On this episode of the Encourage Mindset Podcast, host Ethan Van De Hey welcomes Elizabeth Rhyno — a certified faith-based life coach who specializes in helping women uncover their unique purpose and live out their very best. Elizabeth and Ethan dig into the real difference between happiness and joy, why joy is something you build like a muscle, and how self-discovery is the foundation for a meaningful life.
Watch the Full Episode with Elizabeth Rhyno
Meet Elizabeth Rhyno: Certified Life Coach
Elizabeth Rhyno is a certified life coach with a faith-based approach, primarily working with women. She tells Ethan that her mission is helping people discover who they are and why they are here — not just in a career sense, but in the fullest sense of purpose and identity. Elizabeth and Ethan originally connected on LinkedIn, and she was drawn to the Encourage Mindset Podcast because its premise aligned with her own work of helping people live intentionally.
Joy Is Not the Same as Happiness
The standout insight of this episode comes early when Elizabeth draws a clear line between happiness and joy. Happiness, she explains, is fleeting and circumstantial — you feel it when things go well and lose it when someone cuts you off in traffic or when something goes wrong at work. Joy is fundamentally different. Elizabeth describes joy as a muscle that you work out intentionally and repetitively. Over time, with consistent effort, that muscle gets stronger and your ability to experience deep, lasting joy grows.
This reframe is practical and empowering. It means joy is not something you wait for or hope arrives — it is something you build through daily choices, intentional practices, and a willingness to develop it even when circumstances are difficult. Elizabeth talks about this with the conviction of someone who has coached many women through seasons of difficulty and watched them discover joy on the other side.
Self-Discovery as the Foundation for Everything
Elizabeth emphasizes that before you can find purpose, build joy, or set meaningful goals, you have to do the work of self-discovery. She encourages asking deep questions about who you are, what you have been designed for, and why you are here. This is not a one-time exercise — it is an ongoing process of peeling back layers and getting honest with yourself about what truly matters to you versus what you have been told should matter.
She notes that unlike previous generations who often stayed in one vocation for life whether they loved it or not, today’s world offers tremendous freedom and flexibility to shift, evolve, and become more of who you are meant to be. That freedom is both a gift and a responsibility — it requires intentional self-discovery to navigate wisely.
Finding Purpose Beyond Your Job Title
Elizabeth and Ethan explore how purpose extends far beyond your career. Elizabeth makes the point that while purpose can express itself through vocation, it is not limited to your job title. Some people find deep purpose in parenting, in community work, in creative expression, or in relationships. The key is not finding purpose in a specific place — it is doing the self-discovery work to understand what drives you and then pursuing that with diligence.
Ethan connects this to his own thinking about staying focused and committed to goals, acknowledging how difficult that can be when daily distractions compete for attention. Elizabeth agrees and reinforces that commitment to your purpose requires the same intentional muscle-building she described with joy — you strengthen it through consistent practice, not through waiting for motivation to arrive.
Letting Joy Loose in Your Life
The title of this episode — Joy Let Loose — captures Elizabeth’s vision for what happens when someone does the inner work. When you know who you are, when you have built the muscle of joy through intentional practice, and when you are living aligned with your purpose, joy stops being something you contain and becomes something that naturally radiates into every area of your life. It affects your relationships, your work, your health, and your impact on the people around you.
Elizabeth’s message is not about toxic positivity or pretending everything is fine. It is about building a deep, resilient foundation of joy that sustains you through both the peaks and the valleys of life.
Connect with the Encourage Mindset Podcast
The Encourage Mindset Podcast is hosted by Ethan Van De Hey and brings together leaders, entrepreneurs, and high-performers who share their real stories and strategies for growth. Subscribe on YouTube to catch every new episode.
Related Episodes You Might Enjoy
If you enjoyed this conversation, check out these related episodes from the Encourage Mindset Podcast:
- Randi Lynn Quigley: Empowerment and Self-Discovery
- Charlie Connelly: Authenticity and Personal Growth
- Cara Terrance: How to Build Unbreakable Self-Confidence
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