8 MAY 2024 · Book-lovers rejoice! This week’s minisode is all about the joy of libraries. Today’s stories include: - The library that looks like a park inside (& my inspiration for this topic) - How Little Free Library grew from 1 location in Wisconsin to over 150,000 worldwide - Two librarians who went viral on social media for spreading their love of reading, destigmatizing mental health issues, and increasing access to books in their neighborhoods - A month-long initiative that allowed patrons to pay off their late fees with cat photos Follow along with the show, or ask me questions about today’s episode at: https://www.instagram.com/notonormalpod?igsh=b2xxaTI3M2dneGJj

1 MAY 2024 · Whether you’re applying for jobs, trying to book new clients for your own business, or putting creative work out there as an artist, self-doubt is just a natural part of the process. Questions like “am I good enough?” and “why is everyone saying no?” are bound to pop up at some point. It’s those little thoughts that motivated Amy Bernstein to write her new book, Wrangling the Doubt Monster: Fighting Fears, Finding Inspiration. In today’s conversation, we cover Amy’s transition from a steady, full-time job in the government sector, to a more creative path later in life. She shares great insights on how to prepare for a big change like that, how to continue to put your creative work out there when you’re feeling discouraged, and steps you can take to wrangle your own doubt monster next time it pops up. Follow today’s guest on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amylbernstein/ Follow No to Normal on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notonormalpod/

3 APR 2024 · Not only has Jennae Cecelia earned a living as a poet, she has self-published 13 books in the past 8 years! While her first book didn’t get the sales she had hoped, she just kept writing, and is now a best-selling author who writes commissioned poems and coaches other authors, in addition to releasing her own books. In today’s episode, we talk about how she stayed motivated when she was first starting out, how she markets herself as an author in 2024, what inspired her to write her new book, Come Be Cozy, and how she has handled people in her life who questioned her career path as a professional poet. Follow Jennae Cecelia on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennaececelia Follow No to Normal on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notonormalpod

27 MAR 2024 · It’s my birthday and I’m celebrating by sharing a big announcement about the next chapter of my life! It’s time to say goodbye to Lake Tahoe (at least for now) to travel and go all-in on my UGC creation journey. And while leaving a place I love is really scary, there are so many inspiring women out there who didn’t discover their passion until later in life, so I’m choosing to trust that I’ll end up where I’m supposed to be. Follow along with the show, or ask me questions about today’s episode at: https://www.instagram.com/notonormalpod?igsh=b2xxaTI3M2dneGJj

20 MAR 2024 · If you like reading (a lot) and you like socializing (a little) then Silent Book Club was made for you! Now, what is Silent Book Club you might ask? It’s basically what it sounds like! It’s a chance to gather at a cool spot in your city and silently read a book of your choice amongst other book lovers. There’s no pressure to talk about what you’re reading or keep up with the pace of the other people in the group. It’s just a place to relax and connect with others at your own comfort level. On today’s episode with Laura Gluhanich, one of the founders of Silent Book Club, we talk about how this idea grew from two friends reading at a bar together in San Francisco to a global community of more than 900 chapters on 6 continents! We also talk about following a passion project outside of your 9-5, how to cooperate on a big idea like this with a friend, and how to empower the early adopters of your mission to help spread the word. Follow Silent Book Club on Instagram. (https://www.instagram.com/maddyoutdoors.coach/?hl=en) Follow No To Normal on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/notonormalpod?igsh=b2xxaTI3M2dneGJj

13 MAR 2024 · It might seem like everyone has an online course these days, and honestly, I think that’s a good thing! It can save so much time and stress being able to learn from someone who has already achieved the goal you’re chasing. However, not all coaching programs are created equally, so this episode is going to walk you through the seven questions you should ask yourself before deciding to work with an online coach to make sure that it is going to be worth your time (and money)! Follow along with the show, or ask me questions about today’s episode at: https://www.instagram.com/notonormalpod?igsh=b2xxaTI3M2dneGJj

6 MAR 2024 · If you want to make money by creating content but you don’t love the idea of pitching products to your followers or you have a small audience, then UGC is your ticket to money and time freedom! Unlike influencer marketing, UGC (user generated content) is a way for people to get paid to create authentic content for brands to post on social media, and the brands in turn are able to build more trust and engagement with their followers. Win-win! Oh, and did I mention that UGC even applies in the travel niche and can lead to things like free hotel & Airbnb stays, and paid trips with tourism boards?? I’ve spent the past 3 months learning about UGC and how to incorporate it into my own life. I’m so excited to have my coach, Maddy Garrett, on the show today to share why UGC is such an awesome way to earn money, how to get started with it, and how to tackle the limiting beliefs you have surrounding your own success and potential. Follow today’s guest on Instagram. (https://www.instagram.com/maddyoutdoors.coach/?hl=en) Follow No To Normal on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/notonormalpod?igsh=b2xxaTI3M2dneGJj

28 FEB 2024 · In this month’s minisode, I’m covering stories about people finding purpose and happiness later in life, and what we can learn from people with more lived experience than ourselves.Today’s stories include: - A restaurant kitchen run by a rotating cast of grandmothers from around the world - Long-time best friends who built a tiny home community to live near eachother - Advice from 14 people who have lived for more than 100 years on how to live a happy and healthy life If you have a story you want me to cover, DM me on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/notonormalpod?igsh=b2xxaTI3M2dneGJj ) or email me: mailto:notonormalpod@gmail.comLinks from today’s episode: - https://www.today.com/food/restaurants/grandmothers-restaurant-enoteca-maria-staten-island-rcna73999 - https://mypositiveoutlooks.com/best-friends-build-tiny-town-to-grow-old-together/#google_vignette - https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2024/02/02/100-year-old-advice-life-centenarians/

21 FEB 2024 · If you grew up watching Gilmore Girls, or if you tune in to Hallmark movies around Christmas time, you’re very familiar with the romanticized jobs like “innkeeper” or “bookshop owner.” And maybe you’ve even seen those jobs and thought “man, I wish I could spend my days like that!” Well, in today’s episode I’m talking with Caroline Cardamone, known as Inn Keeper Caroline on social meda, about what it’s really like to be a 25-year old innkeeper in a tourist town, how the job differs from the fictional portrayals, and why she thinks so many people online have connected to her day in the life of an innkeeper videos. If you’ve ever dreamed of quitting your stressful job in exchange for a calm life working in a beautiful b&b, then today’s conversation is for you. Follow today’s guest on Instagram. (https://www.instagram.com/innkeepercaroline) Stay up to date with No To Normal on Instagram. (https://www.instagram.com/notonormalpod?igsh=b2xxaTI3M2dneGJj)

14 FEB 2024 · Before I started this podcast, before I moved to Lake Tahoe, before I did Instagram coaching, I got the crazy idea in my head to buy a mini school bus and convert into a mobile gift shop. In today’s episode I’m answering the biggest questions about running a mobile shop including how I converted the bus, where I parked the bus, where I found inventory, and the biggest lessons I learned from having this little business. If you dream of getting into retail but you don’t want to make the big investment of renting a brick-and-mortar location, then a mobile business might just be the perfect solution for you! Follow along with the show, or ask me questions about today’s episode at: https://www.instagram.com/notonormalpod?igsh=b2xxaTI3M2dneGJj