Kelly Corrigan Wonders

Ron Shaich, the son of a man who died with a few regrets, started two super successful restaurant chains: Panera and Cava. Today Kelly shares a story from his book, Know What Matters, which describes a clarifying moment between father and son that transformed Ron’s intentions. (Previously aired) To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this finale of our Hard Conversations series, Kelly explores how making things together - singing, stitching, creating art - might be the key to deeper connections and better conversations across differences. Recorded in Bozeman, Montana, the day after our live collaborative event, Kelly is joined by musician Cava Menzies, who is a music educator and leads community singing experiences; artist Jen Bloomer, who has spent over two decades with her organization Radici Studios using art-making to help people connect across differences and embroidery artist Diana Weymar, known for her "tiny pricks" needlework (and popular Instagram account of the same name) which creates space for reflection and conversation. Together, they discover how the collaborative principles needed in all art forms - whether it's harmonizing voices, listening deeply to someone's story before making art about it or slowing down to stitch meaningful words - mirror what we need in our relationships, communities and democracy. It's about how art disarms us, creates space for surprise and vulnerability and reveals the surprising truth that you can't be cynical and creative at the same time. Listen in to hear soundbites from the live event. This episode, the Bozeman, MT live event and the entire Hard Conversations series were all made possible by a grant from Templeton Religion Trust. You can learn more by visiting templetonreligiontrust.org. Check out the previous episodes from our Hard Conversations series: Deep Dive with Bob and Amy Allnutt on Hard Conversations https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/deep-dive-with-bob-a nd-amy-allnutt-on-hard-conversations/id1532951390?i=1000683888545 Deep Dive with Isaac Slade and Gregg Latterman on Hard Conversations https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/deep-dive-with-isaac-slade-and-gregg-latterman-on/id1532951390?i=1000684803329 Deep Dive with Simon Greer and Saad Soliman on Hard Conversations https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/deep-dive-with-simon-greer-and-saad-soliman-on/id1532951390?i=1000686080499 Deep Dive with Sisters Amy and Meg on Hard Conversations https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/deep-dive-with-sisters-amy-and-meg-on-hard-conversations/id1532951390?i=1000688777654 Deep Dive with Karen McKinney and Joseph Herrera on Hard Conversations https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/deep-dive-with-karen-mckinney-and-joseph-herrera-on/id1532951390?i=1000691018234 Deep Dive with Rabbi Sharon Brous on Hard Conversations http://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/deep-dive-with-rabbi-sharon-brous-on-hard-conversations/id1532951390?i=1000704424738 Deep Dive with Ami Dar on Hard Conversations https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/deep-dive-with-ami-dar-on-hard-conversations/id1532951390?i=1000705376939 Deep Dive with Amy Griffin on Hard Conversations https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/deep-dive-with-amy-griffin-on-hard-conversations/id1532951390?i=1000708296163 Deep Dive with Brad Porteus on Hard Conversations https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/deep-dive-with-brad-porteus-on-hard-conversations/id1532951390?i=1000709108674 Deep Dive with Miroslav Volf on Hard Conversations https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/deep-dive-with-miroslav-volf-on-hard-conversations/id1532951390?i=1000710067256 To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week's episode features Jenny Rosenstrach's heartfelt eulogy for her father, Ivan, highlighting his unwavering dependability and his profound love for family. Jenny reflects on cherished memories from her childhood, illustrating her father's unique love language of 'being there,' and the impact his dependable nature had on her life. (Previously aired) To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What if politicians could just agree to stop being so awful to each other? Amanda Ripley (bestselling author and co-founder of ⁠Good Conflict⁠, a media and training company that helps people reimagine conflict) thinks it's possible and she's got examples to prove it. This week's Go To digs into her idea for voluntary non-aggression pacts - basically giving politicians permission to step back from the brink without looking weak. Turns out, most people caught up in these conflicts are actually tired of fighting but don't know how to stop. We'll look at how we can reward the good behavior when we see it and why we need to be ready with real solutions before things get even worse. Sometimes the obvious answer is hiding in plain sight. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this conversation recorded live at the Aspen Ideas Festival, Kelly explores two fundamental human drives with panel moderator Dave DeSteno (host of the podcast How God Works) and author of the new book Mattering: The Secret to a Life of Deep Connection and Purpose, Jennifer B. Wallace - our deep need to feel valued and our instinct to create. Jennifer shares her research on "mattering" and why so many people today feel invisible, while Kelly makes the case that creativity isn't a luxury but essential for our wellbeing. Together, they uncover why showing genuine interest in others matters more than praise, how economic pressures are driving perfectionism in families and the surprising ways that making things with our hands can change how we see the world. Kelly and Jennifer Wallace will be together in person, in New Caanan, CT on October 29th, 2025. We'll add the link for the event here in the show notes as soon as it becomes available. Special thanks to our friends at the Aspen Ideas Festival. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Listener Sarah DuMond shares the eulogy she gave for her mother - a woman who embodied the motto, "Take a Tylenol and wear the damn heels." Sarah reflects on navigating life in what she calls, "the sacred Venn diagram of daughter, mother, wife", while planning both a funeral and graduations in the same month. Her tribute captures a remarkable woman who was crowned West Virginia University's Mountaineer Queen, had a self-declared theme song and approached life's challenges with grace and practicality. It's a beautiful portrait of how the women of a certain generation lived with strength, sweetness and an unshakeable sense of what truly mattered - and a reminder that we're all leaving legacies whether we realize it or not. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Breaking down the principles, practices and tactics of conflict resolution to be shared with anyone who is struggling to reach new levels understanding with friends, family and neighbors. A very simple set of moves that just might break the tension. Reference: Bridging Differences Playbook created by the Greater Good Science Center. (Previously aired) To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kelly talks with Kendra Adachi (The Lazy Genius), who challenges everything we've been taught about productivity and time management. Together, they explore why traditional approaches aren't working for women's lives, and offer a revolutionary new framework for finding contentment in the chaos. Kelly and Kendra discuss Kendra's new book The Plan and look at how to stop treating exhaustion as a status symbol and start embracing a more integrated approach to daily life. It's an honest conversation about redefining what a successful life really looks like, perfect for anyone seeking a more compassionate way to navigate their time and energy. (Previously aired) To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Once in a great while, maybe even just once in a lifetime, a person comes along who totally changes your perspective, teaches you what matters and gives you an example of what loving your fellow man is supposed to look like. Avery Anderson was that person. She affected people near and far and people around the world showed their love and support of her by wearing rubber bracelets in Avery’s favorite color of teal green. #avethebrave (Previously aired) To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If I don't let myself cry, I risk a migraine, which is to risk several days of living. So when the wave comes, I let it. After my most recent release, I stumbled onto some analysis of the benefits of crying and why we might do well by each other to normalize crying as a natural and effective human behavior. Sharing here for the good of the order. Speaking of which, we'd love to hear about the best cry of your life -- if you feel like sharing, write us at hello@kellycorrigan.com. (Previously aired) To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What does it really mean to be financially fulfilled, and how has the path to wealth changed for younger generations? In this conversation recorded at the Aspen Ideas Festival, host Kelly Corrigan sits down with Edward Jones Managing Partner Penny Pennington and finance influencer and educator Vivian Tu to explore how money psychology shapes our decisions, why traditional retirement models are breaking down, and what families can do to navigate the largest wealth transfer in American history. From the comparison trap fueled by social media to the sandwich generation caring for both parents and children, Pennington and Tu offer practical insights on building financial literacy, having honest money conversations across generations and redefining what middle-class prosperity looks like in today's economy. Whether you're helping your twentysomething get started or planning for your own financial future, this episode challenges assumptions about money, success and what it takes to build lasting wealth. Special thanks to the Aspen Ideas Festival where this episode was recorded. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This episode is our tribute to poet Andrea Gibson, who passed away recently and left behind some of the most stunning insights about love, illness and what it really means to show up for one another. Kelly shares an excerpt from Andrea's blog regarding being sick—how friends would ask what to bring when they visited and Andrea's partner would say "bring your problems," because being needed was just as important as being cared for. It's such a simple but profound idea: that even when we're struggling, we still want to feel useful, to be more than just someone who needs help. The episode ends with Andrea's gorgeous poem "Love Letter from the Afterlife," which completely reimagines what death might be like—not as leaving but as becoming more present than ever before. It's the kind of writing that stops you in your tracks and makes you think about love and loss in an entirely new way. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After Kelly's conversation with Lenore Skenazy this past Tuesday, we're going deeper into the moment that changed everything for this mom and sparked a national conversation about how we raise our kids. When Lenore's 9-year-old kept begging for some independence, she finally said yes—letting him ride the New York subway home alone from Bloomingdale's. The op-ed she wrote about it in The New York Sun brought fierce criticism and praise in equal measure, with some calling her brave and others suggesting she should be reported for child abuse. It's a story that gets to the heart of something so many of us wrestle with: How do we help our children develop confidence and self-reliance in a world that feels increasingly dangerous? And what happens when our desire to protect them might actually be holding them back from becoming the capable, independent people we want them to be? To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When well-meaning parents try to keep kids safe from every possible harm, they might actually be creating more anxious, less capable children. In this conversation recorded live on stage at this year's Aspen Ideas Festival, Kelly talks with Lenore Skenazy, who became known as "America's Worst Mom" after letting her nine-year-old ride the New York subway alone and psychologist Dr. Camilo Ortiz, who developed "Independence Therapy" to treat childhood anxiety through independence rather than avoidance. They explore how protecting kids from distress, disappointment, danger, and discomfort interferes with essential skill-building, why being around our children too much leads to over-parenting and how simple changes like waiting five seconds before jumping in to help can make a huge difference. The conversation covers practical strategies for fostering independence, the importance of mixed-age play and the hopeful news that 11 states have now passed laws protecting parents' rights to raise free-range kids. Special thanks to The Aspen Ideas Festival where this episode was recorded. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kelly shares a moving piece by her friend Susannah Meadows about the complex relationship she had with her father. Originally published in the New York Times and titled "What My Dad Gave Me," Susannah writes with unflinching honesty about the gifts she received from her father—some welcome, others less so—and how their relationship transformed in his final years. From awkward silences and missed connections to a surprising moment of tenderness in an assisted living dining room, this is a story about how people can change, even stubborn fathers in their nineties. It's a gentle reminder that our most important relationships don't have to be perfect to hold beauty, and that it's never too late for two people who love each other imperfectly to find connection and understanding. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What if the same playbook that made cigarettes addictive is now being used to make our food irresistible? This week we're exploring Ariana Huffington's eye-opening piece about how Big Food borrowed tactics directly from Big Tobacco, using the same scientists and brain research to hook us on ultra-processed foods. We dig into a groundbreaking lawsuit that's drawing explicit connections between food companies and tobacco giants, and why this might be our "big tobacco moment" for the food industry. From a 1962 memo revealing that tobacco companies saw themselves as being "in the flavor business" to the staggering health costs we're paying today, this episode connects the dots between corporate strategy and our current health crisis - and explains why there's actually reason for hope. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I loved being with Ginni Rometty. She is full of insight and clearly oriented toward world-positive work. I was also taken with her Midwestern charm and candor. Emerging from a tricky childhood, she found herself running IBM in a time when very few women were commanding boardrooms (a statement that is maddeningly still applicable today). Now, she is entirely devoted to making good careers available to many more people, and her plan is working. This is a conversation for anyone who wants to build more purpose into life and perhaps one to forward along to the young professionals in your life as inspiration. Thanks to AmeriHealth Caritas and PBS for supporting this work. You can watch this conversation anytime at PBS.org/kelly. (Previously aired) Ginni Rometty’s book: Good Power: Leading Positive Change in our Lives, Work, and World To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A tender meditation on what it means to live fully, told through the lens of loss and love. Kelly's friend Christine Carter shares the eulogy she wrote for her father Tim—a man who turned everyday moments into acts of devotion and found humor even in hospital rooms. Through stories of midnight baby feedings, homemade lattes for gardeners and gratitude spoken with final breaths, we discover how one person's way of moving through the world can illuminate the path for all of us. This is a celebration of the ordinary magic that happens when someone chooses love over fear, laughter over complaint and commitment over convenience—a reminder that how we live echoes long after we're gone. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What happens when your creative passion feels like it's not loving you back? This week we're diving into a brilliant piece by Kelly's good friend, songwriter and music educator Mike Errico, who compares our relationship with creative work to loving a cat - something beautiful, unpredictable, and impossible to control. Mike asks AI how to love a cat, then translates those tips into wisdom for anyone wrestling with the ups and downs of making art. Whether you're a musician, writer, or any kind of creator who's ever felt like you're pouring your heart into something that seems indifferent to your devotion, this episode offers a fresh perspective on how to nurture your craft without losing yourself in the process. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Arianna Huffington loves her mom, reading, America, adventure and getting to the bottom of things. She has spent a lifetime asking Why and Why Not? Our conversation zeroes in what any one of us can do to thrive, such that we might have more capacity to contribute. We loved being together, comparing notes, figuring out what leads to what. Please share with everyone you know who needs a reminder that we have agency. (Previously aired) This episode was made possible by AmeriHealth Caritas and can be viewed anytime you like at PBS.org/kelly. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices