"What if joy is the greatest form of resistance?"

In this episode, I sit down with my friend and local advocate, Veatrice Farrell, for a conversation that blends history, identity, race, religion, and a whole lot of joy. Veatrice is a two-time cancer survivor whose outlook on life is as grounded as it is uplifting. We talk about reframing challenges, setting boundaries, embracing joy as resistance, and why legacy and history matter. This is a conversation about living fully without letting others take away your joy.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• How joy can be an act of resistance in the face of adversity
• Life lessons from cancer survivorship and reframing mortality
• The connection between digital inclusion, community capacity building, and systemic change
• Boundaries, self-preservation, and knowing when to say “no”
• Family stories, heritage, and the legacy we leave behind

Resources & Mentions:

• The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
• Black Tudors: The Untold Story by Miranda Kaufmann
• All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten by Robert Fulghum
• Law & Order (TV series) and Bosch: Legacy (TV series)
• FAMU (Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University)

Keywords

boundaries, saying no, personal growth, emotionalintelligence, self-care, communication skills, kindness, personal development, newsletter, emotional impact, cancer, mortality

📂 Section Markers

01:26 Section 1: Holding Joy No Matter What

28:19 Section 2: Identity, Legacy, and Joyful Resistance

📌Episode Chapters/Timestamps

00:00 Introduction and Joyful Perspectives

05:59 Navigating Life's Challenges with Joy

12:01 The Power of Emotional Control

17:01 Identity and Its Impact on Life

22:59 Work, Purpose, and Personal Growth

28:15 Politics and Personal Well-being

30:55 Balancing Joy and Responsibility

37:36 Reflections on Life and Loss

💬 Quotes to hold on to:

• "No one is important enough to make you feel not joyful."
• "The resistance that we have is joy."
• "If you’ve made a decision to do something different, the help will appear."
• "You don’t get to have agency over me just because you can make me angry."
• "Part of joy is knowing when to step back so you can keep showing up."

Let’s Stay Connected

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📸 Instagram: @workisthirdlife