The Carlos Whittaker Podcast

For nearly five years, this podcast has been a space for honest conversation, curiosity, and connection. Today’s episode marks the end of that season. I’m stepping away from weekly episodes — not out of burnout, but out of trust. Trust that good things sometimes have to end so new things can come to life. Thank you for being part of this community. The feed will remain live, and I’ll see you again...

I went back to my dad’s grave for the first time since he passed away 9 months ago. I didn’t feel ready, but I went anyway. It changed my understanding of grief a bit. Sometimes it feels like you have no choice when a wave of grief hits. But sometimes you can choose to walk into the wave first. That’s what going to my dad’s grave felt like. It felt like choosing grief. Let me give you permission t...

Join me and my new friend Greer today as we discuss what it looks like to be in relationship with people who are neurodivergent; how to create space and say “I see you” to people who may not always feel seen; and asking questions I’ve never asked before. You have a friend who is either neurodivergent themselves or has a child who is, and this episode is going to equip you, challenge you, and educa...

Don’t worry, this isn’t about hunting! 🤪We’re just going to be talking about life. I know that you can be doing everything right—praying, working, providing, showing up again and again (or in my case, hiking miles and miles (and miles)), and still not find what you’re looking for.  When that’s the case, it’s hard to want to keep trying. So what do you do when you’re in a season when nothing you p...

We’re leaning into the algorithm of fear and learning how to break it! I define what the algorithm of fear is, give you some examples of how you might be getting played, and then share really practical ways to break the fear feed. This is all applicable to life on and off screens. . . . . . Order your copy of my latest book Reconnected HERE: ReconnectedBook.com  Let’s keep in touch! Sign up for my...

Bipartisan political analyst Kirsten Powers is sharing her take on how we can remain true to ourselves while also believing for the good of others.  She realized that the rage that was filling her heart in the midst of delivering news was absolutely destroying her. Take a listen to hear what she did to find healing.  You may have heard this conversation before, and that’s because I’ve been in Sout...

This episode is all about friendship—inspired by one of the best talks I’ve ever heard on friendship. Even if you have good friends, what I share today will help you better those friendships. And if you feel like you don’t have good friends, let me encourage you by saying that you’re not alone. As a society, we are the most connected and yet the loneliest we’ve ever been. But there’s hope! So here...

We've lost the plot. I swear my entire social media feed right now is just Christians fighting over Taylor Swift and Halloween. And today I'm just processing through it. Now, let me be clear and say that I lose the plot all the time. We all do. But I'm just really discouraged by how much discourse is dedicated to trivial pursuits rather than Gospel truths. It just seems like we're more interested...

This week we’re going in deep with my mom. If you haven’t listened to last week’s episode, we have a bit of a lighter conversation about crochet.  But this is a continuation of that conversation, and it’s packed full of my mom’s thoughts on and experiences with grief, caring for widows and the elderly, and feeling unseen. . . . . . Watch Wayne’s story on Instagram here. . . . . . Order your copy o...

My mom is on the podcast today!! She’s been crocheting these little animals lately. So I thought we’d talk about crocheting, which inevitably turned into so much more.  I have a challenge for you: Find something that brings you joy that doesn’t involve a screen.  And then notice what comes up (and maybe even heals) inside of you when you do that thing.  . . . . . Order your copy of my latest book...

We’re talking about hypocrisy. And here’s the plot twist: we’re not talking about hypocrisy that we see in other people, we’re talking about the hypocrisy that we see in ourselves.  Every human being needs to be able to say: I have selective outrage. Which simply means we turn our outrage on and off depending on which “tribe” was injured.  Here’s how we can move forward… . . . . . Order your copy...

I rambled a bit on Instagram last week, and this is a continuation of those thoughts! These are things that I’ve been seeing and hearing in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination.  This is for people of all views and opinions. Are we experiencing a revival? Here’s what I think! . . . . . Order your copy of my latest book Reconnected HERE: ReconnectedBook.com  Let’s keep in touch! Sign up for my...

Today I'm talking with my new friend Jason Woodruff from The Pour Over! The Pour Over is a three-times-a-week newsletter that delivers the biggest headlines in clear, concise language — but with a twist: every story is paired with Scripture and a reminder of eternal hope. Founded by Jason Woodruff, its goal is to keep Christians informed without leaving them angry, anxious, or overwhelmed. It’s po...

I lost my voice, so this week I'm sharing a talk I gave to Pantano Church back in June! I've found that most people aren't actually addicted to their phone--they're addicted to the perceived sense of control that our phones give us. That "control" tends to crack under the weight of reality. So how can we relinquish control and reclaim our humanity? Listen and find out! . . . . . Order your copy of...

Hello from the English countryside. (Should I just rename my podcast Walking with Whit? LOL.) If you follow me on Instagram, you may know that my second daughter recently got engaged. I’ve gotten a lot of comments from young parents who are worried about losing a relationship with their kids as they get older.  I’m noticing that a lot of my followers with young kids have a fear of their kids growi...

I’m FINALLY back home in Nashville, seated at my desk, talking to you.  This episode spans it all—from Taylor Swift to Christian comedy drama to the school shooting in Minneapolis.  When it feels like you’re finding yourself bouncing from comment section to comment section or drowning in headlines you just can’t get away from, may I remind you that you can turn it off.  You aren’t depriving the wo...

Join me and my buddy Ty on a deep sea fishing vessel off the Alaskan coast as we talk about refreshing our souls. We talk about how nature can act as a physical replenishment for the spiritual. We talk about how taking one step in the direction of the needs of the people in front of you can turn into something much bigger. We talk about how rest can be fun but it’s always essential. We talk about...

If you've been following me at all this summer, you know that I've been traveling more than I've been home. And this week I'm in Alaska. Turns out the service here is much worse than I thought, and it's really hard to record a podcast when you're surrounded by grizzly bears. LOL. So I figured we'd share some family travel tips that we recorded last time we were here to help you and your family get...

We're back, fam!!! This episode is another walk and talk with me! The last few days I've been doing a marriage intensive, so this episode is all about what I've been learning alongside my wife. It was hard work. It's not easy to take a look at the hard parts of your story. But that's what we've done the last few days, and it was super healing! Here's a simple but transformative tool we learned: Th...

This week I’m coming at you from the Arizona desert! And I’m accidentally thriving. Now, I never would’ve thought that as someone who loves the mountains and a cool breeze could actually enjoy being surrounded by sand and cacti in 100 degrees. And it’s got me thinking. What if everything we’ve been taught about deserts, spiritually, is wrong? What if these dry seasons in our lives aren’t actually...

Something I posted on Instagram this week is kind of blowing up… and I think it’s because it gave language to some things that we’re all feeling. How do we stay human when the world feels like it’s falling apart?  I’m back with more thoughts on current events! This episode kind of piggybacks off of last week’s when we talked about the ICE raids in LA. This week I want to dig deeper into the specif...

This is a personal episode, but it’s also a very public episode, as what we’re talking about has been all over the news and social media. Today I’m addressing what’s going on in LA right now.  As the son of immigrants, this isn’t theoretical for me, but I’m not pretending to have all the answers. I want to help us ask better questions, because when we ask better questions, we hear better stories....

Today we’re breaking the agreement with a lie that I battle constantly: I should be further along by now. If you’ve ever caught yourself thinking that, this is the episode for you. I’m pulling the curtain back on the thing that is quietly crushing us. Maybe you feel like you’re behind in your relationships or career or finances or healing or whatever. Maybe you look around and it feels like everyo...

This episode is all about fear--fear that camps out in your gut, that whispers constantly about worst case scenarios, that pretends to be wisdom but is actually just panic in a business suit. What do we do when fear writes the story that it's not supposed to be writing? If you've been following me for the last year, you'll know that fear has been pretty present in my life. Because of that, I've ha...

Scott’s story has made the big screen, and today he’s sharing it with us.  Scott is the father behind the hit movie The Unbreakable Boy, which is a story about navigating life with a son who has autism. If you haven’t seen it yet, I highly recommend it!   Scott talks about receiving criticism, life with his son Austin, and following your dreams! (You know you can do that, right?!?) Class is in ses...