Drumroll please... It's time for the long-awaited Kathy Awards! In today’s episode, Katherine announces her personal awards, celebrating her favorite things from 2024. The Kathys are a tradition that helps her savor her life and share her delights. Maybe you’ll be inspired to start your own personal awards!

Learn more about the inspiration for the Kathys here: The Bobbys episode on Radio Lab.

Check out the highlight reel on Instagram to see all the nominees and winners, and nominate your own favorites in the categories for a People's Choice award!

Also, here's when to run to the bathroom during Wicked in the theater. :)

Try the Hoopla app to borrow audiobooks, ebooks, music

Check out our affiliate page at Bookshop.org to get any of the books we mention on the podcast and support local

Thanks to today’s guest, Tracy Jansen, and our editor, Belle Battista.

Remember to email us with your delights:  [email protected]

Follow the show on Instagram:  Yougottatrythispodcast 

Thanks for listening!  

Thanks so much for listening to my podcast!  If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.  

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How much time do you spend on your phone? Most Americans spend a little over 5 hours staring at their phones every day. But what kind of impact does that have on your life and mental health?

In today’s solo episode, Katherine shares some tips for a digital detox. Learn how to be more intentional with your screen time to free up more space for the people and things you love.

This is the last episode in our Essentials series! Tell us what stuck with you. Send in your experiences, questions and delights to [email protected].

Check out our Bookshop to find all the books we’ve mentioned thus far on the podcast.

Thanks to my editor, Belle Battista.

Follow the show on Instagram at Yougottatrythispodcast. Watch our story for other tips, and let us know if you try them!

Thanks for listening!  

Thanks so much for listening to my podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.  

Subscribe to the podcast

If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or on your favorite podcast app.

Leave us a review

Ratings and reviews from listeners are extremely valuable to me and greatly appreciated. They help my podcast rank higher, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review. 

When is the last time you played? Too many adults stopped playing a long time ago. But what if play is not frivolous and immature? What if it’s innovative and generative and interesting and delightful actually makes your life and even your work better, more fulfilling, and more fun?

Today, I’ve invited my friend Dave Bindewald to join me. He runs the Center for Play and Exploration, and he’ll tell us about the work he does around curiosity, divergent thinking, and the freedom to fail.

If you would like to learn more about Dave’s work at the Center for Play and Exploration, you can find his website here.

Send in your questions and delights to [email protected].

Check out our Bookshop to find all the books we’ve mentioned thus far on the podcast.

Thanks to Dave, and to my editor, Belle Battista.

Follow the show on Instagram at Yougottatrythispodcast. Watch our story for other tips, and let us know if you try them!

Thanks for listening!  

Thanks so much for listening to my podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.  

Subscribe to the podcast

If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or on your favorite podcast app.

Leave us a review

Ratings and reviews from listeners are extremely valuable to me and greatly appreciated. They help my podcast rank higher, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review.

Have you heard the adage, “You are what you eat?” In today’s episode, we’re talking about how to nourish your body with good food and mindful eating.

Today, I’ve invited a health coach, my friend Allie Gray, to share some tips for feeding yourself healthier food. She recommends fulfilling your dietary needs by prioritizing your food in this order: vegetables, fruits, nuts, beans, seeds, dairy, carbs, meat, treats, and spices.

If you would like to contract with Allie for health coaching, you can find her website here. Tell her you found her through the show for $20 off your coaching sessions!

Here’s the sweet potato and black bean stew recipe she mentioned. Send in your favorite recipes and your delights to [email protected].

Check out our Bookshop to find all the books we’ve mentioned thus far on the podcast, including all my favorite cookbooks back in Season One.

Thanks to Allie, and to my editor, Belle Battista.

Follow the show on Instagram at Yougottatrythispodcast. Watch our story for other tips, and let us know if you try them!

Thanks for listening!  

Thanks so much for listening to my podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.  

Subscribe to the podcast

If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or on your favorite podcast app.

Leave us a review

Ratings and reviews from listeners are extremely valuable to me and greatly appreciated. They help my podcast rank higher, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review.

This season, we’re talking about the essential things that make life more livable. This week, I want to talk about how to engage in our communities to make things more livable for everyone.

Today, I’ve invited two of my most civically engaged friends, Leeann Younger and John Rhoades. We’ll hear them share about what motivated them to get involved in their communities, and their tips to help you decide where and how to plug in.

Decisions are made by those who show up. How can you get more engaged in your community?

It’s almost time for the election. You can register to vote or check your status at www.vote.gov. 

Find out what will be on your ballot at www.vote411.org (a resource from the League of Women Voters).

Here’s the Walt Whitman poem we mentioned. 

Check out our Bookshop to find all the books we’ve mentioned thus far on the podcast. 

Thanks to Leeann and John for being with us today, and to my editor, Belle Battista.

Remember to email us with your delights:  [email protected]

Follow the show on Instagram at Yougottatrythispodcast. Watch our story for other tips, and let us know if you try them!

Thanks for listening!  

Thanks so much for listening to my podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.  

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If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or on your favorite podcast app.

Leave us a review

Ratings and reviews from listeners are extremely valuable to me and greatly appreciated. They help my podcast rank higher, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review. 

This week we are celebrating ONE YEAR of You Gotta Try This! I believe life is always more fun when we mark these milestones and special occasions. In fact, I’ll even go so far as to call celebration an essential part of a life well-lived.

In today’s episode, we introduce one my favorite birthday traditions: the Birthday Questions. Whenever I celebrate someone’s birthday, I ask these questions. They are an invitation to reflect on the last year.

What did you learn?

How did you grow?

What do you regret?

What are you proud of?

What are you looking forward to?

For today’s YGTT birthday celebration, my editor Belle Battista and I each answer the questions about our first year of making this podcast.

At the end I share some tips for cultivating this practice

***To celebrate our first year, we’re doing a birthday

Check out our Bookshop to find all the books we’ve mentioned thus far on the podcast.

Thanks to my editor, Belle Battista, for joining me on this journey!

Remember to email us with your delights:  [email protected]

Follow the show on Instagram at Yougottatrythispodcast. Watch our story for other tips, and let us know if you try them!

Thanks for listening!  

Thanks so much for listening to my podcast!  If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.  

Subscribe to the podcast

If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or on your favorite podcast app.

Leave us a review

Ratings and reviews from listeners are extremely valuable to me and greatly appreciated. They help my podcast rank higher, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review. 

This season, we’re focusing on essentials: basic things that make life more livable. This week, we’re learning about the importance of hydration.

How much water do you drink every day? The average American drinks about 2.5 cups, or the equivalent of one bottled water a day. Suffice it to say, that’s not enough.

Today we will learn how much water you really need, and what water is doing in and for your body. We’ll hear from my guest, trauma therapist and podcast host Ethan Tuxill, about how important hydration is. You can find him on Instagram @thelaughingmindpodcast.

Check out our Bookshop to find all the books we’ve mentioned thus far on the podcast.

Thanks to Ethan for sharing his story, and to my editor, Belle Battista.

Remember to email us with your delights:  [email protected]

Follow the show on Instagram at Yougottatrythispodcast. Watch our story for other tips, and let us know if you try them!

Thanks for listening!  

Thanks so much for listening to my podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.  

Subscribe to the podcast

If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or on your favorite podcast app.

Leave us a review

Ratings and reviews from listeners are extremely valuable to me and greatly appreciated. They help my podcast rank higher, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review. 

This season, we’re focusing on essentials: basic things that make life more livable. This week, we’re talking about some of the best medicine: movement.

Your body is an incredible machine, with all its systems working together in brilliant harmony. If it’s going to continue working well into your old age, you need to MOVE. Jim Rohn said, “Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.”

In today’s episode, we’ll hear from body expert Dr. Cheryl Ferris. She has a PhD in Health and Rehabilitation Sciences. She’s a massage therapist, athletic trainer, lymph drainage specialist, and Bowenwork practitioner, and she’ll help us understand why the body needs to move, and how to incorporate more movement into your days.

You can learn more about Cheryl’s work here, and find her on Instagram at luciahealth4u.

Click here to find the videos she mentioned about The Big 6 manual lymphatic drainage with Dr. Perry.

Click here to see the rest postures she referred to.

Check out the at-home yoga practice video library from Yoga with Adriene here.

Here’s the poem, “Why I Wake Early,” by Mary Oliver.

Check out our Bookshop to find all the books we’ve mentioned thus far on the podcast.

Thanks to Cheryl for sharing her expertise, and

Remember to email us with your delights:  [email protected]

Follow the show on Instagram at Yougottatrythispodcast. Watch our story for other tips, and let us know if you try them!

Thanks for listening!  

Thanks so much for listening to my podcast!  If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.  

Subscribe to the podcast

If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or on your favorite podcast app.

Leave us a review

Ratings and reviews from listeners are extremely valuable to me and greatly appreciated. They help my podcast rank higher, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review. 

This season, we’re focusing on essentials: basic things that make life more livable. Today’s episode is all about the best thing you can do for your health and life: sleep.

How much sleep did you get last night? Adults need 7-9 hours of good sleep every single night, but a lot of us aren’t getting it.

In today’s episode, you’ll hear friend Sarah tell us about her struggle with insomnia, and an conversation with my friend Amy about the science of sleep. You’ll learn what is happening in your body when you shut your eyes, and get some good tips for increasing the amount and quality of your sleep.

You can find Why We Sleep by James Nestor, the book I recommended, in our Bookshop, as well as the Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child book that Amy mentioned.

Thanks to Sarah for sharing her experience, to Amy for convincing me (and you??) to read the sleep book, and to my editor, Belle Battista.

Remember to email us with your delights:  [email protected]

Follow the show on Instagram at Yougottatrythispodcast. Watch our story for other tips, and let us know if you try them!

Thanks for listening!  

Thanks so much for listening to my podcast!  If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.  

Subscribe to the podcast

If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or on your favorite podcast app.

Leave us a review

Ratings and reviews from listeners are extremely valuable to me and greatly appreciated. They help my podcast rank higher, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review. 

This season, we’re focusing on essentials: basic things that make life more livable. Today’s episode is all about breath.

Today you’ll learn how changing the way you breathe can help you balance your nervous system, improve your immune system, sleep better, lower your blood pressure, and even live longer. I’m going to tell you about two easy practices you can do right now that will help you breathe better. I have an expert guest, breath work practitioner Nicole Rager, who will tell us about different breath techniques you can experiment with. You can check out her website here.

Check out Nicole’s videos on YouTube!

You can find Breath by James Nestor, the book I recommended, in our Bookshop.

Thanks to Nicole for sharing her expertise, and to my editor, Belle Battista.

Remember to email us with your delights:  [email protected]

Followthe show on Instagram at Yougottatrythispodcast. Watch our story for videos of different breath techniques you can experiment with, and let us know if you try them!

Thanks for listening!  

Thanks so much for listening to my podcast!  If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.   

Subscribe to the podcast

If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or on your favorite podcast app.

Leave us a review

Ratings and reviews from listeners are extremely valuable to me and greatly appreciated. They help my podcast rank higher, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review.