Clarity On Fire

In case you missed it, last week we announced that we’re taking a podcasting hiatus – for a few reasons, but mostly because Rachel is having a baby later this year!   If you’re new-ish to Clarity on Fire – or have been around for a while but want to introduce new people to us – that gives you an excellent opportunity to catch up on our over-400 episodes.   Buuuut we also know that’s a LOT of content and you might be overwhelmed!

Yes, you read that subject line right — we’re taking another hiatus from the podcast … because one of us is having a baby!

In the last few years my client Susanne went from having a very normal, run-of-the-mill career to relocating to Italy, renovating a beautiful property, and opening a retreat space (she calls it a “thinker’s residence”) for creative people who long for peace and quiet to work on their most important projects.   Getting to help Susanne take this dream from vision to reality has been a highlight of my last few years as a coach, and I’m so excited to finally get to share her story with all of you!   Listen in to this month’s brand-new interview with a normal person, where Susanne and I get into…   How she came up with such a big vision for her life, and how long she marinated on it before taking it seriously Why she blocked herself from acting on what she wanted for many years How she released some of her biggest, most debilitating limitations, and took huge risks (that clearly ended up paying off) The many ups and downs of turning her vision into a reality And what it’s like now, running a property in Italy for

Welcome to another episode of Dear Krachel, our monthly advice segment where we answer listener questions about life, career, relationships, existential angst, and anything that helps you become a more whole, fulfilled version of yourself.   This month we answered questions from two listeners, who both happen to be teachers (but their issues are relevant to all of us)!   Worry Worm, whose confidence takes a hit whenever her students don’t meet their expected results. Is she bad at what she does, or are the kids slacking off?   Tired Thriver, an elementary school teacher in her late 20’s who likes a lot of the perks of teaching (predictable schedule, steady pay, job security, great benefits, and summers off to name a few), but who feels mentally and emotionally drained at the end of the work day. She doesn’t necessarily want to have to change careers, but how possible is it for a Thriver to make a demanding job like this work?   Come leave a comment after you’ve listened to share how our advice for these l

It’s the fifth Friday of the month, which means this should be a “bonus book club” episode––it isn’t, but it’s also not NOT a book club episode, either.

Need a little clarity, guidance, or just a fun pick-me-up?   Then today’s your day, because we’re back (for the third month in a row, lucky you!) with another Message from the Universe episode. ✨

You know we can’t resist a good Instagram post—and maybe even ruthlessly tearing one apart on the podcast (and having a grand time doing it)!   A friend DM’d us this reel recently from Caroline Middelsdorf, a coach and psychologist, about how your childhood trauma might be covertly influencing your career choices.   Naturally, we decided to dissect our reaction to this theory on the podcast!   So, listen in as we chat about…   Three major career fields, and the childhood backstory you might have if you ended up in those industries How much credence you should give to this theory, and when it might not be impacting you Why feeling bored and unstimulated in your job might actually be a sign of health   This one might spark some strong opinions, one way or the other, so come leave a comment after you’ve listened to share your reaction!   LISTEN TO THESE EPISODES NEXT   Side Chat: The 8x8x8 Rule … and why we hate it! (March 2024)   Bonus Book Club! Attached by Amir Levine & Rachel S.F. Heller (March 2024)  

You know what I’m tired of?   Neat, tidy stories of success that tie everything in a bow by the end and make life look a little too simple.   To be fair, we’ve published our fair share of stories like that on this podcast! But this year, we’ve made a big effort to showcase “normal person” stories that are very much still unfolding–because when it comes to your actual life, the story is never done. There’s always a new twist, a new drama, or something else you haven’t achieved yet.   Which is why I’m really excited to share my client Sarah’s story with you!   Sarah has been through some major highs and lows in the last year, and the plot twists keep coming. Listen in as Sarah and I get into…   Working through her fears that she wasn’t capable of making a big career transition How we created a list of non-negotiable needs she must get met in a new job (and how she ended up with a job that checked EVERY box) How she gave the Universe a deadline about finding a job, and the nail-biting process of trusting that i

Welcome to another episode of Dear Krachel, our monthly advice segment where we answer listener questions about life, career, relationships, existential angst, and anything that helps you become a more whole, fulfilled version of yourself.   This month we answered questions from:   Blue Millennial, who is still only just scraping by financially after 10 years in the working world. The hobby that brings her joy is traveling, but she can’t afford it very often. She doesn’t have the energy to take on a side gig for extra income, and she doesn’t want to switch jobs yet again (which never solves her problems, anyway). How can she possibly improve her life under such confining circumstances?   Renee, who works in large organization with a pretty rigid hierarchy. Her boss’ boss is rude, condescending, abrasive, and judgmental to almost everyone, Renee included. Except she needs this higher-up to at least kind of like her if she wants to get promoted. How do you build a relationship with someone who wants nothing

Need a little clarity, guidance, or just a fun pick-me-up?   Then today’s your day, because we’re back (only a month after our last MFTU episode––surprise!) with another Message from the Universe episode. ✨

A few weeks ago, one of Rachel’s clients asked a GREAT question (well, series of questions) that was immediately deserving of its own podcast episode. We love when that happens.   When is it okay to NOT have goals? Is it ever acceptable? If so, under what circumstances??   So, listen in as we chat about…   How to figure out if feeling aimless/directionless is actually a problem, or maybe something you should be letting happen (for now) When it’s best to set goals and when it’s okay to let them slide The difference between goals and intentions How goal-setting ties into masculine/feminine energy …and a lot more!   We also spent a very solid chunk of this episode giving you some major life updates about what’s been happening behind the scenes for both of us.

Welcome to another episode of Dear Krachel, our monthly advice segment where we answer listener questions about life, career, relationships, existential angst, and anything that helps you become a more whole, fulfilled version of yourself.   This month we answered questions from:   Guilty Thriver, who’s 4 months pregnant with her first baby and wants to be a stay at home mom. Her husband makes plenty of money and is happy to support her desire, but she can’t get over her guilt for “only” contributing to the family on the domestic front. How can she embrace this decision and fully enjoy a new phase of life?    Sensational Quitter, who had a very traumatic “break up” with a job a couple of years ago. Since then she’s had two other jobs and has quit both of them, too! She lives with regret of how she handled herself at the first job, and wonders if she ruined her chance at something great. How can she leave the past behind, break the cycle of crappy jobs, and secure a role that finally feels right?   Skyler

Calling all fellow bookworms, library nerds, and general lovers of literature — it’s time for another book club episode of the podcast!    Whenever there are five Fridays in a month, we devote the extra Friday to a book that we can’t get enough of.   It was WAY overdue for us to dedicate a book club episode to attachment theory, considering how much we’ve talked about it on the podcast in the last year.    So, this month, we’re cracking open Attached: The New Science of Adult Attachment And How It Can Help You Find––And Keep––Love.   But wait, there’s more!!

Need a little clarity, guidance, or just a fun pick-me-up?   Then today’s your day, because we’re back with another Message from the Universe episode!    We pulled a few cards from The Enchanted Map deck by Colette Baron-Reid. One or all has a message for you — come find out what it is!   Annnd we also took a little tangent at the end to discuss Rachel’s new obsession with Love Is Blind.

A while back I was scrolling on Instagram and came across a post by a well-known personal development guru. What I read ENRAGED me.   So much so, in fact, that my ensuing rant lasted for almost an hour – and now you get to hear it on the podcast.

I was on the phone recently with my and Kristen’s friend Joanna (who’s appeared on the podcast a time or two before!), who was telling me about exhausted and demoralized she’s been about her career lately.    Joanna’s Passion Profile is Collaborator, which means the thing she values above everything else is connection and, well, collaboration. Except she’s been trying for 5 years to run a business … by herself.    It became clear as we were talking that her career woes are almost certainly a result of working out of alignment with her Passion Profile for so long.   Before we hung up she said, “If you ever want me to come on the podcast to talk about this, I totally would!” And hey, I’m not one to turn down a good guest!    So, listen in to this month’s brand-new episode with a normal person, where Joanna and I get into:    How she got tunnel vision around her career, and blocked out signs that the path she was going down might not be right for her Why having the freedom to whatever she wanted, whenever she w

Welcome to another episode of Dear Krachel, our monthly advice segment where we answer listener questions about life, career, relationships, existential angst, and anything that helps you become a more whole, fulfilled version of yourself.   This month we answered questions from:   Pondering in CA, who’s worked in corporate marketing for 15 years and dreads going to work every day. She wants to pivot into real estate … but should she be wary of making such a big transition this far into her career?   Val, who will have the opportunity to leave a stressful job and retire – but not for another 5 years. She wants to have a plan for what to do with her life once she reaches that milestone, but how and when does someone start planning for something so far down the road?   Lisa, a textbook Side Hustler who’s been contemplating a transition into a wide array of paths, from data analytics, to yoga instructor, to math teacher, to medical doctor, to therapist. Should she pick a direction and run with it, or is the

If you’re looking for a job right now, there’s no way it’s escaped your notice that it’s rough out there.   We keep hearing stories from friends and clients about how the current job market is unlike anything they’ve ever seen before.    From applying to hundreds of jobs and getting ZERO interviews, to being completely overlooked despite being incredibly qualified, to seeing literally thousands of people apply to a job you’re interested in … it’s feeling REALLY difficult and demoralizing right now.   Which is why we knew we had to bring our friend and job search coach Emily back on the podcast (for the fourth time!) to get her take on job searching in 2024.    So, listen in as Emily and the two of us dive into …   Why so many SUPER qualified candidates are being overlooked The discrepancy between what the media is reporting – There’s a labor shortage! It’s so hard to find good employees! –  versus how hard it is for most job seekers to actually get hired How AI and ChatGPT are affecting your chances of being

It’s quite possible you saw the title of this episode and immediately started to sweat.

I’ve loved every minute of every interview with a normal person I’ve ever had the pleasure to do – there’s something so gratifying about getting to share the trials and tribulations that everyday people have overcome, as well as the revelations and breakthroughs they’ve had (that can hopefully help inspire other people on a similar journey).   But every once in a while a normal person interview comes along that I’m practically itching for you to hear … and that’s this one, with my client Kayla!   Kayla and I had a conversation that you’re going to deeply relate to AND I predict will give you hope.    Listen in as Kayla and I talk about …   Getting to the bottom of a decade-long pattern of terrible burnout and even more terrible bosses Why understanding her attachment style helped her heal her unhealthy relationship to her career Being convinced that things were never going to work out … and how nice it was to be proven wrong about that, in the end   Come leave a comment after you’ve listened to share how Ka