A tender meditation on what it means to live fully, told through the lens of loss and love. Kelly's friend Christine Carter shares the eulogy she wrote for her father Tim—a man who turned everyday moments into acts of devotion and found humor even in hospital rooms. Through stories of midnight baby feedings, homemade lattes for gardeners and gratitude spoken with final breaths, we discover how one person's way of moving through the world can illuminate the path for all of us. This is a celebrati...
Jul 13, 2025•11 min•Season 1Ep. 179
What happens when your creative passion feels like it's not loving you back? This week we're diving into a brilliant piece by Kelly's good friend, songwriter and music educator Mike Errico, who compares our relationship with creative work to loving a cat - something beautiful, unpredictable, and impossible to control. Mike asks AI how to love a cat, then translates those tips into wisdom for anyone wrestling with the ups and downs of making art. Whether you're a musician, writer, or any kind of ...
Jul 11, 2025•9 min•Season 1Ep. 206
Arianna Huffington loves her mom, reading, America, adventure and getting to the bottom of things. She has spent a lifetime asking Why and Why Not? Our conversation zeroes in what any one of us can do to thrive, such that we might have more capacity to contribute. We loved being together, comparing notes, figuring out what leads to what. Please share with everyone you know who needs a reminder that we have agency. (Previously aired) This episode was made possible by AmeriHealth Caritas and can b...
Jul 08, 2025•57 min•Season 1Ep. 252
A touching eulogy for Walter Barry, written by his son Stewart (“Bear Bear"). This is a beautiful tale of family bonds, of three sons who loved to play sports (even inside the family home to a refrain of “Boys take it outside!”) and of a father who led with his heart and intuition. Walter Barry stuck to his guns even when his values and standards weren’t popular, brought joy with his humor, modeled hard work and humility and kept loving his sons - despite their “defects”. (Previously aired) To l...
Jul 06, 2025•12 min•Season 1Ep. 178
I had this crazy thing happen one morning trying to get to LAX that I keep reflecting on. Meant to be shared with anyone you think of as one of those people, the ones who go with the grain of life as it happens. (Previously aired) Please be in touch. Write us anytime about anything — hello@kellycorrigan.com — we read every single one. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcast...
Jul 04, 2025•7 min
Everyone is thinking about war and service. Here’s a conversation with someone who has known many battlefields and paid dearly for his commitment to defend and protect. Retired Colonel Greg Gadson was a kid who dreamed of playing football and who ended up with Super Bowl rings after all. You can watch this episode at any time on PBS. Special thanks to AmeriHealth Caritas. (Please note: this episode was recorded in 2023 and originally aired 10/31/23) Retired Colonel Gadson’s book is Finding Waypo...
Jul 01, 2025•57 min•Season 1Ep. 251
In the space between wanting and receiving, between hope and heartbreak, lies the tender territory of human need. This week, we share an excerpt from Jessica Slice's book Unfit Parent about the night her second child entered the world through another woman's body and how love and trauma can occupy the same breath. Her story moves through hospital corridors and sleepless hours, through the weight of knowing that someone you care about has suffered so you might hold what you've longed for. It's a ...
Jun 29, 2025•12 min•Season 1Ep. 177
In a world marked by division and old wounds, sometimes a single act cuts through the darkness. This week, through the words of Simran Singh, we encounter the story of Aaron Castro and his choice to release decades of hatred and transform his pain into something else. Aaron's story speaks of cycles that can be broken, burdens that can be lifted and the alchemy that turns suffering into sanctuary. It's a meditation on what becomes possible when we choose to heal rather than amplify the hurt aroun...
Jun 27, 2025•8 min•Season 1Ep. 205
Hank Green has spent his career making complex ideas accessible to millions - from creating Crash Course educational videos to co-founding the Nerdfighters community with his brother, novelist John Green. However, when he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma, he discovered an unexpected creative outlet: stand-up comedy, writing jokes in his journal during treatment that eventually made it to the stage. In this episode, Hank reveals what really keeps him up at night, why he thinks most of us are...
Jun 24, 2025•58 min•Season 1Ep. 250
Shannon Watts thought she had it all figured out - marriage, three kids, and a steady job. But by her mid-thirties, she realized she was living someone else's life. After leaving an unfulfilling marriage and career, she spent years asking herself one crucial question: "What do I want?" That led her to found Moms Demand Action at age 41 after a mass school shooting - despite being an introvert with ADHD and a fear of public speaking. In this episode, Kelly reads a letter Shannon wrote to her youn...
Jun 22, 2025•9 min•Season 1Ep. 176
Kelly dives into a book that's been consuming her thoughts at dinner parties and conferences alike: Shop Class as Soulcraft: An Inquiry into the Value of Work by Matthew B. Crawford. It's the story of a guy with a PhD in political philosophy who walked away from a cushy think tank job to open a motorcycle repair shop - and has never been happier. Crawford's book flips everything we think we know about success and asks why we've decided that working with your hands is somehow less valuable than w...
Jun 20, 2025•12 min•Season 1Ep. 204
Kelly sits down with Lisa Gevelber, Global Vice President and Managing Director at Google, to explore how creativity and making can happen anywhere - even inside giant corporations. Lisa shares how she went from putting herself through college to creating Google Career Certificates, a program that's now graduated nearly 1.5 million people into good-paying jobs without requiring a four-year degree. They dig into the importance of listening for human need when creating something new, the art of re...
Jun 17, 2025•55 min•Season 1Ep. 249
This Father's Day, we're re-airing the beautiful eulogy which was the inspiration for Thanks For Being Here and was the very first episode we aired. It was written by Kelly's editor at Random House, Andy Ward, to honor his father. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jun 15, 2025•15 min•Season 1Ep. 175
This week's Go To features a piece from listener Megan Matthews, who shares her thoughts on how we can better support each other during tough times. Instead of the well-meaning but vague "let me know if you need anything," Megan encourages us to get specific with our offers of help - whether that's taking someone their favorite drink, dropping off paper goods or folding a load of laundry. Drawing from her 23 years as a nurse, Megan reminds us that small acts of love don't have to be grand gestur...
Jun 13, 2025•9 min•Season 1Ep. 203
Kelly and her daughter Claire chat with Boone Hogg and Logan Jugler, the duo behind Stick Nation - that surprisingly wholesome corner of the internet where millions of people celebrate finding and reviewing the perfect stick. What started as a silly bit on a Utah hike has become a global phenomenon that's genuinely good for your mental health. As a part of our Makers series, Boone and Logan talk about why people are drawn to something so simple and uncomplicated, how they've built such a positiv...
Jun 10, 2025•58 min•Season 1Ep. 248
Kelly shares a beautiful eulogy from listener Jody Antypas which she wrote for her Greek immigrant father George—a man who came to America with one suitcase, built a life from scratch, and somehow managed to love paying taxes more than anyone you've ever met. From his wartime childhood to becoming "Pappou" the pancake-making, Monopoly-playing, sand castle-building grandfather, George's story will make you laugh and cry in equal measure. It's a reminder of why immigrants have always been such a g...
Jun 08, 2025•16 min
I’ve been asked to give many graduation speeches. This one was a favorite, making a case for one very simple move that changes everything. (Previously aired) Always happy to hear from you. Write us here: hello@kellycorrigan.com. Sign up for the Wednesday Takeaway email here. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jun 06, 2025•11 min•Season 1Ep. 202
We're dropping in a bonus episode today - Kelly had the best time talking to a friend you might know, he is Dwight Schrute from The Office among many, many other things. His real name is Rainn Wilson and his real interest is in spirituality and matters of the soul. That's why he started a podcast called Soul Boom . We loved this episode of Soul Boom where Rainn interviews Kelly and thought we would share it. So, here is a conversation between two friends, Rainn and Kelly, about curiosity versus ...
Jun 05, 2025•1 hr 22 min
Meet George Sweetland, a first-grade teacher from Connecticut who turned his love of drawing monsters and late-night sketching sessions into a dream career as a children's book illustrator. In this episode of our Makers series, George shares how an Instagram post changed everything, why he keeps bins of "failed" sketches, and what happened when he tried to make pickle juice risotto for his family. We dive into the magic of getting lost in creative work, how to handle feedback without losing your...
Jun 03, 2025•58 min•Season 1Ep. 247
All three of the Tiehel sisters eulogized their incredible mom PT but this one, written by daughter Amy really sums up the way PT lived her life: always on the lookout for the person having a tough go of it, the loner, the one who needed a helping hand. This is a story about taking the time to really notice people and to help make the world a better place, one small, kind gesture at a time. (Previously aired) To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyin...
Jun 01, 2025•8 min•Season 1Ep. 173
What if that scrap of paper you're about to throw away holds the seed of something extraordinary? This week, Kelly reflects on the power of saving the small things that might seem insignificant at first glance - from childhood journals and camp letters that sparked a writing career, to a simple bedtime story that evolved into something much bigger. You'll hear the adorable recording of Kelly's daughter Georgia ( just 2 years old at the time) telling the original "Maryanne the Faker" story about ...
May 30, 2025•14 min•Season 1Ep. 201
When was the last time your desire to be "better than" someone else got in the way of a meaningful connection - or derailed an important conversation? Kelly welcomes theologian Miroslav Volf to explore how our competitive nature often undermines genuine dialogue. Drawing from his book The Cost of Ambition: How Striving to Be Better Than Others Makes Us Worse, Volf shares wisdom on shifting from interactions that destroy to ones that build. Together they examine the hollow pursuit of superiority ...
May 27, 2025•59 min•Season 1Ep. 246
Hi all - this is Tammy writing. Today marks one year since Kelly's mom died. On Tuesday, June 4th, 2024, I had the honor of attending the funeral service for Kelly's mom, the indomitable Mary Corrigan - lovingly known as "Jammy" to her six grandkids. One thing (among many) that the Corrigan family does very well is honor and celebrate family. GT, Booker and Kelly each delivered a moving, intimate, often humorous eulogy for their one-of-a-kind mom, in front of the hundreds of people who filled St...
May 25, 2025•12 min•Season 1Ep. 172
Kelly explores Amanda Ripley's take on navigating our fear-filled world. Through the story of a government employee facing an impossible choice, Amanda helps us discover how to stay human when everything feels divisive. Plus, Kelly unpacks Chasing Peace author Tom Rosshirt's practical four-step approach to taming anxieties - highlighting a powerful shift from trying to impress others to being genuinely amazed by them. It's the perspective flip we need right now—finding wonder when the world feel...
May 23, 2025•6 min•Season 1Ep. 200
Kelly explores a radical new way to rate politicians with Brad Porteus, the Executive Director of Bridge Grades, who reveals that the most collaborative members of Congress are complete unknowns while the divisive firebrands are celebrities. This eye-opening conversation, part of our Hard Conversations series, challenges our tribal politics and offers a surprising path forward: what if our differences could actually be America's superpower? Discover why humility might be the missing ingredient i...
May 20, 2025•59 min•Season 1Ep. 243
Kelly shares a Marine Corps wife's essay (titled "Cincinnatus") honoring her husband's quiet retirement after 20 years of service. Instead of ceremonies, his legacy lives in small, meaningful actions like giving away his expensive uniform to help a young officer and driving a beat-up Corolla with a trunk full of first aid supplies - so he can help anyone, on a moment's notice. It's a moving reminder that true service isn't captured in plaques or uniforms but in "small private acts of dedication"...
May 18, 2025•8 min•Season 1Ep. 171
Kelly shares the remarkable story of Armia Khalil, a Metropolitan Museum of Art security guard with a secret talent. As a child, Armia played in the mud and created little sculptures by the Nile River. Years later, the artistic young man immigrated to the US with just $375 and a suitcase of woodworking tools. After years of struggle, he landed a job as a security guard at the Met, where a chance conversation with a curator led to his lifelong dream coming true. It's a powerful reminder that ever...
May 16, 2025•8 min•Season 1Ep. 199
As a part of our Hard Conversations series, the author of the New York Times best-seller The Tell and one of TIME's "2025 Women of the Year", Amy Griffin opens up about confronting trauma after decades of silence - and shares with us why sometimes the hardest conversation of all is the one you're afraid to even begin. With warmth and remarkable clarity, Amy shares how perfectionism and achievement served as her smokescreen until a series of events—including a profound comment by her daughter wh...
May 13, 2025•58 min•Season 1Ep. 244
At this time of year, we are knee-deep in sports: college lacrosse, the NBA play-offs and all the golf majors. Where there are sports, there are adjectives describing the athletes and where there are sports championships, those adjectives are garish and piled-high. Kelly wonders if maybe it’s time to use those dazzling descriptors to honor not the elite athletes out there but the army of regular, everyday, hard-working moms. (Previously aired) To learn more about listener data and our privacy pr...
May 11, 2025•9 min•Season 1Ep. 243
Today's episode is a part of our "About Your Mother" series honoring Every Mother Counts. Bono lost his mother Iris when he was 14 years old. She had an aneurysm at her father’s funeral and as he says, he’s been singing to her ever since. This is a very special conversation, possibly my favorite interview of all time, made more lovely and intimate by the friendship between Bono and Christy going back many years now. (Previously aired) This series hopes to raise $100,000 to support safe and respe...
May 09, 2025•53 min•Season 1Ep. 198
