Life On the Brink

Hello hello, welcome to Episode 62 of Life on the Brink! Today we're talking about the Happiest Place on Earth, and how stressful getting there can be. Whether or not you're as big a Disney fan as I am, there are so many ways to enjoy Walt Disney World (and all the other parks) that most people travel there at least once in their lives. I personally have been to Walt Disney World several...

Hello hello, welcome to Episode 61 of Life on the Brink! If you’ve ever been here: -your home is consistently messy -the thought of cleaning your space feels stressful -you panic-clean whenever someone is coming over -you struggle to be productive OR relaxed at home due to clutter Today is for you! I totally relate to so many of those things, but in recent years I have come to truly treasure my ho...

Hello hello, welcome to Episode 60 of Life on the Brink! Today I'm so excited to present my conversation with Rob Krecak, founder and Chief Connection Officer of Humans First. Rob's goal is to help people and companies use technology in a way that serves them best. Technology can be amazing and helpful and enriching, but it can also be detrimental. What if we could use all of the good, w...

Hello hello, welcome to Episode 59 of Life on the Brink! We're in that sweet spot, right in the middle of summer. I love that this time of year allows for less rigidity, more lounging, less structure, however I’ve noticed that sometimes I can forget to actually enjoy these summer days, and they just pass me by. I have found that the way that I go about my mornings really sets me up to be able...

Hello hello, welcome to Episode 58 of Life on the Brink! Today I'm diving into one of my latest reads, "The Power of Moments" by Chip Heath and Dan Heath.  It was such a fascinating and totally inspiring look into how to make moments special and how to elevate the everyday, something I hope to do with each episode of Life On the Brink. What if I told you that there are so many oppor...

Hello hello, welcome to Episode 57 of Life on the Brink! School is out, and whether you’re a teacher or a student (or both), now is the time to enjoy a bit of free time and sunshine. And you know what that means…..books! Yes, exactly. Plus, I’m proposing a fun reading challenge! In this episode I'll share: -my summery book recommendations -what's on my personal reading list this season -...

Hello hello, welcome to Episode 56 of Life on the Brink! Today you’re in for a real treat because I’m sharing a very special interview with a professional gardener (amazing!). You all know I’ve been on my garden journey for the past few years, and I’m always looking to learn more to help maximize my harvest. I’m joined in this episode by very-special-guest Nicole Schauder, who helps people like me...

Hello hello, welcome to Season Three and Episode 55 of Life on the Brink! How have you been? Busy, I imagine. May was a crazy, exciting, and very busy month for me, and brought with it so many beautiful moments. I also embraced a new attitude since my birthday at the end of April that I am LOVING. 26 is my year of FEARLESSNESS, so welcome to our FEARLESS SUMMER! Today I’m going to share a few key...

Hello hello, and welcome to Life On the Brink! It is so easy to get caught up in this fast-paced world, always looking toward the next thing. We often measure our lives in milestones and big changes, but do we ever really stop to enjoy the moment we're in? Welcome to the podcast that is dedicated to enjoying life, one day at a time. Hi, I’m Anna, a musician with a lot of side hustles and even...

Hello hello, welcome to Episode 54 of Life on the Brink and the Season Two Finale! I love picnics, that’s established. And I love afternoon tea (don’t we all?). So for my 26th birthday this past week I combined the two and threw myself the picnic/tea/birthday/garden party of my dreams! It was quite a bit of work and involved some real planning, but I was so, so happy with the result. It was such a...

Hello hello, and welcome to Episode 53 of Life on the Brink! When spring rolls around, I feel inspired to create, to make things and to indulge new ideas. Along with that, I’ve been thinking a lot about art, hobbies and the creative process. Sometimes it’s hard to know where to begin, or sometimes you’re so far removed from that place of creativity that you don’t know how to get back to it. Whethe...

Hello hello, and welcome to Episode 52 of Life on the Brink! When the spring season rolls around, I get reinvigorated to cook (shocker), and often to reassess my go-to pantry items. A fully-stocked kitchen gives me such a sense of empowerment and gets me excited to create. Today we’re exploring that very idea! We're all about seasonal eating over here, as you well know, but what about the thi...

Hello hello, and welcome to Episode 51 of Life on the Brink! I won’t say that spring is here, but spring is kind of here! Obviously, where you live in the world will greatly affect the weather you’re currently experiencing, between the longer days and the rising temperatures here in Virginia, I’m finally starting to feel a bit of spring in my step. Today’s episode is going to be full of ways to we...

Hello hello, and welcome to Episode 50 of Life on the Brink (wow)! I never really identified myself as an adventurous person until quite recently. I think it’s because I always saw myself more as a steady, calm, routine-oriented person, and sometimes those qualities are presented as the antithesis of a carefree, adventurous spirit. This is by no means the case, though! We can be all of those thing...

Hello hello, welcome to Episode 49 of Life on the Brink! Often, our modern-day world moves so fast, sometimes the days feel much too short.  We can find ourselves wrapped up in trying to balance work, family, the home, projects, and all sorts of things, and it begs the question: “Is all this really necessary?” And even within our obligations like work and family, I believe there are ways we can re...

Hello hello, welcome to Episode 48 of Life on the Brink! It’s no secret here that I love cooking. Like, I really love it. For many people, though, cooking beyond your basic pan fry or pasta dish can seem really intimidating, and I hope to dispel that intimidation so that you can love it too! Today we’re talking about some simple techniques that will really up your game in the kitchen. Cooking is l...

Hello hello, welcome to Episode 47 of Life on the Brink! The bustle of the holidays, along with the energy of the New Year, is behind us, and we are all now solidly in what is probably the most difficult season of the year: winter. However, I believe that there is beauty to be found and life to be enjoyed during this winter season, and though it may not come as readily apparent as it does during t...

Hello hello, welcome to Episode 46 of Life on the Brink! Happy New Year everyone! It's a new year, which means a whole new year of reading. I met (and actually surpassed) my reading goal for the first time last year, and have completely fallen in love with books again. To that end, this episode is a bit of a reading roundup. In this episode I'll share: -the best books I read during 2021...

Hello hello, welcome to Episode 45 of Life on the Brink and Merry Christmas! Today, though we’re talking about that highly-underrated time in between Christmas Day and the new year. I don’t know about you, but the past couple of weeks have been a big rush of deadlines, rehearsals and performances. There’s so much that leads up to the big day, so much business and wonderful anticipation, that we ca...

Hello hello, welcome to Episode 44 of Life on the Brink! It's full-on Christmas time, and today we're combining Christmas with one of my other favorite things: cooking. While it's true that here at the podcast we aim to cultivate simply joy in our everyday lives, there's also something special about those traditions you only get to experience once a year. So today we're ta...

Hello hello, welcome to Episode 43 of Life on the Brink, and Happy Thanksgiving! Today we’re talking about Christmas presents, but maybe not in the way we’re used to. I find that the older I get, the more excited I am about giving gifts to those I love, but it’s easy for me to get pretty Charlie Browny about the commercialization of Christmas. Instead, it's my goal to find (and even make) uni...

Hello hello, and welcome to Episode 42 of Life on the Brink! Things are picking up, and in so many ways. Personally, this fall is the busiest, dare I say most stressful season I’ve had since Covid began. To be perfectly honest, it’s been a tough few weeks. And while self care has become quite the trend over the past few years, often in a “treat yo self” way, lately I’ve had a different kind of sel...

Hello hello, and welcome to Episode 41 of Life on the Brink! Nothing screams fall quite as much as a cup of spicy tea, or maybe a comforting dish full of fall flavors, and I think that the essence of autumn lies not only in the pumpkins, apples, and leafy greens, but in the warming spices that complement the harvest so well, like cinnamon, clove, and ginger. Today we’re diving into the spices that...

Hello hello, and welcome to Episode 40 of Life on the Brink! October is one of the busiest months, and this year as we all adapt to our changing schedules, sometimes the workload can be overwhelming. Whether you're a student, a teacher, a parent, or simply need to manage your time between work and your other goals or creative pursuits. As someone who works many part-time jobs and produces pod...

Hello hello, happy autumn, and welcome to Episode 39 of Life on the Brink!  It's that time of year when all you want to do is cozy up with nostalgic fun stories, and, especially in October, a little spookiness adds to the fun. Now, if you're like me, scary movies are a hard pass, but I do enjoy a bit of suspense and mystery. So today I'm joined once again by my movie-loving sister S...