Some days that’s true. I feel free, open, like a whole new chapter is standing right there waiting for me. Other days my heart aches just thinking about the quiet house. No one asking me to make them a sandwich. No shower running in the morning, no dishes thrown in the sink because someone was rushing out the door. That sound, that mess, I miss it before it’s even gone.
So I needed today’s conversation more than I realized when I sat down to record it.
My guest is Kathy Eldon, and her opening line to me set the tone for everything that followed. Don’t despair, don’t give up. There’s no way out, but through.
Kathy’s life has been one long act of reinvention, from a conservative upbringing in Iowa, to a journalist in Nairobi, to a mother who lost her 22-year-old son Dan, a Reuters photojournalist killed while covering the crisis in Somalia. She has since built Creative Visions Foundation, which has incubated more than 400 projects across five continents and touched over 100 million people. She’s the author of 17 books, including her memoir In the Heart of Life, which cracked me wide open before we even hit record.
In our conversation, Kathy shares:
✨ How being cracked open again and again, by apartheid, by divorce, by grief, became the shape of her entire life rather than something to recover from and move past.
✨ What she has learned about grief after losing Dan, including why the second year was harder than the first, and the one piece of advice she gives everyone who is grieving.
✨ How she turned unimaginable loss into Creative Visions, and what it looks like to give your creative spark to something bigger than yourself.
We also talk about her noisy spirits, her visits with psychic mediums, and her simple, powerful closing words: find a path to joy.
This conversation is for anyone standing at the edge of a new chapter, whether it’s an empty house, a loss, or a version of yourself you’re not sure how to leave behind. Kathy’s story is proof that the cracks are not the end. They’re where the light gets in.
🎧 Tune in now to listen.
xoxo
Molly
Resources & Links:
Read Kathy’s memoir, In the Heart of Life.
Learn more about Creative Visions Foundation
Learn more about Kathy Eldon
Work with Molly: https://calendly.com/mollycarroll/coaching
If you’re ready to do the meaningful work of truly knowing and accepting yourself, I’m currently accepting new therapy clients. I specialize in helping people:
Break stuck patterns in relationships or life decisions
Develop coping strategies for anxiety and depression
Navigate life transitions with clarity and purpose
Create more joy, balance, and healthy habits
A note from Molly: For three years, I’ve poured my heart into this podcast, creating 90 episodes. I’ve funded everything myself to focus on meaningful conversations, but to keep bringing you the quality content you deserve, I need your help.
Even $5 a month, less than a coffee, helps cover hosting, editing, and prep time. If this podcast has supported you, would you consider joining? Support here
Stay Connected with Molly: Follow on Instagram; follow on Facebook