Firestarters with Shannon Watts

"There has never been a more important time in our nation's history, or in the world, for women to figure out what it is they have to offer—their abilities, their values and their desires—and to bring those to the table. You deserve to leave a legacy. We all do."In my first solo episode of this podcast, I'm bringing you behind the scenes of writing my new book, “Fired Up: How to Turn Your Spark Into a Flame and Come Alive at Any Age,” I talk about the whole book writing process, including how the book came to be (hint: it involved a treadmill and Maria Shriver), the origins of the “fire” metaphor, and why I interviewed over 70 women and what they taught me.If you're listening in real time, pub day is tomorrow, June 17. You can get your copy at firedupbook.com and register your purchase to enroll in Firestarter University for free!Thank you for all of your support. I'm so excited to get this book into your hands and to hear about your firestarting journeys.My new book Fired Up: How to Turn Your Spark Into a Flame and Come Alive at Any Age, is available for preorder! Out in June 2025, Fired Up will give you the formula for finding your unique spark and show you how to use it to start fires in your life. By preordering, you can enroll for FREE in Firestarter University, a year-long online program that includes live monthly workshops, workbooks and resources, accountability check-ins, and a community to help you succeed. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shannonwatts.substack.com/subscribe

I loved this Substack Live conversation with Karen Walrond, an award winning author, speaker, leadership coach. Karen (who is sunshine personified) and I discuss why it's important to embrace being an amateur, how community compassion can be an act of resistance, and why women need to banish their feelings of guilt for pursuing their desires. Be sure you're following Karen's Substack, the make light journal, and please enjoy the replay of our conversation.My new book Fired Up: How to Turn Your Spark Into a Flame and Come Alive at Any Age, is available for preorder! Out in June 2025, Fired Up will give you the formula for finding your unique spark and show you how to use it to start fires in your life. By preordering, you can enroll for FREE in Firestarter University, a year-long online program that includes live monthly workshops, workbooks and resources, accountability check-ins, and a community to help you succeed. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shannonwatts.substack.com/subscribe

Watch the replay of my conversation with Susan Piver, bestselling author and founder of The Open Heart Project. We discuss why Bruce Springsteen is a big part of Susan's story, her incredible life and career, how the book The Heart of the Buddha found her, and why resting your mind is crucial to creativity.Susan is featured in my upcoming book Fired Up. Make sure you've ordered your copy, and that you've subscribed to Susan's Substack.My new book Fired Up: How to Turn Your Spark Into a Flame and Come Alive at Any Age, is available for preorder! Out on June 17, 2025, Fired Up will give you the formula for finding your unique spark and show you how to use it to start fires in your life. By preordering, you can enroll for FREE in Firestarter University, a year-long online program that includes live monthly workshops, workbooks and resources, accountability check-ins, and a community to help you succeed. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shannonwatts.substack.com/subscribe

Watch the replay of my conversation with Katie Phang—prominent legal analyst, political commentator, and podcaster—about all the topics in my new book, “Fired Up: How to Turn Your Spark Into a Flame and Come Alive at Any Age,” including the expectations of women in the public eye, how to handle the guilt that can come with motherhood and pursuing your desires, friendship in middle age, and the importance of sharing power at all ages. And be sure you're following Katie's Substack!My new book Fired Up: How to Turn Your Spark Into a Flame and Come Alive at Any Age, is available for preorder! Out on June 17, 2025, Fired Up will give you the formula for finding your unique spark and show you how to use it to start fires in your life. By preordering, you can enroll for FREE in Firestarter University, a year-long online program that includes live monthly workshops, workbooks and resources, accountability check-ins, and a community to help you succeed. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shannonwatts.substack.com/subscribe

“So I am silenced. I do not own my own truth. I do not own my own reality. I've had movies and miniseries made about me. I couldn't participate. I can't even tell you if they're accurate. I may never own my own voice, but I am going to make sure that other people do.”Gretchen Carlson is a renowned journalist, a bestselling author, and now an internationally recognized advocate for women's rights in the workplace. Gretchen's life has taken so many twists and turns—from youth violinist to Miss America to journalist to women's rights advocate.I was interested in learning more about how Gretchen navigated her non-linear journey. What propelled her forward? How did she keep going despite the difficulties she endured along the way? What obstacles did she face internally and externally, and how did she overcome them?To read more about inspiring stories about Firestarters like Gretchen, preorder my book Fired Up: How to Turn Your Spark Into a Flame and Come Alive at Any Age at firedupbook.com.My new book Fired Up: How to Turn Your Spark Into a Flame and Come Alive at Any Age, is available for preorder! Out in June 2025, Fired Up will give you the formula for finding your unique spark and show you how to use it to start fires in your life. By preordering, you can enroll for FREE in Firestarter University, a year-long online program that includes live monthly workshops, workbooks and resources, accountability check-ins, and a community to help you succeed. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shannonwatts.substack.com/subscribe

Watch the replay of my conversation with Gretchen Rubin, author of “Secrets of Adulthood: Simple Truths for Our Complex Lives,” for her inaugural Substack Live! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shannonwatts.substack.com/subscribe

"Motherhood is the ultimate experience of caring for others. Beyond biological motherhood, as a mother, you create something new in this world, you care for our interconnectedness with each other, you are thinking about others just as much as you're thinking about yourself, if not more so."Anna Malaika Tubbs is a powerhouse voice in the world of storytelling and social justice. She's a New York Times bestselling author with a focus on addressing gender and race issues in the United States, especially the pervasive erasure of Black women. Her debut book, The Three Mothers, re-centered the lives and legacies of the mothers of Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and James Baldwin. And in her newest book, Erased: What American Patriarchy Has Hidden From Us, she brings together research, the stories of freedom fighters past and present, and her own experiences to explain the impact of American patriarchy. During our conversation, Anna and I discuss how her mother's views on motherhood encouraged her to be an activist and feminist, how she turned her research and policy expertise into storytelling, and why she's focused on telling stories to help us understand that we don't see Black women as full human beings.To read more inspiring stories from Firestarters like Anna, preorder my book Fired Up: How to Turn Your Spark Into a Flame and Come Alive at Any Age at firedupbook.com.My new book Fired Up: How to Turn Your Spark Into a Flame and Come Alive at Any Age, is available for preorder! Out in June 2025, Fired Up will give you the formula for finding your unique spark and show you how to use it to start fires in your life. By preordering, you can enroll for FREE in Firestarter University, a year-long online program that includes live monthly workshops, workbooks and resources, accountability check-ins, and a community to help you succeed. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shannonwatts.substack.com/subscribe

Watch the replay of my conversation with amanda haas. We discuss her journey from stay-at-home mom to single-mother entrepreneur, how she got (and is still getting) through the messy middle of her divorce and dealing with a chronic illness, and why it's important for your kids to see you follow your desires, not just fulfill your obligations. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shannonwatts.substack.com/subscribe

"I am a very heart-driven person. And as a woman you feel like you need to suppress that in certain spaces, or it can be belittled. I'm working on embracing and celebrating that that is exactly the kind of medicine I bring to this life—that curiosity, thinking, and expressing, but also a deep empathy that is powerful and not weak."Jamia Wilson was born in America, the child of civil rights activists, but spent her formative years growing up in Saudi Arabia. Later, she returned to America, believing it to be both her calling and obligation to fight for the nation's promises to its citizens through her unique form of activism: writing. After becoming the first Black woman and youngest person to hold the job of executive director and publisher at the Feminist Press, Jamia moved to Random House where she mentors other authors and ensures diverse voices are elevated. Jamia is out with her own book, Make Good Trouble: Discover Movements that Sparked Change, which combines her love of writing with activism by encouraging young readers to engage in democracy. During our conversation, Jamia and I discuss what it was like to grow up as a Black child in another country and what it was like to return to America; how her parents' activism and encouragement shaped her world view; and why, as an author, she's so focused on connecting with younger generations of Americans. To read more inspiring stories from Firestarters like Jamia, preorder my book Fired Up: How to Turn Your Spark Into a Flame and Come Alive at Any Age at firedupbook.com.My new book Fired Up: How to Turn Your Spark Into a Flame and Come Alive at Any Age, is available for preorder! Out in June 2025, Fired Up will give you the formula for finding your unique spark and show you how to use it to start fires in your life. By preordering, you can enroll for FREE in Firestarter University, a year-long online program that includes live monthly workshops, workbooks and resources, accountability check-ins, and a community to help you succeed. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shannonwatts.substack.com/subscribe

Check out my Substack Live conversation with Joy Sullivan. Joy is a poet, teacher, and author of the national bestseller, Instructions for Traveling West. She's led international writing retreats, served as the poet-in-residence for the Wexner Center for the Arts, and is the founder of writing community, Sustenance.Joy and I discuss finding the spark that made each of us come alive, why women should embrace emotions like rage and desire, and what community means to us. Be sure you're following Joy's Substack, Necessary Salt by Joy Sullivan, so that you can keep up with everything she's doing.My new book Fired Up: How to Turn Your Spark Into a Flame and Come Alive at Any Age, is available for preorder! Out in June 2025, Fired Up will give you the formula for finding your unique spark and show you how to use it to start fires in your life. By preordering, you can enroll for FREE in Firestarter University, a year-long online program that includes live monthly workshops, workbooks and resources, accountability check-ins, and a community to help you succeed. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shannonwatts.substack.com/subscribe

Check out my Substack Live conversation with Olivia Julianna, an abortion rights activist, democracy organizer, and political influencer who lives in Texas. Her massive following across social media platforms is changing the political landscape and ensuring that Gen Z voices are front and center.Olivia and I discuss how she got involved in activism, what it's like to fight back against the trolls (including the one who showed up in our Live comment section!), and what she envisions for the future of red states. Be sure you're following Olivia's Substack, A New Perspective, so that you can keep up with everything she's doing.My new book Fired Up: How to Turn Your Spark Into a Flame and Come Alive at Any Age, is available for preorder! Out in June 2025, Fired Up will give you the formula for finding your unique spark and show you how to use it to start fires in your life. By preordering, you can enroll for FREE in Firestarter University, a year-long online program that includes live monthly workshops, workbooks and resources, accountability check-ins, and a community to help you succeed. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shannonwatts.substack.com/subscribe

"You don't know when you're pollinating the world with your attempts how they'll come back to you. It might be completely nonlinear. You knock on the same door 20 times and then it's actually a door to the left, down the hall, across the country that opens for you."As a two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist, a Tony Award nominee, and the recipient of the MacArthur Genius Fellowship, playwright Sarah Ruhl is no stranger to accolades. After writing about the passage of time during the pandemic, her experience developing Bell's palsy after pregnancy, and her friendship through letters with a poet in remission from cancer, Sarah is sharing the lessons she taught her students at Yale in her new book, Lessons from My Teachers: From Preschool to the Present. This intimate essay collection is a testament to the bond that develops between teacher and student and how we learn from one another.In this conversation, Sarah and I discuss her feminist father who encouraged her to follow her desires, what she learned from an important teacher about handling rejection, and why we should all send a note of gratitude *right now* to the important teachers in our life—before it's too late to matter.Sarah is a canny observer of the human condition, a prolific and gifted writer, and a truth teller whose stories unlock truths about the human condition. To read more inspiring stories from Firestarters like Sarah, preorder my book “Fired Up: How to Turn Your Spark Into a Flame and Come Alive at Any Age” at firedupbook.com.My new book Fired Up: How to Turn Your Spark Into a Flame and Come Alive at Any Age, is available for preorder! Out in June 2025, Fired Up will give you the formula for finding your unique spark and show you how to use it to start fires in your life. By preordering, you can enroll for FREE in Firestarter University, a year-long online program that includes live monthly workshops, workbooks and resources, accountability check-ins, and a community to help you succeed. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shannonwatts.substack.com/subscribe

Check out my Substack Live conversation with Jess Piper, a mother and grandmother who lives on a small farm on the Missouri/Iowa border, about why it's so important that the Democratic Party start focusing on organizing voters in the rural areas of red states—not just before an election, but all year long: “It's just mind blowing because we can win. We don't have to flip a district. We don't have to flip a seat. We have to turn out enough voters to make a difference at the top of the ticket. Every voter is worth it. And that's what I want Democrats to understand. We're all worth it.”Jess, a former teacher who became active in politics after Donald Trump was elected in 2016, is the Executive Director for Blue Missouri and hosts a weekly podcast called “Dirt Road Democrat,” which can be found wherever you listen to podcasts. Be sure you're subscribed to Jess' Substack The View from Rural Missouri by Jess Piper, and listen in to my other Substack Live conversations by clicking here.My new book Fired Up: How to Turn Your Spark Into a Flame and Come Alive at Any Age, is available for preorder! Out in June 2025, Fired Up will give you the formula for finding your unique spark and show you how to use it to start fires in your life. By preordering, you can enroll for FREE in Firestarter University, a year-long online program that includes live monthly workshops, workbooks and resources, accountability check-ins, and a community to help you succeed. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shannonwatts.substack.com/subscribe

"Bravery is a muscle and by overcoming fear, by being courageous, we build that muscle so that the next time around we can access that bravery muscle even quicker and with even more temerity and strength."Since 2019, Jocelyn Benson, a former law professor, has served as Michigan's Secretary of State, and she's been a tireless advocate for voting rights, election integrity, and government transparency. Jocelyn is now also an author, and her new book, The Purposeful Warrior: Standing Up for What's Right When the Stakes Are High, shines a light on how her parents' careers in education shaped her worldview of fighting for the underdog, what the 2000 election outcome had to do with her transition from a career in law to public service, and why she's now running to be Michigan's governor. Jocelyn has a deep commitment to public service, a desire to empower Americans to advocate for democracy, and a relentless drive to champion fairness and equality for all, even in the face of threats from extremists who have attempted to silence and intimidate her for speaking out. To read more inspiring stories from Firestarters like Jocelyn, preorder my book “Fired Up: How to Turn Your Spark Into a Flame and Come Alive at Any Age” at firedupbook.com.My new book Fired Up: How to Turn Your Spark Into a Flame and Come Alive at Any Age, is available for preorder! Out in June 2025, Fired Up will give you the formula for finding your unique spark and show you how to use it to start fires in your life. By preordering, you can enroll for FREE in Firestarter University, a year-long online program that includes live monthly workshops, workbooks and resources, accountability check-ins, and a community to help you succeed. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shannonwatts.substack.com/subscribe

Check out my Substack Live conversation with Liz Minnella on how things are going post-election, her new initiative Connect Forward, and her new podcast Demfluenced. You can connect with Liz on Instagram for more information on her projects. And don't forget to check out my other Substack Live conversations by clicking here.My new book Fired Up: How to Turn Your Spark Into a Flame and Come Alive at Any Age, is available for preorder! Out in June 2025, Fired Up will give you the formula for finding your unique spark and show you how to use it to start fires in your life. By preordering, you can enroll for FREE in Firestarter University, a year-long online program that includes live monthly workshops, workbooks and resources, accountability check-ins, and a community to help you succeed. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shannonwatts.substack.com/subscribe

Check out my conversation with Mallory McMorrow about how she ended up running for office and winning, why she wrote her new book, “Hate Won't Win: Find Your Power and Leave This Place Better Than You Found It,” and what's next for her as she runs for a seat in the US Senate.My new book Fired Up: How to Turn Your Spark Into a Flame and Come Alive at Any Age, is available for preorder! Out in June 2025, Fired Up will give you the formula for finding your unique spark and show you how to use it to start fires in your life. By preordering, you can enroll for FREE in Firestarter University, a year-long online program that includes live monthly workshops, workbooks and resources, accountability check-ins, and a community to help you succeed. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shannonwatts.substack.com/subscribe

"If we can inherit the trauma from our ancestors, then that means we can also inherit their wisdom, their goodness, their fortitude, their strength."Daria Burke would have had a very different life if she'd chosen to accept what seemed like her fate, but she knew innately that the addiction her parents struggled with and the neglect she endured didn't have to shape her future, too. In Daria's new book, Of My Own Making, she writes about the incredible path she carved for herself, from a life of poverty to a career in the C-suite.Daria and I discuss how she overcame her difficult childhood, the importance of therapy when working through trauma, and how she eventually learned to prioritize personal alignment over career ambition. Daria is a no-nonsense narrator, a wise teacher, and a beloved coach who shows us the stories we've told ourselves don't actually have to define our lives. Daria is a firestarter.To read more inspiring stories from Firestarters like Daria, preorder my book “Fired Up: How to Turn Your Spark Into a Flame and Come Alive at Any Age” at firedupbook.com.My new book Fired Up: How to Turn Your Spark Into a Flame and Come Alive at Any Age, is available for preorder! Out in June 2025, Fired Up will give you the formula for finding your unique spark and show you how to use it to start fires in your life. By preordering, you can enroll for FREE in Firestarter University, a year-long online program that includes live monthly workshops, workbooks and resources, accountability check-ins, and a community to help you succeed. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shannonwatts.substack.com/subscribe

"No matter what we navigate, adversities or joys alike, there are elements of who we are that are innate. I don't think they change just because circumstances change. I actually don't think we change at all. We just evolve."Mallory Weggemann was just 18 years old when a series of routine epidural injections for back pain left her with no movement from the waist down. Now, 17 years later, Mallory is a gold medal paralympian; an author, filmmaker and motivational speaker; and a fierce advocate for the disability community.In 2021, Mallory released her memoir LIMITLESS to share her journey and to empower others to overcome life's obstacles. And last year, Mallory and her husband released Watershed, a powerful documentary about her life story, including the couple's struggles with infertility. On top of that, Mallory brought home gold and silver medals from the Paralympic Games in Paris, making her a seven time medalist.During this conversation, Mallory and I discuss how she fell in love with the sport of swimming, what helped her navigate the trauma of becoming paralyzed, and the kinds of conversations she hopes to spark about disability in the world. Mallory's drive and determination to achieve the seemingly impossible, her advocacy on behalf of others, and her refusal to give up even when things seem insurmountable make Mallory Weggemann a Firestarter.To read more inspiring stories from Firestarters like Mallory, preorder my book “Fired Up: How to Turn Your Spark Into a Flame and Come Alive at Any Age” at firedupbook.com.My new book Fired Up: How to Turn Your Spark Into a Flame and Come Alive at Any Age, is available for preorder! Out in June 2025, Fired Up will give you the formula for finding your unique spark and show you how to use it to start fires in your life. By preordering, you can enroll for FREE in Firestarter University, a year-long online program that includes live monthly workshops, workbooks and resources, accountability check-ins, and a community to help you succeed. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shannonwatts.substack.com/subscribe

Check out my Substack Live conversation with Zerlina on how she knew it was time to make a big change in her life, the signs that lead her there (and continue to show up), and what's next in her adventure (spoiler alert: she wants to stay in Italy forever).I interviewed Zerlina for my upcoming book, Fired Up: How to Turn Your Spark Into a Flame and Come Alive at Any Age. Pre-order now to read more about Zerlina's journey and dozens of other women who have followed my formula for embracing their desires instead of fulfilling their obligations.After watching the replay, follow Zerlina on Substack at The Inner Work Dispatch.My new book Fired Up: How to Turn Your Spark Into a Flame and Come Alive at Any Age, is available for preorder! Out in June 2025, Fired Up will give you the formula for finding your unique spark and show you how to use it to start fires in your life. By preordering, you can enroll for FREE in Firestarter University, a year-long online program that includes live monthly workshops, workbooks and resources, accountability check-ins, and a community to help you succeed. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shannonwatts.substack.com/subscribe

"I hope I've helped to create a framework where people find a way and feel like their voice can make a difference because I have seen how just one voice can make a difference."In 2022, after 18 months of fertility treatment, Texan Amanda Zurawski and her husband learned she was pregnant. However, at 18 weeks, doctors told Amanda she had miscarried. And then, because of Texas's abortion ban, those same doctors denied Amanda the healthcare she urgently needed and she nearly died from septic shock.Amanda has since become an advocate for abortion and reproductive care, and was the lead plaintiff in Zurawski v. Texas, the first lawsuit brought by patients challenging a state on its abortion bans since the fall of Roe v. Wade. Her case is featured in a new documentary by the same name.Earlier this year, Amanda was named a TIME Woman of the Year, a very deserved honor. As you listen to Amanda tell her story, you'll hear how brave and fierce she is, how her life has been turned upside down in all the right ways, and what's next on her journey from athlete to communications professional to an incredible advocate for women's rights. Amanda is the epitome of a Firestarter.To read more inspiring stories from Firestarters like Amanda, preorder my book “Fired Up: How to Turn Your Spark Into a Flame and Come Alive at Any Age” at firedupbook.com.My new book Fired Up: How to Turn Your Spark Into a Flame and Come Alive at Any Age, is available for preorder! Out in June 2025, Fired Up will give you the formula for finding your unique spark and show you how to use it to start fires in your life. By preordering, you can enroll for FREE in Firestarter University, a year-long online program that includes live monthly workshops, workbooks and resources, accountability check-ins, and a community to help you succeed. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shannonwatts.substack.com/subscribe

Check out my Substack Live conversation with Katherine Goldstein, author of How to Find Your People: A Guide to the Transformative Power of Community about the importance of finding or creating community.After watching the replay above, make sure you're following Katherine on Substack at The Double Shift.My upcoming book, Fired Up: How to Turn Your Spark Into a Flame and Come Alive at Any Age, is now available for preorder! This book is my guide to figuring out what lights you up and will show you how to live on fire every day. Click here to preorder and get locked into some incredible bonuses. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shannonwatts.substack.com/subscribe

“For women, people of color, and anyone on the margins, there's a culture and society that wants to dominate us; to keep us oppressed and in line. The more that we fight through it, the better off we are and the more fires we can start to disrupt the world around us.”Alencia Johnson is an award-winning commentator, political advisor, leader and now an author who is teaching people how to be everyday disruptors. After working on presidential campaigns of President Obama, Senator Warren, and President Biden, Alencia went to work for Planned Parenthood where she helped create “Stand with Black Women," a campaign to call attention to Black people's bodily autonomy and dignity. Alencia's debut book Flip The Tables: The Everyday Disruptor's Guide to Finding Courage and Making Change, a manual for finding your audacity, shaking up the status quo, and creating a better world, is out now.During our conversation, Alencia and I discuss the life lessons she took away from being raised by activists, the mental and physical health struggles that helped her focus on her personal fulfillment, and how she found the courage to be an agitator for good. Alencia is a strong and compassionate leader, a bold and confident risk-taker, and a courageous warrior for justice and equality. Alencia Johnson is a firestarter.To read more inspiring stories from Firestarters like Alencia, be sure to preorder my book “Fired Up: How to Turn Your Spark Into a Flame and Come Alive at Any Age” at firedupbook.com.My upcoming book, Fired Up: How to Turn Your Spark Into a Flame and Come Alive at Any Age, is now available for preorder! This book is my guide to figuring out what lights you up and will show you how to live on fire every day. Click here to preorder and get locked into some incredible bonuses. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shannonwatts.substack.com/subscribe

"For those of us not in immediate danger of losing our livelihoods, our lives, our ability to move through the world, this is the moment we need to step up. Right now, more than anything, we all have to be firestarters. Light the match."Luvvie Ajayi Jones is an author, speaker, and mentor who tells stories that inspire and dare people to live more boldly. She started her career as a blogger and in 2016, published her first book, I'm Judging You: The Do-Better Manual, which debuted on the New York Times best-seller list. Her subsequent TED talk, “Get Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable” has been translated into 23 languages and is in the top 1 percent of TED Talks of all time.Luvvie and I discuss what her Nigerian family taught her about community, how blogging turned into a dream career, and why she wrote her new book, Little Troublemaker Defends Her Name, which comes out this spring.Luvvie is a force of nature who wants all of us to become “professional troublemakers”—people who use their voices to make every room they enter just a little better. She exemplifies courage, summons others' audacity, and teaches us how to create community. Luvvie is a firestarter.Preorder Luvvie's upcoming book: Little Troublemaker Defends Her Name. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shannonwatts.substack.com/subscribe

Regardless of who you're having sex with — yourself or someone else — research shows that women over age 50 are having the best sex of their lives. Watch my live conversation with former CNN anchor and fellow Gen Xer Brooke Baldwin, and read my piece about all of the treatments and technology available to make sex even better, from hormones to the MonaLisa Touch laser to pelvic floor trainers. And be sure you're following Unraveling, with Brooke Baldwin. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shannonwatts.substack.com/subscribe

"I'm hesitant to use the word luck because women use the word luck way too much. I was ready. I was prepared. Ready when the breaks came, and persistent to get them."Today on the Firestarters podcast, I'm talking with Poppy Harlow, an award-winning, Emmy-nominated journalist, podcast host, author, and the previous anchor of CNN Newsroom. Poppy has interviewed some of the world's most important leaders and influencers, including Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and moderated two CNN presidential town halls.Poppy and I discuss leaving CNN after her morning show was cancelled, navigating the “messy middle,” the importance of pursuing your desires (even when it's inconvenient), and why age should never limit our dreams. To read more inspiring stories from Firestarters like Poppy, be sure to preorder my book “Fired Up: How to Turn Your Spark Into a Flame and Come Alive at Any Age” at firedupbook.com.My upcoming book, Fired Up: How to Turn Your Spark Into a Flame and Come Alive at Any Age, is now available for preorder! This book is my guide to figuring out what lights you up and will show you how to live on fire every day. Click here to preorder and get locked into some incredible bonuses. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shannonwatts.substack.com/subscribe

Today I spoke with Charlotte Clymer about the state of activism and politics in America, how we got here, why it can change quickly, and ways everyday citizens can force their elected leaders to fight back against fascism … NOW. Mentioned in this conversation is my Substack piece on the ways we can put public pressure on Democrats.And be sure you're following Charlotte's Substack, Charlotte's Web Thoughts, for politics, religion, culture, and humor. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shannonwatts.substack.com/subscribe

"Imposter syndrome, this feeling that we think we're not good enough, we're not smart enough, we're not prepared enough, we're not ready enough has really held us back. And that imposter syndrome is a con. It's a lie we've been told to keep progress dismantled."Today on the Firestarters podcast, I'm talking with Reshma Saujani, an incredible activist who has spent more than a decade fighting for women and girls' economic empowerment, to close the gender gap in the tech sector, and advocating for structural changes moms need - like affordable child care and paid leave. Reshma was the first Indian American woman to run for Congress, is the founder of Girls Who Code, is a best-selling author, as well as a TED Talk speaker.In this conversation, Reshma and I talk about how she got into the work of empowering girls, what it's like to be in the tech space as a woman, why imposter syndrome is a con, and what we need to do to support women and girls in the future. Reshma Saujani, for her incredibly impactful work is, without a doubt, a firestarter.To read more inspiring stories from Firestarters, be sure to preorder my book FIRED UP at firedupbook.com.My upcoming book, Fired Up: How to Turn Your Spark Into a Flame and Come Alive at Any Age, is now available for preorder! This book is my guide to figuring out what lights you up and will show you how to live on fire every day. Click here to preorder and get locked into some incredible bonuses. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shannonwatts.substack.com/subscribe

And then read our joint Substack post, The hope you deserve on Inauguration Day, and let us know in the comments what drives you, gives you purpose, and how you're preparing for the next four years.My upcoming book, Fired Up: How to Turn Your Spark Into a Flame and Come Alive at Any Age, is now available for preorder! This book is my guide to figuring out what lights you up and will show you how to live on fire every day. Click here to preorder and get locked into some incredible bonuses. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shannonwatts.substack.com/subscribe

"I'm brutally shy, but I've never questioned my ability to work hard. So I say yes to things that were way outside my comfort zone. I can be afraid, but I do it anyway."On my latest Firestarters podcast, I'm talking with CEO, stylist, and activist Karla Welch. Not only is Karla one of the most powerful stylists alive, but she's also the co-founder of sustainable period underwear company Period and the non-profit, The Period Abundance Foundation, and a longtime social activist. She is a true force for good in this world and, together with her husband, has leveraged collaborations and partnerships to raise over a million dollars for organizations supporting things like gun safety, women's rights, LGBTQ rights, trans rights, birth control, climate change, racial equality, and more.I wanted to learn more about the inspiration behind Karla's creativity, what it's like to be over age 50 in an image-conscious industry, and how she's surmounted the obstacles she's faced during her long career. Karla is dedicated to supporting marginalized communities, showcasing beauty at every age, and ensuring period products are available to everyone. In other words, Karla is a Firestarter.To read more inspiring stories from Firestarters, be sure to preorder my book FIRED UP at firedupbook.comMy upcoming book, Fired Up: How to Turn Your Spark Into a Flame and Come Alive at Any Age, is now available for preorder! This book is my guide to figuring out what lights you up and will show you how to live on fire every day. Click here to preorder and get locked into some incredible bonuses. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shannonwatts.substack.com/subscribe

"If we don't tell the truth, we're doing a disservice to everyone. Racism hurts white people. Sexism hurts men. Homophobia hurts straight people. When you dehumanize the 'other,' you're actually dehumanizing yourself."Today on the Firestarters podcast, I'm talking with Sarah Jones, a Tony Award-winning visionary and solo performer. Sarah is an actor, comedian, writer, producer, and activist, who seeks to impact more than just the entertainment industry with her own unique experiences as a Black woman with multicultural roots.In this conversation we talk about how her life growing up affected her future careers, how she developed her characters and what they mean to her life and her work, how she supports those who are underserved, and what she's going to conquer next. Sarah Jones is a firestarter. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shannonwatts.substack.com/subscribe

“If we could get all these different female leaders who care about these different issues—whether it's repro rights or gun violence or care—focused on our common humanity and common lived experience as women, I feel like we could move policy forward in a way that's never been moved.”Today on the Firestarters podcast, I'm talking with First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom, an award-winning filmmaker, and an influential thought leader on gender equality, and the mother of four children with California Governor Gavin Newsom. In our conversation, we talk about the ways being a leader was an expectation in her family growing up, how a sisterhood of women has supported her throughout her life, and how powerful women can be when they come together for a common cause. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shannonwatts.substack.com/subscribe

Thank you to everyone who joined us live yesterday for a conversation between myself and Jessica Yellin of News Not Noise. We talked about what happened in the election, the importance of women running for office, how Republicans are changing the election playbook, whether there was cheating, and how we can move forward from here. Watch the replay and be sure to download the Substack app so you don't miss the next one! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shannonwatts.substack.com/subscribe

Your person will love you exactly as you are, the age you are, where you live, how tall you are, what you do, what you don't do. And it's true every single time. You have to be authentic. You really have to show who you are because that's the only way someone can find you.In this episode of the Firestarters Podcast, I spoke with Amy Nobile, a dating coach who focuses on a holistic-view of human to human connection. I first interviewed Amy for a Fireside Chat q&a on dating in midlife and I knew I wanted to hear more from her.In this conversation we delve deeper into finding love no matter your age. From clients in their 20s, to clients in their 80s, Amy believes that it's never too late to find love - especially once you shift your energy. We also talk about the obligation of staying in a marriage, divorce, and Amy even turns the tables to ask me questions about how my childhood affected my second marriage. I know you're going to take a lot away from this conversation. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shannonwatts.substack.com/subscribe

"Sustainable change requires small, regular, concerted efforts by a lot of people doing the next right thing. All of us working together to change something has far more effect than five of us trying to do everything.”Sharon McMahon is perhaps better known as America's Government Teacher. Previously a government, history, and law teacher, she now shares her knowledge through Instagram, where she puts the latest headlines into context for her million-plus followers.She's also the host of the award-winning podcast Here's Where it Gets Interesting, writes the newsletter The Preamble, and she's the author of the upcoming book The Small and the Mighty: Twelve Unsung Americans Who Changed the Course of History, From the Founding to the Civil Rights Movement, releasing on September 24th.Sharon is a lifelong teacher who, rather than telling you what to think, gives you the context around an issue that helps you understand it and think more critically. She wants you to be able to make educated choices for yourself. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shannonwatts.substack.com/subscribe

"I say all of my work comes from pain. I think it's really important to figure out the things that hurt and then work towards making it hurt less for the next person." - Gisele FettermanGiselle Fetterman is a Brazilian born activist, philanthropist, and non profit executive. When her husband, John Fetterman, was a mayor and then lieutenant governor in Pennsylvania, she was the first lady of Braddock and the second lady of the Commonwealth. Her husband is now a U. S. senator. Giselle has helped found several nonprofit organizations that focus on the needs of lower income families. She's also an advocate for diversity and inclusion, pushing Congress to take a more humane and compassionate approach to immigration. Giselle is kind and courageous, she is empathetic and effective, and she is passionate and persuasive.In this conversation we talk about Gisele's childhood journey from Rio de Janeiro to America, what brings her joy, her experience of becoming a firefighter at age 40, and her commitment to helping others through her work. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shannonwatts.substack.com/subscribe

“I want to see Republican women for gun reform and I want these women to start calling themselves Republicans and trying to exert more influence within their party. I want to see those Republican women step into their political power, for God's sakes, do the work. Your tears will never, ever change the current Republican Party, is really my message.”Emily Amick is a lawyer, journalist, and political analyst who served as counsel to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. She has taken the knowledge she acquired while working in policy to help women navigate teh political process and show us all how we can take action as citizens. Her new book, Democracy in Retrograde, reframes civic engagement as a source of joy, a form of self care, and an important way to combat hopelessness and cynicism.Join us for a conversation all about finding your inner political power, advocating for yourself, and building a community of others who are both willing to believe in you and help you. Emily believes the key to curing our loneliness epidemic is through civic engagement. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shannonwatts.substack.com/subscribe

“The philosophical framework of Buddhism saved me. I was studying Asian philosophy and there was the Buddha saying 'you're suffering in life', and for me, that became, 'you're not so different'. You belong actually.” Sharon Salzberg is a meditation pioneer, a world renowned teacher, and a New York Times bestselling author. Her books include Real Happiness and her seminal work, Lovingkindness. She has inspired generations of meditation teachers and wellness influencers. Sharon's popular podcast, The Metta Hour, has amassed six million downloads and features interviews with thought leaders from the mindfulness movement and beyond.Join us for a conversation on connecting with who we truly are, how we can live more authentic lives, and how we can find joy, even in the difficult times.In this conversation you'll find:* how the experience of living with five different families changed her* studying Buddhism and meditation in a life changing trip to India* uncovering the fire inside to begin teaching* the conflicting messages of happiness* what self compassion can bring to our lives* how to find aliveness and inner strength This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shannonwatts.substack.com/subscribe

“I tell people you don't have to say, ‘I'm just a drop in the bucket.' Well, take care of your drop. Your drop affects so many other people and whenever you speak or are in contact with people, you're shaping and changing every day.”Sandra is a prolific poet, author, and artist, perhaps best known for her book The House on Mango Street, originally published in 1984, which has gone on to sell over six million copies and is required reading in schools across the world. Recently, Sandra published her first book of poetry in 28 years called Woman Without Shame, a brilliant collection of songs, elegies, and declarations. She has received a number of awards and honors including the MacArthur Foundation Fellowship, two National Endowment for the Arts Literature Fellowships in poetry and prose. Sandra has also founded the Macondo Foundation, an association of socially engaged writers, and the Alfredo Cisneros Del Moral Foundation, a grant-giving institution that served Texas writers for fifteen years.Join us for a conversation about the ways in which we all have a gift to give, how invested teachers can really change a life, taking darkness and transforming it into a path out, and being courageous enough to taking the next step.In this conversation you'll find:* Being the only girl with six brothers* Her struggles in school to stay engaged and reign in her imagination* Growing up sensitive, and later realizing it was a gift* Writing in secret out of shame* The power dynamics and damage of an affair with a married professor* A 20 year “overnight” journey to success* Learning more from disasters than accolades* Having exactly what we need to make change* Not wasting our time in life This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shannonwatts.substack.com/subscribe

"Take seriously the fact that there's something in the world that you need to do and then do it now. Don't wait — we don't know how long we have." Rabbi Sharon Brous is the senior and founding rabbi of IKAR, a leading edge Jewish community based in Los Angeles, and the author of the national bestseller, The Amen Effect, Ancient Wisdom to Heal Our Hearts and Mend Our Broken World. She's been named to the list of the most influential rabbis in America, and was recognized by the Forward and Jerusalem Post as among the most influential Jews alive today. Rabbi Brous' work has been featured in the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, the Washington Post, and her 2016 TED Talk, Reclaiming Religion, has been viewed by over 1. 5 million people. Her commitment to building bridges across divides, her anecdotes about how we can all find meaning in our lives, and her belief in our common humanity are inspiring and thought provoking. Join us for a conversation about how to join or build a community, how to stay centered in your humanity while the world's turbulence roils around you, and why you should never delay fulfilling your desires.In this conversation you'll find:* Her own spiritual journey,* How she's building a community of those who have been disaffected by religious institutions,* Her take on the ways social media is keeping us apart,* How her book landed at the perfect moment for the state of the world,* The ways in which we're all struggling with loneliness and isolation,* How the loss of a friend gave her much needed clarity* What she hopes she'll leave as her legacy This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shannonwatts.substack.com/subscribe

“I fell into flying as a flight attendant. And it was probably the best thing for me at that time, my love for travel, my love for other cultures, and ethnicities. And it's the best training ground for the work that I do now.”After hearing your enthusiasm about the first three episodes of the Firestarters Podcast, I'm excited to tell you that I'll be continuing to share one new episode of the podcast per month.And today I'm talking with my friend Lucy McBath, a gun violence survivor, former Moms Demand Action spokeswoman, and three-term Georgia Congresswoman. Since 2019, Rep. McBath has advocated for bipartisan solutions to end gun violence, uplift small businesses, protect veterans, and lower the cost of healthcare and prescription drugs.What you'll find in this conversation:* What growing up was like as the daughter of a civil right's activist and a nurse* How being a flight attendant prepared her for her current career* The ways in which she's gained confidence in herself to go after what she wants* External obstacles she's faced in running for office* How her son Jordan's murder made her completely change course to protect other families* The women that helped push her to new heightsFor more inspiring conversations like this one, be sure you're a subscriber to my Substack, Playing With Fire. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shannonwatts.substack.com/subscribe

“One of the things I hear from women about running for office is, ‘I don't want to be criticized.' And I say ‘They're going to criticize you if you do it. They're going to criticize you if you don't do it. And wouldn't it be better to be doing something and to have them talk about you? To be making change and have them talk about you? To be passing bills that are going to do good and have them talk about you?'”A'shanti Gholar is the president of Emerge, an organization dedicated to recruiting and training Democratic women to run for office in America. For over 15 years, A'shanti has been a grassroots organizer and an activist on behalf of women and communities of color and progressive causes. She is a nationally recognized political strategist and worked as a political appointee in the Obama administration and also for the Democratic National Committee.A'shanti is also the founder of the Brown Girls Guide to Politics, an award winning podcast that was featured as one of the top political podcasts by Time Magazine, Teen Vogue, and Vanity Fair.What you'll find in this conversation:* She talks about how she was interested in politics as a little girl, and why she chose CSPAN over Sesame Street.* The teacher she credits with encouraging her to use her voice.* A standoff with a politician when she was a high school senior and how that turned her into to volunteer.* The impact of not being seeing women who look like her in politics.* What she counsels women running for office to do about criticism — internal and external.* Her experience leading Emerge and the work that she does to put women in office.* How she handles racism and sexism; her bizarre experience being on the hot seat on CSPAN.* How she looks to the shine theory as a way to strengthen sisterhood.For more inspiring conversations like this one, be sure you're a subscriber to my Substack, Playing With Fire. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shannonwatts.substack.com/subscribe

“One of the metaphors that I use is imagining guilt is a faulty check engine light on your car dashboard.  Your car has just been serviced, the oil is changed, everything's fine, but the stupid light just keeps going off. It doesn't actually give you any meaningful information, so you can ignore it. You can just say it's broken. Guilt is not a moral compass.”Dr. Pooja Lakshmin is a clinical psychiatrist in Austin, Texas, specializing in women's health. She's also an assistant professor of psychiatry. During our discussion, we talked about how she differentiates between faux self-care and real self-care, including the obstacles women face internally and externally, and to overcome them. We also discuss how real self-care can help women live lives that are more authentic and more audacious. And Pooja shares her insights about how self-care can help women find their spark and protect it throughout their lives.What you'll find in this conversation:* She talks about her disillusionment with the practice of psychiatry and mainstream medicine.* Being raised in a patriarchal society.* How she identifies her spark.* How toxic and “faux self care” from the wellness industry actually harms us.* The four principles of real self care.* How guilt stops women from setting boundaries.* How to practice real self care.For more inspiring conversations like this one, be sure you're a subscriber to my Substack, Playing With Fire. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shannonwatts.substack.com/subscribe

“So I am silenced. I do not own my own truth. I do not own my own reality. I've had movies and miniseries made about me. I couldn't participate. I can't even tell you if they're accurate. I may never own my own voice, but I am going to make sure that other people do.”Gretchen Carlson is a renowned journalist, a bestselling author, and now an internationally recognized advocate for women's rights in the workplace. Gretchen's life has taken so many twists and turns from youth violinist to Miss America, to journalists, to women's empowerment advocate.I'm really interested in learning more about how she navigated that non-linear journey. What is it inside her that has propelled her forward? Not just from accomplishment to accomplishment, but how has she kept going despite the difficulties she's endured along the way? What obstacles has she faced internally and externally, and how has she had to work to overcome them? What wisdom can she share with all of us about how to find our spark and to protect it?What you'll find in this conversation:* An incident in kindergarten which was her first introduction to injustice and standing up for herself.* How she believes her spark has been cultivated.* Her experience with being a Miss America contestant and what threatened to put out her spark.* The stereotypes she experienced in television after being Miss America.* Her experiences with sexual assault.* When she filed a complaint against Fox News Chairman Roger Ailes and the retaliation as well as support she received.* She co-founded Lift Our Voices to fight NDA's in workplace contracts.* What she feels most makes her come alive now.* Regrets that she has and what she wishes she could change.* What she's planning next.For more inspiring conversations like this one, be sure you're a subscriber to my Substack, Playing With Fire. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shannonwatts.substack.com/subscribe

Look for the launch of my new Firestarters podcast in January 2024. During the course of writing my new book (out in 2025), I've had some incredible conversations with women who are living on fire, and I wanted to share a few of these conversations to you in January. Why? Because think we could all use some fiery women to help us ring in the New Year! Get full access to Playing with Fire at shannonwatts.substack.com/subscribe