Life Leaps Podcast

Astrid Baumgardner is a Yale Professor, NYC-based career coach, author of the book Creative Success Now, TedX speaker (you name it!) who helps others make life and career choices based on their values, strengths and passions.  But - for an important twist - Astrid also made her own life leap, which really came to focus in a time of personal and physical crisis, after she went into a coma, 25 years...

Today we're back with a solo episode from your host on how we can evaluate our time, energy and talents in a whole new way to help us leap.  We'll  dive into (and highly recommend you also check out for yourself!): Rachel Rodgers' book "We Should All Be Millionaires:  A Woman’s Guide to Earning More, Building Wealth, and Gaining Economic Power" Gay Hendrix's book &quo...

Lori Leonardo wanted love, marriage, and a kid (in that order).  But when she found herself in her late thirties, divorced, and frustrated with her options, she decided to take matters into her own hands.  In this rewind episode, we’ll hear about Lori’s leap into single motherhood, by choice, including:  How and why she decided to do it Reactions from her friends and family  How she had a very sli...

Today, we're rewinding to Sara and Nick, whose family of five leapt across the world five years ago and isn't done yet.  Since we first aired this episode, we've heard from a LOT of parents -- especially those with younger kids -- trying to figure out ways to make changes while also balancing their relationship with each other, their careers, of course their kids' needs.  Leapi...

When Yasmine, a then-mom of two on maternity leave, decided to go back to school instead of back to her day job, she knew she was taking the less-traveled path. Then she got pregnant, started her first "internship" at 34, and things really got interesting.  Or, as she puts it, very freeing.  Join us in Ep. 37 as we discuss making changes as a mom, a Millennial, and what it is that really...

Annet and her partner of nearly ten years planned to leap together.  Then, she shares, "the whole plan crumbled," but she decided to do it by herself anyway.  Annet's story takes us from a small village in Estonia to big city corporate burnout, to creating portable income and a trip around the world, to healing heartache.  And talking to her reminded me how often hardship can spur o...

Today we dive into the art and the science behind the leap.  What's the one thing we've seen all our guests have in common?  And how do we get it?  Join us today in Ep. 35, a solo ep. with our host (!), discussing this and more.   *** Have guest ideas? Can't wait to hear what leaps will be next? Subscribe to Life Leaps Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts! Follow, rate and review...

"When I proposed to her, she said she could only live in an area with a subway," Yosuke jokes while sitting in the kitchen of he and his wife, Yuka's, rural home in southern Japan. The couple met later in life and thought they were set in their ways, until an earthquake hit -- and the boredom, stress (and risks) of city living all came into focus.  Join us in Ep. 34 as we unpack the...

Motherhood rocked Jade's world - career included - and she's in the throes of leaping back in to her business and her 'pre-mom' self. Join us for a candid conversation in Ep. 33 as we cover how Jade first leapt to a new city and formed her business "The Mindful Step" in the first place; was forced her to put her plans on ice; and - most importantly - reignited her adv...

*Quick note: the podcast will be bi-weekly now - so you'll get brand new episodes every other Wednesday!*  We're so excited to kick off a brand new season, starting with an update on your host's own life leap.  It's been (gasp) a year since we packed up our Washington, DC apartment, sold our car, quit a job, and took ourselves and our toddler (and now our pets!) overseas and en...

It's a wrap, everyone!  Join your host today for insights into next season, a reflection (and roadmap) on what we've done so far, a pitch for YOUR feedback and a brief personal update as we head into summer.    To stay in touch this summer, follow us now on *Facebook: Life Leaps Podcast * ~ *Instagram: @LifeLeapsPodcast * ~ *subscribe by email at: https://lifeleapspodcast.com/ * ~ *send...

Today we’re BACK with Andrea Gomez Kerr - whose leap-in-progress is one that we’re tracking - and whose last episode ( "I Just Gave My Two Weeks" - Ep. 19, April 5, 2023 ) quickly became one of the podcast’s most listened-to episodes.  Last time, Andrea shared that she had just quit her job and spoke really openly about Type-A-working-mom-burnout; cutting 40 percent of her family’s expen...

After 40 years as a nurse, mother, and caring wife, Jane Merrow leapt into an entirely new world - running a food pantry - reminding us that change is possible at any age, and that we don't have to travel far and wide to do it.  (Or, in Jane's case, beyond the same street she grew up on!)  Today in Ep. 29,  we’ll hear how Jane:  Got the idea to start the Newbury Food Pantry (hint, it inv...

Liliya Reshetylo is back! After leaping from Ukraine to Canada, the corporate world to being a flight attendant, motherhood, and now starting her own company of sustainable children’s clothing (Tiny Advocates), Liliya is no stranger to life changes.  But in today's episode, she’ll share for the first time how much she’s realized her health - physical, mental, emotional - and family relationsh...

Jason Siegel spent most of his adult life trying to figure out “what do I want to be when I grow up” - except, turns out, as a young kid, Jason already knew the answer.  Today, in what is best described as a *boomerang leap,* a return to your roots - that original 'knowing' of what made you tick - we’ll hear how Jason:  Had an early passion but, like many of us, didn’t pursue it; Went fr...

Cori was (and mostly still is) a pragmatist.  In her twenties and much of her thirties, she grew her career, friendships, and sense of self.  Then, one day, a chance encounter changed everything.  Eight yeas later, in Ep. 26, Cori shares how she: Took one leap (totally unrelated to love) that led to the next;   Met Emiliano (her now life partner) by chance - but knew, *listened to herself,* and de...

This week we're BACK with Kobby O’sei Kusi, who leapt to the US and achieved what most of us would call a whole lot of ‘outward’ success.  Until he stopped and asked himself: "are these goals, are all these things I achieved, really true to me?”  Last week we ended with Kobby starting that internal shift, and today we’ll hear how it all ended up, including how he:  Decided to leave a job...

Kobby O’sei Kusi leapt to the US and achieved what most of us would call a whole lot of ‘outward’ success.  Until he stopped and asked himself: "are these goals, are all these things I achieved, really true to me?”  Kobby took time off, and really dug into which parts of his life made sense to him, and which parts he seemed to be living for others - and in the end he found out what really mad...

We're back!  With an update on our move with our toddler to southern Spain (after we leapt *see Episode 8 * and pivoted *see Episode 13 * and finally landed in a place to call home (!) *see Episode 18 *) we can't wait to share our highs, lows, and lessons learned in this latest chapter of our leap. Learn more about this podcast (and us, with a blog I recently started!) on the Life Leaps...

Lori Leonardo wanted love, marriage, and a kid (in that order).  But when she found herself in her late thirties, divorced, and frustrated with her options, she decided to take matters into her own hands.  In Ep. 22, we’ll hear about Lori’s leap into single motherhood, by choice, including:  How and why she decided to do it Reactions from her friends and family  How she had a very slim chance—one...

Sara and Nick Windschitl moved their family of five across the world intending to stay for only a short time and - four years later -  realized that that leap was only the beginning.  In Ep. 21, the couple reflects on: What drove them to leave their comfortable lives in Minneapolis (and how Sara never actually thought she’d do it!) How their kids handled the transition How a surprise hardship in t...

Aliza Shatzman wanted to be a prosecutor.  But when her first boss - a federally-appointed Judge - started telling her he was 'more comfortable' with her male counterparts, she realized she'd need to navigate an entirely different set of challenges. In Ep. 20, we'll hear how Aliza: Decided to come out about harassment at work (including through Congressional testimony!) Realize...

Andrea Gomez Kerr just left her full throttle job in marketing  in search of some time, space, and who knows what's next.  Today we'll hear how Andrea:  Realized she'd reached the point of burn-out Is creating the financial space for her family - she's got three small kids - to live on 1 salary instead of 2 (hint: she's managed to cut 40% of their expenses!) Is now examini...

We're back!  With an update on our move with our toddler to southern Spain (after we leapt *see Episode 8* and pivoted *see Episode 13*!) and can't wait to share our highs, lows, and lessons learned.  Learn more about this podcast (and us, with a blog I recently started!) on the Life Leaps Podcast website here .  *** Have guest ideas? Can't wait to hear what leaps will be next? Subs...

We’re back with Liliya Reshytilo, who told us last week how she quit her corporate job and became an event planner and flight attendant, and everything was going great until - just a year in - COVID hit.  Liliya was pregnant, basically out of both jobs, and found herself needing to leap again. Today we pick up where we left off.  Liliya shares how she: Figured out what to do next (hint: as with mo...