No to Normal

Imagine it: the sun is warm on your face. Your toes are in the sand. You can see the tide coming in a few feet away from you, and you're moving your arms above your head to upbeat music playing through your headphones. You’re not self-conscious; you’re not thinking about your to-do list. You just feel happy, and, most importantly, free.

That is precisely what you can experience when you show up for one of So We Are's "healing" silent discos. In today's episode, I talk with founder, Katie Neary, about how she got into dance movement therapy, how her events differ from the normal silent discos out there, and how she handled the stress and pressure that came with her business going viral online.

Stay up to date with the show on TikTok and Instagram at @notonormalpod.

You can find links from today’s episode, more information about the guest, and full episode transcripts at www.notonormalpod.com.

We’ve all heard of the tortured artist, sulking and waiting for inspiration to strike. And we’re familiar with the starving artist too, sacrificing everything for their art, even if it means barely being able to pay the bills. But do these stereotypes actually hold any truth?

In today’s episode, I’m lucky enough to talk to one of my good friends, Hannah Bunch, about her journey as an artist, how she finds balance between her art career and her full-time job, and the ways in which these common stereotypes actually prevent people from embracing their own creativity.

Stay up to date with the show on TikTok and Instagram at @notonormalpod.

You can find links from today’s episode, more information about the guest, and full episode transcripts at www.notonormalpod.com.

Although Connie Lau loved teaching 9th grade, challenges posed by distance learning during the pandemic helped her realize it was time to chase another dream of hers, becoming a park ranger!

After applying for multiple positions, Connie landed a job at Yosemite National Park, trading her indoor classroom for a beautiful, natural one.

In today’s episode, Connie shares the behind the scenes of what it’s like to actually be a park ranger and highlights some of the amazing programs that national parks host (BRB- I’m on my way to become a Junior Ranger right now). She also talks about how she prepared to make the career switch and the support she gained from her family and former students along the way.

What if you could be a kid again, just for a weekend? What if you could trade in work stress and responsibility for kayaking, craft classes and bonfires? Good news: you can at Camp Rahh, Seattle’s all-inclusive summer camp for adults!

In today’s episode, I talk with Andrea Pons about how Camp Rahh’s founder pursued the idea for starting the camp even when crowdfunding wasn’t successful, how the camp runs entirely on volunteers, and what it’s like to disconnect from technology and really connect with each other in this unique, inclusive setting.

I left the conversation wanting not only to attend camp myself, but also hire Andrea as my new life coach, so I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I did!

When you picture a laundromat, I’m sure the first words that pop into your mind aren’t “warm, inviting, cozy, or relaxing,” but it’s exactly those words that Erin and her husband, John, kept in mind while renovating a rundown laundromat in their new home of Charleston.

In this conversation, Erin shares how she and her husband took inspiration from their own travels to create a one-of-a-kind laundromat that has become a gathering spot in their community, the ins and outs of working together as a married couple, and what it has been like being in the spotlight since the project went viral online.

Stay up to date with the show on TikTok and Instagram at @notonormalpod.

You can find links from today’s episode, more information about the guest, and full episode transcripts at www.notonormalpod.com.

When you hire Modern Rebel Co, you’re not getting just a regular wedding planning company. Instead, you’re getting a custom, one-of-a-kind “love party” tailored to YOUR specific love story, priorities, and personalities. In today’s episode, Ainsley Blattel shares what it was like to be one of the first non-binary wedding planners, how we can make the wedding niche more inclusive, what wedding traditions should be left in the past, and how Modern Rebel Co is rewriting the rules to relationships and weddings.

Stay up to date with the show on TikTok and Instagram at @notonormalpod.

You can find links from today’s episode, more information about the guest, and full episode transcripts at www.notonormalpod.com.

Long story short, the past decade has been a sometimes-fun, sometimes-stressful series of weird jobs, business ideas, and big moves as I attempted to answer that ever-consuming question: what do I want to do with my life?

Today, I’m sharing who I am, how I finally fulfilled my dream of moving to California, and why I decided to start No to Normal.

If you loved today’s episode, come hang out with me on TikTok and Instagram at @notonormalpod.You can find links from today’s episode and full episode transcripts at www.notonormalpod.com.

Welcome to the podcast that gives you permission to say no. No to boring. No to putting off your dreams. No to a job you hate. No to old habits that no longer serve you. No to imposter syndrome. No to normal.

I’m your host, Danielle Renee, and I’ve spent the past 10 years trying new jobs, starting my own businesses, and moving across the country all in an attempt to build a life that doesn’t give the Sunday Scaries (if you know, you know). With this show, I’ll be sharing some of my favorite ventures, like when I converted a school bus into a mobile gift shop, and when I discovered the wonderful world of seasonal work by googling “jobs that pay your rent.”

I’ll also have weekly interviews with creatives, industry-disruptors, and adventurous souls who said “no” to the normal 9-5 life, and are defining happiness and success on their own terms. Basically, I started a podcast so I’d have an excuse to chat with some of the coolest humans I’ve ever met, and I’m excited to invite you along for the ride!