Ep 20: The Truth About Joy: It’s Not What You Think
Host: Melie Williams
Guest: Charlie Engelmann, PhD Candidate and Joy Expert
What if joy isn’t about feeling good all the time? In this episode, Melie sits down with Charlie Engelmann—educator, speaker, and PhD candidate studying joy—to unpack what joy really is, how it’s different from happiness, and why adversity is actually essential for building a joyful life.
They explore:
Why joy can coexist with grief, fear, and discomfort
The neuroscience behind real joy vs. dopamine-driven highs
How behaviors, thoughts, and feelings work together to build joy
Why comfort can kill joy—and how small steps toward discomfort can revive it
The power of community (even when it's awkward to find)
And Charlie’s daily journaling habit that’s spanned 30 years (!)
Whether you’re feeling joyless or just want to understand it better, this episode offers both science and soul. And don’t worry—there’s no ice plunging required (unless you’re into that).
Mentioned in this episode:
🎧 Listen in and be reminded: joy isn’t the absence of struggle—it’s often born from it.