Thirty Flirty and Panicking

ou can have big dreams, work incredibly hard, and still not know exactly where life is taking you.

This week on Thirty, Flirty, and Panicking, Kelsey welcomes one of her dearest friends of more than 15 years, Elliot Greenfield, Vice President and Head of Marketing and Communications for Swarovski North America. With an impressive career spanning iconic brands like Calvin Klein and Tory Burch, Elliot has helped bring major collaborations and partnerships to life with some of the biggest names in fashion and entertainment.

But long before the big titles and star-studded partnerships, Elliot was a teenager at NYU, chasing opportunities and figuring out how to turn his passions into a career.

Together, Kelsey and Elliot reflect on the power of ambition, the importance of building authentic relationships, and why success doesn't always follow a straight line. From navigating career uncertainty to accepting that not every part of life can take priority at once, they explore what it means to pursue big goals while remaining open to the unexpected.

Plus, Elliot shares the career disappointment that ultimately helped shape his future — and why some of life's greatest opportunities are the ones we never saw coming.

A reminder that you don't have to have it all figured out to be building a life you love.

THIS WEEK'S TOOLKIT:

• Connect with Elliot: LinkedIn & instagram.com/elliot_greenfield

• Learn more about Elliot: Brand Innovators

• Explore Swarovski: Swarovski

• More from TFP: thirtyflirtyandpanicking.com

Jaemi Pierson knows a thing or two about corporate America. She also knows a thing or two about leaving it behind... 

After spending more than two decades working with Fortune 500 executives, she stepped back from her corporate career at 48 and began building her dream life.  Jaemi's reinvention went far beyond her career. It meant rethinking everything she'd come to believe about success, happiness, and what truly matters.

Today, the entrepreneur, mindset, meditation and business coach works one on one helping clients - many of whom are female founders - unlock their full potential, and inspires her community of more than 300,000 people on Instagram with messages of optimism, self-belief, and encouragement.

In this episode of Thirty, Flirty, and Panicking, Jaemi joins Kelsey for a heartfelt conversation about betting on yourself, finding the courage to change, and learning to trust yourself through life's unexpected turns. From an unexpected divorce at 37 to redefining success in her 40s, Jaemi shares the experiences that helped reshape her outlook on life... and breaks down the importance of doing things scared... because waiting until you feel ready is the very thing holding you back.

Together, they explore overcoming imposter syndrome, separating self-worth from productivity, and building confidence through action. Jaemi also shares practical tools for navigating stress, building a meditation practice, and cultivating gratitude, along with deeply personal reflections on healing from heartbreak, coping with the loss of loved ones, and finding the courage to open yourself up to love again.

Whether you're contemplating a major change, navigating a difficult season, or simply wondering what's next, this conversation is a reminder that it's never too late to begin again, and you're far more capable than you think.

THE TOOLKIT

Resources to help you put this week's conversation into practice:

• Connect with Jaemi: Follow her on Instagram for daily encouragement, mindset shifts, and inspiration - www.instagram.com/jaemi.pierson 

• Check out the Mind Rich Movement for free - https://stan.store/JaemiPierson/p/thriving-minds-newsletter 

• Work with Jaemi: Learn more about her one-on-one mindset and business coaching and apply to work together - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdvBDI5UoxJOFGd0u_NUcb3HxFb15X7XIp0JaSrmA3uBKcFAA/viewform 

• Meditate with Jaemi: Explore her guided meditations, including her nervous system regulation series - https://jaemi-pierson.mykajabi.com/Nervous-System-Regulation-Series

Find more from Thirty, Flirty, and Panicking:Instagram: @thirtyflirtyandpanicking

We're officially rebranding your 30s! Forget the deadlines, ditch the timelines, and get ready for a decade that might just be your best one yet.

This week on Thirty, Flirty, and Panicking, Kelsey sits down with content creator and writer Kayla Kleinman, whose refreshingly relatable takes on life in your 30s have resonated with women navigating what she calls the “messy middle.”

From being single in her 30s and learning to love her own company to making new friends as an adult, questioning her career path, and redefining success, Kayla opens up about the unexpected turns that have shaped her life.

Together, they talk about letting go of arbitrary timelines, embracing solo adventures, navigating changing friendships, and finding the courage to pivot... even when you don't know exactly what's next.

Because you don't need to have the next ten years figured out. Sometimes, all you need is the courage to take one small step.

THE TOOLKIT

• Follow Kayla on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaylakleinman/

• Read Kayla's Substack: https://kaylakleinman.substack.com/

• Book recommendation: The Idea of You by Robinne Lee

• Book recommendation: Every Summer After by Carley Fortune

Raising kids has always been complicated - but doing it in a world of algorithms, constant comparison, endless pressure and nonstop noise is a whole different challenge.

Dr. Shefali - Columbia-trained clinical psychologist, New York Times bestselling author and founder of the conscious parenting movement  - joins Kelsey to unpack what it takes to raise healthy, confident kids today. And as Dr. Shefali makes clear, conscious parenting isn’t only about changing how we raise our children - it starts with looking at ourselves.

She explains how our own unhealed patterns can show up in our parenting and relationships, how to recognize when your inner child is “behind the wheel,” and why becoming a conscious parent means raising yourself right alongside your kids.

They also get into dating and choosing a future co-parent, the conversations Dr. Shefali believes couples should have before committing, and why the ability to repair after conflict may tell you far more about a relationship than the honeymoon phase ever could.

Plus: how algorithms and social media are shaping girls and boys, teaching daughters to trust their inner voice, raising emotionally healthy sons without shame, knowing when to let your child struggle, navigating mom guilt - and why Dr. Shefali says it may be time to stop chasing an A+ in parenting and become perfectly happy with a B.

I think that opening is much better for this one. It gives us a timely hook without doing the “What if…” device again.

THIS WEEK'S TOOLKIT:

READ:⁠Raising Conscious Daughters + Raising Conscious Sons⁠ — Dr. Shefali’s newest books on raising emotionally strong, connected girls and boys in today’s digital world. Both out now!

⁠A Radical Awakening + The Parenting Map⁠ — Two of the books Dr. Shefali specifically recommends in this conversation for deeper work on personal growth and conscious parenting.

FOLLOW: Instagram: ⁠@doctorshefali⁠TikTok: ⁠@doctorshefali⁠YouTube: ⁠Dr. Shefali⁠

EXPLORE: ⁠DrShefali.com⁠ — books, events, courses and more.

⁠The Conscious Classroom⁠ — Dr. Shefali’s online courses and workshops, including conscious parenting, relationships and personal growth.

⁠Parenting & You with Dr. Shefali⁠ — her podcast with real-time parenting conversations and practical tools.

What if the best thing you could do for your dating life is shake up the life you’re already living?

This week, Kelsey sits down with Serena Kerrigan (aka SFK) — entrepreneur, creator, media personality and author of the new book Let’s F*cking Date — for a candid, hilarious and surprisingly vulnerable conversation about dating, confidence, self-trust and learning to let yourself be surprised.

Serena opens up about leaving her job at Refinery29 just before the pandemic, turning virtual blind dates into the series that launched her career, and building the larger-than-life SFK persona that helped her become confident... until she realized she no longer needed the armor. She also shares how throwing out one of her biggest dating “rules” ultimately led her to Felix, her partner of three years, who is six years younger.

Together, Kelsey and Serena unpack why being open-minded and ready to be seen isn’t the same thing as settling, how to stop approaching every first date like an audition for marriage, what to do when dating starts to feel hopeless and why the relationship you build with yourself is the most important one of all. Serena shares her 3P Theory for taking the pressure off first dates, the “vacation mentality” that changed the way she approached dating, what she believes matters most in a healthy relationship, why every woman should have money of her own... and the dating rule she wishes she’d broken much sooner.

Plus, Serena enters SFK Celeb Love Court to weigh in on exes revisiting old relationships, hard launching on social media and whether you can really find love on reality TV — before a rapid-fire round of F*ck Yes or F*ck No on first-date sex, sharing locations, getting back with an ex, closure, the “right person at the wrong time” and more.

If you’ve ever worried you’re running out of time, questioned the dating pool, feared settling or simply needed permission to stop overthinking and start living, this episode is for you.

Because Serena’s advice to her younger self might just be the reminder we all need: “Stop f*cking panicking. Everything is gonna work out.”

THIS WEEK'S TOOLKIT

READ: ⁠Preorder Let’s F*cking Date by Serena Kerrigan⁠ — Serena's debut book, out September 22: letsfuckingdate.com

FOLLOW: Serena on Instagram www.instagram.com/serenakerrigan ⁠(@serenakerrigan)⁠ and TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@serenakerrigan ⁠(@serenakerrigan)⁠

TRY: Take Serena’s 3P Theory into your next date: remember it’s either Potential, Practice or Plot. Your only job on date one is to decide whether you want date two.

CHALLENGE: Change one thing about your routine this week... a different coffee shop, workout class, grocery store, event, whatever. Not because you have to meet someone there, but because Serena’s challenge is to step outside your comfort zone and give life more opportunities to surprise you.

Have you ever had a dream sitting quietly in the back of your mind...the book you want to write, the side hustle you want to start, the creative idea you swear you’ll get to someday?

This week, Kelsey sits down with TODAY lifestyle editor and debut author Francesca Cocchi, whose new rom-com, Have a Great Summer, turned a lifelong dream of writing fiction into a two-book publishing deal.

Francesca pulls back the curtain on what it actually takes to become a published author—from finding the idea she couldn’t stop thinking about and writing just a few hundred words at a time after work, to finishing an 80,000-word manuscript, querying literary agents, navigating rejection and ultimately landing a publisher.

But this conversation is about so much more than writing a book. Kelsey and Francesca talk about pursuing a big dream while maintaining a demanding full-time career, protecting the relationships and routines that make life feel full, giving yourself grace when the timing isn’t right, and letting go of the pressure to reach every milestone by an arbitrary age.

Together, Kelsey and Francesca discuss:

-How Francesca turned an idea inspired by her own wedding planning into Have a Great Summer

-The small daily writing goal that helped her finish an entire novel while working full-time

-Why pursuing a passion doesn’t have to mean putting the rest of your life on hold

-How to protect yourself from burnout when your “side hustle” starts becoming a second career

-How to get a book published, including what querying a literary agent actually looks like, and what aspiring authors should include in a query letter

-The journey from finished manuscript to literary agent to publisher

-The surreal moment Francesca learned she wasn’t getting a one-book deal… but a two-book deal

-Why celebrating the little milestones along the way matters just as much as celebrating the big win

-The pressure women can feel to squeeze career ambition, relationships, family and every other milestone into one “perfect” timeline, and how to overcome that

- Francesca’s refreshingly honest perspective on being in her early 30s, loving the life she’s building and allowing herself to decide what comes next on her own timeline

-What her supportive marriage has taught her about partnership, and the green flags she thinks are worth looking for

-Why friendship is one of the most important love stories in Have a Great Summer

-The advice Francesca would give anyone sitting on a dream they haven’t quite been ready to pursue

And perhaps the biggest reminder of all: you don’t have to create the “Great American Novel” to create something worthy of putting into the world. Sometimes taking the pressure off, leaning into what you know and allowing yourself to make something simply because you love it is exactly what allows the magic to happen!

THIS WEEK’S TOOLKIT:

TO READ: Have a Great Summer by Francesca Cocchi: a nostalgic Jersey Shore rom-com about weddings, friendship, first love, coming home and figuring out what you really want

https://www.kensingtonbooks.com/shop/have-a-great-summer/

TO TRY: SCRIVENER — the writing software Francesca used to give her creative work its own dedicated space outside of the programs she used for her day job.

https://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener/overview 

TO CONNECT: Connect with Francesca and stay up to date with her work here: 

https://www.instagram.com/francescaa_nicolee/?hl=en

What happens when life doesn't unfold exactly the way you thought it would?

In this "From the Vault" pre-launch episode of Thirty, Flirty, and Panicking, Kelsey sits down with writer, speaker, podcast host, and entrepreneur Chika Uwazie for a powerful conversation about timelines, reinvention, healing, grief, relationships, and the unexpected opportunities that can emerge when we're forced to start over.

Chika opens up about navigating profound loss, walking away from a relationship she once thought would lead to marriage, rebuilding her life after burnout, and learning to trust her intuition even when it led her away from the path she thought she was supposed to follow.

Together, Kelsey and Chika discuss:

• Why your 30s are a decade of releasing, reclaiming, and rebuilding

• Letting go of timeline pressure and comparison

• Healing after heartbreak, loss, and major life transitions

• The importance of trusting your intuition and living in alignment

• Friendship shifts, boundaries, and protecting your energy

• Why growth often requires discomfort

• The power of reinvention and beginning again

• Creating a life that feels aligned — not just impressive

No matter your age, this conversation is a reminder that you are not behind — and that sometimes the chapters we never planned become the ones that shape us most.

This Week's Toolkit:

📖 "Things Fall Apart" by Chinua Achebe: https://www.amazon.com/Things-Fall-Apart-Chinua-Achebe/dp/0385474547

🎙️ The Afropolitan Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@Afropolitan

📱 Follow Chika: instagram.com/chikauwazie

📧 Checkout Chika's TEDx Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyNvJcDY2bo&t=1s

Connect with Thirty, Flirty, and Panicking:

Instagram: @thirtyflirtypanicking

TikTok: @thirtyflirtypanicking

YouTube: @thirtyflirtyandpanicking

If you enjoyed this episode, please be sure to follow, rate, and review the show—it helps us to grow our community!

This week on Thirty, Flirty, and Panicking, Kelsey sits down with financial expert, content creator, and Future Rich Person author Haley Sacks - better known online as Mrs. Dow Jones.

Haley grew up surrounded by wealth, but like so many people, she realized no one had ever actually taught her how money worked. That experience eventually inspired her to become one of the internet’s most recognizable voices in financial literacy. In this episode Haley breaks down the mindset shifts and practical tools that help women stop feeling financially behind and start building real wealth.

In this conversation, Kelsey and Haley discuss:

• Why so many women feel shame around money
• How to stop feeling “behind” financially 
• Negotiating raises and knowing your worth
• Side hustles, burnout & making more money strategically
• The accounts you need to open 
• The importance of "action money"
• Where to allocate your money first
• Investing & financial foundations
• How to make saving sexy for a generation that grew up on Carrie Bradshaw, “little treat” culture & glamorized financial chaos
• How to define your own version of a rich life
• Why it’s never too late to become a “future rich person”

Haley also shares why becoming financially secure is less about perfection, and more about just taking action... even sharing how you can take $200 a month and potentially turn it into nearly 1 million in your lifetime without lifting a finger. 

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, intimidated, or embarrassed by money… consider this your toolkit to turn things around. As Haley explains, it's never too late to become a future rich person! 

THIS WEEK'S TOOLKIT:

Get a copy of Future Rich Person: The New Rules for Building Wealth here: https://www.mrsdowjones.com/book 

Follow Haley on Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/mrsdowjones

Listen to Haley's podcast:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/financial-tea-with-mrs-dow-jones/id1860939850 

In this episode of Thirty, Flirty, and Panicking, Kelsey Murphy sits down with renowned intuitive and bestselling author Laura Day to talk about the power of small changes - and how they can radically transform your future.

Laura has spent decades helping individuals and companies predict outcomes and navigate change using intuition and practical tools. In her newest book, The Prism: Seven Steps to Heal Your Past and Transform Your Future, she breaks down how our early experiences shape the way we move through the world, and how even the smallest shift in behavior can create massive change.

In this conversation, Laura shares her own powerful story of overcoming a deeply traumatic childhood and building a life of purpose, connection, and meaning. She explains why big leaps often aren’t the answer, how to set goals that actually move your life forward, and why a single moment can change everything.

If you’ve ever felt behind on your timeline, stuck in old patterns, or unsure how to move forward - this episode offers practical tools and a powerful reminder that transformation doesn’t require a dramatic leap. Sometimes it just takes one small change.

In this episode you'll learn:

• What “The Prism”  is and how it shapes your life

• Why small changes are often more powerful than big leaps

• Why it's important to focus on only three goals at a time

• How early childhood experiences influence the way we interact with the world

• Why revisiting trauma can sometimes keep us stuck instead of helping us heal

• Practical ways to change patterns and create new habits

• How to stop feeling “behind” in life, find joy in the present, and redefine your own timeline

• Why Laura believes “a miracle takes a moment”

TODAY'S TOOLKIT:

• Learn more about Laura's work: lauraday.com
• 
  
• Get Laura’s book: The Prism: Seven Steps to Heal Your Past and Transform Your Future - https://www.amazon.com/Prism-Seven-Steps-Transform-Future/dp/1954118708
• 
  
• Follow Laura on Instagram: @LauraDayIntuit

In this episode of Thirty, Flirty, and Panicking, Kelsey Murphy sits down with celebrity makeup artist Ashlee Glazer for a deeply honest conversation about ambition, love, identity, and trusting your own timeline.

Ashlee spent over a decade building a wildly successful career in the beauty industry — from MAC counters to celebrity clients and national television. But while her professional life was thriving, she quietly wrestled with the question so many women know well: Can you have it all… and when does love fit in?

In this episode, Ashlee opens up about dating burnout, the pressure of timelines, and the unexpected choices that reshaped her life — including reconnecting with her seventh-grade boyfriend during the pandemic, moving across the country, stepping away from her career, and navigating the identity shift that comes with motherhood.

Together, Kelsey and Ashlee explore:

• What it really looks like to make room for love

• How to be intentional when dating

• Why feeling safe matters more than chemistry

• Letting go of who you think you should be to allow for what's right for you

• Navigating change, and the grief that can come with leaving an old version of yourself behind

• Trusting your own timeline and having faith that it's all going to work out

This conversation is for anyone who’s ever felt “behind,” questioned their timeline, or wondered if love, family, and fulfillment will ever fall into place.

 Spoiler Alert: They do...  just not always how you expect.

This Week's Toolkit:

Connect with Ashlee: 

Instagram: @ashleeglazer 

Ashlee's Beauty Picks: https://shopmy.us/collections/2737310