What happens when one of your dearest friends also happens to be one of the people you admire most in your professional world? That’s exactly the conversation I get to have today—and I couldn’t be more thrilled.

This week's guest on the Cracking Open podcast, Nicole Meier, isn’t just a brilliant creative—she’s family. We’ve raised our kids together, navigated the loss of our parents side by side, and cheered each other on as our careers evolved. She’s been a confidant, a mentor, and, without exaggeration, a savant in her craft.

Nicole is a certified book coach, developmental editor, and author of four novels whose work has been featured by Booklist, Refinery29, BookBub, and PopSugar. She hosts The Whole Writer podcast for emerging authors, and is a co-founder of Book Works, where she and her partner combine book coaching and branding insight to guide writers to expand their creative community and connect with ideal readers.

✨ In this episode, Nicole shares how she found her way back to creativity while raising three kids (including twins!), supporting aging parents, and juggling all the roles so many of us know too well. Once her kids were in school, she made a powerful choice: to reclaim her voice. Writing became her lifeline—and along the way, she discovered lessons in commitment, boundaries, and courage.

✨ She also gets real about resistance—the sneaky excuses that keep us from doing the work we’re meant to do. Whether it sounds like, “I’ll start when the kids are older,” or “I don’t want people to judge me,” Nicole reminds us that resistance is just fear in disguise.

✨ This conversation is packed with practical wisdom—how to structure your creative day, silence your inner critic, and build your confidence through simple daily actions.

And here’s the beautiful truth Nicole offers: creativity isn’t a luxury or a someday dream. It’s a vital practice that keeps us connected to who we truly are.

So grab a pen and paper for this one—you’ll want to take notes. Whether you’re a writer, entrepreneur, parent, or simply someone ready to stop making excuses, this episode will remind you that your creative spark never left you. It’s just waiting for you to choose it.

🎧 Tune in now to listen.

With love,
 Molly

A note from Molly

For three years, I’ve poured my heart into this podcast, creating 90 episodes. I’ve funded everything myself to focus on meaningful conversations—but to keep bringing you the quality content you deserve, I need your help.

Even $5 a month—less than a coffee—helps cover hosting, editing, and prep time. If this podcast has supported you, would you consider joining? Support here: https://www.patreon.com/14800380/join

Your support keeps these unrushed, transformative conversations coming.

RESOURCES & LINKS:

Learn more about Nicole Meier here: http://nicolemeier.com/

Follow Nicole on Substack: https://nicolemeierwrites.substack.com/

Check out Book Works: http://bookworks.co/

Work with Molly: https://molly-carroll.com

Stay Connected with Molly on Instagram and Facebook