BAD AT KEEPING SECRETS

Need permission to share your story? This episode is for you.

This week, I talk with psychologist and author Dr. Jessica Zucker about grief, vulnerability, and her new book Normalize It.

Got something you’re spiraling on? If you’re human, you probably do. In Normalize It, Dr. Zucker makes a powerful case for speaking up, and offers a framework for how to actually do it. I first found her work when I was navigating pregnancy loss, her book I Had a Miscarriage talked me through it, gently. Since then I have gifted it to all the people in my life dealing with this weird loss that often goes unspoken.

Jessica shares her own story of pregnancy loss, and how it shaped her career and her capacity for truth-telling. We both believe in the power of vulnerability, and in creating things that help people feel less alone.

What is something you are wanting to talk about? I will be here with you…

The audio is in the post. Listen when you’re walking, folding laundry, or hiding in the bathroom from your children.

With love & scraps of hope,Carissa

PS

PPS I’m doing a series of events with Happy Women Dinners in the Fall— one in the SF Bay Area and one in Los Angeles. To reserve a seat, email [email protected]. The ticket ($150) includes a signed copy of Breathe Through It, dinner/brunch, a Q&A with me and Tara Schuster, and some hang time with other women.

SAN FRANCISCO: Sunday, September 7th, 12pm-2:00pm (private home in the Oakland Hills)

LOS ANGELES: Thursday, October 23rd, 6:30pm-8:30pm (private home in Encino)

There will be other events to come!

PPPS Bad At Keeping Secrets is a podcast by Carissa Potter (me). The audio was produced by Officially Quigley, and the sound editing was done by Mark McDonald. Mark helps people start podcasts, and I highly recommend him if you have been thinking about starting one. You can sign up for a free meeting with him here.

Proof of Life. Proof of Enough.This week, I had the joy of talking with Jennifer Pastiloff, bestselling author of On Being Human, about her powerful new book Proof of Life — and wow.

This book is a reminder that being messy, tender, and still here is more than enough. It’s a kind of miracle.

Lately, I’ve been giving small bundles — fresh food, flowers, a handwritten note — and realizing they’re really just that: proof of life. A way to say, “I see you. You’re already enough.”

Jennifer’s book is that, too. Honest, funny, raw, and deeply alive.

👉 Pre-order Proof of Life here or check out her upcoming book events here.Trust me — you’ll want to read it. It made me just feel good. I hope it makes you feel something, anything, and let that be enough.

With love, Carissa

Hi, it’s Carissa, and this is Bad at Keeping Secrets. Are you an anxious person? I am. So when I saw the headline “This book is for anxious women,” I had to get it.

I feel oddly calmed and understood by the complex social dynamics of Curtis Sittenfeld. It is almost like she is in my head in the moments of cringe when I find myself saying the exact wrong thing for the moment I am in. In our conversation, we talk about the actual equation for being a creative success, the role of luck in our lives, and how to navigate complex social dynamics. Her new collection of short stories focuses on exploring mid-life through overturning our beliefs about ourselves and the events that define us. Show Don’t Tell is a celebration of enduring friendship. It made me think about how the friends in my life show up for me and how I want to show up for them. You know, the people who you can be yourself all the time? The friends who show up when you get a difficult diagnosis. Or have a bad day. After reading, I felt the desire to reach out to the people in my life. To dig into each other’s lives becuase there is nothing else more interesting (to me atleast).

Share this post with your bestie…

I felt this weird pull towards Curtis in this interview, almost like I longed to be in her life, and I didn’t want our conversation to end. She is a master storyteller. When I re-listened to our interview, I felt this giddy joy, the joy that comes from almost a crush.

There are lots of secrets—I hope you enjoy.

Sending love, Carissa

PS Both Curtis and I have direct ties to Minnesota. My heart goes out to everyone there in their shock and grief. I just don’t understand. Something I will say, is that I am taking comfort in lowering the “horizon line.” I am reaching out to the people close to me, calling my congress members, going to small gatherings, and smiling as often as I can. When I feel overwhelmed with the terror and horror of the world as I understand it, I recommend this portal for hope.

PPS Bad At Keeping Secrets is a podcast by Carissa Potter (me). The audio was produced by Officially Quigley, and the sound editing was done by Mark McDonald. Mark helps people start podcasts, and I highly recommend him if you have been thinking about starting one. You can sign up for a free meeting with him here.

PPPS My book is OUT. Get your copy here. Or from your local bookstore. I am so grateful to be able to do things that make me feel like I have a purpose in this life.

Wanting Both: Motherhood, Art, and the Questions That Linger

Hi, it's Carissa, and this is Bad at Keeping Secrets.

For the longest time, I believed I’d just know whether I wanted to be a mom. Like a bolt of clarity would strike. But the truth is, I didn’t know. Not really. And for a long time, I thought I had to choose—between being an artist and being a mother. But here’s the thing:

I’m greedy. I want both.

And I think I’m not alone.

The world doesn’t make much space for the in-between—the questions, the ambivalence, the complexity of redefining what motherhood can look like. There's pressure to decide, to know, to fit within timelines and expectations. But what happens when we don’t? What happens when we still don’t know, even as time presses on? At 42 I am still trying to reconcile what the “right” thing is for my life and have come to terms with I will probably never really know.

This week, I sat down with the writer Ruthie Ackerman to talk about her new book, The Mother Code. Reading it was like having someone reach into my head and put my most private, unspoken thoughts onto the page. Ruthie names the tension so many of us feel—the biological clock ticking louder with each year, the internal tug-of-war between art and family, freedom and rootedness.

We talked about:

* Maternal ambivalence, the not being 100% sure if you want kids—how common it is, and how rarely we talk about it

* Redefining family narratives and how the women who raised us shape what we imagine for ourselves

* The desire to do life/motherhood differently—even when we don’t know what “different” looks like

* What is enoughness in life? Specifically, how delusional we are in romantic relationships.

Ruthie’s honesty cracked something open for me, and I think it will for you too. Whether you’re a parent, never want kids, feel unsure, or just love real conversations about the messiness of personhood, this episode is for you.

I’m so excited to share this one with you. I hope it resonates as deeply with you as it did with me.

If you know someone who is feeling ambivalent about life, motherhood, and art, I would be delighted if you shared this with them…

With love and curiosity,Carissa

PS Grab a copy of The Mother Code here. And I am a die-hard fan of her substack here:

PPS Bad At Keeping Secrets is a podcast by Carissa Potter (me). The audio was produced by Officially Quigley, and the sound editing was done by Mark McDonald. Mark helps people start podcasts, and I highly recommend him if you have been thinking about starting one. You can sign up for a free meeting with him here.

PPPS I have a book that is coming out SO SOON. Pre-order sales are crucial for helping us understand if there's interest in the book. If you’re able, please consider preordering your copy here.

BAD AT KEEPING SECRETS is a podcast I do because I love doing it. Thanks for finding it. And getting up this morning. You rock.

Hi, it's Carissa, and this is Bad at Keeping Secrets. Before I had a kid, my garden was my holy place. Still is, just things are a little more wild now.

This week, I talk with Debbie Millman from Design Matters about her book Love Letter to a Garden—a quiet, beautiful reflection on what it means to grow something, and to be changed by it. That gardening offers us relief and connection in the face of uncertainty.

We talk about love, partnership, the cross-country move she made to be with Roxane Gay during the pandemic.

It’s a conversation about abundance, attention, and learning to choose what truly matters. I hope you find something, anything really that helps connect you in this moment.

“I’m so very lucky; I get to watch things live and grow and fade away. When I fail, I get to try again.” -Debbie Millman

A Love Letter to a Garden is the perfect gift for someone you love, offering a meditation of patience, trust, and the hope of something beautiful. Get a copy here.

Debbie Millman (born 1961) is an American writer, educator, artist, curator, and designer who is best known as the host of the podcast Design Matters.[1] She is the chair and co-founder of the Masters in Branding Program at the School of Visual Arts in New York City, with Steven Heller and President Emeritus of the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) and chair.[2]

Millman has authored seven books. She is a co-owner and editorial director of Print magazine.[3] Her writing and illustrations have appeared in many major publications, including the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Philadelphia Inquirer, New York Magazine, The Baffler, and Fast Company and more. Her artwork has been included in many museums and institutes including the Design Museum of Chicago and the Boston Biennale.[2]

As always, I have not given up on you. Or hoping. Just grateful to be with you in this moment. Love, Carissa

PS. I have a show opening in Santa Cruz on May 3rd. It is with Sydney who I love in her new space called And Friends.

PPS Bad At Keeping Secrets is a podcast by Carissa Potter (me). The audio was produced by Officially Quigley, and the sound editing was done by Mark McDonald. Mark helps people start podcasts, and I highly recommend him if you have been thinking about starting one. You can sign up for a free meeting with him here.

Hey everyone, it is Carissa and this is Bad at Keeping Secrets. What to do when you get dumped? There is no real guide, telling you how to actually just be. Today I am talking to mother/daughter collaborators Suzy Hopkins and Hallie Bateman about finding meaning and connection in difficult experiences. There is something so universal in our heartbreak that connects us all, this is truly a guide in unbreaking your heart. I hope you enjoy it.

Get a copy of the book here.

BAD AT KEEPING SECRETS is a random newsletter talking about life stuff. It’s so cool that somehow you found your way here…

Got a friend dealing with heartbreak? They might need this post…

In case you don’t have the time to listen or get the book, we discussed Hallie and Suzy’s collaboration process, personal experiences with generational trauma, and the impact of heartbreak on their lives. We also explored the concept of finding meaning in difficult experiences and the importance of open communication in dealing with such issues. Our conversation ended with a discussion on the universality of emotions in the aftermath of heartbreak. We think we are alone, but we are so not alone.

Follow Hallie here:

Love to everyone. Including you. And those little things your heart desires. Those too.

Suzy and Hallie sent a copy of their book to give away to you! Comment here if you need this (people in the usa only, sorry I can’t ship worldwide, even though heartbreak is a global thing).

XO, Carissa

PS. Bad At Keeping Secrets is a podcast by Carissa Potter (me). The audio was produced by Officially Quigley, and the sound editing was done by Mark McDonald. Mark helps people start podcasts, and I highly recommend him if you have been thinking about starting one. You can sign up for a free meeting with him here.

PPS Just a last reminder that my new book Breathe Through It is available for preorder here. In case you are a highly anxious person and you want to start a meditation practice but don’t know where to start…

I am what they call a runner. I felt a connection with Julia Roberts in Runaway Bride—the idea that if you don’t like your situation in life, you can just leave. If you get fired from a job, there’s always a better one out there. If you’re not in love with your partner, you’re doing them a favor by calling it quits. Are you unhappy now? There’s something better out there—you’re just missing out…

But why, then, is my happy life so hard? We find ourselves stuck in a culture that tells us there is always something better than what we have right now. Yet, that leaves us with the sinking feeling that who we are is not enough.

This week, I’m talking to Lydia Sohn about her new book, Here. It’s a Christian book—I should start there. As someone who grew up in a very atheist household, I’ve seen firsthand how religious trauma can leave lasting scars. My father, for example, spent his life rebelling against Christmas because of the shame he felt growing up in a church that made him feel unworthy for not speaking in tongues. But something shifted this past holiday season. He said out loud, “Christmas can be enjoyable. I love the music and the food, and I just don’t have to think about it in terms of God or consumerism.” We all thought, WOW. What had changed in him that suddenly allowed him to take delight in the season, after spending most of his adult life rejecting it in favor of its pagan roots and the solstice?

If you have felt a little less alone when you are here, consider subscribing :)

Reading Here felt like a relief—like the weight of constantly searching for something better had been lifted off my shoulders. It introduces a few key concepts that truly resonated with me. And you don’t have to believe in God to feel them in your bones:

* You can trust yourself.

* You have to stay somewhere long enough to develop roots.

* You can’t change other people. (This is my struggle.)

* You have everything you need inside of you right now.

Lydia also shared her belief that great pain and great joy often go hand in hand—that experiencing pain can lead to experiencing joy. That sometimes, we get overwhelmed by endless possibilities, and in those moments, containment can be liberating.

For me, it always comes back to the question: How do you know when to stay and when to leave?

Ever thought of asking nature? Lydia suggests this, along with practices to help you learn to trust yourself.

When I picked up Lydia’s book, I was admittedly scrolling through Zillow, looking at homes in San Francisco, Minneapolis, and Orinda. I had been daydreaming about how much better my life would be if I were just somewhere else—somewhere I didn’t have to worry about being attacked every time I left the house or about M getting into a school that could meet her medical needs. And I know—we have to leave the house I love, the community I love. But I also recognize that leaving is a privilege. That’s a reality that should be part of the conversation too.

Lydia and I also discuss the word toxic and how we often use it to describe situations and people. She questions this term for two good reasons:

* No situation is entirely horrible or entirely great.

* Labeling someone as toxic removes the ownership and agency we have in any given situation. Most people, after all, are a mix of both stellar and not-so-stellar traits.

We end with something really special. I ask Lydia for a favor, and she delivers. I needed to ground myself in the moment—to take stock of all the good things in my life without the constant urge to move forward. So, I asked for a meditation—some comforting thoughts in a world that feels like it’s falling apart.

Fast forward to the end if you need some reassurance. You’ll find it in Lydia’s words. I promise.

Even though I am only culturally Christian, I found so much in the practices in this book. Thanks so much for letting me explore topics that connect us with me. You are so loved, and you are so not alone. XOXO, Carissa

PS. Bad At Keeping Secrets, the podcast is Carissa Potter (me). Audio by Officially Quigley. Sound editing by Mark McDonald. Mark is helping people start their podcasts, if you have been thinking about starting one, I would highly recommend him. Sign up for a free meeting with him here.

PPS You can find Lydia’s book, Here. (ha ha)

PPS I do this substack because I LOVE IT. I love talking to people. I love thinking about hard stuff. I love being here with you. If you want to support me and are having a hard time making decisions and trusting yourself, we made a deck for you with the world famous Annie Duke. Get a copy here. It also makes a great gift for all the people in your life who are feeling stuck right now…

PPPS Lydia Sohn is a mom, minister, and writer whose writings have appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, and The Christian Century, among others. One of her very first essays, "What Do 90-Somethings Regret Most" received over 700K views, leading it to be one of the top ten most-read essays on Medium. As an Asian American female minister, her voice is unique, fresh, and needed for today’s transient age.As a daughter of immigrants who moved to America in search of the American dream (and achieved it), she saw with her own eyes that all can be burned down to begin afresh at any time. But it wasn't until her adult years, after multiple moves and a life of chasing greener pastures, that she began to realize the power of stability and commitment and our miraculous abilities to transform our circumstances from the inside out.She lives in Claremont, California with her husband and three children.

We can control whether we merely endure our days or experience and enjoy them. We can control whether we arrive on our deathbeds feeling like we've wasted our time or end up satisfied with how we've spent our brief moment in the sun.

-Catherine Price

During my darkest moments in the pandemic, my therapist told me that I had to find joy to keep going. These days, I feel deeply hollow inside. I am not sure when it started exactly, but I feel trapped in trying to figure out how to dig myself back to feeling alive again.

“Attention is the rarest and purest form of generosity.”― Simone Weil

I first found out about Catherine Price’s work with her book, “How To Break Up With Your Phone.” To celebrate the publication of the revised edition, Catherine is running a "February Phone Breakup Challenge" on her "How to Feel Alive" Substack for any readers who want to go through the book's four-week plan together. As an added bonus, she’s also offering her paid subscribers access to a private "Phone Breakup Support Group" Substack chat for February where they can ask questions, share experiences, and get advice—both from her and from the other participants.

It all started for me with the idea that I don’t have control over my happiness and my addiction to my phone for well-being has just gotten really bad. My phone is the first thing I check in the morning and the last thing in the evening. I think that the thing that really got to me was the idea that I keep wanting to go to this phone over doing anything else. I am working to fill some void and then when I get it (time on the phone) I actually feel worse. I don’t want to live my life only looking forward to spending time digitally. Something feels deeply wrong about this.

“I reached for my phone to soothe myself, but I often crossed the line from feeling soothed to going numb.”

— Catherine Price

Catherine is not anti-tech - she is just about exposing the ways that tech hi-jacks our brains into spending time on them to sell our data. She calls this “fake fun.” Fake fun is the kind of mind-numbing state that we somehow long to be in while doom-scrolling.

In her most recent book, “The Power of Fun,” she breaks down what fun is and why it is important in feeling alive. Having fun is actually one of the most important priorities that humans have in composing well-being. Her book is life-affirming on so many levels and is an actionable guide on finding fun and making fun. The kind of fun that gives you energy, not drains you.

Having fun helps us feel awake and present for our super brief time on this planet.

Listen here to our very first really real podcast. I am so very proud of it. It would mean the world to me if you shared it with someone right now who needs to hear it, to have a little more fun in their lives.

Before you go, Catherine also has a Substack that you need to check out.

Bad At Keeping Secrets, the podcast is Carissa Potter. Audio by Officially Quigley. Sound editing by Mark McDonald. Mark is helping people start their podcasts, if you have been thinking about starting one, I would highly recommend him. Sign up for a free meeting with him here.

BAD AT KEEPING SECRETS is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Hi, it’s Carissa, and welcome to Bad at Keeping Secrets! Today, I’m chatting with Liana Finck, an amazing cartoonist, author, and regular contributor to The New Yorker. Liana’s known for her sharp, thoughtful work, including her graphic memoir Passing for Human, and I found her on instagram ages ago - her work is SO relatable, and funny, and just real.

BAD AT KEEPING SECRETS is a newsletter that tackles emotional messes. We love having you here.

In this episode, we explore her journey as a storyteller, her perspective on art and communication, and even how she balances creativity with motherhood. It is a weird feeling to meet someone and have so many life parallels. Always feeling like you were different, our art actually argues that we are normal humans. We talk about feeling shy, what that actually means, why we make things, how we identify (artist, writer, cartoonist, etc.), and what it means to feel like an outsider.

Her most recent book, Mixed Feelings came out last week, and let me tell you it is great. For kids. For adults. For plants and possibly aliens.

If you are one of those people who is like why would an adult be interested in a kids book about feelings? Let me share a few spreads that are so relatable to EVERY age:

Who has not felt this way on the daily?

Or this one:

Here are a few places you can order or buy Mixed Feelings:

* Bookshop

* Books Are Magic

* Lofty Pigeon

* Amazon

* Barnes + Noble

If you like my work, chances are you will LOVE Liana. She is so much smarter and raw than I am. Check out her substack here:

As a person who is perpetually lonely in crowded rooms…

I really hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. Wishing you the ability to find moments of joy within this s**t show called life. Very grateful for you.

XO, Carissa

PS This music for this podcast is by Casey Goode (my sister). The podcast was edited by Mark McDonald who makes me feel like I am a natural podcaster (even tho I am clearly not…).

PPS I am 41 years old and I still forget that hanger is a thing and that might just be why I am so crabby… how about you?

What is your stress telling you? Just curious… Mine is that I need to change my expectations for myself…

Before we got sick, and then my business shapeshifted, and the globe felt increasingly less safe, I recorded this podcast with Dr. Aditi Nerukar, stress expert and author of The Five Resets: Rewire Your Brain and Body for Less Stress and More Resilience.

I swear I was not always this way, so stressed. There were times in my life when I was a free-flowing lover of time and people and the usefulness of worry was only for major life events. And yet, somehow over the past few years, my shoulders have become tense, I now take drugs to be able to sleep through the night, and every time my daughter coughs I wonder if we should go to the hospital.

Share this post with someone who could use some help with their stress.

The question of when stress becomes unhealthy is a tricky one. No one really invites stress in, some might argue that a little stress here and there is good for motivation. Maybe. But what about when your face goes numb? And you can’t seem to leave the house? the pressure of worry just takes up all of the space where joy used to live?

We have everything we need. We are definitely in the camp of people who have enough to eat and a house and love, so why can’t we enjoy it? And why are all these weird health issues coming up?

The 5 Resets has been literally on my bedside table since I got it. In this interview, we talk about the five universal truths about stress, toxic resilience, the relationship between stress and biology (newsflash: everything is connected), and science-backed super easy ways to help without major life changes.

I am literally still working on this. But I found this book super helpful. SO SO helpful I begged Dr. Nerukar to come talk to me about it. Ha.

I hope you get some peace today. And every day, with gratitude, Carissa

Get a copy of her book here.

Two final thoughts:

* The music in BAKS is by my sister, Casey Goode.

* The audio is edited by:

* This interview and writing was not touched by AI. I am going to end by saying that. I am not against AI, I think it is an effective tool. I am just interested in humans. How we think and feel outside of AI. That’s all. Perhaps I am just getting old and I am ok with that, sort of.

* We just came out with some new birthday cards at People I’ve Loved. If you want to support BAKS AND need a card, visit www.peopleiveloved.com