Our Oscars Stories & How to Stay Steady with Life Changes

The world is on fire—but we still have each other. This week, Glennon, Abby, and Amanda step away from the overwhelm to talk about what actually holds us: love, family, friendship, and truth. From their Oscars experience to a listener's question about divorce, kids, and staying in love, this episode is about staying soft while doing hard things. - Why losing the Oscar still felt like winning - What kids really need when they sense change at home - The difference between leaving a relationship and giving up on love - How to tell the truth (even when it’s hard) - Why it’s time to get off the shore and into the boat Follow We Can Do Hard Things on:  Instagram — ⁠https://www.instagram.com/wecandohardthings⁠

Pod Squad, we’ve been doing a lot of hard things—so today, in the midst of all of it, we’re offering a little comic relief to keep us laughing, keep us dancing, keep us going. In this episode, we’re sharing our most mortifying, cringe-inducing, please-let-me-disappear moments… along with your voicemail confessions that had us cry-laughing and peeing our pants in solidarity. We promise you: you need this. We needed this. - Glennon, Abby, and Amanda share their most humiliating, unforgettable stories - Pod Squad voicemail confessions that will make you laugh until you cry - Why normalizing our worst moments is the antidote to shame - Our new go-to strategy for surviving humiliation (spoiler alert, it involves a prosthetic penis) Follow We Can Do Hard Things on: Instagram — ⁠https://www.instagram.com/wecandohardthings⁠

It's birthday month for Glennon and Amanda, and if you’ve ever had a birthday that made you want to crawl into bed and also throw a parade and also cry in the shower and also text every person you’ve ever loved like: ARE WE OKAY?—welcome. You are among your people. Because birthdays are not just cake day. Birthdays are a spotlight. A pop quiz. A referendum on: Do I matter? Am I loved? Am I seen? And if the answers don’t arrive in the exact form we imagined—texts, plans, enthusiasm, proof—our brains go: Welp. That’s that. In this episode, we’re trying to name why birthdays bring so many feels—and how to make them suck less. - Why birthdays can feel like a setup for disappointment - Glennon, Abby, and Amanda’s best, worst, and most revealing birthday stories - Why birthdays can feel like a test of your worth, love, and belonging - How to drop the secret tests and actually ask for what you want - Simple ways to celebrate each other all year so no one is waiting one day to feel loved Follow We Can Do Hard Things on:  Instagram — ⁠https://www.instagram.com/wecandohardthings⁠

We’re told this is about bad guys, nuclear threats, and national security. History—and this moment—tell a different story. In this You’re Not Gonna Believe This Bullshit episode, Amanda traces America’s regime change playbook—then sits down with investigative journalist, co-founder of Drop Site News, Jeremy Scahill to break down what's really driving the current wars in Iran and Gaza. - Trump launching strikes on Iran amid disputed “nuclear threat” claims - The coordination of war decisions with Netanyahu—and why that matters - Kushner’s role in Gaza reconstruction plans that look a lot like real estate development - “Negotiations” with Iran happening alongside military escalation - The long history of regime change—and who actually benefits If it feels chaotic, it’s not. It’s a pattern. About Jeremy:  Jeremy Scahill is co-founder of Drop Site News. He was previously a Senior Correspondent and Editor-at-Large at The Intercept and is one of the three founding editors of The Intercept. He is an investigative reporter, war correspondent, and author of the international best-selling books “Dirty Wars: The World Is a Battlefield” and “Blackwater: The Rise of the World’s Most Powerful Mercenary Army.” He has reported from Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, Yemen, Nigeria, the former Yugoslavia, and elsewhere across the globe. Scahill has served as the national security correspondent for The Nation and “Democracy Now!”. He continues to host the podcast Intercepted. Scahill’s work has sparked several congressional investigations and won some of journalism’s highest honors. He was twice awarded the prestigious George Polk Award, in 1998 for foreign reporting and in 2008 for “Blackwater.” Scahill is a producer and writer of the award-winning film “Dirty Wars,” which premiered at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival and was nominated for an Academy Award. Follow We Can Do Hard Things on:  Instagram — ⁠https://www.instagram.com/wecandohardthings⁠ TikTok — ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@wecandohardthingsshow⁠

In this deeply moving — and one of our all-time favorite — conversations, we take a beautiful, funny, honest dive inside the “wonderful, dangerous” mind of Tracee Ellis Ross. As the world asks us to stay engaged without burning out, Tracee offers a powerful model for how to show up fully without losing yourself. This conversation is about love — not just romantic love, but the kind that changes everything: choosing yourself, holding fast to joy, building deep connection, and being in charge of your own life. Tracee reflects on approaching 50 and what it means to step into a new decade rooted in freedom, depth, and aliveness — not hustle. She shares the unforgettable story of her 50th birthday, standing in her mother’s dress, surrounded by her cauldron people, and singing, “I’m 50 and I’m free.” A true lighthouse moment for all of us learning how to stay whole while we show up. -Tracee’s go-to tools for quieting self-doubt and staying tethered to her truest self-How she made peace with not being everyone’s cup of tea-The story behind becoming “Fifty and Free” in her mother’s dress-Why she rejected the lie that women exist to be chosen-How to find your cauldron people — the ones who hold your fire About Tracee: Tracee Ellis Ross is an award-winning actress and producer best known for her roles in ABC’s award-winning comedy series BLACK-ISH and GIRLFRIENDS. For her role as “Rainbow Johnson” in BLACK-ISH, as a comedic leading actress, Ross won the Golden Globe Award in 2017 as well as nine NAACP Image Awards. She was nominated for five Emmys and two Critics Choice Awards.  Ross is the CEO and Founder of Pattern, a haircare brand for the curly, coily and tight textured masses.  Ross executive produced and narrates Hulu’s THE HAIR TALES, a docuseries about Black women, beauty and identity through the distinctive lens of Black hair.  Ross will be producing a ten-episode podcast “I Am America,” which aims to break through the noise during this divided time in our country in an effort to create space and to heal.  Follow We Can Do Hard Things on:  Instagram — ⁠https://www.instagram.com/wecandohardthings⁠ TikTok — ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@wecandohardthingsshow⁠

Meggan Watterson joins Glennon and Abby for an urgent, unfiltered conversation about how to stay human in infuriating times. They discuss sacred rage as a form of love, why trusting our inner knowing matters more than ever, and what it means to stop waiting for institutions—or men—to tell us we’re worthy. They also unpack the moment we’re in—from the Epstein files and Deepak Chopra’s presence in them to the misogyny behind the U.S. Men’s Hockey Team’s comments about the women’s team—and ask what women do when the systems meant to protect people fail. Plus: Meggan shares the historical acts of resistance inspiring her right now, the story of Mary Magdalene and believing women (and ourselves), and the question guiding her days: How do women pray when the world is on fire? For more We Can Do Hard Things with Meggan Watterson, check out:  Women’s Voices So Dangerous They Buried Them About Meggan: Meggan Watterson is the author of The Girl Who Baptized Herself and the Wall Street Journal bestselling Mary Magdalene Revealed. She is a feminist theologian with a Master of Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School and a Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary at Columbia University. She leads a global online spiritual community, The House of Mary Magdalene, to study the scripture left out of the Christian canon like The Gospel of Mary and The Acts of Paul and Thecla.  Follow We Can Do Hard Things on:  Instagram — ⁠https://www.instagram.com/wecandohardthings⁠ TikTok — ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@wecandohardthingsshow⁠

This is one of the bravest, most life-changing conversations we’ve ever had on this podcast. In this unforgettable episode, beloved poet and activist Andrea Gibson joins us to share news they had just received: that their cancer was incurable. What you will hear is not despair — you will hear the sound of a human being choosing, moment by moment, to stay awake to love, to beauty, and to what is still astonishing right now. This conversation changed us forever. It transformed how we understand fear, mortality, and what it means to truly be alive. There is also a powerful full-circle moment: director and producers Ryan White and Jess Hargrave listened to this very episode on a flight — and by the time they landed, they knew they had to make the documentary Come See Me in the Good Light, which is now nominated for Best Documentary Feature at the Academy Awards. This episode includes honest discussion of illness, death, and suicidal ideation. Please take care as you listen. What Andrea offers us here is a profound reminder: we cannot control how long we live — but we can decide how deeply we love while we’re here. You can stream Come See Me in the Good Light now on Apple TV. For more episodes with our friends, Andrea and Meg, check out:  The Bravest Conversation We’ve Had: Andrea Gibson Megan Falley Knows What Love Is An Unforgettable Double Date with Andrea Gibson & Megan Falley Let Our Sundance-Winning Film Remind You What Love Is with Megan Falley Watch OUR 1ST FILM – Come See Me in the Good Light: Meg Falley (& Andrea Gibson) Follow We Can Do Hard Things on:  Instagram — ⁠https://www.instagram.com/wecandohardthings⁠ TikTok — ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@wecandohardthingsshow⁠

Megan Falley takes over the mic to interview Glennon, Abby, and Sara Bareilles about Come See Me In the Good Light—their Oscar-nominated documentary honoring poet Andrea Gibson and the last year Meg and Andrea spent together. They each share why they said yes to the project, how the film changed the way they understand love, grief, and being fully alive, and why this isn’t a story about death—it’s a story about living more vibrantly right now. Come See Me in the Good Light  premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Festival Favorite Award, and has since been named one of the National Board of Review’s Top 5 Documentaries of the year, earning major honors including nominations at the Satellite Awards and Film Independent Spirit Awards. Now nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary — to be presented Sunday, March 15 — Come See Me in the Good Light can be streamed on Apple TV. For more episodes with our friends, Andrea, Meg, and Sara, check out:  The Bravest Conversation We’ve Had: Andrea Gibson Megan Falley Knows What Love Is An Unforgettable Double Date with Andrea Gibson & Megan Falley Let Our Sundance-Winning Film Remind You What Love Is with Megan Falley Watch OUR 1ST FILM – Come See Me in the Good Light: Meg Falley (& Andrea Gibson) Sara Bareilles: How to Remember Yourself Follow We Can Do Hard Things on:  Instagram — ⁠https://www.instagram.com/wecandohardthings⁠ TikTok — ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@wecandohardthingsshow⁠

At this moment, as the Epstein horrors are being revealed and many survivors are carrying fresh grief and reopened wounds, we wanted to return to one of the most grounding conversations we’ve ever shared. This is Part 1 of our honest and deeply hopeful conversation with activist, advocate, and founder of the me too movement, Tarana Burke. For nearly three decades, Tarana has worked at the intersection of racial justice, gender equity, and anti-violence—interrupting systems that disproportionately harm marginalized people, particularly Black women and girls. We talk about the impossible double bind survivors live inside of—how community can both protect and silence—why so many are taught to perform “goodness” to survive, and how joy, truth-telling, and collective care become radical acts. Tarana’s work has not only exposed hard truths about power and harm, but has also expanded access to resources, support, and pathways forward—inviting each of us to find our place in the movement.   For Part 2 of our conversation with Tarana Burke, go here. And for Amanda’s two-part series on the Epstein Files, go here:  THE EPSTEIN FILES, EXPLAINED: Everything You Need to Know EPSTEIN SURVIVORS’ ATTORNEY WHO EXPOSED GOVERNMENT CONSPIRACY: Brad Edwards CW: We reference sexual abuse and trauma. About Tarana:  Tarana J. Burke has been working at the intersection of racial justice, arts and culture, anti-violence and gender equity for nearly three decades. Fueled by a commitment to interrupt systemic issues disproportionately impacting marginalized people, like sexual violence, particularly for black women and girls, Tarana has created and led campaigns that have brought awareness to the harmful legacies surrounding communities of color. Specifically, her work to end sexual violence has not only exposed the ugly truths of sexism and spoke truth to power, it has also increased access to resources and support for survivors and paved a way forward for everyone to find their place in the movement. Tarana’s Book: Unbound: My Story of Liberation and the Birth of the Me Too Movement Follow We Can Do Hard Things on:  Instagram — ⁠https://www.instagram.com/wecandohardthings⁠ TikTok — ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@wecandohardthingsshow⁠

Do not miss the first part of Amanda’s Epstein files conversation. To listen, click here: THE EPSTEIN FILES, EXPLAINED: Everything You Need to Know. Brad Edwards – who has represented 200 Epstein survivors for almost two decades – is the attorney who sued to expose what was later found by a federal judge to be the federal prosecution’s prolonged, coordinated collusion to protect Jeffrey Epstein from facing justice for his crimes.   In this exclusive conversation with Amanda, in which Brad shares experiences during his advocacy for survivors he has never shared before, he walks us through: The incredible courage and resilience of the survivors The secret immunity deal between federal prosecutors and Epstein and the government cover-up How the DOJ seems to be intentionally revictimizing survivors in the way they are releasing the Epstein Files How he secretly worked with the SDNY to finally arrest Epstein in 2019  What the path forward is for accountability.  This episode centers survivors and the people who never stopped fighting for them, and asks what comes next. About Brad Edwards: Brad Edwards is the founding partner of Edwards Henderson and the author of Relentless Pursuit: My Fight for the Victims of Jeffrey Epstein.  He is a nationally recognized Board Certified Civil Trial attorney who specializes in providing civil representation for children, survivors of sexual abuse, and victims of violent crimes. From 2008 through 2019, Brad served as pro-bono lead counsel on behalf of the survivors of Jeffrey Epstein in the seminal case upholding crime victims’ rights in this country. In 2019, the Federal Judge on the case ruled in favor of the victims, holding that the government had violated the rights of Epstein’s victims under the Crime Victims’ Rights Act when Epstein entered into a Non-Prosecution Agreement without the knowledge of his victims in 2008. In 2023, Brad spearheaded unprecedented litigation as lead counsel against the banking institutions that facilitated Epstein’s sex-trafficking operation for decades. The litigation ended in a $290 million settlement with JP Morgan Chase and a $75 million settlement with Deutsche Bank on behalf of hundreds of survivors from all over the world. Follow We Can Do Hard Things on:  Instagram — ⁠https://www.instagram.com/wecandohardthings⁠ TikTok — ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@wecandohardthingsshow⁠