The Courtney Novak Podcast
by Courtney Novak
The Courtney Novak Podcast is a curiosity-led exploration of books, culture, aging well, creativity, and the ideas that shape a thoughtful life.Hosted by writer Courtney Novak, the show blends literary reflections, personal explorations, and ongoing projects—like reading around the world—with broader ruminations on health, meaning, change, and growth. Episodes are guided by curiosity, loose outlines, and a healthy dose of chaos, allowing ideas to unfold naturally and conversationally.For curious minds and readers who like their podcasts reflective, expansive, and human.
Episodes
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Ep. 59: How My 25 in ’25 Became A Survival Manual for the Hardest Year of My Life
This episode of Adventures with My Forties takes you inside my annual “25 in ’25” project — not as a checklist, but as a narrative of what kept me afloat during a year marked by fires, grief, medical emergencies, and profound change. I walk listeners through the goals I set last December, before...
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Ep. 58: How I Make My Brain Sparkle Like A Disco Ball
In this week’s episode, I’m diving into a topic that’s become a quiet but powerful obsession for me lately: what my brain actually needs in midlife, especially as I navigate my forties with big goals, shifting hormones, and real-life stress. I’m not quite ready to share the personal experiences...
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Ep. 57: It’s Time For Your 2025 Holiday Season Reality Check!
It’s that time again — twinkle lights, to-do lists, and a thousand ways to forget what the holidays are actually about. In this episode, I’m giving myself (and you) a Holiday Pep Talk. In Part One, I share my favorite reminders for staying sane this season — why peace matters more than…
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Ep. 56: Nazaré: An Unexpected Masterclass in Human Behavior
What can a Brazilian telenovela villain teach us about boundaries and emotional freedom? Courtney explores Senhora do Destino and discovers that Nazaré Tedesco is an unexpected masterclass in human behavior. 💌 Email: [email protected] 🌍 Show notes + newsletter:...
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Ep. 55: Episode 55: Emerging from the Ashes & Honoring My Muse
I didn’t plan to record today — but my Muse had other ideas. In this gentle return to Adventures with My Forties, I share what the past ten months have looked like: the fires, the losses, the slow reawakening, and the quiet joy of finally wanting to create again. Show notes: CourtneyHenningNovak.com
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Ep. 54: The Los Angeles Fires: Hello, Therapy, My Old Friend
Hello! I meant to record my first episode of the year in January, but life went sideways with the epic fires in Los Angeles. To get back into podcasting, I'm sharing my experiences with the Palisades and Eaton Fires. And yes, I have returned to therapy because wow, I have a lot to process. Show...
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Ep. 53: 24 in '24: The Good! The Bad! The Brazilian Magic!
This week, I took a moment to step away from the holiday madness and reflect on my 24 in '24 project. What were my successes? What were my flops? And where did I make space for a little magic? Show notes will be available at CourtneyHenningNovak.com. Thank you for listening and I'll see you in 2025!
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Ep. 52: The Reasons Behind My Epic Burnout
Part 3 of my three part miniseries on burnout. In this episode, I discuss the reasons behind the epic burnout I experienced after volunteering too much for my kids' activities. In a nutshell, my pride and ego got hooked on the myth of the supermom and as a result, I lost touch with my authentic...
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Ep. 51: Healing From Epic Burnout
Part two of my burnout miniseries. In this episode, I describe the ways I healed and recovered from epic. Show notes are available at CourtneyHenningNovak.com. Thanks for listening!
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Ep. 50: Adventures with Epic Burnout: The Miniseries
A couple years ago, I experienced some massive burnout. This is Part One of a miniseries about that adventure. This is the story of my burnout, the events that resulted in me feeling like my soul had been reduced to a heap of ashes. Show notes will be available at CourtneyHenningNovak.com. Thanks...
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Ep. 49: How to Sleigh Your Holidays and Deck Fake Stress
This week, I'm giving my annual holidays pep talk. I love this time of year and I actually enjoy the chaos, but it's also so easy to slide into stress and panic over sh*t that doesn't actually matter. I always need to remind myself that it's not about creating a holiday that mimics what I see on...
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Ep. 48: Episode 48: The Magic of Reading Around the World For A Year: Reflections and Ruminations
My Read Around the World quest celebrated its first birthday last week, and I celebrated by taking some time to ruminate and reflect on the unexpected adventures (hi, Brazil!) and the magic this reading project has already created. I'm so excited to keep reading around the world and I welcome...
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Ep. 47 Hater-Proof: Your Social Media Comment Section Survival Guide
Confession: I made this episode as a pep talk for future Courtney. In the not so distant future, my Read Around the World quest will reach the I's, and the I's include Israel, and folks on social media have some strong opinions about Israel. People have already suggested I should skip Israel. I...
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Ep. 46: Ruminations on Friendship: The Good; The Inspiring; The Toxic
I feel very self-conscious about posting this episode, but I also feel strongly that I should. Friendship is messy and complicated! A good friend can change your life for the better--but so can a toxic friend. Ending a toxic friendship can help us learn more about ourselves and the boundaries we...
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Ep. 45 10 Things I Love About São Paulo
Ten reasons why I had an absolutely incredible time in São Paulo, and I cannot wait to go back. Show notes are available at CourtneyHenningNovak.com. Thanks for listening!
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Ep. 44: Famous in Brazil?!?!
Am I really famous in Brazil? My TikTok video about The Posthumous Memoirs of Brás Cubas went viral in Brazil, and I have received hundreds of comments and DM's telling me that I'm now famous there--but it's just too surreal for me to comprehend. this week, I talk about my adventure with going...
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Ep. 43 Why I'm Reading Around the World
I am on a quest to read a book by an author from every country in the world in alphabetical order and since my last episode, that project blew up on social media and in two weeks, I'm going to Brazil to speak at a literary festival. I know! This was not on my 2024 Bingo card, but I am embracing…
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Ep. 42 The Dark Side of Girl Scout Cookies
It's Girl Scout cookie season here in Pasadena, and Pippa LOVES selling cookies. She learns a lot of great things from the program, but I have a few issues with the way it breeds competition, whips girls into a frenzy over crappy prizes, adds to my mental load, and exposes girls to diet culture....
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Ep. 41 Introducing Project 24 in '24
Happy New Year! Another year, another project! Instead of resolutions, I like to concoct lists of projects that I hope to complete during the new year. I got this idea from one of my favorite podcasts, Happier With Gretchen Rubin, and I’ve been doing it since 2022. Here's the 24 in '24 list: No...
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Ep. 40 Bitches Love Witches
It's October and nearly Halloween, and this year, I'm thinking a lot about witches. People tend to think of witches as evil but I love stories that reclaim witches and allow them to be good, strong and powerful. Why must a woman who practices magic be considered evil? Is the idea of the evil…
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Ep. 39 Why Do Women Love True Crime?
This week, I explore the question, Why do women love true crime? I myself listen to true crime podcasts and often wonder, Why do I love listening to these stories? And perhaps, more importantly: does my interest in true crime suggest some sort of moral deficiency on my part? Spoiler alert: I…
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Ep. 38 It’s Fall, Y’All!
Autumn is here! First, I reflect on ways to welcome the change of seasons. Then, since it's autumn, of course I need a new bucket list - but I swear, I first did some soul searching to make sure my fall bucket list would serve my happiness. After I created my fall bucket list, I created my Fall...
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Ep. 37 Rebuilding My Mind-Body Connection
This week, I talk about my mind-body connection, or lack thereof, and how hot yoga and the enneagram are helping me rebuild my relationship with my body. Show notes are available at CourtneyHenningNovak.com. Thanks for listening!
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Ep. 36 The PathTo Enlightenment Is in The Elementary School Carline
Every school day, when I drop my kids off, someone in the car line is a jerk or idiot or both. And this used to rile me up and I'd feel outraged at the injustices of car line. but recently I realized: what if the path to enlightenment is in car line? What if I stop letting other people steal my...
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Ep. 35 When You Get Sucked Into Other Folks’ Agendas
Hello! This week, I'm talking about Human Giver Syndrome and the ways women get sucked into doing work for other people's organizations. I talk about ways I got hijacked by other folks' agendas into doing volunteer work that doesn't actually align with my values and beliefs. Specifically, I'm...
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Ep. 34 Setting My Intentions For The 2023-24 School Year
I'm back! It's been over a year, and I finally have the time, energy and bandwidth to record a podcast episode. How are you? It's been too long. In this episode, I catch you up on the past year of my life. Long story short: I volunteered for too many things, and then my dad had some serious…
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Ep. 33 Your Kids Are Entitled to Your Mistakes
On Father's Day, the kids were sassy and rude, and I lost all my shits. It was not my proudest parenting hour. But then, I apologized and explained why I had overreacted to the kids, and we hugged and made up. While I would love to be the "perfect mom," my kids are entitled to my mistakes. If…
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Ep. 32 Grief Sucks But I’m Getting Better At Embracing It
It has been a month since my last episode and life has been a lot. My uncle died in mid-January and my grandma died on February 1. I was very close to both of them and have been exhausted from all my grief. But I think I am handling my grief for my uncle and grandma well - or, at least better…
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Operation: Reclaim My Life!
Last week, I told you about my 22 Projects in '22 to keep my momentum strong. To deepen my self-work this year, I am also launching Operation: Reclaim My Life. In this episode, I talk about why I picked "reclaim" to be my word of 2022 and my four areas of focus: Reclaim My House; Reclaim My Body;...
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Ep. 30 Twenty-two Projects in 2022
Happy 2022! This week, I share the twenty-two projects I am pursuing in 2022 to keep my momentum strong. The projects range from "publish my first novel" to "get a posh trash can for the kitchen" and everything in between. Not all of these projects will happen, but this is my process and I'm...
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Ep. 29 How To Raise A Successful Adult
This week, I talk about all the ways I was inspired by Julie Lythcott-Haims' book How to Raise An Adult: Break Free of The Overparenting Trap and Prepare Your Kid For Success. The book really delivers on its promise. It showed me the ways in which I have fallen into the overparenting trap and…
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Ep. 28 Kicking Ass And Healing During The 2021-22 School Year
The calendar year might begin on January 1, but the first day of school is the true beginning of the year. My kids returned to school on August 12, 2021 -- it was Julian's first day of kindergarten, Pippa's first day of third grade, their first day attending the same school ever, and the first…
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Ep. 27 What Does Pandemic Healing Look Like?
Holy eff, I don't know about you, but I am burned out from the pandemic. I feel a deep need to heal from this collective -- and personal -- traumatic experience. Now that school is out and my kids are both going to camp, I am thinking about what I want to do this summer to heal. Show notes are...
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Ep. 26: Maternal Mental Health Is A Journey, Not A Destination
It's Maternal Mental Health Week 2021! Maternal mental health is a cause near and dear to my heart. When I talk and write about maternal mental health, I end up focusing on postpartum depression. That's an important subject that needs attention, but maternal mental health does not end with the...
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Ep. 25 The Mirrors That Reflect Our Inner Work
This week, I am talking about the mirrors that reflect our inner work: art! dreams! other people! especially annoying people! and signs from the Universe! We all have work to do during this lifetime, and there are so many ways to find that work. I discuss some of the things that act as mirrors to...
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Ep. 24 Pandemic Philosophy
This week, I talk about the thoughts that are helping me stay sane as my family embarks on our next pandemic adventure: the hybrid hellscape. Show notes are available at CourtneyHenningNovak.com. The music is "Carpe Diem" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By...
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Ep. 23 Building New,Radiant Beliefs
My feelings have helped me identify some toxic, outdated beliefs. Now I am working to replace those beliefs with new, radiant ones. In this episode, I describe the things I am doing to build these new beliefs. Spoiler alert: I am embracing the shit out of affirmations! Show notes are available at...
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Ep. 22 Identifying My Core Values
Let's talk about values! Last week, I listened to the audiobook of Dare to Lead by Brené Brown. The second part of the book is called Living Into Our Values and it changed my attitude about values. I love values. I have journaled extensively about my values. I’ve talked about values with my...
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21 My Feelings Have Messages I Want To heed
I am a feelings amateur but this week, I talk about feelings, from my history of suppressing my feelings to my current work to use my feelings as a tool to figure out my subconscious beliefs. We live in a culture that does not value feelings, but I believe feelings are important. Feelings are…
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Ep. 20 The Space Between Hope and Despair
I got a little philosophical for this episode. Over the past couple months of pandemic and distance learning life, I have noticed that I am my best self when I occupy the space between hope and despair. Hope and despair are mindsets that look to the future. Hope might seem more optimistic than...
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Ep. 19 Looking Back At 2020 & Ahead To 2021
Happy Almost New Year! At the end of the year, I like to look back at the year I have had and reflect on the work I did to become a better version of myself. I thought that 2020 was going to be a total dumpster fire but after thinking back on the year, was pleasantly surprised to see how much I...
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Ep. 18 Putting the SELF in Self-Help
I love self-help books! But that has not always been the case. When I was younger, I felt drawn to the self-help section at the bookstore but ashamed at the idea of reading those books. After I I got my first Kindle, I started to make up for lost time. I have learned to be an active participant…
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Ep. 17 A Very Pandemic Holiday Season
This week, I talk about the upcoming 2020 holidays. Spoiler alert: the holidays will be a bit different this year because hello, #pandemic. I am trying my best to lower/change my expectations so my family can still enjoy this time of year. I talk about the mindset I am trying to embrace so I do…
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Ep. 16 Distance Learning Suuuucks Soooo Muuuuch
This week, I revisit the topic of distance learning because hello, it's 2020 and starting to feel like my second grader will never go back to "normal" school. I was in a 2020 rut at the beginning of October and feeling broken by distance learning. It is so time consuming! And aggravating! But…
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Ep.15 Catholic School Detox
I went to Catholic school for 11.5 years, from about halfway through first grade until the day I graduated from high school in 1997. I have not practiced Catholicism since 1997, but I am starting to realize that I internalized a lot of toxic beliefs during my Catholic school years. I am now…
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Ep.14 Reclaiming My Voice
When I was about eighteen and nineteen years old, I had a few experiences that made me feel like my voice, in both speaking and writing, was not good enough. There was the high school frenemy who told me that I was not funny. Then there was the college "friend" who criticized my potty mouth. And...
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Ep. 13 Bumbling My Way Toward Better Boundaries
This week, I talk about boundaries. Spoiler alert: I am not an expert in having boundaries! Instead, I am an expert in not having healthy boundaries. I share how my boundaries used to be total crap - in some cases, they were too extreme and I shut people out; in other cases, they almost didn't...
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Ep. 12 The Dangerous Self-Care Myth
I love self-care. I believe it is necessary and vital to our lives. BUT: I also believe that self-care gets presented to women as the panacea to all their problems. Feeling down? Buy a scented candle. Feeling unfulfilled and dissatisfied with your life? Take a bubble bath! But as awesome as...
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Ep. 11 Pandemic Parenting Jedi Mind Tricks, Part Two
Under the best of circumstances, parenting is tough. Add in a pandemic and some distance learning? Holy sh*t. At the beginning of the pandemic, I wished there was a “Guide to Parenting During A Historic Pandemic” that would help me navigate these stormy times. But the more I reflect on it, the…
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Ep. 10 Pandemic Parenting Jedi Mind Tricks, Part One
Under the best of circumstances, parenting is tough. Add in a pandemic and some distance learning? Holy sh*t. At the beginning of the pandemic, I wished there was a "Guide to Parenting During A Historic Pandemic" that would help me navigate these stormy times. But the more I reflect on it, the…
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About this show
The Courtney Novak Podcast is a curiosity-led exploration of books, culture, aging well, creativity, and the ideas that shape a thoughtful life.Hosted by writer Courtney Novak, the show blends literary reflections, personal explorations, and ongoing projects—like reading around the world—with broader ruminations on health, meaning, change, and growth. Episodes are guided by curiosity, loose outlines, and a healthy dose of chaos, allowing ideas to unfold naturally and conversationally.For curious minds and readers who like their podcasts reflective, expansive, and human.
Hosted by
Courtney Novak