Up From Here

Kelsi Lee and Janai Iman
  • 3.3 (12)
  • Leisure
  • Updated Weekly

Up From Here is the unfiltered podcast where Kelsi Lee and Janai Iman bring the raw conversations they've always had on the couch - about culture, womanhood, motherhood, money, identity, and survival — straight to the mic. It's equal parts therapy, chaos, and truth-telling. For women who are evolving in real time, this is the group chat gone public.

  1. 3d ago

    Hard Conversations, Friendship Breakups, & Unspoken Resentment | Episode 42

    In this episode, we talk about the conversations that can either save a friendship… or never happen at all. Kelsi opens up about recently having to tell a friend that she hadn't been showing up for her—and that it was genuinely hurting her feelings. It was uncomfortable, vulnerable, and necessary. But it also led to a realization: without that conversation, she could've easily allowed resentment and misunderstanding to build until she quietly phased someone she cared about out of her life. How many friendships have we lost simply because nobody said what they were actually feeling? We talk about the difference between a friendship that's truly run its course and one that's suffering from unresolved issues. Sometimes people aren't intentionally hurting you. Sometimes they don't even know there's a problem because you've never given them the opportunity to understand it. And this week, we're not just pointing fingers. We both reflect on relationships and friendships that have ended and get honest about the ways we contributed to their demise too. The things we could've communicated differently. The moments where our own behavior played a role. And the uncomfortable reality that growth sometimes requires admitting you weren't completely innocent either. We also get into tone—because what you say isn't the only thing that matters. How you say it matters too. There's a difference between communicating just to get something off your chest and communicating because you genuinely want the other person to hear you. We discuss learning to consider someone else's feelings when delivering a difficult message without abandoning your own truth in the process. Because honesty without care isn't always good communication. This episode is about having the conversation before you cut someone off, giving the people you love an opportunity to show up differently, and being mature enough to ask yourself one very uncomfortable question: What part did I play in this? If you've ever let resentment build, struggled to tell a friend they hurt you, or looked back at a failed relationship and realized you had some growing to do too—this conversation is for you. Follow us on Instagram: 🍒 @thekelsilee 🍒 @janaiiman ✨ @xo.upfromhere

    Hard Conversations, Friendship Breakups, & Unspoken Resentment | Episode 42

  2. Aug 18

    The Soft Life Scam | Episode 41

    In this episode, we question two things the internet has convinced us we need: a degree to be successful… and a "soft life" to be happy. We start with ASU's new content creator degree program and debate whether higher education actually has a place in influencing. Can you really teach someone how to become a successful creator? Is there value in formally studying branding, business, marketing, and content strategy—or is this an industry where experience, creativity, and actually doing the work will always matter more than a degree? As two women who have taken nontraditional paths ourselves, we get into the pros and cons of bringing traditional education into a career that was essentially built outside of it. Then Kelsi has a confession: the "soft life" might be a scam. 😭 As a woman who has the privilege of being taken care of, she talks about the side of the soft life conversation that rarely makes it onto social media. What happens when you're naturally ambitious, love making your own money, and actually want responsibility? At what point does having someone do everything for you stop feeling freeing and start making you feel confined? We unpack the difference between wanting support and wanting to be absolved of responsibility—and why femininity doesn't have to mean being passive, financially dependent, or uninterested in building something of your own. We also get into what these dynamics can do to relationships. If one person is expected to carry everything so the other can live "softly," does that eventually create exhaustion? Resentment? And are we simply repackaging old gender roles with prettier branding? This episode is about questioning the lifestyles we're sold online and figuring out what actually works for you—because maybe the goal isn't a soft life or a hard life. Maybe it's a life that feels like your own. If you've ever struggled between wanting to be taken care of and wanting to build something for yourself, questioned whether college is worth it, or wondered if the internet's version of femininity actually fits you, this conversation is for you. Follow us on Instagram: 🍒 @thekelsilee 🍒 @janaiiman ✨ @xo.upfromhere

    The Soft Life Scam | Episode 41

  3. Aug 11

    Our TV Besties, Their Toxic Traits, & What We Learned From Them | Episode 40

    In this episode, we have one of our most honest conversations yet about motherhood, freedom, and what it really means to leave a legacy. We explore the possibility that motherhood may not be part of our futures—and why it's important that every woman has the freedom to make that decision for herself, without shame or pressure. From there, we discuss a topic that isn't talked about enough: the resentment that can sometimes exist around parenthood. How some people quietly grieve the freedom they once had, and how those unresolved feelings can show up as judgment toward people who choose a different path or wait longer before having children. Kelsi shares why she believes more people should take time to truly know themselves before becoming parents. To travel. To build a life. To discover who they are outside of expectations before taking on the lifelong responsibility of raising another human being. The conversation then shifts into legacy. What does it actually mean to leave one? Kelsi believes legacy is measured by the lives you touch, the people you inspire, and the impact you leave behind—not solely by the family tree you create. Janai shares a similar, yet distinct perspective, reflecting on the desire to contribute something meaningful to the world and leave it better than she found it, whether or not children are part of that journey. This episode isn't about convincing anyone to have children—or not to. It's about questioning expectations, honoring choice, and redefining what a meaningful life can look like. If you've ever questioned the timeline you've been given, wrestled with the idea of parenthood, or wondered what kind of legacy you want to leave behind, this conversation is for you. Follow us on Instagram: 🍒 @thekelsilee 🍒 @janaiiman ✨ @xo.upfromhere

    Our TV Besties, Their Toxic Traits, & What We Learned From Them | Episode 40

  4. Aug 4

    Motherhood Isn't Every Woman's Dream | Episode 39

    In this episode, we have one of our most honest conversations yet about motherhood, freedom, and what it really means to leave a legacy. We explore the possibility that motherhood may not be part of our futures—and why it's important that every woman has the freedom to make that decision for herself, without shame or pressure. From there, we discuss a topic that isn't talked about enough: the resentment that can sometimes exist around parenthood. How some people quietly grieve the freedom they once had, and how those unresolved feelings can show up as judgment toward people who choose a different path or wait longer before having children. Kelsi shares why she believes more people should take time to truly know themselves before becoming parents. To travel. To build a life. To discover who they are outside of expectations before taking on the lifelong responsibility of raising another human being. The conversation then shifts into legacy. What does it actually mean to leave one? Kelsi believes legacy is measured by the lives you touch, the people you inspire, and the impact you leave behind—not solely by the family tree you create. Janai shares a similar, yet distinct perspective, reflecting on the desire to contribute something meaningful to the world and leave it better than she found it, whether or not children are part of that journey. This episode isn't about convincing anyone to have children—or not to. It's about questioning expectations, honoring choice, and redefining what a meaningful life can look like. If you've ever questioned the timeline you've been given, wrestled with the idea of parenthood, or wondered what kind of legacy you want to leave behind, this conversation is for you. Follow us on Instagram: 🍒 @thekelsilee 🍒 @janaiiman ✨ @xo.upfromhere

    Motherhood Isn't Every Woman's Dream | Episode 39

  5. Jul 28

    Girls' Girls, Brutal Honesty, & When Support Becomes Enabling | Episode 38

    In this episode, we tackle one of the internet's favorite labels: What does it actually mean to be a "girls' girl?" What starts as a lighthearted conversation quickly turns into one of our most honest debates yet. Kelsi shares why she's skeptical of the phrase, arguing that the title has become an excuse to blindly affirm one another—even when accountability is what's actually needed. She questions whether supporting women should always mean agreeing with them, or if real friendship sometimes requires uncomfortable honesty. Janai sees it differently. To her, being a girls' girl isn't that deep. It's about celebrating women, hyping each other up, and creating moments of encouragement without overanalyzing every interaction. As the conversation unfolds, the disagreement becomes personal. Kelsi shares why she believes Janai can sometimes prioritize keeping the peace in certain friendships over speaking hard truths, while Janai reflects on where encouragement and accountability should coexist. We also shift into another relationship dynamic: How involved should your partner really be in your friendships? Should your significant other know everything about your friends? Where do healthy boundaries exist between romantic relationships and your girl friendships? And how do you balance protecting your friendships without shutting your partner out? This episode is about loyalty, honesty, and asking whether true support means always standing beside someone—or having the courage to lovingly challenge them when they need it most. If you've ever questioned what it really means to be a girls' girl, struggled to hold your friends accountable, or wondered how much of your friendships your partner should be involved in, this conversation is for you. Follow us on Instagram: 🍒 @thekelsilee 🍒 @janaiiman ✨ @xo.upfromhere

    Girls' Girls, Brutal Honesty, & When Support Becomes Enabling | Episode 38

  6. Jul 21

    "I'm Working On It"… But Am I? | Episode 37

    In this episode, we have one of our most personal conversations yet. Kelsi reflects on a recent trip to visit her dad and why, despite everything they've been through, he still feels like home. She opens up about the heartbreak of moving away as a child while watching her dad build a new family, the complicated emotions that came with feeling left behind, and the journey of learning to hold both love and grief at the same time. She also shares how difficult it is to want so much for someone you deeply love, while realizing they have to want those things for themselves. The conversation turns to something many of us avoid thinking about—the reality that our parents won't be here forever. Kelsi shares why the thought of losing her dad feels impossible to imagine, and how some relationships become such a safe place that they shape your entire understanding of what "home" feels like. Janai then opens up about a different kind of healing. She reflects on her bodybuilding prep and how it's exposed patterns she's been avoiding for years. She talks about how often she's said, "I'm working on it," while realizing she hadn't truly committed to the work. Together, we discuss the difference between wanting to change and intentionally changing, and how self-awareness means very little without action. This episode is about loving people for who they are while taking responsibility for who you're becoming. About giving grace without giving up on growth. And about recognizing that healing isn't something we talk about—it's something we practice. If you've ever wrestled with your relationship with a parent, struggled to accept someone you love, or found yourself asking whether you're actually doing the work you say you are, this conversation is for you. Follow us on Instagram: 🍒 @thekelsilee 🍒 @janaiiman ✨ @xo.upfromhere

    "I'm Working On It"… But Am I? | Episode 37

  7. Jul 14

    College Dropouts, School Failed Us, & Reading Changed Us, | Episode 36

    In this episode, we talk about something that's been on both of our minds lately: learning. We share the books we've been reading, the ideas that have challenged us, and why we've both developed such a deep desire to continue educating ourselves—even years after leaving school. As college dropouts, we reflect on our very different educational journeys and ask ourselves a question we never thought we'd be asking: Would we actually go back to school? The answer surprised us. We talk about how much more equipped we feel now than we did at 21, 22, or even 25. How life experience has changed the way we approach learning, discipline, and curiosity. Sometimes maturity gives you the tools that traditional education couldn't. The conversation also expands into the education system itself. We question why schools often prioritize conformity over curiosity, and why so many children aren't encouraged to discover their natural strengths and interests until much later in life. What would happen if we nurtured passion as intentionally as we taught memorization? Ultimately, this episode is about redefining what it means to be educated. Whether that comes from a classroom, a book, lived experience, or simply staying curious enough to keep asking questions. If you've ever felt like school wasn't built for the way you learn, wondered if it's too late to go back, or found yourself falling in love with learning as an adult, this conversation is for you. Follow us on Instagram: 🍒 @thekelsilee 🍒 @janaiiman ✨ @xo.upfromhere

    College Dropouts, School Failed Us, & Reading Changed Us, | Episode 36

  8. Jul 7

    Girl Talk, Never Have I Ever, & Slumber Party Confessions | Episode 35

    This week, we're taking it all the way back to sleepovers. The theme of this episode is Slumber Party, and we wanted to recreate that feeling of being teenage girls—staying up way too late with your best friend, talking about absolutely everything, laughing until your stomach hurts, and somehow ending up in the deepest conversations without even trying. We play Never Have I Ever, put each other on the spot with Rapid Fire, and answer questions we probably shouldn't have answered 😂. From hilarious confessions to girlhood moments, relationship takes, embarrassing stories, and the kinds of conversations that only happen between best friends, this episode is pure fun from beginning to end. Sometimes you don't need a deep life lesson. Sometimes you just need to laugh with your girls. So grab your favorite snack, put on your pajamas, and pretend you're at the sleepover with us. If you've been missing those late-night conversations that somehow covered every topic imaginable, this episode is for you. Follow us on Instagram: 🍒 @thekelsilee 🍒 @janaiiman ✨ @xo.upfromhere

    Girl Talk, Never Have I Ever, & Slumber Party Confessions | Episode 35
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3.3
out of 5
12 Ratings

About

Up From Here is the unfiltered podcast where Kelsi Lee and Janai Iman bring the raw conversations they've always had on the couch - about culture, womanhood, motherhood, money, identity, and survival — straight to the mic. It's equal parts therapy, chaos, and truth-telling. For women who are evolving in real time, this is the group chat gone public.

Information

  • Creator
    Kelsi Lee and Janai Iman
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    41
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025
  • Show Website
    Up From Here