Latest / Crafted Connections / EP 58: Navigating Identity and Change as a Creative with Caroline Calhoun

Transcript

EP 58: Navigating Identity and Change as a Creative with Caroline Calhoun · Crafted Connections

0:03
Katelyn: Hello, welcome back to Crafted Connections.
0:07
Katelyn: Or welcome, if you've never listened to the podcast before, I am Katelyn Calhoun, and I have 10 years of video production experience, and I have found that when it comes down to it, it is about the connections with people.
0:21
Katelyn: It is about the stories that we tell.
0:23
Katelyn: And I have this very, very, very strong hypothesis that the stories we tell each other enforce this connection and that connection ultimately builds community.
0:35
Katelyn: So I have created this podcast all about that, where I, you know, I talk about my own business, marketing, story experiences.
0:44
Katelyn: And then I interview people in my network, whether it be folks I've connected randomly with on the internet or long-term relationships in my work, in my personal life.
0:55
Katelyn: Today's guest is probably the human I've known the longest.
0:59
Katelyn: It is my sister, Caroline Calhoun.
1:03
Katelyn: She is epic.
1:04
Katelyn: She is currently in this very brave transition.
1:07
Katelyn: Not only is she moving cross-country from Ohio to Seattle, Washington, but she is kind of figuring out her next step in her career.
1:16
Katelyn: And I think it's going to be really cool to see where she lands.
1:20
Katelyn: And I took the opportunity of the time she had to have her on the pod.
1:25
Katelyn: I love talking to this woman.
1:27
Katelyn: I think she's so hilarious.
1:28
Katelyn: I think she's so beautiful inside and out.
1:31
Katelyn: And I cannot wait for you to meet my little sister, Caroline Calhoun.
1:35
Katelyn: So this is my sister.
1:40
Katelyn: I keep calling you little sister, which is the truth, but it's like not at this point, you're you're creeping, you're creeping around the corner to 30 in no time.
1:48
Katelyn: Like, and I'm sorry to say it.
1:49
Katelyn: I'm so sorry to say it.
1:50
Caroline: No, I'm
1:51
Katelyn: but like it's it's happening.
1:52
Caroline: I'm so excited for my 30s.
1:53
Caroline: I'm so excited.
1:54
Katelyn: You're like, maybe I'll have it together.
1:55
Katelyn: And I don't say that because you don't have it together, but it's because what I thought, you know?
2:00
Caroline: No, absolutely.
2:01
Katelyn: I like bungee jumped, mm-hmm, bungee jumped.
2:04
Katelyn: I jumped off a cliff being like, I have it together, I'm 30, and then and then hashtag recovery.
2:09
Katelyn: But yeah, no, it's a beautiful thing.
2:11
Caroline: Yeah, I mean, I feel like the way that my 20s started started, I'm hoping that 30s, entering to 30s won't be, you know, a catastrophe, aka global pandemic, you know.
2:22
Katelyn: You say won't be.
2:22
Katelyn: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
2:23
Katelyn: Right.
2:23
Katelyn: Because you were you were to to kind of give people the timeline, you were, you know, I mean, literally, you and you and your your your fellow were going on spring break last year of school, so excited to graduate, take on the world.
2:36
Katelyn: And the world said, actually, we closed.
2:37
Katelyn: Yeah.
2:38
Katelyn: Thank you.
2:39
Caroline: We were like, more spring break?
2:40
Caroline: Heck yeah.
2:41
Caroline: And then um, and then it wasn't good.
2:44
Caroline: It wasn't good.
2:44
Caroline: Then, and then they said, No spring break ever again.
2:47
Caroline: Yeah, forever.
2:49
Katelyn: Well, then, okay, let's just do this.
2:51
Katelyn: Like, yeah, obviously I'm dreaming, but like I think that people need to know you first, right?
2:54
Katelyn: So we need to tell we need to tell your story.
2:56
Katelyn: I mean, obviously, I know all of it from my perspective as your because I always call you my little sister, but you never call me.
3:02
Katelyn: Do you call me your big sister or your older sister?
3:05
Katelyn: What do you call me?
3:06
Katelyn: I think I just refer to you as my sister because all of my sisters are big sisters, you know.
3:11
Caroline: True, right?
3:11
Caroline: Yeah, I'm not like identifiable, you know.
3:14
Caroline: True.
3:14
Caroline: Right.
3:15
Caroline: And so to give people context, we are we are two of four, half the batch.
3:19
Caroline: I would say the like most outwardly creative half.
3:22
Caroline: The other two are much more scientifically brained, not without creativity, but we have chosen the creative fields and we have chosen to be expressive in what we do.
3:33
Caroline: And it has, you know, taught some bumps and bruises, but nobody's mad about that.
3:37
Caroline: Yeah.
3:38
Caroline: As I was listening to your other podcast, I was like, ooh, how do I introduce myself?
3:43
Caroline: You know, other people eventually decided to eliminate that because I'm like, what a boring the other day I was like, what a boring question.
3:50
Caroline: Like, tell people about yourself.
3:51
Caroline: And and and it's like it is and it isn't, right?
3:53
Caroline: Because it does, it's like it requires a lot of the guest, or at least that's what I'm kind of reflecting on in this moment of the podcast.
3:59
Caroline: But it is, it's hard, right?
4:00
Caroline: And I'm glad, I'm glad that you prepared yourself emotionally for it.
4:03
Caroline: But not everybody is, yeah.
4:05
Caroline: I think honestly, probably why it's hard for me personally is because the automatic is to describe like job stuff and like career stuff.
4:14
Caroline: And as someone who's personally in what I like to call like a career exploration stage, a midlife retirement moment, exactly.
4:23
Caroline: Looking to retire, looking to retire by the ripe age of 30, looking to retire, but not in like a not in like a you know millionaire sort of way, just in like a live in the woods kind of way.
4:34
Caroline: Yeah, I think that probably the word that comes to mind is just like creative.
4:39
Caroline: And I think, like you said, that's what really it has bonded us in so many ways is that we're both like very, oh, I want to say it's right brain, right?
4:47
Caroline: Like the creative side.
4:48
Caroline: It is.
4:49
Katelyn: I always I always feel like it shouldn't be right brain.
4:51
Katelyn: Left may in my mind, I've told the story that like the left side, left feels like a more creative thing that versus right, because everybody has a right-handed journey, you know?
5:02
Katelyn: And so, but yeah, but as far as actual the actual neural um neurobiology, it's it is right is the creative side.
5:09
Katelyn: I know every time I'm just like it trips me up.
5:11
Katelyn: Um, but that is correct.
5:13
Katelyn: Because right just, I don't know, for some reason, and I'm curious to see what other people think about that if others have trouble with this, because yeah, every time, like our brains work very similarly, you and I, um, which was why you almost were murdered by me as a child, but now why we really connect as adults, which we can we can kind of dig into that here as well.
5:33
Katelyn: But yeah, I I also agree.
5:35
Katelyn: I every time I'm like, which side is the creative side?
5:38
Katelyn: I'm like, couldn't be the right.
5:39
Katelyn: That's too normal.
5:41
Katelyn: That's where the normies are.
5:42
Katelyn: I completely agree.
5:44
Caroline: For some reason, it feels wrong to say it's the right side.
5:46
Caroline: Like, right, I don't know, and maybe that's just like our our just like bias of like, you know, because I feel like there's like a you know, there's so much history with like left-handed people being like, you are the devil if you're left-handed, which is crazy.
5:59
Caroline: But like, yeah, you know what I mean?
6:01
Caroline: How like I mean Americans we drive on the right side of the roads, it's like very just like logical.
6:05
Caroline: Like, I'm like, no, left is like kooky, like never been done before.
6:08
Caroline: Like, we're just we're shaking things up.
6:09
Caroline: But no, yeah, I feel I definitely feel like creative is the right word.
6:15
Caroline: I think creative things in any sort of capacity like fill my cup, and or kind of like for a lack of a better term, like the air that I breathe.
6:25
Caroline: I think I was talking to actually a friend of mine who studied dance and just how like similar college experiences with like uh studying in a creative field that is not uh necessarily financially uh appreciated or right in our society.
6:41
Caroline: And how what?
6:42
Caroline: Oh my god, news flash music people with music degrees don't make a lot of money yet.
6:48
Caroline: But yeah, I think just how like uh being a creative, I think those sort of endeavors drive you, but also it's like you can't help but get drawn like back to them.
6:57
Caroline: Like I think even when I've you know, music being kind of the creative medium, I guess, that I started off with.
7:04
Caroline: That's always even when I've taken breaks from it, I kind of always get that itch to like come back to it, even if that the way it is in my life or the shape or form it takes kind of changes over time.
7:16
Katelyn: I'm obsessed with you doing music.
7:18
Katelyn: I think that your voice is the most beautiful singing voice on the planet Earth.
7:22
Caroline: Thank you so much.
7:23
Katelyn: Not to be dramatic, but I do.
7:25
Katelyn: I'm obsessed with it.
7:26
Katelyn: I just I love it so much.
7:28
Katelyn: But let's let's give people a little bit of background about that, right?
7:32
Katelyn: You what did you study?
7:33
Katelyn: What's your like early time as adulthood like?
7:36
Katelyn: Also, feel free to kind of talk a little bit about your early uh approach to music as well, because it didn't start in like college.
7:44
Katelyn: You decided to go to college for a music-related field, but that was like you had to like you had cute precious bands in high school, and that's where I discovered the most beautiful angel voice on planet earth.
7:55
Katelyn: I think your music healed our relationship.
7:58
Caroline: Oh wow, and
8:00
Katelyn: I mean, dare I say it, music
8:03
Caroline: that honestly perfectly transitions into drops us off.
8:07
Caroline: Drops us into like my educational background is yeah, I I started music pretty young.
8:13
Caroline: I feel pretty fortunate that our parents are very like pro the arts.
8:21
Caroline: Like I've talked to people before pro whatever you want to pursue.
8:24
Katelyn: They really, you know, they're they're they have like a very good, they do a great job at like being like taking a practical angle to whatever interests you.
8:35
Caroline: Correct, yeah, which I think is how I kind of wound up pursuing music therapy as like a career field, was I grew up in, you know, musical hobbies, like band.
8:46
Caroline: I started singing kind of later on was talking the same friend I was talking to who studied dance.
8:52
Caroline: I uh told him how I started singing at like 15, which is like kind of older for singers.
8:58
Caroline: Then I ended up, you know, with doing choir and band and everything, kind of deciding I wanted to do something with music, but not really wanting to teach music, kind of wanting to do something that was like a little bit more uh uh practical with music, because I didn't really feel like I wanted to fully send, like, I'm gonna pursue making music for a living, which is kind of how I found uh music therapy.
9:22
Caroline: But I also think music therapy melded to my desire to connect with other people and like meet other people.
9:29
Caroline: And I think that's also like a commonality that we have is like we really enjoy meeting new people and like building those sort of connections and relationships.
9:37
Caroline: And so I studied music therapy in college.
9:41
Caroline: I found that the niche that I really loved in music therapy was mental health because I always personally felt like music was so helpful for my own mental health and like self-regulation and things like that.
9:53
Caroline: So I hence kind of pursued doing music therapy and mental health.
9:58
Caroline: For anyone who doesn't know about sort of the education process for music therapy, it's a currently it's a four-year degree, and then you do a like 1200-hour internship.
10:08
Caroline: So kind of similar to like counseling where you have to hit a certain number of hours doing what they call like practicum or you know, that in-person experience of working with people and practicing music therapy.
10:19
Caroline: And then after that, you do a certification exam.
10:22
Caroline: So I kind of went through all those steps, became a music therapist, worked in kind of a broad range of settings, but mainly like mental health, until I kind of experienced very severe burnout from working in mental health.
10:35
Caroline: And then more recently, I uh was working in like coffee and like the service industry, kind of found I think for a lot of people who are going through career exploration, fine kind of find themselves in hospitality.
10:49
Caroline: And the one I mean, one of the things, many things I'll say positively about hospitality is just the people that you meet through it.
10:56
Caroline: Like I've in the short time working in the hospitality industry or like the service industry, I met so many wonderful people and a lot of other really creative people too, as well.
11:05
Katelyn: Totally, totally.
11:06
Caroline: Yeah.
11:06
Katelyn: Yeah.
11:06
Katelyn: And it gives, I I think that the hospitality industry gives people a flexible, non-traditional schedule that you get to then pursue like your creative work as well at the same time.
11:16
Katelyn: So it is super cool.
11:17
Katelyn: I do want to back up because I never really thought about the fact that like the default thing when you are interested in music as a potential career, the default thing is go be a teacher.
11:27
Katelyn: And I never really even envisioned you there.
11:30
Katelyn: And like, apologies if I phrase this too bluntly, but you don't really care for children.
11:34
Katelyn: And like, and so that's the thing too, right?
11:36
Katelyn: It's like, and and even when you were like pursuing your degree in music therapy and your certification in music therapy, you did like do some cycles with children and you're like, whoa, whoa, whoa, hey now, hey now, this is not what dreams are made of.
11:48
Katelyn: And like so talk to me a little bit about that and like how like I'm sure you probably like I mean, I don't know if you I didn't really, I wasn't really in your head in that experience if you were kind of being pushed that way and like you were like, please, no stop.
12:00
Katelyn: Or maybe you never were because you the energy was like cut off.
12:04
Caroline: I think the cool thing about like the education processes, they do kind of let you dip your toes in like different settings and populations.
12:11
Caroline: And so I did get experience, a little bit of experience like in mental health with you know, older adults, with you know, young children, teenagers, like kind of all ages before I had to choose like what I wanted to do for my internship, because most people will kind of specialize, like, oh, I wanna, you know, I'm gonna do an internship at a preschool or hospice or whatever.
12:31
Caroline: So that was nice that I got that opportunity because I did know that I didn't really want to work with children.
12:36
Caroline: But it is interesting how there's yeah, that similarity of like a lot of music therapists love working with kids and they don't necessarily want to be teachers, but then they do end up like being music therapists in like school settings or you know, with small children, a lot of times it is school that's the setting.
12:53
Caroline: So yeah, I it was funny because a lot of my peers were like, Yeah, I'm terrified to work in mental health.
12:58
Caroline: And I was like, I love it, you know.
13:00
Caroline: I think it comes obviously with its own challenges.
13:02
Caroline: I think it's also aligns with the fact of like I've always been the type of person who's like, I don't want to small talk, I want to like tell me your deepest, darkest.
13:11
Caroline: Like, I'm like, let's get so intrusive.
13:15
Caroline: Yeah, I'm like, yeah, yeah, yeah.
13:16
Caroline: Like the gunk.
13:17
Caroline: Like, let's scoop out the pumpkin and like spill your guts.
13:20
Caroline: Maybe it's because I love hot goss or tea.
13:22
Caroline: I don't know.
13:22
Caroline: But I think also too, like just my own, yeah, personal part.
13:27
Caroline: Like, I think some people have that natural rapport with kids.
13:30
Caroline: Like my friend Chelsea, that you know, who I met in my music therapy internship, she did sort of like the kid, like the school-based internship track where she mainly worked with like kids, and she just she had a perfect, like you know, Miss Rachel, like kids voice.
13:47
Caroline: And like for me, that always felt like really I was like trying like I was like, oh, one, two, three, yellow, red, blue.
13:54
Caroline: You know, like it's like for me, it just did not feel natural at all versus like holding space for people's emotions and like talking about heavier things like addiction and you know, yeah, mental health.
14:05
Caroline: It was like that was weirdly enough, like easier for me than like the sort of cadence that you have to have for like working with children.
14:12
Katelyn: Totally, totally.
14:13
Katelyn: And then I mean to to acknowledge and speak a little bit more to your burnout in the mental health space, right?
14:18
Katelyn: It's it's like that still is heavy stuff.
14:20
Katelyn: The the hours and the demands and the resources like kind of then led to and maybe speak to like the the music therapy field in general and how it's like this is not a like a rare story.
14:36
Caroline: No, not at all.
14:37
Caroline: And I do think it's kind of mind-boggling for me.
14:41
Caroline: I had a pretty small graduating class for music therapy in general.
14:44
Caroline: My class was probably like 10 people, which is crazy to think about if you know like most other majors, it's like, yeah, 300 people or how however many, you know.
14:56
Caroline: Um, so to like know everybody in your class, that is kind of a cool, unique experience that I had.
15:00
Caroline: But it's incredibly common in that field to not only like experience burnout, but for people to kind of transition out of it.
15:07
Caroline: Statistically, I think it's like I want to say like 20% of people, or there's it's a decent number of people will like not recertify um by the time that because you recertify every five years, and like a decent amount of people will not end up recertifying.
15:23
Caroline: And I think that's unfortunately, even though it's in so many ways, like I could say so many positive things about the field and how how needed it is and how necessary it is.
15:33
Caroline: It's also, you know, gonna we're gonna continue to have people experiencing burnout for a plethora of reasons.
15:40
Caroline: I've seen that firsthand from having multiple friends in music therapy who are no longer doing music therapy, you know, as we kind of, you know, which can be said for other careers as well, of like you kind of grow up and continue to figure out what what your life looks like and what you want it to look like.
15:56
Caroline: And uh it is kind of interesting though that I went from one field that has, you know, people have experience with burnout to the service industry, which is also very burnout prone, as kind of like, I'm gonna take a break, I'm gonna work in the service industry.
16:09
Caroline: Um, it is a funny kind of sentiment, like looking back on now.
16:13
Caroline: I'm like, that was that was interesting.
16:15
Katelyn: Not really a break.
16:16
Caroline: Yeah, yeah, not really a break, but also also when we think about burnout and like the different ways that it can take shape and form, you know, like it can at that point I was experiencing like emotional burnt out burnout, you know, versus like I think in the service industry you could have like physical burnout of like I've been standing on my feet for you know 40 hours this week.
16:35
Caroline: So it's it's you know, different people I think cope or like experience burnout different ways too.
16:42
Katelyn: Absolutely, totally, totally, totally.
16:44
Katelyn: Talk to me about feeling feelings so so deeply and and that experience, and then also just how your 20s have been kind of accepting parts of yourself, learning about yourself.
17:00
Katelyn: Maybe let's let's dig into that a little bit.
17:03
Caroline: Yeah, yeah.
17:04
Caroline: So I've always felt like my feelings were like all consuming, and I think on the the flip side of that, like the positive side is that because of that, I feel a lot of like empathy.
17:19
Caroline: And I hate uh jokingly, I hate when people are like, I'm an empath, because like what does that even mean?
17:26
Caroline: You know, like I feel like all humans should feel empathy for other people.
17:29
Katelyn: And maybe you hate it because you are one and you're just like, I don't even know what it's like to be feeling.
17:34
Caroline: You're like, you don't feel it this deep.
17:36
Caroline: But yeah, it was always something where I was like, I almost kind of describe it as this like volcano effect where it was like I would feel my feelings so deeply, but I because they were so big, it was like I didn't always I felt like I didn't always have time to like process them.
17:51
Caroline: So I would kind of be like, okay, let's push this down, like this, let's pack it down and process it later on.
17:57
Caroline: And then it would get to the point where it's like, okay, it's coming out, like I can't push it down anymore.
18:01
Caroline: And then the eruption is here, you know, get prepared.
18:07
Caroline: And then it's like even you know, even bigger of a an emotional sort of um experience.
18:13
Caroline: And in my early 20s, I like learned and came to the realization of like, oh, I think this might be ADHD.
18:22
Katelyn: And I how did you come to that realization?
18:26
Caroline: So funnily enough, when I was in my music therapy internship, we had to do some like papers and things like that.
18:35
Caroline: Because it was still kind of like it was like our last part of like our education.
18:38
Katelyn: So we're still education, yeah.
18:40
Caroline: Yeah, presentations, papers, things like that to do as well.
18:42
Caroline: And I had to do one on just like a a diagnosis for the the DSM 5, which is just a huge book of mental health disorders and diagnoses.
18:54
Caroline: And I picked ADHD.
18:56
Caroline: And I think maybe subconsciously I was just like interested by I wonder what that was, you know.
19:01
Caroline: And I I remember like going through like you know, the criteria for getting diagnosed and what it looks like and the symptoms, and I was like, wait a minute, wait a minute, this sounds familiar.
19:12
Caroline: And actually, that was kind of like the first domino, I think, to fall of me kind of becoming self-aware of that.
19:19
Caroline: And then I worked my last music therapy job.
19:23
Caroline: I worked at a psychiatric hospital where I worked with another music therapist who she was diagnosed with ADHD when she was like 13 or 14.
19:30
Caroline: And we've we had many conversations about ADHD.
19:34
Caroline: And I I spoke loud and was like, I think I might have it.
19:36
Caroline: She's like, No, you have it, you have it.
19:38
Caroline: And I think it's really interesting with mental health because a lot of people feel differently about diagnoses.
19:46
Caroline: But I've always felt like they can actually be incredibly validating.
19:50
Caroline: And especially if uh you're someone like me who got diagnosed with ADHD at age 25.
19:57
Caroline: It's something where you're like, oh, there's that missing puzzle piece.
20:00
Caroline: Like it's like that final piece of the puzzle where you you really get to understand yourself more.
20:07
Caroline: That was absolutely my experience with like getting my ADHD diagnosis, was realizing like, oh, like I'm not like too much with my emotions.
20:16
Caroline: Uh, this is how my brain works, this is how I process things, this is how I experience the world, and it's just different from people who are neurotypical.
20:25
Caroline: And it was it was like I almost like I'd have been like holding my breath for a long time and like, oh, I'm not like not normal.
20:33
Caroline: It's just this is this is who I am, you know.
20:35
Caroline: Which I don't think necessarily like has to define all parts of me, but it is something where it's like I know myself so much more now through through having an ADHD diagnosis and and learning about emotional regulation or dysregulation and and how that is such a huge part of it too, as well.
20:52
Caroline: It's not just, you know, people being super hyper and running around.
20:56
Caroline: It's a lot of times like, you know, can be more dissociative or like daydreaming, and then you know, more of the emotional side of things of like not realizing why you're dysregulated or upset.
21:08
Caroline: It's just kind of like it kind of comes upon you.
21:11
Caroline: But yeah, it was definitely like one of the things that's probably shaped my 20s the most.
21:17
Katelyn: It's making me, and I just keep like what pops in my mind, and we don't even have to go down this rabbit hole because it is a rabbit hole, but like I'm thinking a lot about like everything you're talking about and explaining.
21:28
Katelyn: I'm like, and on top of that, you're the youngest of four.
21:31
Katelyn: So like like you're explaining like the like recognizing some things about yourself and learning about yourself, and like where was the space to do that when you were like the youngest of four?
21:40
Katelyn: Like you came into a world where like there was not really not this was nobody's fault, but like there really wasn't a such a thing as individuals, you know.
21:48
Katelyn: It was like we are a little girl gang of four, you better watch out.
21:53
Katelyn: Like, and that's a lot, like that's a lot to like just come in and like your identity is that of a group in a way.
21:59
Katelyn: And If I'm speaking in a way that you don't identify with, please let me know.
22:03
Katelyn: But I could see that being very impactful in like you being like, no, no, no, I get to decide things for me.
22:09
Caroline: Yeah, I remember when I was younger, and it's so interesting, like the whole like lineup in terms of when you were born and the psychology of that.
22:18
Caroline: And I remember learning about that and being like that was I was so interested by that because I do feel like it's in so many ways like true.
22:26
Caroline: Like whether you're the oldest or the middle child or the youngest, like psychologically that impacts you, like and no matter your upbringing.
22:34
Caroline: And I think being the youngest, I always kind of wanted to like I had a very strong desire to be like individual and like be myself and be different from my siblings, but I also obviously like found inspiration.
22:46
Caroline: Like I was thinking back to like you know the hobbies I did, and I did like cross country and track because you did them, you know, and I did, you know, marching band because you know Kaileigh and Cadence did them.
22:56
Caroline: And so like I think
22:58
Katelyn: And you took Latin because I was like, it's easy, do it.
23:00
Caroline: Yeah, and I was like, what?
23:02
Caroline: Agricolae, like I don't know what's happening.
23:05
Caroline: But no, I I but at the same time, I was like, I can do the same things as my siblings, but it has to be different.
23:11
Caroline: Like I can't play percussion because Cadence played, you know, all these like silly roles I think I made for myself because I wanted to be like different, you know, and that's like probably a youngest child thing.
23:21
Caroline: But it also feels kind of ADHD coded too, as well, of like bouncing around, trying all these different hobbies, never really like like music.
23:29
Caroline: I obviously settled on, and that was the thing that I always came back to, but I still to this day like really find myself being almost not in a bad way, but like over interested in things.
23:41
Caroline: Like I I don't have enough time to try all the things that I want to do and feel overwhelmed with that.
23:46
Caroline: But I think again on the the flip side, like looking at it through a positive lens, like that's exciting that I have like so much excitement for trying new things, and and I I've always really struggled to understand people who are like, Yeah, I don't know.
24:02
Caroline: Like I just I I don't like doing new things or I just want to do this one thing all the time.
24:06
Caroline: I mean yeah, just for me personally, I'm like the novelty of life is like one of the most beautiful things, you know.
24:12
Katelyn: Yeah, yeah, I've got some friends who are like one particular friend is in finance and also is like one of those people that he comes up with a workout routine and he sticks with it for six months.
24:22
Katelyn: And I'm like, wow, that's amazing.
24:24
Katelyn: I'm like, that's incredible that your brain could do that.
24:28
Caroline: I could never, I really could never.
24:30
Caroline: And I and it's but it's interesting too, because like knowing yourself, I think that's when like you can find like ways to like if that's a goal of yours of like I want to work out consistently.
24:41
Caroline: I found this YouTuber and she specializes in like ADHD and or not specializes, but like she has ADHD and autism, and so she makes sense.
24:49
Katelyn: As and she lives it, so
24:50
Caroline: she lives and breathes.
24:52
Caroline: She lives and breathes being neurodivergent.
24:54
Caroline: And she was talking about how she'll make like like uh a dopamine menu, or like, you know, for exercise, she'll like make a list of like different options, so like she's not doing the same thing every day, and like she's not doing the same thing, even though her energy level and her dopamine, her serotonin levels will fluctuate, you know, because like for people with ADHD, neurodivergent people, it's so hard to stick to routine and like to be able to do the same workout every single day, you know.
25:22
Katelyn: Totally, totally.
25:23
Katelyn: Yeah, I just downloaded this app that I'm really excited about that is all about like bite-size exercises, and so it is like just 20-minute, like they're not sprints, but just 20-minute bite size, right?
25:33
Katelyn: 10-minute bite spite size.
25:35
Katelyn: The I think she's even got like a program in there that's like stuff you literally can do, like while Netflix is on, you know.
25:40
Katelyn: And I'm like, oh, thank god.
25:42
Katelyn: I mean, to be fair, I downloaded it six days ago and haven't done anything but watch the intro video, but still I'm very excited about it.
25:49
Caroline: Hey, and that's all that matters, you know?
25:51
Caroline: It's that the effort is still being put in, you know.
25:53
Caroline: Even if I if I even though I accidentally bought two planners for 2026, hey, at least I'm trying, you know, I'm trying to plan my life.
26:02
Katelyn: She got her planners, okay.
26:05
Caroline: I have them.
26:06
Caroline: I got one, I forgot about the one, I got another, but obviously I'm really excited about this year.
26:10
Katelyn: So real
26:11
Caroline: and to plan it eventually.
26:13
Katelyn: I mean, that's like a perfect little snapshot, right?
26:16
Caroline: Yeah.
26:18
Katelyn: Hey, y'all.
26:19
Katelyn: You know I love telling stories, gathering stories, and finding a way to help people connect their story with the people that will get it.
26:27
Katelyn: And that's what my story strategy sessions are all about.
26:30
Katelyn: So over at Calhoun Creative Consulting, my strategic storytelling firm, we do one-on-one and or facilitated workshops in relation to really honing in the strategy around your story.
26:42
Katelyn: It's a bit of messaging, meets content creation, meets storytelling.
26:46
Katelyn: And then how do we put that out in the world?
26:48
Katelyn: How do we show up regularly?
26:50
Katelyn: There's a bit of mindset work around it, right?
26:51
Katelyn: To actually tell your story, whether you're launching something new or trying to rework your brand or just feeling a little foggy on how to communicate with your people.
26:58
Katelyn: This is how to get clear.
26:59
Katelyn: We'll dig into things like your narrative, how to uncover what matters most, maybe map out a few content pillars while we're at it.
27:06
Katelyn: You'll also get a recording of our session so you can revisit the conversation anytime you like.
27:10
Katelyn: Let's shape a story that actually feels like you.
27:12
Katelyn: So book yours today.
27:14
Katelyn: There is a link in the show notes.
27:15
Katelyn: And hey, while you're at it, use the code podcast, all caps, podcast for 25% off your session.
27:23
Katelyn: I would be honored to spend time with you and suss out your story.
27:27
Katelyn: Let's dive back into the episode, shall we?
27:29
Katelyn: Well, and then to go back to, because I was thinking during I I also am obsessed with like the the birth order psychology.
27:39
Katelyn: I think it's so fascinating.
27:40
Katelyn: And I did read something about because I am secondborn.
27:42
Katelyn: I read something about secondborns are born into a world like where there's already a competitor for resources, right?
27:47
Katelyn: So there's like, and that plus like my while I am not diagnosed, like you and I act very similarly, I would not be shocked, right?
27:55
Katelyn: And I um I've been like looking at my own like attention deficit uh, ness as like, what if it is like just like this is the way that the universe made my brain, and it's actually just a gift to like beepop around, and like that intuition like actually leads me in ways that like people would never expect, right?
28:13
Katelyn: And so I'm just kind of like letting that, and when I say this, I mean like literally this week.
28:17
Katelyn: This is a thought I'm having.
28:18
Katelyn: I'm like, what if it's like you know, ooh, big idea, drop the idea, ooh, another idea, drop the idea.
28:23
Katelyn: And like, but I'm I do take the little steps, and those little things do add up, and then you're like, I couldn't have planned it this good because like my little you know, ADD universe brain is just making things up while she goes, and I love it.
28:37
Caroline: Yeah, and I I've seen a lot of like tips for people of like with cleaning, like do that method of like when you see it, do it, and then if you get distracted, do something else, and then do something, like don't force your brain to try and follow a structure that doesn't work with it, you know.
28:53
Caroline: Like even if you're bouncing around and you didn't get things done in the order that you meant to, you're still getting stuff done, you know, like viewing things in the glass half-full sort of perspective of like they still got completed, and that's something I'm very much still working through as a person with ADHD is the like all or nothing mentality, which is super common, I think, especially with women with ADHD, of like, if you didn't get done every single thing on your list, then like oh, the day is a waste.
29:19
Caroline: But it's actually like, no, you still got all these things done, maybe not in the order that you're gonna do it.
29:24
Katelyn: Or like progress is progress, right?
29:26
Katelyn: You still move something forward.
29:27
Katelyn: Yeah, 100%.
29:28
Katelyn: And then I even like think that like that's just like a good mindset for anyone, but also like um my own, like becoming very kind to myself about how I exist in the world has like just allowed for me to make more progress in whatever I'm whatever I'm up to.
29:45
Katelyn: And like one thing that comes to mind is you got me hooked on those.
29:49
Katelyn: I don't really watch the YouTube stuff, but I am hooked on the Smosh reels where they read Reddit stories to each other.
29:56
Katelyn: And so, like, I think there's full-fledged like YouTube videos where they're like probably an hour long where they're reading two of them.
30:01
Katelyn: And they have then clipped these to be 10 to 20 minutes, right?
30:05
Katelyn: So your girl opens the app and then she's in there, and then all of a sudden she's watching a 10-minute video when she thought she was gonna be consuming, you know, 30-second videos for 10 minutes straight.
30:14
Katelyn: And so I've started doing this thing where instead of like beating myself up for the fact that I want to watch them and they exist, I save them and scroll to the next.
30:23
Katelyn: And then when I'm cleaning or like doing something, I like I will like almost podcast style listen to them.
30:29
Katelyn: And so I'm like super proud of myself because I really enjoyed them, but I don't need to watch these people's faces while they talk about something.
30:36
Katelyn: Like I don't really need to consume it that way, right?
30:38
Katelyn: But I just I just thought that was really fun to like I still get to consume like basically this like mind candy, like you know, junk food, but also do it in a way that like feels really good, and then like my dishes are done, yay.
30:51
Katelyn: Because yeah, things will just take you away, and then you'll be like, where did my life go?
30:55
Caroline: But I also think it's interesting too because that sort of like getting sucked into your phone or like you know, all the different ways we can consume media now, it's like that is not something that's just solely a neurodivergent experience, you know.
31:08
Caroline: I think everyone experiences that.
31:10
Caroline: Yeah.
31:10
Caroline: But I do think unfortunately, with the way that like my brain works, or like anyone who has ADHD or the brain works, is that that you find that so much more not that you find it more rewarding than someone who's neurotypical, but it's like it's that much more addictive, you know, to like keep scrolling because it is such it's like short dopamine hits.
31:30
Caroline: And that is something that like my brain craves of like you know, feeling that like positive feeling.
31:36
Caroline: And like for me, I've always found that like comedy and like those sort of things are so I just I just love them and they bring me so much joy.
31:46
Caroline: And so yeah, it it's hard for anybody to break that sort of scrolling habit, especially when they're designed to like keep us engaged.
31:55
Katelyn: Oh my god, yeah, it's very much designed that way, yeah.
31:57
Katelyn: And even like the people, like it's not just like the actual like platforms themselves, but also like the people trying to create the content are like how do I team up with the platform to like make it super engaging?
32:09
Caroline: Yeah, I feel like I with that I've been trying to like gently shift, not and again, like away from any shame because shame is so programmed.
32:20
Katelyn: It doesn't help the situation, yeah.
32:22
Caroline: It doesn't help, it never it never really helps to to shame, like like what I was saying earlier, what you were saying of like you know, bouncing around with things, it's like okay, shaming that sort of process is silly because things are still getting done, you know, or you know, the the things are still happening.
32:38
Katelyn: And I've also like I've created this life where I am allowed to bounce around, right?
32:42
Katelyn: Like I do not have a nine to five job, I haven't had a nine to five job since I was 24.
32:47
Katelyn: So it's like one of those things where it's like a very don't go wrong, like there are moments where like I do need to get my butt in the chair, but like ultimately most of my life does not require me to keep my butt in the chair nonstop.
32:59
Katelyn: But but not everybody has a life like that, and you know, and their brains might not fit their life.
33:04
Caroline: Yeah, and I think too with like specifically with the ADHD, like finding these ways to cope with symptoms or like navigate that it's also interesting how much of it is because I have traditionally had that like nine to five sort of job, you know.
33:20
Caroline: Or not even nine to five, but like, you know, I I have worked for other people versus like you're like something.
33:26
Katelyn: Yeah, you have to go to a place and you must stay there versus sometimes like I'm done, I'm like, I'm gonna go to a coffee shop.
33:31
Caroline: Like having to follow structure and rules from like a you know, a person above you versus like having the autonomy of like, okay, like you know, there's some stress that comes with that of like right, you know, having to be the person who makes everything happen, but also the freedom of being able to like choose how your day looks.
33:49
Caroline: And I think in like touching on like my career process of like looking for what's next for me, I've really tried to or I think there's just been a shift of like okay, rather than like what job or role do I want to do, what do I want my life to look like and like work, what role does work play in in my life, and and how does it maybe fill maybe some buckets that I you know that I want it to fill that it hasn't, you know, whether it's like I'm searching for more autonomy or for some people it might be stability.
34:20
Caroline: There's a YouTuber I found recently and she'll do like hyper-specific lists.
34:24
Caroline: She'll be like, okay, if like if you do this, like here's your hyper specific like outline of like what you could do for a job.
34:32
Caroline: But she had a really great one on like I'm forgetting the word, I'll just say like elements, like five elements of jobs, five or six elements of jobs, and like what they provide, and like picking which one's most important to you.
34:44
Caroline: So whether that's again like autonomy or even like alignment, like whether you get your values aligned with a company, or you know, novelty, like do you get to do different things, or is it kind of like the same thing?
34:56
Caroline: Stability, like is it like is it a contract thing, or is it something where you're full-time and you're gonna, you know, you know that a steady paycheck is coming?
35:03
Caroline: So it's really interesting because I think that you know, everybody's different in terms of what they want and what they need, but rather than viewing of like my identity, like what's my identity next with with work rather than that trying to go into a okay, how can it serve me?
35:19
Caroline: Like how can I forget that?
35:20
Katelyn: How can it fit into the life you want?
35:22
Katelyn: Yeah, exactly.
35:23
Caroline: Yeah.
35:24
Katelyn: So with that, like what are you coming up with so far?
35:28
Katelyn: Are you are you down to clown and share that?
35:30
Katelyn: Like, are you down to to brainstorm live even?
35:34
Caroline: Yes, I yeah, I'm on day uh, well, I guess technically day day three of unemployment.
35:40
Caroline: I recently quit my job because uh my partner and I are trying to make a very big move.
35:45
Caroline: We're currently located in Columbus, Ohio, and we're trying to move to Seattle, which has been like a goal of ours for several years.
35:52
Katelyn: And honestly, you wanted to go to Seattle when you were a kid.
35:55
Katelyn: Like, I feel like in high school you're like, I'm gonna live in Seattle one day.
35:58
Katelyn: Like this has like been like a very long time coming.
36:01
Katelyn: And yeah, and you got a game face for it.
36:03
Katelyn: So you're like, this isn't unemployment.
36:05
Katelyn: This is you stepping away and like starting this plan and this intention and like you know, and and seeking opportunities there.
36:11
Katelyn: Cause like you worked, your job relied on a brick and mortar in Columbus, Ohio, and you are relocating.
36:19
Katelyn: So you like you have to go forward from here, yeah.
36:22
Caroline: And there's like so much, you know, with such a like a big life change, and like again, touching on ADHD, because it does like sh, you know, impact so many parts of like my life.
36:33
Caroline: It is like doing such a big change is is hard.
36:36
Caroline: Like, you know, like you have to get rid of stuff, you have to you know, obviously, like do job stuff.
36:40
Caroline: Never done that in my life.
36:42
Caroline: Never done it in my life.
36:43
Caroline: Never, you've never had to like get rid of new things, which actually I meant to tell you uh that we had like Sam and I, my partner, we had a conversation and we're like, what if we just sold most of our furniture?
36:54
Katelyn: Dude, that's what you have to do.
36:55
Caroline: We're really gonna do it.
36:57
Katelyn: You guys are like also you are like Facebook Marketplace champions.
37:01
Katelyn: So like you're and also like let's not pretend like Seattle doesn't have great Facebook marketplace.
37:05
Katelyn: Like, I know it does.
37:06
Katelyn: Like, I don't maybe I'm just like putting it on a pedestal, but like I it has to have great stuff, and you're right, like just sell it all.
37:13
Caroline: I've already changed my location there just to kind of like scour.
37:16
Caroline: And I I found like a Garfield landline phone, and I'm like, yeah, no, we're gonna be just fine.
37:21
Caroline: We're gonna be fine.
37:22
Katelyn: You're like, also I am obsessed with astrology.
37:26
Katelyn: I feel like I've shared that a little bit on this, and you all are both Tauruses, which is so like just the way you design your space and feel so grounded is like just the grounding and like the earthy vibes, and like Taurus, like as a Taurus, like it it's not necessarily like materialism, but you like physical things.
37:45
Katelyn: And I just freaking like I love that about y'all space that you curate.
37:50
Katelyn: And like it's just I cannot wait to see this new apartment.
37:53
Katelyn: I cannot wait to see how it all comes together.
37:55
Katelyn: I haven't told you about this.
37:56
Katelyn: So Caroline, y'all, Caroline had this little, has this like well, she gave it to me, so it's mine now.
38:01
Katelyn: But there's this grilled cheese plushie that's like super soft.
38:05
Katelyn: It's like grilled cheese and it's like just a Squishmallow.
38:07
Katelyn: Okay, I don't know the brand, but moral of the story, I have it now and it's mine.
38:10
Katelyn: But when I first brought it home, I kept like giggling happily at it.
38:14
Katelyn: And Gonzo, my dog, thought that I like because that apparently that's the noise I make when I think he's really cute.
38:20
Katelyn: But I was walking by and I was making the noise at the pillow, and Gonzo's like, what the F are you doing, mom?
38:26
Katelyn: Like, like, that's not me.
38:28
Katelyn: He's like, it better be about me, otherwise.
38:30
Katelyn: And I just thought that was so funny, and I hadn't told you that story yet.
38:33
Katelyn: Because I would walk in the room and I'd be like, I do like a like when I think like Gonzo's being really adorable, like I'll make that noise.
38:39
Katelyn: Anytime I walk past the pillow, I was making it, and then Gonzo's like, what the hell?
38:44
Katelyn: Like, who are you reacting to right now?
38:47
Caroline: Mom, who is that?
38:48
Caroline: Oh my god.
38:50
Caroline: Yeah, no, I and I think thank you for complimenting our our way to like create a comfortable space because
38:58
Katelyn: curators extraordinaire,
39:00
Caroline: especially like as I've gotten older in my 20s, because you know, I wouldn't say like I'm like that old being 27,
39:08
Katelyn: but you also got you know, you've gotten older, and there there's such a big difference between 20 and 27.
39:15
Katelyn: There's like it's lifetimes, lifetimes.
39:19
Caroline: As I've like, you know, matured and gotten older, I value being home and like I love being a homebody.
39:28
Caroline: And I like your space should be like your safe, you know, safe space.
39:32
Caroline: You know, it should be a place where like you can unwind and relax, and like you know, I think we're excited for this move to be able to like explore more and you know find new places that we love.
39:42
Caroline: Um, because we've kind of done I think in our way, not that you know, one Columbus is wonderful, but we've done all the exploring that we've wanted to do and like all the found all the little places we love in Columbus.
39:52
Caroline: And so I'm excited to do that with a new city, like find you know, new favorite coffee shop or bakery or park or you know, a place to go see music.
40:01
Caroline: But I I do really just love being home and like especially like uh having a few people over and being able to just like be present with one another and just like relax.
40:12
Caroline: And yeah, I'll have to send you this YouTube playlist too.
40:15
Caroline: I've started watching these videos that are like they're like the series is called Never Too Small, and it's like 500 square feet or less, like houses and apartments, and they're all across the world.
40:25
Caroline: There's like some of them are in New York, you know, Madrid, like uh Tokyo, but the way that they design them is so intentional of like they still have stuff, but like the storage is really smart and and but like the space is so intentionally thought and crafted, and like that is like such a um such a cool thing to me.
40:44
Caroline: And I I think I've also done a little bit of like programming and event planning in my last role, and that might be something I possibly pursue because I I do feel like it's about those like little touches, you know.
40:55
Caroline: Oh, yeah.
40:56
Caroline: That is really like what makes a difference in like an event or in like a space is like being able to like make people feel comfortable, whether it's just you know, they have a Squishmallow that they can hold on to while they watch a TV show.
41:08
Caroline: Or you know, it's it you know, it smells nice, or like you know, the the the the wall decor is interesting, or you know, whatever it is.
41:14
Katelyn: Yeah, I can't tell if this Squishmallow smells good because it's like still has like your house vibes on it, or if you sprayed it with something, like I don't know why the Squishmallow smells so good.
41:24
Caroline: I mean, I whenever you come to visit, I have like a pillow mist, like a little, you know, some it maybe it was sprayed with that.
41:31
Katelyn: Yeah, maybe.
41:32
Katelyn: I just it it just blows my mind how how much you can make a space so special.
41:36
Katelyn: And and to go back to your point, I one of my like top favorite places I've ever lived is I had a 400 square foot apartment in my mid-20s for exactly one year.
41:46
Katelyn: And it like every inch of that place I was just so obsessed with and loved because it just like especially like when I when I was touring it, I immediately knew where everything was gonna go.
41:56
Katelyn: And then and then from there I like gave it love over the year, and it just like it was very intentional, right?
42:02
Katelyn: And it was very, very mine.
42:04
Katelyn: It's the only time I think I think that's the only time I've ever like lived by myself.
42:09
Katelyn: And it was really just a wonderful experience.
42:11
Katelyn: I'm glad I didn't do it forever, right?
42:13
Katelyn: Like, but I I like look back at it fondly, and and there was something special about like being very intentional with your space, and if you have a smaller space, being intentional, right?
42:22
Katelyn: But like but curating is isn't such such a big deal, yeah.
42:26
Katelyn: Such a big deal.
42:27
Katelyn: And to the point too where like I it always blows my mind, you guys move into a new place, and then all of a sudden, boom, it's like decorated.
42:32
Katelyn: And I'm like, how did that happen?
42:34
Katelyn: Like, like I just like it's so fast.
42:37
Caroline: I think I think a lot of the things we've brought with us, because I uh something that can be tough with with the ADHD is like needing novelty and like loving things, and that's also like my star sign, right?
42:50
Caroline: It's Taurus, like we love things, we love nice things, but it's hard because when you accumulate a certain amount of stuff, it's like okay, you know, that's it's then makes it harder later on when you're trying to go through the process of getting rid of things and being more intentional.
43:05
Caroline: But yeah, I think a lot of our stuff we've like moved with, you know, and so we've like tried to like get some stuff that we like or you know, I don't know, art or whatever.
43:14
Caroline: But I I have had times where like I've moved into a new space and been like ah it doesn't look the way I want it to yet.
43:19
Caroline: But I think having uh that's you know, it's normal when you move into a new space to need time to sort of like create it, you know, and like everything sort of takes time.
43:30
Caroline: And like I was like doing yoga the other day, and she was like, the mantra for today is like I am patient and like letting things unfold in their time.
43:38
Caroline: And I was like, wow, that is resonating because
43:41
Katelyn: tapping your third eye real quick,
43:43
Caroline: yeah, like unlocking it.
43:46
Caroline: But yeah, that because that's
43:47
Katelyn: she's like am I patient though?
43:50
Caroline: That's been a yeah.
43:51
Katelyn: Then you said, Oh yeah, I am, I am patient.
43:53
Katelyn: That's the mantra.
43:54
Katelyn: So good.
43:55
Caroline: I am so good, so patient.
43:57
Katelyn: Yeah, me, definitely, definitely patient, most patient.
43:59
Katelyn: So good.
44:01
Katelyn: I love.
44:03
Katelyn: I love.
44:03
Katelyn: I'm so excited about this next chapter for you guys.
44:06
Katelyn: And and for you, like for both of you to to go to a place you've been dreaming about going for so long, but then also for you to like see what like your career and vac vocation unfolds.
44:21
Katelyn: Because like we were raised by parents that love what they did and gave so much to what they did in their careers, right?
44:29
Katelyn: So I think that's something that has passed into us.
44:33
Katelyn: And so to like to care so much about what we do and to enjoy what we do, sometimes it is such a gift to like to be that way and to be passionate that way, but it also can be a little bit of like a downfall too, where you just you give so much.
44:50
Katelyn: And I say this not just for you, but also for me, right?
44:53
Katelyn: I just the times where I've just been like so invested, and and it's heartbreaking when it doesn't really pan out the way you want it to do, want it to, but at the same time, too, it is such a such a cool thing that that we can we can love what we do so much.
45:06
Caroline: I think too with with that, like because I I resonate so much with that when I was like transitioning out of my career in music therapy, was like kind of coming to terms with the fact that it was not serving me.
45:20
Caroline: I was kind of putting the work as top priority, which it is such important work.
45:26
Caroline: But at the end of the day, if you're coming home and you're exhausted and you're crying multiple times a week, it's like that's when like you know, your body is like you can tell like when you're like chronically burnt out.
45:38
Caroline: Like I saw something the other day that was saying like burnout can like actually like neuroplasticity, like what it can change like our brains, um and it can change us like permanently psychology, you know, psych psychologically.
45:51
Caroline: So uh getting to that point of like deciding I no longer wanted to do it, but then dealing with all of the emotions of like ah, well, like you know, I put so much time and so much effort into this, and who am I if I'm if I'm not this and if this isn't my identity, and if you know, and then also there's the element too of like for me, like the fact that it was a sort of a giving profession for lack of a better term, of like not feeling guilty for leaving a sort of service profession where like you are creating a difference in your community, which is so so wonderful, but it's also I think okay to put one's own like needs and like mental health and just general health, like first, you know.
46:32
Katelyn: But it's hard to get your brain out of that, right?
46:34
Katelyn: Like when like you you basically spent four years and then a couple years after college, like conditioning yourself to be like this is going to be my life, this is going to be my career, I'm going to serve, and then to be like, I'm selfish for stepping away, and to to rework that and be like, but I'm not.
46:50
Katelyn: And also, I mean, it's such an it's such an identity thing.
46:54
Caroline: It is, yeah.
46:55
Caroline: And then for me, there was this added part too of or added layer, I guess, of like working in mental health.
47:02
Caroline: You do see a lot, you know, you see people who have experienced things that I I've been very fortunate and privileged enough not to have to experience.
47:10
Caroline: And so there's that added element of, you know, you're struggling, but you're seeing people who are struggling maybe objectively more, yeah.
47:17
Caroline: You know, on basic like hierarchy of needs, sort of
47:20
Katelyn: Well and struggle that you'll never know, right?
47:22
Katelyn: Like, yeah.
47:24
Katelyn: Or yeah, at least at this point in your life, you'll never know.
47:28
Caroline: Yeah.
47:28
Caroline: And so there's there's that element of kind of like, I think for a while I was just like pushing through because I was like, well, you know, I'm not experiencing that struggle, so like I should just kind of again, there's that volcano of pushing it down, but I think that was such a huge lesson for me of like, no matter how long you experience something, that can still hold value and be significant.
47:50
Caroline: And so, like, I do still think, although I, you know, no longer do music therapy, the future probably won't hold it, you know, in terms of like practicing music therapy.
48:00
Caroline: I think that I can hold the space for that of the value that it brought to my life, to like my clients' lives, the fact that it, you know, did make a difference and it was important, and you know, I worked really hard, I did I did the thing that I wanted to do.
48:14
Caroline: You know, and sometimes like I think it's a beautiful thing to evolve.
48:18
Caroline: And you know, whether like, you know, things go the way we want them to or not, it's like being able to evolve is is a beautiful thing as people, and it's like part of the human condition is being able to the the fact that our wants and our needs change and we change, you know, over time, and that's that's okay.
48:36
Caroline: It's it's it's a good thing, I think, overall.
48:40
Katelyn: Allowing evolving chapters to happen is is definitely can it can be hard.
48:47
Caroline: Absolutely.
48:48
Katelyn: For sure.
48:48
Caroline: Yeah, I I think it's not light in any means.
48:51
Caroline: It's it's a heavy process to allow yourself to evolve because I think yeah, like our and I right before this, I was watching a video about like change and our our bodies and our minds, like everything is connected.
49:08
Katelyn: Yeah, no, oh I know everything is connected.
49:11
Katelyn: There's something there's something earlier you said about like you're like I can hear you, I can see you, and it's like that there's like CC and Jess, like I can hear the TV, like I can hear I can hear the TV, I can hear the TV.
49:21
Caroline: Yeah, that's our that's like the I feel like one of the languages we speak in is just quoting New Girl back and forth.
49:27
Katelyn: But oh 100%, yeah.
49:28
Katelyn: Yeah, in my subconscious, it's so deep.
49:31
Katelyn: Yeah, yeah.
49:32
Caroline: But oh, with change, like it's not something like our body wants us to like like it wants to protect us, it doesn't want change in some ways, but also we crave novelty and we need change, and like change is good for us, and it's it's part of the experience of being alive, but that doesn't mean it still can't be like difficult.
49:49
Caroline: And like I remember like when I graduated during COVID, my therapist at the time told me, like, you're grieving, like, and that was like actively grieving.
50:00
Caroline: Huh?
50:01
Caroline: But like, yeah, no, you can be like metaphorically grieving things like because you know, there were things now that I'm like, I'm like, oh, it wasn't that big of a deal.
50:09
Caroline: But at the time it meant a lot to me of like things I didn't get to do in my senior year of college that I've been looking forward to, like freaking walk, like walk across the stage, yeah, like things like that where you're like, no, that is like meaningful and it isn't like important, and yeah, that like metaphorical, well, not even metaphorical, like grieving of like ways that you think your life's gonna go, and then you know, you get a a curve in the road because that's life, you know.
50:36
Katelyn: It's so real.
50:37
Katelyn: I also it's so weird that like for some reason that the thing about walking across the stage and the fact that like you didn't get to do that kind of came to my mind.
50:46
Katelyn: Cause you know how I grab how I graduated in three years, like and I look back and I'm like, that like was not the emotionally right choice for me.
50:53
Katelyn: Like, because I look back and I like I the feeling of standing in line with people I had no idea who they were because I didn't have any friends who were like you know, essentially a year ahead of me at college, right?
51:06
Katelyn: And I met all these people when I came in, and so I didn't graduate with my friends, it was super weird.
51:11
Katelyn: And so it's like one of those things where you think, oh yeah, yeah, it logistically makes sense, and I'm glad I saved the money and all that stuff, right?
51:17
Katelyn: Yeah, and it made sense on paper, but then like the actual embodiment of things is like, oh, that wasn't what I expected it to be, and that's very interesting too.
51:27
Katelyn: Maybe not fully related to the grieving, but I'm just thinking about like experiences as you imagine them versus how they happen, and it's like a whole thing.
51:34
Caroline: But I think even to the way that we decide to like make choices, you know, like that feels like something where it's like, you know, that was a decision that you made on paper because it looked it seemed good on paper, and you know, in in many ways it was good, yeah, like money and stuff like that.
51:49
Caroline: But how also sometimes, like, I don't know, I I just feel so much more now at my current age than when I was younger, that like intuition is such a thing, you know, following ones like intuition and like how feelings present themselves in the body and like how stress, you know, but like with choices, how yes, uh there's definitely an element of like pro-conning it on paper, but also sometimes the catalyst for change is like the intuition or the gut feeling, you know, and sometimes like that is just as equally important.
52:22
Caroline: And like I feel like I feel that right now of like when I like decided I was like, oh, I'm gonna take a little bit of a break.
52:28
Caroline: This is my first time ever.
52:30
Katelyn: You're even like you're leaning forward as you're talking about it, like physically, you are leaning forward as you're talking, like you're leaning into these ideas, and it's super cool to like see you physically do that, yeah, because and that's why I'm so excited for you because it it is so the right choice, and it has been for maybe a second, right?
52:45
Katelyn: And and so and that's something too.
52:47
Katelyn: Like I've noticed when I when I suppress those intuitive thoughts too long, then it becomes very painful.
52:55
Caroline: Absolutely.
52:56
Katelyn: And hashtag ouchie, and you don't want that,
52:59
Caroline: yeah, and that's where like I think like it's again, I think it's so interesting the way and I'd love I would love to continue to learn about how like mentally like our mental health and psychologically how that impacts like our physical health because like I felt like some tightness recently and like how that you know how stress like we carry it and like emotions how we feel it, and but yeah, no, it's the fact of like this most recent decision I've made feeling like such a sense of like calm and clarity with it and being like, wow, okay, that's maybe that's that's the right choice.
53:32
Caroline: Yeah, yeah, maybe so good.
53:36
Caroline: Yeah, it's it's it's so real.
53:39
Katelyn: It's so real.
53:40
Katelyn: No, it is.
53:40
Katelyn: It is cool.
53:41
Katelyn: I've had a few different patterns in my life, patterns in my life where I've noticed like where I've let things go on too long, and then it's cool to like see when you kind of shorten the timeline on something that is like, oh, this looks just like that like previous experience.
53:55
Katelyn: Let's let's tighten it up.
53:57
Katelyn: Let's tighten it up.
53:59
Katelyn: Okay, well, I'm super excited.
54:01
Katelyn: I'm super excited.
54:02
Katelyn: I trying to like just be so chill about about the fact that you're on the podcast today.
54:09
Katelyn: Where can the people connect with you if they want to connect with you?
54:12
Katelyn: Um, is there anything that you were like really, really excited to share on this conversation that you don't feel like you got the chance to?
54:19
Katelyn: And then we'll we'll wrap it up from there.
54:22
Caroline: Yeah.
54:22
Caroline: Well, I am in my networking era.
54:25
Caroline: So my gosh, you better connect with her on that LinkedIn.
54:27
Caroline: Connect with me on LinkedIn.
54:29
Caroline: I want to talk to anybody, everybody.
54:31
Caroline: It doesn't matter if you're like in, you know, if you do like underwater scuba engineering or if you run a restaurant or whatever you do, I want to talk with you because obviously I I love yapping and talking about things.
54:44
Caroline: So yeah, you can find me on LinkedIn, Caroline Calhoun.
54:47
Caroline: I also do have a music Instagram if you were convinced by Kate to yeah, to uh
54:53
Katelyn: I mean if you want to hear the most beautiful voice on the planet earth.
54:56
Caroline: Yeah, that is on Instagram.
54:58
Caroline: It's um at specs music.
55:00
Caroline: So spec spelled S-P-E-C-S, like glasses, like spectacles.
55:06
Caroline: Spectacles.
55:07
Caroline: I think that's about it for now.
55:09
Caroline: I mean, who knows?
55:10
Caroline: I, you know, thank you so much for having me.
55:13
Katelyn: Thank you for your time, sister.
55:15
Katelyn: I appreciate you, and I know that it has been a roller coaster, and I'm so glad that we finally we finally got you on the pod.
55:22
Caroline: Yeah.
55:22
Katelyn: You're the best.
55:23
Katelyn: You're the best.
55:24
Caroline: Love you.
55:28
Speaker 2: Crafted Connections is lovingly produced by Calhoun Creative Consulting, a strategic storytelling firm dedicated to helping people and brands tell their stories in a way that resonates.
55:38
Speaker 2: If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe and connect with us on Instagram at Crafted Connections Pod.
55:44
Speaker 2: Keep creating, keep connecting, and telling me again.