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What if joy isn't denial...but an act of rebellion? When the world feels heavy, choosing joy can feel naïve—or even irresponsible. But it's actually the very thing that keeps you going. In this opening episode of Joyosity in Practice, Jenn wrestles with a question many leaders are quietly carrying: Is it out of touch to talk about joy when things are this hard? After hearing firsthand fear and exhaustion from a close friend, Jenn reframes joy not as optimism or toxic positivity—but as a courageous, strategic act of resistance against burnout, dehumanization, and quiet self-abandonment. This episode lays the foundation for the series, introducing joy as a practice—one that shapes better leadership, healthier workplaces, and more sustainable lives. You’ll hear why “just pushing through” stops working, the real cost of treating joy as optional, and how small, intentional practices can help leaders stay human when pressure is high and the stakes are real. Here’s What’s in the Episode: [02:40] Why joy isn’t naïve—it’s connected, constructive, and courageous [06:20] The three components of joy (and what joy is not) [07:30] The Joy Ratio: 35% joy, 10% toil, and the messy middle [08:45] The measurable outcomes of joy at work (productivity, collaboration, performance) [ 09:30] Why “just push through” works at first—and then quietly fails [11:55] How endurance without discernment becomes self-abandonment [12:15] The organizational cost of treating joy as optional [14:15] The personal cost: numbness, irritability, physical stress, and burnout [15:45] Why modeling self-neglect as success is harming leaders and teams [16:20] What it actually looks like to practice joy (small, intentional, repeatable) [20:30] The invitation: What if joy were strategic—for you? Key Takeaway When leaders treat joy as optional, they pay for it with burnout, bad decisions, and broken culture. Start small and reap big. About the Host: Jenn Whitmer Jenn is an international keynote speaker, leadership consultant, and the founder of Joyosity™, helping leaders create positive, profitable cultures through connection, curiosity, and joy. With a background in communication, conflict resolution, and team dynamics, Jenn helps leaders and organizations navigate complex people challenges, reduce burnout, and build flourishing workplaces. Her insights have resonated with audiences worldwide, blending real-world leadership expertise, engaging storytelling, and a dash of humor to make the hard stuff easier. Whether on stage, in workshops, or with coaching clients, Jenn equips leaders with the tools they need to solve conflict, cultivate communication, and lead with purpose. Her book Joyosity and the Joyosity Works Playbooks offer leaders a fresh approach to joy at work that builds real results. jennwhitmer.com Jenn's Social   https://www.instagram.com/jenn_whitmer/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennwhitmer/  Resources & Links: Get Joyosity and the Joyosity Works Playbook Joyosity: How to Cultivate Intense Happiness in Work & Life (Even If Things Are What They Are) Joy isn’t extra. Joy is how you thrive. This book gives leaders the tools to turn exhaustion into resilience and build cultures where work is a joy, people are whole, and organizations flourish. Joyosity Works Playbook: Practical Plays and Strategies for Joy at Work and Beyond is the official companion workbook to Joyosity to help you practice joy every day. Find links to purchase at https://jennwhitmer.com/books or you may even see it in the airport this month. Free 99: Joyosity Explorer Map → This map will guide you to understanding the deeper purpose and story you tell yourself about your work. Joy is linked to purpose and productivity increases by 20% or more when you directly link your purpose to your work. Ready to Make a Plan: Joyosity™ Jumpstart → Get crystal clear on what you want, what’s in the way, and how to move forward with traction. Starting the Journey: Enneagram Navigator → Stop guessing your type. In this 1:1 session, get clarity on your motivations and blind spots. Ready to Dive In: Joyosity™ Intensive → A one-day transformative experience to realign with your values and build a practical plan for joyful leadership. A Party for More: Bring Jenn & the Joy to Speak → Bring the spark (not just the spark notes!) to your whole team with contagious joy, practical tools, and plenty of laughter. Loved this episode? Rate, review, and share with a fellow leader who’s ready to ditch the drama and lead with more joy, curiosity, and clarity.

You don’t need a new personality, a new job, or a vision board with unhinged optimism. You need to live in the joy ratio. In this final episode of the New Year mini-series, Jenn walks you through how to actually design your life and leadership for joy—not as a vibe, but as a strategy. This is a guided, reflective episode (yes, you'll want to grab a pen), where values, stories, and personality finally come together in a practical framework Jenn calls the Joy Ratio. You’ll identify what genuinely fuels you, what quietly drains you, and how small, intentional shifts can radically change how you experience your work and life. No “new year, new you.” Just a new opening—and a smarter way forward. Here’s What’s in the Episode: 1:01 If you don’t know what brings you joy, there is no way you can ever live in joy.. 2:12 We don't need to normalize toxic positivity or toxic teams. 4:11 Identifying joy for yourself. 7:07 Identifying toil, even if you're good at the work. 9:58 Using the joy ratio. 11:02 how to design your work and entire life for joy without pretending toil can disappear.   Key Takeaway You can’t lead well from a life that’s designed to drain you. You didn’t “lose” your joy—you never built it into your leadership.   About the Host: Jenn Whitmer Jenn is an international keynote speaker, leadership consultant, and the founder of Joyosity™, helping leaders create positive, profitable cultures through connection, curiosity, and joy. With a background in communication, conflict resolution, and team dynamics, Jenn helps leaders and organizations navigate complex people challenges, reduce burnout, and build flourishing workplaces. Her insights have resonated with audiences worldwide, blending real-world leadership expertise, engaging storytelling, and a dash of humor to make the hard stuff easier. Whether on stage, in workshops, or with coaching clients, Jenn equips leaders with the tools they need to solve conflict, cultivate communication, and lead with purpose. Her book Joyosity and the Joyosity Works Playbooks offer leaders a fresh approach to joy at work that builds real results.   Resources & Links: Get Joyosity and the Joyosity Works Playbook Joyosity: How to Cultivate Intense Happiness in Work & Life (Even If Things Are What They Are) Joy isn’t extra. Joy is how you thrive. This book gives leaders the tools to turn exhaustion into resilience and build cultures where work is a joy, people are whole, and organizations flourish. Joyosity Works Playbook: Practical Plays and Strategies for Joy at Work and Beyond is the official companion workbook to Joyosity to help you practice joy every day. Find links to purchase at https://jennwhitmer.com/books or you may even see it in the airport this month.   Free 99: Episode 120 of the Joyosity™ Podcast → The New Year Trope Leaders Keep Believing Joyosity Explorer Map → This map will guide you to understanding the deeper purpose and story you tell yourself about your work. Joy is linked to purpose and productivity increases by 20% or more when you directly link your purpose to your work. Ready to Make a Plan: Joyosity™ Jumpstart → Get crystal clear on what you want, what’s in the way, and how to move forward with traction. Starting the Journey: Enneagram Navigator → Stop guessing your type. In this 1:1 session, get clarity on your motivations and blind spots. Ready to Dive In: Joyosity™ Intensive → A one-day transformative experience to realign with your values and build a practical plan for joyful leadership. A Party for More: Bring Jenn & the Joy to Speak → Bring the spark (not just the spark notes!) to your whole team with contagious joy, practical tools, and plenty of laughter. Loved this episode? Rate, review, and share with a fellow leader who’s ready to ditch the drama and lead with more joy, curiosity, and clarity.

Personality tools were meant to create clarity—not shame. So why do so many leaders leave personality conversations feeling worse? In this episode, Jenn tackles one of the most misunderstood leadership tools out there and makes a bold claim: your personality isn’t the problem—misusing is.   If you’ve ever wondered, “Is my personality the thing holding me back?”—this episode is for you.   Continuing the New Year, New Opening mini-series, Jenn reframes personality awareness as a leadership skill—not a fix-yourself project. She explains how strengths get weaponized under pressure, why self-awareness without self-disclosure backfires, and how tools like the Enneagram can cultivate trust, clarity, and joy when used well.   This is a shame-free, practical conversation for leaders who want to stop fighting their wiring and start leading from it.   Here’s What’s in the Episode: 2:44 You don't need to fix yourself to be a great leader. 7:40 Strengths don't disappear with fear and pressure. But they do warp into weakness. 10:28 Personality awareness can become self-centeredness if you misuse it. 12:30 How to avoid "checkbox leadership" that oversimplifies complex people. 13:56 The three rules of the road to avoid misusing personality tools as a leader.   Key Takeaway You don’t need a new personality. You need awareness of how yours behaves under pressure.   About the Host: Jenn Whitmer Jenn is an international keynote speaker, leadership consultant, and the founder of Joyosity™, helping leaders create positive, profitable cultures through connection, curiosity, and joy. With a background in communication, conflict resolution, and team dynamics, Jenn helps leaders and organizations navigate complex people challenges, reduce burnout, and build flourishing workplaces. Her insights have resonated with audiences worldwide, blending real-world leadership expertise, engaging storytelling, and a dash of humor to make the hard stuff easier. Whether on stage, in workshops, or with coaching clients, Jenn equips leaders with the tools they need to solve conflict, cultivate communication, and lead with purpose. Her book Joyosity and the Joyosity Works Playbooks offer leaders a fresh approach to joy at work that builds real results.   Resources & Links: Get Joyosity and the Joyosity Works Playbook Joyosity: How to Cultivate Intense Happiness in Work & Life (Even If Things Are What They Are) Joy isn’t extra. Joy is how you thrive. This book gives leaders the tools to turn exhaustion into resilience and build cultures where work is a joy, people are whole, and organizations flourish. Joyosity Works Playbook: Practical Plays and Strategies for Joy at Work and Beyond is the official companion workbook to Joyosity to help you practice joy every day. Find links to purchase at https://jennwhitmer.com/books or you may even see it in the airport this month.   Free 99: Episode 120 and 122 of the Joyosity™ Podcast → The New Year Trope Leaders Keep Believing Joyosity Explorer Map → This map will guide you to understanding the deeper purpose and story you tell yourself about your work. Joy is linked to purpose and productivity increases by 20% or more when you directly link your purpose to your work. Ready to Make a Plan: Joyosity™ Jumpstart → Get crystal clear on what you want, what’s in the way, and how to move forward with traction. Starting the Journey: Enneagram Navigator → Stop guessing your type. In this 1:1 session, get clarity on your motivations and blind spots. Ready to Dive In: Joyosity™ Intensive → A one-day transformative experience to realign with your values and build a practical plan for joyful leadership. A Party for More: Bring Jenn & the Joy to Speak → Bring the spark (not just the spark notes!) to your whole team with contagious joy, practical tools, and plenty of laughter. Loved this episode? Rate, review, and share with a fellow leader who’s ready to ditch the drama and lead with more joy, curiosity, and clarity. 

If you’re doing “all the right things” and still feel tired, tense, or quietly resentful… It might not be your workload. It might be the story you’re leading from. In this episode, continuing the New Year. New Opening theme, Jenn names the five cultural overstories that sound responsible, professional, and noble—but are quietly draining your energy, joy, and agency as a leader.   And then she shows you how to rewrite them—without blowing up your life or becoming a totally different person.   Here’s What’s in the Episode: 1:15 If you can't measure it, you can't manage it, is BS. 3:12 What's an overstory and how it impacts your leadership. 4:43 Joyblocking overstory 1: Measure is everything. 5:33 Joyblocking overstory 2: Tradition, TRADITION! 6:58 Joyblocking overstory 3: Work before play. 7:41 Joyblocking overstory 4: It's not that bad. 9:46 Joyblocking overstory 5: We're not worthy. 13:39 How to rewrite the story to cultivate joy: The Story Transformation Process. Key Takeaway Joy isn’t blocked by reality. It’s blocked by unexamined stories that quietly steal your agency.   About the Host: Jenn Whitmer Jenn is an international keynote speaker, leadership consultant, and the founder of Joyosity™, helping leaders create positive, profitable cultures through connection, curiosity, and joy. With a background in communication, conflict resolution, and team dynamics, Jenn helps leaders and organizations navigate complex people challenges, reduce burnout, and build flourishing workplaces. Her insights have resonated with audiences worldwide, blending real-world leadership expertise, engaging storytelling, and a dash of humor to make the hard stuff easier. Whether on stage, in workshops, or with coaching clients, Jenn equips leaders with the tools they need to solve conflict, cultivate communication, and lead with purpose. Her book Joyosity and the Joyosity Works Playbooks offer leaders a fresh approach to joy at work that builds real results.   Resources & Links: Get Joyosity and the Joyosity Works Playbook Joyosity: How to Cultivate Intense Happiness in Work & Life (Even If Things Are What They Are) Joy isn’t extra. Joy is how you thrive. This book gives leaders the tools to turn exhaustion into resilience and build cultures where work is a joy, people are whole, and organizations flourish. Joyosity Works Playbook: Practical Plays and Strategies for Joy at Work and Beyond is the official companion workbook to Joyosity to help you practice joy every day. Find links to purchase at https://jennwhitmer.com/books or you may even see it in the airport this month.   Free 99: Episode 120 of the Joyosity™ Podcast → The New Year Trope Leaders Keep Believing Joyosity Explorer Map → This map will guide you to understanding the deeper purpose and story you tell yourself about your work. Joy is linked to purpose and productivity increases by 20% or more when you directly link your purpose to your work. Ready to Make a Plan: Joyosity™ Jumpstart → Get crystal clear on what you want, what’s in the way, and how to move forward with traction. Starting the Journey: Enneagram Navigator → Stop guessing your type. In this 1:1 session, get clarity on your motivations and blind spots. Ready to Dive In: Joyosity™ Intensive → A one-day transformative experience to realign with your values and build a practical plan for joyful leadership. A Party for More: Bring Jenn & the Joy to Speak → Bring the spark (not just the spark notes!) to your whole team with contagious joy, practical tools, and plenty of laughter. Loved this episode? Rate, review, and share with a fellow leader who’s ready to ditch the drama and lead with more joy, curiosity, and clarity.

“New Year. New You.” Hard pass. In this solo episode, Jenn calls time-of-death on “New Year, New You” and offers a far more grounded, powerful alternative: New Year. New Opening.   Instead of reinventing yourself, this conversation invites you to understand yourself—starting with your values. Jenn walks through why values aren’t words for websites or walls, but the foundation of effective leadership, resilient teams, and sustainable joy.   You’ll learn a simple, practical framework for identifying and operationalizing your values so they actually shape your decisions, culture, and day-to-day leadership—not just sit on a wall collecting dust.   Here’s What’s in the Episode: You don’t need a new you—you need self-leadership. And self-leadership starts with clarity, not hustle. Values are a business strategy, not a personality exercise. Values-driven cultures consistently outperform on revenue, retention, and trust. Clarity beats willpower every time. When your values are named, defined, and operationalized, decisions get easier—and alignment follows. Words don’t create culture. Behavior does. Values only matter when they show up in how you lead, communicate, and make decisions under pressure. Key Takeaway Values are more than aspirational. The need to be operational to cultivate joy.   About the Host: Jenn Whitmer Jenn is an international keynote speaker, leadership consultant, and the founder of Joyosity™, helping leaders create positive, profitable cultures through connection, curiosity, and joy. With a background in communication, conflict resolution, and team dynamics, Jenn helps leaders and organizations navigate complex people challenges, reduce burnout, and build flourishing workplaces. Her insights have resonated with audiences worldwide, blending real-world leadership expertise, engaging storytelling, and a dash of humor to make the hard stuff easier. Whether on stage, in workshops, or with coaching clients, Jenn equips leaders with the tools they need to solve conflict, cultivate communication, and lead with purpose. Her book Joyosity and the Joyosity Works Playbooks offer leaders a fresh approach to joy at work that builds real results.   Resources & Links: Get Joyosity and the Joyosity Works Playbook Joyosity: How to Cultivate Intense Happiness in Work & Life (Even If Things Are What They Are) Joy isn’t extra. Joy is how you thrive. This book gives leaders the tools to turn exhaustion into resilience and build cultures where work is a joy, people are whole, and organizations flourish. Joyosity Works Playbook: Practical Plays and Strategies for Joy at Work and Beyond is the official companion workbook to Joyosity to help you practice joy every day. Find links to purchase at https://jennwhitmer.com/books or you may even see it in the airport this month. Free 99: Get your Values Identifier Guide → You can’t lead with confidence if you’re unclear on what matters. This free guide helps you identify and define your top five values—so your choices stop feeling like darts in the dark. jennwhitmer.com/values-guide Ready to Make a Plan: Joyosity™ Jumpstart → Get crystal clear on what you want, what’s in the way, and how to move forward with traction. Starting the Journey: Enneagram Navigator → Stop guessing your type. In this 1:1 session, get clarity on your motivations and blind spots. Ready to Dive In: Joyosity™ Intensive → A one-day transformative experience to realign with your values and build a practical plan for joyful leadership. A Party for More: Bring Jenn & the Joy to Speak → Bring the spark (not just the spark notes!) to your whole team with contagious joy, practical tools, and plenty of laughter. Loved this episode? Rate, review, and share with a fellow leader who’s ready to ditch the drama and lead with more joy, curiosity, and clarity.

You don't cultivate joy in a vacuum.   You practice it at the dinner table, in hallway drive-bys, during crunch time, and when the person you love most has the office door shut… again.   In this episode, I invited my family into the conversation to talk honestly about what the last year and a half of writing Joyosity actually looked like from the inside. Writing a book may have my name on the cover, but it was never a solo act.   This episode is tender, funny, occasionally chaotic, and deeply honest about the cost and beauty of meaningful work.   Spoiler: This is a much longer than our typical episodes, but it has gummy bears, procrastibaking, missed dinners, deflated balloons, and a lot of love.   Here’s What’s in the Episode: Joy is not a personality trait—it’s a practice. And it shows up (or doesn’t) in how we handle stress, conflict, and discouragement at home and at work. Big work affects the whole system. Writing a book, leading a team, or building a culture always asks something of the people around you. Creative work always has a “this is terrible” phase. You don’t get to skip discouragement—you get to move through it. Leadership lessons are transferable. The same principles that work in organizations show up in dorm rooms, summer camps, theater companies, and families. Joy has to be durable. If joy only works when things are easy, it’s not joy—it’s a balloon waiting to pop.   Moments You’ll Hear (and probably laugh at) How my family knew the book was getting intense (hint: missing mugs and increased gummy-bear consumption) The rise and fall of procrast-baking (including truly terrible cookies) What changed in our household rhythms—and what was harder than expected Why writing forces distillation, and why that’s both humbling and necessary The story behind the deflated “Y” balloon on the Joyosity cover How joy, play, and leadership show up in real-life conflict (siblings included)   Family-Level Truths One of the most honest moments in this conversation is naming what was hard: less availability, missed conversations, unpredictable timelines, and watching someone you love doubt themselves. We also named what made us proud: the integrity of the work, the impact it’s already having, and the reminder that meaningful things are rarely easy—but they are worth it.   Key Takeaway Big leadership moments don’t happen on stage—they happen in kitchens, hallways, and hard conversations.   About the Guests: The Whitmer Cavalcade My four kids Chase, Stuart, Sabrina, and Annalise, and my husband, Michael Whitmer.   About the Host: Jenn Whitmer Jenn is an international keynote speaker, leadership consultant, and the founder of Joyosity™, helping leaders create positive, profitable cultures through connection, curiosity, and joy. With a background in communication, conflict resolution, and team dynamics, Jenn helps leaders and organizations navigate complex people challenges, reduce burnout, and build flourishing workplaces. Her insights have resonated with audiences worldwide, blending real-world leadership expertise, engaging storytelling, and a dash of humor to make the hard stuff easier. Whether on stage, in workshops, or with coaching clients, Jenn equips leaders with the tools they need to solve conflict, cultivate communication, and lead with purpose. Her book Joyosity and the Joyosity Works Playbooks hit shelves December 9, 2025, offering leaders a fresh approach to joy at work that builds real results.   Resources & Links: Get Joyosity and the Joyosity Works Playbook Joyosity: How to Cultivate Intense Happiness in Work & Life (Even If Things Are What They Are) Joy isn’t extra. Joy is how you thrive. This book gives leaders the tools to turn exhaustion into resilience and build cultures where work is a joy, people are whole, and organizations flourish. Joyosity Works Playbook: Practical Plays and Strategies for Joy at Work and Beyond is the official companion workbook to Joyosity to help you practice joy every day. Find links to purchase at https://jennwhitmer.com/books   Ready to Make a Plan: Joyosity™ Jumpstart → Get crystal clear on what you want, what’s in the way, and how to move forward with traction. Starting the Journey: Enneagram Navigator → Stop guessing your type. In this 1:1 session, get clarity on your motivations and blind spots. Ready to Dive In: Joyosity™ Intensive → A one-day transformative experience to realign with your values and build a practical plan for joyful leadership. A Party for More: Bring Jenn & the Joy to Speak → Bring the spark (not just the spark notes!) to your whole team with contagious joy, practical tools, and plenty of laughter. Loved this episode? Rate, review, and share with a fellow leader who’s ready to ditch the drama and lead with more joy, curiosity, and clarity.

Grit isn't it. You need joy in community.   In this second half of our Disneyland conversation, we shift from rides and rain ponchos to something deeper: how community and belonging make joy stick when life is brutal.   My friends and I talk about what it really looks like to have people who’ve got your back—through job changes, grief, divorce, parenting, and the everyday “I cannot do one more hard thing” moments. From a weekly group that’s met for 15 years, to long-distance friendships sustained by Marco Polo, to a monthly “Food Club” that became a lifeline, we unpack how joy and resilience are built together, not alone.   We also dig into: why saying “yes” to embodied, in-person time changes your brain, why most adults stop marking milestones (and why that’s a problem), how the gap and the gain framework helps leaders see how far they’ve come, and why celebrating after hard things isn’t denial—it’s evidence that you’re still here and still growing.   Here’s What’s in the Episode: Community is resilience infrastructure, not a bonus. Joy and resilience go hand-in-hand when you have people who will listen, pray, problem-solve, or just sit with you so you can take the next step instead of staying stuck. Belonging doesn’t magically appear—you build it. “Everybody wants the village, but nobody wants to be a villager.” Showing up, checking in, hosting, inviting, and going first are how leaders create real community in life and at work. Embodied time together literally changes how you feel. Moving from “once-a-year girls’ trip” to more frequent in-person time deepened connection and created a rooted sense of belonging—what your team also needs, beyond Slack and email. Celebration marks the gain, not just the goal. Using the gap and the gain idea, we talk about how consciously looking back at what you’ve survived and accomplished builds self-efficacy, confidence, and courage for the next hard thing. Most meaningful wins are a group sport. Writing a book is solitary, but finishing and celebrating it isn’t. Leadership works the same way—you may carry the title, but you don’t carry the load alone (or at least, you shouldn’t).   Key Takeaway Joy and resilience aren’t solo acts — leaders thrive when they build and lean on real community.   About the Guests: A Quorum of the March Girls These women are real-life leaders throughout the country. Camille leads an area for a global nonprofit, Jen is a PhD science educator and program consultant, and Sarah is a pediatric occupational therapist with a neonatal specialty. The four of us, plus Lindsay a trainer to professional athletes, have been friends for more than 30 years. So this is the behind the scenes of real-life leaders celebrating at Disneyland.   About the Host: Jenn Whitmer Jenn is an international keynote speaker, leadership consultant, and the founder of Joyosity™, helping leaders create positive, profitable cultures through connection, curiosity, and joy. With a background in communication, conflict resolution, and team dynamics, Jenn helps leaders and organizations navigate complex people challenges, reduce burnout, and build flourishing workplaces. Her insights have resonated with audiences worldwide, blending real-world leadership expertise, engaging storytelling, and a dash of humor to make the hard stuff easier. Whether on stage, in workshops, or with coaching clients, Jenn equips leaders with the tools they need to solve conflict, cultivate communication, and lead with purpose. Her book Joyosity and the Joyosity Works Playbooks hit shelves December 9, 2025, offering leaders a fresh approach to joy at work that builds real results.   Resources & Links: Get Joyosity: Joyosity: How to Cultivate Intense Happiness in Work & Life (Even If Things Are What They Are) Joy isn’t extra. Joy is how you thrive. This book gives leaders the tools to turn exhaustion into resilience and build cultures where work is a joy, people are whole, and organizations flourish. https://jennwhitmer.com/books Ready to Make a Plan: Joyosity™ Jumpstart → Get crystal clear on what you want, what’s in the way, and how to move forward with traction. Starting the Journey: Enneagram Navigator → Stop guessing your type. In this 1:1 session, get clarity on your motivations and blind spots. Ready to Dive In: Joyosity™ Intensive → A one-day transformative experience to realign with your values and build a practical plan for joyful leadership. A Party for More: Bring Jenn & the Joy to Speak → Bring the spark (not just the spark notes!) to your whole team with contagious joy, practical tools, and plenty of laughter. Loved this episode? Rate, review, and share with a fellow leader who’s ready to ditch the drama and lead with more joy, curiosity, and clarity.

Real leaders. In the rain. Still celebrating.   In this behind-the-scenes joy experiment, I take you to Disneyland with three of my closest friends—including one who witnessed the birth of the Joyosity book idea… from a raft.   We talk about why celebration matters, why leaders resist it, how play actually works in real adult life (hint: it’s not all spontaneous whimsy), and the real fear we have of joy.   Sprinkled throughout: a Star Wars ride, soaked clothes, a debate about cringe, deep laughter, and research-backed insights you can use tomorrow.   Here’s What’s in the Episode: 5:52 Celebration isn’t extra—it’s a strategic reset. Intentional celebration helps your brain overcome negativity bias and reinforces evidence that you can do hard things. Leaders need this more than they think. 8:27 Play is a productivity tool, not a luxury. Whether it’s crafting, hiking, or joking with coworkers, play restores innovation, problem-solving, and emotional resilience. When leaders don’t play, they get stuck. Literally. 17:11 Childlike ≠ childish. Childish behavior derails workplaces (tantrums, gossip, baby-talk politics). Childlike behavior brings curiosity, wonder, creativity, and openness to “what if?” — the soil where innovation grows.   Key Takeaway Play, rest, and celebration aren’t indulgences; they’re performance tools that keep leaders (and teams) from getting stuck.   About the Guests: A Quorum of the March Girls These women are real-life leaders throughout the country. Camille leads an area for a global nonprofit, Jen is a PhD science educator and program consultant, and Sarah is a pediatric occupational therapist with a neonatal specialty. The four of us, plus Lindsay a trainer to professional athletes, have been friends for more than 30 years. So this is the behind the scenes of real-life leaders celebrating at Disneyland.   About the Host: Jenn Whitmer Jenn is an international keynote speaker, leadership consultant, and the founder of Joyosity™, helping leaders create positive, profitable cultures through connection, curiosity, and joy. With a background in communication, conflict resolution, and team dynamics, Jenn helps leaders and organizations navigate complex people challenges, reduce burnout, and build flourishing workplaces. Her insights have resonated with audiences worldwide, blending real-world leadership expertise, engaging storytelling, and a dash of humor to make the hard stuff easier. Whether on stage, in workshops, or with coaching clients, Jenn equips leaders with the tools they need to solve conflict, cultivate communication, and lead with purpose. Her book Joyosity and the Joyosity Works Playbooks hit shelves December 9, 2025, offering leaders a fresh approach to joy at work that builds real results.     Resources & Links: Get Joyosity: Joyosity: How to Cultivate Intense Happiness in Work & Life (Even If Things Are What They Are) Joy isn’t extra. Joy is how you thrive. This book gives leaders the tools to turn exhaustion into resilience and build cultures where work is a joy, people are whole, and organizations flourish. https://jennwhitmer.com/books   Ready to Make a Plan: Joyosity™ Jumpstart → Get crystal clear on what you want, what’s in the way, and how to move forward with traction. Starting the Journey: Enneagram Navigator → Stop guessing your type. In this 1:1 session, get clarity on your motivations and blind spots. Ready to Dive In: Joyosity™ Intensive → A one-day transformative experience to realign with your values and build a practical plan for joyful leadership. A Party for More: Bring Jenn & the Joy to Speak → Bring the spark (not just the spark notes!) to your whole team with contagious joy, practical tools, and plenty of laughter. Loved this episode? Rate, review, and share with a fellow leader who’s ready to ditch the drama and lead with more joy, curiosity, and clarity.

What if the very thing you were told was “too much” is actually your greatest gift?   In this Q&A episode, Jenn Whitmer continues the conversation from last week with listener questions about speaking, writing, and what it feels like to launch her first book, Joyosity: How to Cultivate Intense Happiness in Work & Life (Even If Things Are What They Are).   From hearing the old “Jenn Show” story, to finding freedom on stage, Jenn shares how embodied learning creates real transformation, why editing is an act of courage, and how vulnerability and excitement coexist when you release something into the world.   This episode is a behind-the-scenes masterclass in purpose, process, and rewriting the stories that keeps us small.   Here’s What’s in the Episode: 1:30 What do you love about speaking? 6:00 How did you choose what to put in your book and what to cut? 13:05 How did you feel waiting for the book to launch? Were you nervous?” Key Takeaway Your "too much story" is the secret to your joy and success.   About the Host: Jenn Whitmer Jenn is an international keynote speaker, leadership consultant, and the founder of Joyosity™, helping leaders create positive, profitable cultures through connection, curiosity, and joy. With a background in communication, conflict resolution, and team dynamics, Jenn helps leaders and organizations navigate complex people challenges, reduce burnout, and build flourishing workplaces. Her insights have resonated with audiences worldwide, blending real-world leadership expertise, engaging storytelling, and a dash of humor to make the hard stuff easier. Whether on stage, in workshops, or with coaching clients, Jenn equips leaders with the tools they need to solve conflict, cultivate communication, and lead with purpose. Her upcoming book Joyosity hits shelves December 9, 2025, offering leaders a fresh approach to joy at work that builds real results.   Resources & Links: Preorder Joyosity: Joyosity: How to Cultivate Intense Happiness in Work & Life (Even If Things Are What They Are) Joy isn’t extra. Joy is how you thrive. This book gives leaders the tools to turn exhaustion into resilience and build cultures where work is a joy, people are whole, and organizations flourish. Ready to Make a Plan: Joyosity™ Jumpstart → Get crystal clear on what you want, what’s in the way, and how to move forward with traction. Starting the Journey: Enneagram Navigator → Stop guessing your type. In this 1:1 session, get clarity on your motivations and blind spots. Ready to Dive In: Joyosity™ Intensive → A one-day transformative experience to realign with your values and build a practical plan for joyful leadership. A Party for More: Bring Jenn & the Joy to Speak → Bring the spark (not just the spark notes!) to your whole team with contagious joy, practical tools, and plenty of laughter. Loved this episode? Rate, review, and share with a fellow leader who’s ready to ditch the drama and lead with more joy, curiosity, and clarity.

Questions aren’t just curiosity—they’re power.   In this special Q&A episode, Jenn Whitmer answers listener questions from Instagram about leadership, life, and the Joyosity™ framework. From how to rest in chaotic seasons to understanding what doesn’t quite fit about your Enneagram type, to why coaching transforms what you know into what you can do, this episode is full of practical wisdom and playful insight. Most leaders quit right before growth clicks into place, simply because they don’t understand where they are in the process of change.   Here’s What’s in the Episode: 3:00 How do you rest in busy seasons? 7:04 Are there parts of your Enneagram number that don’t ring true for you? 15:05 Why does coaching or getting support matter—can’t I just read something?   Key Takeaway Rest is a weapon. Coaching is a rocket booster. Questions are power. The best leaders use all three to cultivate joy that lasts. About the Host: Jenn Whitmer Jenn is an international keynote speaker, leadership consultant, and the founder of Joyosity™, helping leaders create positive, profitable cultures through connection, curiosity, and joy. With a background in communication, conflict resolution, and team dynamics, Jenn helps leaders and organizations navigate complex people challenges, reduce burnout, and build flourishing workplaces. Her insights have resonated with audiences worldwide, blending real-world leadership expertise, engaging storytelling, and a dash of humor to make the hard stuff easier. Whether on stage, in workshops, or with coaching clients, Jenn equips leaders with the tools they need to solve conflict, cultivate communication, and lead with purpose. Her upcoming book Joyosity hits shelves December 9, 2025, offering leaders a fresh approach to joy at work that builds real results.   Resources & Links: Preorder Joyosity: Joyosity: How to Cultivate Intense Happiness in Work & Life (Even If Things Are What They Are) Joy isn’t extra. Joy is how you thrive. This book gives leaders the tools to turn exhaustion into resilience and build cultures where work is a joy, people are whole, and organizations flourish.   Ready to Make a Plan: Joyosity™ Jumpstart → Get crystal clear on what you want, what’s in the way, and how to move forward with traction. Starting the Journey: Enneagram Navigator → Stop guessing your type. In this 1:1 session, get clarity on your motivations and blind spots. Ready to Dive In: Joyosity™ Intensive → A one-day transformative experience to realign with your values and build a practical plan for joyful leadership. A Party for More: Bring Jenn & the Joy to Speak → Bring the spark (not just the spark notes!) to your whole team with contagious joy, practical tools, and plenty of laughter. Loved this episode? Rate, review, and share with a fellow leader who’s ready to ditch the drama and lead with more joy, curiosity, and clarity.

Most leaders quit right before growth clicks into place, simply because they don’t understand where they are in the process of change.   In this episode, Jenn Whitmer unpacks the four stages of change every leader experiences when learning a new skill — from “I don’t even know what I don’t know” to “I can do this without thinking.” Drawing from Joyosity: How to Cultivate Intense Happiness in Work & Life (Even If Things Are What They Are), Jenn reveals why information isn’t transformation—and what it really takes to move from stuck to thriving.   Here’s What’s in the Episode: 1:25 Why change feels uncomfortable—and how to make it easier. 3:10 The four stages of individual change. 5:45 Why “information ain’t transformation". 12:20 How repetition rewires your brain and builds new “muscle memory”. 15:30 How to know you’ve reached lasting change. Key Takeaway Information isn’t transformation—change happens when you keep practicing through the messy middle.   About the Host: Jenn Whitmer Jenn is an international keynote speaker, leadership consultant, and the founder of Joyosity™, helping leaders create positive, profitable cultures through connection, curiosity, and joy. With a background in communication, conflict resolution, and team dynamics, Jenn helps leaders and organizations navigate complex people challenges, reduce burnout, and build flourishing workplaces. Her insights have resonated with audiences worldwide, blending real-world leadership expertise, engaging storytelling, and a dash of humor to make the hard stuff easier. Whether on stage, in workshops, or with coaching clients, Jenn equips leaders with the tools they need to solve conflict, cultivate communication, and lead with purpose. Her upcoming book Joyosity hits shelves December 9, 2025, offering leaders a fresh approach to joy at work that builds real results.   Resources & Links: Preorder Joyosity: Joyosity: How to Cultivate Intense Happiness in Work & Life (Even If Things Are What They Are) Joy isn’t extra. Joy is how you thrive. This book gives leaders the tools to turn exhaustion into resilience and build cultures where work is a joy, people are whole, and organizations flourish. Ready to Make a Plan: Joyosity™ Jumpstart → Get crystal clear on what you want, what’s in the way, and how to move forward with traction. Starting the Journey: Enneagram Navigator → Stop guessing your type. In this 1:1 session, get clarity on your motivations and blind spots. Ready to Dive In: Joyosity™ Intensive → A one-day transformative experience to realign with your values and build a practical plan for joyful leadership. A Party for More: Bring Jenn & the Joy to Speak → Bring the spark (not just the spark notes!) to your whole team with contagious joy, practical tools, and plenty of laughter. Loved this episode? Rate, review, and share with a fellow leader who’s ready to ditch the drama and lead with more joy, curiosity, and clarity.

All work and no play doesn’t make you dull—it makes you dangerous.   When was the last time you truly played? Not performed, produced, or achieved—but actually played. Most leaders have forgotten how, and it’s quietly costing them creativity, energy, and connection. In this solo episode, Jenn Whitmer unpacks why play isn’t childish—it’s strategic. Drawing from neuroscience, leadership studies, and real-world examples, Jenn shows how play powers mastery, problem-solving, and joyful productivity.   Without structures, joy gets swallowed by stress, disorganization, and reactivity.   Here’s What’s in the Episode: 1:12 The accreditation story that accidentally became a 10K run. 4:55 What research says about play, absenteeism, and creativity. 7:00 Why the absence of play leads to burnout, bullying, and toxic culture. 9:45 The five truths about play as a leadership practice. 12:00 How flow states and play circuits make you a better problem solver. 14:55 How to find your own play Persona. Key Takeaway Play is serious business.   It’s the hidden engine of creativity, resilience, and joy that powers healthy leadership and thriving teams.   About the Host: Jenn Whitmer Jenn is an international keynote speaker, leadership consultant, and the founder of Joyosity™, helping leaders create positive, profitable cultures through connection, curiosity, and joy. With a background in communication, conflict resolution, and team dynamics, Jenn helps leaders and organizations navigate complex people challenges, reduce burnout, and build flourishing workplaces. Her insights have resonated with audiences worldwide, blending real-world leadership expertise, engaging storytelling, and a dash of humor to make the hard stuff easier. Whether on stage, in workshops, or with coaching clients, Jenn equips leaders with the tools they need to solve conflict, cultivate communication, and lead with purpose. Her upcoming book Joyosity hits shelves December 9, 2025, offering leaders a fresh approach to joy at work that builds real results.   Resources & Links: Preorder Joyosity: Joyosity: How to Cultivate Intense Happiness in Work & Life (Even If Things Are What They Are) Joy isn’t extra. Joy is how you thrive. This book gives leaders the tools to turn exhaustion into resilience and build cultures where work is a joy, people are whole, and organizations flourish. Free 99 Steps Take the Play Persona Quiz. There are eight play personalities. Find your main play style and discover how to use your style to be a better leader, collaborate more efficiently, and have more joy at work. Ready to Make a Plan: Joyosity™ Jumpstart → Get crystal clear on what you want, what’s in the way, and how to move forward with traction. Starting the Journey: Enneagram Navigator → Stop guessing your type. In this 1:1 session, get clarity on your motivations and blind spots. Ready to Dive In: Joyosity™ Intensive → A one-day transformative experience to realign with your values and build a practical plan for joyful leadership. A Party for More: Bring Jenn & the Joy to Speak → Bring the spark (not just the spark notes!) to your whole team with contagious joy, practical tools, and plenty of laughter. Loved this episode? Rate, review, and share with a fellow leader who’s ready to ditch the drama and lead with more joy, curiosity, and clarity.

Chaos costs more than you think — not just in time or money, but in joy.   Without structures, joy gets swallowed by stress, disorganization, and reactivity   In this episode, Jenn Whitmer breaks down why steady systems, rhythms, and rituals are essential for sustaining joy in your leadership and life. Drawing inspiration from Elizabeth Gilbert’s wisdom and backed by behavioral science, Jenn reveals how creating repeatable, life-giving structures protects your energy, improves resilience, and helps you thrive—even when life is what it is.   Here’s What’s in the Episode: 1:30 Why go-with-the-flow quietly destroys your joy. 4:00 What Elizabeth Gilbert knows about creativity and suffering. 7:45 How leaders accidentally normalize anxiety and burnout. 10:50 The three steady structures that sustain joy. 18:50 How to identify what structure you need most.   Key Takeaway Joy doesn’t grow from scattered steps. Joy grows from steady structures.   About the Host: Jenn Whitmer Jenn is an international keynote speaker, leadership consultant, and the founder of Joyosity™, helping leaders create positive, profitable cultures through connection, curiosity, and joy. With a background in communication, conflict resolution, and team dynamics, Jenn helps leaders and organizations navigate complex people challenges, reduce burnout, and build flourishing workplaces. Her insights have resonated with audiences worldwide, blending real-world leadership expertise, engaging storytelling, and a dash of humor to make the hard stuff easier. Whether on stage, in workshops, or with coaching clients, Jenn equips leaders with the tools they need to solve conflict, cultivate communication, and lead with purpose. Her upcoming book Joyosity hits shelves December 9, 2025, offering leaders a fresh approach to joy at work that builds real results.   Resources & Links: Preorder Joyosity: Joyosity: How to Cultivate Intense Happiness in Work & Life (Even If Things Are What They Are) Joy isn’t fluff — it’s fierce strategy. This book gives leaders the tools to turn exhaustion into resilience and build cultures where work is a joy, people are whole, and organizations flourish. Ready to Make a Plan: Joyosity™ Jumpstart → Get crystal clear on what you want, what’s in the way, and how to move forward with traction. Starting the Journey: Enneagram Navigator → Stop guessing your type. In this 1:1 session, get clarity on your motivations and blind spots. Ready to Dive In: Joyosity™ Intensive → A one-day transformative experience to realign with your values and build a practical plan for joyful leadership. A Party for More: Bring Jenn & the Joy to Speak → Bring the spark (not just the spark notes!) to your whole team with contagious joy, practical tools, and plenty of laughter. Loved this episode? Rate, review, and share with a fellow leader who’s ready to ditch the drama and lead with more joy, curiosity, and clarity.

You can’t lead with resilience if your joy reservoir is empty.   Your leadership depends on one thing most leaders forget to refill — your joy reservoir.   This episode of The Joyosity™ Podcast dives into the essential truth that sustainable leadership isn’t about endless hustle — it’s about refilling your joy.   Jenn Whitmer unpacks why motivation and willpower alone will eventually fail, how stress chemicals keep leaders depleted, and the three daily practices that protect and restore your energy: space, safety, and support.   This is your permission slip to stop pouring from empty and lead from overflow instead.   Here’s What’s in the Episode: 1:15 Burnout happens when leaders give more than they refill. 5:22 Neuroscience shows consistent, tiny leadership practices lower anxiety, improve sleep, and increase team engagement. And more joyful leadership for you. 9:45 How to judge where you are as a leader. 10:30 Three practices to cultivate resilient joy.   Key Takeaway You can’t pour joy from dust—refill your reservoir so your leadership flows from overflow, not exhaustion.   About the Host: Jenn Whitmer Jenn is an international keynote speaker, leadership consultant, and the founder of Joyosity™, helping leaders create positive, profitable cultures through connection, curiosity, and joy. With a background in communication, conflict resolution, and team dynamics, Jenn helps leaders and organizations navigate complex people challenges, reduce burnout, and build flourishing workplaces. Her insights have resonated with audiences worldwide, blending real-world leadership expertise, engaging storytelling, and a dash of humor to make the hard stuff easier. Whether on stage, in workshops, or with coaching clients, Jenn equips leaders with the tools they need to solve conflict, cultivate communication, and lead with purpose. Her upcoming book Joyosity hits shelves December 9, 2025, offering leaders a fresh approach to joy at work that builds real results.     Resources & Links: Preorder Joyosity: Joyosity: How to Cultivate Intense Happiness in Work & Life (Even If Things Are What They Are) Joy isn’t fluff — it’s fierce strategy. This book gives leaders the tools to turn exhaustion into resilience and build cultures where work is a joy, people are whole, and organizations flourish.   Ready to Make a Plan: Joyosity™ Jumpstart → Get crystal clear on what you want, what’s in the way, and how to move forward with traction. Starting the Journey: Enneagram Navigator → Stop guessing your type. In this 1:1 session, get clarity on your motivations and blind spots. Ready to Dive In: Joyosity™ Intensive → A one-day transformative experience to realign with your values and build a practical plan for joyful leadership. A Party for More: Bring Jenn & the Joy to Speak → Bring the spark (not just the spark notes!) to your whole team with contagious joy, practical tools, and plenty of laughter. Loved this episode? Rate, review, and share with a fellow leader who’s ready to ditch the drama and lead with more joy, curiosity, and clarity.

Stress won’t take you out in one big blow—it’s the daily drip, drip, drip that erodes your joy. The problem isn’t stress itself. It’s getting stuck in unfinished stress cycles that bury leaders.   In this episode of the Joyosity Podcast, Jenn shares a near-disastrous bus story, the science behind stress cycles, and one surprising practice most leaders ignore—creative expression. You’ll learn why you can’t think your way out of stress and the small actions that actually restore your capacity to lead with joy.   Here’s What’s in the Episode 0:50 An unlikely story that shows why unresolved stress keeps you stuck. 4:40 The science of stress cycles and why most leaders never close them. 8:05 The serious health and leadership costs of chronic stress. 12:10 Stressor vs. stress vs. stress cycle (and why the difference matters). 17:08 Practical ways to build stress-closing habits into daily life.   Key Takeaway You can’t think your way out of stress—you must practice your way through.   About the Host: Jenn Whitmer Jenn is an international keynote speaker, leadership consultant, and the founder of Joyosity™, helping leaders create positive, profitable cultures through connection, curiosity, and joy. With a background in communication, conflict resolution, and team dynamics, Jenn helps leaders and organizations navigate complex people challenges, reduce burnout, and build flourishing workplaces. Her insights have resonated with audiences worldwide, blending real-world leadership expertise, engaging storytelling, and a dash of humor to make the hard stuff easier. Whether on stage, in workshops, or with coaching clients, Jenn equips leaders with the tools they need to solve conflict, cultivate communication, and lead with purpose. Her upcoming book Joyosity hits shelves fall 2025, offering leaders a fresh approach to joy at work that builds real results.   Resources & Links: Preorder Joyosity: Joyosity: How to Cultivate Intense Happiness in Work & Life (Even If Things Are What They Are) Joy isn’t extra — it’s fierce strategy. This book gives leaders the tools to turn exhaustion into resilience and build cultures where work is a joy, people are whole, and organizations flourish. Ready to Make a Plan: Joyosity™ Jumpstart → Get crystal clear on what you want, what’s in the way, and how to move forward with traction. Starting the Journey: Enneagram Navigator → Stop guessing your type. In this 1:1 session, get clarity on your motivations and blind spots. Ready to Dive In: Joyosity™ Intensive → A one-day transformative experience to realign with your values and build a practical plan for joyful leadership. A Party for More: Bring Jenn & the Joy to Speak → Bring the spark (not just the spark notes!) to your whole team with contagious joy, practical tools, and plenty of laughter. Loved this episode? Rate, review, and share with a fellow leader who’s ready to ditch the drama and lead with more joy, curiosity, and clarity.