The Leap Lounge

Joan Russell
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Weekly

The Leap Lounge® Podcast is for anyone who feels ready to make a change in career, life, or whatever is next but is unsure how to go about it. Hosted by change coach and consultant Joan Russell, this podcast offers real talk, inspiration, and support to help you navigate the emotional and practical challenges of taking a leap into something new. If you’ve been dreaming of something different and are ready to explore the possibilities, you’re in the right place. Let's leap together!

  1. 9h ago

    What Follows You: Tracy Steele on Reinvention, Credibility & Community

    What happens when the work you love starts drifting away from you, and the job you want next doesn't seem to exist? Tracy Steele has been a military spouse for 26 years. Nine moves, three years in Japan, and a nursing career she had to set aside meant reinventing herself again and again, until volunteer leadership turned into a career helping other military spouses find work. Then her role began shifting away from the people she cared most about serving. She went searching for her ikigai and realized she would have to build it herself. Leaving meant walking away from a steady paycheck, a respected organization, and what she once called her dream job. It also raised a harder question: was her credibility really hers, or did it belong to the organization behind her? If you've ever wondered whether people value you, or just the title on your email signature, this conversation is for you. In This Episode: The hardest decision of her career: Why Tracy walked away from a steady paycheck, a respected organization, and what she once called her dream job.Reinvention as a through-line: How 26 years as a military spouse, nine moves, and volunteer leadership quietly built the skills behind her next chapter.When a good job stops being the right job: What changed when her role began drifting away from the military spouses she most wanted to serve.Me, or the organization? The fear that her credibility and relationships belonged to her title, and what actually happened when she left.Finding your champions: Why imposter syndrome is real, and how coaches and trusted people helped her see what she already knew.Seasons and a career GPS: Why every leap has its season, and how mapping backward from an end goal makes the next one more prepared.Tracy is still in the middle of her leap, building Community Cultivator and heading back to graduate school. She's honest that it's exciting and scary every day, and that the relationships and trust she built over the years came with her. Resources & Links Connect with Tracy Steele Community CultivatorCommunity Cultivator on LinkedIn🎙️ Have a leap story?Email leap@theleaplounge.com or DM @thejoanrussell. ✨ Work with Joan:Book a Free 30-Minute Consultation 🌐 The Leap Lounge🌐 Intuitive North📣 Instagram: @theleaplounge | @thejoanrussell📣 LinkedIn: Joan Russell If this episode resonates with you, subscribe to The Leap Lounge, share it with someone standing at the edge of their own leap, or leave a review.

  2. Nov 3

    Making Room for More: Adina Appelbaum on Immigration Law, Entrepreneurship & Identity

    What if wanting more doesn’t mean something is wrong with the life you’ve built? For most people, a leap story starts with leaving: the job that stopped fitting, the career that ran its course. But Adina Appelbaum, immigration attorney and social-impact business strategist, had already reached the career she’d spent years working toward, and she didn’t want to walk away from it. Still, something kept pulling at her. Alongside work she deeply valued, she had a steady feeling that she wasn’t using all of herself: her creativity, her entrepreneurial energy, her sense of what else she might build. In this episode of The Leap Lounge, Joan Russell sits down with Adina to explore a leap that adds instead of escapes: making room for new parts of yourself without rejecting the identity you worked so hard to create. Their conversation goes beyond juggling more than one career. Adina reflects on how a personal struggle she and her husband faced became Immigrant Finance, why being seen and judged felt harder than learning the business itself, and what changed when she stopped keeping the parts of who she is separate and started bringing them together. If you’ve ever loved what you’ve built but still sensed there’s more, wondered whether you’re allowed to want something different from work you value, or held back from showing up fully because of what others might think, this conversation offers a different way to think about growth. In This Episode: When the dream career isn’t the whole story: How Adina could love her work in immigration law and still feel pulled toward something more.Building something hopeful: Why entrepreneurship became a creative, hopeful counterweight to emotionally demanding legal work.A personal problem becomes a purpose: How the financial questions she and her husband couldn’t get clear answers to grew into Immigrant Finance.The fear of being seen: Why visibility, charging for her work, and worrying about professional judgment were harder than the mechanics of running a business.From compartmentalizing to integrating: Learning to let several professional identities coexist, and coming to see them as “the fullest of me.”Trusting the pull: Why outside support can help you see your own patterns, but the decision and the path are still yours. Sometimes, the next chapter doesn’t require leaving anything behind. Sometimes, it begins when we stop asking which version of ourselves to choose and give ourselves permission to be all of them. Resources & Links:Connect with Adina Appelbaum International Empowerment — Official WebsiteImmigrant FinanceInstagram — @adinaappelbaumLinkedIn — Adina AppelbaumIlluminate Digital® Podcast 🎙️ Have a leap story?Email leap@theleaplounge.com or DM @thejoanrussell.✨ Work with Joan:Book a Free 30-Minute Consultation🌐 The Leap Lounge🌐 Intuitive North📣 Instagram: @theleaplounge | @thejoanrussell📣 LinkedIn: Joan Russell If this episode resonates with you, subscribe to The Leap Lounge, share it with someone standing at the edge of their own leap, or leave a review.

  3. Oct 27

    Just One Pivot: Maria Keckler on Security, Courage & Reinvention

    Maria Keckler had the secure job, the big paycheck, and years of meaningful work with people she loved. She’d even gone back to school in her mid-50s to finish a PhD. But the work calling her and the work she was doing were no longer the same. In this episode, Maria, a researcher and former university administrator whose PhD work focused on empathy in healthcare, shares what happens when a natural builder spends too long maintaining. A health crisis became her wake-up call, and a month of medical leave gave her space to take stock. One honest conversation with her husband turned that reflection into a plan: a six-month handoff, a clear-eyed look at the finances, and a leap without a visible safety net. But the leap didn’t end with her resignation. Maria talks candidly about the internal resistance that showed up even after she decided, the chess lesson from her father that became her life mantra, and why, more than a year in, she’s still learning to give herself permission to rest. If you’ve built a stable life you’re grateful for but keep wondering whether waiting is costing you more than changing, this conversation is for you. In This Episode: Why being a builder stuck in a maintainer role can burn you out, even when the work and the people are goodHow a health crisis reframed what security was really worthPlanning a leap thoughtfully: a six-month transition, the money conversation, and the difference between reckless and courageousThe internal resistance that shows up after the decision, and how Maria talked herself through itHer father’s chess lesson: just one move, one pivot, can change the momentum of the gameUnlearning productivity guilt and choosing presence over postponed livingMaria isn’t reckless. She’s just more daring than she’s ever been, and her story is a reminder that it’s never too late to make your next move. Resources & Links: Connect with Maria Keckler Pivotal Empathydrmariakeckler.com LinkedInXFacebook🎙️ Have a leap story?Email leap@theleaplounge.com or DM @thejoanrussell. ✨ Work with Joan:Book a Free 30-Minute Consultation 🌐 The Leap Lounge🌐 Intuitive North📣 Instagram: @theleaplounge | @thejoanrussell📣 LinkedIn: Joan Russell If this episode resonates with you, subscribe to The Leap Lounge, share it with someone standing at the edge of their own leap, or leave a review.

  4. Oct 20

    Choosing to Stay: Rashi Kaur on Home, Change and Self-Trust

    What if the biggest leap of your life isn't leaving everything behind, but finally choosing to stay? For most people, moving somewhere new means stepping into the unknown. But for Rashi Kaur, life coach and founder of The Joy Consultant, change had always been second nature. After a lifetime of moving between countries, cities, and different versions of herself, Rashi had become remarkably comfortable with starting over. New places meant new possibilities, new connections, and another chance to reinvent herself. But beneath all that movement, something wasn't quite settling. In this episode of The Leap Lounge, Joan Russell sits down with Rashi to explore what she calls her reverse leap: choosing to make San Diego home after years of embracing constant change. Their conversation goes beyond finding the right place to live. Rashi reflects on how movement can offer both freedom and distraction, the uncomfortable process of recognizing what we've been avoiding, and the courage it takes to trust our own decisions rather than letting fear make them for us. If you've ever felt the urge to change everything around you, wondered why the next fresh start never quite feels like enough, or struggled to trust the life you're building, this conversation offers a different perspective on what it means to move forward. In This Episode: A lifetime of new beginnings: How growing up across different places and cultures shaped Rashi's identity and comfort with change. The meaning of home: Why finding somewhere to belong became a different kind of leap. When change becomes an escape: Recognizing the difference between embracing new possibilities and using constant movement to avoid uncomfortable truths. The courage to choose for yourself: Learning to express what you want, release guilt, and trust your decisions. Making peace with uncertainty: Why not every choice needs a guaranteed outcome to be worth making. Finding answers in stillness: How intentional solitude, journaling, and listening to your inner knowing can bring greater clarity. Sometimes, the next chapter doesn't require a new destination. Sometimes, it begins when we stop, get quiet, and give ourselves the space to discover what we've been looking for all along. Resources & Links: Connect with Rashi Kaur The Joy Consultant — Official Website Instagram — @thejoyconsultant LinkedIn — Rashi Kaur / The Joy Consultant Explore Rashi's Go First Quiz — Available through her website. 🎙️ Have a leap story? Email leap@theleaplounge.com or DM @thejoanrussell. ✨ Work with Joan: Book a Free 30-Minute Consultation 🌐 The Leap Lounge 🌐 Intuitive North 📣 Instagram: @theleaplounge | @thejoanrussell 📣 LinkedIn: Joan Russell If this episode resonates with you, subscribe to The Leap Lounge, share it with someone standing at the edge of their own leap, or leave a review.

  5. Oct 13

    Building The Runway: Eleanor Antonacci on Layoffs, Freedom & Boundaries

    What if the next chapter of your career was already taking shape, but you weren't quite ready to trust it? Eleanor Antonacci had a corporate career in marketing and a growing travel business she started as a passion project. She loved what she was building, but the security of a steady paycheck was hard to walk away from. In fact, she was considering scaling the business back when an unexpected layoff changed everything. In this episode of The Leap Lounge, Joan Russell sits down with Eleanor, travel advisor and founder of Elevate Your Escapes, to explore what happens when a leap arrives before you feel ready to take it. Eleanor shares how she navigated the uncertainty of leaving corporate life, the practical preparation that gave her room to move forward, and the unexpected challenges of turning a passion into a full-time business. Because even when the leap works out, building a life that doesn't recreate the burnout you wanted to escape is another challenge entirely. If you've been building something on the side while holding tightly to the security of what you know, this conversation might offer a different way to think about your next move. In This Episode: How Eleanor turned her love of travel into a growing business while working in corporate marketing. The unexpected layoff that changed her plans just as she was considering scaling back. Why financial preparation, existing experience, and a practical runway mattered as much as confidence. What changed when she began building a career around work she genuinely enjoyed. How rapid business growth led to burnout, difficult decisions, and learning to say no. Why boundaries, delegation, and building strong foundations became essential to creating sustainable freedom. Eleanor's story reminds us that a leap doesn't always begin with certainty. Sometimes the groundwork is already there, even when we haven't fully recognized it. And sometimes the next challenge isn't taking the leap—it's learning how to live and work differently on the other side. Resources & Links: Connect with Eleanor Antonacci Elevate Your Escapes — Official Website Elevate Your Escapes on Instagram 🎙️ Have a leap story? Email leap@theleaplounge.com or DM @thejoanrussell. ✨ Work with Joan: Book a Free 30-Minute Consultation 🌐 The Leap Lounge 🌐 Intuitive North 📣 Instagram: @theleaplounge | @thejoanrussell 📣 LinkedIn: Joan Russell If this episode resonates with you, subscribe to The Leap Lounge, share it with someone standing at the edge of their own leap, or leave a review.

  6. Oct 6

    Money & The Leap: How Much Is Enough?

    Money is one of the biggest reasons we tell ourselves we can’t make a change yet. Maybe you want to leave your job, start something of your own, retire, move somewhere new, or simply build a life that feels more like yours. But then the practical questions show up: Can I actually afford it? What happens to my income? What about healthcare? How much is enough? In this solo episode of The Leap Lounge, Joan Russell takes a closer look at the role money plays when we’re standing at the edge of a change. Because preparing financially for a leap isn’t only about having a certain number in the bank. It’s also about understanding your relationship with money, getting clear on what you actually need, and separating real financial limitations from the stories and assumptions you may have carried for years. If money is the thing you keep pointing to when you think about what’s next, this episode is for you. In this Episode: Why money becomes such a powerful blocker when we think about making a major life or career changeHow the money beliefs we inherit can shape what we believe is possibleWhy knowing your real expenses, savings, and needs gives you more options—not fewerHow Joan reframed her full-time job as an “angel investor” while building her business on the sideDifferent ways to create financial support while working toward your next chapterWhy financial preparation eventually requires something numbers alone can’t provide: trust in your ability to figure things out You don’t need a perfectly predictable plan before you move forward. But getting clearer about your money can help you understand what’s possible, what still needs work, and what your next step actually is. Resources & Links 💰 Money Workbook + Live SessionDownload the free workbook and find details about Joan’s live session at The Leap Lounge. 🎙️ Have a leap story?Email leap@theleaplounge.com or DM @thejoanrussell. ✨ Work with Joan:Book a Free 30-Minute Consultation 🌐 The Leap Lounge🌐 Intuitive North If this episode helps you see your next step a little more clearly, follow The Leap Lounge, share it with someone who might need it, and leave a rating or review wherever you listen.

    Money & The Leap: How Much Is Enough?

  7. Sep 29

    Allowing Surprise: Lauren Dionysius on Bali & Intuition

    What happens when the freedom you’ve been looking for comes with more uncertainty than you expected? When an unexpected rent increase pushed Lauren Dionysius to reconsider what came next, Bali entered the picture. What followed became about much more than changing locations. Lauren joins Joan to talk about freedom, independence, intuition, belonging, and what it means to keep moving when you can’t see the whole path ahead. In This Episode: The unexpected decision that led Lauren to BaliWhat freedom can reveal about independence and uncertaintyLearning to trust the next step without having everything figured out Resources and Links: Connect with Lauren 🌐 bornenergy.com.au🌐 wordsforwellbeing.com.au📣 Instagram: @born_energy 🎙️ Have a leap story?Email ⁠leap@theleaplounge.com⁠ or DM ⁠@thejoanrussell⁠. ✨ Work with Joan:⁠Book a Free 30-Minute Consultation⁠ 🌐 ⁠The Leap Lounge⁠🌐 ⁠Intuitive North⁠ 📣 Instagram: ⁠@theleaplounge⁠ | ⁠@thejoanrussell⁠ 📣 LinkedIn: ⁠Joan Russell⁠ If this episode resonates with you, subscribe to The Leap Lounge, share it with someone standing at the edge of their own leap, or leave a review.

  8. Sep 22

    The Magnifying Glass: Heather Terry on AI & Adaptability

    What if the parts of your career that seem disconnected are actually preparing you for what comes next? Heather Terry joins Joan for a conversation about adaptability, expertise, AI, and what it means to follow a career path that makes more sense looking backward than it did while you were living it. Heather’s path has taken her through teaching Shakespeare, writing, marketing, small business, and eventually into building an AI company. Rather than leaving those earlier chapters behind, she began to see how the skills she had developed across them were converging in unexpected ways. If you’ve ever looked at your own experience and wondered whether changing direction means starting over, Heather’s story offers another perspective: sometimes a circuitous path isn’t wasted time. It’s where the expertise you’ll need next was being built. In This Episode: Why a career that looks disconnected on paper may make more sense in hindsight What Heather carried from teaching, writing, and communication into her work with AI Why entering a new field doesn’t necessarily mean starting from zero Heather’s idea that AI is a “magnifying glass” for existing expertise Why technology works differently when real human knowledge is—or isn’t—behind it What a circuitous career path can teach us about adaptability and reinvention Connect with Heather 📣 Heather Terry on LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/hterry713/ 🎙️ Have a leap story?Email leap@theleaplounge.com or DM @thejoanrussell. ✨ Work with Joan: ⁠Book a Free 30-Minute Consultation⁠ 🌐 ⁠The Leap Lounge⁠ 🌐 ⁠Intuitive North⁠ 📣 Instagram: ⁠@theleaplounge⁠ | ⁠@thejoanrussell⁠ 📣 LinkedIn: ⁠Joan Russell⁠ If this episode resonates with you, subscribe to The Leap Lounge, share it with someone standing at the edge of their own leap, or leave a review.

    The Magnifying Glass: Heather Terry on AI & Adaptability
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About

The Leap Lounge® Podcast is for anyone who feels ready to make a change in career, life, or whatever is next but is unsure how to go about it. Hosted by change coach and consultant Joan Russell, this podcast offers real talk, inspiration, and support to help you navigate the emotional and practical challenges of taking a leap into something new. If you’ve been dreaming of something different and are ready to explore the possibilities, you’re in the right place. Let's leap together!

Information

  • Creator
    Joan Russell
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    21
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Joan Russell
  • Show Website
    The Leap Lounge