The Other F Word Team gathers to talk about where they are in their individual lives, as well as their podcast life, and what it’s like to sit in uncertainty when it comes to the future. www.theotherfwordpodcast.com

Legendary comic strip writer Cathy Guisewite of the world renowned comic strip "Cathy" and author of "Fifty Things That Aren't My Fault: Essays from the Grown-Up Years", explains how her own life failures led to the creation of this beloved character and how the real Cathy’s daily failures inspired the fictional Cathy’s storyline. From love life fa…

Rebecca Kitt shares her story about her problematic marriage and the challenges she faced throughout her divorce. Failure became a constant theme that led her to feel overwhelmed and defeated, and yet she persevered and found strength she didn’t know she had. In looking back, she shares her insight as to why the struggle was so hard and how dispara…

Director and former musician and actor Bill Watterson shares his struggle of ambition and a passion to create art with the ability to make a living at what he loves. In this honest discussion, Bill tackles important questions about following his dreams, living a life full of rich experiences, but never arriving at a place where he can sustain himse…

Author and editor Michele Filgate discusses her recent anthology “What My Mother and I Don’t Talk About” which grew out of her essay of the same name. Michele was abused by her step father growing up but she and her mother never talked about it, leaving Michele to struggle on her own. In this episode she shares how she worked through her fractured …

Hollywood executive Jeff Goldman describes how he is challenged by living with severe Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). He struggled throughout his childhood with undiagnosed OCD that controlled much of his life and often left him feeling like a failure. Only as an adult was he finally officially diagnosed and able to get the help he needed. Jef…

Prolific author of adult and children's fiction and non-fiction, poetry, musicals, and countless magazine articles, Judith Viorst shares her journey through many decades of both success and failure. Known for her bestselling adult book “Necessary Losses” as well as the iconic classic “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day”, wh…

As a record breaking and award winning open-water marathon swimmer, including the Ocean's Seven, which consists of seven long-distance open-water swims, Kim Chambers shares what it’s like to conquer goals she never thought she could attain. After sustaining injuries from falling down stairs and learning that she may never walk again, Kim saw some o…

Entrepreneur, consultant and author of the book “55, Underemployed and Faking Normal”, Elizabeth White describes how she went from a Harvard MBA and a hugely successful business career, to being "55, underemployed and faking normal”. She describes her experience about how she had followed the rules and done all the things she had been told would ge…

Editor-In-Chief of Ventura Blvd Magazine and Host of the Podcast SheSez, Linda Grasso speaks about her career in journalism, including longtime correspondent, anchor and host for E! Entertainment TV and the struggles she faced navigating the industry on and off camera. Her candid take on the challenges she encountered and her insight into what it t…

Entrepreneur, coach and author of “Stories of Elders”, Veronica Kirin shares her fascinating story of experiencing an anticipated tsunami while working as a humanitarian aid in a coastal Village in Samoa in 2009. Despite the fact that the tsunami never came, the anticipation and terror, confusion and chaos that she experienced side by side with the…

Author and essayist William Deresiewicz discusses his book “Excellent Sheep: The Miseducation of the American Elite and the Way to a Meaningful Life” and the current college admissions scandal. William got his Bachelor's, Master's and PhD from Columbia University and has taught at Yale University. Following his article, 'The Disadvantages of an Eli…

A Professor of Psychology at Fuller Theological Seminary, Dr. King’s focus is on human thriving and spiritual development, especially in the context of our youth. Her combination of intellect, sensitivity, and wit takes the topics of spirituality, religion and belonging and brings a fresh perspective to failure. Whether it be finding meaning, culti…

A Writer with a Doctorate in Art History, Matt Abrams shares his epic story of early drug use, which led to dropping out of high school, running away from home, drug smuggling and dealing. After many of his junkie friends landed themselves in jail or dead, Matt found the strength in the recovery community to get sober by the age of 19. Determined t…

Steve Burrows, filmmaker and comedian, speaks about the making of his HBO documentary “Bleed Out”, the story of his mom, who went in for a routine hip replacement surgery and came out with permanent brain damage after a week long coma that changed her life forever. Steve’s painful journey chronicles 10 years of investigating the multiple failures i…

Barbara Brown Taylor is an Episcopal priest, college professor and NYTimes best-selling author of numerous books including “Leaving Church” and “Learning to Walk in the Dark”. Her latest "Holy Envy: Finding God in the Faith of Others" from HarperOne comes out March 12. She was named by TIME magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the …

Author Douglas Segal of the recently published book “Struck: A Husband’s Memoir of Trauma and Triumph” and his wife Susan Segal, share their terrifying story of Susan and their daughter’s tragic near fatal head on collision with a bus and Susan’s journey of recovery. After breaking nearly every bone in her body, including her pelvis and neck, and s…

Jessica Winther is an Actress, Comedian and Writer and shares her journey of trying to be a perfect parent and how her son’s chronic illness launched her into the reality of the imperfection of parenting. Revealing her painful journey, she uses humor and honesty to articulate the fear and uncertainty that encapsulated her experience. Her story is a…

London based journalist Marianne Power talks about her recent book “Help Me! One Woman’s Quest to Find Out if Self Help Can Really Change Your Life!” Her journey of reading one self help book a month for one year and living by the rules of these books to see where it took her is a fascinating glimpse into the world of self-help and the failure that…

Actress Brooke Smith from "Grey's Anatomy" and "Silence of the Lambs" shares how she overcame childhood traumas in part by just “showing up” in spite of her overwhelming emotions. She also talks about her own challenges as an adult, both in work and parenting, where she very openly expresses her self-doubt and lack of clear answers in how to face t…

Jonathan Fields is the best selling author, entrepreneur, and founder of The Good Life Project, an online and educational program aimed at helping people live a better life, both personally and professionally. He is also the host of the world famous podcast The Good Life Project Podcast and travels the world sharing his research and wisdom on the h…

Tommy Tomlinson, journalist and author of “The Elephant in the Room” speaks about his struggle with weight and his chronicle of profound self-discovery and weight loss. After his sister died from complications of obesity, Tommy knew that at 460 lbs he needed to turn his health around. After many years of failed diets and exercise regimes, he knew h…

Author, speaker, relationship and life advice expert Liz Pryor opens up about her experience of getting pregnant at 17 and being sent away to a home for pregnant teens by her mother. Liz describes the shame her parents felt about her pregnancy and how it impacted her so strongly that she kept the experience a secret for 28 years when she finally sh…

Jia Jiang is an entrepreneur, author and TED speaker who adapted the card game “Rejection Therapy” and created a blog, products and services to further explore rejection. He talks about how the experience of rejection is universal amongst all human beings and discusses the value of rejection in the process of becoming fearless. He shares his resear…

Jace Downey, Recovery Empowerment Specialist, shares her powerful story of struggling with sex addiction. After repressing her early experience of sexual abuse, she assumed she was just born broken and spent much of her early life looking for ways to ease her pain and regain her power. She hid her fear and self loathing so well, that no one knew sh…

Melissa, Morgan, and Sara talk about the upcoming holidays and the many failures that often come along for the ride. Whether it be unmet expectations for perfection, family dynamics and tension, or a sense of loneliness and sadness that often come as a surprise, there is plenty of failure to explore. The Other F Word team thought it would be helpfu…

A.J. Jacobs is a New York Times best selling author, most recently of the book “Thanks a Thousand” a chronicled journey thanking everyone who was involved in the making of his morning cup of coffee. A.J. joins us to talks about his varied lifestyle experiments that have taken him outside of his comfort zone. Whether it be “living biblically” for on…

Author A.N. Turner talks to us about internet addiction and specifically, internet porn addiction. Turner who is still a young man in his early 20’s, describes how he became addicted to online porn and how it took over his life, interfering with his work and his relationships. And how he managed to turn his life around by cutting out pornography al…

Angela King is the program director of Life After Hate, a non-profit organization that helps people extricate themselves from hate groups and turn their lives around. Angela shares her deeply personal experience of being raised by extremely strict and racist parents, being bullied in junior high and eventually bullying others in an effort to surviv…

Alexia Vernon, leadership and women’s speaking coach and author of “Step Into Your Moxie” shares her journey of finding her voice and self confidence after experiencing harrowing moments in her past. In an articulate and vulnerable voice, Alexia shares her experience of postpartum depression and child sexual abuse and how these darker moments broug…

Alethea Black, author of “You’ve Been So Lucky Already” shares her story of navigating through chronic illness that had no cure for years. This experience of failure on a bodily level led to crushing fatigue, profound loss of joy and a deep worry that she was dying. Trusting her own inner voice instead of listening to external sources, her survival…

Born with spina bifida, a chronic spinal disability that she tried to hide for most of her life, Dr. Church went on to become a pediatric specialist who treats kids with the same condition. Growing up without much language on how to talk about and process her condition, she spent much of her life grappling with wanting to tell her story in a way th…

Preston Pollard is a skateboarder, life coach and motivational speaker who shares his journey of growing up in Alaska and struggling to find his identity. As a black child, he was pressured to play basketball and football but Preston was drawn to skateboarding. Driven by untreated ADHD and teased by people who told him black kids don’t skateboard, …

Rowan Hooper, evolutionary biologist and author of the new book “Superhuman-Life at the Extremes of our Capacity” shares the awe-inspiring stories of people who have reached extraordinary places in their lives in terms of human achievement. Each chapter is filled with fascinating details about what it takes to overcome adversity and push beyond one…

Twin brothers and comics Randy and Jason Sklar share their experiences of failure amidst their successful careers as writers, actors, stand-up comedians and hosts of the podcasts "View from the Cheap Seats" and "Dumb People Town". With brilliant humor and refreshing honesty, they share compelling stories of pushing through feelings of failure live …

Mother, wife, writer, producer and ultimately artist Patti Grabel describes the long journey she followed to find herself and follow her passions after focusing solely on her family for many years. Patti paid attention to some things she was struggling with and after seeking advice from a therapist, she decided that pursuing a writing career was he…

Mike Downey, a serial entrepreneur and intrapreneur, explores his early failures as a child and the impact they had on his development into adulthood. With humor and great insight, Mike shares his varied stories of things not going his way and the shame that came as a result. Instead of letting rejection and failure define him, Mike shares how he t…

Tessa Fontaine is the author of “The Electric Woman”, a story about her complex relationship with her mother and her parallel experience of traveling with America’s last Sideshow. Tessa shares her remarkable journey of pain and loneliness growing up with a mother who couldn’t connect emotionally. Their relationship was further complicated by her mo…

Jed Davis is in sales and Scott Casperson is a children’s picture book author. Jed and Scott are friends, in their mid-life, and have never been married. Both men are looking for love. In a funny, honest, and thought provoking conversation, they share their different experiences of navigating the online dating scene. Jed seeks his complementary cou…

Dima Ghawi is a leadership speaker, executive coach and author of “Breaking Vases”, a story of the pressure for submission and perfection by her Middle Eastern culture and her terrifying escape to save herself. Dima speaks honestly about her journey of leaving her family in Jordan by arranged marriage and relocating to America, a move of hope for f…

Rachel Simmons, Leadership Development Specialist at Smith College and author of numerous books including most recent “Enough As She Is”, speaks about her Failure Initiative “Failing Well’ with college students at Smith College. For many high achieving students, failure has never been allowed to be a part of their experiences. In an attempt to de-s…

Life coach and founder of website Joyjunkie, Amy E. Smith, speaks candidly about growing up in a religious family and feeling like a failure in the eyes of her parents because she didn’t share their core values. After living for years with fear and guilt for speaking her truth, she knew she had to make a change. In an effort to save her sanity and …

Journalist and cofounder of the women’s networking group The Li.st, Glynnis MacNicol speaks about her revelatory new memoir, “No One Tells You This”, an honest exploration about being single, childless and happy. Glynnis shares how she approached her 40th birthday with dread and overwhelm, feeling like a failure when it comes to the important miles…

Dan Freedman shares his journey of parenthood, first as a typical father of 2, then a single father of 3, and now as a father of a blended family of 5. His story is one fraught with layers of loss and struggle, as well as deep connection and love. After the tragic and unexpected loss of his first wife during the birth of their third child, Dan was …

Tiffony Jacobs and Kanya Sim are writers, speakers, entrepreneurs, and members of the original Freedom Writers, a group of high school students led by teacher Erin Gruwell, who inspired her struggling students to share their personal stories through writing. (A movie of the same title was made starring Hilary Swank.)Tiffony and Kanya were regarded …

Jon Acuff is an entrepreneur, speaker, and New York Times Bestselling author of six books including his most recent “Finish: Give Yourself the Gift of Done”. He speaks from personal experience of his own struggle to finish anything, referring to his past self as a “serial quitter” and shares his journey to overcoming the obstacles, one of the bigge…

This week’s episode focuses on what’s happened recently, behind the scenes of the podcast, and how it pertains to success and failure. Issues of self doubt, shame, the need for honest communication, and the pressure for perfection are some of the hot topics explored. www.theotherfwordpodcast.com

Authors, relationship experts and married couple Greg Behrendt (He’s Just Not That Into You) and Amiira Ruotola share their advice on what it takes to stay happily married. They dispel many myths about relationships through honest revelations about their own marriage, its’ complexities and how much work it is to remain connected. Their humor and fr…

Michelle Carlson, Executive Director of TEEN LINE, a teen-to-teen national hotline, shares her expertise and insight on at-risk adolescents and the issues teens are dealing with. From stress and anxiety to depression and suicidal thoughts, teen callers are trusting their highly trained and competent peers to listen and guide them through with empat…

Eight time Emmy Award Winning News Anchor Romona Robinson and author of the book A Dirt Road to Somewhere talks about her struggle to overcome multiple life obstacles, starting with surviving a childhood of extreme poverty, to picking the wrong kind of men, to her inability to get pregnant. As one of the first black women in television news, Romona…