Life Notes from Chair 17

We've hit another milestone in our podcast journey: 75 episodes. At the same time, we find ourselves at a bit of a crossroads, which is leading us to prepare to take a hiatus. Join host CH as she reflects on the life journal podcast journey so far - sharing immense gratitude for our loyal community of C17'ers. She also shares the reasons why we feel we need to take a break and reassess the direction of the show as we navigate the ever-changing 2025 socio-political climate, and its impact on how we aim to share the personal narratives on which this podcast was founded. This episode is still in the vein of being a warm hug to our listeners, and still encouraging self-care and kindness amidst all of these very challenging times. Whether you are just finding us for the first time or have been with us from the beginning, we invite you to join us in celebrating our 75th episode ... even if it might be our last for a while.

Show Notes

Taking control and redefining success. Two concepts much easier said than done, but often necessary when we hit a fork in our life journey road. Join us this week in another of our Share the Chair series as CH sits down with friend, former colleague and host of the AP Taylor Swift podcast, Jodi Innerfield, who shares the transformative journey she's been on since being laid off earlier in 2025 and of which has found her embracing not only her own entrepreneurial spirit but redefining what it means to be successful. Jodi opens up about how this career fork is a little bit different than those in her past, and how she has embraced the transition from a structured corporate role to carving her own path as an independent consultant fueled by a newfound sense of control and direction.

Show Notes

Happiness. Specifically, life happiness. Or being happy in life. Or saying one's life is happy. In some instances, some of us can answer this easily and without hesitation. But in other instances, it's more nuanced. Join CH this week as she discusses how approaching happiness doesn't always have to be a large, lifelong, philosophical question. Inspired by listening to a recent interview with one of her faves, actress Jodie Whittaker, CH reflects on what it means to find happiness in simple, everyday moments rather than as a lifelong destination or philosophical life goal. At the end of the day, it can be about creating small spaces of joy and instant connection that, over time, weave happiness through the tapestry of our lives - which is especially important in times of stress, anxiety, challenge or struggle.

Show Notes

As we round out June 2025, we did not want to leave it without reflecting on what Pride month means to us and to the LGBTQIA+ community. Join host CH as she reflects on what Pride has ultimately come to mean to her, and some of the key lessons it has taught her - namely, the importance of standing up for kindness, acceptance, and understanding in a world often divided by differences. It seems Pride represents even MORE to us this year than in recent years past. And, it serves as an important reminder about embracing diversity, learning from different life experiences, and the enduring importance of being an ally to each other.

Show Notes

We're back with another in our Share the Chair series as we reunite with our good friend, the resilient Jen Phillips (and when we say resilient we are NOT kidding). Jen joined us in Fall 2024 just days before she would find herself in the wrath of Hurricane Helene, which would ultimately devastate her business and community in Asheville, North Carolina. After managing to rebuild her business in ... wait for it ... 60 DAYS (yes, really), then dedicating several months of her time volunteering with hurricane recovery efforts, the experience unexpectedly helped sharpen her focus to continue to find ways to create healthy workplaces AND ways of working. Listen in as she discusses the importance not only of resilience, but the power of community, connection and her new venture, The New Ambition, which is aimed at transforming workplace environments to be healthier and more supportive. Discover how being literally in the eye of a hurricane helped Jen further shape her mission to drive positive change and create cycles of good in both our lives AND at work.

Show Notes

It's our 70th. Episode, that is. It's a milestone - both in podcast years and in age years. And it's the latter that is the focus this week as CH ponders what life at 70 might look like for her in just two (short) decades from now. While we can't predict the future, we know it won't look like it does for those already at that milestone age today. As such, CH offers a thoughtful and light-hearted reflection (or should we say hypothesis) on the keys she is focusing on should she get to that milestone herself while also trying NOT to predict the future or get too caught up in that which may be beyond her control. In CH's own words: "This was a surprisingly fun episode to record. It gave me a lot to think about."

Show Notes

Not sure we ever thought we'd connect 'Xena: Warrior Princess' and Mental Health Awareness Month in a single episode, but there is a first time for everything. Join CH as she takes a trip in the wayback machine to reflect on a life mantra she came across back in 1998 from actor Renee O'Connor during Renee's attempt to summit Mt. Kilimanjaro. In a story told to author Jane Treat, Renee's mantra, "Take a step and breathe," helped her push through the grueling physical and mental challenge of completing the trek even when her mother was forced to turn back. CH was inspired by the saying back then - so much so that she printed it out to have at her desk. Cut to today, it's a timeless and relatable mantra that can serve as a beacon of hope and a tool for self-care as we continue to focus on the importance of maintaining a healthy mental wellbeing.

Show Notes

We've all been there: we know we need to have THAT conversation but somehow ... we just don't. And yet, we NEED to have them to either find us a path forward or bring us a sense of closure. Join CH this week as she discusses how the term "hard conversations" first came to her (hint: Project Management Day Life 101), and the importance of having these conversations in either a professional setting or our own personal sphere. Although they might be difficult, challenging, perhaps uncomfortable and maybe not always go the way we expect, they often lead us to growth and the recognition of key life lessons.

We are back with another in our "Rant, Rave, Really?" set of episodes where we lean into every day observations about something that we really want to give a shout out about, perhaps something that is a bit troubling, or something that is just plain confusing. In this episode, host CH gives a shoutout to a recent Instagram reel that crossed her feed discussing the importance of developing a code to communicate when we truly need support from our closest friend (or friends). In other words, NOT just treating it like any other reach out. And the interesting fact? It only takes 8 minutes of connection to help ease feelings of loneliness and isolation, and to create a sense of togetherness. (OF NOTE: This episode was recorded before we could source the author of the remixed Instagram reel. But we DID - its Simon Sinek. See our Show Notes below).

Show Notes

It's April 2025 ... and that means it's national Jazz Appreciation Month here in the U.S.! Join host CH as she shares her own journey to not only coming to love the genre - particularly the classics and standards of the 1930s and 40s - but also how it has shaped her sense of musicianship when she resumed playing drums after a 10 year hiatus. She reflects on how the sounds of jazz surrounded her at a young age (even if she wasn't suuuuper interested at the time), and how her original love of playing pop/rock music evolved as her own musical leanings changed over time. She also reminds us of the importance of embracing music - no matter the genre - at any stage of life for the personal enrichment and inspiration it brings to us all.

Show Notes