This week's episode is the finale of season seven where I've been talking all about intentional comfort and how to bring more comfort and ease into your everyday life.

If you have not yet listened to the episode where I did the countdown of the top 10 most downloaded episodes, you can tune in here.

1. Choose comfort, and build it into our lives.  I think we are looking for a way to wind down and a way to hold space for the things that we've done and to take a breather. It may be that the world feels heavy, and that you need a break. Mirror what you choose to do with what the seasons do. Winter is a time of darkness and quiet and solitude. And so I think comfort and joy are bookends for each other, but I think they also go hand in hand.

2. See it as riding the wave. If youcan ride the wave of whateverdifficult thing you're facing, and intentionally schedule in comfort, you will be in a better place. It can be helpful to know that this current situation is temporary, and ride it out. And, you can get through it by clinging to that intentional comfort that we are setting up for yourself.

3. Everything is cyclical. Hard times, good times. Comforting times, overwhelming times. It's all cyclical.  Knowing that there is a season for each thing that sometimes will be easier. Sometimes it'll be harder. And knowing this can maybe help you find comfort in one that the season will change just like if you ride out the wave. But in two, that, that this is part of the bigger plan and pattern.

4. Learn to live an "Untethered Life," as inspired by the book by Michael A Singer. The really big takeaway for me with that book is that you can start to question some of the patterns and habits that you recognize that you have after you spent some time looking at them. Because comfort can come from getting to know yourself instead of fighting whatever comes up and ruminating on whatever comes up.

5. Joy and happiness is comforting. Make time for whatever it is that makes you happy. Let go of the expectations and the pressure of day-to-day life that's telling us what we "should" do or want. Learning to let yourself be in the present moment, without feeling the need to document for social media or feel the pressure to share every detail with anyone else.

Resources:

Season 7 Countdown (finale pt 1)

Audible version of "Untethered life" by Michael A Singer (affiliate)

Join me for a Virtual Labyrinth walk (free) on Thursday, December 15, 2022 at 1pm PST | 4pm EST

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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 favorite 
• How Andrea sets intentions and the magic the practice can bring
• How to move past the rigid routines of the last 18 months and embrace the magic and wonder your world has to offer
• Andrea’s e-courses, retreats, and creative workshops, and how to find out more about her 
• Three ways Andrea recommends to jump-start joy in your life, in the world, or other people’s lives?

Resources

Preorder Andrea Scher's book: Wonder Seeker: 52 Ways to Wake Up Your Creativity and Find Your Joy

Get your free gift from Andrea after purchasing Wonder Seeker here

Andrea Scher's Superhero Life

Andrea Scher on Instagram

Other books and resources we mention in this episode

The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Wisdom, and Love: Buddha's Brain by Rick Hanson

Hardwiring Happiness: The New Brain Science of Contentment, Calm, and Confidence by Rick Hanson

Camera Obscura in San Francisco

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

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, and holding space without having your own energy drained.
• How to set up strong boundaries with people, places, or things if you feel an energetic drain and decide if you want to get involved further.
• How do we navigate through the space of being an empath or an HSP in everyday life?

Resources

Signe Myers Hovem's website

The Space in Between: An Empaths Field Guide by Signe Myers Hovem

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Season 7 was all about "Intentional Comfort." This episode shares the top ten most downloaded and beloved episodes from season 7. 

They are:

10. Emma Loewe, author of Return to Nature

Listen to the original episode

Buy the book

9. 5 Tips to Bring More Mindfulness to You Everyday

Listen to the episode

8. Fred LeBlanc of Cowboy Mouth on Finding a Mardi Gras State of Mind

Listen to the original episode

Buy their best of album.

7. Heather Hall, Author of Step Up and Stand Out: 20 Tips for Aspiring Introverted Leaders

Listen to the original episode

Buy the book

6. Jenn Oglesbee: Intentional Comfort and Joy in the Midst of Grief

Listen to the original episode

5. Stasia Savasuk: Wearing Your Word of the Year

Listen to the original episode

4. 10 Things to Inspire More Passion and Joy in Your Life and Work

Listen to the original episode

3. Finding Your Heart's Second Home

Listen to the original episode

2. William J. Peters, Author of At Heaven's Door

Listen to the original episode

Buy the book

1. Scott Leftwich, owner of "Weiners and Losers," and 80s arcade, Airbnb and band member.

Listen to the original episode

Resources

Brene Brown's "Living Our Values" Exercise

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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

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I'm really excited to have author Renee Linnell back on JSYJ!. This is her second time on the podcast, and in this brand new conversation, we're talking about her book that came out on August 16, 2022, which is titled "Still on Fire: A Memoir."

Renee first came on the show when her first book, "The Burn Zone," came out.  This book was was all about how she found herself in a cult several years ago. Her new book is a delightful continuation of her amazing craft of storytelling. The themes that come through in her new book are all around  trusting your intuition, manifesting things in your life, and the idea that this life is a continuation of your soul's ongoing journey.

Of course, these are some of my very favorite themes and there's such joy and delight in this conversation with Renee.

Resources:

Renee Linnell's first interview on JSYJ

Renee Lineell's book: "Still on Fire: A Memoir"

Renee Linnell's book: "The Burn Zone"

Emma Loewe is the co-author of The Spirit Almanac, and she is the senior sustainability editor for mindbodygreen, and she has 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 effective and non-overwhelming way

Resources

Emma Loewe’s book, “Return to Nature: The New Science of How Natural Landscapes Restore Us” on Bookshop.org

Emma Loewe’s website

Emma Loewe on Instagram

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Creativity and joy are closely related. If you're feeling stuck, and need some inspiration on how to tap into creativity - Marion Abrams of Grounded Content and I have 8 ideas for you to jumpstart your creativity and joy.

Here they are:

1. Just do the thing. Starting is the hardest part.

2. Double down on what you've been doing. Recommit to it. 

3. Take yourself on an "artist's date. " (as inspired by Julia Cameron's book, The Artist's Way)

4. Revisit the source of your inspiration. What started you on your creative journey? Spend time with that, and DO some of it. 

5. If you're creating something and have data that can inform you as to what has done the best (on your blog, podcast, social media), spend some time looking at what past episodes or posts have done the best. Go back and look at what some of your favorite past work has been, and take inspiration from that.

6. Take a break or a breather.

7. What has been the favorite thing you've created for your show / blog / art? What did you love about it, or love about creating it? Use your past favorite work as inspiration for what comes next.

8. Go pro, as inspired by Steven Pressfield's "War of Art." Sometimes, you are not going to love your art or the thing you create. And, that's when you need to go back to it and do the work.

Bonus: try "Morning Pages" as an exercise, (Julia Cameron's book, The Artist's Way)

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Resources:

Podcasting and Content Creator Insights / Our YouTube Show

Marion's site and Grounded Content

The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron

The Art of War by Steven Pressfield

Big Magic by Liz Gilbert

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The weighty-ness of the past two years means we're all working through difficult things. Joy is as important now as ever before. Joy gives you room for "overflow" which allows you to be more present & available for the things that matter most.

In this episode, I'm sharing:

1. a quote that made me rethink the role of joy in the world, and why we must keep choosing it.

2. How the current news cycle, and use of fear by many politicians and mass media keeps us stuck in feeling like we can't do anything but stay plugged in to the fire hose of fear that they create.

3. Why and how joy is important: taking time for joy-filled things like concerts, writing, creative outlets, and other things means you build overflow.

4. How overflow allows you to do more of the important things you love. And how that can change the world.

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Resources:

Episode with Sonya Renee Taylor

Support "The Body is Not an Apology"

Support "ARD (Anti-Racism Daily) Newsletter"

Find & Subscribe to The Newsworthy (a daily news podcast)

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Jenn Oglesbee is a certified life coach and licensed clinical social worker, and the discussions that she and I had last summer on Instagram Live are what me to choose the “Intentional Comfort” for season seven on Jump Start Your Joy. We had a series called “What the Hell?,” and in it we discussed the events of the past couple of years, and how they impacted our lives. Jenn and I share a love of talking about joy, and have both woven it into our work.

It’s an honor to have Jenn come back a year later, and share more about her own journey. In December of 2021, Jenn lost her sister to a rare form of brain cancer. She has been open in sharing about how the grief has shown up in her life, and how losing someone as close as a sibling has felt. She and I had had an interview on the books at the end of last year, and she asked to reschedule our discussion until after she felt ready to talk about things. And, she offered to dive into how finding and making space for intentional comfort in the midst of grief has looked for her over the past few months.

Resources

Jenn Oglesbee’s website: https://www.jennoglesbee.com/

Our three Instagram lives from last summer: Part One Part Two Part Three

The mashup of the three Instagram Lives, as heard on Jump Start Your Joy

• her joy as a child, doing dance parties, writing, and playing
• the uncertainty involved around her sister’s illness and diagnosis, and navigating supporting her during the COVID pandemic
• the difference between coaching and therapy
• looking for the little joys in life during hard times, even when joy feels like it is hard to grasp
• the grief and uncertainty that many of us felt during the pandemic
• surrendering to grief
• giving yourself permission to take a break for emotions other than grief during mourning
• how writing can help you process big emotions
• sharing what feels right, to the right people, when you are ready
• reconnecting with joy
• how she jump starts her joy: with downtime, making time for creativity, giving yourself permission to look weird and feel foolish

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