The Perfectly Imperfect Journey

It was November 2020, in the middle of the pandemic. We were on separate coasts when we each took a big, deep breath, flipped on our mics, and pressed record. Little did we know when we created that first episode of this podcast, that it would become an amazing journey; a place for deep conversations, shared wisdom, and the beauty of embracing life’s messy, magical moments. Now, after 108 episodes...

A bridge does more than just connect two points; it spans a gap, carries weight, and withstands tension. In this episode of The Perfectly Imperfect Journey, we’re joined by the incredible Carrington Jackson, a woman who has spent her life embodying the role of the bridge in profound ways. Carrington was the bridge that connected her mother and her father’s family, opening up a relationship that ha...

In this week’s episode we sit down with Margaret Juhae Lee, author of Starry Field: A Memoir of Lost History, and explore what it truly means to come home—to a place, to a history, and to oneself. Margaret’s journey began as an exploration of her grandfather’s past, but along the way, it became something much deeper: a reclamation of identity, heritage, and belonging. Originally conceived as a jou...

What happens when life takes an unexpected turn and you’re forced to redefine everything? Chris Waddell was a competitive skier in college when a devastating accident left him paralyzed from the waist down. Less than a year later, he was back on the mountain—this time as a monoskier—beginning a journey that would make him the most decorated male mono-skier in U.S. history. But Chris’s story isn’t...

What is your superpower? This is the question Gabi Angelini often asks when speaking to audiences. After Gabi faced repeated job rejections, she and her mom, Mary channeled their frustration into purpose, by launching their own business, Gabi’s, Powered by Special Abilities. Their venture employs people with unique strengths and celebrates their talents, proving that everyone has a superpower wait...

Amber Melanie Smith discovered her passion for giving back at a young age, which led to the creation of a nonprofit organization that mobilized over 50,000 volunteers to make a difference in their communities. While deeply committed to this mission, Amber began to feel the weight of burnout. It wasn’t until she took a step back that she realized she was no longer connected to the work that truly l...

In this heartfelt and transformative episode of The Perfectly Imperfect Journey, the tables turn as Sherry Essig steps into the spotlight—not as interviewer, but as the guest. Sherry opens her heart to share the story behind the person you regularly hear as co-host. From grappling with feelings of not belonging to the quiet moments of realization that changed her life, Sherry takes us on her journ...

For the past four years, Anne Robie has been a steady voice in the co-host seat. But today, she steps into the spotlight as our guest in this deeply personal and inspiring episode. Anne shares how an unexpected, life-altering event left her reeling—and how it became the catalyst for a profound journey of self-discovery. With vulnerability as her guide, Anne shed the armor she had carried for years...

Four years ago, we launched our little podcast baby into the world. Back then, we couldn’t have imagined reaching this centennial achievement. But here we are—100 episodes later! It’s been a journey filled with learning, growth, and connection. Listen in as Anne and Sherry reflect on the wisdom we’ve gained from our inspiring guests and the powerful stories shared by our incredible listeners. Each...

In this week's episode, Robin Berning shares her powerful story of overcoming addiction and embracing the very differences that once made her feel isolated. Throughout her life, Robin often felt out of place, questioning her place in the world. However, through moments of deep reflection and personal growth, Robin came to realize that those things that made her different were actually her strength...

Life throws both joy and challenges our way - it's how we respond that truly shapes our experiences. This week, Dr. Shayna Kaufmann dives deep into her own story and the art of riding life's emotional waves. She shares the hidden cost of resistance, the pain of ignoring our struggles, and the trap of clinging too tightly to the good moments. Despite her many successes, Shayna found true peace when...

In this episode, we dive into the profound lessons our furry friends teach us daily. From gratitude to unconditional love, animals show us the qualities we often neglect in our fast-paced lives. Sherry and Anne share personal stories about our own pets and explore how caring for any living being—whether a pet, a garden, or another person—enriches our lives in deeply meaningful ways. 

Which mountain are you climbing? That’s the exact question Bonnie Wan asked herself when her life hit a crisis point, both at work and at home. Instead of staying stuck, Bonnie went all in—taking the same tools she mastered as an Advertising Strategy Director and turning them inward. The result? She created a Life Brief—a no-holds-barred roadmap to how she truly wanted to live. And she didn’t just...

Kerri Kelly, author of American Detox, joins us on the podcast this week to talk about her life and the lessons she learned through the process of writing her book. Kerri takes us on parts of her journey, beginning with 9/11 and how that changed her life as she grappled with tremendous loss, both personally and societally.  Ultimately, Kerri takes a hard look at the way healthcare functions (or do...

Julian Pistone had a lot of amazing things going for him: a great education, friends all over the world, and a fantastic job with one of the world’s most recognizable brands.  But his father's untimely death and two incredibly serious illnesses leveled Julian physically, mentally and spiritually.  As he lay completely immobile on the floor in his mother's home, Julian realized that neither numbing...

“Life moves pretty fast.  If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” Ferris Bueller   We love this quote from the 1986 movie that embraces living life to the fullest.  The problem is, as we age, we have increased responsibilities and a vision of “who we are supposed to be.” We let sneaky words like ‘should’, ‘must’, and ‘have to’ sneak into our vocabulary and we lose si...

Have you ever taken your eyes off the road, even for the briefest moment, to check your phone or look at the kids in the back seat?  That split-second glance was all Claire Carr had when she came upon a stopped vehicle—and three people—in her lane while traveling at 70 miles per hour.  As if in a movie, Claire let out a scream, cranked the wheel hard to try to avoid the stopped car and the people...

It is not a recipe she would recommend, but Fanny Slater mixed one part alcohol, one part low self esteem, a dash of fame, and a sprinkle of insecurity, and ultimately found herself spiraling down a tunnel headed straight for rock bottom.  Luckily Fanny also had a heap of support and love from friends and family which helped her when she needed it most.  This is a story about reinvention from the...

What started as a mishap - trying to catch an exhibit at a local museum, only to find out it was closed that day -  turned into a mindfulness practice.  How does this happen?  Take two inspiring, creative women and set them loose in San Francisco with an unexpected few hours, and a whole new way of living their days was born.  An amazing Instagram page, a book and many workshops later, Willow and...

Sue Lambert survived her abusive childhood by numbing her pain with alcohol as she tried to live up to an idealized perfection standard.  Through pure guts and determination, Sue left home, did well at work, and started a family, but always felt that she was not “normal.” After undergoing surgery, Sue became addicted to pain pills in addition to her alcohol addiction, spiraled downwards, and event...

She was at the top of her game with one of the world’s most iconic brands, doing the work that had taken her across the world and back multiple times. From the outside looking in, things looked really good for Shelley Paxton. But, she had a secret.  Shelley would be awoken every night by the same nightmare and walked through her days with anxiety, both of which she tried to numb with busyness and...

As children, play was a fundamental part of how we lived our days - whether it was an impromptu game with neighborhood friends, recess at school, or creating secret worlds with dolls or army figurines.  There was no agenda, there was just fun for the sake of it.  What we didn’t know then was how important play was to our development, creativity, and overall health. As we get older, something shift...

When Suzanne Beaumont saw an advertisement for a marathon that invited readers to “change their life,” she was 49 and not much of a runner.  But something called to her and she started lacing up her trainers.  Several months later she finished that marathon and had the realization that doing hard things was not only possible, but could also propel her to move out of her comfort zone in other ways....

Shirin Etessam was born in Iran and enjoyed a fairly happy and privileged childhood.  When her parents immigrated to the US, after some initial struggles, she found her place in high school and began to flourish.  She experienced success after college, working in film and television. Eventually she fell in love and adopted 2 children with her wife, with whom she initially had a nine-year friendshi...

Life can be messy. Unexpected things happen, we may encounter issues or struggles, and, at times, things just get hard. No one enjoys the struggle, but as Patrick Ness reminds us - it is not about how we fall - it’s how we get back up. This is the core of resilience. Given the fact that we will all have something that gets difficult, how can we not only survive it but also grow?  Resilience is lik...