Have you ever been fun-employed?

Joshua Jackson joins Work is Third for a conversation about confidence, worthiness, and the messy beauty of becoming. From “fun-employment” and financial struggles to lessons from elders and mentors, Joshua shares how self-love, grief, and joy are intertwined.

We dive into the concept of “distress recordings” from re-evaluation co-counseling, explore the liberation of men and masculinity, and reflect on how patterns from childhood shape us as adults. This episode is about shedding old scripts, embracing the full spectrum of our emotions, and choosing love as a foundation for work, relationships, and community.

Guest Socials

• IG @risingroots2025
• Tiktok @risingroots2025
• Facebook: L Joshua Jackson

📚 Resources Mentioned

• Worthy by Jamie Kern Lima
• Liberation of Men by John Irwin, Harvey Jackins, and Charlie Grenier
• Professors Justin Emeka and Caroline Jackson-Smith (Oberlin College)
• Weedie Braimah, Hands of Time (album)
• Re-evaluation Co-Counseling (concept & practice), https://www.rc.org/Coco Peila (artist, educator, and Joshua’s partner), Instagram @cocopeila + newsletter
• Kendrick Lamar, United in Grief

💬 Key Quotes

• “Confidence can falter, but worthiness never changes.”
• “Fun-employed… it’s rough, but it’s real.”
• “We are the character playing a role that no longer serves us.”
• “The depth to which you can feel joy is the depth to which you can feel grief.”
• “When I save you, heal you, love you, support you—I am doing the same for me and my people.”
• “Work isn’t even on the list right now. We’re just talking about how to be better humans.”

📂 Section Markers

01:10 Section 1: Systems, Masculinity, and the Searchfor Care

28:55 Section 2: Breaking Through and Belonging

📌Episode Chapters/Timestamps

00:00 Revisiting Connections: A Warm Welcome

01:28 Confidence and Worthiness: A Deep Dive

04:10 Navigating Life's Messiness: Embracing Growth

12:59 The Importance of Self-Love: Foundations of Success

17:39 Love and Relationships: Reflections on Modern Connections

21:18 Liberation and Masculinity: A Critical Examination

24:11 Listening and Leading: The Role of Men in Society

28:10 Understanding Distress Recordings: Healing from the Past

32:13 The Impact of Late-Night Habits on Adult Life

34:29 The Importance of Setting Boundaries

37:25 Exploring Early Childhood Conditioning

39:05 The Role of Systemic Issues in Parenting

40:32 The Historical Context of Distress Recordings

42:27 The Power of Co-Counseling for Healing

44:53 The Interconnection of Grief and Joy

50:05 The Importance of Sharing Personal Stories

51:19 The Need for Conversations on Masculinity

53:22 The Journey of Self-Discovery and Healing

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