Choosing to Rise: A Podcast About Faith, Leadership, and Transformation

Send a text After a short hiatus, Carolyn returns with a story about alignment. A classmate in her Corner to Corner Academy cohort (“Coach”) and her Toastmasters mentor offered two clear mirrors: “You’re a storyteller.” and “Stop running from who you are—an educator.” In this episode, Carolyn unpacks how those one-good-hello moments turned spinning wheels into traction—leading with story and teach...

Send a text Episode 8: My Journey, My Pace Have you ever felt like you were falling behind—like your healing, growth, or dreams weren’t happening fast enough? In this episode of Choosing to Rise , I share a personal story about being told I wasn’t “really a writer yet” and how that moment pushed me to wrestle with my own pace. This is a conversation about releasing the internal pressure to measure...

Send a text Episode 7: Rising with Grief Grief is not something we “get over.” It’s something we learn to live with—and, when we’re ready, to rise with. In this heartfelt episode of Choosing to Rise , I’m joined by my good friend, fellow life coach, and public speaker Paula Nelson, as we talk about navigating grief in its many forms. Together, we share personal reflections on the loss of our mothe...

Send a text Episode 6 – Detaching Without Drifting: Why Healthy Boundaries Are a Form of Faith What if setting a boundary didn’t mean pushing people away… but coming back to yourself? In this episode of Choosing to Rise , Dr. Carolyn Kennedy explores the deeper layers of detachment — not as a reaction, but as a reflection of trust, wisdom, and peace. We’ll talk about why it’s easier to walk away w...

Send a text This week, I’m sharing a reading from Week 3 of my devotional When You’re Ready to Begin —titled Breaking Free from Self-Doubt . We talk about the struggle of questioning our calling, the slow journey toward confidence, and what it means to trust what God sees even when we can't see it ourselves. I also open up about what’s next—transitioning from the season of Rising to the seaso...

Send a text Betrayal hurts—whether it comes from a friend, a loved one, or a colleague. It can shake your confidence, stir anger, and tempt you to fight back. But what if there's another way? In this episode, we explore the powerful choice between revenge and rise . Drawing from the story of Nehemiah in the Bible and moments from my own life, we talk about how to stand firm when others try to...

Send a text Negative thoughts. Inner critic. Spiritual growth. In Episode 3 of Choosing to Rise: A Podcast About Growth, Faith, and Transformation , Dr. Carolyn Kennedy reveals why the voice in your head doesn’t always tell the truth — and what to do about it. Through her unique “spider-thinking” metaphor, Carolyn explores how worry, perfectionism, and comparison can spin webs of self-doubt. But h...

Send a text Welcome to Episode 2 of Choosing to Rise: A Podcast About Growth, Faith, and Transformation 🌿 In this episode, Dr. Carolyn Kennedy introduces the Compass Seasons — a soul-centered guide to help you recognize where you are so you can grow with intention and grace.  We often ask, “What’s next?”  But what if the more powerful question is, “Where am I right now?”  This episode explores th...

Send a text Choosing to Rise — hosted by Dr. Carolyn Kennedy. Welcome to the very first episode of a podcast about growth, faith, and transformation. In this heartfelt premiere, Carolyn shares a formative story from her childhood — the moment a single letter grade planted the seed of perfectionism and shaped how she viewed her worth. What began as a desire to make her father proud evolved into a l...