56 episodes

Has there ever been a better time to decide what our lives should look like? We are emerging from a once-in-a-century cataclysm where our lives were upended, our communities remade and our priorities readjusted. Now as the call to return to "normal" grows more insistent, we get to ask the question: what does "normal" look like? Did the old normal serve me? What do I want my new normal to be? And what will that mean for my career, my community, and my family? These are the fundamental questions to building our lives - and now, rebuilding them. As a therapist and coach, Shoshanna Hecht has been wrestling with these very questions in her practice - and now, on this podcast. With guests from all walks of life including media, culture, politics, tech, business & activism, Shoshanna examines the overlap of our goals, relationships, boundaries and priorities, and how we can navigate them all with self-awareness and intention. What do we want our lives to look like? Welcome to Your New Life Blend.

Your New Life Blend Shoshanna Hecht

    • Society & Culture
    • 4.8 • 38 Ratings

Has there ever been a better time to decide what our lives should look like? We are emerging from a once-in-a-century cataclysm where our lives were upended, our communities remade and our priorities readjusted. Now as the call to return to "normal" grows more insistent, we get to ask the question: what does "normal" look like? Did the old normal serve me? What do I want my new normal to be? And what will that mean for my career, my community, and my family? These are the fundamental questions to building our lives - and now, rebuilding them. As a therapist and coach, Shoshanna Hecht has been wrestling with these very questions in her practice - and now, on this podcast. With guests from all walks of life including media, culture, politics, tech, business & activism, Shoshanna examines the overlap of our goals, relationships, boundaries and priorities, and how we can navigate them all with self-awareness and intention. What do we want our lives to look like? Welcome to Your New Life Blend.

    Jennifer Romolini, Author & Creative

    Jennifer Romolini, Author & Creative

    Jenn Romolini is a success story, with the glowing "get her life!" press coverage to prove it. As a journalist, editor, author, podcast creator and creative executive, Jenn has had the kind of successful career across media, tech and entertainment that is a testament to ambition, vision and hard work. But in her new memoir “Ambition Monster,” Jenn shares the story of just how hard the work was, and just how deep the ambition went as she looks backward on a life that was not always the stuff of glossy press coverage. In this episode of "Your New Life Blend," host Shoshanna Hecht talks to Jenn about the deeply personal story she tells about family, class, workaholism, and identity; how her ambition was both her survival mode and what gave her hope; and what it means to allow ourselves to tell our full stories - and be fully seen.

    SHOW NOTES

    Website:
    https://www.jenniferromolini.com

    Books:
    Ambition Monster: A Memoir
    Weird In a World That’s Not: A Career Guide for Misfits

    Podcasts:
    Everything Is Fine (Jennifer Romolini & Kim France)
    Stiffed (Crooked Media)

    Newsletter:
    Extended Scenes (Substack)

    Social Media:
    https://www.instagram.com/jennromolini
    https://twitter.com/jennromolini
    https://twitter.com/theeifpodcast

    • 37 min
    Christie Marchese, Founder & CEO, Kinema

    Christie Marchese, Founder & CEO, Kinema

    Christie Marchese is the founder and CEO of Kinema, a next-gen platform for filmmakers to share their work (and get paid for it!), to find new audiences and experiencing the magic of going to the movies as intended - in community. That's magic that Christie knows well, as a serial entrepreneur who has built a career around surfacing important work and bringing new audiences together to drive social change and tell stories that matter. (She was previously the founder & CEO of the impact agency Picture Motion, and worked in strategic roles at Righteous Pictures, Participant Media, Norman Lear's nonprofit Declare Yourself.) Community is also a North star of Christie's life, guiding her investment strategy, vision of family planning, and in the short term, how many people she and her husband can cram joyfully into their amazing lower Manhattan apartment for book parties, screenings, fundraisers and more. In this episode of "Your New Life Blend" host Shoshanna Hecht talks to Christie about the intentionality of building community in her life as she (happily) approaches 40 and the joy of working and building alongside your chosen family.

    SHOW NOTES

    Website
    https://kinema.com

    "Meet Christie Marchese, whose company Kinema wants to revolutionize film distribution," Fortune
    https://fortune.com/2023/08/10/christie-marchese-founders-forum-2023

    "Christie Marchese, CEO of Kinema, on Creating A Mission-based Company," WieSuite
    https://www.thewiesuite.com/post/christie-marchese-ceo-of-kinema-on-creating-a-missionbased-company

    Social Media:
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/christiem
    https://www.linkedin.com/company/kinemahq

    https://www.instagram.com/christiemarchese
    https://www.instagram.com/kinemahq

    https://twitter.com/ChristieM
    https://twitter.com/kinemaHQ

    https://www.facebook.com/KinemaHQ

    • 31 min
    YNLB Highlights: Advice & Real Talk from 11 Inspiring Women

    YNLB Highlights: Advice & Real Talk from 11 Inspiring Women

    For the past two and half seasons, we have been lucky to have some truly amazing guests here on "Your New Life Blend," who have shared so many amazing insights. As we hit that Q2 crunch time, we wanted to share some of it to help you refocus on your own priorities, goals, and boundaries (we love boundaries). Please enjoy this great advice and insight from Dorie Clark, Bridget Todd, Vanessa Bennett, Candice Cook, Lyz Lenz, Hitha Palepu, Christina Wallace, Stacy London, Bea Arthur, Morra Aarons-Mele, Abby Falik and of course, "Your New Life Blend" host, executive and personal coach Shoshanna Hecht. We hope you enjoy it! We'll be back next week with more great Season 3 guests.

    Featuring:

    Dorie Clark, Author & Speaker
    Season 1, Episode 13
    https://dorieclark.com

    Bridget Todd, Founder & Podcaster 
    Season 2, Episode 9
    https://www.unbossedcreative.com

    Vanessa Bennett, Author & Entrepreneur
    Season 2, Episode 16
    https://lessawkward.com

    Candice Cook, Entrepreneur & Attorney
    Season 1, Episode 16
    https://www.candicecook.com

    Lyz Lenz, Author & Journalist
    Season 2, Episode 8
    https://lyzlenz.com

    Hitha Palepu, Multi-Hyphenate
    Season 2, Episode 3
    https://hitha.beehiiv.com

    Christina Wallace, Author & HBS Professor
    Season 1, Episode 7
    https://christinawallace.com

    Stacy London, Style Icon & Midlife Advocate
    Season 2, Episode 6
    https://www.instagram.com/stacylondonreal

    Bea Arthur, Entrepreneur & Therapist
    Season 2, Episode 1
    https://www.beaarthurtherapy.com

    Morra Aarons-Mele, Mental Health Speaker & Author
    Season 1, Episode 4
    https://morraam.com

    Abby Falik, Social Entrepreneur
    Season 1, Episode 12
    https://www.abbyfalik.com

    • 28 min
    Lindsay Scola, Sleep Advocate

    Lindsay Scola, Sleep Advocate

    Sure, we all get tired. But Lindsay Scola's tired was different. She was constantly exhausted, dozed off frequently, experienced night terrors, anxiety and brain fog, and sometimes, hallucinations. Doctors suggested that perhaps it was her demanding career working with high-powered leaders in entertainment, politics and government (including being part of the Obama administration), but still, this had been going on for two decades and Lindsay knew that something else was going on. It took years of telling doctors about her symptoms before finally, at age 35, she got confirmation that yes, her tired was different: she had narcolepsy. 
    Armed with this new information about her own health, Lindsay has become a patient advocate and sleep evangelist, writing and speaking widely to share her story and help others find clarity about their own health. In this episode of "Your New Life Blend," host Shoshanna Hecht talks to Lindsay about her sleep journey and the complexities of sleep issues for different people (yes, your tired might be different!); how to best advocate for ourselves with medical professionals (before they pass you a pamphlet and send you on your way); and how to be ambitious and productive when our bodies are not cooperating. 

    SHOW NOTES

    Website
    https://www.lindsayscola.com

    "For Years Doctors Told Me My Constant Exhaustion and Night Terrors Were Normal. They Weren’t," Self
    https://www.self.com/story/constant-exhaustion-narcolepsy-essay

    "Waking Up to a New Era of Sleeping Well: In Conversation with Lindsay Scola," Thrive Global
    https://community.thriveglobal.com/waking-up-to-a-new-era-of-sleeping-well-in-conversation-with-lindsay-scola

    "Everyone Around Me Was Tired: I had no idea my tired was different," WieSuite
    https://www.thewiesuite.com/post/everyone-around-me-was-tired-i-had-no-idea-my-tired-was-different

    Social Media:
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsay-scola-a75b431
    https://www.instagram.com/lindsay.scola
    https://www.threads.net/@lindsay.scola

    • 34 min
    Glynnis MacNicol, Author, "I'm Mostly Here To Enjoy Myself"

    Glynnis MacNicol, Author, "I'm Mostly Here To Enjoy Myself"

    Glynnis MacNicol spent the long stretch of COVID lockdown mostly alone in small Upper West Side apartment, mostly without really touching another person. So by summer 2021, after vaccines had rolled out and restrictions were finally lifting, she jumped at the chance to stay at a friend's apartment in Paris, and immediately bought a plane ticket out of her pandemic-imposed solitude. Landing in Paris she found a city just waking up from its own lockdown, and felt in Parisians all around her the same urgent, greedy desire to enjoy every pleasure life had to offer - food (cheese, croissants, chocolate), community (in-person, Zoom be damned), and connection (very much in person, very pleasurable, very much enjoyed). She recounts it all and then some in her joyful, decadent, and insightful new memoir, "I'm Mostly Here To Enjoy Myself: One Woman's Pursuit of Pleasure in Paris," coming in June, which dares to suggest that women have the right to enjoy themselves - and their choices - fully and gloriously, without needing permission. In this episode of "Your New Life Blend," Glynnis talks to host Shoshanna Hecht about how seeking & claiming pleasure is actually a radical feminist act; the power of a free woman freely making her own choices; the joys of embracing your life unfolding at any age; and why we all deserve to truly enjoy ourselves.


    SHOW NOTES

    Website
    https://www.glynnismacnicol.com/

    I'm Mostly Here To Enjoy Myself: One Woman's Pursuit of Pleasure in Paris
    https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/736781/im-mostly-here-to-enjoy-myself-by-glynnis-macnicol

    No One Tells You This
    https://www.glynnismacnicol.com/noonetellsyouthis.html

    Podcast: "Wilder"
    https://www.glynnismacnicol.com/wilder.html

    Newsletter: "Good Decisions"
    https://glynnismacnicol.substack.com

    "I Think We’re Alone Now. Welcome." New York Times
    https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/06/style/self-care/coronavirus-living-alone.html

    "Growing Up Meant Learning How to Wear Red Lipstick," The Cut
    https://www.thecut.com/2014/12/growing-up-meant-learning-to-wear-red-lipstick.html

    "I Miss My Lipstick," New York Times
    https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/15/style/lipsticks-to-wear-with-masks.html

    Other Writing:
    https://www.glynnismacnicol.com/other-writing.html

    Instagram:
    https://www.instagram.com/noonetellsyouthis


    References:

    The Other Significant Others: Reimagining Life with Friendship at the Center
    https://www.amazon.com/Other-Significant-Others-Reimagining-Friendship/dp/1250280915

    Birthrates are plummeting worldwide. Why?
    https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/19/opinion/ezra-klein-podcast-jennifer-sciubba.html

    TheLi.st, founded by Glynnis MacNicol & Rachel Sklar
    https://nypost.com/2020/11/24/exclusive-womens-social-network-sold-to-shokets-new-power-media

    • 45 min
    Penny Abeywardena, International Affairs Expert & Soft Power Strategist

    Penny Abeywardena, International Affairs Expert & Soft Power Strategist

    Who are we when we don’t have a job? A fancy title? The heft of a prestigious organization behind us, signaling our worth and marketability? That question stared Penny Abeywardena square in the face when she left her high-powered position as New York City Commissioner for International Affairs in the De Blasio administration, a role she had served in from 2014-2022. It was the first untethered, unstructured time she’d had in two decades. It was also the first time she’d had a moment to think about what this new untethered life might look like. In this episode of “Your New Life Blend,” host Shoshanna Hecht talks to Penny about creating a new, bespoke job description, her newfound focus on "soft power" and the power of collaboration, and how her experiences as an immigrant, woman of color, and survivor of domestic violence have shaped her approach to leadership and advocacy.

    Website
    https://pennyabeywardena.com

    Soft Power Strategies
    http://softpowerstrategies.com

    Forbes Column
    https://www.forbes.com/sites/pennyabeywardena

    Social Media
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/pennyabeywardena
    https://twitter.com/pabeywardena
    https://www.instagram.com/pabeywardena

    • 35 min

Customer Reviews

4.8 out of 5
38 Ratings

38 Ratings

linssul ,

Excellent interviews - and interviewer!

I absolutely love listening to Your New Life Blend. The guests are fabulous, and Shoshanna’s interview style is absolutely incredible. Thanks for this great show!

Molecular Biophysics ,

Like chatting with good friends

This podcasts celebrates the twists and turns of life and amplifies the things we speak about quietly with friends. It's a delight and refreshing. Shoshanna is a warm host and asks both the question you have and the ones you wish you had!

Sylvia Speaks ,

New listener and loving it already

Just found your show via someone’s feed on LinkedIn and got a chance to listen to your Bea Arthur episode. Fantastic. Looking forward to listening to more.

Top Podcasts In Society & Culture

Fail Better with David Duchovny
Lemonada Media
Sixteenth Minute (of Fame)
Cool Zone Media and iHeartPodcasts
Stuff You Should Know
iHeartPodcasts
Inconceivable Truth
Wavland
This American Life
This American Life
Shawn Ryan Show
Shawn Ryan | Cumulus Podcast Network

You Might Also Like

This American Life
This American Life
Fresh Air
NPR
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Lemonada Media
Ten Percent Happier with Dan Harris
Ten Percent Happier
Good Life Project
Jonathan Fields / Acast
Tara Brach
Tara Brach