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What if the key to clarity, calm, and joy… was as simple as picking up a pen?

In this inspiring episode, Rachel sits down with Krystal Mills, a teacher, life coach, and NeuroGraphica practitioner, to explore how creativity can unlock powerful personal transformation. After experiencing burnout in her teaching career, Crystal discovered coaching—and later NeuroGraphica—a unique blend of art, mindfulness, and neuroscience that helps people process emotions, rewire limiting beliefs, and reconnect with themselves.

Together, they dive into how small, intentional shifts can help women move from overwhelm to alignment—and why joy truly is a choice.

If you’ve been taking care of everyone else and feel disconnected from yourself, this conversation will open up a whole new way to come back home to you.

💡 Key Takeaways

• Burnout is often a signal—not a failure
  It can be the catalyst for meaningful change and self-discovery. 
• Joy is a choice (even when life isn’t)
  You can’t control everything—but you can control your response. 
• NeuroGraphica blends art + psychology
  A powerful tool to process thoughts, reduce stress, and gain clarity through drawing. 
• You don’t need to be “creative” to benefit
  This is process-based, not performance-based—no artistic skill required. 
• Small shifts create big change
  Even 10–15 minutes of intentional reflection can transform your mindset. 
• Perfectionism will show up—and that’s the point
  Awareness is the first step toward releasing limiting patterns. 
• You already know what brings you joy
  Revisit what you loved at age 8—that’s your starting point. 

🧠 Topics We Covered

•  Teacher burnout and rediscovering purpose 
•  The connection between self-worth and overworking 
•  What NeuroGraphica is and how it works 
•  Using drawing as a form of meditation and nervous system regulation 
•  The role of subconscious processing in creativity 
•  Perfectionism, self-judgment, and personal growth 
•  How to build habits of self-connection in small, doable ways 
•  Creating “Permission to Play” in everyday life 

🎨 What is NeuroGraphica?

NeuroGraphica is a guided drawing practice that combines:

•  🧠 Neuroscience (rewiring thought patterns) 
•  ✏️ Simple lines, shapes, and colors 
•  🧘 Mindfulness and emotional processing 

It helps you:

•  Gain clarity on challenges 
•  Reduce stress and overwhelm 
•  Access new insights and solutions 
•  Create a visual “anchor” for growth 

🔗 Resources & Links

•  🌐 Website: https://krystalmillscoaching.com
  
  
•  🎁 Free Resource: 5-Day Mindful Drawing Challenge
•  💫 Membership: Permission to Play (includes creative practices, self-reflection tools & more) 
•  📱 Instagram / Facebook: @krystalmillscoaching

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What if the reason things feel hard… is because you’re forcing them?

In this episode of Joy Unfiltered, Rachel dives into the powerful shift that changed everything in her life: surrender.

Not giving up.
 Not checking out.
 But releasing control over the how… while staying committed to the what.

Backed by neuroscience and lived experience, Rachel breaks down why forcing outcomes keeps you stuck in stress, and how shifting into a regulated, open state unlocks clarity, creativity, and aligned action.

This is the work of co-creating your life… without the pressure.

Inside this episode:

•  The real definition of surrender (and why it’s not weak) 
•  What happens in your brain when you stop forcing 
•  How stress narrows your thinking and blocks opportunity 
•  The role of dopamine, regulation, and aligned action 
•  How Rachel lost 40 pounds, shifted her finances, and met her partner—without force 
•  Why timing matters more than you think 
•  How this applies to Joy-Led Leadership and leading others effectively 

If you’ve been pushing, striving, and wondering why it still feels hard…

this episode will feel like a deep exhale.

Joy isn’t something you earn at the end.
 It’s how you get there.

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What happens when your life looks “good on paper”… but something still feels missing?

In this heartfelt and energizing conversation, Rachel sits down with Connie Cotter, a faith-forward, joy-driven high-performance coach, to explore what it really means to move from fine to fulfilled. Connie shares her personal journey from a successful IT career to discovering her true calling—helping others reconnect with their purpose, rediscover joy, and design a life that feels aligned and meaningful.

Together, they unpack the difference between happiness and joy, the power of asking better questions, and simple ways to ground yourself in the present moment—even in the middle of a busy day.

If you’ve ever felt like something is “off” but couldn’t quite name it… this episode is for you.

💡 Key Takeaways

• “Fine” isn’t the same as fulfilled
  You can have everything you thought you wanted—and still feel something missing. 
• Joy is internal, not external
  Happiness comes and goes; joy is something you cultivate and choose. 
• Ask better questions
  Instead of “Why am I like this?” try: “Where is this coming from?”—a gentler, more productive approach. 
• The 3-2-1 Reset Tool
  A simple way to ground yourself in the present moment: 
  •  3 things you can see 
  •  2 things you can hear 
  •  1 thing you can physically feel 
• You don’t need all the answers to start
  Clarity comes from action—not overthinking. 
• You are not broken
  Growth isn’t about fixing yourself—it’s about reconnecting with who you already are. 
• Joy is a choice—and a practice
  It’s something you build daily through awareness, curiosity, and intentional living. 

🧠 Topics We Covered

•  Transitioning from corporate success to purpose-driven work 
•  Faith and science: finding alignment between logic and belief 
•  The danger of “should” thinking and external expectations 
•  How coaching creates clarity through powerful questions 
•  Morning routines vs. realistic grounding practices 
•  Whole-life coaching: why business and personal growth are connected 
•  The neuroscience of joy and decision-making 
•  Cultivating awe, wonder, and playfulness in everyday life 

🔗 Resources & Links

•  🌐 Connie’s Website: https://conniecotter.com
  
  
•  🎁 Free Resource: 13 Ways to Cultivate Your Sense of Wonder
  → https://conniecotter.com/wonder
  
  
•  📱 Connect with Connie: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn

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What if you don’t need a new routine, more discipline, or a complete life overhaul to feel better?

In this episode of Joy Unfiltered, Rachel explores the concept of micro-joy - small, intentional moments that can dramatically shift your mood, mindset, and performance in just days.

Backed by neuroscience and real-life application, you’ll learn how your brain’s negativity bias works and how micro-joy interrupts it to create more clarity, energy, and emotional balance.

This isn’t about chasing big milestones.
 It’s about learning how to feel better right now.

Key Takeaways:

•  Why your brain is wired to focus on what’s wrong 
•  How micro-joy activates dopamine and motivation 
•  The link between joy and better decision-making 
•  Why joy comes before success—not after 
•  Simple ways to practice micro-joy daily 

Practical Steps Shared:

1.  Notice small positive moments 
2.  Allow yourself to feel them (just 5 seconds longer) 
3.  Share joy to amplify it

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What if aging isn’t something to fight… but something to embrace?

In this heartfelt episode of Joy Unfiltered, Rachel sits down with author Mary Westheimer to explore what nobody tells us about getting older—and why joy might be the most important foundation we can build.

From meditation and mindset to friendship, loss, and laughter, Mary shares wisdom drawn from decades of life experience (and a whole lot of humor).

This is a conversation about aging with open eyes, an open heart… and maybe a few laughs along the way.

🔑 Key Takeaways

•  Why joy is a foundation, not just a fleeting feeling 
•  How meditation rewires your brain for peace and resilience 
•  Why starting small (even 5 minutes) matters 
•  The surprising connection between aging, mindset, and physical health 
•  How humor becomes a powerful tool as we age 
•  Why loss isn’t the opposite of joy—it lives alongside it 
•  The importance of evolving friendships (and letting some go) 
•  Why multi-generational relationships matter more than we think 
•  How shifting your perspective can literally change how you age 

💡 Memorable Quotes

•  “Joy is my lifeblood.” 
•  “The more you think about aging, the faster you age.” 
•  “We don’t lose just people—we lose dreams, abilities, and expectations.” 
•  “If you can laugh, you have joy in your life.” 
•  “The problem is we think we’re alone. The solution is we’re not.” 

📚 About Mary Westheimer

Mary Westheimer is the author of What Nobody Tells You About Getting Older—a thoughtful, humorous, and deeply human exploration of aging.

Her work has appeared in:

•  USA Today 
•  Columbia Journalism Review 
•  Publishers Weekly 

She writes to help people navigate life—and aging—with honesty, humor, and grace.

🔗 Resources & Links

•  🌐 Website: https://whatnobodytellsyou.com
  
  
•  📖 Get the book: Available on all major online bookstores + Bookshop.org 

💛 Call to Action

If this episode resonated:

•  Share it with someone who needs a new perspective on aging 
•  Subscribe to Joy Unfiltered
•  Leave a review to help others discover the show 

And remember—
 ✨ We are not anti-aging… we are aging forward.

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What if joy isn’t something you earn—but something you lead with?

In this episode of Joy Unfiltered, Rachel challenges the deeply ingrained belief that burnout is the price of success. Instead, she introduces a powerful reframe: joy is not the reward—joy is the strategy.

Blending science, nervous system awareness, and practical tools, this episode explores how your thoughts shape your internal state, how your state drives your behavior, and how that ultimately creates your life.

If you’ve been stuck in pressure, urgency, or constant “doing,” this conversation will help you shift into a state where creativity, clarity, and connection actually thrive.

🔑 Key Takeaways

•  Your thoughts are not harmless—they are generative
•  Your internal state directly shapes your outcomes 
•  The nervous system prioritizes safety, not success 
•  Productivity ≠ creation (you can be busy and still stuck) 
•  Endurance is often just survival in disguise 
•  Joy shifts your brain into a state of creativity and possibility 
•  Leadership is about the energy you bring, not just what you say 
•  Small state shifts create massive long-term change 

🧠 Core Concept

Repeat that loop—and you create your life.

🛠️ Practical Tools You Can Use Today

1. Regulate Before You Create
Try box breathing:

•  Inhale 4 
•  Hold 4 
•  Exhale 4 
•  Hold 4 

2. Use Your Body to Shift Your State
Move for 30 seconds—walk, shake, stretch, or dance.

3. Direct Your Attention
Train your brain to notice what’s working—not just what’s wrong.

4. Interrupt Thought Loops
Try tapping (EFT-style) and say:
“I don’t have to solve everything right now.”

5. Ask Better Questions
Instead of “What should I do?” ask:
“What state am I in—and how can I shift it?”

🔥 Memorable Quotes

•  “Joy is not the reward. Joy is the strategy.” 
•  “Endurance is survival with good PR.” 
•  “You can be productive and still not be creating anything new.” 
•  “Leadership is not just what you say—it’s the state you bring.” 

💬 Call to Action

If this episode resonated with you:

•  Hit Subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes 
•  Share this with someone who needs this message 
•  Leave a quick review—it helps others find the show 

And if something shifted for you today, even just a little… that matters.

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What if joy isn’t something you wait for… but something you learn to see?

In this episode of Joy Unfiltered, Rachel sits down with fellow author Peg Guilfoyle to explore the art of noticing joy in everyday life.

From small, surprising moments (like finding “a million dollars” in a grocery aisle) to deeper reflections on curiosity, connection, and attention, Peg shares how cultivating awareness can transform how we experience the world.

This conversation is a gentle invitation to slow down, look closer, and rediscover the beauty that’s been there all along.

🔑 Key Takeaways

•  Why joy is something you train yourself to notice
•  How curiosity opens the door to everyday wonder 
•  The role of small moments in creating a joyful life 
•  Why “running with the enthusiasts” can elevate your energy 
•  How connection amplifies joy (even with strangers) 
•  The science behind noticing more of what you focus on 
•  Why joy becomes even more important during difficult times 
•  How storytelling helps us see the world differently 

💡 Memorable Quotes

•  “The more you look for joy, the more you find joy.” 
•  “We are ignitable.” 
•  “Enthusiasm is transmissible—and life-giving.” 
•  “Joy exists in the world. You just have to look.” 
•  “These small connections are what knit the world together.” 

📚 About Peg Gilfoyle

Peg Guilfoyle is the author of An Eye for Joy: Noticing the Good World Everywhere, a collection of essays inspired by curiosity, connection, and the beauty of everyday life.

She is also the creator of the Motley Peg essay series, where she shares short, reflective pieces every couple of weeks.

🔗 Resources & Links

•  🌐 Website + Motley Peg essays: https://www.pegguilfoyle.com/
  
  
•  📖 Get the book: Available on Amazon, Bookshop.org, and independent bookstores 

💛 Call to Action

If this episode brought you a moment of joy:

•  Share it with someone who could use a little light today 
•  Subscribe to Joy Unfiltered
•  Leave a review to help others discover the show 

And today, try this:
 ✨ Notice one small, beautiful thing you might normally miss.

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What if leadership didn’t require burnout, pressure, or constant proving?

In this episode of Joy Unfiltered, Rachel breaks down a new way of leading—one rooted in joy as a strategy, not a reward.

She introduces the 4 pillars of joy-led leadership and a powerful reframe: joy isn’t something you wait for—it’s something you practice.

If you’ve been leading from exhaustion, this episode will help you shift into something more sustainable, grounded, and energizing.

🔑 Key Takeaways

•  Why traditional leadership models are unsustainable 
•  The 4 pillars of joy-led leadership: 
  •  Joy over endurance 
  •  Regulation over urgency 
  •  Integration over compartmentalization 
  •  Community over competition 
•  The difference between joy vs. happiness 
•  The 3 “macronutrients” of joy: 
  •  Noticing 
  •  Allowing 
  •  Sharing 
•  How your energy directly influences others (emotional contagion) 
•  A simple daily practice to create more joy immediately 

💡 Key Quote

“Joy isn’t something you wait for—it’s something you practice.”

🔗 Call to Action

✨ Start your joy practice today:

•  Notice one thing 
•  Stay with it for 10–20 seconds 
•  Share it with someone

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What happens when getting fired becomes the best thing that ever happened to you?

In this episode of Joy Unfiltered, Rachel sits down with business coach Tammy Johnston—self-proclaimed “hold your hand and kick your ass” coach—to unpack the real, unfiltered truth about starting and growing a business.

From navigating the chaos of early entrepreneurship to understanding the four core activities that actually drive results, Tammy shares battle-tested insights that every new (and struggling) business owner needs to hear.

If you’re in your first two years—or thinking about making the leap—this episode will save you time, money, and a whole lot of frustration.

🔑 Key Takeaways

•  Why getting fired can be the push you actually need 
•  The brutal truth about the first 2 years of business 
•  The difference between working hard and working on the right things
•  The 4 “20% activities” that drive 80% of your results: 
  •  Marketing 
  •  Systematizing 
  •  Knowing your numbers 
  •  Building a strong advisory team 
•  How lack of structure quietly kills new businesses 
•  Why boundaries are essential (and how to actually enforce them) 
•  The danger of taking advice from the wrong people 
•  How to avoid “building a skyscraper with no foundation” 
•  Why most businesses fail—and how to stay in the game 

💡 Memorable Quotes

•  “You’re not a business owner—you’re a volunteer going broke if you’re not marketing.” 
•  “You eat what you kill in business.” 
•  “Most people are working hard… just on the wrong things.” 
•  “If you don’t survive the first two years, nothing else matters.” 
•  “You are devaluing yourself when you let your time be interrupted.” 

🔗 Resources & Links

•  Connect with Tammy Johnston:
   👉 https://ksabusiness.ca 👉KSA Business.ca: Overview | LinkedIn               👉 Instagram

🚀 Call to Action

If this episode resonated with you:

•  Subscribe to Joy Unfiltered
•  Share this episode with an entrepreneur who needs to hear it 
•  Leave a review to help more people find the show 

And remember—you don’t need perfection… you need foundation.

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In this episode of Joy Unscripted, Rachel Bents explores how embracing joy can transform leadership from one of exhaustion to one rooted in energy, authenticity, and long-term sustainability. Challenging the belief that great leadership requires sacrifice and depletion, Rachel offers a refreshing alternative - one where joy becomes a powerful and practical leadership strategy.

She introduces four foundational pillars of joy-led leadership: joy over endurance, integration over compartmentalization, community over competition, and regulation over urgency. Together, these principles create a framework for leading with greater clarity, creativity, and connection—even in complex, high-pressure environments.

Drawing on research, real-world examples, and thoughtful reflection, Rachel highlights how positive emotions expand cognitive flexibility, improve decision-making, and foster more collaborative, resilient teams. From cultivating authenticity and aligning personal values with organizational purpose to building trust through community and leading with calm instead of urgency, this episode is filled with insights leaders can apply immediately.

If you’ve ever felt drained by traditional leadership models, this conversation offers a new path - one where joy isn’t a reward at the end, but a resource you lead from every day.

Key Takeaways

•  Leadership doesn’t have to be exhausting to be effective 
•  Joy enhances creativity, clarity, and team performance 
•  Authentic, values-aligned leadership builds trust and engagement 
•  Strong communities outperform competitive, siloed teams 
•  Slowing down and regulating responses leads to better decisions 
•  Small, intentional shifts can bring more joy into everyday leadership

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