Live Your Jam

012: When You Can’t Not Do the Thing You Love


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Some call it a passion. Others call it a side hustle. But beneath the labels is something more honest, the quiet pull that never fully goes away, no matter how busy or accomplished life becomes.

In this episode of Live Your Jam, Ellen is joined by three lifelong friends, Amy Moskalewicz of Campbell & Co, Juliann Reviglio of Simply Scrumptious, and Laura Reilly of Chicago Wilderness Alliance, for a deeply human conversation about purpose, timing, fear, and the courage to follow what you love.

Together, they explore what it looks like to answer an inner calling alongside real life responsibilities. From environmental conservation and leadership, to building a family-run event business, to launching a cottage baking brand and supporting women through hair loss, each story reveals the same truth: purpose doesn’t shout, it persists.

This episode unpacks why meaningful work often calls louder later in life, how passions evolve through seasons of career and motherhood, and why listening to that inner nudge isn’t selfish, it’s stabilizing. You’ll hear about imposter syndrome, saying yes before you feel ready, and how following what you love doesn’t require burning your life down, it can quietly enrich it.

You will learn:

  1. Why the pull toward meaningful work never fully disappears
  2. How passions evolve across careers, motherhood, and life transitions
  3. Why timing matters, and why it’s rarely accidental
  4. How fear and imposter syndrome show up when you pursue what matters
  5. The power of saying yes before you know how
  6. Why purpose-driven work expands your life instead of replacing it
  7. What happens emotionally when you ignore what you love for too long
  8. How to trust your instincts when the path isn’t linear
  9. Why following what you love is courage, not indulgence

👉 Watch the full conversation and subscribe for more stories about intuition, purpose, and living your jam.

We talk about:

  1. 00:00 Welcome and why this conversation matters now
  2. 01:00 The shared truth, doing the thing you can’t not do
  3. 03:00 Lifelong friendships and how purpose reveals itself over time
  4. 05:00 Conservation, caretaking, and impact beyond job titles
  5. 09:00 Building a creative business alongside a full-time career
  6. 12:00 Family, creativity, and collaboration across generations
  7. 15:00 Starting something new later in life
  8. 18:00 Baking, creativity, and trusting yourself before you feel ready
  9. 21:00 Supporting others through meaningful, heart-led work
  10. 25:00 Timing, readiness, and inner alignment
  11. 29:00 Imposter syndrome and being seen
  12. 34:00 Identity, roles, and redefining success
  13. 38:00 How purpose changes your day-to-day life
  14. 42:00 What happens when you ignore the inner pull
  15. 47:00 Closing reflections on courage, creativity, and listening inward

Connect with Ellen

  1. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liveyourjam
  2. LinkedIn: https://www.instagram.com/liveyourjam
  3. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/liveyourjam
  4. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnj7_LS2kaxfyPsAd1Hne8g
  5. Website: https://liveyourjam.com/

Connect with the Guests:

https://www.instagram.com/simplyscrumptious2025

https://www.instagram.com/campbellandcoevents

https://www.chicagowilderness.org/

https://www.chicagowilderness.org/donations/donate.asp?id=12341

https://www.campbellandcoevents.com

https://www.facebook.com/campbellandcoevents

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Live Your JamBy Ellen McGinnis