In this episode, Kristin talks with Nicole (she/her)—a literature PhD, high school teacher, and maker—about what happens when the life you worked toward doesn’t turn out the way you expected.

From growing up in a working-class family where work was about survival, to navigating academia, nonprofits, and ultimately finding her way to teaching, Nicole shares a deeply honest look at ambition, burnout, and redefining success on your own terms.

Together, they explore what it means to step off the “expected” path, build a life rooted in stability and creativity, and embrace moments where you’re not striving for more but simply figuring out what feels good.

A conversation about detours, healing from survival mode, and why it’s okay to not always be climbing.

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