Let's Talk Joy

Erin Runnion, Founder of The Joyful Child Foundation, discusses lessons learned about cultivating and protecting joy since her 5-year-old daughter's abduction and murder in 2002. This week’s Let’s Talk Joy podcast is the last of the first year with weekly episodes. In this episode, Erin reflects on the year and each month’s themes: Joy is Intentional, Love, Acceptance, Dedication, Empowerment, Community, Freedom, Effort, Gratitude, Compassion, and Generosity...with inspiration and support from the 8 Pillars of Joy as described in The Book of Joy: perspective, humility, humor, acceptance, forgiveness, gratitude, compassion, and generosity.

Erin Runnion, Founder of The Joyful Child Foundation, discusses lessons learned about cultivating and protecting joy since her 5-year-old daughter's abduction and murder in 2002. This week’s Let’s Talk Joy podcast is about the third type of generosity described in The Book of Joy by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu with Douglas Abrams: generosity of sharing spiritual teachings...as well as your own joyful spirit.

Erin Runnion, Founder of The Joyful Child Foundation, discusses lessons learned about cultivating and protecting joy since her 5-year-old daughter's abduction and murder in 2002. This week’s Let’s Talk Joy podcast is about the second type of generosity described in The Book of Joy by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu with Douglas Abrams: the gift of providing protection and safety. Of course, I couldn’t help but talk about how that type of generosity is our most fundamental instinct as a species and how we can do better, even in the midst of our holiday gatherings.

Erin Runnion, Founder of The Joyful Child Foundation, discusses lessons learned about cultivating and protecting joy since her 5-year-old daughter's abduction and murder in 2002. This month's theme of generosity was inspired by the last of the 8 Pillars of Joy as described in The Book of Joy by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu with Douglas Abrams. This episode explores how the elements of joy culminate with the expression of generosity in sharing the gift that is you.

Erin Runnion, Founder of The Joyful Child Foundation, discusses lessons learned about cultivating and protecting joy since her 5-year-old daughter's abduction and murder in 2002. This month's theme of generosity was inspired by the last of the 8 Pillars of Joy as described in The Book of Joy by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu with Douglas Abrams.

Erin Runnion, Founder of The Joyful Child Foundation, discusses lessons learned about cultivating and protecting joy since her 5-year-old daughter's abduction and murder in 2002. This month's theme of compassion was inspired by Chapter 7 in The Book of Joy by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu with Douglas Abrams. Here, Erin shares her interpretation of how the practice of giving and receiving known as Tonglen can be applied to those who have offended or done harm.

Erin Runnion, Founder of The Joyful Child Foundation - In Memory of Samantha Runnion, discusses lessons learned about cultivating and protecting joy since her 5-year-old daughter's abduction and murder in 2002. The theme for this month, compassion, was inspired by Chapter 7 in The Book of Joy by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu with Douglas Abrams. In this episode, Erin shares her interpretation of using the practice of giving and receiving known as Tonglen, to develop compassion for people we may not know.

Erin Runnion, Founder of The Joyful Child Foundation - In Memory of Samantha Runnion, discusses lessons learned about cultivating and protecting joy since her 5-year-old daughter's abduction and murder in 2002. The theme for this month, compassion, was inspired by Chapter 7 in The Book of Joy by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu with Douglas Abrams. In this birthday episode, Erin shares her interpretation of using the practice of giving and receiving known as Tonglen, to develop compassion for yourself.

Erin Runnion, Founder of The Joyful Child Foundation - In Memory of Samantha Runnion, discusses lessons learned about cultivating and protecting joy since her 5-year-old daughter's abduction and murder in 2002. The theme for this month, compassion, was inspired by Chapter 7 in The Book of Joy by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu with Douglas Abrams. In this episode, Erin shares her interpretation and experience of the practice of giving and receiving known as Tonglen.

Erin Runnion, Founder of The Joyful Child Foundation - In Memory of Samantha Runnion, discusses lessons learned about cultivating and protecting joy since her 5-year-old daughter's abduction and murder in 2002. The theme of Gratitude for this month was inspired by The Book of Joy by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu with Douglas Abrams, and in this episode Erin shares about her unforgettable experience of gratitude when she met the Dalai Lama in India.

Erin Runnion, Founder of The Joyful Child Foundation - In Memory of Samantha Runnion, discusses lessons learned about cultivating and protecting joy since her 5-year-old daughter's abduction and murder in 2002. Continuing through The Book of Joy by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu with Douglas Abrams, the theme for this month is Gratitude. Erin explains why and how practicing gratitude daily is the easiest and fastest way to cultivate and protect joy.

The Joyful Feast

Erin Runnion, Founder of The Joyful Child Foundation - In Memory of Samantha Runnion, discusses lessons learned about cultivating and protecting joy since her 5-year-old daughter's abduction and murder in 2002. Continuing through The Book of Joy by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu with Douglas Abrams, the theme for this month is Gratitude. Erin explains why and how practicing gratitude daily is the easiest and fastest way to cultivate and protect joy.

Erin Runnion, Founder of The Joyful Child Foundation - In Memory of Samantha Runnion, discusses lessons learned about cultivating and protecting joy since her 5-year-old daughter's abduction and murder in 2002. This month's theme is inspired by The Book of Joy by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu with Douglas Abrams and the latest chapter is on Forgiveness. Erin shares about doing the practices referenced in the book, Forgive for Good by Dr. Fred Luskin, to let go of the anger and resentment of her daughter's abduction and murder allows her to devote her energy to her daughter's memory and legacy.

Erin Runnion, Founder of The Joyful Child Foundation - In Memory of Samantha Runnion, discusses lessons learned about cultivating and protecting joy since her 5-year-old daughter's abduction and murder in 2002. In this episode, inspired by The Book of Joy by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu with Douglas Abrams, Erin shares about how accepting the hardest truths about our reality allows us to move forward more effectively and joyfully.

Erin Runnion, Founder of The Joyful Child Foundation - In Memory of Samantha Runnion, discusses lessons learned about cultivating and protecting joy since her 5-year-old daughter's abduction and murder in 2002. In this episode, inspired by The Book of Joy by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu with Douglas Abrams, Erin shares about how humility and humor have helped her to adjust to the challenges of developing new programs, initiatives, and personal goals.

Erin Runnion, Founder of The Joyful Child Foundation - In Memory of Samantha Runnion, discusses lessons learned about cultivating and protecting joy since her 5-year-old daughter's abduction and murder in 2002. In this episode, Erin introduces this month's theme of joyful effort by talking about how evaluating our experiences from multiple perspectives allows for joy.

Erin Runnion, Founder of The Joyful Child Foundation - In Memory of Samantha Runnion, discusses lessons learned about cultivating and protecting joy since her 5-year-old daughter's abduction and murder in 2002. In this episode, Erin introduces this month's theme of joyful effort by talking about resetting our intentions and adjusting our routines to set ourselves (and our children) up for a successful final stretch of the year.

Erin Runnion, Founder of The Joyful Child Foundation - In Memory of Samantha Runnion, discusses lessons learned about cultivating and protecting joy since her 5-year-old daughter's abduction and murder in 2002. In this episode, Erin shares how playing mindfulness games with her children improved her own practice.

Erin Runnion, Founder of The Joyful Child Foundation - In Memory of Samantha Runnion, discusses lessons learned about cultivating and protecting joy since her 5-year-old daughter's abduction and murder in 2002. In this episode, Erin shares how she cultivates joy in the midst of busy and/or difficult days.