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Is it just me or are there other ladies out there who feel like their periods think they are the chief operating officer of their body's mood, movement and meaning in life? Well, not sure if I'm talking to crickets here or not, but I'll go on! At least twice a month, I feel a significant shift in my mood and emotions. Honestly, this has been happening every month since the summer before sixth grade. Yet somehow, at 27 years old, I am still stunned by it every month. One week I'm feeling content, satisfied and joyous about my accomplishments, my relationships, my body, my abilities, my happiness, my faith, my work, my confidence, and the next, my mind races in a whirlwind of reality and fantasy, not exactly knowing what is fact or fiction. And thus, I've come to the conclusion that my period is a diva. She makes herself known two weeks before her arrival and again sends blatant reminders a couple of days before. She is that crazy part of me that I love and hate.   While I have always known myself to be an emotional person by nature, I still find it hard at times to fully accept that part of me. Sometimes I think my highly sensitive emotions are beneficial, in that, I can empathize more easily with others and I see the world with a nurturing, gentle eye. Yet other times I feel overwhelmed with how suddenly my emotions switch. And therefore, I tumble into a war against myself trying to rebel against these emotions, while another part of me tries to lean into them. It's a tough battle to fight when you're on both sides, which is what has led to me research ways to find balance and joy in my life, even with my period!   Today's JOY Life episode breaks down my research so far into the areas of Mental Wellness, Physical Wellness and Social Wellness. I'm definitely not an expert in any of these areas myself, but I am a female who gets her period every month, with terrible cramps, bloating, sadness, anxiety and moodiness (just ask my mom or boyfriend, who unfortunately get the brunt of it).  

Whether you are already a passionate person or you're someone who's looking for a little inspiration in your life, Emily Faithe is the girl for you. Growing up with a natural talent in music, Emily's passion for the art has grown into her career today. From writing a book titled “Music Saved My Life” to starting a blog called “TrailandErrorBlog.com” to teaching children how to sing or play instruments to setting a challenge for herself to write music everyday in the month of May, Emily has completely immersed herself in doing what she loves. She shares her stories of successes and struggles, specifically with the common feeling of not being “good enough.” Emily Faithe is today's #TuesdayTalk guest for our Young Professional JOY Seeker Series and I'm so excited for you to learn more about the amazing things Emily is up to!     #TuesdayTalk Take-Aways: “All of the things I struggled with as a teenager were not at all unique. Teenagers all struggle with the same things, we just deal with them differently.” -Emily Faithe, on her inspiration for her book “Music Saved My Life”   “Everything will turn out to be OK.” -Emily Faithe   “When you put something out in the world, you are open to any criticism from any stranger at any point.” -Emily Faithe, on being vulnerable when becoming an author   “At this point in my life I am completing, 100% filling my day with things I love and things I want to share with the world. I couldn't ask for more than that!” -Emily Faithe   Book Recommendations: Music Saved My Life: Misplacing My Self-Worth and How Music Helped Me Get It Back By: Emily Faithe   The Lunar Chronicles Series By: Marissa Meyer   Follow Emily Faithe on YouTube, snapchat as Emily-Faithe, www.

As a 27 year old working professional striving to continue to create and live out a joyful, fulfilled life, I have come to the conclusion that I'm not very comfortable with down time. In fact, I really despise the feeling of boredom. When I'm bored, I feel the need to create things to do for myself that will somehow impact my life in a more positive and productive way. As I reflect on the feeling of boredom, I think about how there were so many times as a child that I was bored. Not because I didn't have enough toys, or because I didn't have people to play with (I have two siblings so there was always someone around), but because there were moments during my day when I was asked to just sit still and wait. Wait at the doctors office, wait in line at the grocery store, wait for dinner to be ready, wait for a movie to begin, wait for my turn on the swings. During those times waiting, I may have felt bored because there was nothing to do. However, I did not resort to creating “productive” tasks to fill my time. I accepted the boredom as a part of my day. Now, I'm not saying there were never any fits or tantrums, I'm sure there were plenty, but it was just a part of life. Now as an adult, I feel as though I should never be bored. Is this due to my own beliefs and standards that I've placed upon myself? Yes, partly. Is it because of the constant stream of information from our phones, tvs, computers, social media? Possibly. Is it possible for me to take control and change this feeling of discomfort? Absolutely.   JOY Life Podcast is a place for people to come to enhance their lives by creating more joy, peace, and purpose. The intention of JOY Life Podcast is to Joyfully Optimize Your Life. Get it?! As you may know, Joy can be defined as a great feeling of pleasure and happiness. My intent, as your host, is to bring Joy to your life with each and every episode. People may find Joy in many different parts of their lives, which is why I strive to bring you information, advice, and stories from various facets of life from many different perspectives. A special thanks to Cassie Olivos for creating the beautiful JOY Life Podcast logo. Also, I want to give a shoutout to the composers of the show music. (Intro: "The Only Girl" by Silent Partner; Outro: "Bubblegum Ballgame" by JR Tundra)And

  From landing a media placement in Seventeen Magazine as an intern to running her own Public Relations Consulting company, Ariane is the epitome of a Young Professional JOY Seeker Go-Getter. While attending University of Virginia, she jump started her career in public relations by working as the publicist for nonprofit organizations to expand enrichment opportunities to children and promote women and girls' health. Ariane is passionate about what she does and has helped many companies, big and small, to support their missions whether those are related to a product or brand or important cause. In her current position at King + Company as a Public Relations Executive, Ariane has really broadened her range of skills while enjoying a life in New York City, where the company is based. Ariane's faith, friends and family are her key priorities and what create joy in her life. I hope you enjoy today's episode, as we start up another Young Professional JOY Seeker Series :) #TuesdayTalk Take-Aways: “I'm passionate about my career, but my relationships are what I'm really passionate about more so.” -Ariane Sloan   “What inspires me to do what I do is being able to create stories for my clients and getting their message out there.” -Ariane Sloan   “Over time I've built a strong faith with God.”-Ariane Sloan, on her growing relationship with God and her faith   “

Inspired by Julia Johnson, our recent #TuesdayTalk guest, who was a librarian for 38 years, I wanted to share a mini episode with you about my love for reading. Growing up I knew that my mom, who I have always adored and still do, had a passion for reading. She would tell my siblings and I about how much she loved to read when she was young. My mom would sit on her best friend's front stoop and they would read together. She loved being drawn into another world and captivated by these amazing yet familiar characters. Reading sounded wonderful, and yet, I was not a reader. I did not enjoy reading for hours on end as a child. In fact, I didn't really enjoy reading on my own that much at all. It was not until high school that I began to develop a small place in my heart for reading. Now, I enjoy this pastime very much! Of course there have still been times in my life when I'm not interested in reading, or more accurately, don't feel like I have the luxury of time to read. As a New Years Resolution, I have decided to read 16 books in 2016. A fairly achievable goal but still one that not everyone can say they have achieved in a year's time. Now in April, I'm well on my way to reaching this resolution by the end of the year as I've finished four books and I'm in the middle of three books at the moment (I know, now I'm getting a bit ambitious, but I'm hooked). So since I usually ask our #TuesdayTalk guests what books they are likely to recommend to a friend, for today's Book Review episode, I would like to recommend five books to you fine joy seekers. I know, I'm going over the limit of books I usually ask guests to recommend, but we can let that slide just this once right? Visit www.JOYLifePodcast.com for book titles and authors :)     JOY Life Podcast is a place for people to come to enhance their lives by creating more joy, peace, and purpose. The intention of JOY Life Podcast is to Joyfully Optimize Your Life. Get it?! As you may know, Joy can be defined as a great feeling of pleasure and happiness. My intent, as your host, is to bring Joy to your life with each and every episode. People may find Joy in many different parts of their lives, which is why I strive to bring you information, advice, and stories

When taking a glance at Diane Johnson's impressive resume, it is easy to feel intimidated by the amazing accomplishments and contributions she has made to the world. Yet, as soon as speaking to her, even through e-mail quite honestly, Diane immediately puts you at ease and makes you feel as though you're chatting with a good friend. (Oh, if you recognize her last name that's because she is the daughter of our #TuesdayTalk guest last week, Julia Johnson!) During my chat with Diane, she shares her story of finding her career in the medical field, which brings her joy and fulfills her passion. We also discuss the many ways in which our lives can be “rich” and that doesn't only have to relate to money. Diane lives her purpose and attributes many of her successes to the support from her valuable relationships and her faith.   #TuesdayTalk Take-Aways: “I've always been a champion of those who have less. I feel very strongly in equity and justice and fairness.” -Diane Johnson   “I've always had the safety net to know that I could fall.” -Diane Johnson, on her appreciation for her parents who allowed Diane to take risks in her career and life, to make mistakes and learn from them.   “If you're not happy where you are, go find somewhere else to be happy.” -Diane Johnson, on seeking joy in your career, school, home life, etc.   “My stubbornness as a child has turned into determination as an adult.” -Diane Johnson, on pursuing her own success.   “One of the things I love about D.C. is that it's big enough to be lost, and small enough to be found.” -Diane Johnson,

As a librarian for 38 years, Julia Johnson engaged students in reading by encouraging a love of learning and cultivating a positive, comfortable atmosphere. Doing for others is just part of what makes Julia so special. From her wonderful relationships to her excellent work ethic to her peaceful demeanor, Julia creates joy throughout the many facets of her life. She shares words of wisdom learned from being married for 46 years and counting to her husband who she met and married within a year. She gives a message of gratitude and joy. I hope you enjoy today's #TuesdayTalk episode with the wonderful Julia Johnson.     #TuesdayTalk Take-Aways:   “I was always taught that you should give back.” -Julia Johnson   “Marriage is not 50/50 and it can never be 50/50. If you are each striving to make 50% and somebody falls short, you're not at your 100% that you need to be at. It's about giving 100/100, that way when someone falls short you still have your 100%.” -Julia Johnson, on relationships and marriage being work.   “I have to put this one in God's hands, I can't worry about it. Just let it go.” -Julia Johnson, how she avoids stress. “You work hard. It's what you do.” -Julia Johnson, on her work ethic learned from childhood.   “Attitude of gratitude.” -Julia Johnson, the quote she would post up on a billboard.   “The definition of a joyful life is one with good health, and enough financial resources to sustain a comfortable life.” -Julia Johnson     JOY Life Podcast is a place for people to come to enhance their lives by creating more joy, peace, and purpose. The

I don't know if I have been more excited for an episode to air than I am about this one. And that says a lot because I've been pretty darn excited about many of our fabulous #TuesdayTalk guests! So I'm happy to share this conversation I had with Mindy Lawhorne. (say that last name 10 times fast) If you don't know of Mindy already, here's a little bit about this wonderful human being. You may recognize her from a Turbo Jam or PiYo video as she is an instructor along side Chalene Johnson. Mindy shares her story of growing up chubby and struggling with her weight and self image. She talks about the many trials she has face throughout her life and how those very things led to the many blessings in her life today. One of the things I love about Mindy is that she is just so real, relate-able, and funny! I know that by the end of this episode you'll just want to be her new bff. Mindy's message of Hope In Struggle is deeply powerful and encouraging which aligns perfectly with her upbeat, positive spirit. Find out what's up next with Mindy and the big F word that she's talking about. So, without further ado, on to today's #TuesdayTalk with Mindy Lawhorne.     #TuesdayTalk Take-Aways:   “Almost every conversation seems to be wrapped around something that holds us back.” --Mindy Lawhorne, on talking to the people she coaches   “Food, in general, we use it for the wrong purposes, it goes way past just fueling our bodies for nutrition. Those things that we're trying to mask within ourselves and our emotions are all just a God-sized hole.” --Mindy Lawhorne   “I pray each day that God will allow me to be aware and totally present with my hunger. Am I really hungry or am I just bored? Am I really hungry or am I just tired?” --Mindy Lawhorne, on how she seeks to overcome overeating and living a healthy lifestyle  

Hey there JOY Seekers! As I spoke about last week, we all are striving to live our lives by our choosing, creating a design that speaks to each of us as an individual. After weeks of pondering, reflection, and finally peace, I've decided to implement a change of schedule for JOY Life Podcast. I started this podcast with the intention of bringing more JOY to people's lives by presenting information, experiences, and various perspectives from some wonderful women! I believe I have done just that over the last 6 months since launching this podcast. Strangely enough, there was still one thing missing: my own peace of mind, calm, and everyday joy. And so, in order to bring more JOY and optimize my own life, I have decided to get rid of a set schedule altogether. Just ripping the rug right out from under us. But like those skilled magicians who put the tablecloth off of a set table without anything falling, everything will fall into their perfect places. I believe that without a set twice a week schedule of my own episodes and a consistent TuesdayTalk, the podcast will flourish. The reason I believe that is because after grappling with this decision and going back and forth about what the next step should be, I've arrived at this conclusion. And it feels great! It just feels right. I truly feel that I am living out the intention and message of the podcast. In order to live a JOYful life for yourself and for others, you must act with intention, love and kindness. This decision to back off from the regularly scheduled episodes is one that I did not take lightly, it is one that I have put much love, thought and kindness into. My hope is that you live your life with joy, love, and intention to optimize all the gifts you have been given. Thanks for continuing to seek JOY in your life and allowing me to be a part of that journey. Remember, stay subscribed, share the podcast with friends, listen to oldie but goodie episodes, and follow whatever it is that brings joy to your life.   Now, go and live your life JOYfully!   JOY Life Podcast is a place for people to come to enhance their lives by creating more joy, peace, and purpose. The intention of JOY Life Podcast is

Today's #TuesdayTalk Guest is currently crushing it in the sports industry. She works full time with US Rowing as the Collegiate Events Manager, oversees several collegiate sports events and the IRA National Championships for Men's Rowing, is the Commissioner for three ice hockey teams and one football conference, and also serves on the NCAA Division III Women's Ice Hockey National Committee. Phew! And did I mention she is also a part of our Young Professional JOY Seekers Series? By 30 years old, Katie Boldvich has truly found success in a career which she loves and feels very passionate about. And while you might be asking yourself when she has time to enjoy other aspects of life, don't you worry, she's got that covered too. Katie shares how she creates balance by setting limits on work time, prioritizing time with her husband, family and friends and how she seeks to find joy in the little things in life. I had such a fun time chatting with her. Today is an episode you don't want to miss. What a perfect way to wrap up our Young Professional JOY Seekers Series for the month of March!     #TuesdayTalk Take-Aways:   “Show up every day, give your best and give everything a true effort all the way through.” -Katie Boldvich, on advice she learned from her dad.   “Some things are urgent. Some things are important. And some things are urgent and important. I use that to prioritize.” -Katie Boldvich, on how she finds balance and strengthens her efficiency at work   “It's important to surround yourself with good people who encourage you and want you to be successful.” -Katie Boldvich   “I always want people around me to feel good. I want people to know how important they are to me, how awesome I think they are.” -Katie Boldvich  

DON'T WORRY! WE DIDN'T FORGET ABOUT LAST WEEK'S #TUESDAYTALK EPISODE! Just a few technical difficulties, but luckily they're solved and we are ready for this week's #TuesdayTalk with Elise Larsson! TA-DA!   After working as a social worker for 5 years, Elise made the bold decision to go back to school to earn her Master’s degree in social work to further her career and allow her to move to a new state. Elise gives an interesting perspective to our Young Professional JOY Seekers Series as a professional who is currently back in school! During our conversation, Elise also shares her passion for synchronized figure skating and how she is currently teaching young children how to work as a team and learn the skills needed to succeed as a synchronized figure skater. Elise talks about her daily routines and what it's like to be a young professional these days. She also mentions how she seeks to find balance in advancing her career but also enjoying the moment at the same time. All in all, Elise is such a relate-able person who is such a great example of a seeker of joy!   #TuesdayTalk Take-Aways:   “I love synchronized skating so much and it's taught me so much from how to work with others, how to be a team player, about loss and victory.” -Elise Larsson, on her passion for synchronized figure skating   “It's not all about winning or being the best all the time, but if you're enjoying what you're doing and learning and growing than that's really all that matters.” -Elise Larsson   “I want to help people. I like to talk to people. I want to make people feel good about themselves.” -Elise Larsson, on her journey to finding her career path   “Everything's going to be OK.” -Elise Larsson, on what she would post on a billboard   “A joyful life is living in the moment, being in the present and being you no matter what.” -Elise Larsson    

Here we are! We made it through this month of March Mantra Madness. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did! Hopefully you were able to implement the simplicity of mantras into your life by incorporating mantras into your daily routine, posting them on social media or adding them to your home as decor. Maybe some of the mantras I mentioned to you resonated with your beliefs, desires, and way of being, or maybe they didn't. Maybe you came up with your own special mantras that are full of meaning and purpose for you. That is the point of the practice of mantras after all, which is why today we are focusing on living with intention and practicing mantras.   Quick Tips for Achieving your JOYful Life with Intention: Take simple steps. Break it down. Be consistent. Be patient. Make it easy. Create Meaningful Mantras. Cut yourself some slack. Know your limits and your stretches. Celebrate yourself. Remember, you are unique and amazing!   JOY Life Podcast is a place for people to come to enhance their lives by creating more joy, peace, and purpose. The intention of JOY Life Podcast is to Joyfully Optimize Your Life. Get it?! As you may know, Joy can be defined as a great feeling of pleasure and happiness. My intent, as your host, is to bring Joy to your life with each and every episode. People may find Joy in many different parts of their lives, which is why I strive to bring you information, advice, and stories from various facets of life from many different perspectives. A special thanks to Cassie Olivos for creating the beautiful JOY Life Podcast logo. Also, I want to give a shoutout to the composers of the show music. (Intro: "The Only Girl" by Silent Partner; Outro: "Bubblegum Ballgame" by JR Tundra)

Alright JOY Seekers, this episode is for all of you out there who are the kind of people who want to know where your life is going, what's going to happen next and how things will unfold. Ehem, me! So, I brainstormed this episode specifically after thinking and focusing and harping on my own tendencies to organize my life, plan out events, and think of how each part of my life might pan out. Out of exhaustion, honestly, I knew that something needed to change. I needed a solution to my lovely but quite annoying habits of thinking of the future. And so after reflection, reading and conversation, I have come up with a few ways to help you and me, find peace in the present moment.   JOY Life Podcast is a place for people to come to enhance their lives by creating more joy, peace, and purpose. The intention of JOY Life Podcast is to Joyfully Optimize Your Life. Get it?! As you may know, Joy can be defined as a great feeling of pleasure and happiness. My intent, as your host, is to bring Joy to your life with each and every episode. People may find Joy in many different parts of their lives, which is why I strive to bring you information, advice, and stories from various facets of life from many different perspectives. A special thanks to Cassie Olivos for creating the beautiful JOY Life Podcast logo. Also, I want to give a shoutout to the composers of the show music. (Intro: "The Only Girl" by Silent Partner; Outro: "Bubblegum Ballgame" by JR Tundra)And of course, thank you to Adam Jasie for his wonderful editing skills that he shares with us! www.JOYLifePodcast.com Follow JOY Life Podcast on Instagram @JOYLifePodcast.

I'm so happy to welcome Michelle Krul to JOY Life Podcast as part of our Young Professional JOY Seekers Series! Michelle shares her experience as a young professional and making choices to focus on doing what she loves. As a twenty-something, like many others, she felt drawn in different directions. Rather than try to fit a mold, Michelle lives by the motto of playing it by ear. By being open to various opportunities, Michelle has been able to use her skills and interests to guide her to finding a career that best fits her rather than changing herself to fit a job description. Michelle has such a positive outlook on her life and exudes that throughout our conversation. Enjoy today's Young Professional #TuesdayTalk with Michelle Krul.     #TuesdayTalk Take-Aways:   “There's a balance of planning and playing it by ear and living in the moment.” -Michelle Krul   “Some people think they have to study to become this, to become a doctor; but really if you focus on what it is that you love instead of what you wish to become, you can get to a place naturally where you find that you're just good at it or you like it.” -Michelle Krul, on finding a fulfilling career   “You need to do what you love.” -Michelle Krul   “You need to be content with yourself and your own skills.” -Michelle Krul   “There's a more lively spirit when you're on a team.” -Michelle Krul  

Each and every person has a unique way of balancing their own minds with their own bodies. At different times in our lives, we may shift our focus by attending more to one area of another. Whether it's in high school when our bodies are changing and transforming, so that inevitably becomes the focus of our thoughts. Or in college, when pursuing careers and intellectual growth, when our thoughts went to how to expand our minds. Neither pursuit is right or wrong. Each person has the right to choose what they would like to focus on. And that's the beauty of our thoughts.   As we continue to discuss the topic of mantras, during this month of March Mantra Madness, we can all agree that by focusing on a specific mantra, we can alter our thoughts and maybe even influence our lives, hopefully in a positive way. We can each choose a mantra that resonates specifically with us as individuals, with the life we have currently and the life we hope to develop. The reason I choose to talk about both the body AND mind today is that lately I have been focusing on my physical health and creating the body that I feel most comfortable in. While doing so, I've realized that it's not easy to separate the focus on my body from the focus on my mind. As I learn more about healthful ways to live (such as what types of food to each, what times to eat, how to prepare foods, how to move my body, how to tone up, and on and on), I discovered that knowledge is a big part of developing a healthy body. In addition to that, developing a healthy mindset is crucial to maintaining a life that's consistent with the physical goals I want to achieve.   JOY Life Podcast is a place for people to come to enhance their lives by creating more joy, peace, and purpose. The intention of JOY Life Podcast is to Joyfully Optimize Your Life. Get it?! As you may know, Joy can be defined as a great feeling of pleasure and happiness. My intent, as your host, is to bring Joy to your life with each and every episode. People may find Joy in many different parts of their lives, which is why I strive to bring you information, advice, and stories from various facets of life from many different perspectives.

YOUNG PROFESSIONAL JOY SEEKER SERIES: KICKOFF EPISODE WITH CASSIE OLIVOS   Today is the kick-off episode to our Young Professional JOY Seekers Series that we have going on here for the month of March! You've come to the right place. Cassie Olivos is a social media expert. Although many people her age may have grown up during the development of social media, and may claim expertise, Cassie has learned the best tips and tricks for building a business' brand online through various social media platforms. I had such a great time during our conversation. We touched on different topics such as how to learn which career fits best for you and what qualities to look for, to being a brave risk taker, to learning that everything is temporary, to books, to travel and other fun things. I believe the experiences Cassie has been through, though very unique to her, are relate-able to anyone, especially all of you 20-something year old joy seekers!     #TuesdayTalk Take-Aways: “When it comes to a brand or organization, social media is invaluable to them.” --Cassie Olivos   “You need to be putting your effort where it matters.” --Cassie Olivos   “I kind of froze and I took a step back and took a break.” --Cassie Olivos, about her decision to take a little time off from work (generously, just about a month) so that she could find out what she wanted to do in her career   “Something clicked in my head that said, 'This is what you have to do for yourself.'” --Cassie Olivos   “The calm will come again.” --Cassie Olivos  

Time can be thought about in many ways. You can think about time in the sense of the calendar: days, weeks, months and years. You can also think about time related to the clock: seconds, minutes, hours. Or you may think about time related to the themes and events in your life: high school, college, first job, first apartment, breakups, engagements, weddings, deaths, babies, etc. No matter how we are measuring time, it all comes down to two choices: to let time constrict you or to let it empower you. Either way, time is a constant. Time cannot be changed, altered, or controlled. We cannot make more, we cannot make less. Similar to the saying my dad likes to share, “It's not a problem if there's no solution. If there's no solution, or no way to change it, then it's a fact.” The fact is time is what it is. We may not be able to change the hours in a day, the days in a year, or the stage of our lives that we are in currently. However, there is one thing that we can change and that's our relationship to time.   During the month of January, I've toyed with this theme of time. While at times (pun intended), I struggled with accepting the hours I had in my day to complete certain tasks and the days in my calendar quickly filling up for each big life event happening in 2016, I also experienced moments of peace with my time. I could step back and realize that time and to-do lists were two separate entities. I recognized that I had the ability to plan or not plan things into my daily schedule. Exactly what I did with my time was completely up to me. (Remember, I'm not yet married and I have no kids running around. So truly, I'm free to do what I want with my time.)   JOY Life Podcast is a place for people to come to enhance their lives by creating more joy, peace, and purpose. The intention of JOY Life Podcast is to Joyfully Optimize Your Life. Get it?! As you may know, Joy can be defined as a great feeling of pleasure and happiness. My intent, as your host, is to bring Joy to your life with each and every episode. People may find Joy in many different parts of their lives, which is why I strive to bring you information, advice, and stories from various facets of life from many different perspectives.

As a dreamer, Dawn McKenzie has been able to dream up and then create a life that is full of joy, love, compassion and creativity. Her childhood growing up in Harlem and then Brooklyn, NY provided her with the great foundation and enabled her to discover her true love of education and learning. Always knowing that she wanted to pursue things that brought her joy and gave her a creative outlet, rather than just a specific career, eventually led Dawn to becoming a business owner. By building an online business with her husband, Dawn is able to live a lifestyle that works best for her own desires and allows her the flexibility of time and location. Dawn is such a joyful and giving person who is a wonderful #TuesdayTalk Guest.   #TuesdayTalk Take-Aways:   “As a dreamer, I focused more on what I wanted to do.” --Dawn McKenzie   “Music facilitates my creative process and it helps me to find solutions as I'm sitting there working and I stumble upon an obstacle.” --Dawn McKenzie, on the influence of music in her life   “There are many more options out there for financial stability.” --Dawn McKenzie, on how online business ownership has given her the freedom of time that she had desired   “Through love, compassion, and creativity we are all connected. If we just open up to it, we can maintain that connection and be more humane to each other.” --Dawn McKenzie   “Life is to be lived with a great amount of joy and love, all things that make you feel good and make other people feel good.” --Dawn McKenzie   “When we do for others, although they are benefiting, when you get right down to it, you are the one that's benefiting.” --Dawn McKenzie     Book Recommendation: The Cashflow Quadrant by Robert Kiyosaki  

Whether you believe in God or another Higher Being, or you believe in the good of the Universe, faith is a key component of most people's lives. Many people would agree that faith is an inner part of their lives. Although there are some who relate with an evangelist, out spoken way to express their faith. Today, I wanted to focus on growing your personal love and faith from the inside out. We can first focus on our beliefs. What do you believe your faith will bring to your life? How will it help you to serve others? Faith can provide a peace of mind and an overall sense of calm, which can be obviously helpful in increasing your self love. Additionally, by being calm and peaceful yourself, you are much more likely to treat others kindly, do the right thing and lead a helping hand. Faith can provide that ease of being and knowing that “everything happens for a reason.” For me, that phrase is so crucial to my everyday well being. Trusting that God has a plan for my life brings me peace and relaxation. Going along with that, since I know God has a plan, I am able to realize that everything is temporary. The common phrase said is “This too shall pass.” The good and bad events are all just part of your story and having faith that things in your life are changing can give you the strength you need to get through some of the tough stuff in life. Knowing that something out there, whether you name it God or the Universe, is working in your favor to bring love, peace and joy to your life is such a wonderful feeling.   JOY Life Podcast is a place for people to come to enhance their lives by creating more joy, peace, and purpose. The intention of JOY Life Podcast is to Joyfully Optimize Your Life. Get it?! As you may know, Joy can be defined as a great feeling of pleasure and happiness. My intent, as your host, is to bring Joy to your life with each and every episode. People may find Joy in many different parts of their lives, which is why I strive to bring you information, advice, and stories from various facets of life from many different perspectives. A special thanks to Cassie Olivos fo

With a joyful, sensitive way, Mary Ellen Williams shares her experiences as an Oncology Nurse and later as a Hospice Care Nurse as well as other parts of her life that bring her JOY. Her relationships with her two adult sons, her husband of 40 years and her extended family have proven to be just as important as the strong, lasting friendships that she's formed over the years. Mary Ellen is a giving person who had an interesting perspective on life and the changes that come with life. Her encouragement to be curious and be interested is something that any person could benefit from. I'm so happy to share today's #TuesdayTalk episode with Mary Ellen Williams.   #TuesdayTalk Take Aways: “Because I see people in the hospital who are about to go home with hospice, the patients and their families are still getting used to the idea that their loved one is at the end of their life.” --Mary Ellen Williams, as a hospice nurse   “I say to myself, meet people where they are and see who they are.” --Mary Ellen Williams, about listening to new patients and their family   “Bad things can happen and you can come out OK on the other side.” --Mary Ellen Williams, talking about things she learned from her parents   “I don't want to look bad 20 years from now and say, 'We should have taken advantage of this time.'” --Mary Ellen Williams, on her 40 year marriage with her husband and how life changes   “Try to be aware of other people. Consider the feelings and needs of other people.” --Mary Ellen Williams   “You never have to be bored. There's so much to learn. Just be open.” --Mary Ellen Williams