To Live List

Rachel Anderholder shares her journey stepping away from her role as Executive Director at Carpe Mundi to deliberately explore her next chapter. Through this conversation, she reveals how intentional transitions, though challenging, create space for growth and deeper self-understanding.

• Moving between comfort zones, learning zones, and panic zones as essential to personal growth
• Place-based education makes learning relevant and meaningful to students' lives and experiences
• Experiences without reflection limit our ability to extract meaningful lessons and growth
• Having language to identify when we're in our "panic zone" helps us navigate challenging situations
• Transitions don't require abandoning your past but rather carrying forward what matters
• Taking deliberate pauses allows us to assess whether we're genuinely aligned with our path
• Finding opportunities for mastery (like playing piano or gardening) creates fulfillment
• Cultivating wonder in everyday experiences doesn't require traveling to far-off places
• Setting boundaries and prioritizing self-care establishes healthier patterns for future endeavors
• Choosing to leave something good can still be the right decision for growth

To learn more about Carpe Mundi and their work providing study abroad opportunities to low-income college students in Portland, Oregon, visit the link in our show notes.

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Big news, folks! To Live List just landed as an American Writing Award 2025 Podcast of the Year Finalist—and let’s just say, it took me a minute to process being in the top 7.

 This episode is all about that moment, what it means for the show, and a little reflection on how we got here.

• My very real, very human reaction to the news (spoiler: feelings happened)
• What this recognition means for To Live List and for you, the listeners
• A look back at the journey—why I started podcasting and what keeps me showing up

If To Live List has been part of your world, share it with a friend! And as always, keep the conversation going.

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Deanna Singh walked away from a corporate career—not once, but twice—to build a life fully aligned with purpose.

Born to a Punjabi father and a Mississippi-raised mother, she grew up watching love transcend language and culture. That early lesson shaped how she moves through the world: boldly, with purpose, and unafraid to rewrite the rules.

In this episode, Deanna shares how she left corporate leadership to run a foundation focused on health equity and education—then took another leap into full-time consulting, keynote speaking, and writing children’s books. She opens up about navigating uncertainty, trusting big transitions, and building a career that blends impact with passion.

From launching a doula company to advocating for representation in kids’ literature, Deanna proves that success isn’t about staying in one lane—it’s about following what truly matters.

Big thanks to Deanna Singh for this powerful conversation—you won’t want to miss it!

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Checkout Our Blog  called Tune-In for episode recaps and more show notes.

What if your next chapter wasn’t about slowing down—but about stepping up into a life filled with passion, purpose, and new adventures? Meet Marnie Dunn, a powerhouse from Southern California who’s flipping the script on what retirement should look like.

Born into a rich and complex family history, Marnie’s journey is one of resilience and reinvention. From breaking generational cycles to rewriting the financial narrative for herself and future generations, she offers a deeply personal and wildly inspiring take on life transitions.

Marnie isn’t just talking about change. She’s living it. From financial wisdom to hands-on community impact, she’s proof that retirement can be the most liberating and purpose-driven phase of life.

🔗 Tune in and rethink what’s possible for your next chapter!

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Catherine Peters shares her  journey as she transitions from a successful legal career to a path that honors her personal aspirations and well-being. This episode emphasizes the importance of self-reflection, vulnerability, and the necessity of putting oneself back into their life narrative. 

• Catherine introduces her background as a lawyer 
• Reflection on pandemic as a catalyst for change 
• Importance of psychological distance in work-life balance 
• Discussion on self-care practices and personal needs 
• Emphasis on vulnerability and openness to feedback 
• Observations on generational shifts in work perspective 
• Conclusion with a poignant question on self-inclusion in life

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By day, Alisia is a lawyer. By passion, she’s the force behind Maren Designs, a brand that blends fashion, function, and a fearless leap into new territory. But long before she was balancing legal briefs and fabric swatches, we were two kids putting on balcony performances for the neighborhood—learning, in our own way, how to give ourselves permission to be seen.

For this special live audience recording, Alisia joins me to talk about permission—how it starts in childhood, how it evolves, and how it shapes the way we take risks (or don’t) as adults. We dig into her bold career pivot, the lessons of entrepreneurship, and the invisible “rules” we sometimes have to unlearn.

💡 Highlights from our conversation:
✔️ How early creativity sets the stage for lifelong confidence
✔️ Why giving yourself permission is the first step to growth
✔️ The reality of stepping into the unknown—and why it’s worth it
✔️ The support systems that make all the difference

Whether you’re chasing a new dream or just need a nudge to say yes to something exciting, this episode is a reminder: you don’t need anyone’s permission but your own.

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Ever thought about making a huge career leap but felt like it was too late? Meet Janna Kimel, a former theater kid who hit her thirties and decided to shake things up—big time. In this episode of To Live List, Janna shares how she gave herself permission to walk away from the stage and dive into the world of UX research, proving that it’s never too late to rewrite your story.

We get into it all—how setting boundaries (yes, even the uncomfortable ones) helps you stay focused on what really matters, why advocating for your own health is a non-negotiable, and how living with chronic migraines changed Janna’s approach to work and life. Plus, she talks about her long-time dream of traveling to Japan and what it means to put your own joy on the list.

It’s a conversation about courage, change, and giving yourself the green light to actually do the thing you’ve been dreaming about. So, grab a seat and join us—we’re talking reinvention, resilience, and why your next chapter is yours to write.

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We’re leaping off into Wicked—not just the music and magic, but what it reveals about life and work. In this episode of To Live List, my co-host Tara Robertson and I unpack themes like allyship, colorism, and resilience through the lens of this iconic story. From how bold casting choices challenge norms to the surprising lessons musicals can teach us about the workplace, nothing is off the table. We share personal moments, like finding the courage to leap into the unknown, and dive into bigger questions about how art reflects and shapes society. Whether you’re here for Wicked or just love great conversations, join us as we defy gravity together.

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This one’s for anyone who’s ever felt like they were too much or too early.  Leah Nagley Robbins joins me for a real talk on self-parenting, soul restoration, and why Gen X has a steely edge—but also needs to let some things go. We unpack a Facebook post that lit a fire under this whole convo, because sometimes, what looks like being too much is really just being first.

Leah and I dive into what it means to love yourself unconditionally, to stop carrying past identities like a badge of honor (or a weight around your neck), and to build a life that actually fits who you are now. We also talk about how easy it is to let judgment from others steer you off course—only to realize later that you weren’t wrong, you were just ahead of the curve.

And here’s the mantra that brought it all home: "I am not here to disrupt your world. I am here to fulfill mine."

Sit with that. What if, instead of looking back with regret or wishing your younger self had done things differently, you gave yourself permission to stand firm and trust that all can be well?

That’s what we’re unpacking today. So grab a coffee (or something stronger), settle in, and let’s get into it.

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Checkout Our Blog  called Tune-In for episode recaps and more show notes.

Who’s really running the show—you, or some invisible permission slip you didn’t even sign up for? Permission fluidity is all about reclaiming the freedom to act, rest, or pivot without waiting for approval. Because let’s be real—too many of us have spent a lifetime looking for permission externally instead of just living.

We’re unpacking how permission shapes us from childhood to adulthood, the sneaky ways we hold ourselves back, and—most importantly—how to take that power back. Think: making a permission list (yep, it’s a thing), embracing self-care without guilt, and spotting opportunities in life’s transitions.

If you’ve been waiting for a sign to start living on your terms—this is it. Let’s go.

Send us a text. We ❤️ to hear from you 💡

Checkout Our Blog  called Tune-In for episode recaps and more show notes.