life changing - Why New Years Resolutions don

I am delighted to be joined for a second time by Marsha Flowers, who is the owner of Five B and Co Candles, and the newly launched Little Bee Scents. In our conversation, she shares how she has listened to her heart to expand her business in new ways. After thinking about what she likes best about candle making (the creativity, creating scents, and community), she realized that she also wanted to help other candle makers (and soap makers too!) bring their dreams to life. In the spirit of mentoring and helping others in the field she loves so much, Little Bee Scents was born. In this episode, Marsha and I talk about: The launch of Little Bee Scents and becoming the candlemaker for Boulevard Brewing Company in Kansas City. How she is helping people get creative and produce quality products by offering custom scents for them to use in their own business, without having to buy a large minimum order Why Marsha wanted to change things up in her business The process of crafting scents that match the smell of beer,

Jacqualyn Jackson is the small business owner behind Investment Inspectors, LLC, who provides home inspections, home healings, and sound baths. Jacqualyn has embraced her multi-passionate personality by leaning into several of the things she loves to do: offering objective findings for people buying or selling a home, and in nourishing the more spiritual side of things in providing home healings and sound baths. I’m delighted to share how she’s woven these unique offerings into a single business that integrates with her personal values. Between 11/26/21 and 12/06/21, Jacqualyn is offering a sale on all Home Healing Services (including Sound Baths!) for virtual services in 2022. In this episode, Jacqualyn and I talk about: Jacqualyn’s early passions and why dance sparked joy in her as a child  What led her to home inspections as a career and why she became so fascinated by the art of spiritual energy protection for homes How Jacqualyn clears negative energy from a home What people may notice if they have bad

It's episode 300!! I'm sharing my top 3 reflections of having a podcast (and a business) over the past 7 years. Hear stories about staying inspired, how to remain consistent, why just starting is the hardest, and all about the magic of trying new things. Thank you to YOU for tuning in, for sharing JSYJ with others, and for bringing joy into the world. I am sending you love, and wishes for comfort and joy. Over the past 300 episodes, I've had some learnings and find myself reflecting on them. Here's what I know to be true: 1. Just start.  Whatever it is that you're longing to do, take that first baby step. The first step is always the hardest, and it's often the thing that keeps us from moving towards our purpose and our dreams. Recognize that it's likely fear that's holding you back, and that fear just wants to keep you safe. That doesn't always serve you, or your dreams. And, if you're already doing "the thing," you might find yourself dragging your feet to take future steps. Sometimes I dread editing my own

Andrea Scher has thrilled and inspired others for nearly twenty years through her award-winning blog Superhero Journal, her international workshops, her Creative Superheroes podcast, and her joyful e-courses. In this episode, we discuss Andrea’s new book, Wonder Seeker: 52 Ways to Wake up Your Creativity and Find Your Joy Today, and how and she describes why this is the perfect time to tune into the small things that bring you joy. Read the full show notes on my website. Click here. In this episode, Andrea and I talk about: Why Andrea was inspired to write her book to inspire others to add more wonder and magic to their lives What a Wonder Seeker actually is and how wonder relates to joy Becoming braver and more resilient as you pivot your attention towards wonder and joy How Wonder Seekers create comfort by being open-hearted and cultivating a spirit of kindness and love  Some of the exercises in Wonder Seeker: 52 Ways to Wake up Your Creativity and Find Your Joy Today and why 144 is her personal favori

Amy started Mimi’s Little Loveys after disability and chronic illness forced her to stop teaching and working with young children. She followed her heart and her own curiosity to create a business that honors her values, and allows her to take care of herself. Amy joins the show to talk about how she's found intentional comfort, and built a life that supports her, and allows her to do the things she loves. In this episode, Amy and I talk about:   The single thing that Amy brought with her after her marriage broke down and how it became the key to her new life What brought Amy sparks of joy growing up in a large family Amy shares how she came up with the business name and who her little loveys are We reflect on why it’s often a more extended and quieter journey to finding our own comfort and joy and why it’s vital to understand the importance of taking care of ourselves  How getting involved with the community during in-person events made Amy feel like part of another type of supportive family  The shifts Amy

What is Intentional Comfort? Why is it important? I'm sharing 3 conversations that paved the way for comfort to be the season 7 theme. Tune in to hear from Jenn Oglesbee, Ilene Smith, and Julia Samuels and learn more about what intentional comfort. In this episode, I'm taking a look at some of the foundational conversations that paved the way for me to choose a theme of intentional comfort and joy for season seven here on the podcast. 1. One was with Jenn Oglesbee, who is a life coach and a licensed clinical social worker. We had three conversations on Instagram Live over the summer (which you can find at my Instagram account: conversation 1, conversation 2, conversation 3). 2. Ilene Smith, the author of Moving Beyond Trauma who shared that the last 18 months have been a trauma vortex in a discussion we had in season 5. Listen to the full discussion with Ilene Smith here.  3. Julia Samuel, who is a psychotherapist who specializes in grief and wrote the book, Grief Works. She and I spoke about the importance