Nicole: Rethink ambition.

In this episode, Kristin talks with Nicole—a literature PhD, high school teacher, and maker—about what happens when the life you worked toward doesn’t turn out the way you expected.

From growing up in a working-class family where work was about survival, to navigating academia, nonprofits, and ultimately finding her way to teaching, Nicole shares a deeply honest look at ambition, burnout, and redefining success on your own terms.

Together, they explore what it means to step off the “expected” path, build a life rooted in stability and creativity, and embrace moments where you’re not striving for more but simply figuring out what feels good.

A conversation about detours, healing from survival mode, and why it’s okay to not always be climbing.