Ten years ago, one laughing mom in a Chewbacca mask nearly hit 100 million views in 48 hours. Today Candace Payne is a speaker and author who helps women find their fun again. On this episode of the GOA Speakers Podcast, hosts Abigail Garrett and Greg Oliver talk with Candace Payne have a funny, honest conversation full of hope.

Timed highlights:
00:08 – Welcome and introducing Candace Payne, "Chewbacca Mom"
01:02 – Nearly 100 million views in 48 hours on Facebook Live
02:02 – From Good Morning America to James Corden in a single weekend
04:10 – How her kids and her introverted husband handled the fame
06:28 – Going from viral video to speaker and author
09:04 – Why women's events need experiential joy, not just teaching about joy
12:21 – What "defiant joy" means and why it isn't toxic positivity
16:20 – Her late ADHD diagnosis and why it felt like liberation
20:11 – Losing "a million pounds" of mental weight before the physical weight
22:03 – A type 2 diabetes diagnosis and losing 133 pounds since February 2024
23:13 – How Scripture sustained her (Philippians 1:6)
26:37 – Inside a fully neurodiverse household
31:17 – The "Porsche engine in an El Camino" picture of the ADHD brain
33:45 – Bestie Weekend Ever, her first in-person event in Dallas–Fort Worth
34:45 – Her new podcast, What the Fun?
36:07 – Where to find Candace

Links:
Guest - candacepayne.fun
GOA Speakers - https://goaspeakers.com
Podcast Production - www.itsyourshow.co