Available with Kristin Johnson

In this episode, Kristin, Denise, and Tim settle into a conversation built around one simple word that opens a very big door. Wonder. What it means, how it shows up, and why it matters more than we realize. Kristin shares how wonder became her word of the year and how it shaped her faith, her focus, and her attention to the world. Denise talks about the awe she finds in the smallest systems, espec...

In this episode, Kristin, Denise, and Tim dive into a topic that sits close to the heart of anyone who has ever felt a nudge to create something. Writing. Storytelling. Expression. And the quiet ache that comes when you hold something inside that is meant to come out. Kristin opens with a Maya Angelou quote about the agony of an untold story and shares her own journey of writing her first book. Fr...

In this episode, Kristin, Denise, and Tim explore what it means to stay wild in a world that keeps trying to tame us. The conversation begins with a quote from Isadora Duncan, “You were once wild here. Don’t let them tame you,” and quickly opens into a thoughtful, funny, and deeply relatable discussion about imagination, authenticity, and the parts of ourselves we learn to quiet. Denise immediatel...

In this episode, Kristin, Denise, and Tim explore the emotional space between expectation and anticipation, sparked by an Alexander Pope quote that lands with a thud: “Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed.” It is bleak, but it opens the door to a deeper conversation about hope, planning, flexibility, and the way we approach the future. Kristin draws the distinction...

Kristin and Tim dig into a statistic that stops them both in their tracks, and that stat opens the door to a conversation about multitasking, divided attention, and the way distraction has become so normalized that we barely notice when we are only half present. They talk about how easily noise, opinions, requests, and people‑pleasing tendencies can pull focus away from the moment. Kristin shares...

Kristin and Tim talk through a real moment from behind the scenes when distraction caused a missed detail, and how easy it is to overlook something even when the intentions are good. That leads into a wider conversation about the habits that pull attention away, the automatic ways we reach for our phones, and the muscle memory that drives so many of our interruptions. Tim shares how often he check...

Kristin and Tim continue their conversation about distraction by digging into what it means to think deeply in a world that constantly pulls attention away. Kristin asks whether Tim considers himself a deep thinker, and the two of them explore how curiosity, overstimulation, and scattered focus make it harder to stay present long enough to absorb anything fully. Tim talks about skimming, multitask...

Kristin and Tim open this episode with a little knock‑knock humor that quickly turns into a conversation about something most of us deal with every day without even noticing it. They dive into the idea of interruption culture, the constant stream of buzzing, ringing, pinging, and tapping that pulls our attention in a hundred directions before we even realize it. The two of them talk honestly about...

Kristin, Denise, and Tim close out the month with a Kenny Rogers classic that becomes the perfect metaphor for March: you’ve got to know when to hold ’em, know when to fold ’em, know when to walk away, and know when to run. What starts as a nostalgic exchange about childhood music rooms, shag carpet, and dads who loved Kenny Rogers quickly shifts into a deeper conversation about projects, persever...

Kristin, Tim, and Denise returned to the story of the Chicago Spire, the grand dream that became nothing more than a massive hole in the ground. It becomes the perfect backdrop for a deeper look at the danger zone of any project, the moment when you are 90 percent finished and suddenly everything feels harder instead of easier. Kristin explains how that last stretch can be the most treacherous, th...

The hosts delve further into the ambitious yet troubled story of the Chicago Spire, a skyscraper that aimed to redefine Chicago’s skyline at a staggering 2,000 feet. Amid playful banter and musical references, the discussion shifts between nostalgia for the band Chicago’s music and the bubbling excitement surrounding this architectural dream. However, the hosts are quick to point out t...

The March conversation opens with pizza, Chicago, and a surprising detour into one of the city’s most ambitious architectural dreams. Kristin, Tim, and Denise use the story of the Chicago Spire to explore what it feels like to begin something with excitement and momentum, only to hit the slow, heavy middle where enthusiasm fades. The Spire was announced in 2005 with enormous hype, billed as the ta...

Kristin opens this final chapter of the February theme with a surprising confession about being a rollercoaster girl. What changed? Her personality? Her willingness to step into moments she once avoided? Is she suddenly a thrill seeker? Is she still someone who lets fear or old narratives block joy or connection? These questions become the heart of the conversation as Denise introduces the idea of...

The conversation opens with Dolly Parton, not just as an icon but as a living example of how to shape your identity with intention. Kristin, Denise, and Tim explore the stories behind Dolly’s beginnings, her bold sense of self, and her lifelong commitment to giving back. Her Imagination Library becomes a touchpoint for what generosity looks like in action, a program that sends free books to childr...

February’s conversation continues as Kristin picks up her Dollywood story right where she left off, standing in the rain with two excited kids, a husband stretched out on a bench with a thrown‑out back, and a full day ahead. What begins as a simple family outing becomes a deeper look at the quiet narratives we repeat to ourselves, the ones that shape our choices long before we ever test whether th...

February opens with a new voice at the table as Kristin welcomes her friend Denise Heidel into the conversation. The two settle in with the kind of easy rapport that comes from years of real-life connection, ready to explore this month’s theme of “getting out of your own way.” What begins as a lighthearted chat about joy quickly turns toward the quiet, familiar ways we block ourselves...

Momentum, clarity, and life on the other side of yes . Hello, is it me you’re looking for? What if the answer is yes and it’s been yes all along? We’ve talked about recognizing the signals. We’ve explored why we ignore them. We’ve examined why comfort keeps us stuck. But what happens when you actually start listening? When you stop resisting the prompts and start lean...

The quiet resistance that holds us in place . What if the biggest obstacle to your next chapter isn’t fear of failure, it’s the comfort of what you already know? We talk a lot about recognizing when it’s time to change. But recognition is only half the battle. The harder part? Actually moving. Actually stepping into the discomfort. Actually becoming a sugar cookie. Here’s w...

Why awareness comes long before action . Bueller? Bueller? You’re physically present, but mentally somewhere else entirely. Sound familiar? We’ve all been there, sitting in meetings we used to look forward to, doing work that once energized us, showing up but not really showing up. It’s not dramatic. There’s no rebellion. Just a quiet absence that nobody else notices, but y...

The signals we notice before we’re ready to act Have you ever felt something shift—just slightly off-rhythm—but kept pushing forward anyway? That subtle discomfort when what once felt rewarding now feels routine? When the song that used to energize you starts playing a little flat? Change rarely announces itself with fanfare. Instead, it whispers. It taps you on the shoulder through small si...