Productive Joy

Dr. Christie McMullen
  • 5.0 (12)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Updated Weekly

Welcome to Productive Joy with Dr. Christie. I'm your host, Christie McMullen, and together we are going to make sure we turn fun into action. How will we do that? By thoughtfully taking AIM. AIM stands for Analyze Improve Move. We're going to analyze the things that you're currently doing that you're like, I probably could find more joy in this. We're going to improve on those things by listening to experts and learning all kinds of new ways to do business. And then we're going to move. It is time to learn and grow together...let's do this.

  1. 1d ago

    Getting Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable with Kim Boudreau Smith 

    Today on Productive Joy, Dr. Christie talks with coach, keynote speaker, and business leader Kim Boudreau Smith about breathing through September as a “second new year,” releasing the pressure to do it all in Q4, and building continual momentum.  Kim shares how corporate experiences led her to entrepreneurship and strategic consulting, where she helps women CEOs stop being the bottleneck, strengthen internal and external communication, and increase visibility through speaking and podcasts. They discuss societal conditioning, “imposter identity,” and why women often play small, and how men may express similar blocks differently.   Episode Highlights: 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 00:59 September Reset Mindset 02:39 Kim Journey to Coaching 04:42 Visibility and Imposter Identity 09:10 Ideal Client and Bottlenecks 13:36 Defining Productive Joy 17:35 Creating Joy in Ten Minutes 22:06 Brain Breaks and Paper Dance 22:51 Find Kim and Rapid Fire 26:07 Bold Voice Takeaway 26:45 Closing Challenge to Act  #ProductiveJoy #WomenInBusiness #WomenLeadership #ExecutiveCoaching #BusinessCoach #MindsetCoaching #ImposterSyndrome #AuthenticLeadership #ThoughtLeadership #PersonalBranding #Visibility #WomenEntrepreneurs #CEOCoach #LeadershipDevelopment #CommunicationSkills #WorkLifeBalance #BurnoutRecovery #RestIsProductive #ProductivityTips #Wellbeing #ConfidenceBuilding #BoldWomen #StrategicGrowth #TeamLeadership #PodcastInterview  **Embrace the Season**Kim introduces September as a "second new year"—a time for introspection and fresh beginnings. She urges us to breathe and discard the idea that we must cram everything into the last quarter of the year. The powerful message: Progress is continuous, not confined by a calendar.**The Power of Visibility**Kim emphasizes the importance of visibility, especially for women. She sheds light on societal pressures and the “imposter identity” that hold women back. By embracing discomfort and saying yes to opportunities, women can amplify their influence and break the societal molds.**A Strategic Partner**Kim advocates for hiring a strategic partner to guide and support navigating life's complexities. This relationship offers a safe space to relax, explore, and grow—minimizing the "bottleneck" effect in both professional and personal life.**Finding Joy**Kim and Christie highlight the importance of small daily moments, whether it's stepping outside, embracing silence, or engaging in simple pleasures. Such moments replenish our energy and nurture our well-being.**Conclusion**Kim challenges us to find and amplify our "bold voice." By letting go of restrictive grips, we can step into new seasons with intention and freedom. Whether it's defining our version of productive joy or embracing small moments of rest, the key is action. As Dr. Christie succinctly puts it, listening is only the start—real growth begins when we turn inspiration into action.

  2. 6d ago

    When Life Gets Hard, Try E+R=O & More From Lindsay Smith

    In this Productive Joy Recap, Dr. Christie highlights insights from Lindsay Smith, who helped sharpen the Intentionality Group’s messaging from unclear to laser-focused. Lindsay’s key idea is that you don’t have to wait to feel more joy—joy is a choice and a business metric that impacts employee retention and performance, because people quit or quiet-quit when work isn’t enjoyable. Dr. Christie shares Lindsay’s formula “E + R = O” (Event + Response = Outcome), emphasizing that while events may be uncontrollable, your response determines results. The episode encourages listeners to stop feeling “done unto,” choose what they focus on, look for the good even when life feels loud. Episode Highlights: 00:00 Welcome Recap Intro 00:05 Meet Lindsay Smith 00:44 Joy As A Metric 01:22 E Plus R Equals O 02:08 Choosing Your Response 02:55 We Get To Choose 03:25 If You Disagree 03:48 Choose Joy Today 04:00 Fun Into Action  #Productivity #Joy #BusinessMindset #Leadership #EmployeeEngagement #WorkplaceCulture #QuietQuitting #TeamMotivation #Messaging #BrandMessaging #BusinessCommunication #Clarity #MindsetCoaching #PersonalDevelopment #IntentionalLiving #PositiveMindset #Resilience #EmotionalIntelligence #Entrepreneurship #SmallBusiness #Management #WorkplaceWellbeing #SuccessHabits #Coaching #ProductiveJoy

  3. Aug 24

    Joy as a Business Metric with Lindsay Smith

    Today on Productive Joy, Dr. Christie welcomes Lindsay Smith, a CEO coach, leadership speaker, and licensed therapist who built and sold two Silicon Valley counseling centers. Lindsay explains that joy doesn’t require life to get easier and shares Jack Canfield’s E+R=O model: events are uncontrollable, but responses shape outcomes. She discusses allowing emotions instead of suppressing them, using somatic tools like locating feelings in the body with color and shape, expanding them until they dissipate, or screaming in the car for some release. Lindsay recounts a 2019 car accident and traumatic brain injury that led her to systemize and delegate operations, focusing on vision and strategy. Episode Highlights: 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 00:57 Joy Is a Choice 01:45 E Plus R Equals O 04:41 Feeling the Feelings 06:31 Body Mapping and Release 09:43 Therapy Centers and Accident 12:02 CEO Joy and Delegation 13:07 Productive Joy Defined 15:15 Joy as Business Metric 16:38 Big Five Hiring Fit 18:46 Find Lindsay and Zestia 20:56 Rapid Fire Questions 23:51 Final Nugget and Wrap  #ProductiveJoy #JoyAtWork #LeadershipCoaching #CEOCoach #ExecutiveCoaching #BusinessSystems #Delegation #Automation #EntrepreneurMindset #FounderLife #WorkplaceCulture #EmployeeRetention #EmotionalIntelligence #SomaticHealing #MentalHealthTools #TherapistInsights #TraumaRecovery #EplusRequalsO #MindsetShift #ProductivityTips #JoyIsTheFuel #EOS #TractionBook #ZestiaApp #BestSelfIgniter

  4. Aug 21

    Don’t Cluck Around! Find What Lights You Up & More from Danielle Burnowski

    Today, Dr. Christie recaps her conversation with marketing expert and chicken-raiser Danielle Burnowski, who turned a personal passion into a standout marketing lesson through her chickens and the Instagram account Nest_and_Nonsense, even adopting the chickens out. The episode reinforces the Productive Joy theme: connect what “lights you up” with action, leadership, and real productivity (including profit that may or may not be monetary).  Dr. Christie challenges listeners to identify their unique genius, ask trusted people for clarity, and define their work on their own terms rather than fitting into a box. She references Croft Edwards’ idea that what we practice is what we get better at, urging curiosity over judgment and intentional habits over drifting. She closes with control vs. influence, encouraging everyone to remove self-made walls, take ownership of change, and email her to talk it through.  Episode Highlights: 00:00 Welcome to the Recap 00:05 Meet Danielle and Chickens 00:37 What Productive Joy Means 01:24 Find Your Unique Genius 02:02 Make Your Own Box 02:47 Practice What Matters 03:50 Control vs Influence 04:22 Remove the Walls 05:26 Take Action and Connect 05:43 Final Nugget of Wisdom  #ProductiveJoy #Intentionality #LeadershipDevelopment #PersonalGrowth #MarketingStrategy #EntrepreneurMindset #SmallBusinessMarketing #CreativeMarketing #BrandStorytelling #ContentMarketing #SocialMediaMarketing #InstagramMarketing #Influence #MindsetCoaching #ProductivityTips #Habits #Curiosity #TedLassoLessons #SphereOfInfluence #SelfLeadership #PurposeDrivenWork #WorkLifeIntegration #NonprofitToEntrepreneur #WomenInBusiness #JoyAtWork

  5. Aug 18

    Don't Be Too Chicken to Live Your Destiny with Danielle Bornowski

    Today on Productive Joy, Dr. Christie  welcomes Danielle Bornowski, a growth strategy CEO and mom who left nonprofit PR/communications in 2019 after feeling called to do something more and realizing she excels at translating sales and marketing in a comfortable way. Danielle shares how she and her husband turned their backyard chickens into a profitable “adopt-a-hen” business for people who want farm-fresh eggs and an experience—naming hens, receiving updates, and following the flock on Instagram (@nest_and_nonsense).  She applied client-style marketing strategy to the chickens by building a customer experience, creating a chicken directory and adoption certificates, and using a custom GPT trained on each hen’s personality to generate captions. She and Dr. Christie talk about leaning into what lights you up to differentiate yourself, building trust through authenticity and consistency, distinguishing growth discomfort from misaligned tactics, writing your own rules, and choosing one thing to show up for. Find focus and solutions by connecting with Dr. Christie at: christie@ intentionalitygroup.com Episode Highlights: 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 00:52 Chickens as Case Study 01:30 From Nonprofit to CEO 02:39 Calling and Marketing Genius 04:38 Chicken Adoption Business 07:47 Waitlist and Instagram Hens 09:58 Productive Joy Defined 14:12 Be Yourself in Marketing 16:59 Sticker Lady and Standing Out 17:48 Standing Out Matters 18:53 Trust Through Authenticity 20:02 Authenticity Is Consistency 21:33 Good Friction vs Wrong Fit 24:04 Pushing Past First Times 25:22 Chicken Names and Personalities 29:10 Write Your Own Rules 31:01 Rapid Fire Takeaways 33:24 One Thing to Act On

  6. Aug 14

    Slay Stress & More From Dr. Michelle Machado

    In this Productive Joy Recap, Dr. Christie highlights insights from Dr. Michelle Machado and her new book Alive Again, emphasizing the importance of saying no, slowing down, and spending time “being” instead of living in constant go mode. She shares Dr. Machado’s framework—awaken, align, activate, and anchor—as a way to choose what matters, feel it fully, and stay grounded in purpose. Dr. Christie reflects on turning 50 and choosing what the next chapter will look like, shifting from “I have to” thinking to “I get to,” even with work travel. She encourages listeners to set a clear target, avoid chaotic “blow-up guy” energy, and aim with focus toward what they truly want. Find focus and solutions by connecting with Dr. Christie at: christie@ intentionalitygroup.com Episode Highlights: 00:00 Welcome and Recap 00:15 Slow Down and Be 00:54 Awaken Align Activate 01:49 Turning 50 New Chapter 02:15 From Have To to Get To 03:21 Choosing the Moment 03:56 Set a Clear Target 05:15 Aim and Reach Out 05:39 Final Wisdom to Action  #ProductiveJoy #PodcastRecap #AliveAgain #MichelleMachado #SayNo #StressManagement #SlowDown #Mindfulness #BePresent #PersonalGrowth #IntentionalLiving #MindsetShift #IGETTO #GoalSetting #Focus #AIM #ClearTargets #SelfLeadership #LifeDesign #Anchor #Activate #Align #Awaken #ProductivityTips #WorkLifeBalance

  7. Aug 11

    Alive Again with Dr. Michelle Machado

    Today on Productive Joy, Dr. Christie interviews Dr. Michelle Machado, a global educator, two-time TEDx speaker, medical education expert, and human performance strategist, about her new book, “Alive Again: Four Steps to Reclaim Your Life in a Distracted World,” launching today and available widely (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Walmart, Target).  Dr. Machado explains how high achievers can feel exhausted and stuck in survival mode, especially as post-COVID wellbeing challenges and distraction increase. She shares how her own demanding years—moving across Australia, Hong Kong, the UK, and Canada with two children, full-time roles, and an MBA—led to an awakening and the book’s four pillars: Awaken (awareness), Align (examine programming and values), Activate (practices supported by neuroscience), and Anchor (consistency through life’s challenges). She and Dr. Christie also discuss daily grounding habits like meditation, prayer, and a morning practice to show up better for your family.  Episode Highlights: 00:00 Meet Dr Michelle Machado 01:06 Never Say No Mindset 03:20 Alive Again Book Launch 05:39 From Academia to Burnout 09:46 Four Pillars Framework 14:01 Defining Productive Joy 16:04 Practices for Presence 19:12 Morning Routine Reset 21:41 Writing Lessons and Purpose 23:12 Rapid Fire Q and A 24:58 One Takeaway to Remember 26:48 Final Challenge to Listeners  #ProductiveJoy #DrMichelleMachado #AliveAgain #BurnoutRecovery #HighAchievers #MentalHealthAwareness #AttentionManagement #DigitalDistraction #Neuroscience #MindBodyConnection #Presence #GratitudePractice #Mindfulness #Meditation #Prayer #MorningRoutine #NervousSystemRegulation #PersonalDevelopment #SelfAwareness #Habits #Productivity #Wellbeing #Leadership #HumanPerformance #PodcastInterview

  8. Aug 7

    Turn Pain Into Purpose & More From Justin Roethlingshoefer

    Today on Productive Joy the recap, Dr. Christie reflects on her conversation with Justin Roethlingshoefer, highlighting his passion and message that owning who you are expands possibilities rather than limiting them. He and Dr. Christie discuss how pain can create purpose if you choose to overcome it, even when simple concepts aren’t easy to apply due to the knowing-doing gap.  With August marking the final quarter of 2026, Dr. Christie encourages listeners to refocus on goals, sharing her own “bingo card” system for staying intentional. She also emphasizes thankfulness as a “cheat code” for authenticity and success, and teaches a mindset shift from “I have to” to “I get to, I choose to, I want to,” inspired by Amy Kemp and reinforced through work with teen counselors-in-training.  Episode Highlights: 00:00 Welcome and Recap Setup 00:05 Meet Justin and Core Takeaway 00:36 Turn Pain Into Purpose 01:26 August Reset and Goals 02:04 Bingo Card Progress 02:49 Thankfulness as Cheat Code 03:15 Counselors in Training Story 03:47 From Have To to Get To 04:32 Joy Is a Choice 05:20 Write Your Own Narrative 05:36 Put Wisdom Into Action

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About

Welcome to Productive Joy with Dr. Christie. I'm your host, Christie McMullen, and together we are going to make sure we turn fun into action. How will we do that? By thoughtfully taking AIM. AIM stands for Analyze Improve Move. We're going to analyze the things that you're currently doing that you're like, I probably could find more joy in this. We're going to improve on those things by listening to experts and learning all kinds of new ways to do business. And then we're going to move. It is time to learn and grow together...let's do this.

Information

  • Creator
    Dr. Christie McMullen
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    317
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Dr. Christie McMullen
  • Show Website
    Productive Joy