The Other F Word: Conversations About Failure

The Other F Word Team gathers to talk about where they are in their individual lives, as well as their podcast life, and what it’s like to sit in uncertainty when it comes to the future. www.theotherfwordpodcast.com

Legendary comic strip writer Cathy Guisewite of the world renowned comic strip "Cathy" and author of "Fifty Things That Aren't My Fault: Essays from the Grown-Up Years", explains how her own life failures led to the creation of this beloved character and how the real Cathy’s daily failures inspired the fictional Cathy’s storyline. From love life failures to the challenges of finding jeans that fit, Cathy the character expresses what every woman has felt or experienced at some point in her life, making her an essential icon of female struggles. In doing so, this character offered solidarity and hope for millions of women around the world. Find out more about Cathy & "Fifty Things That Aren't My Fault" @ www.cathyguisewite.com Follow Cathy on Facebook: @CathyGwite and Instagram: @cathygwite

Rebecca Kitt shares her story about her problematic marriage and the challenges she faced throughout her divorce. Failure became a constant theme that led her to feel overwhelmed and defeated, and yet she persevered and found strength she didn’t know she had. In looking back, she shares her insight as to why the struggle was so hard and how disparate personalities approach conflict and resolution so differently. Rebecca offers thoughtful and concrete advice on how to steer your way through conflict with a difficult partner.

Director and former musician and actor Bill Watterson shares his struggle of ambition and a passion to create art with the ability to make a living at what he loves. In this honest discussion, Bill tackles important questions about following his dreams, living a life full of rich experiences, but never arriving at a place where he can sustain himself financially. He questions his self-worth in a society that does not value artists and yet wonders, why can’t he just quit his artistic endeavors and find a job that pays enough to live comfortably? A hard and important conversation about sitting in the middle of failure. Find out about Bill's movie "Dave Made a Maze" @: www.davemadeamaze.com Follow Bill on Twitter @: www.twitter.com/billtweeterson Follow Bill on Instagram @: www.instagram.com/not_that_bill_watterson

Author and editor  Michele Filgate discusses her recent anthology “What My Mother and I Don’t Talk About” which grew out of her essay of the same name. Michele was abused by her step father growing up but she and her mother never talked about it, leaving Michele to struggle on her own. In this episode she shares how she worked through her fractured relationship with her mother and the feelings  of failure that run deep in their dynamic. The stories she shares from her book of essays further explores this important yet often complicated relationship with mothers. Learn more about Michele @: www.michelefilgate.com

Hollywood executive Jeff Goldman describes how he is challenged by living with severe Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). He struggled throughout his childhood with undiagnosed OCD that controlled much of his life and often left him feeling like a failure. Only as an adult was he finally officially diagnosed and able to get the help he needed. Jeff describes with honesty his often painful battle managing his obsessions and compulsions and how he learned to come to terms with the ongoing challenges. His ability to share such a personal experience is both informative and inspiring. Jeff is also the Head of the OCD SoCal Awareness Committee. You can find out more about OCD at the below links. International OCD Foundation: www.iocdf.org OCD SoCal: www.ocdsocal.org

Prolific author of adult and children's fiction and non-fiction, poetry, musicals, and countless magazine articles, Judith Viorst shares her journey through many decades of both success and failure. Known for her bestselling adult book “Necessary Losses” as well as the iconic classic “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day”, which speaks to kids about failure, Judith’s latest book called “Nearing 90” shares her experience of growing into the next decade of her colorful life. Her insight, honesty and sense of humor about family, relationships, aging, death and especially failure is refreshing and inspiring. Find out more about Judith @: www.simonandschuster.com/authors/Judith-Viorst Find out more about Judith's latest book @: www.amazon.com/Nearing-Ninety

As a record breaking and award winning open-water marathon  swimmer, including the Ocean's Seven, which consists of seven long-distance open-water swims, Kim Chambers shares what it’s like to conquer goals she never thought she could attain. After sustaining injuries from falling down stairs and learning that she may never walk again, Kim saw some of her darkest, most terrifying moments. As part of her healing, both mentally and physically, she found the ocean water to be a powerful source of possibility, where no one judged her scars, scoffed at her limp or saw her as a failure. Instead, she found the community of swimmers to be a reinvigoration of her mind, body, and soul and push through adversity, not only to walk again, but to swim marathon races all across the world. Her story is one of incredible inspiration, where she was able to see the gifts in failure and harness the power of ordinary people doing extraordinary things in order to push past your limits to grow and thrive. Find out more about Kim @: www.kimswims.com And follow Kim on Instagram @: www.instagram.com/kimberleyswims

Entrepreneur, consultant and author of the book “55, Underemployed and Faking Normal”, Elizabeth White describes how she went from a Harvard MBA and a hugely successful business career, to being "55, underemployed and faking normal”. She describes her experience about how she had followed the rules and done all the things she had been told would get her ahead in life, and yet she still got jettisoned out of the workforce. She was in her 50’s, without any income, overnight, the one with her “nose pressed up against the glass looking at a world you’re not part of”, and yet she was not alone. When White shared an article which told of her struggle, it went viral and she was  bombarded by people sharing the same story.  She then went on to write her book, sharing her experiences in more detail. Her insight offers practical tips of how to get through life at such a critical stage, while managing feelings of being a failure. Learn more about Elizabeth @: www.55andfakingnormal.com

Editor-In-Chief of Ventura Blvd Magazine and Host of the Podcast SheSez, Linda Grasso speaks about her career in journalism, including longtime correspondent, anchor and host for E! Entertainment TV and the struggles she faced navigating the industry on and off camera. Her candid take on the challenges she encountered and her insight into what it takes to persevere is inspiring. From her own life experience, as well as her many podcast interviews with forward thinking women, Linda offers a fresh and honest perspective on learning from failure. Find out more about Linda & SheSez @: www.shesez.com And learn more about Ventura Blvd Magazine @: www.venturablvd.goldenstate.is

Entrepreneur, coach and author of “Stories of Elders”, Veronica Kirin shares her fascinating story of experiencing an anticipated tsunami while working as a humanitarian aid in a coastal Village in Samoa in 2009. Despite the fact that the tsunami never came, the anticipation and terror, confusion and chaos that she experienced side by side with the villagers that day led her to suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Injury (formerly post traumatic stress disorder). Because the tsunami never actually came, her reactions to the trauma were minimized by those around her and she was expected to go on with life as usual. As a result she hid her suffering, for fear that her struggle would be seen as a failure to cope. Veronica’s untreated trauma eventually caught up with her and in her darkest moments, she realized that she needed help. Her journey towards healing lead her on a quest for self care, which she now shares with others in her work as a coach. Find out more about Veronica @: www.veronicakirin.com Find out more about "Stories of Elders" @: www.storiesofelders.com

Author and essayist William Deresiewicz discusses his book “Excellent Sheep: The Miseducation of the American Elite and the Way to a Meaningful Life” and the current college admissions scandal. William got his Bachelor's, Master's and PhD from Columbia University and has taught at Yale University. Following his article, 'The Disadvantages of an Elite Education' in 2008 which went viral, William wrote “Excellent Sheep” which examines how elite colleges are failing young kids. In this fascinating conversation, William shares his views on the epidemic of mental distress amongst college students who can’t navigate their way outside of school. He discusses how parents have failed their children by getting caught up in status anxiety, where they produce a child that looks good on a college application, but lacks the resiliency, energy and optimism to truly know themselves and be happy. Find out more about Bill and his book @: www.billderesiewicz.com And check out his article here

A Professor of Psychology at Fuller Theological Seminary, Dr. King’s focus is on human thriving and spiritual development, especially in the context of our youth. Her combination of intellect, sensitivity, and wit takes the topics of spirituality, religion and belonging and brings a fresh perspective to failure. Whether it be finding meaning, cultivating community, or identifying purpose, Dr. King articulates what matters most to young adults and how to support them on their journey. Learn more about Dr. King & her work @: www.thethrivecenter.org

A Writer with a Doctorate in Art History, Matt Abrams shares his epic story of early drug use, which led to dropping out of high school,  running away from home, drug smuggling and dealing. After many of his junkie friends landed themselves in jail or dead, Matt found the strength in the recovery community to get sober by the age of 19. Determined to change his way of being, he found education to be a wonderful avenue to new meaning and opportunity. Getting his PhD at Yale served to be a place of growth and awakening in many ways, as he came to understand his dual identity as an Ivy League student and OxyContin addict. Matt’s ability to  empathize with the “junkie world” on the outskirts of Yale was profound, as he grappled with the fact that while OxyContin almost killed him, its makers were largely responsible for funding the University that brought him so much life. Find out more about Matt @: www.matthewjeffreyabrams.com Follow Matt @: www.instagram.com/matthewjabrams Read Matt's article @: www.theguardian.com  

Steve Burrows, filmmaker and comedian, speaks about the making of his HBO documentary “Bleed Out”, the story of his mom, who went in for a routine hip replacement surgery and came out with permanent brain damage after a week long coma that changed her life forever. Steve’s painful journey chronicles 10 years of investigating the multiple failures in the health care system that led to his mother’s demise, and ultimately, who was to blame. While his story is complicated and heart wrenching, it’s also a compelling reminder about how to navigate and advocate for a patient’s care in order to avoid failures that can impact lives forever. Find out more about Steve @: www.burrowsofhollywood.com

Barbara Brown Taylor is an Episcopal priest, college professor and NYTimes best-selling author of numerous books including “Leaving Church” and “Learning to Walk in the Dark”. Her latest "Holy Envy: Finding God in the Faith of Others" from HarperOne comes out March 12. She was named by TIME magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world, for her exquisite ability to articulate her struggle with doubt and disillusionment, perfection and authenticity, and encourage people to be more fully human. Barbara’s capacity to hold the rawness of vulnerability, especially around failure, and trust that suffering and darkness is a period of reformation is truly inspirational. Find out more about Barbara @: www.barbarabrowntaylor.com

Author Douglas Segal of the recently published book “Struck: A Husband’s Memoir of Trauma and Triumph” and his wife Susan Segal, share their terrifying story of Susan and their daughter’s tragic near fatal head on collision with a bus and Susan’s journey of recovery.  After breaking nearly every bone in her body, including her pelvis and neck, and surviving a massive brain bleed and intense delusions and hallucinations, Susan’s story comes alive through her husband’s detailed documentation of the experience. In this fascinating conversation, Susan is also able to tell her part in this miraculous story. What’s remarkable and inspiring is the way the couple took this tragedy and found ways to appreciate life, community, connection and a deeper love between them. Pick up Struck at this link or at your local bookstore.

Jessica Winther is an Actress, Comedian and Writer and shares her journey of trying to be a perfect parent and how her son’s chronic illness launched her into the reality of the imperfection of parenting. Revealing her painful journey, she uses humor and honesty to articulate the fear and uncertainty that encapsulated her experience. Her story is a fascinating one of letting go of control and yet not allowing her fears to dictate her. From crisis to awakening Jessica’s inspiring story shows how the love and dedication of one mother to her son changed both their lives. Follow Jessica on Instagram @: www.instagram.com/jtwinther And Facebook @: www.facebook.com/jessica.e.winther

London based journalist Marianne Power talks about her recent book “Help Me! One Woman’s Quest to Find Out if Self Help Can Really Change Your Life!” Her journey of reading one self help book a month for one year and living by the rules of these books to see where it took her is a fascinating glimpse into the world of self-help and the failure that is so easy to experience on this intense quest for wellbeing. Exhilarated by the confidence she gained by persevering through her challenges, she was also surprised by the exhaustion she experienced from such constant self-examination. Her honest portrayal of going out of her comfort zone and diving deep into the under belly of herself was profound. After multiple ups and downs, she realized her expectations of a perfect life at the end of the year was impossible to attain. What came out of this incredible experience of soul searching was the understanding that she was perfect in all of her imperfections and the messiness of being human. Connect with Marianne @: www.twitter.com/thehelpmeblog

Actress Brooke Smith from "Grey's Anatomy" and "Silence of the Lambs" shares how she overcame childhood traumas in part by just “showing up” in spite of her overwhelming emotions. She also talks about her own challenges as an adult, both in work and parenting,  where she very openly expresses her self-doubt and lack of clear answers in how to face these challenges, despite her many successes. Brooke’s openness and vulnerability about life will resonate with everyone. You can follow Brooke @: www.twitter.com/Iam_BrookeSmith