Joystarters with Rachel Baribeau: Nurturing Faith, Finding Purpose, and Pursuing Joyful Living

A soul-call to every healer, noticer, helper, and joy starter to love boldly, guard your mind, and step into your assignment—today. Content Warning: Mentions of political violence, murder, mental health crises, and spiritual warfare. Listener discretion advised—especially for children. Please preview before sharing with minors. Context for listeners: news this week includes the assassination of Ch...

This week on the Joy Starters Podcast , we’re back in Italy—this time in the seaside town of Cefalù, Sicily . What began as a birthday trip gifted by my beloved Aunt Kay became a life-changing journey about dreams, openness, and the courage to notice the beauty (and people) right in front of us. In this episode, I share: How my aunt gave me the gift of travel and sparked a lifetime of dreaming. Th...

What does it take to leave behind the ordinary and live your dream life? In this episode of the Joystarters Podcast , Rachel sits down with her dear friends Bob and Phyllis Brugh—two retired flight attendants who turned their dream of living in Italy into reality. From flipping houses in the U.S. to buying and restoring property in Sicily (even appearing on House Hunters along the way!), Bob and P...

What does it mean to lead with soul—even when it costs you everything? In this episode, Rachel takes us on a journey from Sicily to Nazi Germany to the 1936 Berlin Olympics, telling the story of Luz Long, the German athlete who defied Hitler to help Jesse Owens. Their friendship, sacrifice, and courage have shaped how Rachel speaks in prisons, NFL locker rooms, and healthcare conferences. From vis...

In this season opener, Rachel Joy Baribeau welcomes you into an unforgettable journey through Italy — a season filled with history, divine encounters, and the beauty of living like a local. From standing in awe at Pompeii to chasing down a shop owner in Rome and ending up at dinner with his family, Rachel shares the serendipitous moments that only happen when you release control and open yourself...

In this replay of an Instagram Live from her Minneapolis hotel room, Rachel reflects before speaking to the Minnesota Gophers football team for the ninth year in a row. From NFL meeting notes to God-given middle-of-the-night inspiration, she shares the importance of caring for yourself before you pour into others, discovering your “soul’s superpower,” and never dying with your flowers. You’ll hear...

We’re bringing you a powerful episode from the Boy Man King podcast—because this conversation was too good not to share with our community.  🎧 You’ve got to meet these guys. Rachel recently appeared on  the Boy Man King podcast, and we knew we had to share this conversation with our Joystarters community. Not only did the hosts create a powerful and safe space for real talk, but the conversation...

Rachel Joy Baribeau shares a behind-the-scenes look at her whirlwind trip from Italy to Pittsburgh, where she spoke to both the Pitt football and basketball teams. With less than 24 hours on the ground, she brought her signature fire, faith, and purpose-driven message—reminding us all that we are on assignment. Rachel reflects on what it means to be a “sacred space holder,” the power of giving peo...

We are visiting the archives for a bit this summer as Rachel travels, writes and spends time with family. In this episode, she takes us back to the moment she chose to leave behind her 17-year career in sportscasting to pursue what truly set her soul on fire. With honesty, humor, and heart, she shares the story of her emotional leap of faith—including the retirement letter she wrote mid-flight, th...

In this episode from the vault, Rachel challenges us to stop waiting for "someday" and start living with full authenticity today . She shares what it means to be nostalgic for the present moment, to embrace our imperfections while staying in a state of healing, and to show up boldly—even when it’s messy.  You'll hear the behind-the-scenes of building her movement, launching her mastermind, and lea...

For the next few weeks, we are going into the vault to share past episodes. This week takes us back to January of 2024 where Rachel reflects on what it means to be seen while we’re growing—messy, honest, and beautifully unfinished. From calling out the “disappear and come back different” culture to unpacking the difference between solitude and isolation, Rachel urges us to stop hiding and start sh...

This episode is a collection of moments—from Rachel’s recent prison ministry experience to her reflections after speaking at the Next Level Speakers Conference, plus highlights from this past season. You’ll hear coaching breakthroughs, sacred conversations, vulnerable stories of grief, marriage healing, addiction recovery, and deep soul work. It’s unfiltered. It’s emotional. And it’s packed with t...

Trigger Warning:  This episode contains deeply personal reflections and discussions around financial trauma, mental health struggles, and loss. Listener discretion is advised, especially for young listeners. In this unfiltered, unscripted finale to the season, Rachel shares a raw account of a recent emotional spiral that began with a bank visit—and turned into a powerful moment of healing, humilit...

This week’s episode is a patchwork of Rachel’s life on the road, recorded in the moment, with all the emotion, joy, exhaustion, and divine timing she’s known for. You’ll hear Rachel share voice notes from her travels: from a bookstore surprise in San Francisco to a full-circle speaking moment with the 49ers, a serendipitous return to Ohio State on her birthday, and all the beautiful, messy, sacred...

We’re doing something different—and deeply special—this week. We’re celebrating the birthday of a woman who doesn’t just speak… she  shifts  rooms. A woman who has turned pain into purpose, setbacks into soul work, and who has helped thousands find their voice, their fight, and their joy. This episode is a birthday tribute to  Rachel Joy Baribeau , the heart behind  I’m Changing the Narrative  and...

Rachel welcomes her friend Karen McCord, mother of beloved sportscaster Carly McCord, who tragically died in a 2019 plane crash. Together, they explore themes of grief, faith, signs from the afterlife, and a mother’s journey to healing. Karen shares the powerful inspiration behind her book Only Rainbows: A Mother’s Memoir of Courage, Loss, and Grace , which began as a journal of pain and became a...

Rachel sits down with Shannon and Shirley Austin—the couple she credits with saving her marriage. What starts as a conversation about marriage coaching unfolds into a heart-deep exploration of personal accountability, emotional maturity, and the power of radical self-reflection. They unpack the hidden dynamics that erode intimacy, the courage it takes to change ourselves (not our partners), and th...

This week, Rachel sits down with top global speaker Jeremy Anderson to discuss transformation, transparency, and truth. From drug addiction and nightclub hustling to global stages and life-changing mentorship, Jeremy shares how surrendering to God’s plan unlocked a bold new chapter of purpose. Together, Rachel and Jeremy explore what it means to lead with obedience, live in radical authenticity, a...

Rachel pulls back the curtain on the NFL Draft and shares the raw, human stories behind the headlines. These young men are more than numbers on a stat sheet—they are sons, brothers, dreamers, and warriors battling far more than just opponents on the field. She also recounts an unexpected moment during a routine trip to buy pond rocks—a reminder that meaning often finds us in the middle of the ordi...

Rachel catches us up on her life, her work, and the beautiful mess of pursuing healing, joy, and purpose. She shares lessons learned about being curious about your health, grace-filled toward yourself, and bold in your relationships and dreams. From reflections on losing loved ones to celebrating resilience and new beginnings, Rachel reminds us: your life matters, your story matters, and your will...

This episode was recorded live at The Lovelady Center in Birmingham, Alabama. It is PART TWO of Rachel's talk. Rachel brings a raw, spirit-led word to women in the thick of it—those still waiting, still hurting, still hoping. She’s not sharing a tidy little testimony. She’s bleeding truth and beauty all over the mic. This message begs you to stop hiding your story. Start telling it. Your healing i...

This episode was recorded live at The Lovelady Center in Birmingham, Alabama. Rachel delivers a raw, spirit-led message forged in the middle of her own storm—just days after a slew of personal situations nearly derailed her visit. She showed up anyway, with a word straight from heaven for the women in the room—and now, for you. This isn’t a polished sermon—it’s radical vulnerability, real-life fai...

In this compilation episode, Rachel brings together powerful moments from multiple podcasts and Joystarters Club meetings, all centered around one big idea: transformation. The world might feel a bit scary and chaotic right now, especially when it comes to our economy and personal stability—so our hope with this episode is to give you encouragement and some practical tools to take action where you...

This week, we are going back into the vault and sharing excepts from our Table Talk Thursday Series that launched when Rachel's book, Relentless Joy, launched. In this episode, Rachel and Natasha talk about using your pain for purpose, radical vulnerability, and the importance of having a battle plan for your mental health. TRIGGER WARNING: She shares personal stories of addiction, domestic violen...

This week we are going into the vault. You’ll hear portions of two interviews from the past. The first one is with Darren O’Neal of the Darren O’Neal Show . The second is with Brian Covey of Finding Your Competitive Edge. Rachel holds nothing back as she talks about legacy, radical vulnerability, and the relentless pursuit of purpose. From addiction and loss to mountaintop moments and redefining s...