The People Work Podcast
For service providers, caregivers, and leaders who do people-centered work — and want to find joy in it.
The People Work is a weekly podcast hosted by Alyssa Hicks — hairstylist, educator, mentor, travel agent, and someone who has spent her entire career showing up for people. This podcast exists for everyone in the service industry, healthcare, hospitality, education, and care work who loves what they do and still finds it heavy sometimes.
Because here's the truth nobody talks about enough: when your work revolves around people, joy doesn't come automatically. It's something you practice. And connection — true, human, intentional connection — is the most important skill you'll ever develop in this kind of work.
Every week, Alyssa brings honest conversations, real stories, and practical tools to help you:
→ Choose joy deliberately — even on the hard days
→ Connect more deeply with the people you serve
→ Lead yourself and your team with grace and intention
→ Protect the calling that brought you to this work in the first place
Whether you're a hairstylist, a nurse, a salon owner, a teacher, a caregiver, or anyone who serves people for a living — this podcast was made for you.
Finding joy, purpose, and peace in people-centered work.
New episodes every week. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.
The People Work Podcast
Why Joy Is a Practice, Not a Feeling: Choosing Joy in the Service Industry
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Episode 2 — Why Joy Is a Practice, Not a Feeling: Choosing Joy in the Service Industry
Nobody told me joy was something I'd have to fight for. I thought it would just be there — because I loved my work. Because I chose it.
But somewhere in the middle of showing up every single day, I learned something that changed everything. Joy doesn't stay. You have to keep choosing it.
In this episode, I share what that actually looks like in people-centered work — and five practical ways to start practicing joy today, even on the hard days.
This episode covers:
- Why joy is a skill, not a mood — and what that means for how you show up
- How small moments throughout your day can shift everything
- Why one hard moment doesn't get to define your whole day
- How to end your day with grace instead of guilt
If you work in service, healthcare, education, or anywhere people are the job — this episode is for you.
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CHAPTERS
00:00 The fight for joy
01:23 Joy as a practice, not a feeling
03:22 The myth that joy should come automatically
05:14 What practicing joy actually looks like
11:35 Five ways to cultivate joy in your workday
16:51 Why connection and joy are inseparable
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Follow and connect:
📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thepeopleworkpodcast
🎙️ Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify
🔗 Links & more: Find more connection here
📧 thepeopleworkpodcast@gmail.com
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You are doing sacred work. And you deserve to find joy in it.
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