Create Joy
By Catrina Gandara
Create JoyOct 06, 2020
S3E6 The Barrier of Borrowed Values
In this episode we discuss how we may be living on borrowed values and why it matters in our own lives and in society as a whole.
Quotes
"Researchers at Saatchi and Saatchi have estimated that 80% of decision making is emotional, and only 20% rational."
"I don’t actually care who you vote for."
"Not choosing our own values can have some difficult consequences."
As always, you can find me at:
or on Instagram at @createjoypodcast
S3E5 Individual Purpose and Collective Values - with Jenny Furse Of Progress and Purpose Podcast
In this episode with Jenny Furse of the Of Progress and Purpose Podcast, we discuss why it is important to get to know the individual in order to have a better understanding of the group. We discuss why it is important to have hard conversations, and how it ultimately helps us understand society as a whole and helps us solve the world’s problems, one relationship at a time. We also discuss why it is complicated to address a group as a whole and why the middle is a great place to be.
Connect with Jenny
Website: https://ofprogressandpurpose.com/
Instagram: @ofprogressandpurpose
Connect With Us!
Website - createjoypodcast.com
Instagram - @createjoypodcast
Facebook Group - Create Joy Podcast
Show Notes
The Nothing Box - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjnLLw5BTmc
Quotes:
Being lost can be a place too… and you just find your way from there. – Jenny Furse
In order to be understood you must first understand. Joshua Straub
Give people the benefit of the doubt if you want to create a safe space for conversation. -Jenny Furse
If you give people the benefit of the doubt often, I think you will find it was well deserved more often than not. -Jenny Furse
Papercuts matter to Jesus.
Numbers don’t have the same impact that people and stories do. -Jenny Stories
3.4 Our Differences Connect Us - Jasmine Bradshaw - First Name Basis Podcast
In this episode with Jasmine Bradshaw of the First Name Basis Podcast, we discuss why we should listen to other people who are different than us. This is an important thing to do both for our own benefit and for society as a whole.
In this conversation, we talk about why being different is not something to hide, but to celebrate. In her loving and sweet way, Jasmine gives advice on how to approach difficult topics, and why we need people who are different than us in our lives.
Connect with JasmineWebsite: http://firstnamebasis.org/
Instagram: @firstname.basis
Email: hello@firstnamebasis.org
Connect With Us!Website - createjoypodcast.com
Instagram - @createjoypodcast
Facebook Group - Create Joy Podcast
Show Notes Quotes "How can you really love someone if you don’t love the pieces of them that are different from you - if you are only connecting on what’s the same, them your relationship might be pretty shallow. And you are going to miss out on some people who are amazing because you are not looking for that." - Jasmine Bradshaw"Our differences connect us." - Jasmine Bradshaw
"Society has set it up in a way that separates us so we are going against these systems that have been taught to us since we were really really little.
Lean into the discomfort." -Jasmine Bradshaw
"I know I am going to be a little bit uncomfortable, but it is worth it - for my values." -Jasmine Bradshaw
"What message are we telling ourselves (and our kids) by not interacting with people who are different then us?" =Jasmine Bradshaw
"We are missing out on so much by not embracing other people." Jasmine Bradshaw
"As an act of rebellion we have chosen to be joyful"
"When we are able to connect with someone on a level of struggle, there is a deep understanding there that can create an extremely powerful bond.
We don’t have to be going through the same thing to make that deep connection."
"It is so powerful to be able to hold space for struggles that are different."
"Reshape our idea of what UNITY means."
"We all want the same thing! We have differences in how we think that we are going to get there. Recognizing that is the starting point. Be willing to try other ideas."
"Anything that leads us out of a place of hurt into a place of healing is a good road." - Jasmine Bradshaw
"Things that come across really mean or defensive are coming from a place of hurt." - Jasmine Bradshaw
S3E3 The Barrier of Devaluing Happiness
If you could have three wishes, genie style, would you choose happiness? Do we actually value happiness? IN this episode we break down things that we may be doing to devalue happiness, which in turn creates less joy in our own lives.
As always, you can find me at:
or on Instagram at @createjoypodcas
S3E2 The Barrier of Resisting Trials
Trials are going to come in waves. They are inevitable. That’s just the way it is. Today we discuss why resisting these trials actually prevents us from feeling joy instead of protecting us from pain.
As always, you can find me at:
or on Instagram at @createjoypodcast
S3E1 Why Create Joy?
Welcome back to the Create Joy Podcast! I am super excited to have you here!
In this episode I explain the why behind the podcast and what I am doing to create more joy in my own life and in my community. I am excited for what this season is going to bring for us.
As always, you can find me at:
or on Instagram at @createjoypodcast
Encore - The Angels that Beckon us to God Often Look Like Trials - with Melina Chaffin
My dear friend Melina Chaffin is one of the sweetest, kindest people you will ever have the privilege of hearing from. She has her fair share of hard times, and handles them with grace and determination that is to be admired and learned from. In this Encore episode, she shares some of her struggles, and how they have brought her closer to God. I promise you will be uplifted as well.
Connect with Melina
Instagram @melinajchaffin
SHOW NOTES
Learn more about Smith-Magenis syndrome
Connect with Us!
Website - createjoypodcast.com
Instagram - @createjoypodcast
Quotes
Quote by Neil A. Maxwell - “Trials and tribulations tend to squeeze the artificiality out of us, leaving the essence of what we really are and clarifying what we really yearn for.”
“It is good advice to slow down a little, steady the course, and focus on the essentials when experiencing adverse conditions.” - Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Of Things that Matter Most”
“The joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives.” Russell M. Nelson “Joy and Spiritual Survival”
“Of this be sure: You do not find the happy life . . . you make it." Thomas S. Monson “Faces and Attitudes”
“Stellar spirits are often housed in imperfect bodies. The gift of such a body can actually strengthen a family as parents and siblings willingly build their lives around that child born with special needs.” Russell M. Nelson “Decisions For Eternity”
Encore - Your Past Does Not Determine Your Future
In this Encore episode, I share our family's story with my husband, Javier. He talks about the hard times, his parent’s sacrifices, some turning points, and why the word “mushroom” plays a big part in his life story.
LIfe might seem unfair… in many ways, but as Javier mentions, it is not only unfair for you. It is unfair for everyone. Realize this, and do what you can to move your life in the direction that you want it to go. You might be amazed at what you can accomplish when you stop feeling sorry for yourself.
We talked about his upbringing, about how life is not fair, and that’s OK, and about walking 6 hours home from school passing out resumes because he did not have the equivalent of $0.25 to pay for a bus ticket back home. He talked about how his family of 7 all shared one mattress on a concrete floor, and about some really key moments in his life that helped him to set a different path for his future.
We also get to see all of those struggles start to pay off, as we learn why rejection is important, how an outburst from a teacher changed everything, and some motivation for reaching our own big dreams. I am so excited for you to learn from him.
Connect with Create Joy Podcast on
Website createjoypodcast.com
Instagram @createjoypodcast
Facebook Group - Create Joy Podcast
Quotes from Episode
”The earlier you realize that life is not fair, that things are not just going to be rosy for everyone and that it is up to you to change the situation and to make things better… the easier it is to empower yourself.” - Javier Gandara
“Hard work beats everything.” - Javier Gandara
“The more you learn how to learn, the more you love to learn.” - Javier Gandara
“Do not make small goals because they do not have the magic to stir men's souls.” - Spencer W. Kimball
“The future is as bright as your faith.” - Thomas S. Monson
“With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible." Mathew 19:26
“Success is not a matter of luck. Success is a matter of numbers, probability, and statistics.” - Javier Gandara
Interesting Fact on Mexico’s Economy
As of January 2019, Minimum wage in Mexico is 102.67 pesos per day, which with the exchange rate on the day of recording is
$5.28 per day. =
$31.68 per week (working 6 days a week)
$136.224 per month
$1,635 per year
According to the INEGI, National Institute of Statistics and Geography, only 269,000 Mexicans earn $16 or more per hour.
For reference, Scottsdale, AZ has a population of 249,950. Mesa, AZ has a population of 496,000 people. So the amount of Mexicans who make equal to or more than 33,000 per year could fit in the city of Scottsdale, AZ. Everyone else is living on much less than that. How many other people? I am glad you asked.
There are 124.6 million people living in Mexico. Which means that 124,331,000 people live on less. This makes up a mere 0.22% Of Mexican. Which is a crazy statistic when you compare it to the top 1% in the United States making $1.32 million.
S2E16 How Trials Help Us Rise Higher - Season Finale
Like most of the world, I have been spending a lot of time in the kitchen lately. While spending some time with my kids, I have learned some valuable lessons about why both trials and sweetness are needed to help us become the best that we absolutely can become.
Connect With Us!
Website - createjoypodcast.com
Instagram - @createjoypodcast
Facebook Group - Create Joy Podcast
S2E15 What is Ramadan and What Can I Learn from It? - With Shahnila Ahmad of Brave Muslim Parents
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, when Muslims fast during daylight hours for the entire month. It is the holiest month in the culture, and one that prepares them for the rest of the year. In this Episode, I talk with Shahnila about what Ramadan is, how Muslims celebrate, what we can learn from their experience, and the wonderful contributions that the Muslim community provides to the world.
This year the celebration is very different, as Shahnila describes in the interview, but that does not keep the community from celebrating and refining themselves during this time, as well as praying for the world to overcome this difficult time.
Connect with Shahnilaemail: shahnila.ahmad@gmail.com
Instagram: @bravemuslimparents
To learn more about Muslims: Connect With Us!Website - createjoypodcast.com
Instagram - @createjoypodcast
Facebook Group - Create Joy Podcast
Show NotesIn 2020, Ramadan goes from April 23 to May 23.
A simple, yet meaningful way to support our Muslim friends during Ramadan is to simply reach out and say “Happy Ramadan!”
3 Tips that will make your next fast the best ever.
- Know your why
Think deeply about what you are hoping to gain an accomplish from your fast.
- Whatever you focus on grows
If you are so focused on the negative things, it is going to grow.
- Have a plan for the day
Make your plans for the day intentional and meaningful
Ramadan - the holiest month of the year for Muslims, when the Quran is believed to have been revealed.
Iftar - breaking the fast together in the evening.
Eid al Fitr - Festival of Breaking the Fast - when the community celebrates the end of Ramadan
Iman - the Muslim religious leader that leads the congregation in nightly prayers
Mosque - A building where Muslim’s worship God.
Quotes"O you who believe, fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may develop God-consciousness." (Quran 2:183).
Having our basic needs met is really a privilege, it’s not an entitlement. - Shahnila Ahmad.
“When the month of Ramadan begins, the gates of the heaven are opened; the gates of Hell-fire are closed, and the devils are chained.” - Prophet Muhammad
Ramadan is a month of intense spiritual rejuvenation. - Shahnila Ahmad @bravemuslimparents
During Ramadan you get to plant whatever seeds you want, and throughout the year, you get to benefit from the harvest. - Shahnila Ahmand @bravemuslimparents
We give up bad things during Ramadan, because we know what we are going into that month for. - Shahnila Ahmand @bravemuslimparents
It is leaving your bad habits at the door, and seeing on the other side, once the 30 days are over, which ones you actually want to leave behind, because it wasn’t really serving you anyway. Shahnila Ahmand @bravemuslimparents
Instead of a “To Do” list, I say we have a “GET to do list” - Shahnila Ahmand @bravemuslimparents
God doesn’t need our hunger. - Shahnila Ahmand @bravemuslimparents
S2E14- Mothers Day Might Not Be The Best Day Ever
In this episode I talk about how your expectations might be keeping you from seeing what is amazing around you. I think it is especially relevant this mother's day.
I also have a bonus project I am sharing with you. To send in a submission, just submit your form here, or send me an email at createjoypodcast@gmail.com or over on Instagram - @createjoypodcast
Connect With Us!
Website - createjoypodcast.com
Instagram - @createjoypodcast
Facebook Group - Create Joy Podcast
S2E13 - Finding Meaning - Lessons Learned from Auschwitz
Viktor Frankl’s inspiring book, “A Man’s Search for Meaning” can help us figure out how to find meaning in hard times through meaningful work, love and courage. In today's episode, we dive into lessons learned from the holocaust to help us find meaning in our darkest of times.
Quotes
“He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how.” - Frederich Nietzsche
“Suffering in and of itself is meaningless; we give our suffering meaning by the way in which we respond to it.” - Harold S. Kushner
“If a certain quantity of gas is pumped into an empty chamber, it will fill the chamber completely and evenly, no matter how big the chamber. Thus suffering completely fills the human soul and conscious mind, no matter whether the suffering is great or little. Therefore the “size” of human suffering is absolutely relative.” - Viktor E. Frankl
“Love is the ultimate and the highest goal to which man can aspire.” - Viktor E. Frankl
“Often it is just an exceptionally difficult external situation which gives man the opportunity to grow spiritually beyond himself." Viktor E. Frankl
“Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude.” - Zig Ziglar
Connect With Us!
Website - createjoypodcast.com
Instagram - @createjoypodcast
Facebook Group - Create Joy Podcast
S2E12 This one is for the kids
During this global pandemic, we may be attempting to shield our children from what is going on, but are we being part of the problem? Are we creating a home environment that makes them feel loved, safe and protected?
Connect With Us!
Website - createjoypodcast.com
Instagram - @createjoypodcast
Facebook Group - Create Joy Podcast
S2E11 It's OK to Not Be OK - How Being Vulnerable Helped Me Find My Sister Tribe - with Stephanie Donegan
In this episode, Stephanie Donegan shares how sharing her experiences with really hard things brought unexpected benefits, and some of the best friends someone could find.
#CreateJoyChallenge
This week’s #createjoychallenge is to look for small little wins.
As of the time of this recording, we are at a weird time in the world. Most of the world is at home right now because of COVID-19, and we are experiencing life in a way that we did not expect. This can cause a weird identity crisis, as well as a myriad of other complicated emotions, and this is ON TOP of all the things that life has already thrown at us.
It can be tempting to give in to the frustration of the moment, to the fear. It can feel so easy to wallow in the loss of the plans that we made. It can be hard to be met face to face with our own inadequacies, as we try to parent in a whole new way. It can also be easy to feel swayed by social pressure to make every moment of our social isolation “pinterest worthy”.
I would strongly encourage you not to. I would encourage US not to give in to any of it. Yes, feel the feelings that you need to feel. Those feelings are valid, and real. But then look for the wins, as small as they may be. The increased connection you see in your children, the imperfectly baked bread you made, the fact that you made it outside in the sun today, having a dance party, or maybe a long hug with a child, or that you reconnected with an old friend over text, and in my case, the isolation from much funnier people make my kids think I am actually funny.
Look for the small wins, and celebrate them… with ice cream, if you have any.
Connect with Stephanie
Instagram - @stephanie_donegan
Resources Shared on Podcast
Quotes
“Everything I am dealing with is only making me more like Christ, and if my true purpose is to be more like my Savior, then I just have to trust that this is part of Heavenly Father’s plan for me.”
“God is listening. He is with me. I just have to press forward.”
“Share what your feel comfortable with.”
“You’re not alone.”
“It’s OK to not be OK.”
“Don’t beat yourself up. Have a dance party.”
Ashley Marie Soap
You can buy this amazing soap at AshleyMarieSoap.com use the code STAY HEALTHY for 10% off.
Connect with Ashley on Instagram @ashleymariesoap
Don’t forget to enter for you free bar of soap by leaving a rating and review!
Connect With Us!
Website - createjoypodcast.com
Instagram - @createjoypodcast
Facebook Group - Create Joy Podcast
S2E10 We Can Work With our Bodies Instead of Against Them - with Julie Tracy of Posture Massage
Our bodies are amazing, wonderful creations, and they know exactly what they need! They usually start to tell us subtly, and if we don't listen, they get louder and louder.
In this episode, Julie helps gives us three amazing tips on how to start working with our bodies.
#createjoychallenge
The Create Joy Challenge this week is to have something you love, and keep it visible.
Maybe have lots of somethings you love, but make them meaningful, and make them prominent. This can be anything… this can be fresh flowers on the dining room table, a seasonal candle lit in the living room, a favorite tea kettle that lives on the stove, the guitar displayed in the piano room. If you have a blanket your grandma made you that makes you feel like you are wrapped in her arms again, it can be laid out on the foot of your bed. It can be a charm your child made you on your key ring. The key here is to keep things you love present in your environment, so it can be there to help you spark joy throughout the day. I would love to see what some of your favorite things are that you have in your life. If you feel like sharing on Instagram, tag me @createjoypodcast so I can see it and/or use the tag #createjoychallenge so we can all create joy together, and maybe get some new ideas of things to incorporate into our own homes and lives.
Connect with Julie
Instagram - @posturemassage_ct
Website - posturemassage.net
Resources Shared on Podcast
Armchair Expert Interview with Bill Hader
Feelings Buried Alive Never Die
Quotes
”We can actually work with our bodies instead of against them.
“You might not be allowing your body to communicate with you because you are blocking it with all these other things.”
“It doesn’t have to be all or nothing.”
“You can listen to your body and have a dialogue with it just like any friend. You are getting into a relationship. Treat it like a relationship.”
“Our bodies like to get out of pain.”
“Getting to know your body is a lot like getting a brand new baby. They can’t communicate verbally, but you have to be quiet and work on bonding with it.”
“There are so many different reasons that we distance ourselves from our bodies. It is so important to reconnect and get to know each other again.”
“Acknowledging that you have a body is is a huge first step for a lot of people.”
“When you are confident in your body, you become more lovely to other people. When you are ashamed of your body and what it is, people also get uncomfortable, because they can feel that uncomfortableness in you.”
“When you are dehydrated, you in essence are human jerky.”
Connect With Us!
Website - createjoypodcast.com
Instagram - @createjoypodcast
Facebook Group - Create Joy Podcast
S2E9 10 Ways to Find Joy Amidst the Chaos
In the episode we talk about 10 ways we can find joy amidst the chaos in the world of the coronavirus. It can feel scary and give us a lot of anxiety, but it doesn’t have to feel that way.
The ten tips are:
- Look for the good - it is happening all around you
- Control the information you receive - control your media
- Use the power of technology for connection
- Give your kids (and yourself) the right tools - talk about what is and isn’t
- Surround yourself with things you love - (hide the good chocolate in a closet)
- Keep as organized as possible
- Make “me time” non-negotiable. I really mean this one!!!
- Take advantage of the opportunity to get things done
- Try to get outdoors daily
- Do some fun activities
Resources Mentioned in the Episode
Coronavirus - Why you must act now
How to Talk to your Kids About COVID-19 - National Association of School Phsychologist
Tips to Spring Clean Closets - Darling Darleene
Fun Activity Ideas
- Learn to make your own pasta - I am going to put an IGTV up about this on Instagram this week.
- Read books!
- Learn new kitchen skills with your kids
- Social isolation does not have to destroy the fun. Have a virtual play date/ dance party
- Help your kids write a book - self publish with blurb.
- Make a music video
- Learn your own zack king video tricks. Apple camp with video lab. Will do an IGTV about this as well.
- Work on a very big puzzle
Connect With Us!
Website - createjoypodcast.com
Instagram - @createjoypodcast
Facebook Group - Create Joy Podcast
S2E8 Live a Healthier, Fuller Life - with Lorin Smith of Good Gluten Free Grub
Our guest today is Lorin Smith of @goodglutenfreegrub
In this episode she talks about her own crazy journey to diagnosis, and how she has found health in spite of her struggles.
She also gives us amazing takeaways to help us improve our own health journey, regardless of the health situations we may have. They are:
1. Educate yourself
2. Keep some sort of food journal
3. Create movement in your life
4. Set small, realistic goals that are possible to achieve
#createjoychallenge
Pay attention to how your body is feeling. Keeping a food journal would be ideal, but do what you need to do to figure out what your body is trying to tell you and how it is reacting to certain foods. You don’t have to have an autoimmune disease, or a chronic illness to have food impact the way your body is feeling. And wouldn’t it be amazing if you could feel amazing all the time?
Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
To get the recipe from my favorite things this week, simply click on the link below. You won’t regret making them!
createjoypodcast.com/messymemories/the-best-gluten-free-chocolate-chip-cookies
Connect With Us!
Website - createjoypodcast.com
Instagram - @createjoypodcast
Facebook Group - Create Joy Podcast
S2E7 A Butterfly Will Never Be A Caterpillar Again
It can feel mind-blowing to think about the changes that take place for a caterpillar to become a butterfly. Do we realize that as women, we go through similar changes? Do we realize that we try our hardest to go back to being a caterpillar when we have already become a butterfly?
Sources
The Maternal Brain - Scientific American
Tissue microchimerism - Oxford Academic
#createjoychallenge
Love your body and appreciate it for what it has done… and become.
Transcript
If you are interested in the transcript for this episode, you can find it here.
Connect With Us!
Website - createjoypodcast.com
Instagram - @createjoypodcast
Facebook Group - Create Joy Podcast
S2E6 The Lord Wants to Guide Us - Birthday Episode with Grace Gandara
This week we have my daughter, Grace Gandara on the podcast talking about how God can guide us. You can also find her on her podcast "Kids Change the World."
Podcast https://anchor.fm/kids-change-the-world
Instagram - @kidschangetheworld.podcast
#createjoychallenge
This week’s create joy challenge is to pay attention to how God is trying to guide you.
Connect With Us!
Website - createjoypodcast.com
Instagram - @createjoypodcast
Facebook Group - Create Joy Podcast
S2E5 How to Take Care of Yourself so You Can Handle Life - with Melissa Fredrick
Melissa Fredric is a mental health advocate who is passionate about you taking care of yourself. In today’s episode she gives three ideas on how we can be mindful of our own physical and mental health so we can be prepared for what life throws at us.
Connect With Melissa!
Instagram - @timeout.for.cake
Power Of Moms Articles
“Reconnecting With Yourself After Kids”
#createjoychallenge
Find 10 minutes in your day TODAY and do something you LOVE to do. Not a task on your list. Not for others. Just for you.
This can be anything. You can make it as complicated or as simple as you want. Melissa loves painting her nails. I love taking a bath. You can make a cup of tea, read a good book, dance all by yourself. Whatever it is that you feel will spark a little joy and make you feel like a human again… do that.
Quotes
"Depression, conflict, or negativism is often a message to us that we are not growing toward the full measure for what God has created us. Our pain, emotional pain is a demand that we stop and take time for change in our life because we may be getting off course.” - Patricia Holland
Resources Mentioned
To Mothers - Carrying the Torch of Faith and Family - Book by Patricia Holland
Happiness, Your Heritage - Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Connect With Us!
Website - createjoypodcast.com
Instagram - @createjoypodcast
Facebook Group - Create Joy Podcast
S2E4 3 Simple Ways to Make Valentines Day Meaningful
In this episode I share 3 free or cost effective ways to celebrate valentines day in a way that will truly make your family feel loved. The quick version is:
1. Do a spin on the 12 days of Christmas
2. Write Love letters
3. Heart Attack
Episode Resources
To find Cami's ideas on the love letters:
#createjoychallenge
This week’s create joy challenge is to think about a way to make valentines day meaningful and special and really show our loved ones how much we love them.
Heart Hole Punch
Buy the 3 inch hole punch here.
Connect With Us!
Website - createjoypodcast.com
Instagram - @createjoypodcast
Facebook Group - Create Joy Podcast
S2 E3 Your Body is Talking to You - Are you Listening? - with Julie Tracy of Posture Massage
Our bodies are amazing, wonderful creations, and they know exactly what they need! They usually start to tell us subtly, and if we don't listen, they get louder and louder.
In this episode, Julie helps us start to understand what our bodies are trying to tell us and how we can work with them, instead of against them.
Connect with Julie
Instagram - @posturemassage_ct
Website - posturemassage.net
#createjoychallenge
This week’s create joy challenge is to work on figuring out what your body is trying to tell you.
Julie shared an amazing tip of using kind of the Marie Kondo method with your body. Getting in tune with it and figuring out, does this feel good, or “spark joy”. Don’t get frustrated if it doesn’t feel like it is working at first. Like all good things, it is going to take some time and practice.
Forget about what all the experts are telling you, and focus on what your body needs. Involve it in your prayers, if that feels right to you. Ask, what does my body need from me today? In my own experience, sometimes it is drink a lot of water… sometimes it is yoga, and sometimes it is go for a run. The hope is that little by little we will become more in tune with what our bodies need and become better at drowning out the outside influences. This is going to be amazing!
Resources Shared on Podcast
Your Inner Physician and You: Craniosacral Therapy and Somatoemotional Release
Feelings Buried Alive Never Die
The Happiness Advantage - Shawn Achor
Quotes
I have learned that you need to be nice and say hi to your body and ask it where it wants to be and then just help direct it.
As soon as you can start to connect with what your body is saying to you, you really start to pick up on the small ways it is communicating with you daily.
The body is amazing when you give it what it needs, and it usually knows what it needs.
Everything that happens to us gets recorded in our bodies.
Our bodies are always trying to preserve themselves.
Pay attention to the patterns of when you are feeling your symptoms. Your body is crying out at that very moment.
Your body is going to change to the degree that you are ready. So if you are ready for big change, welcome to the journey.
The power of positivity really does change things in your body.
Positivity and gratitude change bodies.
Emotions are information. They are not good or bad. They are just information.
You can mold your children so that they do not take on the patterns of the generations past.
Connect With Us!
Website - createjoypodcast.com
Instagram - @createjoypodcast
Facebook Group - Create Joy Podcast
S2 E2 - How Billion Dollar Industries Manipulate us Into Hating Our Bodies and How We Can Fight Back
There are industries worth millions and billions of dollars who are banking on the hope that you and I will think we are not good enough the way we are. When we feel bad about themselves, they make money. Let’s learn who they are, and how we can fight back.
#createjoychallenge
Find 5 people that we can compliment - on anything BUT their size.
Find something that is ACTUALLY important. I promise those compliments are going to mean so much more to them than anything about their shape. My favorite compliments are the really weird ones. Ask my husband. It literally makes me so happy inside when he gets creative with his compliments. If he can get in deep and compliment something that I could easily think was overlooked, it totally makes my day. Be creative, and you might just make someone’s day, which could have the coolest ripple effect. If you want to, you can also compliment someone publicly on social media!
I would love to hear about what you are learning with your challenge this week. If you have an amazing experience, I would love to hear about it! Just send me an email, send me a DM on instagram @createjoypodcast, or even better tag me in a share and use the hashtag so we can inspire others to compliment more creatively.
Quotes
“Many, if not most of the temptations that he puts in our paths cause us to abuse our bodies or the bodies of others. Because Satan is miserable without a body, he wants us to be miserable because of ours.” Russell M. Nelson
“Your value is not determined by a number on a tag or on a scale.”
“They can’t sell us things if we love ourselves.”
“Let’s use food as fuel - not as a moral compass.”
“Imagine how much good we could do if we used all the time we spend thinking about making our bodies smaller, and put it towards something actually meaningful.”
Connect With Us!
Website - createjoypodcast.com
Instagram - @createjoypodcast
Facebook Group - Create Joy Podcast
S2 E1 - There Are a Million Things Right With Your Body
#createjoychallenge
Find something to love about your body.
Even if it is just one little thing. Every time you catch yourself saying something negative about your body, whether it be about your size, athletic ability, health problems, etc. say 3 things that you love about it. It’s going to be hard at first! But I promise it gets easier.
Quotes
God didn’t give us bodies so we can be skinny.
“Many, if not most of the temptations that he puts in our paths cause us to abuse our bodies or the bodies of others.” “Because Satan is miserable without a body, he wants us to be miserable because of ours.” Russell M. Nelson
15 - What First Grade Can Teach Us About Christmas - SEASON FINALE
This is the last episode of the season! Thank you so much for all your support. We will be back on the podcast with the very first episode of season 2 on January 13th, but until then I will still be hanging out on Instagram every so often.
In elementary school my teachers had this poster on the wall that said “Everything I need to know, I learned in Kindergarten.” I think I only got a tenth of the way through it, because there were just so many words on it, but today I applied that same message to episode 15 as I talked about how I applied 1st grade lessons to Christmas. Here is a spoiler: you deserve to enjoy Christmas too.
What’s it all about?Here are the top 3 tips:
1. Edit Down to the Most important
Remember when you (or your kids) tried to learn how to write? This point is based on that (fun) experience.
2. There is a difference between a want and a need
Stick to the needs - appreciate the wants.
3. There is a difference between a fact and an opinion
Don’t let other’s opinions of what you “should” do control your happiness.
Create Joy ChallengeThe Create Joy challenge for the next few weeks it to do what you need to do to have the best Holiday Season ever - your way.
Thank you
Thank you again for all of your support and love as we wrap up Season 1 of the podcast. It has been so fun to spend this time with you and to be a part of a growing community. I appreciate you more than I have the words to describe.
14 - Success is Not a Matter of Luck (Part 2 of 2) - with Javier Gandara
This is part 2 of my interview with Javier Gandara. Just a quick recap… in part 1, epsiode 13, he talked about his upbringing, about how life is not fair, and that’s OK, and about walking 6 hours home from school passing out resumes because he did not have the equivalent of $0.25 to pay for a bus ticket back home. He talked about how his family of 7 all shared one mattress on a concrete floor, and about some really key moments in his life that helped him to set a different path for his future.
This week we get to see all of those struggles start to pay off, as we learn why rejection is important, how an outburst from a teacher changed everything, and some motivation for reaching our own big dreams. I am so excited for you to learn from him.
Create Joy Challenge
This week’s create joy challenge is to dream big.
Your present does not define your future… unless you let it. It may not feel like you have all the advantages necessary to do those big things, and you probably don’t. But that is OK. You know why? I think Thomas S. Monson said it best: “The future is as bright as your faith.” You may not have the resources or the connections or whatever you are telling yourself that is keeping you from your dream… but you have something bigger. You have the potential to have God on your side, and “with God all things are possible.” Mathew 19:26
So Dream Big, Pray Hard, and Work towards that goal every single day. Then reach the top of that mountain and enjoy the view while you set your next goal. You can do this!
Connect with Create Joy Podcast on
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Quotes from Episode
“Do not make small goals because they do not have the magic to stir men's souls.” - Spencer W. Kimball
“The future is as bright as your faith.” - Thomas S. Monson
“With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible." Mathew 19:26
“Success is not a matter of luck. Success is a matter of numbers, probability, and statistics.” - Javier Gandara
13 - Your Past Does Not Determine Your Future (Part 1 of 2) - with Javier Gandara
In part 1 of 2 of Javier’s story, he shares about growing up with very little in Mexico. He talks about the hard times, his parent’s sacrifices, some turning points, and why the word “mushroom” plays a big part in his life story.
Create Joy Challenge
This week’s #createjoychallenge is to resist the urge to become discouraged and instead find the “areas of opportunity” in your hardships
LIfe might seem unfair… in many ways, but as Javier mentions, it is not only unfair for you. It is unfair for everyone. Realize this, and do what you can to move your life in the direction that you want it to go. You might be amazed at what you can accomplish when you stop feeling sorry for yourself.
Connect with Create Joy Podcast on
Website createjoypodcast.com
Instagram @createjoypodcast
Facebook Group - Create Joy Podcast
Quotes from Episode”The earlier you realize that life is not fair, that things are not just going to be rosy for everyone and that it is up to you to change the situation and to make things better… the easier it is to empower yourself.” - Javier Gandara
“Hard work beats everything.” - Javier Gandara
“The more you learn how to learn, the more you love to learn.” - Javier Gandara
Interesting Fact on Mexico’s EconomyAs of January 2019, Minimum wage in Mexico is 102.67 pesos per day, which with the exchange rate on the day of recording is
$5.28 per day. =
$31.68 per week (working 6 days a week)
$136.224 per month
$1,635 per year
According to the INEGI, National Institute of Statistics and Geography, only 269,000 Mexicans earn $16 or more per hour.
For reference, Scottsdale, AZ has a population of 249,950. Mesa, AZ has a population of 496,000 people. So the amount of Mexicans who make equal to or more than 33,000 per year could fit in the city of Scottsdale, AZ. Everyone else is living on much less than that. How many other people? I am glad you asked.
There are 124.6 million people living in Mexico. Which means that 124,331,000 people live on less. This makes up a mere 0.22% Of Mexican. Which is a crazy statistic when you compare it to the top 1% in the United States making $1.32 million.
12 - Living your big dream - with Audra Elkington
Have you ever had a dream that just felt too big and too scary? And the thought of it was almost paralyzing?
I hope today’s story helps to inspire you to reach for your own dream. To dig a little deeper and try a little harder, and accomplish those great things that God has prepared for you. Because He has something prepared for each of us.
Create Joy Challenge
This week’s #createjoychallenge is to ask God every day, what He needs you to do today. The answers might surprise you. Some days they are big things, some days they are scary things, and some days it is ice cream with your daughter, which I am OK with. Whatever it is, I encourage you to do it! As scary or silly as it may seem, it is definitely worth it! You know how I know? Because God knows our situation so much better than we do, and He loves us enough to take care of the things we do not even see.
Quotes from Episode
"If you are feeling massive resistance, the good news is that it means there's tremendous love there too." - Steven Pressfield
"Don’t let a day go by without doing something to act on the promptings of the Spirit." - Dieter F. Uchtdorf April 2011 General Conference - "Your Potential, Your Privilege"
Connect with Audra
Connect on instagram @audraelkington
Connect on her website www.audraelkington.com
Connect with Create Joy Podcast on
Instagram @createjoypodcast
Facebook Group - Create Joy Podcast
Website createjoypodcast.com
11. You need to slow down to enjoy your extraordinary, ordinary life
Create Joy Challenge
This week’s create joy challenge is to focus on your extraordinary ordinary life. Slow down and focus on the GOOD, focus on the Beautiful. Look past the hard things and see the light inside of it. Find peace, love, and joy in the turmoil, and turn off as much of the noise as you possibly can.
Connect with Create Joy Podcast on
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Quotes from Episode
"It isn't as bad as you sometimes think it is. It all works out. "Don't worry." I say to myself every morning. If you do your best, it will all work out. Put your trust in God and move forward with faith and confidence in the future." - Gordon B. Hinckley
"Carry on. Things will work out. If you keep trying and praying and working, things will work out. They always do. If you want to die an early age, dwell on the negative. Accentuate the positive and you'll be around for a while." - Gordon B. Hinckley
"In my ninety plus years, I have learned a revert. I have learned that when good men and good women face challenges with optimism, things will always work out! Truly, things always work out! Despite how difficult circumstances may look at the moment, those who have faith and move forward with a happy spirit will find that things always work out." - Gordon B. Hinckley
10. Your Loneliness is Killing You
In this episode we explore why we are lonely, and what we can do about giving 3 (that maybe could have been 4) useful tips.
You can buy Big Talk cards here
Create Joy Challenge
This week's challenge is to figure out where you are lonely in your life, and make a connection. Some ideas are those mentioned above… plan a date, invite a friend to lunch, call a friend, plan a party, talk to a stranger. And if the person you tried to connect just couldn’t this time, don’t be discouraged. Try someone else. 3 out of 4 people want to hang out with someone today, if only virtually… You can be that person.
Connect with Create Joy Podcast on
Instagram @createjoypodcast
Facebook Group - Create Joy Podcast
Quotes from Episode
“Comparing your relationship to ones you see on social media can generate a sense of loneliness.” - Clinical Psychologist Jenny Taitz
“Loneliness is a growing health epidemic. We live in the most technologically connected age in the history of civilization, yet rates of loneliness have doubled since the 1980s.” - former Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy, MD, Harvard Business Review
“The only thing keeping you from being happy is the belief that you are alone.” - Anna Draper (Mad Men)
Satan works hard to isolate us and tell us we are the only one experiencing them. - Sharon Eubank
“We all have much more in common than we have difference. I would say that about people all over the world. They don’t know how much common that they have. - Ernest Gaines
“Be not forgetful to entertain strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.”- Hebrews 13:2
Cover Photo by ActionVance on Unsplash
9. - How to Create Meaningful Memories Around the Dinner Table - with Sally Dupaix
1. Realize that you, as a parent or caregiver set the tone for the family meal.
Get rid of as many distractions as possible.
Set yourself up for success by being prepared.
Make things special. Create traditions and plan special events around things that are important In your life.
Set age appropriate and realistic expectations.
Show Notes
Article Sally quoted research from: www.healthychildren.org/English/family-life/family-dynamics/Pages/Mealtime-as-Family-Time.aspx
This week’s #createjoychallenge is to share your family meals using the hashtag #mykinshiptable
Share who you are sharing your table with, and how you are connecting over food. Then put your phone away and enjoy your time together. As a bonus, tag @kinship.table and @createjoypodcast so we can share!
You can find Sally on Instagram at @kinship.table
Connect with Create Joy Podcast on
Instagram @createjoypodcast
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8 - Connect to Your Past to Heal Your Future
This week I discuss why knowing your family history matters. Spoiler: the reason why is a lot deeper than what you are thinking! I go into a couple of stories in my own family history and show why their reactions are still affecting their families generations later, to give you an idea of how you can look into your own family history for clues about your own life.
Show Notes
To join the giveaway, join us on Instagram @createjoypodcast
Day of the Dead
Get Day of the Dead resources at createjoypodcast.com/dayofdead
#createjoychallenge - Connect with an ancestor.
If you are new to family history, you can sign up for free at familysearch.org Please reach out to me if you have any questions about it. I LOVE to help with family history! They key here is to connect on a deep level. Really get to know him/her and get to know how you can apply their life lessons to your life. Discover what they have passed down and figure out what you want to do with that information.
Quotes
“In all of us there is a hunger, marrow-deep, to know our heritage—to know who we are and where we have come from. Without this enriching knowledge, there is a hollow yearning. No matter what our attainments in life, there is still a vacuum, an emptiness, and the most disquieting loneliness.” - Alex Haley
“Who among us wants to throw stones at their own ancestors? I, for one, am intrigued by their battles—their victories as well as their defeats. … I am fascinated by what may seem the most commonplace of lives, because I have come to realize the excitement that is concealed in the commonplace.” - Arthur R. Bassett
“A parent who knows his/her family history will have a different level of cortisol, adrenaline, biochemistry. A different level of anxiety in physiology and behavior around rearing children.” - Dr. Victoria Harrison
"If you don't know where to start, start with yourself." - Boyd K. Packer
Find the Create Joy Podcast
Website - createjoypodcast.com
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7. Why You Should be Vulnerable, and How to do It - With Cami Moss
In this episode, Real Connections host Cami Moss talks about why we should be vulnerable, and how to do it. She goes into her own life experiences with concrete examples and useful tips.
This week’s #createjoychallenge is to do something vulnerable.
If you need to, start small… Sing in the shower, dance when no one is watching, make a new recipe, sign up for an online class that no one has to ever know about, or compliment a stranger. And if you feel up to it, have a heartfelt conversation with someone who has proved to be trustworthy. And then practice vulnerability again. And again.
You can find Cami at:
Instagram @realconnectionspodcast
Facebook Real Connections Podcast
To listen to her experience about having her dad pass away when she was only 9 years old, you can listen to it on her podcast.
Find the Create Joy Podcast
Website - createjoypodcast.com
Instagram - @createjoypodcast
Facebook Group - Create Joy Podcast
6. Love Yourself First
You can read Terri's story on the website.
This week’s Create Joy Challenge is this:
If you are still not feeling like you are important, and of great value, go over the challenges from the past 5 weeks and figure out what is still missing in your identity.
Here’s a quick recap. If you struggle with finding your own value, practice telling others how you feel about them and how they make the world a better place. This will help you to be able to begin to see the good in your own life as well.
Then, analyze your own imperfections and see where you may be misunderstanding or misusing some of your strengths.
Next, evaluate your standards for perfection. Are you actually on the path to perfection, or really just making your life miserable?
Then, be present in the moment. Enjoy your life, and enjoy what God has given you. Don’t be so busy that you are missing out on life itself, and on the relationships around you.
Finally, realize that you are exactly who God needs you to be, and remind yourself of this every time you feel yourself forgetting.
You can join in on the challenge over on instagram with #createjoychallenge or share your story with me by email at createjoypodcast@gmail.com.
I would love to hear it, and if you agree, share it!
Instagram - @createjoypodcast
Facebook Group - Create Joy Podcast
5. You Can Create a Happy Life with Melina Chaffin
Connect with Melina on Instagram @melinajchaffin
This week’s Create Joy Challenge is simple. Here is all you need to do. As you are looking in the mirror every morning, say the following words: “I AM EXACTLY WHO GOD NEEDS ME TO BE”. Say it every day, as many times as you need to until you believe it. And then, if it feels appropriate, share the graphic below on social media and encourage others to do the same.
You can join in on the challenge over on instagram with #createjoychallenge or share your story with me by email at createjoypodcast@gmail.com.
I would love to hear it, and if you agree, share it!
Instagram - @createjoypodcast
Facebook Group - Create Joy Podcast
Quotes
“It is good advice to slow down a little, steady the course, and focus on the essentials when experiencing adverse conditions.” - Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Of Things that Matter Most”
“The joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives.” Russell M. Nelson “Joy and Spiritual Survival”
“Of this be sure: You do not find the happy life . . . you make it." Thomas S. Monson “Faces and Attitudes”
“Stellar spirits are often housed in imperfect bodies. The gift of such a body can actually strengthen a family as parents and siblings willingly build their lives around that child born with special needs.” Russell M. Nelson “Decisions For Eternity”
Book - Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes
Song - Nearer My God to Thee
4. He is exactly who God intended him to be
She shared a story that I have thought about many times since we met at her house, so I asked if she would share it with all of us. I hope you enjoy the message as much as I did. I promise you will be uplifted as well.
SHOW NOTES
Learn more about Smith-Magenis syndrome
Quote by Neil A. Maxwell - “Trials and tribulations tend to squeeze the artificiality out of us, leaving the essence of what we really are and clarifying what we really yearn for.”
#createjoychallenge - Remember to be present in the moment. Focus on the details. What do you see, what do you hear, and how do you feel. There just might be things that you are missing that could be the key to your joy.
You can join in on the challenge over on instagram or share your story with me by email at createjoypodcast@gmail.com.
I would love to hear it, and if you agree, share it!
Website - createjoypodcast.com
Instagram - @createjoypodcast
Facebook Group - Create Joy Podcast
3. "Be Ye Therefore Perfect"
I don't think that God wants us to be frustrated while trying to achieve perfection. In this episode I dive into ideas and interpretations to help us achieve that perfection in a way that allows more grace into our search for perfection.
You can join in on the #createjoychallenge over on instagram or share your story with me by email at createjoypodcast@gmail.com.
I would love to hear it, and if you agree, share it!
Website - createjoypodcast.com
Instagram - @createjoypodcast
Facebook Group - Create Joy Podcast
2. What if Your Imperfections are Actually Your Strengths?
You can join in on the #createjoychallenge over on instagram or share your story with me by email at createjoypodcast@gmail.com.
I would love to hear it, and if you agree, share it!
Website - createjoypodcast.com
Instagram - @createjoypodcast
Facebook Group - Create Joy Podcast
Download your printable at createjoypodcast.com/podcast
1. Don't Leave Things Unsaid
Welcome to Episode 1 of the Create Joy Podcast!
Imagine how much good we could do in the world if we told everyone exactly how much they mean to us?
In this episode we encourage you to tell people just how important they are.
You can join in on the #createjoychallenge over on instagram or share your story with me by email at createjoypodcast@gmail.com.
I would love to hear it, and if you agree, share it!
Website - createjoypodcast.com
Instagram - @createjoypodcast
Facebook Group - Create Joy Podcast
Season 1 Intro
Connect on Instagram: instagram.com/createjoypodcast
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