Amy Capello shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Amy, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. When was the last time you felt true joy?
I just love this question!
The last time I felt true joy was when my son told me I was the best mom he could ever ask for. It sounds cheesy and corny and like maybe he was trying to get me to do something, but it wasn’t any of those things. We were just driving in the car, talking about his day after school, and the statement came out of nowhere.
I tell him almost every day that he’s my favorite human and he often responds with an “I love you” or “ditto”. But this comment on this day was totally unprompted.
I’m not sure what was going on in his heart or his mind that he felt the need to share that with me, but it’s a core memory I’ll never forget. 💗
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hey there! I’m Amy Capello — Life Balance Strategist, Productivity Coach, speaker, author, and founder of Pure Joy Life Coaching. Basically, I help high-achievers who are burned out, overwhelmed, and overcommitted get their lives back without feeling like they’re dropping the ball. I created my own Whole-Life Balance method because “work-life balance” is way too simplified for the messy, beautiful, multi-layered lives we actually live.
I’m also a mom, stepmom, wife, nature lover, solo world traveler, and Stage 3 Inflammatory Breast Cancer survivor — so when I say I know what it’s like to hustle, juggle, and still want more out of life, I mean it. I’ve been doing this work long enough to know that balance isn’t about doing less but it’s rooted in shifts towards prioritization, boundaries, and badassery.
When I’m not coaching or speaking, you can usually find me on the beach looking for sea turtle tracks (I’ve volunteered with the Tybee Sea Turtle Project since 2007), traveling somewhere with a passport in hand, or sipping coffee dreaming up my next big adventure. Right now, I’m all about helping people live boldly, intentionally, and grounded — because life is too short to play small.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
This is something I’ve never shared with anyone except my diary.
I was freshly divorced, on my first solo international trip, on a plane headed towards Peru. It was the long haul flight from Miami to Lima and happened to be sitting next to a very friendly, talkative older lady.
We were talking about my recent divorce and how I felt like my life had shattered into pieces. I had mourned the marriage, but was trying to make sense of how to put the pieces all back together. She then recited a quote to me that most probably know, but it was my first time hearing it – “the cracks are where the light gets in” by Rumi.
It shifted everything I thought about the process of growing, falling apart, and picking up the pieces of my life in my early 30s. My thoughts shifted from seeing the broken, to seeing the light.
That moment, and her sharing that quote, has positively changed my life more times over than I can count.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Of course! If someone says no, they’re lying.
I was in my third year of college, taking 17 hours of classes and working 3 jobs. I was closer to burnout and giving up than I ever had been on anything up to that point.
The dream of being a flight attendant was almost shiny enough to make me quit, but by the threads of persistence and dedication to finishing what I started, I didn’t quit.
On reflection, I think either choice would’ve led to a life I enjoyed!
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What do you believe is true but cannot prove?
Aliens. ‘Nuff said.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
For a long time I did what I was “told” to do. Not specifically that role, but pursuing things that society elevated. A title, a salary, benefits, retirement, marriage, children. I made choices for myself ultimately but all of those things were heavily influenced by family, friends, myself, and society’s indoctrination of what’s “supposed to be”.
I have fully (well, almost fully) rejected most of that.
I started a business from scratch with no business experience. I have embarrassed myself in the process and made more mistakes than I thought humanly possible. I’ve often wondered if I’ve made the right choice in being a business owner – it’s harder than I ever imaged and uglier and messier and more reflective of my flaws – but I don’t regret it. I’ve grown more as a person through this process than anything else could’ve taught me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.purejoylifecoaching.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/purejoylifecoaching
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amycapello/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/purejoylifecoaching
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@purejoylifecoaching-amycapello
Image Credits
Callie Beale Photography
Lisa Davis 5D Photography
Georgia Southern Professional Photography
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