Welcome to The Academy of Joyful Living
Joy-based education, practices, tools, and events that support aligned living, working and leading.
At the Academy, we believe Joy is not just a fleeting feeling. It’s a practice, a way of being & a catalyst for aligned working, leading and living.
Joy is not about bypassing real life or forcing positivity. It is about meeting life, work, and leadership with awareness, presence, and care.
At the Academy of Joyful Living, we teach Joy as a daily, embodied practice, one that supports clarity, resilience, and meaningful connection in both personal and professional spaces.
Through practical tools, embodied guidance, and transformational programs, we support people in reconnecting with themselves first, so that how they live, lead, and relate naturally begins to shift.
This work starts within and ripples outward into families, teams, organizations, and communities.
Whether you’re here to:
- Reconnect with your own Joy and sense of direction.
- Bring more ease, presence, and purpose into your business or leadership.
- Â Lead from alignment rather than exhaustion or pressure
- Learn how to guide others through Joy-based practices
- Or simply because you want to feel betterÂ
Whether you're an individual, a leader, part of a team, or someone called to support others, there is a place for you here.
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Start Exploring
The Daily Joy Journal™
A simple, practical tool to build awareness, presence, and Joy into everyday life.
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 The Joy Nest
Our ongoing membership and community space. Your soft place to land, recalibrate, and practice Joy with support and accountability.
Joyful Education
Workshops, courses, and trainings that support embodied living, leadership, and wellbeing for individuals, teams, and organizations.
Why Joy Matters
In a world that often glorifies busyness, burnout, and achievement at all costs, choosing Joy becomes a grounded and courageous act.
Joy is not frivolous. It is the foundation for resilience, creativity, and sustainable success.
Joy is not always bright or shiny. Joy is who we are. When we reconnect with ourselves regularly, we remain steady, clear, and responsive, even when life or leadership feels complex.
When we live and lead with Joy:
• We make decisions rooted in alignment rather than fear
• We communicate with greater presence and compassion
• We create healthier relationships, workplaces, and communities
• We experience success that feels as good as it looks
At The Academy of Joyful Living, we believe Joy is not a destination. It is a way of being that transforms how we live, lead, and work, from the inside out.
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Learn More
Ready for a soft place to land?Â
The Joy Nest is the heart of the Academy. It is an ongoing membership community where you are supported to practice Joy in real time and in real life.
This is where many people begin. It is also where they return.
Inside the Joy Nest, you will experience a gentle weekly rhythm to reset and realign, guided practices and reflections to support your awareness, and a supportive community that truly meets you where you are.
When you feel supported and regulated, everything begins to flow with more ease. Joy becomes the gateway back to yourself.
Learn MoreThe Joy Effect
Real voices. True transformation. A ripple of Joy that keeps expanding.
Whether it begins with The Daily Joy Journal, a Joy Session workshop, The Joy Nest, or a certification journey, something meaningful happens when you say yes to Joy.
People begin to feel more present in their lives.
Leaders make clearer decisions rooted in alignment rather than pressure. Teams experience greater ease, connection, and trust. Communities soften, open, and remember what truly matters.
What starts as a personal practice often becomes a ripple that touches relationships, workplaces, and the way people show up in the world.
Here is what clients, leaders, and community members are experiencing...
“Since engaging in the program, I have left a job that was not serving me, I have started living my passion and promoting my own business and most of all, I have been able to envision and dream for the first time in years! I am able to ask and receive in an authentic and compassionate way. I attribute much of this to how the joy method has reinforced and supported other habits that I employ to find and maintain joy in my life as I continue choosing my tomorrow.”
Jodie Baulkam @jodiebaulkham | JOYFUL LIVING PROGRAMÂ
“After working with Jillian, my self confidence, career and business have completely shifted 180 degrees. With Jillian's guidance I found myself gaining the courage to embrace change and move forward by making choices that not only benefit me professionally, but that also fill my heart with purpose and JOY. Everyone should have a Jillian in their lives, for both personal and professional success!”
Rebecca Canup, @burnforwords | JOY CATALYST BUSINESS MENTORSHIP
“The Joy Nest is a constant reminder to connect with myself. When life is sideways, I struggle with routines and taking time for ME comes last. The Joy Nest is self-love 101. The way I think has changed drastically. I've learned to catch myself, shift negative thoughts, and move forward with a better perspective."
Tina D | THE JOY NEST
“The Joy Facilitator Program profoundly illuminated that true joy is not just found in the light, but in embracing our shadows too. This journey taught me that real growth comes from addressing the hidden, often uncomfortable parts of ourselves with curiosity and openness. Joy is no longer just a concept — it’s become an integral part of me, a way of being that honours all parts of the journey. If you feel called, trust yourself. Become the joy you seek."
Dr. Debora Sepich @bespeakjoy | JOY FACILITATOR CERTIFICATION
"The Joyful Living Program walked me through my life one step at a time and helped to remove the fog. Through the gentle process, I was able to design my ideal life in words and it was powerful. It’s remarkable to look back on those dark times and see how drastically my inner and outer worlds have changed. Although life continues to be imperfect and challenging, I am living a life I truly love with those I love. The joy method helped me find myself again & I am grateful.”
Ginette P. | JOY LIVING PROGRAM
"The Joy Facilitator Program is more than a course — it’s a homecoming. It raises your vibration, helps you unlearn what’s dimmed your light, and anchors you in real, lasting Joy. This program doesn’t bypass the hard moments — it transforms them. If you're on the fence, trust this – you deserve a life that lights you up. This program will help you become everything you’ve ever dreamed of being. You owe it to yourself to invest in your Joy.”
Karla R @karlaricewellness | JOY FACILITATOR CERTIFICATION
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The Joy Facilitator Certification Program is a professional training pathway for those who feel called to bring The Joy Method™ and Joy-based practices into the lives of others.
This program is for individuals who are ready to deepen their own embodiment of the work, lead with purpose and integrity, and facilitate Joy-based sessions in communities, teams, and organizations.
Delivered through the Academy alongside a community of Certified Joy Facilitators, this training is designed to be practical, transferable, and deeply human. It supports both personal transformation and meaningful impact in the world.
Ready to light it up together?
Explore The Possibilities
Joyful Tools + Resources
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The Daily Joy Journal →
The Joy Journey Podcast  →
The Blog  →
Join the Joy Club →
Find a Certified Joy Facilitator →
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A Note From the Founder
Hello, I’m Jillian.
My journey has not always been Joyful. I know what it feels like to feel lost, disconnected, and uncertain.
After reaching my own rock bottom with alcohol, I rebuilt my life through intention, healing, and Joy. That lived experience became the foundation of The Joy Method™, a simple and embodied framework I now share with individuals, leaders, teams, and organizations.
Curious to hear the whole story? Listen to My Joy Journey Here
The Academy of Joyful Living was created as a space where people can reconnect with themselves, build resilience, and learn how to live and lead with greater presence and care.
Whether you're here for personal growth, professional leadership, or to guide others, there is a path for you here.
To our JOY!
Xj, Jillian Schecher
Founder, The Academy of Joyful Living
Looking for More Joy?
Join the Joy Club
The Daily Joy Journal
The Joy Journey Podcast
Mentorship
Blog
Join the Joy Club
Get weekly Joy boosts, powerful prompts, and insider perks — plus an invite to our private community. Let’s make your inbox (and your life) a little brighter.
Yes please