Gabrielle Garofalo is a seasoned professional with over 25 years of experience in advertising, branding, high-profile media, events, and personal development. Gabrielle has produced events such as Oprah LIVE!, the New Yorker Festival, and the Billboard Music Awards. She launched the branded content division as the Global Director of Branded Content for the Wall Street Journal and managed offices in New York, London, and Beijing. She also co-owned and operated a local food festival in Portland, ME, while writing a food blog for Jerseybites.com.In 2018, she shifted her focus and added a coaching certification to her expertise, integrating multiple modalities inspired in part by Abraham Hicks, James Clear, Gabby Bernstein, and others, Gabrielle's coaching approach is comprehensive and effective. Passionate about helping individuals, founders, leaders, and Fortune 500s imbue joy into their daily lives to overcome challenges, Gabrielle has developed The Sustaining Joy Initiative aimed at helping learn how to overcome daily stress, anxiety and overwhelm by prioritizing joy as a daily practice. Gabrielle continues to run her strategic marketing consultancy, serves on the Advisory Board for Marketing at We Global Studios, and finds time to speak at events and collaborate with individuals and organizations committed to mental wellness in the workplace and beyond.
2025, a Look Back
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Happy December! Somehow, this time of year finds many of us somewhere between feeling the rush of a new year and all we dream for ourselves, amidst the utter exhaustion of surviving 2025 (only a few more days to go!). It feels like a season of doing and resting. Planning and reflecting. Socializing and hibernating. Does that resonate with any of you? I know it does for many of my clients, colleagues, and now, I'd love to hear from you too! 2025 was a wild ride yet it's wrapping up beautifully. Just moments ago, I received the final digital copy of my new book, JOYHeals™, What If It Could Be Easy?, and I'm planning my first launch event for early January here in NJ. How lucky am I to have the privilege of helping people kick off the new year, learning all about joy! If any of this sounds exciting, click here to order a digital copy of the book or book a spot at the workshop on January 10, 2026! For the 2025 Year in Review, I'm coming in with a twist on format. I hope you like it. January high> Dad turns 91 and still actively works as an attorney; low> darkness from 4pm to forever o'clock begins; lesson> If you do what you love, you truly never want to give up your craft; stay passionate. February high>new business, happy clients; building community; low> daughter big time health scare leading to an ER visit and several follow-ups (thankfully she's fine!); lesson> stay present in emergencies, even when terrified. We often waste hours, days, and weeks worrying about the what-ifs instead of savoring each precious moment. March high> Micaella turns 18, and we hosted a gorgeous soiree, complete with a homemade birthday cake; low> my father died two days later; lesson> death can be an absolutely beautiful experience, if given that chance. My father passed away with my mother (his wife of almost 65 years) lying at his side, and I, holding his hand, on the other. April high> Trip to Iceland to celebrate Mica's 18th birthday and high school graduation; low>Missing being with my mother's first holiday without my dad; lesson> Sometimes we disappoint others when doing what's best for ourselves, which can be OK unless causing true harm to another. May high> Mica commits to Santa Clara University & the first draft of the JOYHeals™ manucript is complete; low> Business slows, pitches lost, and a full-time job opportunity I was confident was a "sure-thing" until it fell through; lesson> Continue to stay ahead of sales cycle and revenue gen; nothing is a sure thing until the offer is in; the check is cashed or the contract is signed (a lesson I continue to learn over again). June high> Mica graduates high school with honors; low> coordinating my Dad's celebration of life and grieving is exhausting, along with all these other major moving parts; lesson> More of a reminder that grief can live alongside joy and I believe it makes the full experience of both far deeper. August high> Luca turns 21 and starts his final year at Worcester Polytechnic Institute while maintaining two jobs (one as a write for The Strick covering the Knicks (among other sports) and as a paid intern for an AI-powered startup for founders & investors; low>the kids saying their final goodbyes to 50 Willow; lesson>stay present and pay attention to messages from the universe, God winks (as Oprah says), intuition, instinct...it will always guide you best. September high> Mica's move across the country seamless; low> I have 30 days to vacate my rental home of four-plus years, of which spending four days in Worceter for Luca's final family weekend and 10 days in California settling Mica into her new place and then time in LA planned well before the move; lesson> I can handle anything and do so with great joy, presence and ease (mostly!). October high> I celebrated another trip around the sun with a fantastic party at my new place; low> I re-engage in an on-again, off-again relationship, even though I know it isn't not at all aligned with what I want or deserve (I have since ended it); lesson> While society wants women, in particular, to feel less valuable when not in a partnerships with a man, always love yourself more than you seek the love of others. November high> Kids home for Thanksgiving; low> Racist incident at the holiday table changes the course of family dynamics and remains unresolved; lesson> Always speak up; racism, misogyny, anti-trans, anti-LGBTQi, bigotry or hate of any kind will not be tolerated in my presence and could cause irrevocable damage to our relationship. FULL STOP. December high> Kids home for Christmas; low> Missing my father and spending the first Christmas without him; lesson> Even during a year of great change, loss, and grief, beauty can be born, creativity can be unleashed, boundaries made and upheld, and amazing experiences can be had all along the way, if we only allow. As I mentioned, I am thrilled for my upcoming HIGH from January. My first JOYHeals™ book event: a LIVE interactive workshop in the intimacy of my home. There are 15 spots open, and I believe 12 remain. This is a great way to kick off January with a joy-first approach to 2026. Everyone who signs up gets a first-look and FREE digital copy of JOYHeals™ What if It Could be Easy, my first book, which serves as a guide for these interactive workshops. Learn more here. I sure hope to see you there. Here's to all your dreams coming true for 2026 and beyond. Excited to stay in touch! |
Gabrielle Garofalo
Gabrielle Garofalo is a seasoned professional with over 25 years of experience in advertising, branding, high-profile media, events, and personal development. Gabrielle has produced events such as Oprah LIVE!, the New Yorker Festival, and the Billboard Music Awards. She launched the branded content division as the Global Director of Branded Content for the Wall Street Journal and managed offices in New York, London, and Beijing. She also co-owned and operated a local food festival in Portland, ME, while writing a food blog for Jerseybites.com.In 2018, she shifted her focus and added a coaching certification to her expertise, integrating multiple modalities inspired in part by Abraham Hicks, James Clear, Gabby Bernstein, and others, Gabrielle's coaching approach is comprehensive and effective. Passionate about helping individuals, founders, leaders, and Fortune 500s imbue joy into their daily lives to overcome challenges, Gabrielle has developed The Sustaining Joy Initiative aimed at helping learn how to overcome daily stress, anxiety and overwhelm by prioritizing joy as a daily practice. Gabrielle continues to run her strategic marketing consultancy, serves on the Advisory Board for Marketing at We Global Studios, and finds time to speak at events and collaborate with individuals and organizations committed to mental wellness in the workplace and beyond.
Hey all, Not sure about all of you, but 2026 is off to a thrilling start as I share the news that I am officially a published author. My first book, JOYHeals, What if it Could be Easy? poured out of me last March and when it did I realized the book became the guide I needed to better help people navigate the workshops I have been leading for the past several years. I had been teaching this work in a more "meta" style at local public workshops, women's leadership retreats across the country,...
October came in hot, and so did 58!! If you have spent any amount of time with me, you know I love to celebrate my birthday (October 11th!) and this year was no different. Despite having just moved into a new place on October 1st, I decided to host a little soiree for myself—complete with a raucous group of friends, fire pit, laughs, great food, twerking, and tequila shots (yes, even though I don't drink much anymore, I indulged too!). I think everyone ought to go all out on their birthday....
a view into my office | Garofalo LaRocca Lineage my parents It's June!!! Yesterday I was sitting outside on my back porch taking a break from preparing for a dinner party I hosted last evening and I clicked "new music mix" on Apple Music and the first song that came on was something new by Sheryl Crow and I was immediately drawn in. Soon I was sobbing. I never heard the song before yet I knew it was meant for me to hear, in that very moment because I knew it was meant to be shared with all of...