Tell Me What It's Like

When Laurie Jacobson was 43, she found herself in a deeply unhappy marriage and increasingly isolated and depressed. After years of trying conventional therapies and self-help approaches without relief, she made a decision that felt radical at the time: she signed up for a silent retreat at a Buddhist monastery she’d discovered through a pamphlet in a coffee shop. Over the next 22 days of meditation and silence, Laurie experienced a profound shift in perspective that helped her see her life differently, and ultimately gave her the clarity she needed to make a difficult life decision."Don't be afraid to step outside your comfort zone, because sometimes it takes stepping outside your comfort zone to find a better place."Hear Laurie talk about:What daily life was like during a silent meditation retreatWhy she decided to go to a Buddhist monastery after trying many other forms of helpThe surprising mental clarity that can come from long periods of silence and meditationHow the experience changed the way she saw her marriage and gave her the strength to leave itThe lessons she carried forward about openness, desire, and letting goMentioned in this episode:Theravada BuddhismLaurie's book, Unexpected Awakening: 22 Days at a Buddhist Monastery Freed Me from AbuseSupport This Show:Follow Tell Me What It’s Like in your favorite podcast appLeave a rating & review — it helps others find the showShare the episode and tag @RaineMediaCo on social media

As a teenager, Christina King looked like she was doing everything right — she had good grades, played sports, took advanced classes. But when her mom paused during an argument and asked, “Are you happy?” it changed the course of her life. Today, Christina is a therapist specializing in tween and teen girls, and she shares what’s really happening in the teenage brain, why emotional ups and downs are often developmentally normal, and how parents can stay connected during one of the most intense seasons of growing up."I say with teens that sometimes it's like all gas, no brakes."Note: This episode is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice. It includes discussion of teen mental health, including self-harm, in the context of helping parents understand and respond. Hear Christina talk about:The question that led her to therapy as a teenWhat "all gas, no brakes" means for the adolescent brainWhy emotional volatility can be a healthy signTween girl friendship dynamics and indirect aggressionSocial media, comparison culture, and feeling left outThe difference between venting mode and problem-solving modeWhy parents should depersonalize their teen's emotionsMentioned in this episode:Christina King Family TherapyFind Christina on InstagramInside Out 2 (when discussing adolescent emotions)Support This Show:Follow Tell Me What It’s Like in your favorite podcast appLeave a rating & review — it helps others find the showShare the episode and tag @RaineMediaCo on social media

Kristen Mardis was 21 years old, fresh out of college, and had just been accepted into graduate school when she found out she was pregnant. With no financial safety net and no health insurance, she had to quickly figure out how she would care for a baby while still pursuing her dream of becoming a speech pathologist. In this episode, Kristen shares what it was like to navigate Medicaid, SNAP benefits, and childcare assistance — and how those programs gave her the foundation she needed to build the life she has today.“None of that would have happened without those programs.”Hear Kristen talk about:Finding out she was pregnant just weeks after being accepted into graduate schoolHow Medicaid and SNAP helped her access prenatal care and feed her babyNavigating childcare assistance so she could finish her master’s degreeThe stigma around government assistance — and the dignity everyone deservesHow her experience shaped the way she now serves families in her work as a speech pathologistMentioned in this episode:SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program)MedicaidChildcare assistance programsSupport This Show:Follow Tell Me What It’s Like in your favorite podcast appLeave a rating & review — it helps others find the showShare the episode and tag @RaineMediaCo on social media

Carol Lin spent her career inside newsrooms built for breaking news. She covered some of the most difficult moments in recent history, including being the first person to report the attacks on September 11. In this conversation, she reflects on her career in journalism and the behind-the-scenes moments that shaped her life. She also discusses what it was like to revisit those experiences while writing her memoir."And then I hear the music, the breaking news animation comes up and we are live."Hear Carol talk about:What it’s like inside a newsroom built for breaking newsThe moment she realized she was going live on September 11 without a scriptHow anchors rely on producers, reporters, and unseen teams during national crisesThe emotional discipline required to deliver information in uncertain momentsThe intersection of her career with major personal turning pointsWhy writing her memoir required revisiting both professional and private painWhat she hopes readers — and her daughter — take away from her storyMentioned in this episode:The first moments reporting 9/11 (viewer discretion advised)Carol Lin’s memoir, When News BreaksSupport This Show:Follow Tell Me What It’s Like in your favorite podcast appLeave a rating & review — it helps others find the showShare the episode and tag @RaineMediaCo on social media

What’s it like to spend weeks inside a monastery in complete silence?What’s it like to find out you’re pregnant with no idea how you’re going to support yourself?And what’s it like to be the first person to tell the world a plane has just hit the World Trade Center?Season two of Tell Me What It’s Like gives you a window into someone else’s world - the moments that challenge us, scare us, and shape who we become.Join host Stacy Raine as she uncovers what each experience was like, and the lessons learned along the way.Coming in Season 2:Breaking historic news and facing profound lossA silent retreat inside a monastery, and what happens when the outside world falls awayNavigating unexpected pregnancy without a safety netHelping nonprofits do meaningful work in complex systemsMaking sense of Medicare and aging in a system few people truly understandSupporting girls in their tween and teen yearsFinding connection, confidence, and love again later in lifeSeason two of Tell Me What It’s Like is coming soon.Support This Show:Follow Tell Me What It’s Like in your favorite podcast appLeave a rating & review — it helps others find the showShare the episode and tag @RaineMediaCo on social media

As the year comes to a close, guests from Season 1 of Tell Me What It’s Like share the holiday traditions that matter most to them. From longtime family rituals to traditions shaped by loss, life season, culture, and even wildlife, this bonus episode reflects on how traditions evolve and how new ones are created along the way.Season 1 Guests Featured in this Episode:Keri NelsonMorton BarlazAlexis BrozBill HoranRich "Big Daddy" SalgadoCarol HoenigLinda StraderSarah TeresinskiMentioned in this episode:Midwinter DayFeast of the Seven FishesCardinali Bakery, Carle Place, NYSupport This Show:Follow Tell Me What It’s Like in your favorite podcast appLeave a rating & review — it helps others find the showShare the episode and tag @RaineMediaCo on social media

When Sarah Teresinski was a single mom, she couldn’t afford the beautiful little dresses she saw in stores for her daughter. So she decided to teach herself how to sew. That simple decision sparked a movement — and eventually, Redeux Style, where Sarah transforms old, unused items into something new and beautiful. Today, she helps people see the potential in what they already have or what they might find at the thrift stores — proving that sustainable can be stylish too. “If everyone who follows me did just one upcycle a year, we could keep 60,000 pounds of waste out of landfills — that’s 5,600 garbage trucks saved.”Hear Sarah talk about:How teaching herself to sew turned into a full-time creative businessWhat it was like to face criticism early on — and why it fueled her missionThe difference between fast fashion, fast furniture, and true sustainable styleHer viral ceiling fan upcycle that caught the attention of The Drew Barrymore Show and Architectural DigestHow small, beautiful changes can make a big impact — for your home and the planetMentioned in this episode:Find Sarah on TikTok, Instagram, and FacebookSee Sarah's appearance on The Drew Barrymore ShowUnited Nations Fashion & Lifestyle NetworkSarah's placemat upcycleSarah's fan blade upcycleFire starter upcycle15 ways to use silica packetsOrganizing a pantry on a budgetSarah's friend Dan the Organizer ManSupport This Show:Follow Tell Me What It’s Like in your favorite podcast appLeave a rating & review — it helps others find the showShare the episode and tag @RaineMediaCo on social media

Susan Polgar’s father believed geniuses weren’t born, they were made. So when his three-year-old daughter found an old chess set in their Budapest apartment, he saw an opportunity to prove it. Susan quickly learned the game, but soon realized the real challenge: convincing the world that girls could play just as well as boys - which she did by becoming the first woman to earn the Grandmaster title under the same standards as men. In this episode, she shares how she rewrote the gender norms of chess, overcame deeply rooted sexism, and helped redefine what young girls believe they can achieve."You need to set a goal. And in this case, you need to set the highest goal possible. So even if we fall short somewhat, we still get further than if we set a lower goal."Hear Susan talk about:How, at six, she decided to specialize in chess (and not math)The sexism she faced as a young girl rising in a male-dominated fieldWhy her grandmother's words shaped her sense of perseveranceWhat came after winning world championshipsThe lessons chess teaches about focus, decision-making, and resilienceMentioned in this episode:Rebel Queen: The Cold War, Misogyny, and the Making of a Grandmaster by Susan PolgarThe Susan Polgar Foundation - scholarships, training, and outreach for young chess playersIntroduction: Learn Chess in 30 Minutes (first instructional video for beginners)Support This Show:Follow Tell Me What It’s Like in your favorite podcast appLeave a rating & review — it helps others find the showShare the episode and tag @RaineMediaCo on social media

After decades of chasing success as a tech entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and even a candidate for Utah governor, Jeff Burningham found himself questioning what it all meant.When the governor’s race ended in 2020, Jeff finally had space to pause—and that pause changed everything. It led him to write The Last Book Written by a Human, a deeply personal reflection on consciousness, connection, and wisdom in an age increasingly defined by artificial intelligence.“As our machines become smarter, we have to become wiser.”Hear Jeff talk about:What it was like to step back from chasing success and re-evaluate what mattersWhy he believes AI is a mirror showing us who we areThe four stages he sees as part of every human and technological evolution: disruption, reflection, transformation, and evolutionWhy slowing down might be the most human thing we can doMentioned in this episode:The Last Book Written by a Human by Jeff BurninghamRead more about JeffThe Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle Support This Show:Follow Tell Me What It’s Like in your favorite podcast appLeave a rating & review — it helps others find the showShare the episode and tag @RaineMediaCo on social media

Journalist Charlie Wells is a Millennial — and by now, something of an expert on the Millennial generation, too. In his debut book, What Happened to Millennials: In Defense of a Generation, he shares the stories of five people whose lives reveal what it’s really been like to grow up Millennial — through the early optimism, the crises that shaped us, and all the change we’ve weathered along the way."We're adults and we've overcome a lot of obstacles as this group of people. It's okay to celebrate that."Hear Charlie talk about:Why he wanted to explore what it’s really been like to grow up as a MillennialHow he chose the five people whose lives he shares in the bookHow major moments like 9/11 and the rise of the internet shaped Millennial identityThe nostalgia objects — from Tamagotchis to AIM screen names — that connect us across dividesWhy he feels proud of Millennials, and what he hopes we carry forward into the next chapter of adulthoodMentioned in this episode:What Happened to Millennials: In Defense of a Generation by Charlie WellsCharlie Wells on Instagram and X (Twitter)Support this show:Follow Tell Me What It’s Like in your favorite podcast appLeave a rating and reviewShare on social media and tag @rainemediaco

Cori Burns had always loved running, but eventually pregnancy pushed her to walking for exercise. She found she loved it, but quickly realized there weren't any shoes made for women who walked for fitness. So, she set out to create them herself.In 2023 she launched Raesyn, a technical shoe company making shoes “for women who walk to sweat.” Cori shares how she spotted a gap in the shoe industry, what went into designing a shoe for women who walk for exercise, and the determination it took to turn her idea into Raesyn.“I wanted something that made me feel effortless in my motion forward. It’s a different movement than running – it’s constant ground contact. So I thought to myself, there's truly a gap in the market."Hear Cori talk about:What makes walking for exercise different from runningWhen she noticed there was a need for walking shoesWhat she looked for in the ideal women’s walking shoeThe process to get from prototype to a shoe ready for marketMentioned in this episode:Raesyn Shoes — Cori’s footwear brandGirls Who Walk Baltimore, the walking group Cori mentionedCori’s walking workouts and SubstackSupport this show:Follow Tell Me What It’s Like in your favorite podcast appLeave a rating and reviewShare on social media and tag @rainemediaco

When Linda Strader joined a US Forest Service fire crew in the 1970s, she didn’t know how rare it was for women to do that kind of work - she just wanted an interesting job. But she quickly realized she was stepping into a world that didn’t necessarily welcome her. In this episode, Linda shares what it was like to be one of the first women on a fire crew, the discrimination she faced, and why she loved the work enough to keep coming back for seven seasons."I wasn't trying to prove anything to them. I just wanted to be accepted as part of the crew. And working twice as hard, I had hoped, would mean that they would accept me."Hear Linda talk about:What a fire crew actually does beyond just battling flamesHow she got the job with no idea women weren’t “allowed”The hostility she faced from many coworkers and supervisorsThe physical and emotional toll of working to prove herself again and againWhy she loved the job regardless of the hardshipsMentioned in this episode:Learn more about Linda's work on her websiteLinda's memoir, Summers of Fire: A Memoir of Adventure, Love and Courage by Linda StraderU.S. Forest ServiceBureau of Land Management (BLM)Read more information about the Federal Women’s ProgramLearn more about the Catalina HotshotsSupport this show:Follow in your favorite podcast appLeave a rating and reviewShare on social and tag @rainemediaco

When Jennifer Daniel landed her first job after college, she quickly realized she didn’t quite know how to navigate the world of business meetings with confidence. That led her to the Protocol School of Washington and, eventually, to founding her own etiquette business, Polished Peyton Etiquette Essentials. For nearly 25 years, she’s been teaching children, young professionals, and executives the skills they need to succeed - with etiquette as a foundation for confidence and kindness."Etiquette seems like such an awful snobby word. And maybe long, long, long ago it was. I do not think it is now.”Hear Jennifer talk about:How she found her way from a resort job to opening her own etiquette and protocol schoolThe difference between etiquette and protocol, and why both matter in business and social lifeWhy young professionals often struggle with communication in the age of smartphonesHow etiquette classes can build confidence and relational skills, not just table mannersWhy kindness is the most important rule of allMentioned in this episode:Polished Peyton Etiquette EssentialsThe Protocol School of WashingtonSupport this pod:Follow in your favorite podcast appLeave a rating and review in your appShare on social media and tag @rainemediaco

Valerie Russell spent a decade in criminal justice. She worked as a corrections officer, a narcotics investigator, even on the 9/11 Human Recovery Project. But one day, she realized she wanted something entirely different. She sold everything, moved to Guatemala with just a backpack, and built a thriving travel agency from scratch."I got rid of everything that I owned, basically sold it all on a weekend, my pajamas through Facebook marketplace. And I packed up and came just with a backpack."Hear Valerie talk about:The book that inspired her to walk away from law enforcement to start a new life abroadWhat it was like to arrive in Guatemala alone, not knowing anyoneHow she grew Due South Travels into a successful business without advertisingWhy she feels like she lives in paradiseThe importance of resilience, community, and creativity in building a life abroadMentioned in this episode:Due South Travels, Valerie's travel agency in GuatemalaThe 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss, the book that inspired herSupport this show:Follow in your favorite podcast appLeave a rating and reviewShare on social media and tag @rainemediaco

Matt Farley has created over 26,000 songs ... many of them about poop. But behind the absurd humor is a thoughtful approach to creativity, productivity, and making things without fear.In this episode of Tell Me What It’s Like, Matt shares how he embraced the ridiculous, built an empire of searchable songs, and let go of perfectionism — all while homeschooling, making movies, and continuing to make music."We as creative people are not good judges of our work. And that's wonderful. So I think it frees us up."Hear Matt Talk About:Why he shares his music (even when it feels humiliating)How he uses song titles and streaming platforms to get discoveredWhy embracing imperfect work led to his most popular songsThe Motern Method: his creative productivity system explainedHow he balances homeschooling, filmmaking, and songwritingHow making movies with friends helps him stay creative and connectedMentioned in This Episode:The Odd Man Who Sings About Poop, Puke, and Pee on Spotify – one of Matt's many musical personasAll About Highlighters, surely Matt's next big hitThe Hungry Food Band in case you need a song about mac & cheeseDropped My Phone in the Toilet, by The Very Nice Interesting Singer ManThe Guy Who Sings About Cities and Towns, and sometimes just the zip codeMatt's list of Matt's Most Popular SongsThe Motern Method – Matt’s book on creativityEvil Puddle, Matt's latest filmFind Matt Farley online at Motern Media

More than 3,000 years ago, a Native American community in what is now Northeast Louisiana built monumental earthworks - such as mounds, ridges, and a vast plaza - at Poverty Point, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. For nearly two decades, Dr. Diana Greenlee, station archaeologist at Poverty Point, has worked to uncover what life was like for the people who lived there so many years ago."Every time I do some work there I think, this is the first time in over 3,000 years that somebody has touched this. That's a pretty cool feeling."Hear Diana talk about:How the massive earthworks at Poverty Point were constructedEvidence of art, craftsmanship, and daily life at the siteWhat we know about the mounds and ridges built by the people who lived thereHow modern tools like ground-penetrating radar reveal insights without excavationThe moment she discovered a previously undocumented moundMentioned in this episode:Read more about Dr. Diana GreenleePoverty Point World Heritage SiteUNESCO World Heritage listing for Poverty PointUniversity of Louisiana at MonroeSupport this show:Follow in your favorite podcast appLeave a rating and reviewShare on social media and tag @rainemediaco

In Part 1, Bill Gerhart shared his son Connor’s story and discussed the dangers of fentanyl. In Part 2, Bill shares more about the fentanyl crisis, why he feels prosecuting those who sell it is necessary, and what he’s doing to raise awareness. He also reflects on his belief that there’s opportunity in every event, and how he moves forward with that perspective. "I'm a big believer that there's opportunity in every negative event and even horrible, tragic events like this, where you have a child pass away early in life. And I'm not sure if I've found the opportunity yet, but one of the clear opportunities is to cherish life, cherish your friends, your family."Hear Bill talk about:Giving away Narcan at Connor’s memorial service so others might be savedWhy awareness and access to treatment matter more than everThe role of cartels, supply chains, and prosecution in the fentanyl epidemicHis hopes for developing a new, non-opioid addiction treatmentHow this tragedy has made him appreciate his friends and family even moreMentioned in this episode and references:If someone you care about is battling opioid addiction, find resources hereLearn more about Naloxone (Narcan), the reversal drug Bill and his family gave out at Connor's Celebration of Life Read more about the crisis and the DEA's "One Pill Can Kill" awareness campaignThis week's music is by Ievgen Poltavskyi from Pixabay.

In 2023, nearly 80,000 Americans died from opioid overdoses. Bill Gerhart's son Connor was one of those people. In this first part of a two-part conversation, Bill shares who Connor was, from his childhood and football days to his career as a civil engineer, and how a series of surgeries and pain prescriptions led to an opioid addiction that few around him knew about. He also reflects on when he realized what was happening with Connor, and why awareness is so important.  "He had a successful career, didn't miss much at work, he was highly functioning. He was around family - none of us really knew that he had this issue."Hear Bill talk about:Connor’s childhood, football years, and what made him “every dad’s dream”The challenges of college and how he found his way forwardRebuilding confidence after setbacks and starting a successful careerThe injuries and surgeries that introduced opioids into his lifeHow his family discovered his addiction, and what Bill has since learned about awareness and preventionMentioned in this episode and references:See Bill's tribute to his son Conner at Connor's Celebration of LifeIf someone you love is battling opioid addiction, find resources hereRead more about Suboxone, a medication used to treat opioid addictionLearn more about Naloxone (Narcan), an opioid overdose reversal drugFind out more about Fentanyl test strips, a tool to detect fentanyl in recreational drugsClosing music by Ievgen Poltavskyi from Pixabay.

Dr. Mary Hayden recently traveled to Colombia to answer a question about mosquitoes that was actually about us humans. Specifically, she wanted to know how human behavior shapes the risk of mosquito-borne diseases like dengue, Zika, and yellow fever. From unregulated areas with limited water access to neighborhoods in the U.S., she’s found that our daily habits, infrastructure, and even trust in information can either reduce or increase that risk. We tell people all the time, 'Dump standing water in your yard,' but oftentimes people are too busy, or they don't think about it, or they forget about it, or their kids put a toy out there and they didn't realize the toy was out there.Hear Mary talk about:How her interest in climate led to a focus on human behavior and disease transmissionWhat she observed in Colombian communities where water access is scarce and mosquitoes thriveHow perception of risk and trust in messengers impact public health effortsPractical ways you can protect yourself from mosquitoes and ticksWhy some prevention strategies are simple, yet are still so hard to make stickMentioned in this episode:More about Dr. Mary HaydenBTI (Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis) – Bacteria used to kill mosquito larvae in standing waterEngineers Without Borders – Organization developing low-cost solutions for clean water and storage safetyPermethrin – Insecticide applied to clothing to repel mosquitoes and ticksBug repellents like Picaridin, DEET, and the plant-based Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus Support this pod:Follow in your favorite podcast appLeave a rating and reviewShare on social media and tag @rainemediaco

At 14, Brandon Phillips was a healthy kid with a passion for sports. Then one day he noticed his leg was swollen. Within 24 hours, he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and the outlook wasn't positive. In this episode, Brandon shares what it was like to face a life-threatening diagnosis, fight through months of brutal chemotherapy, and go on to become a professional polo player, as well as a devoted advocate for families battling childhood cancer."Pressure’s nothing until you’re sitting in a room waiting for doctors to come in to tell you are you gonna live or not.”Hear Brandon talk about:The moment he realized something was wrong with his legHis swift cancer diagnosis and grueling treatmentHow mental strength and his athlete’s mindset helped him beat the oddsWhy he didn’t want to talk about cancer for yearsFounding Polo for Life to support families with a child fighting cancerMentioned in this episode:Polo for Life – Brandon’s nonprofit supporting families affected by childhood cancerKids Cancer Foundation – Florida-based nonprofit supporting children and families fighting cancer, and one of Polo for Life’s beneficiary organizationsPediatric Oncology Support Team (POST) – Services and counseling for families of children with cancer in South Florida, and one of Polo for Life’s beneficiary organizationsMiami Cancer Institute – One of Polo for Life’s partner hospitals and beneficiary organizationsSupport this pod:Follow in your favorite podcast appLeave a rating and reviewShare on social media and tag @rainemediaco