Kelly Corrigan Wonders

Today’s submission is introduced in the episode as a eulogy but it’s actually an essay that writer, speaker and advocate Tracy Hargen wrote about her beloved dad Joe, shortly after he died in 2012. Tracy describes her dad as her “cheerleader, biggest fan, bear hugger, tear wiper and supporter of crazy ideas”. He had a big personality that filled every room he walked into and had a memorable, radio...

You and I both have short lists of people we just cannot bring ourselves to understand. But even in those most strained circumstances, we do have a set of things in common. Here’s my reminder to self of that always true fact. Meant to be shared, especially with people you’d love to reconnect with.  (Previously aired)Please be in touch. Write us anytime about anything — hello@kellycorrigan.com — we...

Rainn Wilson (who you might know as Dwight Schrute) is making a serious call for a spiritual revolution based on joy, acts of service and being honest about our mixed natures. This is a conversation to share with anyone who is thinking seriously about how to elevate matters of the soul over the clang and bang of the modern world. Or maybe just someone who needs a laugh. (Previously aired)Special t...

 In honor of 20 years together, Leslie Browning wrote this sweet tribute to her husband Ben. In her early years, Leslie got her idea of “romantic love” from what she saw in chick movies but after sharing two decades together and the juggling required with kids, jobs, financial pressures, competing demands, middle age, menopause and loss, she learned that although solid, steady, “real love” might n...

I learn a lot from listeners.  This GOTO is a lesson in humility for me.  And maybe for you too.  It's about a mistake I suspect a lot of us have made... To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dan Harris is a smart, hungry skeptic looking for ideas you can count on in the worst of times, like say when you have a panic attack while you’re anchoring the news for ABC. He’s been thinking out loud with some very wise people for many years now through books and a podcast called 10% Happier that I find invaluable. Some topics we break open are uncertainty, humility and practices to keep us con...

Jody Weverka wrote this sweet eulogy for her Auntie Marge - a woman who made everything from crafts to meals to gardens to family life better for everyone.   To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A young friend of mine, Sophie G, shared this speech that she had saved from her high school graduation week.  It was given by Dr. Chris Cunningham, then at Lawrenceville, now at Whitfield, who gathered 10 takeaways for the students that are actually quite useful to every one of us.  To receive our weekly takeaways or share feedback, shoot us a note at hello@kellycorrigan.com.   To learn more abou...

Krista Tippett, informed by decades of inquiry through her super-project, On Being, sits with Kelly to consider what’s in flux, what needs will never abate and what we might rediscover in new forms. In this moment when everything is broken open, when institutions are received with less reverence and more skepticism, where should we point our minds and hearts? What practices serve us best? This is...

We all have things we do to help us manage grief.  Today's episode is a look at one of the ways that Kelly handled the loss of her beloved dad, Greenie.  In the year following his death, she wrote and sent emails out into the ether - to connect with him in a small but very meaningful way.  We want to wish a Happy Father's Day to everyone from us all at Kelly Corrigan Wonders.  To learn more about...

A special episode dedicated to Kelly’s dear friend Liz Laats who passed away 8 years ago - and the friends we have all lost. Liz’s birthday would have been on June 19th. (Previously aired) To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This is one of my favorite groupings of guests ever. Sometimes the chemistry is just so right. For the last episode of the 10-part series on Well Being, I knew we had to talk about the psychology of making change. For that, we needed the leadership of Angela Duckworth, who wrote Grit and is always thinking and rethinking how we understand ourselves. She’s been a guest before and her lab is devoted...

Hi all - this is Tammy writing.  This past Tuesday, June 4th, 2024, I had the honor of attending the funeral service for Kelly's mom, the indomitable Mary Corrigan - lovingly known as "Jammy" to her six grandkids.  I also had the privilege of witnessing a very tight, special family gather around their remarkable matriarch at the end of her life.  We all have that one friend whose mom was maybe a l...

It was a bad day in a bad week. And then, there he was, The Husband, trying a trick we used to do with the girls. Smile therapy. Is it real? Did it work? Thoughts on forcing a mood shift by moving your facial muscles… (Previously aired) To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcast...

How does spirituality factor into well being? Do people of faith have better mental health? Here’s a warm and expansive conversation with several surprises. Dr. Alexis Abernathy, daughter of a preacher and devoted scientist, studies patience, comfort and strain in the context of cancer, disordered eating and depression. Enriching the conversation at every turn are friends of the show, W. Kamau Bel...

Lean Macfarlane wrote this exquisite eulogy to honor her husband Brian. It's a beautifully intimate portrait of the man Brian was and how he lived his life but also a look at the close and loving marriage that Leah and Brian shared.  An attorney, Brian had a sharp legal mind and used words precisely.  He often used the legal term "ad idem" to describe their relationship and marriage - Leah uses it...

I’ve been asked to give many graduation speeches. This one was a favorite, making a case for one very simple move that changes everything. Always happy to hear from you. Write us here: hello@kellycorrigan.com. Sign up for the Wednesday Takeaway email here. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. V...

Is nutrition a legitimate medical intervention for some mental health disorders? Absolutely, says cardiologist Dr. Bret Scher, whose research focuses on metabolism as a driving force in unwellness. Joining us for the conversation about genetic predispositions, childhood eating habits and the role of medication is pediatrician and allergist Dr. Michael Lenoir and educator and artist Cava Menzies. T...

Pete Bidstrup wrote this heartfelt tribute to his dad Lawrence “Larry” Otto Bidstrup. Larry was a husband, father, grandfather, Marine, teacher, coach, mentor, athlete, fisherman and friend. He had a way of laughing at himself, almost never missed a day of work and was always there when he said he would be. He was most definitely the kind of man anyone would want their kid to have as a teacher or...

From Kelly’s graduation speech at The University of Richmond, 67 legit reasons for optimism even now. (Previously aired) To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We need big fat fluffy hippocampi and there’s a really clear way to make this happen: move your body. We can flood our own brains with the neurochemicals that help us thrive. That’s one of the thrilling messages from Dr. Wendy Suzuki of NYU in this roundtable with friends of the show Manoush Zomorodi (host of TED Radio Hour) and Mahogany L. Browne (poet, educator and activist). Here’s a session th...

Kelly shares an excerpt from Jessica Fein's new book Breath Taking: A Memoir of Family, Dreams, and Broken Genes. In Jessica's words, the memoir is "The story of building, loving and losing a family.  How I learned to live in the present and create a world of joy and beauty in the midst of loss and tragedy."  The excerpt shared here is, "A Girl's Best Friend" and is the story of Jessica's daughter...

Things we know about touch and why it is so important, from my own recent experiences and through this conversation with Gretchen Rubin. (Previously aired) To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Quick afternoon nap? Gummies before bed? Hitting snooze? Here’s a thorough look at how to get our sleep right with one of the world’s most informed sleep experts: Dr. Matthew Walker. Why? Sleep is our super power. Put less positively, poor sleep maps terribly closely to poor mental health. Joining me for the conversation are previous guests and friends of the show cognitive scientist and podcaster...

Today is the last of our special 5-part series about moms in honor of Every Mother Counts. Christy and I recently spent an unforgettable Saturday afternoon talking to the singular force of nature that is Spike Lee about his mother, Jackie, who died when Spike was a sophomore at Morehouse College. Spike has 134 directing credits over four+ decades, in each case imploring us to Wake Up. Here’s a cha...