(BEST OF) The Panini Generation: Caretaking Without Losing Yourself with Ai-jen Poo

Caregivers, you’re exhausted for a reason—and it’s not because you’re doing it wrong. Ai-jen Poo reveals why so many of us are burning out while caring for kids, aging parents, partners, and everyone in between—and why we were never meant to carry all of this alone. - The real reason caregivers are so burned out - How to care for the people you love without losing yourself - Why the “sandwich generation” is really the panini generation - How to build a “care squad” that actually supports you - Why care is the invisible work that makes everything else possible About Ai-jen:  Ai-jen Poo is an award-winning organizer, author, and a leading voice in the women’s movement. She is the President of the National Domestic Workers Alliance, Executive Director of Caring Across Generations, Senior Advisor to Care in Action, Co-Founder of SuperMajority, and a Trustee of the Ford Foundation. Ai-jen is a nationally recognized expert on caregiving, the future of work, and what’s at stake for women of color. She is the author of the celebrated book, The Age of Dignity: Preparing for the Elder Boom in a Changing America.  Follow We Can Do Hard Things on:  Instagram — ⁠https://www.instagram.com/wecandohardthings⁠

What if the secret to moving forward is getting better at letting go of what just happened? Glennon, Abby, and Amanda catch up on empty nesting, parenting, sports, midlife, and the stories we tell ourselves when we mess up—and discover that golf may, unfortunately, be a metaphor for life. - Why we waste so much energy trying to explain or undo our mistakes - Glennon and Abby’s empty-nest question: What do people actually do between dinner and bedtime? - Abby on the skill of feeling your anger, releasing it, and saying: “Okay, next” - The parenting lesson that brought Glennon to tears: “Be the one w Follow We Can Do Hard Things on:  Instagram — ⁠https://www.instagram.com/wecandohardthings⁠

What if the key to understanding each other isn’t getting better at talking—but getting better at recognizing how differently our brains work? The brilliant and hilarious Hannah Gadsby joins us to talk about neurodivergence, relationships, shame, and what it really takes to meet people where they are. Hannah shares how a later-in-life autism diagnosis changed the way they understood themself—and why they describe it as an “exfoliation of shame.” - Why neurodivergent and neurotypical people can experience communication so differently - The invisible work of masking—and why a “casual” conversation can feel like a marathon - Why Hannah says we need to stop taking other people’s differences personally - How to better understand and connect with the neurodivergent people we love - Why Hannah stopped using self-deprecating humor—and what happened when they stopped apologizing for who they are About Hannah: Hannah Gadsby stopped stand-up comedy in its tracks with their multi-award-winning show Nanette, which played to sold-out houses in Australia, the UK, and New York. Its launch on Netflix, and subsequent Emmy and Peabody wins, took Nanette (and Hannah) to the world. Hannah’s difficult second album (which was also their eleventh solo show) was named Douglas, after their dog. Hannah walked Douglas around the world, selling out and scoring another Emmy nomination. Before all of this, Hannah appeared as a character called Hannah in Please Like Me (Hulu) and toured their native Australia and the UK as a stand-up comedian. They made art documentaries and did plenty of other things over the course of more than a decade in comedy, but that will do for now.  Follow We Can Do Hard Things on:  Instagram — ⁠https://www.instagram.com/wecandohardthings⁠

What if the secret to stronger relationships isn’t avoiding conflict—but learning how to do it well? Conflict resolution expert and bestselling author Priya Parker joins us to teach us how to fight with more courage, clarity, and love—and how to know which relationships are actually worth the fight. - Why “we never fight” can be a warning sign, not a relationship goal - The difference between unhealthy peace and healthy heat - How to know when to confront, when to let go, and when to walk away - The simple rule that can make a hard conversation easier to hear: name the behavior, not the person - Why the relationships with the most depth often require some heat—and why fighting well can bring us closer For more, listen to:  256. How to Host a Magical Gathering with Priya Parker 163. How to Make Wrongs Right with Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg About Priya:  PRIYA PARKER is a facilitator, strategic advisor, and acclaimed author of The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters. Trained in the field of conflict resolution, Parker has worked on race relations on American college campuses and on peace processes in the Arab world, southern Africa, and India. She studied organizational design at MIT, public policy at the Harvard Kennedy School, and political and social thought at the University of Virginia.  Her new book THE ART OF FIGHTING: The Transformative Power of Conflict is available now.  Follow We Can Do Hard Things on:  Instagram — ⁠https://www.instagram.com/wecandohardthings⁠

Today, we remember Gloria Steinem—a woman who spent her life reminding us that we are not broken, just born into systems designed to break us. She taught us how to stay whole anyway, how to tell the truth, get free, find our people, get to work—and laugh while we work. Gloria showed us how to lead. Our turn.  Gloria, Gloria, Hallelujah.

Heartbreak isn't just happening in your mind—it's happening in your body. In this Best Of conversation, science journalist Florence Williams joins us to discuss what heartbreak does to our brains, bodies, and nervous systems—and the surprising science behind healing. We explore why awe, beauty, and nature may be some of our most powerful medicines when life breaks us open. - What heartbreak actually does to your body - Why loneliness can make us physically sick - The surprising connection between awe and healing - How nature helps regulate our nervous systems - Simple practices to feel more alive after loss About Florence:  Florence Williams is author of "The Nature Fix" and, most recently, Heartbreak: A Personal and Scientific Journey. Florence explores the connections between humans and the natural world, and reveals the profound psychological and physiological benefits of rewilding our lives.  Follow We Can Do Hard Things on:  Instagram — ⁠https://www.instagram.com/wecandohardthings⁠

If you've been living inside your head lately, this conversation is for you.  Glennon, Abby, and Amanda talk about the exhausting mental chatter that keeps so many of us anxious, overwhelmed, and disconnected from our lives. Glennon shares the surprising shift that helped her stop trusting every thought she had—and start finding a steadier place beneath the noise. - Why you are not your thoughts - Glennon's #1 sanity strategy - The "touch tree" practice for staying grounded - How Amanda stopped accepting assignments from strangers - The wedding-week rule that changed everything for Glennon and Abby Follow We Can Do Hard Things on:  Instagram — ⁠https://www.instagram.com/wecandohardthings⁠

Today, we remember the one and only Dolly Parton. Dolly gave the world so much: her music, her humor, her generosity, her courage, and her unwavering commitment to being exactly who she was—and letting everyone else be exactly who they are, too. We feel incredibly lucky to have had this conversation with her about trusting yourself even when it breaks your heart, beginning again at any age, mothering the world, and living a life of many colors. We love you, Dolly. Thank you for showing all of us how to be more ourselves on purpose. Follow We Can Do Hard Things on:  Instagram — ⁠https://www.instagram.com/wecandohardthings⁠

Good Grief, the album, is out everywhere this Friday, and the documentary comes to theaters nationwide September 2! Our dear friend Sara Bareilles joins us to talk about Good Grief—her deeply personal new album and documentary—and what she’s learning about grief, love, mental health, and the terrifying practice of trusting life to hold us. Sara shares how infertility, loss, and some of her hardest moments became music; why grief might be love that has everywhere to go; and what becomes possible when we stop trying to fix ourselves and start telling the truth. -Why Sara says avoiding pain doesn’t work: “It hurts anyway.” - Sara on mental health, the fear of being “too much,” and learning to trust that life will hold her -The unexpected connection between Sara’s infertility journey, Andrea Gibson, and the creation of Good Grief -The stories and meaning behind the songs and lyrics including what it means to “worship your weather” instead of fearing your feelings For everything Good Grief—the new album, documentary, and more—visit sarabmusic.com.  About Sara:  SARA BAREILLES is an award-winning singer, songwriter, actor, producer, activist, and New York Times best-selling author whose accolades include two Grammy Awards, three Tony Award nominations, and three Primetime Emmy Award nominations. As a recording artist and songwriter, she has sold more than 3 million albums and 15 million singles in the U.S., and her songs have been streamed more than 3.5 billion times worldwide. On Broadway, she composed music and lyrics for Waitress. On the screen, she executive-produced and wrote original music for the series Little Voice. She plays Dawn Solano on the Emmy-nominated musical comedy series Girls5eva. Her song "Salt Then Sour Then Sweet" appears in the Peabody Award-winning documentary Come See Me in the Good Light, on which she also serves as executive producer; the song was shortlisted for Best Original Song and the film was nominated for Best Documentary at the 2026 Oscars.  Her new solo album, Good Grief, will be released this Friday, and Sara Bareilles: Good Grief, a documentary about the making of the album—which we are very proud to be Executive Producers on—comes to theaters nationwide on September 2.  Follow We Can Do Hard Things on:  Instagram — ⁠https://www.instagram.com/wecandohardthings⁠

As another school year begins, many of us are wondering if we're doing enough to prepare our kids for the world. But maybe the most important thing we can give them isn't in a backpack. Maybe it's our willingness to have the conversations we're most afraid of. Sonya Renee Taylor reminds us that our kids don't need perfect answers—they need honest, trustworthy adults who are willing to tell the truth, stay curious, and keep learning alongside them. Because our job isn't to protect our children from reality. It's to help them meet reality without losing themselves. - How to talk to your kids about sex, climate change, injustice, and other hard topics - Why becoming a "reliable narrator" matters more than being a perfect parent - The simple way to respond when you don't know the answer - Why your own growth is one of the greatest gifts you can give your kids About Sonya:  Sonya Renee Taylor is a New York Times best-selling author of seven books, transformational thought leader, world-renowned activist, artist, and founder of the international movement The Body Is Not An Apology. She is podcast host, sought-after speaker and new world midwife. She is also an intuitive astrologer helping to decipher our unique soul work through the planets. Her work has reached millions of people by exploring the intersections of identity, healing, and social justice using a radical self-love framework. She continues to write, create, speak, teach, and transform lives globally. Follow We Can Do Hard Things on:  Instagram — ⁠https://www.instagram.com/wecandohardthings⁠