Live Your Jam

What if alcohol isn't the problem, but it's the thing standing between you and the life you're meant to live?

In this episode of Live Your Jam, Ellen McGinnis sits down with sober coach and Sober Chapters founder Didi Jordan to explore what happens when you remove alcohol and finally hear yourself clearly.

After years of cycling between drinking and taking breaks, Didi committed to a two-year "sober chapter." What she discovered wasn't just freedom from alcohol. It was greater clarity, stronger intuition, deeper self-trust, meaningful relationships, and a renewed sense of purpose.

Together, Ellen and Didi explore the sober curious movement, alcohol's impact on anxiety and emotional wellbeing, subconscious conditioning, personal growth, and why so many people reconnect with their authentic selves when alcohol leaves the picture.

You will learn:

• What the sober curious movement is really about
• Why alcohol can amplify anxiety, shame, and emotional disconnection
• How taking a break from drinking creates space for personal growth
• The surprising connection between sobriety and intuition
• Why many people feel more connected to themselves without alcohol
• How subconscious beliefs shape our decisions and relationships
• What Didi learned during her two-year sober chapter
• Why clarity often arrives when we remove distractions
• How to navigate sobriety without labeling yourself forever
• The role of self-compassion when personal growth isn't linear
• Why many people rediscover their authentic selves after quitting alcohol
• How sober living can impact purpose, confidence, relationships, and fulfillment

👉 Watch the full conversation and subscribe for more stories about intuition, purpose, and living your jam.

We talk about:

00:00 Why living alcohol free is becoming a conscious choice

02:00 Meet Didi Jordan and the story behind Sober Chapters

04:00 Growing up in a culture where drinking felt normal

06:00 The anxiety, shame, and emotional toll of hangovers

09:00 What happened every time Didi took a break from alcohol

12:00 Why she committed to a two-year sober chapter

15:00 Personal development, intuition, and finding purpose

18:00 How sobriety strengthened self-trust and clarity

21:00 Why alcohol can block deeper inner work

23:00 What clients discover about themselves during sober chapters

25:00 Reconnecting with the person you were before conditioning

27:00 How to handle setbacks without shame

30:00 Advice for anyone who feels called to drink less

32:00 The Relationship Code and understanding unconscious patterns

35:00 Relationships, communication, and generational conditioning

37:00 Following intuition, purpose, and what's next

Connect with Didi:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sober_chapters
• Sober Chapters Podcast: https://www.soberchapters.com/podcast

Connect with Ellen

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liveyourjam
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/optimalleader/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/liveyourjam
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnj7_LS2kaxfyPsAd1Hne8g
• Website: https://liveyourjam.com/

What really happens when we die? And is there actual evidence for life after death, or is it just wishful thinking?

In this episode of Live Your Jam, Ellen McGinnis sits down with Johnny Burke, host of the Closer to Venus podcast, who has spent six years and close to 250 episodes interviewing the people who would know. Near-death experiencers. Evidential mediums. Hospice workers who sit with the dying. Past life researchers.

What he keeps finding points to one quiet, consistent answer. We are eternal souls, and consciousness does not end when the body does.

This isn't a conversation about belief. It's about patterns. The same accounts, told by strangers across cultures, who describe the same light, the same love, the same overwhelming sense of coming home.

Johnny and Ellen explore the evidence behind near-death experiences, what hospice mediums witness in a person's final days, the idea that we choose our lives before we arrive, and why so many accounts suggest consciousness lives outside the brain. They also go to the stranger edges. Soul contracts. Life between lives. Galactic past lives. And what it might mean to raise your vibration in a world that only trusts what it can measure.

If you have ever sensed there is more, but wanted something to stand on besides faith, this conversation will give you a place to start.

You will learn:

• Why nearly every guest, across every tradition, agrees we are eternal souls
• What the evidence for near-death experiences actually shows
• What hospice mediums witness in a person's final days, and what the "welcoming party" means
• Why so many accounts suggest consciousness is not produced by the brain
• The idea of soul contracts, and whether we choose our lives before we are born
• What "life between lives" is, and why it keeps surfacing under hypnosis
• How to tell an evidential medium from the rest
• What past life and galactic memories hint about who we used to be
• Simple daily ways to raise your vibration
• How to hold all of this with a curious, open, slightly skeptical mind

👉 Watch the full conversation and subscribe for more stories about intuition, purpose, and living your jam.

We talk about:

• 00:00 Why this conversation matters
• 02:00 Meet Johnny Burke and the Closer to Venus podcast
• 03:00 What "Closer to Venus" really means
• 05:00 The three questions that started it all
• 07:00 Near-death experiences as the gateway
• 09:00 The one thing nearly every guest agrees on
• 13:00 The hardest truth: soul contracts and exit points
• 16:00 Evidential mediums and the research behind them
• 19:00 Hospice mediums and the welcoming party
• 23:00 Life between lives and the in-between space
• 26:00 Soul groups and the people we keep meeting
• 28:00 Life as a theater group
• 30:00 What near-death experiences teach us about love and fear
• 33:00 Intuition and raising your vibration
• 35:00 ETs, disclosure, and consciousness
• 41:00 Why death might be easier than birth
• 43:00 Why consciousness may not live in the brain
• 48:00 Friendly and not-so-friendly ETs
• 51:00 Spirit guides with a sense of humor
• 53:00 A brother, a dream, and a beer
• 54:00 The big question Johnny wants to solve next

Connect with Johnny:

• Website: https://closertovenus.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theclosertovenuspodcast
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/closertovenuspodcast
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@closertovenuspodcast

Connect with Ellen

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liveyourjam
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/optimalleader/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/liveyourjam
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnj7_LS2kaxfyPsAd1Hne8g
• Website: https://liveyourjam.com/

What happens when women don’t just show up for a workout… but for each other?

In this episode of Live Your Jam, Ellen McGinnis sits down with Pam Stafford, community leader, former mayor, and the creator of a dance-based fitness class that has been running for over 46 years.

What started as a simple aerobic class became something much deeper. A space where women of all ages, from their 40s to their 90s, come together to move, connect, and build something that goes far beyond fitness.

Because this isn’t really about choreography, calorie burn, or getting it “right.”

It’s about consistency, belonging, and what happens when people feel seen in a space they return to week after week, year after year.

From leading a city through economic hardship to leading a room full of women through movement, Pam shares what it actually takes to build trust, community, and something that lasts. And why, after 46 years, women are still walking through those doors.

If you’ve ever struggled to stay consistent, find your people, or create something meaningful… this conversation will change how you think about all of it.

You will learn:

• Why women are more consistent when community is present
• What 46 years of teaching reveals about human connection
• The difference between a class and a true community
• How movement strengthens both mental and emotional health
• Why learning choreography challenges and protects your brain
• The leadership traits that build long-term trust and loyalty
• How to create spaces where people feel welcomed and seen
• Why perfection doesn’t matter, but showing up does
• The role of movement in healing, especially during hard seasons
• Why meaning, not motivation, is what keeps people coming back

👉 Watch the full conversation and subscribe for more stories about intuition, purpose, and living your jam.

We talk about:

• 00:00 What keeps women coming back for decades
• 02:00 From local leadership to 46 years of teaching movement
• 05:00 Lessons from serving on city council and as mayor
• 08:00 Why this class feels different from traditional fitness
• 11:00 The power of multi-generational movement (ages 40 to 90+)
• 14:00 How consistency is built through connection, not discipline
• 17:00 Why choreography strengthens the brain and builds resilience
• 20:00 The mental challenge of learning something new
• 23:00 Movement as a tool for long-term cognitive health
• 26:00 How the class adapted and stayed alive during the pandemic
• 29:00 Why people needed movement and connection more than ever
• 31:00 Creating a space where everyone feels welcome
• 33:00 Why you don’t need to be “good” to start
• 35:00 The difference between showing up and belonging
• 38:00 What 46 years of this work has given Pam

Connect with Pam:

• Website: https://cityofrohnertpark.hosted.civiclive.com/city_hall/departments/community_services/classes/teens___adults/dancercise

Connect with Ellen

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liveyourjam
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/optimalleader/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/liveyourjam
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnj7_LS2kaxfyPsAd1Hne8g
• Website: https://liveyourjam.com/

What if the thing keeping you stuck… isn’t weakness, lack of discipline, or even trauma itself, but the story you’ve built to survive it?

In this episode of Live Your Jam, Ellen McGinnis sits down with psychologist, former Air Force captain, and trauma specialist Dr. Don Zaksek to unpack the silent reality many men are living through, high-functioning on the outside, quietly unraveling on the inside.

From combat veterans to elite performers, Dr. Don has spent decades working with individuals trained to endure, push through, and never break. But beneath that strength often lives isolation, shame, and a relentless inner narrative that keeps them stuck.

This conversation goes beyond surface-level mental health advice. It explores identity, purpose, emotional suppression, and what it really takes to heal when your default has always been survival.

If you’ve ever felt like you should be fine… but you’re not, this episode will challenge how you see yourself and what healing actually looks like.

You will learn:

• Why high-performing men often feel the most alone
• The difference between primary pain and the suffering we create on top of it
• How emotional numbness becomes a survival strategy (and why it’s so hard to break)
• What Dr. Don calls “the cracked lens” and how it shapes your reality
• Why over-responsibility leads to self-blame and burnout
• How trauma rewires your identity, not just your emotions
• The role of vulnerability in real, lasting healing
• What “healthy masculinity” actually looks like today
• How to reconnect with your inner voice when you’ve lost it
• Why meaning, not happiness, is what most men are actually searching for

👉 Watch the full conversation and subscribe for more stories about intuition, purpose, and living your jam.

We talk about:

• 00:00 Why men who “have it together” are struggling the most
• 03:00 Strength vs. suppression, what’s really underneath
• 06:00 The hidden cost of discipline, performance, and control
• 09:00 Primary vs. secondary suffering explained
• 12:00 Why numbness feels safer than healing
• 15:00 The loneliness epidemic in men and loss of meaning
• 18:00 The “cracked lens” and how trauma distorts reality
• 21:00 Learning to observe your thoughts instead of believing them
• 24:00 The role of vulnerability in healing
• 27:00 Reconnecting to your deeper self (self one vs. self two)
• 30:00 Why you don’t need to fix yourself, you need to understand yourself
• 33:00 Letting go of fear-based identity and control
• 36:00 What transformation actually looks like in real life
• 39:00 Choosing self-love when self-hatred feels justified

Connect with Dr. Don:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dzaksek
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61576433303574
• Medium: https://medium.com/@dzaksek

Connect with Ellen

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liveyourjam
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/optimalleader/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/liveyourjam
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnj7_LS2kaxfyPsAd1Hne8g
• Website: https://liveyourjam.com/

What if the answers you’ve been searching for… are already within you, waiting for you to get quiet enough to hear them?

In this episode of Live Your Jam, Ellen McGinnis sits down with QHHT expert, psychologist, and author Dr. Holly Duckworth to explore the profound world of Quantum Healing Hypnosis Technique (QHHT) and the concept of the higher self.

From a deeply personal origin story rooted in crisis, to conducting hundreds of hypnosis sessions, Dr. Holly shares what she’s learned about life purpose, soul lessons, and the unseen intelligence guiding each of us.

This conversation bridges science and spirituality, logic and intuition, offering a grounded yet expansive look at who we are beyond the “monkey suit” of the human experience.

If you’ve ever wondered why you’re here, what your purpose is, or how to access your inner knowing… this episode will shift how you see your life entirely.

You will learn:

• What QHHT (Quantum Healing Hypnosis Technique) is and how it works
• The difference between your subconscious mind and your higher self
• Why your higher self operates beyond time, fear, and limitation
• The 4 core life purposes revealed across 400+ hypnosis sessions
• The 3 types of life lessons your soul is here to learn
• Why even painful experiences may be chosen by your soul
• How fear is connected to the ego, not your true self
• The role of meditation in accessing higher self guidance
• Why your purpose may be simpler (and more profound) than you think
• The one message your higher self wants you to remember

👉 Watch the full conversation and subscribe for more stories about intuition, purpose, and living your jam.

We talk about:

• 00:00 Introduction to QHHT and the higher self
• 02:30 Dr. Holly’s life-changing entry into hypnosis work
• 06:00 What makes QHHT different (and how sessions work)
• 10:00 Why your session recording changes everything
• 13:00 True knowing vs “answers” and spiritual wisdom
• 15:00 The patterns across 400+ sessions (science meets spirituality)
• 17:00 What the higher self actually is
• 20:00 Timelessness, collective consciousness, and accessing knowledge
• 24:00 The 4 types of life purpose explained
• 29:00 Why you chose your life (even the hard parts)
• 34:00 Ego vs higher self, fear vs love
• 42:00 How to access your inner knowing + the power of meditation

Connect with Holly:

• Instagram: www.instagram.com/awarecaredurango
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/awarecaredurango
• YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@HollyDuckworthPhD
• Website: www.awarecaredurango.com
• Sedona Retreat in Sept: https://www.awarecaredurango.com/events
• Dolores Cannon: https://dolorescannon.com/

Connect with Ellen

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liveyourjam
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/optimalleader/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/liveyourjam
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnj7_LS2kaxfyPsAd1Hne8g
• Website: https://liveyourjam.com/

What if the exhaustion you feel isn’t burnout… but misdirected energy?

In this solo episode of Live Your Jam, Ellen McGinnis introduces what she calls The Quiet Revolution, a powerful shift where women begin reclaiming their energy from the systems, roles, and expectations that have quietly shaped their lives.

Through a deeply personal lens and grounded in systems thinking, Ellen unpacks why so many women feel depleted despite “having it all”, and how invisible labor, cultural conditioning, and societal structures have normalized self-sacrifice as identity.

This episode is not about blowing up your life. It’s about something far more radical, choosing yourself in small, consistent, courageous ways.

If you’ve ever felt like your energy is everywhere except where it truly matters… this conversation will help you see it, name it, and begin to take it back.

You will learn:

• Why women’s exhaustion is often rooted in systemic conditioning, not personal failure
• What “energy leakage” is and how it shows up in daily life
• How invisible labor impacts your mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing
• The difference between living from expectation, survival, and inner knowing
• A powerful exercise to audit your life decisions and reclaim clarity
• Why small, consistent choices create lasting personal transformation
• How to shift from “what’s needed of me” to “what is true for me”
• The role of attention and awareness in reclaiming your energy
• Why boundaries feel difficult, and how to begin setting them anyway
• How reclaiming your energy impacts your family, relationships, and future generations

👉 Watch the full conversation and subscribe for more stories about intuition, purpose, and living your jam.

We talk about:

• 00:00 Introduction to The Quiet Revolution and women’s energy
• 01:30 The question that can change your life
• 03:00 The hidden exhaustion many women feel
• 04:30 Systems theory and how it applies to women’s lives
• 05:30 Workplace structures and inherited expectations
• 06:30 Family systems and the invisible mental load
• 07:30 Cultural conditioning, religion, and self-sacrifice
• 09:00 Why selflessness became identity for women
• 10:00 Ellen’s personal story of work, motherhood, and burnout
• 13:30 Health breakdown and early signs of depletion
• 14:30 Moving to Switzerland and gaining perspective
• 16:00 Auditing your energy and life decisions
• 17:00 The reflection exercise (expectation vs survival vs inner knowing)
• 19:00 Patterns of self-abandonment and awareness
• 20:00 Why you don’t need to blow up your life to change it
• 21:00 The power of attention and where your energy goes
• 22:00 Asking “what is true for me”
• 23:00 The Quiet Revolution explained
• 24:00 Feminine energy vs hustle culture
• 25:00 Living in alignment instead of performance
• 26:00 Invitation to Inner Courage workshop

Resources:

• Inner Courage Workshop

Connect with Ellen

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liveyourjam
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/optimalleader/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/liveyourjam
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnj7_LS2kaxfyPsAd1Hne8g
• Website: https://liveyourjam.com/

What does it really mean to feel strong, energized, and confident after 50?

In this episode of Live Your Jam, Ellen McGinnis sits down with fitness expert and Pilates instructor Jane Price Hunt to explore how women can rebuild strength, reconnect with their bodies, and move through midlife with more ease and confidence.

Jane shares her lifelong journey with fitness, from competitive sports to discovering Pilates as a powerful foundation for healing, especially after injury, pregnancy, and the physical changes that come with age. What began as a solution to back pain and instability became a complete transformation in how she approaches movement, strength, and self-care.

Together, Ellen and Jane unpack why traditional fitness approaches don’t always serve women in midlife, and how practices like Pilates can support not just physical strength, but mental clarity, nervous system regulation, and long-term wellbeing.

This conversation is both grounding and empowering. It reminds us that strength after 50 isn’t about pushing harder, it’s about moving smarter, listening deeper, and choosing consistency over perfection.

If you’ve ever felt disconnected from your body, unsure where to start, or ready to rebuild your strength in a way that actually supports your life, this episode will meet you exactly where you are.

You will learn:

• Why fitness over 50 requires a different, more intentional approach
• How Pilates strengthens the core and supports long-term mobility
• The connection between movement, mindfulness, and nervous system regulation
• Why injuries, pain, and physical changes are signals, not setbacks
• How small daily habits create lasting strength and consistency
• The biggest barriers women face when starting (and how to overcome them)
• Why walking and low-impact movement can transform your health
• How Jane manages type 1 diabetes while maintaining a strong, active lifestyle
• The importance of acceptance and adapting your fitness as your body changes
• How to rebuild trust with your body after pain, injury, or burnout

👉 Watch the full conversation and subscribe for more stories about intuition, purpose, and living your jam.

We talk about:

• 00:00 Introduction to Jane Price Hunt and fitness after 50
• 02:00 Jane’s journey from lifelong athlete to Pilates instructor
• 04:30 How pregnancy and injury changed her approach to fitness
• 06:00 Why core strength is the foundation for long-term movement
• 07:30 What Pilates is and how it supports the body differently
• 09:00 The mind-body connection and mindfulness in Pilates
• 11:00 How Pilates creates strength, alignment, and energy
• 13:00 Breathing techniques and calming the nervous system
• 14:30 Barriers to starting fitness and how to overcome them
• 16:00 Online Pilates and making movement more accessible
• 17:30 Injury recovery and rebuilding strength through movement
• 18:30 Living with type 1 diabetes and staying consistent with health
• 21:00 The power of small daily habits like walking
• 23:00 Why consistency matters more than intensity
• 24:30 Midlife fitness, self-trust, and putting yourself first
• 27:00 Letting go of comparison and redefining strength
• 29:00 Functional fitness and moving well in everyday life
• 31:00 Reclaiming your time, body, and energy in midlife
• 33:00 Following purpose and building a meaningful career in fitness
• 36:00 Helping others heal, grow stronger, and feel empowered

Resources:

• Free Pilates Video from Jane: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PtD6OWVnr8
• Pilates 7 Day Free Trial: https://www.jphpilates.com/online-pilates-classes

Connect with Jane

• Website: https://www.jphpilates.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jphpilates
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jphpilates
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jphpilates

Connect with Ellen

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liveyourjam
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/optimalleader/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/liveyourjam
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnj7_LS2kaxfyPsAd1Hne8g
• Website: https://liveyourjam.com/

What does it mean to truly illuminate other people’s stories?

In this powerful episode of Live Your Jam, Ellen McGinnis sits down with Emmy Award–winning journalist Molly Fay, longtime host and producer of The Morning Blend in Milwaukee. With more than three decades in broadcast journalism, Molly has built a career rooted in curiosity, compassion, and the belief that every person has a meaningful story worth sharing.

But behind the bright lights of television and the joy of interviewing thousands of guests lies a deeply human story of grief, resilience, and transformation.

Molly opens up about the personal experiences that shaped her path, including the devastating loss of her brother to suicide, navigating postpartum stress while working morning news, and the anxiety and panic attacks that ultimately forced her to step away from her dream job. Instead of ending her career, that chapter became the turning point that helped her rediscover purpose, rebuild her life, and eventually return to television in a new and more meaningful way.

Through honesty, humor, and wisdom gained through hard-earned experience, Molly reflects on the power of storytelling, the importance of mental health conversations, and why resilience and self-awareness matter more than perfection.

This episode is both inspiring and grounding. It reminds us that the most meaningful lives are not the ones without struggle, but the ones where we keep showing up with curiosity, compassion, and courage.

If you have ever wondered how life’s hardest chapters can lead you back to your true calling, this conversation will leave you encouraged and deeply inspired.

You will learn:

• How Molly Fay built a 35-year career in journalism and storytelling
• Why curiosity and genuine care for people are the foundation of great interviews
• What it was like working morning news while navigating early motherhood
• The panic attack that forced Molly to re-evaluate her career and mental health
• How grief and anxiety shaped her perspective on resilience and purpose
• Why talking openly about mental health helps break stigma
• The difference between helping and enabling, especially as a parent
• Why choosing the right partner is one of the most important decisions in life
• How letting go of the past can unlock personal growth and freedom
• The powerful mindset shift behind the “Let Them” philosophy

👉 Watch the full conversation and subscribe for more stories about intuition, purpose, and living your jam.

We talk about:

• 00:00 Welcome to Live Your Jam and introducing Molly Fay
• 02:50 Molly’s early career in radio and how storytelling began
• 04:05 The story of how Molly and Ellen first met in Milwaukee
• 07:35 How Molly’s curiosity about people shaped her work in media
• 09:40 Balancing career, motherhood, and the demands of morning news
• 12:45 Molly’s first panic attack while anchoring on air
• 14:40 Stepping away from morning news and navigating anxiety
• 16:45 The stigma around mental health in the broadcasting industry
• 20:05 How therapy and cognitive behavioral tools helped Molly heal
• 23:35 Losing her brother to suicide and becoming a mental health advocate
• 25:45 Why talking openly about mental illness reduces stigma
• 27:10 Life on The Morning Blend and the joy of interviewing guests
• 28:30 Memorable guests and the moments that inspire Molly most
• 31:50 Parenting lessons: the difference between helping and enabling
• 33:30 Why conversations about dating and relationships matter for young adults
• 39:05 Letting go of shame, regret, and old narratives
• 40:35 The sea glass metaphor for growth through adversity
• 43:45 Friendship, discernment, and investing energy in meaningful relationships
• 47:05 The simple everyday moments that bring Molly joy
• 49:35 The “Let Them” mindset and focusing on what you can control

Resources:

• Learn more about The Morning Blend: https://www.tmj4.com/morning-blend
• Mental health awareness and suicide prevention resources: https://988lifeline.org

Connect with Molly

• Website: https://www.tmj4.com/shows/the-morning-blend
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheMorningBlend
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/morningblendmolly/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/molly-fay-0bb3547/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morningblend/?hl=en

Connect with Ellen

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liveyourjam
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/optimalleader/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/liveyourjam
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnj7_LS2kaxfyPsAd1Hne8g
• Website: https://liveyourjam.com/

If you have ever wondered why you react the way you do, especially in moments of stress, conflict, or growth, this conversation will feel like someone finally handed you the missing map.

In this episode of Live Your Jam, Ellen sits down with renowned Enneagram teacher and coach Beth McCord for a powerful and deeply practical exploration of self awareness. Together, they unpack why the Enneagram goes far beyond surface personality traits and instead reveals the core motivations quietly driving our behaviors, decisions, and emotional patterns.

Beth shares her personal journey from feeling overlooked as a Type Nine to building a global platform that has trained thousands of coaches worldwide. Through real stories and clear examples, she explains how understanding your Enneagram type can help you notice unconscious habits, regulate your responses under pressure, and move toward healthier patterns in leadership, relationships, and everyday life.

If you are ready to stop reacting on autopilot and start leading your life with intention, this episode offers both insight and practical next steps.

You will learn:

• Why the Enneagram focuses on motivations, not just behaviors
• How childhood coping strategies shape adult leadership patterns
• The difference between healthy and unhealthy expressions of your type
• How to use the Enneagram as an internal GPS for personal growth
• Why high performers often stay stuck without deeper self awareness
• How to recognize your triggers and course correct in real time
• What makes each of the nine Enneagram types distinct
• How faith, psychology, and personality work can complement each other
• Why understanding yourself is the first step to living your jam

👉 Watch the full conversation and subscribe for more stories about intuition, purpose, and living your jam.

We talk about:

• 00:00 Welcome and why the Enneagram still matters
• 01:00 What makes the Enneagram different from other personality tools
• 03:00 Beth McCord’s origin story and pivotal turning point
• 07:00 The Type Nine pattern of self overlooking
• 10:00 Using anger and activation as growth fuel
• 13:00 Internal motivations versus external behaviors
• 18:00 The Enneagram as your internal GPS
• 22:00 Overview of the nine Enneagram types
• 28:00 The Type Eight and vulnerability paradox
• 34:00 Nature versus nurture in personality development
• 41:00 Integrating faith and psychological insight
• 45:00 How to start noticing your patterns this week
• 49:00 What it really means to live your jam

Resources:

• Discover Your Core Motivations: https://www.yourenneagramcoach.com/coremotivations

Connect with Beth

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YourEnneagramCoach/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourenneagramcoach
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@YourEnneagramCoach/
• Website: https://www.yourenneagramcoach.com/

Connect with Ellen

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liveyourjam
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/optimalleader/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/liveyourjam
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnj7_LS2kaxfyPsAd1Hne8g
• Website: https://liveyourjam.com/

Some call it a passion. Others call it a side hustle. But beneath the labels is something more honest, the quiet pull that never fully goes away, no matter how busy or accomplished life becomes.

In this episode of Live Your Jam, Ellen is joined by three lifelong friends, Amy Moskalewicz of Campbell & Co, Juliann Reviglio of Simply Scrumptious, and Laura Reilly of Chicago Wilderness Alliance, for a deeply human conversation about purpose, timing, fear, and the courage to follow what you love.

Together, they explore what it looks like to answer an inner calling alongside real life responsibilities. From environmental conservation and leadership, to building a family-run event business, to launching a cottage baking brand and supporting women through hair loss, each story reveals the same truth: purpose doesn’t shout, it persists.

This episode unpacks why meaningful work often calls louder later in life, how passions evolve through seasons of career and motherhood, and why listening to that inner nudge isn’t selfish, it’s stabilizing. You’ll hear about imposter syndrome, saying yes before you feel ready, and how following what you love doesn’t require burning your life down, it can quietly enrich it.

You will learn:

• Why the pull toward meaningful work never fully disappears
• How passions evolve across careers, motherhood, and life transitions
• Why timing matters, and why it’s rarely accidental
• How fear and imposter syndrome show up when you pursue what matters
• The power of saying yes before you know how
• Why purpose-driven work expands your life instead of replacing it
• What happens emotionally when you ignore what you love for too long
• How to trust your instincts when the path isn’t linear
• Why following what you love is courage, not indulgence

👉 Watch the full conversation and subscribe for more stories about intuition, purpose, and living your jam.

We talk about:

• 00:00 Welcome and why this conversation matters now
• 01:00 The shared truth, doing the thing you can’t not do
• 03:00 Lifelong friendships and how purpose reveals itself over time
• 05:00 Conservation, caretaking, and impact beyond job titles
• 09:00 Building a creative business alongside a full-time career
• 12:00 Family, creativity, and collaboration across generations
• 15:00 Starting something new later in life
• 18:00 Baking, creativity, and trusting yourself before you feel ready
• 21:00 Supporting others through meaningful, heart-led work
• 25:00 Timing, readiness, and inner alignment
• 29:00 Imposter syndrome and being seen
• 34:00 Identity, roles, and redefining success
• 38:00 How purpose changes your day-to-day life
• 42:00 What happens when you ignore the inner pull
• 47:00 Closing reflections on courage, creativity, and listening inward

Connect with Ellen

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liveyourjam
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/optimalleader/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/liveyourjam
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnj7_LS2kaxfyPsAd1Hne8g
• Website: https://liveyourjam.com/

Connect with the Guests:

https://www.instagram.com/simplyscrumptious2025

https://www.instagram.com/campbellandcoevents

https://www.chicagowilderness.org/

https://www.chicagowilderness.org/donations/donate.asp?id=12341

https://www.campbellandcoevents.com

https://www.facebook.com/campbellandcoevents