What if the secret to a happier life wasn't about doing more — but paying closer attention to what's already pulling you forward? In episode 250 of Joy Found Here, author and entrepreneur Emily Florence returns to share why choosing joy is less about grand gestures and more about small, intentional daily decisions. From dropping out of law school after four days to building a life entirely on her own terms, her story is a masterclass in trusting yourself — and Even Better: Easier Ways to a Happier Life is the roadmap she wishes she'd had all along.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

(04:38) The four-day law school exit that changed everything

(09:20) Why "safe" choices aren't always the right ones

(10:33) From gallery walls to Beverly Hills: journalism, PR, and American Idol

(13:19) Learning to trust intuition even when the path isn't clear

(15:44) Why happiness is a decision, not a feeling

(20:08) Letting go of heavy thoughts — and what to replace them with

(24:28) Staying grounded when the world feels overwhelming

(28:31) The story behind Even Better's 101 bite-sized lessons

(35:32) Social media, dopamine, and why boundaries are non-negotiable

(40:18) The simple five-thing evening ritual that builds lasting joy

Emily Florence is a bestselling author, award-winning writer, and entrepreneur who believes life gets better when we stop being so hard on ourselves and start choosing joy with intention. A former Beverly Hills PR strategist who worked on American Idol and Gilmore Girls, she holds a Master's in Broadcast Journalism from Emerson College, is a certified life purpose and career coach, and founder of Everyday Happy — honoured as a Forbes Top 100 Website for Women. Her book Even Better: Easier Ways to a Happier Life was named the Feel-Good Book of 2024 by Yahoo Finance.

Emily opens with the moment that shaped everything: dropping out of law school after just four days at 22, choosing how she felt over what people thought — the seed of all she now teaches. She unpacks why happiness isn't a destination but a series of daily micro-choices, and introduces the practice of "paying attention to your attention" — noticing what leaves you feeling better or worse and deliberately choosing more of what lifts you. She also speaks to staying grounded in a noisy world through mindful media consumption, daily meditation, and a simple evening ritual of writing down five things you're grateful for or accomplished. The episode closes with exciting news: the audiobook for Even Better drops February 26, 2026.

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What happens when a former lawyer and pop musician gets told she's "too old" to write about desire—and builds a literary empire instead? In episode 249 of Joy Found Here, author Lexy Shaw Delorme shares how she turned publisher rejection into fuel for independence. After being told it's "unbecoming for a woman in her forties to still have sexual feelings," Lexy chose self-publishing and proved that refusing to wait for permission creates something extraordinary.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

(04:12) From Music to Law to Literature: Lexy's Multi-Hyphenate Journey

(05:38) Characters as Truth-Tellers: Why Fiction Lets You Say What You Can't

(10:17) Finding Her Tribe: How Comic-Con Became the Perfect Venue

(14:24) The Inclusive Magic of Comic-Con Culture

(22:13) The Limerent Series: Four Books, One Converging World

(29:30) Writing with ADHD: Achievable Goals and Family Accountability

(35:32) "I'm Not Going to Allow Myself to Think I Can't Do It"

(44:24) Fighting the Publishing Patriarchy: Why She Went Independent

(47:36) Building a Creative Empire: Her Self-Publishing Team

(53:06) Taking on Amazon and Where to Find Her Books

Lexy Shaw Delorme is an award-winning American author based in Paris, known for her genre-defying Limerent Series written under the pen name S. Delorme. A true Renaissance woman—pop musician with an MTV feature, lawyer, 23andMe science writer, and sound engineer—she channels all those experiences into fiction that blends paranormal romance with legal thrillers and metaphysical mysteries. After rejecting traditional publishing's limitations (including being told it's "unbecoming for a woman in her forties to still have sexual feelings"), she built an independent publishing empire with her family. With nine books completed and a relentless creative drive fueled by ADHD, Lexy regularly appears at Comic-Cons and literary festivals across Europe and the US, proving you're never too old to write complex stories on your own terms.

In this episode, Lexy returns with updates on launching her fifth book at New York Comic-Con and plans for a short story collection. She shares how Comic-Con became her ideal venue—a passionate, inclusive community of 250,000+ attendees who embrace boundary-pushing stories—and opens up about managing ADHD through achievable writing goals, treating her author career as a startup, and building a creative team with her son as developmental editor. Whether discussing constant creative momentum or recent Amazon challenges, Lexy's message is clear: passion, persistence, and refusing to wait for permission are the keys to creating the life and work you want.

Connect with Lexy Shaw Delorme:

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SoundCloud

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