As for the Rest of Us: Recent Episodes
Katie Kolkmeier
In a world full of influencers and celebrities, a culture of hustling and achieving, and an unspoken competition for followers and likes, this podcast is a space for the rest of us. For the people whose names you have never heard, but whose stories are just as important.
This week's episode is a little bit of a plot twist as Katie turns the tables and allows someone else to ask the questions. And who better to do that than Katie's trusted friend, Stephanie Ganser. As we kick off a series about quitting and saying no to resilience simply for the sake of being resilient, Katie felt it was time to share a bit about her story. Listen in as Katie shares her experience with quitting career fields (twice in a decade) and how she's learned the importance of writing her own permission slips.
This week's Amazon purchases:
Katie's frother
Stephanie's plant food
This episode is an intro to a series of episodes to come in the next few weeks. While listening to another episode recently, they briefly touched on the topic of "saying no to resilience". Essentially they were advocating that sometimes we should tell society no on the expectation they have of us to push through and walk way from something for sake of our own joy or mental health. They only talked about it for a few brief moments before moving on. In that moment, a podcast series idea was born in Katie's head. Listen to this week's quick intro to learn more and then stay tuned in the next few weeks for ways The Rest of Us say no to resilience.
In this week's episode, Katie shares a portion of the interview with Agnes Krahn that was edited out of their interview that released in January (see episode 9) about the concept of the soul child. This conversation with Agnes came to mind during a trip to Charleston, SC this past weekend and Katie felt compelled to share it with the rest of us now. In this episode, Katie and Agnes both share a portion about their soul child and Katie invites each of us to reflect on our own.
In the last two episodes we heard the perspective of both single and married individuals and "what they wish their friends knew". Today's episode brings that hypothetical conversation into a real friendship as Katie sits down with her friend of 15 years, Stefanie Norris. In this episode, Katie and Stefanie (or Kate and Stef, as they refer to one another) share what stood out to them in episode and what their biggest takeaway will be moving forward. The most meaningful part of the conversation is when Kate and Stef "get real" about their own friendship, what they're still learning about one another, and what makes it work even when they're in different life circumstances. Enjoy this conversation with two dear friends who share a bit of their friendship story and enjoy some laughs along the way!
Welcome back for episode two in this friendship series! This week we will hear from our single friends and their answer to the question, "What do you wish your married friends knew?" As you listen, you will hear that some of what is shared is in direct contradiction to what another person shared. As you listen along, feel free to chuckle when it happens, but then ask yourself "Which person would my friend agree with on this one?". After all, the goal of both last week's episode featuring our married friends and this week's episode with our single friends is to encourage the rest of us to have these conversations with our friends out in the open. Instead of keeping those thoughts and feelings inside, consider picking one friend to be honest with this week.
In this week's episode you will hear from some of the listeners of this podcast who are married. They were asked a simple prompt, "What do you wish your single friends knew?". Some of them shared dating advice, others cleared up misperceptions single friends can have of them, and others shared their perspective on how we can show up for one another regardless of marital status. Hopefully their responses will serve as food for thought in the minds of those of us who are single and even prompt conversation in our married friendships. After all, the goal of today's episode is to air out what it is our married friends wish those of us who are single knew and most likely, it's because we have never given them the chance to tell us.
Single friends...you are up next week! If you haven't yet, take a minute to record what you wish your married friends knew and then upload it here.
This week's episode is short and sweet. But don't worry, Katie has a plan for those extra minutes in your week! Listen in as Katie shares some context around what to expect in the episodes released over the next two weeks and then asks for your input in this Google form. As we learned in the Holidays with the Rest of Us episode, the more perspectives we hear from, the more impactful the episode will be - Katie hopes to hear from YOU!
Regarding the concept of Soundtracks mentioned in the podcast, learn more from Jon Acuff:
Soundtracks book
Podcast Interview with Jon & daughters on Broken Soundtracks on Annie F. Downs' That Sounds Fun podcast
Ariana Modi is a wife and daughter, an avid crafter, and a recently certified life coach. Each of those details makes her worthy of a podcast episode to share her story, but they are only the tip of the iceberg. In today's episode, Ariana shares part of her story, including some of the hardships she faces on a daily basis, and the choice she has made to persevere, even when doctors and medical textbooks said she wouldn't. In the sharing of her story, I hope we each find a reason to chase our dreams and choose resilience.
In today's episode, Ariana references two tools she has used in her own journey. They are linked for your reference.
Spoon Theory Metaphor for Chronic Illness
The Chronic Illness Workbook
Today's conversation is evidence that you can spend multiple hours a week with one another and have no idea what is going on in their world. Meet Jenna Comparin who Katie once spent multiple hours a week with while exercising at Camp Gladiator, but then years later learned a deeper part of Jenna's story. Listen in as Jenna shares her journey of choosing genuine joy and happiness in sobriety and the tools in her toolbox that help her through they days when the journey is challenging.
Would you believe that it is a total coincidence that episode 9 is a conversation with an Enneagram 9? In a follow-up conversation to last week's episode about hopes for 2023, Agnes Krahn joins Katie to discuss what they know about themselves and their Enneagram types and how it informs their approach to a new year. While Katie may set goals, Agnes dreams of the cool things she will do. And while Katie needs to loosen up a little bit, Agnes shares about her need to avoid procrastination. No matter who you relate to more, this episode serves as an example of two friends starting a new year in different ways but with the same goal in mind - continuing to grow into the best versions of themselves.---Click here to take the short, six-paragraph test referenced by Agnes.To learn more about each of the 9 Enneagram Types, visit:Enneagram InstituteThe Art of Growth
While some people may have entered the new year excited for what lies ahead, others are still grieving and processing what happened in 2022. This can make sharing a new year episode challenging. So, as one of the rest of us, Katie keeps it real and shares her own thoughts on the end of one year and the beginning of another. In particular, Katie shares an observation from time with her nephews during the Christmas holiday and how it relates to her own experiences in 2022 and goals for 2023.
To hear more about Carolyn's holiday scavenger hunt tradition, listen to episode 6: Holidays with the Rest of Us.
To hear more about Katie's journey to run a half marathon at the start of 2022, listen to episode 3: For the Fun of It.
Meet Gillian Talley. While she describes herself as the human version of a run-on sentence, others would describe her as an intentional, thoughtful, and compassionate friend. In today's episode, Gillian shares some of the ways she most enjoys connecting with friends, the tools she uses to be intentional in her connections even from a distance, and how she uses the Enneagram (a personality typing system) in relationships. While we laugh and joke throughout the episode, what remains at the heart of it is how to love others well, especially through this holiday season.
As a note, around the 24 minute mark we do a short dive into the Enneagram and introduce you to the 9 different types by explaining how each would respond to receiving a peppermint candy. If you're not interested in hearing a description of this typing system, feel free to skip forward 6 or so minutes.
To see what Gillian asks in her Friendship Google From check out this link.
To learn more about the Enneagram, check out the Enneagram Institute.
Welcome to a holiday episode of As for the Rest of Us! In this episode you will hear from everyday people sharing their most meaningful end of year holiday traditions. No matter your budget or how much time you have on your hands, what this episode reminds us that traditions are the meaningful because of the memories they make and the people they involve. And if you are still on the hunt for the perfect gift this holiday season, starting a new tradition with friends and/or family could be the gift that keeps on giving!
We all have them. The habits that we desperately want to get rid of once and for all. Join Katie in this episode as she brings you on her journey with one of those habits in her life and what she's realized about why it continues to creep back in. And stay tuned all the way to the end or you might miss an aha Katie had while admiring the changing leaves as Fall finally arrives in Texas.
Meet Amanda Bigbee. Amanda is a fierce advocate for public education and suicide prevention, owner of the most random and yet genius Amazon purchase this holiday season, and someone who finds something to be grateful for every day. Listen in as she shares the story of how her own life experiences helped her define the four quadrants of who she is and what matters the most to her. And make sure you stick around until the end when she reminds us that loving louder is the answer to so much of what faces our world today.
Warning: Amanda does share about her experience losing a loved one to suicide in this episode. If this is triggering for you, this may be an episode to skip and join us again next week. Take care of yourself, friends.
To learn more about the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention visit www.afsp.org.
Hello friends! Today's episode is going to be a little bit different. Mainly because it's just me sharing a little bit of my story. Join me as I bring you in to the journey I'm on to set goals for the fun of it and not to prove anything to myself. Whether you're a self-disciplined individual or someone who struggles to set goals and keep yourself accountable to them, I hope this episode will encourage you to have a little more fun and find a little more joy.
Gloria DeLapa is a daughter, a manager, a spouse, and a 90s millennial. But what we uncover in this episode is why she now introduces herself differently after a journey in self-discovery. Listen in as Gloria shares her story of distinguishing between comfortable and safe and the ripple of impact she is making in our team at work through the way she chooses to lean into temporary feelings of discomfort.
As for the Rest of Us is hosted by Katie Kolkmeier, an everyday woman sharing the stories of everyday people. Interested in connecting with Katie or the As for the Rest of Us community - follow along on Instagram: @restofuspod.
Meet Bianca Newton, full-time Doctoral student, Tabitha Brown sunshine seasoning enthusiast, and a poster child for the hangry among us. She truly is one of the rest of us. In this episode, we hear Bianca share how she has walked through life’s unexpected and difficult moments with friendships and faith that sustain her. Listen in as Bianca shares how she knows when to continue seeking growth where she is and when she knows it is time to move on, even when that move takes her to the winter tundra of Syracuse, NY. Bianca will leave you laughing, smiling, and reflecting as she brings us into her story.
In a world full of influencers and celebrities, a culture of hustling and achieving, and an unspoken competition for followers and likes, this podcast will be a space for the rest of us. As for the rest of us, hosted by Katie Kolkmeier, is a show for the people whose names you have never heard, but whose stories are just as important.
Listen each week as we are introduced another person you wouldn’t otherwise meet. For many of them, they would never dream of bringing attention to themselves. They’re one of the rest of us. Each week, we’ll all see it’s these everyday people who impact our lives the most.