Episode 31: Permission to Pause: A Christmas Eve Reflection for the Joy CEO

Summary:

In this gentle and reflective Holiday Special, I’m sharing a Christmas Eve message straight from the heart. This episode is an invitation to slow down, breathe, and give yourself permission to feel whatever is present—joy, grief, gratitude, exhaustion, or a mix of it all.

I talk about the pressure we often place on ourselves to make the holidays “magical,” and why that expectation can disconnect us from what we actually need. Instead, I encourage you to ground yourself in the present moment, release the rules, and let this season look the way you need it to look.

This isn’t about doing more or being more—it’s about resting, reflecting, and offering yourself kindness. If this time of year feels tender, quiet, or complicated, this episode is for you.

🔑 Key Takeaways:

Permission to Feel—Without Fixing

You don’t have to force joy or gratitude. Every emotion that shows up belongs.

Audience follow-up → What are you feeling right now if you let yourself be honest?

Grounding in the Present Moment

A simple pause and breath can bring you back to yourself when things feel heavy or overwhelming.

Audience follow-up → Where can you pause today, even for 30 seconds?

Letting Go of the “Perfect Holiday” Myth

The holidays don’t have to look a certain way to be meaningful.

Audience follow-up → What expectation can you release this season?

Finding Joy From the Inside Out

Joy doesn’t have to come from the calendar, the traditions, or the noise—it can come from within.

Audience follow-up → What brings you a sense of peace or steadiness right now?

Rest Is Not a Reward—It’s a Requirement

This season can be a time to rest, reflect, and reset without guilt.

Audience follow-up → How can you be a little gentler with yourself this week?

✨ Reflection Prompts:

1. What does “enough” look like for you this holiday season?
2. Where are you pushing when you could be resting?
3. What would it feel like to trust yourself to set your own rules?

🧠 Who This Episode Is For:

1. Anyone feeling overwhelmed or emotionally tender during the holidays
2. Leaders and high-achievers who struggle to slow down
3. Those craving a quieter, more meaningful end to the year
4. Anyone who needs permission to pause, breathe, and just be

🎄 Wishing you peace, presence, and self-compassion—today and always.

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1. Book a Leadership Strategy Call with Lori: loripine.com

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Summary:

In this reflective and energizing solo episode, I explore the transformative power of saying yes—not as people-pleasing or overcommitment, but as a grounded, intentional choice aligned with joy, growth, and purpose.

Through personal stories (including a yes that almost slipped away), I share how fear-driven default no’s can quietly limit our lives—and how conscious yeses can create real momentum in both business and life.

This episode is an invitation to examine what you might be saying no to out of habit, and what could be waiting for you on the other side of a brave, aligned yes.

If you’re craving expansion without burnout, and success that actually feels good—this episode is for you.

🔑 Key Takeaways:

Saying Yes Isn’t About Doing More—It’s About Choosing Better

A powerful yes should energize you, not drain you. Lori reframes yes as discernment, not obligation.

Audience follow-up → Ask yourself: Does this opportunity expand me—or exhaust me?

Notice Your Default No’s

Many of our no’s are rooted in fear, doubt, or old stories—not truth. Awareness is the first step to change.

Audience follow-up → Where do you automatically say no without pausing to check in with yourself?

The Yes That Almost Got Away

Lori shares a vulnerable moment where hesitation nearly cost her a meaningful opportunity—and what it taught her about trust and timing.

Audience follow-up → Is there a yes you’ve been postponing because it feels uncomfortable?

Saying Yes Sometimes Requires Saying No

Aligned yeses require boundaries. Not every opportunity deserves your energy.

Audience follow-up → What do you need to say no to so you can fully say yes to what matters?

Support Makes the Yes Sustainable

Growth doesn’t happen alone. Coaching, community, and accountability turn yes into lasting momentum.

Audience follow-up → Who supports you when you step into something new?

🔎 Mentioned in the Episode:

Saying Yes to Being Seen – Choosing visibility even when it feels vulnerable

Support Systems & Coaching – Why expansion requires partnership

Focused Commitments – Fewer yeses, deeper impact

Joy as a Business Strategy – Aligning growth with fulfillment

✨ Reflection Prompts:

Where in your life are you playing small by saying no?

What would change if you trusted yourself to handle the yes?

How does joy show up when you choose courage over comfort?

🧠 Who This Episode Is For:

Entrepreneurs and leaders at a growth crossroads

High-achievers tired of saying yes out of obligation

Women ready to be seen, heard, and expanded

Anyone craving momentum, clarity, and joy in 2025

Follow Lori on LinkedIn to continue the conversation

• Book a Leadership Strategy Call with Lori: loripine.com

🎧 Subscribe to The Joy CEO Podcast

⭐️ Leave a review to help other heart-centered leaders find the show

📲 Share this episode with someone who’s navigating pressure and wants to do it with more grace

In this heartfelt and grounding episode, I open up about what the holiday season really brings forward—the joy, yes, but also the pressure, the expectations, and the feeling that we need to “perform” happiness. As the CEO of Joy, I’ve learned that real joy isn’t about perfect decorations, Pinterest-level gifting, or managing a holiday checklist—it’s about presence, connection, and emotional honesty.

I share some of my own stories about financial stress, over-giving, people-pleasing, and the moments when I felt pulled out of alignment with myself. These experiences shaped how I now approach the holidays with authenticity and intention.

If you’re craving a holiday season that feels calmer, more meaningful, and more you—this episode will meet you right where you are.

I talk about the emotional weight that comes with trying to create a “perfect holiday.” The truth? Joy grows when we stop performing and start being present.

Audience Follow-Up → Where are you performing joy instead of experiencing it?

I unpack the myth that generosity = expensive gifts. I share ten gifts that cost absolutely nothing—because generosity is about the heart behind it.

Audience Follow-Up → What’s one meaningful, zero-cost gift you could give someone this week?

The holidays pull at your time, emotions, and energy. I introduce a framework for protecting your joy so you don’t end the season exhausted or resentful.

Audience Follow-Up → Which boundary do you need to strengthen to protect your energy this season?

I explore the cultural shift away from material gifting—and why presence, stability, and emotional connection are the true holiday currencies.

Audience Follow-Up → Who in your life needs more of your presence rather than a wrapped gift?

I share personal stories of holiday struggle—from financial uncertainty to emotional heaviness—and how these moments ultimately helped me redefine joy for myself and for my family.

Audience Follow-Up → What past holiday experience shaped the way you show up today?

• 10 Gifts That Cost $0 – My list of meaningful, heartfelt gifts that require no money.
• Hula Hoop Holiday Reset Guide – A tool I created to help you stay centered, grounded, and aligned during the holiday chaos.
• My Personal Stories of Financial Pressure – How my own struggles reshaped my relationship with gifting and generosity.
• A Framework for Protecting Joy – The boundaries and practices I use each holiday season to stay present and emotionally healthy.

• Where am I overspending emotionally, financially, or energetically this season?
• What would a holiday defined by presence—not performance—look like for me?
• Which relationships need more of my time and heart right now?
• How can I simplify my holiday expectations without losing meaning?

• Leaders, parents, and caregivers feeling pressure to create the “perfect” holiday
• Anyone navigating financial stress or emotional overwhelm this season
• People craving a holiday experience built on authenticity, calm, and genuine joy
• Those who want practical, heartfelt tools to reset their mindset and energy

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In this honest and energizing solo episode, Lori invites you to explore the quiet (and not-so-quiet) nudges that tug at your heart—the ones you’ve been ignoring, postponing, or rationalizing away. She opens up about the fears she had to face in order to reinvent her life: leaving her corporate VP role, claiming the title “Joy CEO,” and launching this very podcast.

This episode is a practical and heartfelt guide for anyone standing on the edge of a decision—big or small—and feeling the tension between fear and purpose.

If you’re craving clarity, courage, or momentum as you close out the year, this conversation will give you exactly the push you’ve been waiting for.

Those persistent thoughts you keep circling back to? They’re not random. They’re invitations to grow, evolve, or take aligned action.

Lori breaks down the most common fears she sees in leaders and clients:

• Fear of failure
• Fear of judgment
• Fear of disappointing others

Recognizing them is the first step to disarming them.

Courage isn’t the absence of fear—it’s movement despite it. Lori shares deeply personal examples of the moments she took the leap before she felt ready.

Audience follow-up → What’s one decision you’ve been waiting to feel “ready” for?

While the world slows down, you can use December for reflection, recalibration, and intention-setting. It’s a powerful month to step back, listen inward, and prepare to leap.

Audience follow-up → How will you use these quieter weeks to align with what’s next?

Lori introduces a simple, repeatable process to help you respond to your nudge—even if fear is sitting beside you.

Audience follow-up → Consider one nudge you have right now. What’s the next tiny step?

• The Connect – Lori’s group coaching program for women leaders seeking clarity, confidence, and connection.
• Lori’s own transition story—from Corporate VP to Executive Coach & Joy CEO.
• The moment she claimed “Joy CEO” as her identity and let it guide her work.
• Her behind-the-scenes thoughts about launching this podcast.

• What nudge has been whispering to you lately?
• Where have fear and “what ifs” been holding you back?
• What small step could you take this week toward your inner knowing?
• How do you want to enter the new year—reactive or intentional?

• High achievers who overthink their next move
• Leaders craving clarity and more aligned action
• Women navigating career transitions
• Anyone who’s been “waiting to feel ready”
• Listeners who want to lead with more joy, courage, and authenticity

Follow Lori on LinkedIn to continue the conversation

• Book a Leadership Strategy Call with Lori: loripine.com

🎧 Subscribe to The Joy CEO Podcast

⭐️ Leave a review to help other heart-centered leaders find the show

📲 Share this episode with someone who’s navigating pressure and wants to do it with more grace

Summary:

In this heartfelt and reflective Thanksgiving conversation, I open up about what it really means to navigate the holidays with joy—especially during seasons of change, loss, or emotional heaviness. From the early days of creating new traditions like Cousins Thanksgiving to the quiet grounding rituals that helped me find my footing, I share the practices and perspectives that have kept me steady through some of my most tender holiday seasons.

This episode isn’t about picture-perfect holidays—it’s about finding presence, reclaiming meaning, and giving yourself permission to feel it all. Because joy isn’t always loud. Sometimes it’s soft, simple, and built moment by moment.

If the holidays feel complicated for you this year—or you’re supporting someone who’s struggling—this episode is a warm place to land.

🔑 Key Takeaways:

Joy Can Look Different Every Season

Holidays don’t always feel joyful, and that’s okay. You’re allowed to evolve and redefine what joy means for you right now.

Audience follow-up → Ask yourself: What would a gentle, honest version of joy look like for me this year?

New Traditions Can Hold Deep Healing

The creation of Cousins Thanksgiving became a turning point—a reminder that we can build something beautiful out of change.

Audience follow-up → What tradition could you start this year that honors where you are now?

Young Adults Need Hope, Not Pressure

Our kids and young adults carry so much unspoken weight. They need encouragement, not expectations.

Audience follow-up → Consider who in your life needs you to say: “I’m proud of you. You’re doing great.”

Gratitude Is a Grounding Practice, Not a Performance

Gratitude isn’t about pretending everything is fine. It’s about anchoring yourself in what’s real and steady.

Audience follow-up → Try this: list 3 things that make you feel safe, supported, or seen.

Your Experience Is Valid—Even If It's Not Festive

Some years hurt. Some years are beautiful. Most are both. Your emotions during the holidays don’t need to match anyone else’s.

Audience follow-up → What emotion has been sitting closest to you lately—and what is it asking for?

🔎 Mentioned in the Episode:

Cousins Thanksgiving — A tradition born from change that became a source of joy.

My grounding gratitude practice — A simple exercise I use when the holidays feel overwhelming.

Supportive conversations with young adults — How to offer hope during uncertain seasons.

Holiday reframing — Releasing the pressure to recreate the past and embracing what’s possible now.

✨ Reflection Prompts:

What parts of the holidays feel heavy for me—and what parts feel hopeful?

What expectations can I release this year?

How can I create a moment of joy that feels true to where I am right now?

Who in my life might need softness, support, or reassurance this season?

🧠 Who This Episode Is For:

Anyone navigating a complicated or emotional holiday season

Parents and caregivers supporting young adults through change

Individuals rebuilding traditions after loss or life transitions

Anyone craving grounding, calm, and authentic joy during the holidays

📩 Want to Go Deeper?

Follow Lori on LinkedIn to continue the conversation

Book a Leadership Strategy Call with Lori: loripine.com

🎧 Subscribe to The Joy CEO Podcast

⭐️ Leave a review to help other heart-centered leaders find the show

📲 Share this episode with someone who’s navigating pressure and wants to do it with more grace

In this episode of The Joy CEO Podcast, I’m diving deep into one of the most important foundations of leadership, relationships, and joy: trust.

Through stories from my years as a corporate VP and moments from my personal life, I share how trust is created, how it crumbles, and how we can rebuild it with intention.

From accountability to boundaries to assuming positive intent, I walk you through the exact principles I’ve used to lead teams, raise my family, and build confidence within myself.

If you’ve struggled with over-giving, being disappointed by others, or doubting your own leadership—this conversation is for you.

For me, trust shapes everything—how I show up at work, how I parent, how I build relationships. Leadership works only when trust is present.

Audience follow-up → Where in your life is trust strong, and where might it need repair?

Every time I honor a commitment—especially to myself—I strengthen my own leadership. When I don’t, it chips away at my confidence.

Audience follow-up → What promise can you keep to yourself this week?

I share how choosing to believe the best in someone instantly shifts the tone of a conversation. It softens defenses and builds connection.

Audience follow-up → The next time you feel frustrated, can you pause and ask: “What if they meant well?”

Trust requires clarity. I talk about the moments when I’ve stepped in too much and robbed someone of the chance to grow—and how stepping back is sometimes the most loving choice.

Audience follow-up → Where are you taking responsibility for something that isn’t yours?

When I trust my instincts, my decisions, and my voice, I lead with more confidence and peace. Self-trust is the root of all leadership.

Audience follow-up → What’s one way you can strengthen trust with yourself today?

The way I build trust with my family mirrors the way I lead in my professional life. The principles are the same—boundaries, reliability, and integrity.

Audience follow-up → Which trust habit can you carry into both your personal and professional worlds?

• My breakdown of the “Trust Thread”: Boundaries, Reliability, Accountability, Integrity
• Real experiences from my corporate leadership career
• Parenting moments that shaped how I think about trust
• This week’s Joy Instructions—simple steps to practice trust daily

• Where have I broken trust with myself—and how can I begin to repair it?
• Am I leading from fear or confidence?
• Where can I assume positive intent more often?
• Which boundary do I need to reinforce to protect my energy?

• Leaders working through team trust issues
• Parents and partners wanting healthier, more open communication
• Professionals ready to feel more confident in their leadership
• Anyone rebuilding trust—in themselves or with others

Follow Lori on LinkedIn to continue the conversation

• Book a Leadership Strategy Call with Lori: loripine.com

🎧 Subscribe to The Joy CEO Podcast

⭐️

In this inspiring and thought-provoking conversation, Lori sits down with Dr. Andy Simon—corporate anthropologist, author, and founder of Simon Associates Management Consultants—to uncover how anthropology, curiosity, and strategy can radically transform the way we lead and do business.

From studying Middle Eastern immigrants to helping major corporations navigate deregulation and cultural change, Andy shares her journey of translating human behavior into better business outcomes. Together, she and Lori explore Blue Ocean Strategy, the power of curiosity, and how leaders can create joyful, purpose-driven workplaces—even in times of rapid change and AI disruption.

This episode is a masterclass in seeing the world differently. If you’ve ever felt stuck in your organization, or you’re craving a new way to lead with both data and heart—this conversation is for you.

• See with “Fresh Eyes”

Corporate anthropology teaches leaders to step back and observe—before solving. Andy reminds us that lasting transformation begins when you challenge assumptions and look at your organization as an outsider.

Audience follow-up → What might you discover if you observed your team like a curious anthropologist this week?

• Find Your Blue Ocean

Instead of competing in crowded markets (“red oceans”), Andy urges leaders to create new spaces of value through innovation, culture, and differentiation.

Audience follow-up → Where are you stuck competing—and what could you create that no one else is offering?

• Curiosity as a Leadership Superpower

Curiosity fuels innovation and empathy. Andy and Lori unpack how leaders who stay curious foster adaptability, creativity, and trust in their teams.

Audience follow-up → How can you make curiosity a daily practice in your leadership?

• AI and the Human Advantage

While AI is transforming industries, Andy emphasizes that the future still belongs to leaders who understand people—their habits, emotions, and motivations.

Audience follow-up → What human quality will you double down on as technology evolves?

• Build Cultures of Joy and Purpose

Joy isn’t just a feeling—it’s a cultural strategy. When employees feel seen, valued, and inspired, innovation thrives.

Audience follow-up → How can you infuse joy into your team’s daily rhythm?

• Blue Ocean Strategy – Framework for creating uncontested market space
• Simon Associates Management Consultants – Andy’s firm helping organizations change through anthropology
• “On the Brink: A Fresh Lens to Take Your Business to New Heights” – Andy’s bestselling book
• The Impact of AI on Human Workplaces – Reimagining connection and meaning in a digital era
• Lori’s Reflections on Joyful Leadership – How joy sustains innovation and balance

• What assumptions might be keeping you (or your team) from innovating?
• How do you respond to change—with fear or with curiosity?
• What would it look like to lead with joy as a strategic choice, not just an emotional one?

• Executives and leaders navigating organizational change
• Entrepreneurs seeking fresh market opportunities
• HR and culture professionals focused on engagement and innovation
• Anyone curious about applying anthropology and strategy to leadership

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If your stomach drops every time you see another round of layoffs in the headlines—or if you’ve recently gotten that call yourself—this episode is for you.

In today’s conversation, Lori pulls back the curtain on what it’s really like to be restructured out of a company you loved—and how she found power, clarity, and even joy on the other side. Drawing from her 20+ years in corporate leadership (and 14+ reorgs), Lori shares what helped her steady herself after losing her job, how she rebuilt her identity beyond the business card, and the exact mindset shifts that brought her back stronger.

Whether you’re navigating uncertainty at work or leading a team through tough changes, this episode will meet you with truth, strategy, and compassion. Because joy isn’t only for the good times—it’s a leadership tool for the hard ones too.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why even high performers get let go—and why it’s not personal
• How to reclaim your confidence after a layoff (hint: start inside your hula hoop)
• The 3 reflection prompts Lori gives her clients to remember their worth
• What true leadership looks like after the cuts
• How to find your footing again without losing yourself in the process

Joy Charge of the Week:

✨ Resources & Mentions:

• Episode 7 with Nan Chambers on unexpected career pivots
• Lori’s “Hula Hoop Theory” for radical ownership
• Connect with Lori on LinkedIn to hear about The Connect—her new private community for ambitious corporate women (it costs less than a cute pair of shoes!)

🎧 Listen wherever you get your podcasts, and if this episode helped you? Share it with a friend who needs to hear it. We rise together.