Jump Start Your Joy®

Amber and Brady Black are a married couple currently living in Beirut, Lebanon, and they are a true inspiration. Having grown up and met, in the United States, they decided to move to the Middle East to teach. The first five years abroad were not easy, and Amber found herself fighting depression, which she courageously shares about in our interview. After some discussion, they decided that they needed to leave the gulf region. In a series of synchronous events, a friend of a friend mentioned that there was an opening at "Home Of Hope" in Beirut, which is a home for abandoned and abused children in Lebanon. Amber and Brady went for a visit, and knew in their hearts that they had to teach there.

Brady had been interested in art in his younger years, and returned to it when things had gotten hard; in drawing whimsical art for a friend who wanted note cards to put in her children's lunches, something magical was born. Brady realized he had an outlet for his creativity, and it tapped into the imagination of the children and parents that saw it. When more requests came for note cards, Amber and Brady realized they had the beginnings of a business, one that brought joy to them and others, brought more purpose them as a couple, and helped Amber feel a sense of belonging and connection as she came out of her depression.

Joy and love is the through-line for Amber and Brady's work at Home of Hope, Lebanon, as well. They work with children who have been abandoned, abused, that are refugees, who have been on the streets, some have been involved in prostitution. At the Home, Amber and Brady teach the children, but it becomes so clear in the interview, they also meet each of these children right where they are, provide a consistent presence in their lives, and love them.

I adored getting to know Amber and Brady - they are funny, passionate, open, and so dedicated to both Serious Creatures and Home of Hope. I loved hearing about how Brady's passion for drawing and imagination truly changed their lives, and how both of them said "yes" to starting a business when the idea presented itself. And, I loved hearing about how much they love working with the kids in Beirut. I know you'll enjoy getting to know them, too.

In this interview we talk about: - How Amber and Brady met at college, and have "been married every since" - What it was like to move to Oman from Texas - How Amber faced depression when she moved to Oman, and how she felt culturally isolated - How art, imagination, and hope changed their lives, and started a company - How Serious Creatures got it's name (hint: there's some Harry Potter magic involved!) - The way they were introduced to Home of Hope - What it's like to teach children of various ages and various levels of educational background - How they strike a balance of taking care of themselves while working with children from difficult backgrounds - Their kickstarter with Serious Creatures (Serious Starters) - What it was like for Brady to see children reacting to his art for the first time - What's next for them and Serious Creatures

Resources Serious Creatures Website Serious Creatures sign up page to learn about their after Thanksgiving sale Serious Creatures Instagram Serious Creatures Kickstarter Home of Hope Lebanon Facebook page

The post Episode 11: Hope, Love, and Serious Creatures with Amber and Brady Black appeared first on Jump Start Your Joy.

In this episode I had the pleasure of talking to Molly Larkin about meeting addiction with loving kindness. Molly is a dear. I remember meeting her for the first time in January and being impressed with her presence. Strong, comforting, welcoming. She's the kind of person who makes you feel at ease and OK in your own skin. Learning that Molly is a registered nurse and a certified life coach, makes sense, she is so undoubtedly in her element in the work that she does.

What I find remarkable about this interview is the way she dives right in and we talk about "hard stuff" - addiction, eating disorders, ego, and self worth. In the same instance, Molly exudes humor, love, and acceptance. I truly enjoyed our conversation, and I'm so glad that we have crossed paths.

In this episode, Molly and I talk about: - Her experience with addiction and an eating disorder - How "maitri" (loving kindness) has been a key to her unlocking painful thoughts - "The Work" of Byron Katie - The ego's role in painful thoughts - How to return to joy, even when the ego is running the show, and one is stuck n the midst of painful thoughts - Molly's work with clients, and how to begin freeing oneself from addiction

I'm super excited that Molly is one of our speakers for the Dream Into Action Retreat running this weekend (November 13-14, 2015). Sign up here.

Resources for this show: Molly Larkin's website Read Molly's post on eating disorders Dream Into Action registration site. CCTP Website and registration (tell Kate that Molly & Paula sent you) Byron Katie's book "Loving What Is" - my favorite of her books, on Amazon - it's simply brilliant and I know you'll love it!

I am an Amazon affiliate. Links on this page (ones to items I truly love and recommend) may earn me a commission.

The post Episode 10: Molly Larkin Speaks About Meeting All things with Loving Kindness appeared first on Jump Start Your Joy.

Franny Burkey is a baker, shop co-owner, and pastry maker at the dreamy "Franny's Cup and Saucer" in Point Arena, California. She whips up gorgeous cakes, delicious donuts, some amazing gluten free treats, all while working with her mom (and co-owner), Barbara. The shop itself feels like the embodiment of joy, with it's sweet gifts, tasty treats, and loving atmosphere. When I started creating my list of who I wanted to interview for Jump Start Your Joy, Franny Burkey was definitely one of the first names I wrote down.

And, Franny herself is really one of the most joyous and endearing folks I've ever met, and so it was a real treat to get to chat with her for a bit about her childhood, her outlook on life (and business), and what she loves about her work.

In this interview, you'll hear about: - Franny's childhood, growing up in Northern California, and having two parents in the food industry - How Franny comes up with flavors for her delicious Friday donuts - How Franny and her Mom work together, and run the bakery - The secret of how Franny gets up early, and her positive outlook on why it's not "so bad" - What she does to relax, including mixed martial arts and running - How they've established what to buy for their shop in a small town, and what their ideal price point is - How many wedding cakes Franny makes in a year, and why she loves working on wedding cakes - My own wedding cake and how Franny designed the cake for our four year old son (with a robot, rabbit, Yoda, and Lightning McQueen)

Resources Franny's Cup and Saucer website Franny's Cup and Saucer Facebook page (check out the donuts here) Sunset Eating Up the West Coast from Amazon (Franny has two recipes in this 2015 book)

The song I mention at the very end of the interview, with a correction, the song is by Clint Black.

*I am an Amazon affiliate. Links on this page (ones to items I truly love and recommend) may earn me a commission.

The post Episode 9: Franny Burkey on Being Kind, Being Positive, and Nourishing Joy appeared first on Jump Start Your Joy.

Kate Swoboda, or Kate Courageous, is a one of a kind coach, mentor, and the creator of the Courageous Coaching Training Program. She has also created the Coaching Blueprint, and a program for individuals, Your Courageous Life. I recently graduated from CCTP (Courageous Coaching Training Program), and found my time in the program to be inspiring, intense, and life changing.

It was a little over a year ago that I first got on a call with Kate to chat about joining CCTP. Getting on that call, I was scared to death I would not make the cut. Truth be told, over the last year in the program, I've wrestled a good deal with those feelings that I'm either not good enough, or don't deserve the good things that come my way. But this was different, Kate wanted to truly understand who I "be," and how I wanted to connect with others. I knew from that first call that the program was a fit, and that Kate was different, in the very best of ways, that she saw potential in people, that she was all heart, and that she was as courageous as her name suggests. In other words, CCTP was the real deal and it was the right program for me.

Now a year later, I was super happy that Kate agreed to jump on a call for an interview. Again I was nervous, but this time, it was because I was in the driver's seat. Not that a client can't interview their coach (heck, I interviewed my former coach, and now buddy, Michelle just a couple of episodes ag). But I had heartfelt questions about the program I'd just graduated from, I wanted Kate to know I respected her and all that she's done. And, OK, I kind of nerded out and loved that I GOT to talk about Pema Chodron with the very person who'd introduced her to me. Mostly, though, I wanted her to feel at home on my podcast.

I think you'll like this interview; Kate is a powerhouse and I am honored to have her on the show. In this episode we talk about:
- what to do when "things fall apart" in your life; and how to deal with the emotions that come up
- what to do if you've been working on personal development for a while, but it doesn't seem to stick
- how to approach being an entrepreneur
- that you "take yourself with you" wherever you go, including your corporate job, or to your own business
- how she approached creating the Courageous Coaching Training Program
- Kate's definitions of fear and courage
- what keeps her going, and what she loves about being an entrepreneur
- what it's like to be a "new-ish" mother

Resources for this show:
Kate's website: Your Courageous Life
Coaching Blueprint: Marketing course for coaches
Courageous Coaching Training Program (tell Kate that Paula sent you)
Dream Into Action Retreat - running 11/13-15 - sign up for the "Love Notes" to get information on how to win a free spot!
The book "Getting There" by Gillian Zoe Segal on Amazon
When Things Fall Apart by Pema Chodron on Amazon
Walking the Walk by Pema Chodron on Amazon

One of the sound clips in this episode is brought to you by http://www.bensound.com
I am an Amazon affiliate. Links on this page (ones to items I truly love and recommend) may earn me a commission.

The post Episode 8: Kate Swoboda on ‘Courage as a Path to Healing’ appeared first on Jump Start Your Joy.

In today's episode, I interview Earl Rivard, a musician, songwriter, and retreat leader. Earl has released three CDs, and is currently studying to be an operatic singer. In addition to his work in music, he leads retreats, and he and I have worked together for the past decade. Earl loves stories, loves the places where the sacred and story and life come together. He is a troubadour in the classic sense, with the roots of his his art in his mother's native Argentina, while singing around campfires, with friends and family, always with community.

It was fun interviewing someone I know so well, and I learned a ton about Earl's background and his interests. Thank you, Earl, for your friendship, your inspiration, your music, and for joining me on Jump Start Your Joy.

In this episode, you'll learn about: - how being blind has formed his personality and shaped him - how a trip to South America during high school introduced him to the joy of music - Earl's advice on recording your own album, and what his secret weapon has been - his happiest childhood memories - his time in an A cappella group at UC Berkeley, and how he sees A cappella music as a metaphor for life - his faith and how that has transformed him - Earl's ideas on how to bring your dream into action

Links Earl Rivard's website Links to purchase Earl's CDs A Playlist of Earl's music on YouTube

The post Episode 7: Musician Earl Rivard on Sharing Stories through Song and Music appeared first on Jump Start Your Joy.

Jann Cather Weaver is an associate professor emerita of worship and theology and the arts at United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities. She's an ordained minister, and has served parishes in Wisconsin and Missouri. A published author, and a former Yale Divinity School professor, Jann and I met at Yale, where she taught one of the most memorable courses I took in my master's program, "The Theology of Art and Film."

This interview was a true delight, for so many reasons. Jann's ministry has been a beautiful dance of art, of exploring the human condition, and of looking for divine communication through many lenses, and many art forms, including photography, music, and film. She is a welcoming presence, and at the same time, a powerful force, truly comfortable in her own person, and yet pushing out toward the radical edge of theological education. It's a joy to witness how she's followed her own heart in pursuing theology and the arts, "not because Ithought there was a career there, but because it was (for lack of a better word) my passion. I could do no other than that."

I hope that you will take a listen, and soak up her words; her journey is one of an artist honing her craft, and I very much resonated with her words about finding a vocation, about pursuing dreams, and about extending radical love, acceptance, and hospitality to all of the creation.

In this episode we talk about: - Jann's journey to earning her MDiv (Master's of Divinity) at Eden Seminary - how a T5 tornado that struck Barneveld Wisconsin in 1984 changed her life, and the trajectory of her ministry - about her time at Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California - how careers change over time, and how the question of "good enough" may crop up more than once in the course of one's life - Boy George, Torch Song Trilogy, and Priscilla, Queen of the Desert - and a paper I wrote at grad school - Lars and the Real Girl, and the theology of this 2007 film starring Ryan Gosling - Jann's most recent courses, and future plans - Jann's answer to how to jump start your own joy

And here are the links to download the show or subscribe via iTunes and Stitcher:

Links: Eden Theological Seminary Acts 2: the Story of Pentecost Isaiah 43: Jann preached on this after the events of Barneveld News footage of the destruction at Barneveld in 1984 War of Art by Stephen Pressfield Graduate Theological Union Yale Divinity School Boy George: Cheapness and Beauty (the album) on Amazon Boy George's song Il Adore on Amazon (video is also below from YouTube) Torch Song Trilogy on Amazon Priscilla, Queen of the Desert on Amazon Lars and the Real Girl on Amazon Jann Cather Weaver's page on United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities

I am an Amazon affiliate. Links on this page (ones to items I truly love and recommend) may earn me a commission.

The post Episode 6: Jann Cather Weaver on Radical Gratitude, Acceptance, and Hospitality appeared first on Jump Start Your Joy.

It's my true honor and privilege to share episode 5 with you. It's an interview with Michelle Ward, aka The When I Grow Up Coach. She's a Brooklyn based creative career coach who helps women unlock their dreams and find work that feels like play. In addition to her work as a one on one coach, she has created two courses on Creative Live (Ditch Your Day Job and Create your Dream Career), leads a lively Facebook group, and is the author of the book "The Declaration of You."

She's also one of the funniest, liveliest people I've ever met.

Michelle and I have known each other for about 3 years, and it is always a total joy to get to spend time with her.  I was her client, and "graduated" from my work with her knowing that I wanted to be an entrepreneur at some point, but admittedly not altogether sure what that would look like. I knew I loved doing retreats and knew I wanted to do more of that, whatever that was.

In this hilarious discussion, we chat about her early sparks of joy the 80s (yes, we talk about New Kids on the Block and Kirk Cameron), and a bit about her journey to become the When I Grow Up Coach, after having followed the dream of being in musical theater and graduating from NYU Tisch School of the Arts. Michelle graciously dishes some very solid marketing advice, and I think any entrepreneur will really love what she has to say about finding your niche, activating your own marketing gatekeepers, and being super authentic as you start to build a client base.

In this episode we chat about:
- Michelle's early love of Debby Gibson and New Kids on the Block
- her time in a performing arts high school and getting early acceptance into NYU Tisch School of the Arts
- her bridge job, aka the job she held while she was working on getting certified as a life coach and worked in the financial industry
- Michelle's thoughts on having a niche and owning who you best work with
- ideas on what it's like to be a new entrepreneur, and how to build a business
- her recent experience in rebranding her own website
- her thoughts on ways to jump start your own joy

Related links:
Michelle's When I Grow Up Coach website
Donate to Michelle's "Avon Walk to End Breast Cancer" team
Sign up to join Michelle's webinar coming up October 9th!
Michelle's Grown Up Gigs Podcast
Ditch Your Day Job course at Creative Live
Create Your Dream Career course at CreativeLive (I show up on Day Two!)
Michelle's book "Declaration of You" on Amazon*

*this is an affiliate link - I love Michelle's book and know you will, too. Just wanted to keep it real.

The post Episode 5: Michelle Ward on Growing Up and Finding a Creative Career that You Love appeared first on Jump Start Your Joy.

In this episode, I speak with Dave Asprey, creator of Bulletproof Coffee, is the best selling author, tech industry veteran, bio-hacker, podcaster, and the CEO of Bulletproof Nutrition. His company recently received 9 million dollars in funding, and he's just opened his first brick and mortar Bulletproof Coffee shop in Santa Moncia, along with launching a line of products that are in Whole Foods.

I'm grateful for the opportunity to sit down with Dave, to chat about life. We were classmates at UC Santa Barbara, where we both lived in the San Rafael dorms during our sophomore year of college. We take an interesting (if not somewhat hilarious) trip down memory lane, revisiting our time in the dining commons, and talking about what's gotten Dave to where he is today.

In this episode, we chat about: - what Dave was like in college - how Dave created spoof flyers for our dorm regarding the famed UCSB Halloween celebration - what he thinks of dorm food - why fear and loathing was a motivator for his bio-hacking - his experience at an intense 10 day retreat, and a cool exercise he tried there - how fear can be a motivator - his thoughts on why Bulletproof Coffee took off the way it did - what it's been like to become a recognized personality with the rise of Bulletproof - his philosophy on creating content for people, whether it be a podcast, book, or blogpost - how to change the world - if joy can be hacked

Notes: Here are just a few of the items we chat about - and some great sites to visit: The Bulletproof Diet - Dave's best selling book, available on Amazon The Bulletproof Executive - the main site for All Things Bulletproof Moldy Movie - Dave's self funded movie about mold and it's effect on people

If you want to learn more about the coaching program I mention, it's The Courageous Coaching Training Program. Stop by and visit Kate and tell her Paula sent you :)

For episode 3, I'm super excited to share this interview with Matthew Wood, who is the voice of General Grievous in the Star Wars, Revenge of the Sith and The Clone Wars. When he's not doing voice work, he is also a supervising sound editor at Skywalker Sound, a job he's had for 25 years. Matt has worked on a ton of amazing movies, and been nominated for two Oscars for his work on "Wall*E" and "There Will Be Blood".

On the personal side, Matt and I went to grade school, middle school, and high school together, and it was so fun catching up with him. (my son thinks it's hilarious that his mommy went to school with General Grievous.) Matt and I were five years old when Star Wars: A New Hope originally came out, and we both have fond memories of the Kenner toys, and the truly epic feel of the movie itself. And, he makes reference to the fact that he's working on the sound for the next film, The Force Awakens, which comes out on December 18, 2015.

I have to give him a huge shout out and thank you ... when we got on Skype he noticed my sound was "low," and offered advice on how to get my sound rig set up. He was helpful on getting my sound on point, and I couldn't be more grateful.

Matt and I talk about: - seeing the "first" Star Wars (A New Hope) when it came out in 1977 at age five - what it was like walking in to work on his first day at Skywalker sound - how he started as a video games tester and worked his way over to the sound team - his experience on Star Wars: The Phantom Menace - how feeding the many sides of his brain, technical, creative, led him to take acting classes at ACT (American Conservatory Theater) in San Francisco - his journey to becoming the voice of General Grievous - the full circle experience of being both a fan of Star Wars, and then becoming one of the characters in the film - how he learned to trust himself, listen to his gut, followed his intuition, and it led him to the opportunity that landed him as the voice of General Grievous - how he sees the inter-connectedness of all things - He answers the question of "What does General Grevious find joy in? What's that Greivous guy all about" from an emotional perspective (hint: he has a pet) - the fun he's had with Grievous' voice, and how children react to it - what it was like to work on Wall-E - what might surprise you about how sound is created in a movie (hint: think fruit and veggies) based on the McGurk effect - how he loves to craft things, from sound, to teams, to possibly chocolate and coffee - the advice he gives on following your dreams - what to do to jump start your joy

Links: Matt's Website: Mattwood.com Matt on IMDB: The Force Awakens website

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Dr. Aimee Eyvazzadeh is the founder of the Egg Freezing Party, and goes by the nickname "The Egg Whisperer." She's an fertility specialist in Northern California, and she works with women and couples to help them realize their dream of having a child. Recently, she has introduced the concept of an "Egg Freezing Party" to the Bay Area; the idea being that women take the proactive step of having eggs harvested and frozen during their prime reproductive years so that they have more options around having children in the future. In the last year, both Apple and Facebook have announced that they will cover the costs of the related procedures for egg freezing for their employees.

Dr. Aimee has a wonderful outlook and an inspiring, no nonsense way about her. She's leading the charge to talk about some traditionally taboo topics around women's reproductive options, and she's doing so with grace, open-ness, and love. It's important that women know their options, and understand how egg health impacts their abilities to later have children. Her stance is that "Education = Choices = Empowerment" and she is standing at the forefront of educating women on their options.

She and I met many years ago, when she was friends with my younger sister. It's been a joy and a pleasure seeing her practice grow. And, such a delight getting to speak to her this week.

In this episode, Aimee and I talk about: - the events that influenced her early in her life to want to become an OB/GYN - how she got the nickname the Egg Whisperer - what happens at an Egg Freezing Party - her work to assist transgendered teen, Cole Carman, in collecting eggs before undergoing gender reassignment - how her job involves high amounts of stress, and how she copes with it - her recent weight loss and how that has changed her outlook on life - how she embraces a positive mental attitude, and wakes up wanting to make the most of each day - her advice on bringing your own dream into action, based on the advice of her own mentor - how she makes a mindful choice, every day, to sparkle and bring joy to patients lives, knowing that IVF and trying to conceive can be difficult times in a women's life - her thoughts on how you can jump start your own joy

Links: The Egg Freezing Party website. The Egg Whisperer's website. NBC Bay Area's story on Cole Carman: Click here to watch. Upcoming Egg Freezing Parties: Thursday, September 17 in San Francisco and Saturday, September 19 in Sacramento. Click here to sign up.

The post Episode 2: Dr. Aimee Eyvazzadeh of 'Egg Freezing Party' on Choosing to Sparkle Every Day appeared first on Jump Start Your Joy.