Licensed professional counselor Kelly Wright sits down to talk about what it means to carry other people’s pain without losing your own joy. From early days drowning in secondhand trauma to a pivotal moment at a Dan Allender conference, Kelly explains how she learned to set boundaries, do her own work, and stay grounded while walking with others through emotional and spiritual “death and resurrection.”

We talk Enneagram (she is an 8, I am probably a 9), why she loves it as a self-awareness tool, and how motivations shape the way we show up for people. Kelly shares why being near water is her “still waters” reset, how she has learned to actually prioritize replenishment, and the simple daily choices that keep her from sacrificing joy on the altar of productivity.

Kelly also tells the story of her quadriplegic brother-in-law Bentley, how his life and presence shaped their family, and what it looked like to walk through his sudden death with honesty, tears, laughter, and games around the table. Along the way we get into raising adult kids who still like each other, practicing real respect at home, and how to build a tribe where grief and joy can sit at the same table.

Matt sits down with Adam Canote for a spontaneous, joy-chasing hang that starts with a brand-new jingle and wanders into music, family, and everyday delight. Adam shares what growing up second of ten in a traveling bluegrass family taught him, why sibling voices blend the way they do, and how harmony and counterpoint make songs (and relationships) work. They swap Green Day and Pizza Hut nostalgia, debate zipper merges, confess app-ordering coffee hacks, and talk about noticing the journey rather than sprinting to the destination. It is loose, funny, and surprisingly practical! en-JOY!

If you make things, lead teams, or just want more delight in your week, this episode gives you mindset shifts and practical habits.

Matt sits down with Damon Fontinel to chase where joy actually comes from in real life, not theory. They unpack storycraft and why a shared “big idea” matters, how collaboration turns subjective taste into objective outcomes, and why some non-linear tales land (hello, Lost and Dunkirk). Damon talks foundations first (faith, family, church), then the micro bursts that keep life fun, like WNBA league-pass nights, fixing his own brakes, and tinkering with guitar. They hit creative process, how to spot when a plan isn’t working, and the value of asking better questions so people become more interesting.