Happiness is becoming scarcer as more of us work harder, longer hours. Most adults don't have a productivity problem—they have a joy problem. Somewhere between responsibilities, careers, parenting, and achievement, many people abandon happiness, that playful, curious version of themselves that once came naturally. Do we build better habits at the sake of losing our joy? Improv comedian, speaker, and workplace culture expert Erin Diehl argues that play is far more than entertainment—it's a gateway to resilience, creativity, authentic leadership, self-love, and deeper human connection. Through powerful stories about burnout, post-concussion recovery, IVF heartbreak, motherhood, and rebuilding her life around joy instead of achievement, Erin shares how learning to surrender control, develop happiness as a skill, embrace uncertainty, and intentionally create space for fun transformed both her personal life and business. If you've been feeling overwhelmed, disconnected, overly serious, or stuck in constant productivity mode, this conversation offers a practical and deeply human reminder that joy isn't a reward for success—it might actually be the path to it.
Follow Erin @itserindiehl
Follow Chase @chase_chewning
-----
00:00 Why Adults Stop Playing
02:57 Can Play Make Serious Life Problems Easier?
06:59 Is Play a Luxury?
09:08 Finding Joy Through Your Senses
12:01 Why Everyone Should Take Improv Classes
15:43 Using Improv to Navigate Uncertainty
18:02 The Power of Surrender
21:17 How Your Body Reveals Stress & Control
24:40 Learning How to Receive Joy
27:31 The Balance Between Giving and Receiving
29:54 What Burnout Really Looks Like
35:46 The Health Scare That Changed Erin's Life
41:01 Why Play Is a Form of Self-Love
43:09 Parenting and Rediscovering Play
46:07 Is Play More Important Than Productivity?
47:10 IVF, Grief & Finding Meaning Through Loss
49:30 What "Ever Forward" Means to Erin Diehl
51:43 How to Bring More Play Into Your Life Today
-----
Episode resources:
- LMNT - Get your free sample pack with any purchase
- Timeline Nutrition: Support mitochondrial health with Mitopure (code EVERFORWARD)
