Oh, my goodness. Two of my 2025 projects are officially underway!
The Lounge has launched, and I’ve started the six-month project, The Joy Experiment. It’s been a while since I last felt this excited about any project — and given that my main motivation for these projects is to inject spontaneity, daring, and vibrance into my life, I guess it’s only right that I’m feeling this way! 😂
It feels fitting, then, to kick things off by talking about fear, self-doubt, and what it takes to leap into the unknown — a perfect topic for this week’s podcast guest.
To mark the start of these projects, I invited my good friend and frequent collaborator, Yvonne Marchese, to join me on the podcast.
Yvonne, aside from being a wonderful human being, is a former actress turned photographer, podcaster, author, age-agitator, and an all-around champion for living and aging playfully.
I know her as someone who is always trying something new. For me, Yvonne is the real-life personification of that quote often attributed to Kurt Vonnegut:
“We have to continually be jumping off cliffs and developing our wings on the way down.”
People who’ve known me through the years may say I’m the same way. They see someone seemingly unafraid to pivot or take sharp turns. But what they don’t know (because I don’t talk about it often!) is that there were very many things I didn’t do because I was scared. Scared of failing, falling flat on my face, and being laughed at. #TRUTH
I know I’m not the only one who has avoided doing things out of fear. We all have those moments when we hesitate, but the key is to keep jumping — even if we don’t know exactly where we’ll land.
I asked Yvonne how she deals with fear and self-doubt when considering jumping off another cliff. She credits her training as an actress for helping her manage those moments of insecurity:
“As an actor, if you’re lucky, somebody gives you permission to do a project by casting you in a role. But the real work is going out and auditioning — and getting rejected over and over. I have a pretty thick skin for failure. And after so many years of doing that, you can put ‘failure’ in perspective. It just wasn’t the right fit or the right time.”
What great training! I wish I had that kind of resilience-building experience, and if I had kids, I’d make sure they got it, too.
In this conversation, Yvonne shares her thought process whenever she considers taking on something new — whether it’s starting a podcast, writing a book, or becoming a photographer.
We cover:
How Yvonne’s “beginner’s mindset” keeps her excited about life
Overcoming fear, self-doubt, and the little voice that says, “You can’t.”
Taking inspired action and incorporating playfulness into her daily routines
How she found and continues to nurture a supportive network
One moment that struck me during our chat was Yvonne’s insight that whatever’s happening in your life right now is history — the manifestation of your past decisions and actions.
When I think about where I am today, I can trace so much of it back to specific choices I made — or didn’t make. Whether it’s a new opportunity, a connection, or even a challenge I’m navigating, I can point to a moment when I either took a leap or held back.
This perspective feels particularly relevant as I approach The Joy Experiment. It reminds me that the future I want to create — the spontaneity, vibrance, and growth I’m seeking — starts with what I choose to do now. The actions I take today are shaping the version of me I’ll meet six months from now. And frankly, that’s both exciting and a little terrifying. 😂
This conversation with Yvonne encourages me to completely own and embrace my choices, even those that may not go as planned. Because whether they result in a win or a stumble, they will all contribute to the story I’ll live tomorrow.
Dive into this inspiring conversation with Yvonne, and let me know — what’s your next ‘jump off the cliff’ moment?
Guest Links:
Yvonne’s Podcast: Late Bloomer Living
Follow Yvonne on Instagram
Cool Beans,
Lou Blaser
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