Finding Joy

Ever notice how the moment you let yourself truly want something, shame shows up like an uninvited guest? What feels like selfish desire might actually be your inner wisdom trying to guide you toward the life you're meant to live. In this episode, Leona explores the "shame slough" – that murky, uncomfortable space between wanting something and actually pursuing it. You'll discover why vulnerabilit...

Registered dietitian Kristyn Hall reveals why midlife demands we abandon the calorie-counting games of our younger years and embrace a radically different approach to nourishment – one that prioritizes elevation over manipulation. In this conversation, Kristyn introduces her two-bucket framework for supporting women through midlife nutrition challenges, from ending "calorie hoarding" to understand...

What if everything racing through your mind right now – your endless to-do list, that low hum of urgency – doesn't actually matter as much as you think? Research shows that our dopamine-driven, checkbox mentality can become as addictive as a slot machine, keeping us productive but rarely fulfilled. Arthur Brooks' groundbreaking happiness research reveals three pillars that create genuine meaning:...

What happens when life forces you to completely reinvent yourself in your thirties? Leadership coach and former principal ballerina Kerrie Alanen discovered that losing everything she thought defined her was actually the key to finding who she really was. In this thoughtful conversation, Kerrie shares her journey from the stage to the boardroom, revealing the research-backed practices that helped...

Why do so many of us struggle to live authentically, even when we know who we are deep down? Leona deVinne reveals that finding joy isn't about positive thinking or life hacks – it's about doing the brave work of owning who you really are. Through the JOY framework and three powerful personas, this episode provides a research-backed roadmap from clarity to confidence to courage. You'll discover wh...

What if everything you chased – success, validation, achievement – wasn’t what truly mattered? Leona deVinne sits down with her partner, Rod Miller, to explore how trauma, identity, and a life-changing cancer diagnosis reshaped his definition of fulfilment. Rod shares raw reflections on resilience, healing, and letting go of inherited expectations. Together, they unpack how adversity can clarify w...

Ever had a day where joy felt impossible to find? In this minisode, I unpack the ‘3 Ps’ of resilient people, from Martin Seligman. Next time life gets messy – remember the key takeaway: Check your thinking, stay centered, and come back to joy. You’ve got this. Connect with Finding Joy: Website: https://www.leonadevinne.com and https://devillepartners.com   Subscribe for weekly emails: https://ghl....

Welcome to Finding Joy! In this season’s opening episode, I provide a candid exploration of my own relationship with joy – especially how it shows up in life’s messiest moments.  Tune in as I share my philosophy: joy isn’t about ignoring pain or spreading superficial positivity, but rather it’s deeply linked to authenticity, meaning, and finding purpose even when circumstances are tough. Through s...

🎙️ Finding Your Joy Spot with Leona deVinne Episode Title: The Vulnerability Hangover Length: 5–6 minutes 💡 Episode Summary What does The Lion King have to do with courage, self-doubt, and grace? In this honest and relatable episode, author and guide Leona deVinne shares a story about waking up with what Brené Brown calls a vulnerability hangover, that moment when bravery feels more like panic th...

Episode Title: Be a Bob: The Hardest Thing I Did Wasn’t Changing the Tire Host: Leona deVinne Podcast: Finding Your Joy Spot Episode Overview In this heartfelt and surprisingly funny reflection, Leona shares the story of a flat tire that turned into an unexpected retreat — and the moment she realized that the hardest thing she did that day wasn’t changing the tire. It was asking for help. From a d...

What if your life were a movie — and the audience was screaming for you to stop hiding? In this episode of Finding Your Joy Spot , Leona explores the paradox so many of us live: desperately wanting to be seen, while making ourselves invisible through people-pleasing, perfecting, and performing. You’ll learn:  ✨ Why being needed isn’t the same as being valued  ✨ How to take off the “superhero clo...

What if the highest tax you’re paying isn’t financial — but personal? In this episode of Finding Your Joy Spot , Leona introduces the concept of the Integrity Tax : the hidden cost of saying yes when you want to say no, of staying small when you’re called to more, and of silencing your truth. Drawing on personal stories, Brené Brown’s research on resentment, and Gabor Maté’s insights on health, Le...

Bury Doubt Before It Buries You Episode Summary Doubt has a way of slipping in quietly, convincing you that you’re not ready, not enough, or not the right person for the job. And when we believe it, we start living smaller—bit by bit—until we’re only bringing a fraction of ourselves into the world. In this episode of Finding Your Joy Spot , Leona shares how she confronted her own self-doubt—litera...

Finding Your Joy Spot - Episode: When Finding Your Voice Requires a Shovel  Episode Summary In this episode, Leona explores why women often silence themselves, play small, or soften their edges in both personal and professional settings. Drawing from evolutionary psychology and her own Lioness Project research, she discusses how our ancient brain wiring still impacts how we show up today—and what...

Description: What started as a staycation quickly turned into something deeper—a Soul Spa-a sweet slice of homemade goodness. In this episode, I share what happened when I gave myself two weeks of intentional nurturing: daily meditation, quiet contemplation, healing sessions, writing, painting, and simple moments of presence. I talk about reconnecting with what matters most, letting my inner five-...

Joy in the Dark: How Small Moments Saved Me In this episode, I reflect on what it means to find joy, not in the obvious places, but in the challenging ones. This week marks 10 years since my son’s brain surgery, and it’s stirred something deep in me. I didn’t find joy the way many people talk about it. For me, it came in little spots—tiny moments that gave me just enough grace to get through the d...

Speaking Up: A Muscle I'm Still Building  Have you ever felt that wave of nausea after sending a perfectly respectful message, only to spiral into fear that someone might be mad at you? Yeah… me too. In this episode, I share a moment that reminded me how deeply our childhood wiring can still influence our adult reactions—especially when it comes to using our voice. What started as a simple email e...

This week on Finding Your Joy Spot , I’m sharing something I wrote in my journal—not knowing if it was just for me, or if it might matter to someone else, too.  When I reread it, it hit differently. It reminded me of how often we tuck away our truths, afraid of what might happen if we actually said them out loud. In this episode, we talk about:  — What it costs to silence ourselves  — The fear of...

What if joy isn’t something you chase—but something you experience when you Just Own You? In this episode, I share the story behind my why and how a quiet moment during a hellish season of life revealed my deeper purpose: to spread joy.  Not performative happiness. But the kind of joy that lives deep in your bones—the kind that emerges when you Just Own You. I’ll walk you through how I discovered...