EP 273: Joy Hunter: A Story of Loss, Infertility and Finding Joy in Life's Challenges with Alexis Jones

With a successful speaking career putting her on the road 250 days a year, a slew of prestigious awards for her activism and a happy marriage, Alexis was living a seemingly charmed life. But the principles of self-care, setting boundaries, and eschewing perfectionism that she espoused in her talks didn’t seem to translate into her own life; she still never seemed to feel “enough” inside. Then, in a matter of months, things started to fall apart on the outside, too: She discovered that the man she’d always called dad was not her biological father, she had a devastating miscarriage in the midst of years of fertility struggles, and the pandemic sidelined her travel schedule—and paycheck. A self-described “productivity junkie,” she was forced to slow down for the first time in her life. Hoping that time away would be a good distraction from all the chaos and heartbreak, Alexis rented an RV and set out for the open road to explore the rugged American west with her husband and their best friend. For her, the trip was both healing and disruptive. Along the way she discovers that there is always a purpose to our pain and that happiness is not something that can simply be checked off a list. Joy, it turns out, is not a destination; it’s a way of life.   Connect with Alexis:

https://www.instagram.com/alexisjones/

https://www.alexisjones.com/

Buy Joy Hunter:

https://amzn.to/44uHi8e

Connect with Liz

https://www.instagram.com/esandoz/?hl=en

https://miraculousmamas.com

Sponsors:

Go to jennikayne.com and use the code CHAVA to get 15% off.

Get 20% off at Needed with code esandoz20

https://www.thisisneeded.com/discount/ESANDOZ100?rfsn=6288346.811807&utm_source=refersion&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=6288346.811807

Episode with Ryan from Needed on prenatals:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-to-look-for-in-a-prenatal-with-needed-co/id1343507855?i=1000548777842

Why Chava? Episode 248:

https://podcasts.apple.com/jm/podcast/ep-248-welcome-to-morning-chava/id1343507855?i=1000593089125

Chava Meaning

https://www.chabad.org/multimedia/video_cdo/aid/3506698/jewish/Inside-the-Name-Chava.htm

With a successful speaking career putting her on the road 250 days a year, a slew of prestigious awards for her activism and a happy marriage, Alexis was living a seemingly charmed life. But the principles of self-care, setting boundaries, and eschewing perfectionism that she espoused in her talks didn’t seem to translate into her own life; she still never seemed to feel “enough” inside. Then, in a matter of months, things started to fall apart on the outside, too: She discovered that the man she’d always called dad was not her biological father, she had a devastating miscarriage in the midst of years of fertility struggles, and the pandemic sidelined her travel schedule—and paycheck. A self-described “productivity junkie,” she was forced to slow down for the first time in her life. Hoping that time away would be a good distraction from all the chaos and heartbreak, Alexis rented an RV and set out for the open road to explore the rugged American west with her husband and their best friend. For her, the trip was both healing and disruptive. Along the way she discovers that there is always a purpose to our pain and that happiness is not something that can simply be checked off a list. Joy, it turns out, is not a destination; it’s a way of life.   Connect with Alexis:

https://www.instagram.com/alexisjones/

https://www.alexisjones.com/

Buy Joy Hunter:

https://amzn.to/44uHi8e

Connect with Liz

https://www.instagram.com/esandoz/?hl=en

https://miraculousmamas.com

Sponsors:

Go to jennikayne.com and use the code CHAVA to get 15% off.

Get 20% off at Needed with code esandoz20

https://www.thisisneeded.com/discount/ESANDOZ100?rfsn=6288346.811807&utm_source=refersion&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=6288346.811807

Episode with Ryan from Needed on prenatals:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-to-look-for-in-a-prenatal-with-needed-co/id1343507855?i=1000548777842

Why Chava? Episode 248:

https://podcasts.apple.com/jm/podcast/ep-248-welcome-to-morning-chava/id1343507855?i=1000593089125

Chava Meaning

https://www.chabad.org/multimedia/video_cdo/aid/3506698/jewish/Inside-the-Name-Chava.htm