Joy is easy to talk about when life is smooth and brutally hard to reach when your identity breaks, your plans collapse, or fear takes over. Sean Fargo sits down with leadership coach and author Jan Hoth, the “Joy Alchemist,” to get specific about what joy really is and what it is not. 

Visit Jan's website: https://www.janjoymentor.com/

Buy her book: Joy Anyway: https://a.co/d/0bAmOfeb

We draw a clear line between fleeting happiness and joy as a steady state of being that can hold grief, anger, and uncertainty without pretending they aren’t there.

Jan shares her own turning point from teenage depression after an injury ended her swimmer identity, and how an audacious opportunity cracked open a new future. From there we get practical: mindfulness as the gateway, “micro joy” habits you can use in minutes, and her unforgettable “Fruit Loop moment” story from a children’s hospital that became a repeatable tool for resilience. If you’ve felt stuck after divorce, job loss, burnout, retirement, or a health scare, this conversation offers grounded steps for finding possibility again.

We also go straight at toxic positivity, the signs you’re forcing a smile, and why the fastest route back to authentic joy sometimes starts with letting yourself feel the full depth of the moment. For entrepreneurs, managers, community leaders, and therapists, we explore joy as a leadership superpower that improves creativity, decisiveness, and team culture without guilt or bypassing. If this helped you, subscribe, share with a friend who needs a little light, and leave a review so more people can find the show.

Teach Mindfulness with Confidence, Compassion, & Credibility:

Become a Certified Mindfulness Meditation Teacher

Mindfulness Exercises with Sean Fargo is a practical, grounded mindfulness podcast for people who want meditation to actually help in real life.

Hosted by Sean Fargo — a former Buddhist monk, mindfulness teacher, and founder of MindfulnessExercises.com — this podcast explores how mindfulness can support mental health, emotional regulation, trauma sensitivity, chronic pain, leadership, creativity, and meaningful work.

Each episode offers a mix of:

• Practical mindfulness and meditation teachings
• Conversations with respected meditation teachers, clinicians, authors, and researchers
• Real-world insights for therapists, coaches, yoga teachers, educators, and caregivers
• Gentle reflections for anyone navigating stress, anxiety, burnout, grief, or change

If you’re interested in:

• Mindfulness meditation for everyday life
• Trauma-sensitive and compassion-based practices
• Teaching mindfulness in an authentic, non-performative way
• Deepening your own practice while supporting others

…you’re in the right place.

Learn more at MindfulnessExercises.com.

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