Laura works with female entrepreneurs who KNOW they are on the brink of success, but they can’t break through. She helps them become unstoppable, make real money, and create the business of their dreams.

We want to hear from you! Tell us your burning tidying questions or share stories about how KonMari has impacted your life. Find us at www.sparkjoypodcast.com and click “Ask Spark Joy” to leave a question or comment for a chance to be featured on next week’s show.

While you’re there, sign-up to join our Spark Joy podcast community and get notified when each episode airs. You can also join the Spark Joy podcast community on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter at the handle @sparkjoypodcast.

In this episode, you’ll enjoy:

• Laura's path from high school teacher to life coach, which began when she turned 52
• The reality that we've created exactly where we are and we also have the power to change everything
• How to harness the power of loving ourselves through a challenge or a goal
• How to harness the power of our prefrontal cortex to get things done
• The importance of deciding what's going to happen tomorrow, today
• How to handle procrastination that delays our tidying activities
• The difference between our circumstances and our thoughts
• The importance of self-love and compassion when it comes to getting back on plan
• How to set yourself up for success for the next round
• The importance of allowing ourselves to genuinely feel our emotions

What sparks joy for Laura: Seeing her children growing up and adulting; Growing her business.

To connect with Laura or read her binge worthy blog, visit www.laurascout.com and Facebook @laurascoutcoaching.

Exclusively for Spark Joy listeners, Laura is offering a 1 hour free virtual consult call. To apply, email her at laura@laurascout.com and tell her Spark Joy podcast sent you!

Gems:

• "Everything that we create in our lives is based on our thoughts."
• "Our brains are so plastic. They can really be trained."
• "As humans, one of our greatest privileges is that we can think about our future and we can plan."
• "Make decisions today about what you are going to do tomorrow
• "Circumstances are not the same things as our thoughts."
• "If we didn't have sadness we wouldn't have joy."

You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home
You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of Tidy

Special Guest: Laura Swartzbaugh.

Jerry Emeka is a keynote speaker, performer and facilitator who enjoys lighting a spark in people’s eyes. He helps you conceive the man or woman that you’re truly here to be and realize that in order to make a change in the world you must first reimagine your conception of self and hold that as if it has already happened.

We want to hear from you! Tell us your burning tidying questions or share stories about how KonMari has impacted your life. Find us at www.sparkjoypodcast.com and click “Ask Spark Joy” to leave a question or comment for a chance to be featured on next week’s show.

While you’re there, sign-up to join our Spark Joy podcast community and get notified when each episode airs. You can also join the Spark Joy podcast community on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter at the handle @sparkjoypodcast.

In this episode, you’ll enjoy:

• Jerry's path to public speaking, which included acting, singing, dog walking, and more!
• How to become aware of how much you imagine and how to use your imagination to create your reality
• How to imagine yourself in a tidy space:
  1. Know what it is that you want
  2. Devise a scene that implies that the desire is fulfilled
     
  3. Every night, replay the scene that implies the wish is fulfilled to program your subconscious mind
• How Jerry used imagination to manifest his dream home
• How to be aware of imposter syndrome and let go of limiting beliefs
• Imposter syndrom core competencies
  1. The perfectionist
  2. The Superwoman/man
  3. The Natural Genius
  4. The Soloist
  5. The Expert
• How to check in with how awesome you are! To connect with Jerry, visit www.jerryemeka.com .

If you want to make the

What sparks joy for Jerry: His two-year-old son

Gems:

• "Even before you can have a thought, you have to imagine something."
• "There's not one thing that exist in this world that wasn't first imagined."
• "It is within before it is with out."
• "Do these beliefs that I hold actually spark joy in my life?"
• "Who would you have to be in order to live a clutter free life?"
• "There's no way you got to this point in life had you not been an awesome person."
• You can't just take actions coming out of a place of fear because you are only going to perpetuate more of the thing that you don't like."
• "Reimagine who you are and step into that reality and let that objectively show up for others to see."

You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home
You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of Tidy

Special Guest: Jerry Emeka.

Our guest, Kay "Ideaignitor" Richardson describes herself as an ordinary girl from South Florida, but her career has been anything but ordinary.

Kay built her first successful businesses in her 20's as an ergonomics consultant and occupational therapist. As a self proclaimed shy person, Kay realized that success was not about just being good about something, she knew she would have to do more than just good, she had to learn to overcome her fears and learn to promote herself with confidence.

She’s the owner of Clients Who Say Yes as a coach and trainer and hosts the Five Minutes to Fearless podcast. She’s also the author of the book, What a Woman’s Gotta Do.

We want to hear from you! Tell us your burning tidying questions or share stories about how KonMari has impacted your life. Find us at www.sparkjoypodcast.com and click “Ask Spark Joy” to leave a question or comment for a chance to be featured on next week’s show.

While you’re there, sign-up to join our Spark Joy podcast community and get notified when each episode airs. You can also join the Spark Joy podcast community on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter at the handle @sparkjoypodcast.

In this episode, you’ll enjoy:
-How Kay made the transition from an occupational therapist and ergonomics consultant to business marketing and client development coaching.

-The shyness that Kay experienced in her early life.. and how she has been able to overcome it and now is able to speak in front of hundreds of people!

-Real life stories about overcoming fear by reaching back into their past.

-Practical steps to moving past fear in order to becoming more successful in your business.

-How to address our tendency to second-guess ourselves.

-Kay’s ergonomic tips!

• You must a good ergonomic adjustable chair.
• Red light-green light method
• Don’t have your monitor too high
• Always try to be hands free, especially with your phone.

-Kay’s ergonomic chart! Get the great chart Kay spoke about here:
Kay’s Ergonomic Chart

-Listen to Kay’s podcast: Five Minutes to Fearless on Apple

-Read Kay’s book: What a Woman’s Gotta Do

What sparks joy for Kay today:
“Having the opportunity to help individuals with really simple tips to work through their fears so they can tidy up their homes…and their space can be awesome! Working with entrepreneurs who are ready to step into it and not allow fear to interfere with making their way into the world. And my two handsome men!”

Final words of wisdom:
“Wake up and take action!”

You can reach Kay at: Clients Who Say Yes

She's on Instagram at: Ideaignator on Instagram and on FaceBook: Ideas to Income on Facebook

Kay has a special offer, just for Spark Joy listeners! She is providing a free coaching consultation by emailing her with the subject line: Spark Joy Podcast Moving Past the Fear here: Kay’s Coaching Offer

Gems
“The more you grow the more you will come back to (fear.) But if you have an idea about where it comes from the more you will be able to change the story.”

“That bold move to transform everything that’s there and create something new.”

“Are you not feeling good enough or worthy or capable of making this happen?”

“There are things in our pasts that are keeping us from being who we are meant to be.”

“What will make them say “Yes” to you?”

You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home
You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of Tidy

Special Guest: Kay Ideaignator Richardson.

During the show, we play some of our favorite clips and talk about the impact they have made on us and how they influenced our work as KonMari consultants.

Creating a podcast that focused on the KonMari Method has been our shared vision since the very end of 2016. We spent the first half of 2017 researching, preparing and putting all the pieces together and finally launched on August 31st.

We are so grateful to all of our guests for their talents, wonderful stories and the amazing tips and tools they shared with us.

Our listeners have been amazing. We have learned so much via your questions, comments and feedback. Thank you for being a part of Spark Joy!

Spark Joy wants to hear from you! Tell us your burning tidying questions or share stories about how KonMari has impacted your life.

Find us at www.sparkjoypodcast.com and email us at contact@sparkjoypodcast.com to leave a question or comment for a chance to be featured on next week’s show. Join us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter via @sparkjoypodcast.

Before we get to our highlights, we ask, “What have sparked the most joy this year?”

We would love to hear what sparked the most joy for you!
Email us at contact@sparkjoypodcast.com and share your most joyful moments of 2017.

In this episode, you’ll enjoy:

We share big news: Spark Joy Podcast has been downloaded over 40,000 times!

Two listeners sent us great questions:
Sara asked about how to apply KonMari principles to the ongoing struggle of paper management in a busy family.
Ep 9 | Tidying by Location is a Fatal Mistake
Spark Joy Episode 9

Kimberly’s question was about how to determine what sparks joy when it comes to seasonal items, in this case, Halloween costumes.
Ep 13 | Does It Spark Joy?
Spark Joy Episode 13

And now, on to our favorite clips!

Ep 2 | Meet Marie Kondo’s First Employee Jenny Ning
Jenny Ning, Marie Kondo’s first employee in the US, shares what it’s like to work for the Queen of Tidy and her journey from KonMari super fan to Bay area home organizer.
To connect with Jenny Ning, you can visit her at www.jennyning.com or follow her on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter (@jennyorganizes).
Spark Joy Episode 2

Ep 3 | Face Your Stuff with Dorothy The Organizer
Dorothy Breininger, author and veteran professional organizer as seen on A&E’s hit show “Hoarders” sorts out the mind-body-home clutter connection and related addictions.
To connect with Dorothy Breininger, you can visit her website, www.dorothytheorganizer.com for free tips, videos, newsletters, organizing resources for your life, home, office, and relationships. Be sure to check out her book “Stuff Your Face or Face Your Stuff” via her website or Amazon. Also, check her out on the hit show “Hoarders” on A&E.
Spark Joy Episode 3

Ep 6 | Declutter Your Path to Wealth with Tess Wicks
Tess Wicks, personal finance coach and educator, breaks down the journey to financial independence into key actions and makes the connection between our priorities, the things we acquire, and our life vision.
To connect with Tess Wicks visit www.wanderwealthy.com and join the Wander Wealthy community on Facebook and YouTube. Also, check out Tess’ podcast Words and Money.
Spark Joy Episode 6

Ep 7 | Design and the Future of Minimalism with Lloyd Alter
Lloyd Alter, architect and design editor of Tree Hugger magazine, helps us understand our changing relationship with our possessions and how the upcoming generation will view design and functionality.
To connect with Lloyd, you can visit Treehugger, https://www.treehugger.com, Mother Nature Network, https://www.mnn.com, or follow him Twitter @lloydalter and Lloyd Alter on Facebook.
Spark Joy Episode 7

The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning: How to Free Yourself and Your Family from a Lifetime of Clutter by Margareta Magnusson
The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning

Ep 8 | Make Bold Moves with The Traveling Organizer Holly Southerland
Our guest, Holly Southerland is a professional organizer who has been traveling nationwide since 2008 helping families and entrepreneurs get unstuck and find peace in their homes.
To connect with Holly Southerland, visit Waco Home Organizers (www.wacohomeorganizers.com) or email info@wacohomeorganizers.com. You can also follow her on Facebook or Instagram at @holly_southerland
Spark Joy Episode 8

Ep 11 | [Tidy] Like a Mind Reader with Jonathan Pritchard
Jonathan Pritchard, professional mind reader and author, opens his psychological toolkit to help us apply the predictive art of mind reading to reach personal goals across all areas of our life.
To connect with or hire Jonathan, you can visit www.likeamindreader.com. His book Think Like a Mind Reader is available on Amazon (http://amzn.to/2yb9WwC).
Spark Joy Episode 11

Gems

• “We are proud to announce since we launched Spark Joy on August 31st of this year we’ve received over 40,000 downloads!”

• “It starts as just a means to get the house in order, but I don’t think most of us really expect the snowball effect!”

• “The clutter never lies and the truth is often in the clutter.”

• “I remembered resistance I receive from clients around trying something a new way because obviously my way isn’t working.”

• “This idea that we honor the item by showing appreciation for what it meant to us, and making sure the item goes on to it’s next useful life.”

• “I believe that organizing is really just lots and lots of small steps and lots and lots of small decisions.”

• “It’s ok if every rule in the book is not a perfect fit for your life! If you even apply 50% of the method you’ll notice an improvement in your lifestyle, so it’s not an all or nothing deal.”

• “We’ve got an amazing line-up for 2018, more guests who exude joy and embody the KonMari lifestyle that we’ll share them with you each-and-every Tuesday.”

You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home
You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of Tidy

A Certified Simplicity Parenting Coach and KonMari enthusiast with over a decade of experience, Christine coaches women to create home environments that support harmony and connection.

Christine coaches from the heart, using joy as a guide and her clients find so much peace in having less, doing less, and editing their lives and their homes with intention.

In this episode, Christine will share her unique approach in helping moms find their own path in creating an intention-filled life. Christine transformed her space with the support of her husband and their young, spirited daughter.

You can follow Christine on her website, Creating Calm Coach, on Facebook at Christine O'Brien Coach or on Instagram @creatingcalmcoach. Download her Free Creating Calm Checklist.

Spark Joy wants to hear from you! Tell us your burning tidying questions or share stories about how KonMari has impacted your life. Find us at www.sparkjoypodcast.com, email us at contact@sparkjoypodcast.com to leave a question or comment for a chance to be featured on next week’s show. Join us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter via @sparkjoypodcast.

In this episode, you’ll enjoy:

• Christine’s private Facebook group community, KonMari Method: Life-changing Magic for anyone working through the KonMari tidying process

• Christine’s virtual consulting program, From Chaos to Calm, which consists of group and individual support for making joyful transitions

• How Christine combines two powerful schools of thought to inform the way she supports moms to relax into full presence with their children: Simplicity Parenting and the KonMari Method

• Simplicity Parenting by Kim John Payne

• Re-occurring KonMari related pain points that may sound familiar:
  1) feeling too overwhelmed to start, 2) getting stuck at some point in the middle of the process, and 3) uncertainty regarding doing KonMari with a family

• How to guide a family through the process and how to find the joy click-point when you have growing kids

• How speaking to your items can “soften” and facilitate letting them go

• How focusing on the positive and the joy can apply to your vision for fitness and diet

• Learning about Brene Brown , who says that gratitude creates Joy

Christine’s favorite tidying tip:
“Tune in to your intuition and trust your joy checks.”

What sparks joy for Christine:
Her family and the transformation she has witnessed as a result of this process. She’s joyful about sharing this way of living!

Gems:

“The toys she’s interested in change all the time.”

“As you get more in tune with what brings you joy, more space develops for experiencing joy.”

“Put your oxygen mask on first and make sure you complete your tidying first before you move on to your children.”

“Different personalities come out for display when you do KonMari with a family.”

“What? Talk to my clothes? Say thank you and goodbye?!”

“The process is about connection and not perfection.”

You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home
You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of Tidy

Special Guest: Christine O'Brien.

In this episode, we discuss what "spark joy" truly means and how to apply it to your tidying event. We share practical tips on how to build your own personal awareness of joy and how to apply this concept to your decision-making. The term will start to become part of your vocabulary and you’ll see joy everywhere.

But first, we begin by sharing what's sparking joy for us today. We also answer a great question from a Spark Joy listener about how to determine what sparks joy when it comes to seasonal items, in this case, Halloween costumes.

Spark Joy wants to hear from you! Tell us your burning tidying questions or share stories about how KonMari has impacted your life. Find us at  www.sparkjoypodcast.com, email us at  contact@sparkjoypodcast.com to leave a question or comment for a chance to be featured on next week’s show. Join us on Facebook, Instagram, or on Twitter at @sparkjoypodcast.

In this episode, you’ll enjoy:

• Learning the Japanese language origins of the phrase, "spark joy." The Japanese translation is Tokimeku ときめく, which means "to flutter with a little thrill" in the same way that we describe how our hearts can flutter with joyful emotion when something makes us happy or excited

• How Marie Kondo demonstrates what sparking joy looks like while interacting with possessions. See videos below:
  -- Marie Kondo: Organize the World: Design Your Life to Spark Joy - SXSW 2017
  -- Marie Kondo explains Spark Joy

• How to avoid getting caught up in how many things you're keeping or discarding instead of focusing on the joy

• Being reminded of the importance of vision, as discussed in Episode 5, to keep your thoughts future-focused and in tune with the quality of life you envision for yourself

• How to set a high joy bar by developing a criteria for what stays and what goes

• How considering the passage of time and your evolution as a person can help you understand whether something is part of your future or just hanging out from the past

• Marie Kondo states, “When we really delve into the reasons for why we can't let something go, there are only two: an attachment to the past or a fear for the future.”
  The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up

• "If it makes you happy, then the right choice is to keep it confidently, regardless of what anyone else says."
  Spark Joy: An Illustrated Master Class on the Art of Organizing and Tidying Up

Gems:

• “The practice is to pay attention to how your body reacts when you’re holding your possessions.”

• “You want to be able to live in harmony with your things.”

• “Does this item spark joy AND fit into of my vision for the quality of life I’ve envisioned for myself in the future?”

• “This is an area I really do want to invest in instead of buying the cheapest things to just make do.”

• ”Keep your joy bar high!”

• “Objects like having a job to do.”

• "If it makes you happy, then the right choice is to keep it confidently, regardless of what anyone else says."

You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home
You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of Tidy