Let’s Talk About ... Turning 31: Grief Is Messy, Growing Up Is Weird, and Learning What Other People Think of You Can Be Hard

Let’s Talk About … Cystic Fibrosis: My Cousin Cody’s Journey with this Disease + Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month

“If someone said I could wave a magic wand and not have CF, I wouldn’t want that.” This is the first episode of its kind for The Good Stuff. Caitlin hosts a bonus episode in honor of Cystic Fibrosis Awareness month, a cause near and dear to her heart. She talked to her cousin Cody, who has lived with Cystic Fibrosis for his entire life. He was diagnosed at age 12 after many frustrating and confusing years of doctors’ visits, tests, and pain. This conversation is a chance for him to talk about CF from the perspective of someone who grew up “the sick kid,” someone who lives with this disease every day, and someone who advocates as a board member of both the local Southern California Chapter and national Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Caitlin and Cody talk about his experience, the health care system, advances in CF research, and a lot more. The movement happening within the Cystic Fibrosis community is going to help the future of healthcare, for us all, forever. For example, since Cody was born in 1994, the life expectancy for someone with CF has more than doubled from 30 years to 65 years. The CF Foundation is leading the charge with a lot of exciting developments that will not only continue to help CF patients, but also people with all kinds of chronic illness. This conversation is informative, and most importantly, full of love you can only find by talking with someone you know well. Timestamps: 00:00 — Why This Cystic Fibrosis Story Matters 06:03 — “The Word I Associate With CF Is: Resilient” 08:40 — The Story Behind “65 Roses” 10:52 — What Is Cystic Fibrosis? Explained Simply 13:37 — Fertility & CF: What Most People Don’t Know 14:48 — Surprising Cystic Fibrosis Statistics 16:40 — How Life Expectancy for CF More Than Doubled 25:09 — “I Went Through a Period of Mourning…” 28:39 — Realizing: “I Could Have a Future” 31:48 — Misdiagnosed for Years Before a CF Diagnosis 39:31 — What NOT To Say to Someone With Chronic Illness 43:10 — Why CF Patients Can’t Be Near Other CF Patients 49:49 — Healthcare, Insurance & Learning to Self-Advocate 58:06 — Dating, Marriage & Finding Love With CF 01:15:04 — Why Everyone Should Care About Cystic Fibrosis

Let’s Talk About ... Turning 31: Grief Is Messy, Growing Up Is Weird, and Learning What Other People Think of You Can Be Hard

This might be the most chaotic episode of The Good Stuff yet. It’s Caitlin’s 31st birthday tomorrow, so she asked 31 people in her life to give her the first word or phrase that comes to mind when they think of her. The answers cover a wide range of all things Caitlin. Some words come up more than once, some answers make her cry, others make her laugh, and one in particular sends her into a self-reflective spiral. But you don’t get to any of that before Caitlin gives you her “some good stuff” since the last time you heard from her, some standout moments from her 30th year, and a 20-minute vulnerable tangent about how she handled the very recent loss of her grandfather. This episode is a reminder that sometimes life is messy, but it somehow all makes sense. Hug your grandparents if they are still here to hug. Until next time! Timestamps: 00:00 Coffee spill + chaotic start 00:38 Why this episode feels different 01:11 Turning 31 & asking 31 people to describe me 02:24 My grandpa passed away this week 05:00 The fundraising story that restored my faith in asking 08:50 Learning to ask people for support 10:20 Grief feels different every time 12:00 Why I chose not to fly home 16:00 Being highly empathetic while grieving 20:00 Sleeping 18 hours after loss 21:15 The story about my grandpa & “Bruce” 23:50 Biggest moments from my 30th year 28:20 Showing my horse Annie & major life highlights 33:20 The 31 words people used to describe me 01:12:50 Final reflections before turning 31 Follow The Good Stuff on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/the.good.stuff.podcast/?hl=en] Follow Caitlin on TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@the.good.stuff.podcast] Follow the Good Word Co on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/the.good.word.co/?hl=en] Watch on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@The.Good.Stuff.Podcast] Listen on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/01DOIUQxrr7Ih8N6lDA72C] Listen on Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-good-stuff/id1765613978] Check out The Good Word Co Website [https://www.thegoodwordonline.com/]Hammer + Clay Website [https://www.hammerandclay.com/] Kind Heart Co. Etsy Store [https://www.etsy.com/shop/KindHeartCompany]

Let’s Talk About … Passion: When it drives you and when it drains you

You should have passion in all things, but it should never be the only thing. Passion is a gift of being human. When our heart is involved in something, it elevates the entire experience. Therefore, passion shows up often – like in work, life, and romantic relationships. We need it. And we also need to know when it’s taking over. In this episode, Caitlin talks about passion in those three areas (work, life, and romantic relationships). Because of her work with nonprofits for the last decade, she has seen some of the most passionate professionals available. She tells stories of when that has gone well and when it has not. She cautions people about the risk of monetizing their passion. Seems ironic coming from her, huh? Caitlin also talks about the value of having passion, hobbies, and interests. And, she closes out the discussion by asking the question: “How important is passion in romantic relationships, really?” Her answer to that and her opinions on passion + work, and passion + life might surprise you. In Some Good Stuff, you hear about a lot of birthdays and yearning for espresso martinis. Caitlin also has a real-time moment with her anxiety about halfway through. It’s a good one, people – don’t miss it. Timestamps: 0:00 - Introduction 0:22 - Welcome Back + “Some Good Stuff” 2:47 - Birthday Weekends, Themes & Pickleball Tournaments 7:31 - Friends, New Homes & Espresso Martini Dreams 9:28 - Let’s Talk About Passion 10:01 - Taylor Swift, Creativity & Storytelling 14:19 - The “Creative Cloud” Feeling 17:27 - Doing Things Because You Love Them 21:15 - Why Passion Matters in Work 24:48 - Don’t Monetize Every Passion 27:20 - Passion, Nonprofits & Emotional Burnout 35:35 - You Can’t Save the Whole World Alone 41:23 - Healing Before Turning Pain Into Purpose 46:37 - Passion Outside of Work 49:09 - Passion in Relationships Isn’t Enough 51:03 - “Pick Your Husband Like Your Life Depends On It” 53:19 - Final Thoughts on Passion Links: Follow The Good Stuff on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/the.good.stuff.podcast/?hl=en] Follow Caitlin on TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@the.good.stuff.podcast] Follow the Good Word Co on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/the.good.word.co/?hl=en] Watch on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@The.Good.Stuff.Podcast] Listen on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/01DOIUQxrr7Ih8N6lDA72C] Listen on Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-good-stuff/id1765613978] Check out The Good Word Co Website [https://www.thegoodwordonline.com/]Hammer + Clay Website [https://www.hammerandclay.com/] Kind Heart Co. Etsy Store [https://www.etsy.com/shop/KindHeartCompany]

Let’s Talk About ... Comparison: Heal your relationship with this word

I think the word comparison gets an unfair rap. This episode is my attempt to help you see how comparison can be good. I talk about how seeing someone with something you want doesn’t have to make you feel bad, it can make you feel empowered. Empowered with the knowledge that it’s possible. Your frame of mind determines whether comparing what you have versus what you want makes you feel bad about yourself or like you too can achieve something. I also revisit some aspects from my very first episode “Let’s Talk About … Timing” when I remind my audience that your path is yours and their path is theirs. Usually, comparing your life to someone else’s is like comparing apples to oranges. There is no point. And, you never know what someone else might be dealing with behind the scenes. We all have difficult things going on – things other people may know nothing about. The thesis statement here is that comparison is usually useless, but when you find yourself doing it, you can make it something that makes you feel capable rather than crappy. As always, we chat about some good stuff going on. The thesis there – Artemis II is healing world-wide wounds. Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro + chaotic start00:15 - Welcome to The Good Stuff 01:15 - Today’s topic: Comparison (different perspective) 01:34 - Why comparison gets a bad reputation 02:42 - “Some Good Stuff” + Artemis II 04:29 - Perspective shift from space 06:09 - Why moments like this matter 11:03 - Emotional reactions & social media 12:22 - NASA teamwork moment 15:09 - Life updates + transition 18:33 - Why comparison isn’t all bad 20:57 - Social media & comparison traps 23:18 - Confidence, self-awareness & mindset 25:38 - Stop comparing life timelines 27:06 - You never see the full picture 30:35 - Social media vs reality examples 35:18 - Where comparison shows up daily 39:29 - Comparing yourself to friends 43:03 - Family influence on confidence 47:51 - Growing up being compared 50:47 - Why comparison is subjective 53:09 - Key takeaways on comparison 54:59 - Outro Follow The Good Stuffon Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/the.good.stuff.podcast/?hl=en] Follow Caitlin on TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@the.good.stuff.podcast] Follow the Good Word Co on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/the.good.word.co/?hl=en] Watch on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@The.Good.Stuff.Podcast] Listen on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/01DOIUQxrr7Ih8N6lDA72C] Listen on Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-good-stuff/id1765613978] Check out The Good Word Co Website [https://www.thegoodwordonline.com/]

Let’s Talk About … Confidence in the Workplace

Do you feel silenced from 9 to 5? Your professional life can be quite vulnerable. For most people, it’s how you make your money to be able to live whatever kind of life you want. We rely on it to provide for ourselves and our families. So, of course it matters to us. But it also can be a source of stress, discouragement, and self-doubt. Whether you suffer from imposter syndrome, you had a crappy boss at a time who made you doubt yourself, or you just need a little pep in your day, this episode is for you. You probably won’t be surprised to learn Caitlin isn’t someone who struggles with stage fright or speaking to a crowd. And because of the wonderful mentorship she had early in her career, she’s always felt like she belongs in the rooms she finds herself in. Even if that’s with a network executive at age 20. Caitlin walks the audience through tangible things they can do to feel more confident at work. She gives tips on four areas: public speaking, speaking up in meetings, doing new tasks, and cold calling/emailing. If you are not currently working, this episode is still for you. Caitlin is sure to explain how to translate these tips to the home, in a job search, or serving as a volunteer position. You will learn what piece of feedback she has been getting since high school, the funny thing she said in her first job review, and hear her ad-lib as a salesperson from northern Oregon. Don’t ask! There are so many takeaways from this conversation, you might want to start taking notes. Timestamp Highlights: 00:00 - Intro & Episode Overview 01:28 - Life Updates & Personal Wins 08:01 - Career Wins & Growth Moments 11:44 - Why Confidence at Work Matters 13:00 - The Mindset Shift: You Are Valuable 15:04 - Building Confidence from the Ground Up 17:16 - Confidence Beyond Traditional Jobs 20:11 - Becoming an Expert in Your Role 22:45 - Why Small Tasks Matter More Than You Think 24:03 - Public Speaking Tips for Confidence 28:13 - Structuring Notes for Better Delivery 30:53 - Body Language & Presence 31:25 - How Appearance Impacts Confidence 33:30 - Speaking Up in Meetings with Confidence 35:53 - Respecting Your Role & Contributions 37:00 - Building Trust & Credibility at Work 40:00 - Mentorship & Early Career Lessons 44:21 - What If You Don’t Feel Confident? 45:36 - Handling Pressure & Thinking on Your Feet 46:30 - What to Say When You Don’t Know the Answer 47:30 - Answering with Confidence & Following Up 48:30 - Final Thoughts on Confidence at Work Follow The Good Stuff on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/the.good.stuff.podcast/?hl=en] Follow Caitlin on TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@the.good.stuff.podcast] Follow the Good Word Co on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/the.good.word.co/?hl=en] Watch on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@The.Good.Stuff.Podcast] Listen on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/01DOIUQxrr7Ih8N6lDA72C] Listen on Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-good-stuff/id1765613978] Check out The Good Word Co Website [https://www.thegoodwordonline.com/]