The Leap Lounge

Joan Russell
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Updated 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. 48m ago

    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?

  2. 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.

  3. 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

  4. Sep 15

    Learning to Live: Philecia McCain on Portugal & Self-Trust

    Sometimes changing your life isn’t about becoming someone new. It’s about finally making enough space to recognize who you already are. After years of working at an intense pace, Philecia McCain found herself returning to a dream she had carried since childhood: living in Europe. Eventually, that dream led her from the United States to Portugal—and into a completely different way of living. But moving countries didn’t magically solve everything. It gave Philecia the space to slow down, pay attention, and confront a much more personal question: when you take away the pace, expectations, and routines you’ve built your life around, what remains? If you’ve been craving a different way of living but are wondering whether you need to completely reinvent yourself to find it, this episode is for you. In this Episode: Why Philecia’s childhood dream of living in Europe never fully went away What finally moved her from imagining a different life to actually pursuing it Why she approached the move to Portugal without needing it to be permanent What slowing down revealed about the way she had been living Why changing your surroundings doesn’t automatically change who you are How Philecia learned to trust herself more deeply What it means to create a life with more peace, presence, and room to breathe This isn’t a story about escaping one life for a better one. It’s about discovering what becomes possible when you give yourself permission to live differently. Resources & Links: 🎙️ 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.

    Learning to Live: Philecia McCain on Portugal & Self-Trust

  5. Sep 8

    Buried Treasure: Laura Brody on Disability, Art & Boundaries

    What happens when being the person everyone relies on becomes the very thing that is wearing you down? Laura Brody joins Joan for a conversation about identity, art, boundaries, and what happens when the roles that once made you feel valuable no longer fit. Laura is a costume designer, curator, and founder of Opulent Mobility. For years, being the fixer the person who could manage, mediate, and keep things moving became deeply connected to how she understood herself. But eventually, she began to see an important distinction: the core parts of who she was weren’t the problem. The question was where she was putting her energy. That realization opened the door to a different kind of creative life one that made more room for her own stories, her values, and work that challenges the way we think about disability, beauty, usefulness, and what gets discarded. If you’ve built your identity around being capable, useful, or the person who holds everything together, Laura’s story asks a powerful question: what if your next leap isn’t about becoming someone completely different but about deciding where the person you already are belongs? In This Episode: How being “the fixer” became part of Laura’s identity What happens when a role other people value starts costing you too much Why Laura realized the core parts of herself weren’t what needed fixing How boundaries changed where she chose to put her energy How Opulent Mobility reframes disability, mobility, beauty, and value Why the idea of “buried treasure” became bigger than the materials Laura creates with Connect with Laura 🌐 Opulent Mobility 🌐Dreams by Machine ✍️ Laura’s Substack 🎥 Laura / Opulent Mobility on YouTube 🎙️ 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 considering a leap of their own, or leave a review.

    Buried Treasure: Laura Brody on Disability, Art & Boundaries

  6. Sep 1

    Redefining Service: Kevin Gibson on Navy, Family & Finance

    What happens when you’ve spent years becoming good at what you do—and suddenly find yourself becoming a beginner again? Kevin Gibson joins Joan for a conversation about service, identity, responsibility, and starting over without starting from nothing. Kevin’s path has taken him through military service, nursing, education, mentorship, and new forms of work. Beneath those roles is a more universal question: how do you move toward something new when other people depend on you and you don’t have the luxury of simply blowing up your life? If changing direction feels like throwing away years of experience—or starting over feels irresponsible because other people are counting on you—Kevin’s story offers another way to think about beginning again. In This Episode: What happens to your identity when a role that once defined you changesWhy becoming a beginner again can be harder after years of competenceHow family responsibility changes the way you approach a leapWhy your previous experience doesn’t disappear when you change directionThe difference between reckless change and a gradual transitionWhy you don’t need to know everything before you begin Connect with Kevin 📣 Kevin Gibson 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 considering a leap of their own, or leave a review.

    Redefining Service: Kevin Gibson on Navy, Family & Finance

  7. Aug 27

    In Leap We Trust - The Leap Lounge v2

    Taking the leap is one thing. Living with what comes after it is another. After time away from the podcast, Joan Russell returns to The Leap Lounge with a deeply personal look at what happened after she stepped away from the path she thought she was supposed to follow. Because sometimes the hardest part isn’t deciding to change. It’s navigating what comes next: uncertainty, financial pressure, unexpected turns, and the uncomfortable question of whether you made the right choice at all. If you’ve already made a big change and are quietly wondering why life didn’t immediately get easier, this episode is for you. In this Episode: Why Joan stepped away from The Leap Lounge—and why she came backWhat happens after the excitement of taking a big leap wears offThe uncertainty and practical realities that come with starting overWhy unexpected detours may be more useful than they first appearHow Joan thinks about Direction → Decision → Action StepWhat this new chapter of The Leap Lounge is really about This isn’t a story about having the perfect plan. It’s about what happens when you decide to move anyway. Resources & Links: 🎙️ 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.

    In Leap We Trust - The Leap Lounge v2

  8. 08/26/2025

    This Hack Gets Goals DONE

    Accountability might sound boring, but it’s one of the mostpowerful hacks for achieving your goals. In this solo episode, host Joan Russell breaks down how accountability takes you from a 10% chance of success to a 95% chance, and the simple questions you can use to stay on track. From group dynamics to the importance of celebrating wins, this episode will inspire you to get clarity, commit, and finally follow through. 🎧 What You’ll Learn in This Episode: Why accountability dramatically increases your odds of success.The difference between women-only and mixed accountability groups.Five questions that bring clarity, focus, and momentum to your goals.Why celebration matters just as much as achievement.How accountability creates structure, support, and follow-through. 🔥Key Takeaways: “Accountability isn’t boring—it’s actually one of the best hacks for getting things done.” “You’re 95% more likely to achieve your goal if you committo someone and schedule accountability around it.” “When you share what you’re working on, how it’s going, andyour next steps, it brings clarity—and clarity creates momentum.” “If you don’t pause to celebrate your wins, you’ll just moveon to the next thing without realizing you’ve actually accomplished something huge.” 💡 Resources & Mentions: 🎥 Replay of Inspire Empower Achieve’s Accountability Panel Discussion 🌟 Focused Space – goal setting, accountability, and body doubling support ✨ Work with Joan: Book a Free Clarity Session ($200 value!) ✨ Find Joan + The Leap Lounge: 🌐The Leap Lounge: theleaplounge.com 🌐Intuitive North: intuitivenorth.com 📣Instagram: @theleaplounge | @thejoanrussell   If you loved this episode, please subscribe, share, or leavea review to help others feel supported in their leaps.

    This Hack Gets Goals DONE
See All (16)

Ratings & Reviews

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
    16
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Joan Russell
  • Show Website
    The Leap Lounge