What does it look like to build a life on your own terms—and make sure other people have the opportunity to do the same?

This week on Tracks That Matter, my friend Elizabeth joins me with a song that fits her story pretty perfectly: “For Good” from Wicked.

Elizabeth has Down syndrome. She’s also a college graduate, works at a university, is a public speaker, and recently stepped onto the stage as a keynote speaker at a national convention.

But this conversation isn’t about a list of accomplishments. We talk about inclusion. Advocacy. Trust. Independence. The people who have believed in her—and why it matters when people with disabilities are given the opportunity to speak for themselves instead of having others speak for them.

And, of course, we talk about the song she chose and the people who have changed her life for good.

This is Elizabeth’s story.

And she has plenty to say.

What person has changed your life for good?

The emails mentioned in the episode:
[email protected]
[email protected]

What track has shaped your life? Share your story at TracksThatMatter.com.

Want to listen to the songs from the show? Check out the playlist at https://tinyurl.com/ttmplaylist

To purchase Growing Up Happy In A Lonely World - A Mixtape Memoir https://tinyurl.com/growinguphappy

ABOUT TRACKS THAT MATTER:
Audio production and editing by URL Radio.
Show theme song by NikFrequency.

For the full Tracks That Matter experience—including the music behind the stories—tune in live to URL Radio every Tuesday at 11:30 AM Central at urlrad.io.

What are you putting after the words “I am”?

It started with I Am Woman coming through my headphones during a workout—and the realization that some songs are basically affirmations set to music. Which sent me down a rabbit hole. What about the songs that would make terrible affirmations? What about the things other people tell us about who we are? And when do those words become the things we start telling ourselves? 

In this solo episode of Tracks That Matter, I follow the “I am” statements through music, memories, and my own life—from the song I used to sing to myself walking up to bat, to the affirmations I’ve been saying to Scout since before she was born. Because there’s a difference between feeling something and deciding that feeling is who you are.

And there’s also a difference between saying who you want to be and actually living like you believe it. This isn’t about policing your playlist. It’s about paying attention to your internal playlist.

What are you putting after “I am”? And if you don’t like what’s playing, maybe it’s time to change the track.

Link to video of Affirmations with Scout as mentioned in episode https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTU4HRfFN 

What track has shaped your life? Share your story at TracksThatMatter.com.

Want to listen to the songs from the show? Check out the playlist at https://tinyurl.com/ttmplaylist

To purchase Growing Up Happy In A Lonely World - A Mixtape Memoir https://tinyurl.com/growinguphappy

ABOUT TRACKS THAT MATTER:
Audio production and editing by URL Radio.
Show theme song by NikFrequency.

For the full Tracks That Matter experience—including the music behind the stories—tune in live to URL Radio every Tuesday at 11:30 AM Central at urlrad.io.

What happens after the wedding song ends?

For Hilary and Shannon, Shania Twain’s From This Moment On marked one moment in a love story that has now spanned 28 years. In this episode of Tracks That Matter, they share the story of how they met, the song they chose for their wedding—and what it has meant to build a life together through all the years that followed.

Because wedding songs capture a moment. But relationships are built in all the moments that come after. And sometimes, hearing that song years later can take you right back to where it all began.

This is the first wedding-song story on Tracks That Matter—and hopefully not the last. What was your wedding song? And after everything you’ve lived through together, does it mean something different to you now?

What track has shaped your life? Share your story at TracksThatMatter.com.

Want to listen to the songs from the show? Check out the playlist at https://tinyurl.com/ttmplaylist

To purchase Growing Up Happy In A Lonely World - A Mixtape Memoir https://tinyurl.com/growinguphappy

ABOUT TRACKS THAT MATTER:
Audio production and editing by URL Radio.
Show theme song by NikFrequency.

For the full Tracks That Matter experience—including the music behind the stories—tune in live to URL Radio every Tuesday at 11:30 AM Central at urlrad.io.

What if finding yourself isn’t something you do once?

In this solo episode of Tracks That Matter, P!nk’s I Am Here sparks a conversation about identity, change, and having the courage to keep becoming.

Nicole has lived a lot of lives—and she has a feeling she isn’t done yet.

There have been seasons of playing small. Seasons of starting over. Times when belonging meant hiding pieces of herself, and others when becoming required finally letting them be seen.

Along the way, she’s wrestled with the pressure to choose between seemingly competing versions of herself:
Strong or vulnerable.

Leader or learner.

Professor or entrepreneur.

But what if we were never supposed to choose?

What if becoming isn’t about finding one final version of ourselves at all?

What if it all gets to be true?

I Am Here is about owning who you are today while leaving room for whoever you might become next.

What track has shaped your life? Share your story at TracksThatMatter.com.

Want to listen to the songs from the show? Check out the playlist at https://tinyurl.com/ttmplaylist

To purchase Growing Up Happy In A Lonely World - A Mixtape Memoir https://tinyurl.com/growinguphappy

ABOUT TRACKS THAT MATTER:
Audio production and editing by URL Radio.
Show theme song by NikFrequency.

For the full Tracks That Matter experience—including the music behind the stories—tune in live to URL Radio every Tuesday at 11:30 AM Central at urlrad.io.

What if you could tell your life story through eight songs?

In this episode of Tracks That Matter, Nicole sits down with longtime friend, former business partner, and the owner of Thomas & Moriarity's & URL Radio Stacy to do exactly that.

Stacy’s mixtape starts with the first record she ever owned and travels through a summer romance with a hilariously misunderstood ring, the radio contest that changed the direction of her career, the song that launched URL Radio, divorce, cancer, motherhood, keeping two businesses alive during COVID, and finally—the track that represents the woman she is today.

Along the way, Stacy shares stories about unexpected opportunities, rebuilding when life falls apart, finding strength when you need it most, and the strange way a song can hold an entire chapter of our lives.

Some tracks make us laugh.
Some get us through.
Some remind us exactly who we were.
And some show us who we've become.

This is Stacy’s Mixtape.

Because every song has a story.
And every story leaves a track.

What track has shaped your life? Share your story at TracksThatMatter.com.

Want to listen to the songs from the show? Check out the playlist at https://tinyurl.com/ttmplaylist

To purchase Growing Up Happy In A Lonely World - A Mixtape Memoir https://tinyurl.com/growinguphappy

ABOUT TRACKS THAT MATTER:
Audio production and editing by URL Radio.
Show theme song by NikFrequency.

For the full Tracks That Matter experience—including the music behind the stories—tune in live to URL Radio every Tuesday at 11:30 AM Central at urlrad.io.

What does a song become after four years of hope, seven attempts, IVF, a global donor shortage, and one unforgettable day that changed everything?

In this solo episode of Tracks That Matter, Nicole shares the deeply personal story behind Yellow by Coldplay (but the Rockabye Baby version)—a song that became the soundtrack to her journey to motherhood a second time around.

From the heartbreak and uncertainty of infertility to becoming a mom again at 49, Nicole reflects on the resilience it took to keep believing, the terrifying moments surrounding Scout's birth, and how one familiar melody became an anchor in the middle of unimaginable fear.

This isn't just a story about welcoming a child into the world. It's a story about hope that refused to let go, love that traveled the long way, and a song that forever changed its meaning.

What track has shaped your life? Share your story at TracksThatMatter.com.

Want to listen to the songs from the show? Check out the playlist at https://tinyurl.com/ttmplaylist

To purchase Growing Up Happy In A Lonely World - A Mixtape Memoir https://tinyurl.com/growinguphappy

ABOUT TRACKS THAT MATTER:
Audio production and editing by URL Radio.
Show theme song by NikFrequency.

For the full Tracks That Matter experience—including the music behind the stories—tune in live to URL Radio every Tuesday at 11:30 AM Central at urlrad.io.

What if the chapters of your life were told through a mixtape?

In this episode of Tracks That Matter, Nicole sits down with her sister, Kari, to explore the songs that have shaped her life. Together they revisit childhood memories, unforgettable friendships, motherhood, unexpected loss, and the people who have left a lasting mark on her heart.

Some stories are filled with laughter. Others carry quiet reminders of love, resilience, and the moments that change us forever.

Through each track, Kari shares another chapter of her story and the memories that continue to live on every time the music plays.

.It's a conversation about family, love, loss, and the songs that help us remember who we are. Because every song has a story. And every story leaves a track.

What track has shaped your life? Share your story at TracksThatMatter.com.

Want to listen to the songs from the show? Check out the playlist at https://tinyurl.com/ttmplaylist

To purchase Growing Up Happy In A Lonely World - A Mixtape Memoir https://tinyurl.com/growinguphappy

ABOUT TRACKS THAT MATTER:
Audio production and editing by URL Radio.
Show theme song by NikFrequency.

For the full Tracks That Matter experience—including the music behind the stories—tune in live to URL Radio every Tuesday at 11:30 AM Central at urlrad.io.

Episode 4: Zayden — The Miracle Happens

Recovery isn't just about quitting. It's about discovering who you are when you finally stop running.

In this episode of Tracks That Matter, Nicole sits down with Zayden to explore the songs that have carried him through addiction, depression, and the long road toward healing. Together they discuss the moment when recovery became more than simply putting substances behind him—it became believing that the miracle could happen.

One of Zayden's tracks reminds him that everything he's been searching for has been within him all along. The other takes us into the reality of living with depression and the music that helps him navigate those darker moments.

This is a conversation about hope, resilience, and choosing to keep going even when you can't yet see what's on the other side.

If you've ever wondered whether change is possible—or needed a reminder that your greatest strength may already be within you—this episode is for you.

What track has shaped your life? Share your story at TracksThatMatter.com.

Want to listen to the songs from the show? Check out the playlist at https://tinyurl.com/ttmplaylist

To purchase Growing Up Happy In A Lonely World - A Mixtape Memoir https://tinyurl.com/growinguphappy

ABOUT TRACKS THAT MATTER:
Audio production and editing by URL Radio.
Show theme song by NikFrequency.

For the full Tracks That Matter experience—including the music behind the stories—tune in live to URL Radio every Tuesday at 11:30 AM Central at urlrad.io.

In this episode of Tracks That Matter, I share why Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls became the soundtrack to one of the loneliest seasons of my life.

For years, I was living two lives. On the outside, I looked like I had everything together. On the inside, I was carrying a secret that made me question whether I could ever truly be loved for who I was.

This isn’t really an episode about a song.

It’s about what happens when you spend years hiding parts of yourself to protect everyone else. It’s about the exhaustion of pretending, the ache of wanting to be seen, and the quiet hope that maybe—just maybe—you don’t have to stay hidden forever.

If you’ve ever felt like no one really knew you…
If you’ve ever wondered what it would cost to finally be yourself…
If you’ve ever heard Iris and felt something you couldn’t quite explain…
This episode is for you.

Because every song has a story.
And every story leaves a track.

**episode correction
I needt to make one correction here. In 1997 when Ellen came out on her tv show I was living in Pierre, SD. Shortly after I moved back to Mitchell by the time Iris released. The location changed, but the struggle hadn’t. I was still hiding, still trying to be who everyone else expected me to be but 153 miles East.

What track has shaped your life? Share your story at TracksThatMatter.com.

Want to listen to the songs from the show? Check out the playlist at https://tinyurl.com/ttmplaylist

To purchase Growing Up Happy In A Lonely World - A Mixtape Memoir https://tinyurl.com/growinguphappy

ABOUT TRACKS THAT MATTER:
Audio production and editing by URL Radio.
Show theme song by NikFrequency.

For the full Tracks That Matter experience—including the music behind the stories—tune in live to URL Radio every Tuesday at 11:30 AM Central at urlrad.io.

What happens when a song becomes more than music?

In this episode of Tracks That Matter, Nicole sits down with Kristie Wolff and her son, Devin, to explore the profound impact of Beautiful by P.O.D..

What begins as a conversation about one song unfolds into a powerful story of resilience, hope, unconditional love, and the many ways people communicate beyond words. Kristie shares her perspective as a mother, while Devin's journey reminds us that music can become a bridge—connecting us to ourselves, to others, and to possibilities we never imagined.

Together, they explore how one track became part of Devin's story and why it continues to matter.

Because every song has a story.
And every story leaves a track.

What track has shaped your life? Share your story at TracksThatMatter.com.

Want to listen to the songs from the show? Check out the playlist at https://tinyurl.com/ttmplaylist

To purchase Growing Up Happy In A Lonely World - A Mixtape Memoir https://tinyurl.com/growinguphappy

ABOUT TRACKS THAT MATTER:
Audio production and editing by URL Radio.
Show theme song by NikFrequency.

For the full Tracks That Matter experience—including the music behind the stories—tune in live to URL Radio every Tuesday at 11:30 AM Central at urlrad.io.