Stuck in self-pity or faking “I’m fine”? Listen to this.
Okay, Now What? - With Kate Gladdin
Release Date: 04/03/2025
Okay, Now What? - With Kate Gladdin
After such a heartbreaking, life-shattering year, I wanted to record this little message for you as we head into 2026. ❤️ Ready to Stop Forcing Happiness and Actually Start Healing? You can know all the "right" things to say to yourself, all the strategies, all the steps—but if you're still trying to push through grief, anxiety, or life's hardest moments alone, nothing truly shifts. That's where coaching comes in. I help women navigate the messy, non-linear process of healing—not by forcing happiness or bypassing pain, but by figuring out what YOU actually need (not what others...
info_outlineOkay, Now What? - With Kate Gladdin
If you've lost someone, you've probably heard people say "they would just want you to be happy." Well-meaning? Absolutely. Helpful? Not always. In this episode, I'm sharing why that phrase hasn't been landing for me—and what I wish people would say instead. Because grief isn't about forcing happiness. It's about something much more important. Whether you're navigating loss or supporting someone who is, this one's for you. You don’t owe anyone happiness. But you do deserve healing. Take this episode slowly. Pause when you need to. Let it meet you wherever you are today. Ready to Stop...
info_outlineOkay, Now What? - With Kate Gladdin
There's a loneliness that comes with loss that's hard to describe until you've felt it. That moment when you realize the person you'd normally call isn't there to answer anymore. Tara Accardo knows this pain intimately. In December 2019, she lost her mom to cancer. Six months later, her dad. Then, her beloved dog of 19 years. Each loss compounding the one before, leaving her asking: "What am I going to do?" But this conversation isn't about finding silver linings or moving on. It's about the messy, visceral reality of grief—and the unexpected strength that emerges when you're forced to...
info_outlineOkay, Now What? - With Kate Gladdin
Ever find yourself waiting for someone to notice how hard you're struggling? Waiting for your partner to ask if you're okay, your doctor to take you seriously, or someone—anyone—to validate that yes, what you're going through really IS that hard? Here's the truth: you can't control if someone else gives you that validation. But you can give it to yourself. And no, that's not the same as toxic positivity or forcing yourself to "look on the bright side." It's about giving yourself the same compassion you'd give a friend going through the exact same thing. In this episode, I'm sharing a...
info_outlineOkay, Now What? - With Kate Gladdin
Ever gotten feedback at work that just... stung? Like, you worked your ass off on a project, pulled off what felt like a miracle given the circumstances, only to be told you "weren't enthusiastic enough" or "should have felt more excited"? Yeah, that's the kind of feedback that can send you spiraling. In this episode, I'm breaking down why feedback hits us so damn hard in the first place, and more importantly, what to do about it. I'll share my pistachio nut framework for figuring out what feedback is actually worth keeping versus what's just... someone else's baggage you don't need to carry....
info_outlineOkay, Now What? - With Kate Gladdin
After the hardest year of my life, I discovered something I'd been taking for granted—the one thing that held me when everything else fell apart. This isn't your typical gratitude episode. Because when you're barely holding it together, "just be thankful" doesn't cut it. In this episode, you'll discover: Why one deep breath does nothing (and what actually works) The science behind why your exhales matter more than your inhales The 60-second tool that can stop you from spiraling before a difficult conversation What happens in your nervous system when you sigh (hint: it's not dramatic,...
info_outlineOkay, Now What? - With Kate Gladdin
Ever caught yourself smiling on the outside… while dragging around that heavy, invisible rock of resentment on the inside? Yeah. Me too. In this episode, we’re pulling apart that quiet tension so many of us live with — the resentment that comes from unspoken needs, swallowed frustration, and hoping people will magically “just get it.” And I’m sharing the one sentence… the one simple structure… that finally helped me stop feeling like a doormat and start feeling like a grown woman with a spine and a soft heart. If you’ve ever: • dreaded a text from that person • walked on...
info_outlineOkay, Now What? - With Kate Gladdin
This week, I sit down with Meghan Barakett—founder & CEO of One Girl—a woman who embodies everything this show stands for: courage, community, and choosing to create the good when life doesn’t hand it to you. We talk leadership that starts on the inside. The kind that asks you to get quiet, get honest, and then get moving. We talk about grief, advocacy, and what happens when your identity is used against you online—and why that moment became a turning point, not a dead end. I won’t spoil the full story (you’ll feel it when you hear it), but here’s what you’ll learn: In this...
info_outlineOkay, Now What? - With Kate Gladdin
When someone you care about loses someone they love, it’s hard to know what to say. You want to comfort them, to make it better, but most of us were never taught how to show up in the face of raw grief. After losing both my mum and sister in separate tragedies, I realized we're walking through one of the most universal human experiences - grief- with zero training. No wonder we're all fumbling through it. In this episode, I'm sharing the grief education we all missed: Why we freeze up and don't reach out (and how to get past that) The well-meaning words that actually invalidate pain What...
info_outlineOkay, Now What? - With Kate Gladdin
Ever open your laptop to work on that big project and suddenly find yourself deep in a TikTok scroll? Or decide that right now is the perfect time to snack instead of finishing that report? Yep, we've all been there, right? That's because procrastination isn't laziness, it's humanness. In this deeply personal episode, I'm sharing the story behind my first tattoo: my late mother's heartbeat and my late sister's initial, permanently inked on my wrist in honour of them both taken too soon and as a reminder that we only get a limited number of heartbeats on this earth. But this isn't just a...
info_outlineEver find yourself spiraling in “why me?” energy—or slapping on a fake smile, insisting “I’m fine” when you’re anything but?
Yeah. Been there. Both sides of that coin will wear you out. That’s why this episode?
It’s a lifeline.
Fresh off an emotional and empowering experience speaking at my first ever women’s leadership conference, I’m unpacking a topic that hits deep: the difference between self-pity, self-denial, and self-compassion—and why knowing how to navigate between them is one of the most important skills you’ll ever learn.
In this episode, I share:
✨ The sneaky ways self-pity shows up and keeps us stuck
✨ How self-denial masquerades as strength (but quietly breaks us down)
✨ My 3-A’s Framework for building real, usable self-compassion
✨ Why community, storytelling, and getting outside your comfort zone changes everything
This episode is your permission slip to stop faking it and start truly supporting yourself—through the messy moments, the heartaches, and the healing. Whether you're grieving, growing, or just trying to keep your head above water... this one’s for you.
Need extra support?
-
Grab your free chapter of my book Okay, Now What? on self-compassion: https://www.kategladdin.com/free
-
Book a free coaching consult with me (yep, totally free): www.kategladdin.com
Follow me on IG for daily doses of real talk: @kategladdin