Finding the Throughline with Kate Hanley
1,100 episodes - English - Latest episode: 14 days ago - ★★★★★ - 100 ratingsFinding the Throughline: Conversations about the Creative Process invites you into the minds of writers and other creatives as they open up about their process, their doubts, and what kinds of changes they’re thinking about making. The questions are mildly invasive, honestly, and the answers are unvarnished…and so refreshing!
Whether your creative work is writing, painting, making music, parenting, or simply living, Finding the Throughline can help you get—and stay—inspired. Invigorated, even.
For detailed show notes on each interview, visit katehanley.substack.com. And if you’d like to hear these interviews in one ad-free episode (as opposed to broken up into three shorter episodes with a few ads sprinkled in to keep the lights on), become a paid subscriber once you’re there.
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Episodes
[Quick Hits]: Say “Thank You” for Things You Normally Wouldn't. EP: 650
February 24, 2022 10:00 - 6 minutesSaying thank you is about more than being polite--it's about training yourself to look for the good, even in situations that are otherwise neutral or even negative. It helps you re-wire your brain, which is trained to look for and remember the bad. Enjoying these episodes? Leave me a tip! All proceeds used to offset production costs and create more episodes. :) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
[Quick Hits]: Ask Someone How They’re Doing in a Way that Elicits More than ‘Fine’. EP: 649
February 23, 2022 10:00 - 7 minutesSay you’re checking out at the grocery store, or picking up books from the library, or getting dinner delivered, or actually eating out in a restaurant. It’s pretty automatic to say, “how are you?” to the person who is helping you. And then they say ‘Fine, how are you?” And these kinds of pleasantries are more important than they might seem. But they don’t really require a stretch. And sometimes we have to try in order to be a better person. Enjoying these episodes? Leave me a tip! All proce...
[Quick Hits]: Let Someone Else Go First. EP:648
February 22, 2022 10:00 - 7 minutesWhen you’re in a hurry it’s easy to wish everyone would just get out of your way already. You know, it’s a real “me first” state of mind. “Please step to the side so that I may get to my very important destination!” Today's quick hit can help you pull yourself out of that subconscious way of thinking, and potentially even make someone else's day (which feels just as good to you as it does to them). Enjoying these episodes? Leave me a tip! All proceeds used to offset production costs and crea...
[Quick Hits]: Look Someone in the Eye. EP:647
February 21, 2022 10:00 - 8 minutesThis week I’m sharing really quick, concrete things you can do to act on the desire to be a better person. I love to talk about deeper, bigger stuff, and figuring out how to make long-lasting changes. But sometimes, you just need a quick hit. That’s what the episodes this week are all about. Today’s quick hit is to look people in the eye. This may seem like no big deal, or like it doesn’t have anything to do with being a better person. But hear me out. Enjoying these episodes? Leave me a tip...
[Re-Imagining Work]: Listen to Your Laziness. EP:646
February 18, 2022 10:00 - 10 minutesLaziness gets completely frowned upon in our productivity focused society. But you could have a very good reason to be feeling–or being perceived–as lazy. AND that feeling of not wanting to do anything–which, I fully admit, I have been feeling so frequently lately–is likely telling you something really important. Let's see what laziness has to say. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
[Re-Imagining Work]: Tend to Your Network. EP: 645
February 17, 2022 17:51 - 7 minutesYour network isn’t some wall of trophies that you can proudly point to. It’s your support system--the net beneath your trapeze AND the slingshot that can help launch you higher or in a different direction than you could go on your own. And most likely, the last two years of working remotely and hunkering down hasn't exactly been great for strengthening this web. Let's fix that. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
[Re-Imagining Work]: Things to Consider Before You Quit Your Job. EP: 644
February 16, 2022 10:00 - 19 minutesToday I'm talking with Damon Brown, author of the brand new book Career Remix: Get the Gig You Want with the Skills You've Got about the things you should consider before you up and quit your job. Even if you’re NOT currently secretly–or not so secretly–fantasizing about heading off for greener pastures, thinking about these things will help you improve your relationship to the work you do and understand exactly what it is you have to offer, and what you stand to gain. Learn more about your a...
[Re-Imagining Work]: Making Space for Mental Health at the Office. EP: 643
February 15, 2022 10:00 - 10 minutesSomething so very many of us has experienced during this pandemic is challenges to mental health. And in general, we've gotten a lot more open about sharing our mental health struggles with others. How does this impact our work lives? How can we make space for mental health while still taking care of business? Let's talk about it. I also answer a question from listener Nina. If you have questions you'd like me to address in a future episode, email me at kate at katehanley dot com. Learn more ...
[Re-Imagining Work]: Let’s Challenge the Culture of Overwork. EP: 642
February 14, 2022 10:00 - 8 minutesThis week on the podcast is all about re-imagining work. After all, like the rest of our lives, much of our work lives have been upended since the pandemic started. Whether that’s the physical location of where you’re doing your work, or how stressful your work has been, what’s clear is that work is not the same as it was in 2019. So let’s take this opportunity to figure out where we want it to go from here, both for yourself as an individual and for our society as a whole. No big deal! Learn...
[Being There for Others]: A Crucial Thing to Keep in Mind in Order to Be Truly Helpful. EP: 641
February 11, 2022 10:00 - 6 minutesWanting to help someone who’s in need of support is honorable. But what it ISN’T, is about you. You are not the solution for their problems, nor is it your full responsibility to solve anyone’s problems. I think this is another reason why we sometimes resist reaching out to someone in need of help–we fear that we won’t actually be able to help, or that we might get overwhelmed by the amount of help they need. I share a helpful analogy that can help get your head on straight about what your u...
[Being There for Others]: Signs Someone Might Be Struggling. EP: 640
February 10, 2022 10:00 - 8 minutesOne of the beneficial roles we can play as someone’s friend or loved one is to notice them. Not judge them, or rate their appearance, but just take in their presence. In this episode, I’ll share some common signs that someone might be having a hard time with life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
[Being There for Others]: What NOT to Say to an Anxious Person. EP: 639
February 09, 2022 10:00 - 17 minutesThere are so many people who run anxious, and you likely have many of them in your life. Maybe they are a family member or a dear friend. A lot of the things that we say to people when they’re in the throes of anxiety may be well-intentioned, but ultimately not that helpful. Today, I'm talking with Dr. Susan Bernstein who'll help us take a look at those common, unhelpful things, and figure out what to say instead. Susan has an MBA and also has a Ph.D. in somatic psychology, so her expertise r...
[Being There for Others]: 3 Helpful Questions to Ask. EP: 638
February 08, 2022 10:00 - 8 minutesHere are three questions you can keep in your back pocket that will make it super easy to check in with someone. This way, you won’t be at a loss for words–which is a big reason why we may be tempted to stay away when someone we know or love is going through something hard. I know you don’t want to say the wrong thing--so say these things instead. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
[Being There for Others]: The Surprising Power of Bearing Witness. EP: 637
February 07, 2022 10:00 - 9 minutesThis week on the podcast I’m talking about how to be there for the folks in your life who are going through it–whatever it may be. The blues, anxiety, stress, illness, family stuff are all normal parts of life and we all get by with a little help from our friends (or family members, or neighbors). But just because it takes a village, it doesn’t mean that we automatically know how to be a helpful village person! Today’s big idea is that when someone you know and maybe love is facing something ...
5 Unexpected Ways to Interact with Art Without Leaving Home. EP: 636
February 04, 2022 10:00 - 10 minutesYou don’t have to drag your butt to a museum in order to interact with artwork. You can do it from home in ways that maybe you never thought of or that you might think don’t count, but they DO! They absolutely do. And, bonus, they’re pandemic-friendly! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
7 Easy Ways to Read More. EP: 635
February 03, 2022 10:00 - 8 minutesToday’s big idea is actually 7 ideas–I’m sharing 7 easy ways to read more. Including some cool ways to use audio books, and permission to do something that some people think makes them a bad person, or at least a bad reader. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Healing Power of Reading. EP: 634
February 02, 2022 10:00 - 19 minutesToday I’m talking to Becky Karush. Becky is the founder of Read to Me Literary Arts, where she hosts group writing salons–which I attend and am devoted to–and coaches writers individually. She is also the host of the wonderful Read to Me podcast. Becky is going to get you SO EXCITED to read–and she gives some great ideas on how to make time for reading, too. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
[Engaging with the Arts]: 5 Books That Helped Me Become a Better Person in 2021. EP: 633
February 01, 2022 10:00 - 12 minutesToday I'm sharing the 5 books that I read in 2021 that I really feel helped me a better person because they helped me see something in a new way, or expanded my empathy toward others, or what have you. I loved these books! And am excited to share them with you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
[Engaging with the Arts]: Can Art Make You a Better Person? EP: 632
January 31, 2022 10:00 - 8 minutesDuring this pandemic January, when the nights have been long and the news has been bleak, I’ve been extra aware that what so many of us turn to when times are hard is art. Whether that’s shows or movies, books, music, actual art work or another form of creative expression, art is what helps us get through. This week on the podcast I’m talking about how to consume art as a means to being a better person–and just feeling better about the world and your place in it. Learn more about your ad cho...
[Let's Talk Drinking, Again]: Non-Alcoholic Ways to Take the Edge Off. EP: 631
January 28, 2022 10:00 - 10 minutesNothing says 'ahhh' like cracking a cold one or pouring a glass of wine. Or does it?? I’ve got three ways to help yourself switch into chill mode without having a drink--I'm thinking one of these will be a helpful alternative for you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
[Let's Talk Drinking, Again]: How to Have Fun Without Alcohol. EP: 630
January 27, 2022 10:00 - 9 minutesOne of the main reasons we turn to alcohol is to help us let our hair down--to laugh a little more easily, to be a little more uninhibited, to be more fun. BUT, having a drink is not the only way to loosen up and have fun! Let’s talk about other ways to take an oil can to the creaky spots in your psyche without relying on a glass of something to provide it for you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
[Let's Talk Drinking, Again]: Is My Drinking Problematic? How to Tell. EP: 629
January 26, 2022 10:00 - 19 minutesIn this re-broadcast, I interview Michelle Smith, a TEDx speaker, author, podcaster, mental health and addictions counselor and founder of Recovery is the New Black, about how to tell if your drinking has become unhelpful, or maybe even harmful. Come hear why Michelle says that the opposite of addiction is connection, and why she's having more fun as a sober person than she's ever had before. (This episode is not all doom and gloom, as the title might suggest!) Learn more about your ad choice...
[Let's Talk About Drinking, Again]: What's the Deal with Women and Alcohol? EP: 628
January 25, 2022 18:31 - 25 minutesIn this re-airing of an interview I did with Sarah Kate of Some Good Clean Fun, we explore why alcohol is so heavily marketed to women, why drinking less is a rebellious choice in our society, and why alcohol is a feminist issue. Don't worry, we don't get strident. :) It's just that, you think AA and you think schlubby dudes in a basement. Just like with medical care, women have their own unique experience of alcohol and it's time we talked about it! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit me...
[Let's Talk About Drinking, Again]: What Is Sober Curious? EP: 627
January 24, 2022 10:00 - 13 minutesI'm taking a week off from new episodes this week and re-airing a series I did last summer on re-thinking drinking. It is, after all, Dry January--in other words, a natural time to be thinking about drinking less, or not at all. This week, let’s just see what’s ready to be seen in terms of our relationship to alcohol. I am NOT here to preach or proselytize, I promise! This is a judgment-free zone!! Let's just take a look, together. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
[Being of Service]:CAN You Give From an Empty Cup? Balancing Self-Care with Helping Others. EP: 626
January 21, 2022 10:00 - 9 minutesYou've heard the advice to put on your own oxygen mask first, and that you can't give from an empty cup (I've said this myself many times, including on this podcast). But I've been re-thinking this. Because, first of all, you don't have to have your shit together in order to help someone else. And second, being of service raises your own energy. So how do you balance self-care with helping others? It's kind of like making a smoothie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
[Being of Service]: How to Ensure that You’re Actually Helping (Hint–Think Less, Listen More). EP: 625
January 20, 2022 10:00 - 8 minutesEven though wanting to be of service seems like a noble idea, it’s pretty easy to have an attitude that makes you more of a pain in the butt than an actual source of help. Here are three ways of thinking that are going to block you from actually helping--and a different goal to keep top of mind when seek to be of service. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
[Being of Service}: Cultivating Courageousness with Rabbi Daniel Cohen. EP: 624
January 19, 2022 10:00 - 16 minutesToday I’m talking with Rabbi Daniel Cohen, who serves at the largest modern orthodox synagogue in New England in Stamford, CT. He’s the author of "What Will They Say About You When You Are Gone? Cultivating a Life of Legacy." He has been a rabbi for over 30 years, meaning he’s had hundreds of end of life conversations and delivered thousands of eulogies which gives him a unique perspective on life. I wanted to talk with Rabbi Cohen about how to find the courage to shift your comfort zone to i...
[Being of Service]: Finding Your Lane So That Service Doesn’t Deplete You. EP: 623
January 18, 2022 10:00 - 6 minutesThere are SO many people and causes that are in need of help that it can be overwhelming, trying to decide how to give back without overextending yourself. If you get involved in every cause or try to help every person that needs it, it’s easy to end up getting overwhelmed and not actually being that much help. Today I’m sharing a strategy I’ve learned that makes giving back easier–so that you can do it in a way that lifts you up instead of wears you down. Learn more about your ad choices. Vi...
[Being of Service]: Helping Others Isn’t Just a Noble Thing to Do–It Helps You Too. EP: 622
January 17, 2022 10:00 - 10 minutesBeing of service isn’t just a noble thing to do, or something to tick off on a list of things that make you a better person. It’s actually beneficial to you too, primarily because it gets you into a higher level of energy. Not energy as in what my grandmother used to call pep, but energy as in your vibe and how you show up in the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
[Stay Cozy]: Is Your Comfort Zone Truly Comfortable–Or Have You Just Gotten Used to It? EP: 621
January 14, 2022 10:00 - 7 minutesWarning: Deep thoughts about comfort zones ahead! In which I argue that maybe what you've become comfortable with isn't actually all that comfortable--it's just familiar. And how making changes that make SEEM like they're taking you out of your comfort zone are actually leading you to someplace where you are truly at ease. (And how to deal with the discomfort of the unfamiliar while your comfort zone recalibrates.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
[Stay Cozy]: If I Get Too Cozy, Isn’t That a Bad Thing? EP: 620
January 13, 2022 10:00 - 8 minutesIn addition to upping the cozy factor in your home and in your body–as I covered in the previous two episodes–seeking coziness and comfort is also worthy goals when it comes to making life decisions, like what you do for work and where, who you’re in a relationship with, and where you live. Which flies in the face of most conventional advice, which says that you have to leave your comfort zone if you want to have a fulfilling life. So let’s break this down a bit. Learn more about your ad cho...
[Stay Cozy]: 5 Quick Hacks to Keep Your BODY Cozy. EP: 619
January 12, 2022 10:00 - 8 minutesYou don't always have control over your environment, but you do have say over what goes on your body. Today I'm sharing my top 5 ways to keep yourself cozy as a baby lamb snuggled up to its mama, no matter where you are. As my favorite pin says, "Cozy does it." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
[Stay Cozy]: 5 Hacks to Make Your Space Cozier. EP: 618
January 11, 2022 10:00 - 9 minutesEnvironment is such a big piece of your wellbeing. It’s definitely worth taking a little time to set up your space for a little extra coziness. I promise these ideas are inexpensive and you likely already have things on hand that will help you execute them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
[Stay Cozy] The Surprisingly Deep Reason Why Feeling Cozy Matters, EP: 617
January 10, 2022 10:00 - 8 minutesThis week on the podcast is all about finding comfort and coziness. It’s just the time of year–and that time in the world at large as we round the corner on 2 years of a pandemic with a spike in cases. Let’s use this s-h-i-t show as an opportunity to embrace feeling cozy, whaddya say? Today’s big idea is that seeking coziness is more than just a comfort measure–it’s a survival mechanism that boosts all aspects of health. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
3 Steps to Post-Holiday Relationship Recovery. EP: 616
January 07, 2022 10:00 - 11 minutesOne area of life that is in need of recovery for a lot of people right now, in this first week after the holidays, is your primary relationships. I wrote a blog post called How I Stopped Hating My Husband and You Can Too in 2013, about how I learned how to stop keeping score regarding who did what around the house and how to communicate about how I was feeling about the division of labor. That blog post has consistently been the biggest source of traffic to my blog, but let me tell you, while...
Recovery Isn't a Straight Line. It's a Doodle. EP: 615
January 06, 2022 10:00 - 8 minutesThe problem with recovery is that we tend to think it’s only for certain situations–an addict who has hit rock bottom, for example, or someone who has experienced a major illness or surgery. And then, even in those situations, we expect recovery to happen on a certain schedule and to progress linearly, like an arrow that’s pointing upward and forward. Today’s big idea is that not only is recovery appropriate in a whole range of situations, including after times of widespread uncertainty, lik...
Recovery Doesn't Have to Suck. EP: 614
January 05, 2022 10:00 - 19 minutesToday’s big idea is that we have a cultural bias against recovery–because if you’re recovering from something, then something must have been kicking your butt. And we’re not great at tolerating quote-unquote weakness. When the truth is, there are so many good things about being in recovery. To share some of those good things with us, I’m talking today with Billy Manas, a recovering addict, and author of the book Kickass Recovery. Billy is also a top contributor on Elephant Journal where he w...
The Secret Ingredients to a Successful Recovery. EP: 613
January 04, 2022 10:00 - 8 minutesToday’s big idea is that, once you recognize that you are in a recovery phase–and honestly, who among us hasn’t experienced loss and challenge in these last few years–you will naturally want to do something about that awareness. This episode lays out what that something is--and it's probably not what you'd expect, or that some part of you is going to hear. It's still true! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
I Don’t Know About You, But I’m Ready for Some Recovery. EP: 612
January 03, 2022 10:00 - 7 minutesThis week on the podcast I’m talking about recovery. Because after the two years we’ve just had, plus the holidays–which are typically enough on their own to make you feel like you’ve lost touch with the things that make you feel your best–I think a lot of people are ready for some of that action. What I love about the idea of recovery is the re- part–it’s not creating something new that you’re never had before. It’s getting back into the groove, not digging a new trench. And it’s acknowledgi...
[Un-Do 2022]: Un-Fix Yourself. EP:611
December 31, 2021 10:00 - 13 minutesToday’s anti-resolution is probably the most important of them all. I should have maybe run it on Monday, but for whatever reason, my episodes that drop on Fridays tend to get the most downloads, so here it is: Un-Fix Yourself. That might seem like a mixed message, coming from a podcast called How to Be a Better Person. Just to be clear, I don’t want you to be a different person. Just to help you be that version of yourself that you know is in there, and that can get overlooked when we’re bu...
[Un-Do 2022]: Save Space for Being Bored. EP: 610
December 30, 2021 10:00 - 11 minutesI used to be obsessed with productivity hacks. How could I make better lists so that I got more done in a day? What could I do to promote my focus so that I could produce more? I wasn't seeking ways to find my own flow and do my best work--I was just trying to wring more and more stuff out of my brain and cram more and more things into my schedule. Today's surprising strategy for a better new year is the opposite of all that--AND it can help you do your best thinking and find your groove. Lea...
[Un-Do 2022]: Stop Being Nice. EP: 609
December 29, 2021 10:00 - 10 minutesToday’s anti-resolution is to Stop Being Nice. Wut?! Despite the fact that women have been socialized to be nice above all else, it's not actually a very noble goal, as my co-host this week, Terri Trespicio, breaks down today. Does that mean you should go out and let your a-hole flag fly? Or become outright mean? Goodness, no. It just means you set your sights on something different--something that takes a lot less energy than being nice AND that gives you more energy, because it's gratifying...
[Un-Do 2022]: Unplan Your Life. EP: 608
December 28, 2021 10:00 - 12 minutesToday’s surprising strategy for a better new year is to Un-plan Your Life. Which, depending on how much of a planner you are, may sound like just a completely ludicrous idea. BUT, as this week's co-host, Terri Trespicio, will talk us through--plans change all the time. Multiple times. Especially in our new pandemic reality. (I can’t tell you how many trips I have booked and canceled in the last six months.) And sometimes, even when your plans work out, you've put so much stock in them that yo...
[Un-Do 2022]: Unsubscribe from the Ideas That Just Aren't True for You. EP: 607
December 27, 2021 10:00 - 13 minutesIn honor of the year we just had, and how grueling it has been in terms of stress and uncertainty and the sheer volume of decisions we’ve had to make on a daily basis, I want to approach this new year’s season a little differently. Instead of reflecting, and setting goals--both of which are great to do and if you love doing ‘em, good for you do NOT let me stop you--I am dedicating this week’s episodes to the theme Un-Do 2022: 5 Surprising Strategies for a Better Year. I just think we’ve all...
[Being Present] Ridiculously Simple Posture Adjustment. EP: 606
December 24, 2021 10:00 - 8 minutesToday’s big idea is actually a really tiny little thing that can help you come into the present moment and feel supported. And that really tiny little thing is to bring the soles of your feet to the floor. Seriously, it's a tiny thing with a massive footprint. (SO sorry for that awful pun!) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
[Being Present] Let Yourself Hear Your Body Talk. EP: 605
December 23, 2021 10:00 - 7 minutesYour body is your friend and your passport to being present. Because while your mind can hop all over the place in time--in to the future, back in to the past, into hypothetical situations and daydreams--your body is always. Here. Right. Now. Here's how to meet up with your body and enjoy each other's company in this moment. Sooooo dreamy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
[Being Present] Listen Up/Do You Hear What I Hear? EP: 604
December 22, 2021 10:00 - 7 minutesYour ears are a portal to the present moment, because listening well is basically meditating. It’s focusing your awareness on one particular point--in this case, what you can hear--and it gets your mind into a quiet and receptive state, which keeps it from running off in to the future or wandering back into the past. Today, you're going to make like a human tape recorder and listen like perhaps you've never listened before! PLUS: some of the things preschoolers hear when they do this exercise...
[Being Present] Observe/Observation/Be a Formal Observer/There’s Nothing Casual About the Act of Observing. EP" 603
December 21, 2021 10:00 - 8 minutesA great way to settle into the present moment is to focus on your powers of observation. It’s also perfect for observing the winter solstice, which is today! Solstice means “standing still of sun” and on this day it’s like we’re suspended between two realities, of the light going away, and the light coming back. So sitting still and just seeing what you can see is actually a great way to honor this particular moment in time. Let's just see what there is to see, shall we? Learn more about your...
[Being Present] Eat Your Way to More Mindfulness. EP: 602
December 20, 2021 10:00 - 9 minutesEating is something you do every day. It’s tasty. AND it can be a portal into a calmer state of mind. The catch is, eating probably isn’t going to help you be present unless you decide that you want it to be. Otherwise, you’ll probably revert to just getting the food in your mouth without much thought. ALSO: a story about how I ate mindfully with 500 other people in a theater in New York City. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
[Reduce Holiday Stress]: The Crucial Piece of Any Intention (that Too Many People Neglect). EP: 601
December 17, 2021 10:00 - 9 minutesSetting an intention before you head into any kind of holiday situation, whether that’s a family gathering, or doing some kind of chore, or shopping, or traveling, can help you achieve those twin goals of reducing stress and enjoying more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices