#434 - Celebrating One Year of "If I Don't Laugh, I'll Cry"!
Release Date: 03/26/2025
Can I Laugh On Your Shoulder?
Well friends, today’s episode is going to be a bit different! After nine years of weekly episodes, I’ve made the decision to take a break from the show for a little bit. This isn’t something I’ve taken lightly- it's something I’ve been praying about, wrestling with, and reflecting on for months. And while it’s hard to hit pause on something I love so much, I know it’s the right time. With my daughter heading into middle school, my son starting fourth grade, my first year of seminary coming to a close, and my 40th birthday around the corner (!), life has been beautifully full. In...
info_outlineCan I Laugh On Your Shoulder?
I’m thrilled to welcome back my friend, Whitney English, to the show today! She is an author, artist, and self-proclaimed reluctant expert in surviving family drama with grace... and a glue gun. Whitney is known for telling the truth with humor, finding beauty in the mess, and believing that good stories and good design can heal just about anything- whether she’s organizing a junk drawer or untangling generational dysfunction. Her new book, Organize First, Decorate Second, is out now, and today, we’re diving into everything from the psychology of organization and decoration to practical...
info_outlineCan I Laugh On Your Shoulder?
I'm thrilled to welcome Niki Hardy to the show this week! Niki is the author of the Audie Award-nominated Breathe Again and One Minute Prayers for Women With Cancer. Her newest book, God, Can We Chat? A Daringly Honest Guide to Growing Closer to God, One Doubt at a Time, hit shelves in March, which I’m so excited to chat about today. Niki has left corporate life, moved continents, gone to seminary, planted churches, launched businesses and nonprofits, and navigated seasons of deep loss, cancer, church hurt, and painful uncertainty. Through it all, she firmly believes that God loves a...
info_outlineCan I Laugh On Your Shoulder?
You are in for an absolute treat this week! My guest is the one and only Melissa Radke- bestselling author, speaker, TV personality, comedian, and the self-proclaimed HGIC (Head Girlfriend in Charge). With over 1.1 million followers, Melissa has been lifting women up since 2016, dishing out everything from hair tips to life advice with her signature humor and heart. Her brand-new book, Chicken Fried Women, just hit the shelves, which is a love letter to the strong, faith-filled, flawed, and unforgettable women who shaped her life. She reflects on generational legacies, healing family dynamics,...
info_outlineCan I Laugh On Your Shoulder?
This week on the podcast, I’m joined once again by the brilliant Dr. Morgan Cutlip- author, psychologist, and relationship expert. She is known for equipping individuals and couples with practical, down-to-earth tools to navigate the most challenging parts of relationships. She has a true gift for turning psychological research into relatable, real-life strategies, and she shares her wisdom through her books, courses, blog, podcast, and social media platforms. Morgan first joined us to talk about her book Love Your Kids Without Losing Yourself, and now she’s back with her brand-new...
info_outlineCan I Laugh On Your Shoulder?
This week, I am so excited to be joined by the incredible Lauren Sisler. She is an Emmy Award-winning sports broadcaster, ESPN sideline reporter, author, keynote speaker, and the queen of the sideline shimmy. After landing her dream career with ESPN and reporting on college football and gymnastics, she began to open up about a story she once kept hidden: losing both of her parents to opioid addiction. Through sharing her journey, Lauren has not only shed light on the stigma surrounding addiction, but she’s also found a powerful way to help others navigate their own struggles. Whether...
info_outlineCan I Laugh On Your Shoulder?
I’m thrilled to welcome back my dear friend Mary Marantz for her third appearance on the show! If you’ve been here a while, you already know how incredible Mary is- she’s a powerhouse in every sense of the word. As a podcaster, author, speaker, photographer, and coach, she truly does it all. Today, we’re diving into her latest book, Underestimated, which releases later this month. We’re talking about what it means to be underestimated, why fear is a boring liar, and how playing small was never part of your purpose. This conversation was so good and I’m so excited to share it with...
info_outlineCan I Laugh On Your Shoulder?
It’s been one whole year since If I Don’t Laugh, I’ll Cry made its way into the world, and today, we’re celebrating! In this special anniversary episode, I’m reflecting on the journey of writing and releasing this book- what it was like to put my story on paper, the emotional highs and lows, and the incredible messages from readers that have reminded me why I wrote it in the first place. Whether you’ve read the book or are just hearing about it for the first time, I hope this episode makes you laugh, reflect, and feel a little less alone in your own beautiful mess. Thank you for...
info_outlineCan I Laugh On Your Shoulder?
This week, I'm thrilled to welcome the most special guest ever on my show- my dad. With the release of my book just around the corner (coming out next week- can you believe it?!) I couldn’t think of a better time to have him on the podcast. Together, we dig into some of the stories that are (and aren’t) talked about in my book. Join us as we laugh, reminisce, and share stories of the joys, the challenges, and everything in between. My dad has such powerful things to say about gratitude, slowing down, choosing love, and finding joy in the darkest of moments. This conversation is...
info_outlineCan I Laugh On Your Shoulder?
I'm under the weather this week, so I'm sharing one of my favorite episodes! This week, I’m excited to welcome Ginny Yurich, a homeschooling mother of five and the founder of a global movement reclaiming childhood and fostering family connections through nature-based play. Alongside her husband, Josh, Ginny is the brilliant mind behind the 1000 Hours Outside lifestyle brand, featuring an online store, app, and much more. Whether you have kids or not, this episode is an absolute must-listen. We dig deep into issues that resonate, especially for those of us...
info_outlineIt’s been one whole year since If I Don’t Laugh, I’ll Cry made its way into the world, and today, we’re celebrating! In this special anniversary episode, I’m reflecting on the journey of writing and releasing this book- what it was like to put my story on paper, the emotional highs and lows, and the incredible messages from readers that have reminded me why I wrote it in the first place.
Whether you’ve read the book or are just hearing about it for the first time, I hope this episode makes you laugh, reflect, and feel a little less alone in your own beautiful mess.
Thank you for being part of this journey with me!
0:47 – Intro
• My 1-year bookaversery!
• A big thank you to my readers
3:06 – Behind The Pages
• What was it really like to write a book?
• The cathartic and terrifying writing process
• Reader messages that moved me
5:33 – Embracing The Messy & Real
• Offering presence, perspective and hope
• The anticipation leading up to release day
• Honoring my mom’s storytelling
11:08 – Future Plans & Final Thoughts
• Is another book on the horizon?
• Staying true to my voice
FEATURED QUOTES
“One of the goals that I had in this book is to just make someone feel seen, make you feel seen, to know that your mess is not too much for God- that you're not too far gone.”
“This year taught me that this story, my story, this book, didn't end with the last chapter. It has kept going in the conversations, in the tears that were shed at book signings, in the emails from strangers, in the quiet mornings on the farm, when I remember why I wrote it.”
“There's something really beautiful that happens when you let people see the cracks. Because what happens is light gets in, and you'll be able to watch other people shine too.”