Cheryl and Amy welcome their first guest, Dr. Holly Hoffman—expert in laughter, joy, and creating human connection.

Holly shares how friendships have shaped her life, especially during big life transitions like moving, parenting, and becoming an empty nester.

The conversation explores how different friendships serve different purposes—from laughter and support to goal-setting and everyday connection.

There’s a hilarious look back on office-sharing and the infamous “clean desk” photo prank, revealing how humor deepens bonds—even through messes (and moldy coffee cups).

Holly shares her signature strengths: kindness, love, and humor—and how they show up in everything from teaching to daily life.

You’ll hear how boldness and friendliness lead to the most unexpected friendships (like an 85-year-old plane-flying gym buddy).

Cheryl and Amy reflect on Holly’s ability to spark connection anywhere, including elevators, seafood counters, and taxis. (“WWHD: What Would Holly Do?” becomes the motto.)

Holly’s research on humor in education reveals that joy and meaningful teacher-student relationships lead to better engagement, learning, and connection.

She emphasizes that joy is a mindset, and that the first step is being willing to laugh at yourself, especially when things go wrong (like forgetting to wear a shirt to class).

A “T-shirt movement” is born: Holly shares how wearing joy-filled shirts helped her out of a pandemic funk and now inspires others to spread kindness and positivity every week.

The episode closes with an invitation for listeners to share pictures of their own joyful shirts along with stories of joy and laughter —because finding joy might not always be easy, but it’s definitely contagious.