In this week's episode of Jump Start Your Joy, I'm talking about the concept of 'glimmers,' which are the small instances of joy, hope, or inspiration that counterbalance life's triggers. The episode aims to provide listeners with ways to identify and cherish these glimmers, especially during times of chaos and uncertainty.

It's my intention that Jump Start Your Joy continues to be a comforting space through this podcast, offering weekly moments of respite and inspiration for all listeners.

I'd love to hear from you about how you've seen glimmers in your world, and you can email me a jumpstartyourjoy@gmail.com or tag me in a photo of your glimmer on instagram https://www.instagram.com/jumpstartyourjoy/

Highlights include the significance of glimmers, personal reflections, and a warm welcome message aimed to make listeners feel seen, heard, and cared for.

How to Look for Glimmers in Daily Life:

• Start each day with an intention to notice joy.
• Find calm in small moments: a sunrise, a warm cup of tea.
• Connect with nature, pets, or creativity for grounding.
• Capture glimmers mentally—relish and store them.
• Share glimmers with a friend or in a gratitude journal.

Read the full show notes on Jump Start Your Joy.

Resources

• USA Today article on glimmers
• URMC article on ambiguous loss
• Cory Allen on Instagram
• Julia Samuel on Jump Start Your Joy
• Fred LeBlanc on Jump Start Your Joy

Join me for the next Compassion Quest retreat, in person at San Damiano Retreat on November 23, 2024.

Jump Start Your Joy is lovingly curated to offer a refreshing pause from the daily grind, inviting you to step outside routine and intentionally engage with stories of resilience, joy, and possibility. Each episode creates a space for reflection and inspiration, encouraging you to reconnect with what brings meaning and magic to your life. It is hosted by Paula Jenkins, a labyrinth facilitator, retreat leader, and trained mindfulness mentor. You can learn more about the show at jumpstartyourjoy.com

To join in, find Jump Start Your Joy on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and wherever you listen to podcasts.

Read the full show notes: https://jumpstartyourjoy.com/2024/07/celebrating-37-years-of-joy-an-interview-with-retiring-educator-molly-barnes/

In this heartfelt episode, Paula interviews Molly Barnes, the beloved principal and superintendent of Sunol Glenn Elementary. Molly shares her passionate journey in education, reflecting on the joy and challenges of her career. Listeners get an inside look at her unique approach to fostering a welcoming and enthusiastic school environment. Discover the powerful moments and intentional choices that have made Sunol Glenn Elementary a special place for students, parents, and staff alike. As Molly prepares for her well-deserved retirement, she discusses the importance of building strong community relationships, supporting educators, and creating joyful learning experiences. Tune in to hear moving stories, valuable insights, and the impactful legacy of a dedicated educator who truly made a difference.

Resources: 

Molly receiving the Woman of the Year Award from Alex Lee

Coverage of Molly's retirement in the Pleasanton Weekly

Others:

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Here are some of the key moments in this interview:

Earliest Sparks of Joy in Education: Molly Barnes talks about her childhood experiences that ignited her passion for education, including her love for school supplies and the excitement of preparing for a new school year.

Impact of Political Climate in Education: Molly reflects on the challenges posed by the political environment and its influence on the school district, emphasizing the importance of keeping the focus on students' well-being and learning.

Importance of Community in Education: Molly shares the significance of building a strong sense of community within the school, highlighting the roles of teachers, parents, and students in creating a supportive and inclusive environment.

Molly Barnes' Retirement Plans: As she approaches retirement, Molly discusses her future plans, including spending time with her family and potentially volunteering in local schools to continue her passion for education.

Supporting Educators and Teachers: Both Paula and Molly discuss the critical role parents and the community can play in supporting teachers and school staff. They emphasize the need for understanding, communication, and collaboration to foster a positive educational experience for all.

Time Stamps:

00:00 Welcome and Introduction

00:19 Meet Molly Barnes: A Celebrated Educator 

02:13 Molly's Early Sparks of Joy 

03:11 The Excitement of Back-to-School 

06:20 The Role of Community in Education 

09:19 Navigating Political Challenges 

13:03 A Unique Commuter School 

20:25 The Benefits and Challenges of a Small School 

26:16 Memorable Moments at Sunol Glen 

30:41 Heartfelt Reflections 

32:05 The Changing Landscape of Education 

35:36 Supporting Teachers and Administrators 

36:50 Challenges in the Teaching Profession 

42:27 Memorable Teachers and Experiences 

45:22 Award Recognition and Community Support 

47:22 Retirement Plans and Future Aspirations 

51:02 Spreading Joy and Final Thoughts 

52:56 Closing Remarks and Reflections

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 aren’t really serving you. And, while they likely did serve you for a period of time, now that we’re nearly into the third year of all of this, I think the way we look at comfort and what fortifies us has likely changed. It’s become super apparent that this isn’t about a sprint, this is about a transition. What is the purpose, or meaning, behind setting up time for intentional comfort?

How can you craft something that supports and nourishes you, as we all work through this transition together?

What is the purpose of what you want to do, in finding comfort?

What would meet your needs?

If you’re looking for an escape, what does that look like given any of your current constraints?

If you’re looking for peace and quiet, why?

And if you dig a layer deeper, is there something you feel is missing? 

Cause good controversy

Priya says that “human connection is as threatened by unhealthy peace as it is by unhealthy conflict.” And, I’d add that this connection is true for gatherings as it is for the connection you and I have with ourselves. 

For this, I’d ask yourself what do you need, right now? Drop any sort of “shoulds” or polite answers. You're answering this just for yourself. 

Some of these answers might be overly simple: a walk, a shower, a drink of water, a meal

Some of these answers might be more complicated and feel harder to figure out: a feeling of connectedness, quiet time when I’m not needed by anyone else, a day to just bake cookies and connect with the holiday spirit

How can you do this? It might feel like it involves creating some good controversy, especially if it involves speaking up to divide up housework with your family, to find quiet time, to find time to pursue a hobby, or to interview for a new job. You may need help from other people to do these things. So, dive in and ask yourself what you need and then figure out what kind of help you need from other people in your family.

The other side of this good controversy could be a totally inside job. It could be that you’ve been sitting with something for a long time that doesn’t feel so great, and in order to find comfort and joy on the other side, you need to work through it. You may need to break through a Story - or something you’re assuming is true but isn’t really true.

Use "pop up" rules

Priya suggests this for groups that gather that don’t necessarily share the same background, or are part of the same generation, culture, or rules for etiquette. She says in those situations, you can set up pop up rules to encourage meaningful connection.

What if you changed your own rules for a bit? What rules could you set for yourself, just for a day or a week, to support yourself?

An example might be: set a bedtime for yourself for the next week if you are tired.

Make a rule for yourself that this week, you will slow down and have an afternoon snack and see how that feels.

Limit your interaction with people who stress you out, if possible. 

Maybe if there’s a particular person that tends to upset you but you know you’ll see at a holiday event, maybe set a rule that you can leave after a certain amount of time at the event, or request that you not be seated next to them?

This might mean that you’re asking for something slightly different of yourself and other people - and that could be uncomfortable. So, let it be an experiment. Try out what something new looks like.

Wrap up

These ideas are all so applicable to how we can find intentional comfort and joy in our lives. It’s so easy to get into habits that don’t really support you, but have addressed discomfort you may have been feeling. Intentional Comfort is all adding a layer of mindfulness to what you do every day. I have been looking for ways to intentionally add nurturing and nourishing habits to my days, and find that when I make those choices, I do find more joy, too.

Resources

Priya Parker's Ted Talk

Stasia Savasuk on Jump Start Your Joy (episode 303) 

The Joy Diet by Martha Beck

The Work of Byron Katie

Loving What is by Byron Katie

Are you looking for ways to define what brings you joy, and identify your passions? In this episode I'm sharing 2 exercises to help figure out what you're passionate about and 10 ways to bring more of that passion to your work and your life.

Read the full show notes on my website

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. It's OK to make bold moves. You often learn the most when you try something that is out of your comfort zone. Many people worry that they will "fail" when they try something they haven't done before. What if you removed that idea from the equation, and decided that there was no such thing as failure when it comes to following your passion?
5. It's OK to "go back" to something if your first try doesn't work the way you'd planned. If you are working on building a business, and it doesn't work the way you'd envisioned the first time, it's OK to go back to work that supports you and your family. There's no shame, and nothing lost in continuing your quest as a side hustle, or starting over with a new focus.
6. Notice if you've had "enough." You might discover that something that once brought you joy no longer does. Or, you might realize that you've had enough at a job that isn't serving you, or that you're no longer interested in continuing a hobby or a business that you once enjoyed. This is natural and part of being human.
7. Look for the pivot points. I also call this being "well planned and loosely held," but notice when you see something shifting before your eyes in your plans. Often times, as you begin to build something your focus changes. You can also shift your business or your hobby or your interests to match those changes.
8. Follow what feels right. If you've grown tired of doing something, stop. If something else feels interesting or bring you joy, do that. Resist staying with something just because you "should."
9. The universe will give you opportunities to show you that you can do it. As you begin to grow your hobby or your passion or business, you'll see that the universe will show you that you're very capable of doing something. Looking back, you'll be able to see that you overcame challenges to get to where you are. Stop to celebrate those wins. You grow and change as your interests do, and it's always good to notice that you did something you once thought might be impossible.
10. You'll get more of something when you're ready. This may have to do with manifesting, or with growth. You'll see that once you've got a grasp of how to do something, you'll often be faced with opportunities that allow you to grow. Be intentional about the growth. You might find that old versions of what you thought you wanted resurface. It's OK to say no to things that don't fit you, anymore

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Resources

Resources

Brene Brown's "Living Our Values" Exercise

ClaimPodParity List and Website

Heather Hall, Coach for Introverts

Interview with Lauren Artress about Labyrinth

Love the show, and what to show your support?

Buy me a cup of coffee, and I'll give you a shout out on the next episode.

10 Things That Will Inspire More Passion and Joy in Your Work and Life

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. It's OK to make bold moves. You often learn the most when you try something that is out of your comfort zone. Many people worry that they will "fail" when they try something they haven't done before. What if you removed that idea from the equation, and decided that there was no such thing as failure when it comes to following your passion?
5. It's OK to "go back" to something if your first try doesn't work the way you'd planned. If you are working on building a business, and it doesn't work the way you'd envisioned the first time, it's OK to go back to work that supports you and your family. There's no shame, and nothing lost in continuing your quest as a side hustle, or starting over with a new focus.
6. Notice if you've had "enough." You might discover that something that once brought you joy no longer does. Or, you might realize that you've had enough at a job that isn't serving you, or that you're no longer interested in continuing a hobby or a business that you once enjoyed. This is natural and part of being human.
7. Look for the pivot points. I also call this being "well planned and loosely held," but notice when you see something shifting before your eyes in your plans. Often times, as you begin to build something your focus changes. You can also shift your business or your hobby or your interests to match those changes.
8. Follow what feels right. If you've grown tired of doing something, stop. If something else feels interesting or bring you joy, do that. Resist staying with something just because you "should."
9. The universe will give you opportunities to show you that you can do it. As you begin to grow your hobby or your passion or business, you'll see that the universe will show you that you're very capable of doing something. Looking back, you'll be able to see that you overcame challenges to get to where you are. Stop to celebrate those wins. You grow and change as your interests do, and it's always good to notice that you did something you once thought might be impossible.
10. You'll get more of something when you're ready. This may have to do with manifesting, or with growth. You'll see that once you've got a grasp of how to do something, you'll often be faced with opportunities that allow you to grow. Be intentional about the growth. You might find that old versions of what you thought you wanted resurface. It's OK to say no to things that don't fit you, anymore

Resources

Brene Brown’s “Living Our Values” Exercise

ClaimPodParity List and Website

Jen Edds of Brassy Broadcasting Company (she created the #ClaimPodParity song)

Heather Hall, Coach for Introverts

Interview with Lauren Artress about Labyrinth

Love the show, and what to show your support?

Buy me a cup of coffee, and I'll give you a shout out on the next episode.

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 the next episode.

Comfort and Joy is the new theme for Season 7 and I'm thrilled to sharing all about "intentional comfort." After spending time in the messy middle, over the last 18 months our nervous system needs a pause and a reset and some intentional comfort. So that's what we're looking at in this episode.

Here's what you'll find:

1. Intentional Comfort: It's the mindful activity of embracing comfort, and finding down time for yourself. It's important because we're all been in a "trauma vortex" since early 2020. (hat tip Ilene Smith)

2. What's the messy middle? (it's this weird undefined time we've been in, where we don't fully know when this pandemic will end, and know that we can't get back to where we were.)

3. It's time drop the idea that we should embrace "courage over comfort" or "living your big bold life" without balance of intentional comfort.

4. Introverts and highly sensitive people need to slow down and embrace comfort to be in a good place in their lives.

5. That we need comfort for comfort's sake. We need to rest for the sake of resting and wellness. (And not so that we can go do anything else. Just because.)

6. Finding intentional comforts, and the difference between comfort and numbing out. Comfort is affirming, nurturing and is taking care of oneself. Numbing out is doing something to an extreme, and losing oneself in the activity. Comfort is making space for life. Numbing out is usually an activity that takes over one's life.

7. Inspiration for the idea of Intentional Comfort:

Tami Hackbarth of 100% Guilt Free Self Care Podcast, and guest on Jump Start Your Joy

The Nap Ministry of Instagram

Jennifer L. Scott, author of the Madame Chic series of books. Also on YouTube. 

Stasia Savasuk, Jump Start Your Joy guest and founder of Stasia's Style School

Jackie of Super Enthused, on YouTube and Instagram

Sonya Renee Taylor, author of The Body is Not an Apology, leader, poet, activist, and guest on Jump Start Your Joy.

Buy Jump Start Your Joy: Heart-Centered Ways to Find Joy in The Messy Middle on Amazon (affiliate link)

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In this episode, Megan Gallagher joins me to talk about anxiety, and how to navigate it. After living with intense panic attacks (up to 20 a day) and anxiety as a teenager, Megan made it her life mission to inspire teenagers and parents on how to deal with anxiety in today's modern world by speaking at countless middle schools and high schools about her story. 

Megan has written an amazing book, and she's a two time TED Talk giver. Today, she is a resource and inspiration for so many teenagers navigating the world of mental health.  I'm really excited to have her join me on the show.

Get all the show notes and a full transcript at the website.

Sign up for "Three Joyful Things" Newsletter on my website.

From mindfulness to lunar abundance, and quiet bohemians to happiness coaches, and self care and creative process, this season has been an amazing gathering of people who embrace playing small in their own way. This is the finale for Season 5.

Read the full show notes on the website.

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How do you move forward and find joy when you're in the middle of upheaval, tough times, and everything has changed? And how to you build a foundation during that time? In Part one of my season 5 finale, I share thoughts on joy during the pandemic.

Read the full show notes on the website.

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This week on Jump Start Your Joy, I'm sharing 6 ways to create a foundation for a joy-filled life during the pandemic. It's no secret that living in 2020 has brought many of the things that we considered foundational to our world into question. Health, school, our work, groceries, equality, safety, and freedom have all come into question as the world grapples with the immense change that COVID-19 has brought with it.

One of the questions I'm getting asked on interviews and from listeners is: how do I find joy now, in the midst of the pandemic?

Read the full show notes on the website.

Sign up for the newsletter to receive these episodes in your inbox each week.

It takes a lot of heart, courage, and vulnerability to reject the pressure to "play big." By letting go of the expected hustle, and efforting, you can find joy in ways that are small, manageable, and noticeable, everyday.

Read the full show notes on the website.

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This week, Dr. Aimee Eyvazzadeh (also know as The Egg Whisperer) is back for her second interview here on the podcast. Dr. Aimee is a fertility specialist, living in the San Francisco Bay Area, and she works with people who want to grow their families. It’s a treat to have her on Jump Start Your Joy to talk about how she has developed a positive mental attitude, not letting the virus steal her joy, and how she’s advising fertility patients to approach treatment during the coronavirus pandemic.

In this episode, Dr. Aimee and I talk about:

• What and who inspired her unique way of treating patients with such care
• What’s changed for fertility patients (treatment-wise, and emotionally) during COVID-19
• How to learn more about your fertility: understand when you are fertile, how fertility declines over time
• The TUSHY Method for getting a snapshot of your fertility: T is for falloppian tubes, U is for Ultrasound of your uterus, S is for Sperm, H is for Hormones, and Y is for Your Genetic profile
• Why sperm is important to the fertility equation
• How to approach a doctor with the questions you have
• That more people should trust their intuition when it comes to health questions
• Aimee’s mindfulness and meditation practice
• How to sign up for Egg Whisperer School

Resources

Dr. Aimee on Episode 2 of JSYJ

Dr. Aimee’s Egg Whisperer Show podcast

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Managing your stress, and looking for ways to find joy, contentment, and peace during the pandemic will help you stay positive. Mallory Wisong joins to talk about practices and ideas on how to keep centered.

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Some of what we cover:

In this episode, Mallory and I talk about:

-Moon cycles, yin and yang, and the cosmic shift happening

-Grief, and the collective grief we’re all experiencing

-How trees communicate through their roots, and our connection to each other

-Examples of mindfulness tools we use, and that we’re finding especially helpful right now

Read the full show notes here.

Read the full show notes by clicking or tapping here.

In this episode, I’m really thrilled to have the dream catcher coach, Anabell Bender joining me to talk about believing in your dreams, and allowing yourself to live a happy and authentic life. In addition to coaching, Anabell is a a multi-passionate, and has had a lot of experience with the creative process. You can only imagine the massive amounts of joy, delight, and laughter that come from this conversation.

In this episode, Anabell and I talk about:

-Her early joys of altruistically supporting others
-Starting with baby steps to reach your dreams
-How perfectionism can stop you in your tracks
-An introduction to mindfulness
-Finding happiness that is not fleeting
-Human design readings and how they work
-Jump starting joy in the world: smile at others to bring joy to your day and their day

You can find the full show notes by clicking here.

In this episode I talk about:
- Joy being a choice
- Akashic Records
- The releasing practice that I followed over the summer
- Being a “Full Stop Change Agent”
- Realizing the large role that choice plays in my life every day
- Choosing to let go of alcohol
- Choosing to address trauma in my life
- How my husband and I chose to let go of the Story that “the other shoe was about to drop at any time”
- How my husband and I have chosen to try on new ways of communicating with each other, by working through Oren Jay Sofer’s book together
- The role of curiosity and care in our communication
- My increase in clients that are a perfect match since I went through the practice of releasing what was no longer serving me
- The increase in joy in my life

Sign up for "Three Joyful Things" on my website.

Say What You Mean: A Mindful Approach to Non-Violent Communication by Oren Jay Sofer
The Akashic Records
She Podcasts Live 2019

Kelly Denithorne is an educator, transgender advocate, and the blogger behind “Unordinary Style.” Kelly started her blog in 2010, and began it as a place to explore with her love of style while she was exploring women’s fashion. Born as a male, Kelly tried on several different titles for herself, from transvestite, to cross dresser, and then to transgender non-binary. In the last year, Kelly has begun teaching in her middle school as a woman, and has started the process of transitioning.

In this episode, Kelly Denithorne and I talk about:

• Her earliest sparks of joy, hanging out with her sister
• Her experience of growing up as a male, and the confusion that she experienced around having unidentified gender variance
• Being a teacher, and transitioning from dressing as a male to dressing female this school year
• Seeking therapy with someone who specializes in gender variance
• The reactions of her students and parents to her presenting as a woman
• Her path to discovering her true self
• The role being a fashion blogger played in her journey
• Her inspiration in starting to take on speaking opportunities
• How to jumpstart your joy: learn to accept who you are and how you work with it, sharing your story, and always be humble enough to learn

Resources
Kelly Denithorne’s blog: Unordinary Style
Kelly Denithorne’s Speakering Website
How to Create Cleavage, as found on Kelly’s blog
Kelly (as Nadine Spirit) on Instagram
Jessica Lynn’s website

This week, two big things hit me at once: the joy that comes naturally to children, and the Netflix special with Brene Brown, where she talks about the vulnerability that adults experience around joy, making it THE most vulnerable of emotions. What gives?

The quick synopsis? Over time, we're conditioned to be cautious with our emotions, and we build up self doubt. What does it look like when you are wrangling a slow build up of self doubt?

Eventually, this can lead to much of what many of us spend so long trying to unwind as you get into your adult life:

• Feeling like you are “too much” or “not enough”
• The impact of mean girls on your life
• Imposter syndrome, or, feeling like you’re a fraud and people are about to find out that you don’t know what you’re doing
• The “who am I to?” question that inner critics love so much
• Inner critics
• Resistance
• Feeling like you’re out of control
• Not trusting yourself to make decisions
• Confidence
• Self – image: how you dress and see yourself

The good news? Once you recognize that you are missing joy, you can find your way back to it.

• Choose joy, daily. Own that you want more joy in your life, and aim for joy, as a “wayfaring” emotion.
• When you feel yourself in that space of being excited and terrified about trying something new, lean in to that. It’s leading you back to a place that feels joyful to you. Don’t let the old conditioning of shying away from excitement or something new stop you.
• Schedule time for joy in your life. Look for places you’ve always wanted to visit, but haven’t. Return to places that have brought you joy. Make space in your schedule to do something joyful, for the sake of joy. Remember, if it’s not on your calendar, it’s not going to happen.
• Think back to what brought you joy as a child. So many guests on the show find that there is a strong tie to whatever they loved as a child in their present life.
• Some thoughts on the top things guests suggest to jump start joy in your life: hang out with animals, do something creative, get in touch with nature.
• Brene Brown found that people who have a gratitude practice, and who believe in a higher power in the universe, are often those who are more likely to be joyful. Try listing or noticing what you’re grateful for each day.
• Catch yourself if you hear yourself spreading “shoulds” or conditioning that is limiting how someone else experiences joy for themselves.
• Do something that surprises or delights someone else.
• Let joy be important to you.

Resources

Brene Brown: the call to courage on Netflix
Kennolyn Camps

In Part 2 of the Season 4 Finale, host Paula Jenkins counts down the top ten most downloaded episodes. Listen to short clips from Jonni Pollard, Stasia Savasuk, Jess Ekstrom, Sharon Prentice, and Renee Linell and hear the favorite solocasts, too.

To get links to all of the episodes, click here.

In Part 2 of the Season 4 Finale, host Paula Jenkins counts down the top ten most downloaded episodes. Listen to short clips from Jonni Pollard, Stasia Savasuk, Jess Ekstrom, Sharon Prentice, and Renee Linell and hear the favorite solocasts, too.

To get links to all of the episodes, click here.

Host Paula Jenkins takes a look at the top lessons, aha moments, and unexpected learnings of having been podcasting now for four years. There are tips, tricks, and lots of mindset and inspiration discussed in this Season 4 Finale.

In this solocast episode, I’m exploring the topic of finding joy in uncertain times. In the midst of the shifting world events, I’ve felt weighed down recently. In this episode, I’ll talk about how it takes real courage to follow a muse like Joy in hard times, and following joy, and love, and our own hearts is more important now, than ever before. I’ve spent a lot of time mulling over why joy has felt so awkward recently, and why it still beckons me on. And, I’ve found a lot of uplifting quotes and thoughts from others to share with you, too.

The six ways ways of finding joy in uncertain times I share in this episode are:
1. Define what’s true for you – regardless of what else may feel uncertain, what do you know is true for you, right now?
2. Take comfort that it’s perfectly OK (and natural) to grieve or feel sadness at the same time as you feel excitement or joy.
3. Take action: joy is an act of defiance and self care
4. Take action: caring for others spreads joy
5. Baby steps: Joy builds more joy. Little Bits of joy brought to life make room for more joy in your life
6. Look at joy in a new way: explore what joy looks like at the crossroads of whatever else you’re feeling

Resources
Helen McLaughlin’s delightful “Weekly Findings” Newsletter
Laura Simms post on “Finding Purpose in Uncertain Times”
Laura Simms in episode 34
Molly Larkin in episode 10 (where we talk about Byron Katie)
Jennifer Ching’s inspiring CAKEooh Blog

Kelly Denithorne is an educator, transgender advocate, and the blogger behind “Unordinary Style.” Kelly started her blog in 2010, and began it as a place to explore with her love of style while she was exploring women’s fashion. Born as a male, Kelly tried on several different titles for herself, from transvestite, to cross dresser, and then to transgender non-binary. In the last year, Kelly has begun teaching in her middle school as a woman, and has started the process of transitioning.

The true inspiration that I see in Kelly is her dedication to being curious, and to “always be humble enough to learn.” As she and I spoke, it was clear that she is a powerful example of someone who is a lifelong educator, and learner. Inspired by another trans woman, Jessica Lynn, Kelly has started sharing her story so that other people can learn more about transgendered individuals, and to spread awareness.

In this episode, Kelly Denithorne and I talk about:

• Her earliest sparks of joy, hanging out with her sister
• Her experience of growing up as a male, and the confusion that she experienced around having unidentified gender variance
• Being a teacher, and transitioning from dressing as a male to dressing female this school year
• Seeking therapy with someone who specializes in gender variance
• The reactions of her students and parents to her presenting as a woman
• Her path to discovering her true self
• The role being a fashion blogger played in her journey
• Her inspiration in starting to take on speaking opportunities
• How to jumpstart your joy: learn to accept who you are and how you work with it, sharing your story, and always be humble enough to learn

Resources
Kelly Denithorne’s blog: Unordinary Style
How to Create Cleavage, as found on Kelly’s blog
Kelly (as Nadine Spirit) on Instagram
Jessica Lynn’s website

This week, two big things hit me at once: the joy that comes naturally to children, and the Netflix special with Brene Brown, where she talks about the vulnerability that adults experience around joy, making it THE most vulnerable of emotions. What gives?

When did being joyful get to be hard? When did it become vulnerable to be joyful and experience joy?

If you’ve watched the Brene Brown special on Netflix (and you really should, it’s amazing), you’ll know that she shares that in her study of shame and vulnerability, she has discovered that people state that joy is the most vulnerable of all of the emotions.

“You can’t have joy without allowing yourself to be seen. Joy is the most vulnerable and terrifying of all human emotions. Vulnerability is the birthplace of joy. True belonging requires you to be who you are.” – Brene Brown

As children, joy is easy. It comes naturally. I know this first hand, from this week. Yes, my son and I had lots of experiences that were planned out and intended to be joyful, like visiting Mrs. Grossman’s sticker factory, and the Charles Schulz Museum. Even without planned events, I’ve seen how my son can make a game out of just about anything at any time, how he will still belly laugh in the back seat for no reason, and how he’ll befriend any animal or human he meets because for him, the world is still full of possibility. He has not yet built up the sludge of Stories that adults carry with them, that tell them to be careful, to act a certain way, to not trust, to be worried.

Resources

Brene Brown: the call to courage (link to:https://www.netflix.com/title/81010166 ) on Netflix
Kennolyn Camps (link to: https://www.kennolyncamps.com/ )

Learn all about the basics of making taking care of yourself a priority, and why you might be having a hard time making that happen in your life. A great lookback lesson full of joyful ideas on self care.

I think it boils down to two things that influence decisions and when and how we eventually decide to take better care of ourselves.

1. “If you don’t prioritize your life, someone else will. But if you are determined to prioritize your own life, you can.” – Greg McKeown

If you don’t set up and defend your own self care, something or someone else will. Some people call this setting boundaries (which is a topic for another post). If you don’t literally mark off time on your schedule, and take the mindful steps to practice self care, it will not happen on it’s own. You have to carve out the time to take care of yourself, or other things will always get in the way.

2. “I’ve never seen any life transformation that didn’t begin with the person in question finally getting tired of their own bullshit.” – Liz Gilbert
And this really is part two of Greg McKoewn’s quote as well – There’s a breaking point in there somewhere around feeling frazzled and not addressing self care, and it’s often that breaking point that means you dig in and become determined to make a change. Sadly, it often only happens when we get to a breaking point, either burnt out from pushing too hard for too long, or, to the point where we are frustrated and can’t deal with ourselves anymore.

Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown (on Amazon)
Andrea Owen: Your KickAss Life episode 181 with Heather Chauvin
Liz Gilbert on Transformation