Why do so many people say they want change—but keep repeating the same patterns? In this episode of A Joyful Rebellion, James sits down with Kristan Swan to unpack the uncomfortable truth behind personal growth, identity, and self-awareness.

Kristan shares her journey from business coaching entrepreneurs to helping people reconnect with themselves through journaling, group conversations, and spiritual autobiography work. Together, they explore why success means something different at every stage of life, how many people confuse identity with roles like career or parenthood, and why some people would rather stay stuck than face the unknown.

They also dive into practical tools like journaling prompts, defining your own version of success, and creating space for deeper connection in a distracted world.

If you’ve ever felt like something in your life needs to change—but you can’t quite name what—this conversation may be exactly what you need.

00:00 Why many people don’t actually want to change 00:52 Introduction to Kristan Swan 02:22 From business coaching to deeper life work 05:00 Patterns, awareness, and why journaling matters 07:23 How journaling became a transformational tool 11:12 Working with entrepreneurs and redefining success 15:00 Living someone else’s version of success 17:58 Losing identity through work, parenting, or caregiving 21:24 Desired outcomes vs needing to be right 22:25 What is a spiritual autobiography? 29:17 The shift from business goals to life fulfillment 33:20 Loneliness, superficial connection, and modern life 38:03 Gen X toughness vs self-compassion 46:36 Vulnerability as leadership 48:39 Blind spots, complaints, and personal responsibility 52:17 Why staying stuck can feel safer than changing 52:40 New journal: Heart Mapping 55:54 Raising adults and modeling healthy behavior

• KristanSwan.com

• Kristan’s journals: Spaghetti on the Wall and Heart Mapping