The Things We Know

In this episode of The Things We Know , Kari and Lisa name the moment we’re living in without softening it or pretending it’s business as usual. They talk honestly about the emotional and nervous system toll of staying awake to what’s happening in the world, why disengagement is no longer a neutral choice, and how caring deeply right now comes with a real cost. Drawing from their work as coaches,...

In this episode of The Things We Know, Kari and Lisa talk with Kristy about what it looks like to take a leap in midlife and step into a version of yourself you didn’t see coming. Kristy shares how she went from growing up in a very nonpolitical household to becoming an activist and community organizer, working alongside a committed network of women through Build Tomorrow Chicago and Indivisible E...

Kari and Lisa talk with researcher and storyteller Rachel Joy Swardson about the real landscape of women’s friendships—the fractures we don’t speak about, the quiet eroders that dissolve connection, and why midlife can feel both full and lonely at the same time. Together they explore how values shifts, life transitions, and unspoken expectations shape the way women find, make, and keep friends, an...

Lisa Callahan and Kari Morin are back!   Here to open Season Four of The Things We Know by retiring the familiar pressure to be better and asking a different, more honest question. What if this year is about being braver instead. In a world that feels heavy and uncertain, they explore what courage actually looks like in midlife and in these times. Not perfection or optimization, but emotional hone...

Lisa and Kari offer a lively preview of what’s ahead in Season Four, sharing the themes, conversations, and guests they’re most excited to bring to the podcast in the coming months. With several powerful interviews already recorded, they highlight the topics that will shape the new season—courage, friendship, activism, healing, identity, pace, desire, storytelling, and more—along with the kinds of...

In this episode of The Things We Know , Kari and Lisa wrap up a tough year by exploring a surprisingly uplifting idea called the winning streak. Inspired by creator Charlie Rocket and expanded through the somatic work of Melanie Mishler, they talk about how naming even the smallest things that are going right can shift how we experience progress and resilience. This conversation is not about force...

Kari and Lisa mark their one hundred fiftieth episode with a reflective, honest conversation about the beliefs they once held tightly, the ones life softened, and the truths that feel steadier now. Looking back at the evolution of the podcast, the unexpected shape of this past year, and the lessons earned at different ages, they explore how perspective shifts over time and what wisdom emerges from...

In this episode, Kari and Lisa dive into a conversation many of us feel but rarely name: how easy it is to slip into information bubbles without even realizing it. They explore what happens when our news feeds narrow, our assumptions harden, and the algorithms learn us a little too well — and they offer a refreshing, compassionate look at how to stay informed without losing ourselves in outrage or...

In this episode of The Things We Know , Lisa and Kari sit down with filmmaker, actress, and creative entrepreneur Trinette Faint , fresh off her Best Actress win at the Berlin Indie Film Festival for her witty and deeply human short film Party Pants . Together they explore what it means to reinvent yourself in midlife, build community that’s real instead of performative, and lead with creativity a...

What if the answers you keep searching for are already in you? In this episode, Kari and Lisa explore the idea of cumulative knowledge — the way life quietly teaches us through repetition, resilience, relationships, and the stories we carry. It’s a conversation about the wisdom we forget we have, the old scripts we’re still running, and the surprising ways our lived experience shapes what we do ne...

In this episode of The Things We Know , Kari and Lisa talk honestly about movement and motivation in midlife. Not the glossy version, but the real one that includes shifting energy, caregiving, perimenopause, creaky joints, and the moments when even finding your sports bra feels like a workout. They unpack what it means to move through the world at this stage of life with strength, humor, and self...

In this episode of The Things We Know , Kari and Lisa step into a conversation that has been simmering for a long time. Faith and Freedom explores how personal belief, public power, and democracy are colliding in ways that shape everyday life. They share personal stories about faith, talk openly about the rise of Christian nationalism, and name why the separation of church and state matters now mo...

In this episode of The Things We Know , Kari and Lisa lean into the question behind the title What to Feel (WTF) because lately both meanings apply. When the world keeps throwing curveballs, it is hard to know whether to rage, cry, laugh, or shut down entirely. Together they talk about the emotional whiplash of this past year, the grief beneath our anger, and how to keep hope alive when it feels l...

In this episode of The Things We Know , Lisa and Kari get real about power and the many ways it shows up in everyday life. They talk about the difference between power that controls, power that tries to help but sometimes misses the mark, and power that is shared and lifts everyone. Along the way they share what this looks like in their own lives, in coaching, and in community. They also name the...

In this episode of The Things We Know , Kari and Lisa talk about the small but powerful difference between reacting and responding. They share where this shows up in their own lives as moms, caregivers, partners, and friends, and how easy it is to either blow up or shut down when emotions take over. They offer simple practices that help create a little space before we act, like naming what we are...

Some stories are too powerful to stay untold. In this compelling conversation, Kari and Lisa are joined by memoir and business book ghostwriter Jenny Nesbit—a spiritual life coach and visionary who believes that when women tell the truth about their lives, they not only heal themselves but help others feel less alone. From surviving domestic abuse to helping others reclaim their voice, Jenny share...

What does it look like to face life’s hardest battles twice—and still come out laughing, leading, and lifting others? In this episode of The Things We Know , Kari and Lisa sit down with Amy Spence: mom, marathon runner, master transformation coach, and two-time breast cancer survivor. Amy shares her journey with raw honesty and humor, from the moments that tested her to the strategies that helped...

Maya Angelou’s challenge is simple but piercing: “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” In this episode of The Things We Know , Kari and Lisa unpack what it really means to live by those words—in parenting, caregiving, politics, justice, and how we treat our planet. From unlearning old assumptions about children and loved ones, to confronting the gap bet...

Dehumanization has become the cheap currency of politics, media, and even casual talk—and it’s leaving us more divided than ever. In this episode of The Things We Know , Lisa and Kari look at how words and labels strip people of dignity, whether it’s whole communities cast as threats or the double standards baked into our justice and political systems. They don’t shy away from naming the hard stuf...

What holds women back from stepping fully into leadership isn’t just the boardroom—it’s the kitchen, the calendar, and the endless to-do list at home. In this episode of The Things We Know , Kari and Lisa dive into Katty Kay and Claire Shipman’s The Power Code and the chapter that made them stop in their tracks: “Pots and Pans and Power.” They unpack how the unequal division of household labor—and...

 In headlines and hearings, we still see the same pattern play out: women brave enough to tell the truth are met with skepticism, hostility, or outright dismissal. That disbelief doesn’t just silence—it revictimizes, forcing survivors through systems built to malign and exhaust them, while convictions remain rare. No wonder so many choose silence, carrying fear and shame instead of justice. In thi...

In this episode, Kari and Lisa take a closer look at the phrase "just be nice" and the cultural conditioning behind it—especially for women. They explore how niceness often masks self-silencing, emotional disconnection, and fear of conflict, while true kindness is rooted in clarity, courage, and respect. Drawing from the work of Glennon Doyle, Brené Brown, Harriet Lerner, and Resmaa Mena...

In this episode of The Things We Know , Kari and Lisa get real about something most of us experience but rarely talk about: what it feels like to live in a body that’s changing. From shifting energy and brain fog to the pressure to “age gracefully,” they unpack how culture, comparison, and internalized expectations shape the way we see ourselves. With reflections from their own lives and insights...

In this episode, Kari and Lisa sit down with behavioral scientist and neuroscientist Dr. Amanda Wiggins to explore what’s really happening in women’s brains during midlife—and how to support clarity, creativity, and calm in a world that often demands the opposite. From the neurological effects of burnout to the hidden cost of masking exhaustion at work, they unpack why so many women feel foggy, ir...

In this episode of The Things We Know , Kari and Lisa unpack the difference between being a lighthouse—steady, grounded, and offering light—and being a lifeboat, jumping in to rescue others at their own expense. They explore how many women are praised for being selfless helpers, and how that conditioning can lead to over functioning in friendships, caregiving, and relationships. Through honest con...