How to Stop Pretending Everything's Fine: Real Talk on Friendship, Grief, and Connection

The Myth of Having It All: A Live Conversation with Amika Singh & Rachel Carlson

What if "having it all" isn't actually the goal? What does it even mean to "have it all"? This is a live conversation recorded at Armoire in Seattle. Hosted by me, Lindsey Pearsall, I am sitting down with two extraordinary women, Ambika Singh, founder and CEO of Armoire, and Rachel Carlson, co-founder of Foul Mouth Creative, for an honest conversation about ambition, identity, and the cultural narratives we've been told about success. We got real about the lists we made as young, ambitious women, the versions of success we thought we were supposed to want, and what it's actually like to build a life when nothing looks like you planned. This conversation went to places I didn't expect, from erasing femininity to survive in male-dominated spaces, to the power of the hummingbird story, to why asking for help feels so impossible even when we desperately need it. This isn't a conversation with answers. It's a conversation with better questions. In this episode:  * Where our ideas of "having it all" come from—and whether they're even ours * What it costs to succeed in spaces that weren't built for us * The glass ball vs. rubber ball framework for managing overwhelm * Why we struggle to ask for help (even when we love giving it) * What "having it all" actually means—and whether it's even the right question Upcoming Commwell Events Join us for the next live event on Wednesday, April 22nd at Ederer Hall in SoDo from 6-8 PM. The topic:  Friendship as adults—how to find them, keep them, and why it feels so hard sometimes. Find registration links: * Instagram:  * Email: hello@thecommwell.com [hello@thecommwell.com] * Search "Commwell" on Eventbrite   We Want to Hear From YouThis is a co-created community. Whether you have thoughts on this episode, questions about friendship, or topics you'd like us to explore, reach out: Leave a voicemail: (206) 569-5353 Email: hello@thecommwell.com [hello@thecommwell.com] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecommwell

How to Stop Pretending Everything's Fine: Real Talk on Friendship, Grief, and Connection

Have you ever found yourself saying "I'm fine" when you're absolutely not fine? This episode captures something rare—the first-ever live Commwell event, recorded in front of an intimate gathering in Seattle. Host Lindsey Pearsall sits down with two of her closest friends, Raanah and Joanna, for an honest conversation about the things we pretend are fine but really aren't. Why do we avoid going deep, even with people we love? Why is it so hard to talk about grief, fear, and the messy middle? And how do we actually find our people—the ones we can be fully ourselves with? This conversation doesn't offer answers. Instead, it creates space for better questions. What We Talk About: Why we stay on the surface The exhaustion of holding hard things, the fear of discovering differences with people we love, the pressure to look like we have it together, and not wanting to burden others Finding your people Recognizing resonance vs. dissonance in friendships, why continuity matters more than instant connection, building tolerance for rejection, and allowing friendships to shift as you grow Cultivating relationship with yourself Why buying yourself time is radical, using stillness to see your patterns, the fear of what we'll feel if we stop busying ourselves, and learning to radically accept where you are Healing in community Why we're not meant to hold heavy things alone, ancient practices of women gathering to grieve together, and how sharing our pain connects us to our humanity You're Invited The Commwell hosts live events in Seattle once a month—a space for women to gather and have the deeper conversations we've been craving. Want to join us? Sign up for our newsletter or follow us on Instagram @thecommonwell for event updates. Have a question or topic you want us to explore? Call our voicemail: (206) 569-5353 Or email: hello@thecommonwell.com

Does Anyone Else Feel Like Something’s Missing?: Welcome to The Commwell

Does anyone else feel like something is missing, even when life looks good on paper? Welcome to The Commwell, a space for deeper conversations about identity, relationships, belonging, and what it really means to live in alignment. In this opening episode, host Lindsey Pearsall introduces the intention behind The Commwell and shares her own lifelong journey of searching — for meaning, for connection, and for “her people.” This episode explores a quiet but common experience many women carry: checking all the boxes, doing the “right” things, and still feeling a sense of heaviness or longing. Lindsey reflects on friendship, relationships, career, healing, and identity, and the realization that nothing is actually broken. That wholeness isn’t something we achieve, but something we return to. The Commwell isn’t about fixing yourself or finding the right answers. It’s about curiosity, honesty, and the relief of realizing you’re not alone in the questions you’re asking. This is not therapy, advice, or performative vulnerability — it’s real conversation, held with care. In this episode: * The feeling that something is missing — and why it’s so common * Life looking “good on paper” but still feeling heavy * The search for belonging and deeper friendship as an adult * Identity shifts, alignment, and reclaiming parts of yourself * The myth of arrival, healing, and “having it all figured out” * Relationships, sexuality, and evolving definitions of family * Why curiosity matters more than answers * The power of community and hearing “me too” What The Commwell is (and isn’t): * A space for honest, reflective conversation * Rooted in curiosity, not fixing * Not therapy or advice * A place where nuance, complexity, and gray areas are welcome Join the conversation The Commwell is meant to be co-created. 📞 Call in with your questions, reflections, or topics you want to explore: 206-569-5353 You can also connect with us on Instagram, Substack, YouTube, Spotify, and wherever you listen. We’re starting with in-person gatherings in Seattle with hopes to expand into other cities over time. Welcome to The Commwell.

The Commwell: Asking the Questions We Were Never Taught Were Okay

What if having it all isn’t actually the goal? What if the real question is: Is this the life I want? The Commwell is a podcast and live event series for women who feel the quiet pull for something deeper, even when life looks “good” on the outside. For women who’ve built careers, relationships, and full lives, yet still feel a longing for more honesty, connection, and space to ask the questions we were never taught were okay. This isn’t therapy. There are no experts here. No five-step solutions. Instead, The Commwell holds real conversations about identity, adult friendships, romantic relationships without losing yourself, grief, anger, sexuality, spirituality, and the myth of having it all. This is a space for women who want to feel seen, heard, and fulfilled, not by having all the answers, but by finally asking the right questions. Hosted by Lindsey Pearsall. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecommwell/ Call us and leave us a message to be featured on the show: (206)569-5353