We Can Do Hard Things

1. The question Carson’s sister asked that made him radically reimagine his life.  

2. Why Carson is having the best sex of his life.

3. How Carson received sign-off from his Mormon Bishop for his first queer date.  

4. The accident that left Carson paralyzed from the chest down at 23.

5. How ableism hurts us all.  

About Carson: 

Carson Tueller is a coach, speaker and activist whose work provides people with the tools they need to live authentic, fulfilling, and powerful lives. He identifies as queer and disabled. Carson grew up as a Mormon in a military family moving around a lot before settling in Utah. His own journey into powerful living began in 2013 when, in the same year, he came out, and was then injured in an accident that paralyzed him from the chest down. Since then, Carson has brought his work to international nonprofits and presidential campaigns – and when he isn’t coaching or speaking, Carson can be found at the gym, reading non-fiction, or playing Pokemon with his niece and nephews.

TW: ⁠@carson_tueller⁠

IG: ⁠@carson_tueller⁠

#disabilitypride #disabilitypridemonth

We're excited to bring you a beautiful story from The Moth, as told by storyteller and activist, Tiq Milan. In this story, Tiq explores themes of love and transition, all while keeping a very important secret from his mom.

You can hear the extended version of this story and more heartwarming, funny, true stories on Tuesdays and Fridays on The Moth podcast. Since its launch in 1997, The Moth has presented thousands of true stories, told live and without notes, to standing-room-only crowds worldwide. Moth storytellers stand alone, under a spotlight, with only a microphone and a roomful of strangers. The storyteller and the audience embark on a high-wire act of shared experience which is both terrifying and exhilarating. Since 2008, The Moth podcast has featured many of our favorite stories told live on Moth stages around the country.

429. On Not Being Chosen, Re-Parenting Yourself & Getting Started | Live on Tour! 

In this special episode, we share moments from an unforgettable night in Portland on our first-ever live tour. We gathered with thousands of you to celebrate our Indie and New York Times Bestselling book, We Can Do Hard Things. We talk about the ache of not being chosen, the grief of lost teams and families, the power of self-parenting, the fear of starting something you may not finish, and the courage to lead hard conversations in your own circles.This tour has been about connection, community, and staying human—and we’re so grateful you’re part of it.

428. Family Roles: Which Part Did YOU Play? 

Amanda, Abby, and Glennon take a close look at the roles we’re assigned—or take on—within our families of origin. They unpack how these childhood roles stick with us, shape who we become, and continue to influence our relationships and choices long into adulthood.

-The six different types of family roles and how to identify yours; 

-The gifts and pitfalls of each role; and 

-The signs of an unhealthy family system.

Amanda shares the one proven way to get the truth from someone – plus:

For the first part of our conversation, check out ⁠242. We’re All Liars: What’s Your Lying Style?⁠.

427. Is Work Stress Sabotaging Your Relationships? | Dr. Alexandra Solomon

Renowned relationship expert, Dr. Alexandra H. Solomon, returns to help us navigate one of the most common—and least talked about—sources of relationship tension: our careers. From ambition clashes and invisible labor to money resentment and the stress we carry home, Dr. Solomon helps us understand how our work lives can deeply affect our love lives.

-The most common work-related conflicts couples face—and how to navigate them-What happens when ambition in one partner sparks resentment in the other-How invisible labor and internalized gender roles impact equality and pride in the home-How to preserve intimacy when you're constantly together (or apart)-Why work stress doesn’t stay at work—and how to keep it from wrecking your relationship

Resources from Dr. Solomon for the Pod Squad related to our conversations:

dralexandrasolomon.com/hardthings.

Alexandra H. Solomon, PhD, is internationally recognized as one of today’s most trusted voices in the world of relationships, and her framework of Relational Self-Awareness has reached millions of people around the globe. A licensed clinical psychologist in private practice, couples therapist, speaker, author, and professor, Dr. Alexandra is passionate about translating cutting-edge research and clinical wisdom into practical tools people can use to bring awareness, curiosity, and authenticity to their relationships. She is the host of the Reimagining Love Podcast and author of Love Every Day, Taking Sexy Back: How to Own Your Sexuality and Create the Relationships You Want and Loving Bravely: 20 Lessons of Self-Discovery to Help You Get the Love You Want.

426. Why Protest Works—The 3.5% Rule with Erica Chenoweth

Harvard professor and leading expert on political resistance, Erica Chenoweth, joins us to answer a critical question: Is the United States still a democracy, or have we already slipped into authoritarianism? Professor Chenoweth lays out where we stand—and shares a powerful, evidence-based strategy for reclaiming our collective power while we still can.

-The warning signs of democratic decline—and how they’re unfolding in America right now

-How just 3.5% of the population can spark unstoppable, long-term change

-Why nonviolent resistance works—and why it’s our most underused superpower

-What it really means to defect—and how to reclaim power from authoritarian forces

Erica Chenoweth is professor at Harvard University who studies political violence and its alternatives. Erica directs the Nonviolent Action Lab, an innovation hub that provides empirical evidence in support of movement-led political transformation. Erica has authored nine books including, with Maria Stephen, Why Civil Resistance Works and Civil Resistance: What Everyone Needs to Know. Erica maintains the NAVCO Data Project, one of the world’s leading datasets on historical and contemporary mass mobilizations around the globe.

REAL Self-Care: Burnout Is Not Your Fault & the Way Out with Dr. Pooja Lakshmin

Psychiatrist Dr. Pooja Lakshmin shows us how to tell the difference between the Faux Self-Care we’ve been sold versus the Real Self-Care we desperately need.

Discover: 

About Pooja: ⁠Dr. Pooja Lakshmin⁠ is a board-certified psychiatrist, author, keynote speaker, and a contributor to The New York Times. Her debut book, ⁠REAL SELF-CARE: Crystals, Cleanses, and Bubble-Baths Not Included⁠, is an NPR Best Book of 2023 and a national best-seller. Pooja serves as a clinical assistant professor of psychiatry at George Washington University School of Medicine, and maintains an active private practice where she treats women struggling with burnout, perfectionism, and disillusionment, as well as clinical conditions like depression, anxiety and ADHD. She frequently speaks, advises and consults for organizations on mental health and well-being. Pooja writes the weekly Substack newsletter, ⁠Real Self-Care⁠. 

IG: ⁠@poojalakshmin

425. How to Stay Soft AND Strong: Our Virtual Event

Live from the We Can Do Hard Things book tour, Glennon, Abby, and Amanda share an unfiltered, heart-opening conversation about what it means to be fully alive in a world that feels both terrifying and beautiful. They dive into the messy truths of this moment—and answer powerful questions from the PodSquad.

-The complicated, tender reality of step-parenting, forgiveness, and staying soft in a hard world-Why choosing to show up for others—again and again—might be our only path to true peace

Listen to this 8-minute rally cry before Independence Day. 250 years into the American experiment, it's time to remember: July 4th isn’t about loyalty—it’s about resistance. About dissent, demand, and dignity. About overthrowing tyranny and reclaiming the promise of liberty for all.