Permission Slip-Ups

David Cooke

Permission Slip-ups is a personal growth podcast about reconnecting with yourself and creating a life that feels authentic, meaningful, and aligned with who you really are. Hosted by Kate Turner and David Cooke, each episode features honest conversations about life transitions, personal development, purpose, relationships, mindset, and the courage to move beyond expectations—both our own and those placed on us by others. Together, they explore the space between where we are and where we want to be. They talk about change, uncertainty, identity, success, failure, and the everyday moments that shape who we become. These aren't conversations between experts with all the answers. They're conversations between curious people asking better questions and learning as they go. If you've built a successful life but find yourself wondering, "Is this all there is?" or you're searching for greater authenticity, clarity, and fulfillment, this podcast is for you. Because sometimes all it takes is one conversation to give yourself permission to live more fully.

  1. Sep 3

    Who Are You Without the Uniform?

    Who are you when the role that helped define you no longer fits? For years, Oscar Chacon's identity was shaped by structure, service, teamwork, and the uniform he wore as an officer in the United States Air Force and Space Force. But when he transitioned into civilian life, he found himself confronting a much more personal question: Who am I beneath the role? In this episode of Permission Slip-Ups, Oscar joins Kate and David for an honest conversation about identity, masculinity, leadership, vulnerability, and the uncertainty that often accompanies major life transitions. Together, they explore: • Why our careers, responsibilities, and accomplishments can quietly become our identity • What happens when the "why" that once guided us begins to change • Why so many men feel pressure to become the lone wolf and figure everything out alone • How vulnerability creates trust, connection, and more authentic leadership • What it means to become whole rather than perform an image of perfection • How community, curiosity, and personal agency can help us move through uncertainty • Why fear asks, "What if?" while faith responds, "Even if" Oscar reminds us that we do not need to have a grand philosophical answer for where our lives are going. Sometimes the next honest answer is enough: "I just want to wake up happier." This conversation is for anyone moving through change, questioning who they have become, or searching for a life that feels more authentic, meaningful, and aligned.

    Who Are You Without the Uniform?
  2. Aug 24

    Your Priorities Aren't the Problem

    Does your calendar reflect what matters most to you—or the person you believe you are supposed to be? When life gets busy, most of us assume we need to manage our time better. We rearrange our schedules, squeeze more into the day, and promise ourselves that we will make time for what matters when things finally slow down. But what if the real problem isn't time? In this episode of Permission Slip-Ups, Kate and David explore what our priorities reveal about our identity, values, capacity, and the expectations we carry. Sometimes the roles we have worked so hard to fulfill—the responsible parent, successful professional, reliable friend, committed partner, or person who always says yes—quietly begin determining how we spend our lives. Together, they discuss: • Why we may not have a priority problem, but an identity problem • How busy seasons can reveal what truly matters • Why the structure that once served us may no longer fit who we are today • How obligation and guilt keep us committed to things we no longer want • A practical three-question framework for evaluating new commitments • Why being at your best is not about performance—it is about how aligned and whole you feel • How clarity can give us permission to pause, trust ourselves, and say no If you have built a successful life but feel pulled in too many directions, this conversation offers an opportunity to slow things down, reconnect with what matters, and create more room for a life that feels authentic, meaningful, and aligned. What might change if you stopped asking, "How do I fit everything in?" and started asking, "What actually deserves my best?"

    Your Priorities Aren't the Problem
  3. Aug 17

    How do people experience you?

    Most of us have a belief about how we show up. We believe we are being helpful, confident, direct, authentic, curious, or honest. But our intentions are only part of the story. Truth is the people around us may experience our energy, words, and behavior very differently. What happens when the way we intend to show up does not match the way we are received? In this episode of Permission Slip-Ups, Kate and David explore the gap between intention and impact—and what that gap can teach us about self-awareness, personal growth, leadership, and connection. Together, they discuss: • Why another person's experience can be true even when it does not match our intention • How defensiveness prevents us from receiving useful feedback • Why acknowledging someone's experience does not require agreeing with everything they say • The difference between being authentic and using authenticity as an excuse • How to smooth out our rough edges without changing who we are • Why commitment matters when we are trying to improve or repair a relationship • How curiosity can help us understand what others need from us Authenticity does not mean walking into every situation at full volume and expecting everyone else to adjust. Sometimes it means understanding who we are, recognizing the environment we are in, and becoming more intentional about how we bring ourselves into the room. Because the greatest gift we can offer others may be the freedom to be ourselves—while giving them the freedom to be themselves, too. Listen now and ask yourself: Am I being experienced the way I intend to be?

    How do people experience you?
  4. Jul 13

    From People Pleasing to Personal Integrity

    What happens when you realize you've spent years building a life around everyone else's expectations...and quietly lost touch with yourself? In this episode of Permission Slip-Ups, Kate and David sit down with boundaries coach Barb Nangle for an honest conversation about identity, self-worth, and the courage to live in alignment with who you really are. Barb shares the deeply personal experiences that led her to confront a lifetime of people-pleasing and self-abandonment. What followed wasn't simply learning to say "no." It was discovering how healthy boundaries, personal values, and self-awareness can transform the way we relate to ourselves and everyone around us. Together, they explore questions many of us eventually face: • Why do we struggle to put ourselves on our own priority list? • How do we stop seeking approval and start trusting ourselves? • What role do our values play in creating a life that feels authentic? • Why does change often feel uncomfortable, even when it's healthy? • How can something as simple as pausing before we respond change everything? Whether you're navigating a life transition, questioning what's next, or simply longing to feel more connected to yourself, this conversation offers practical insights and thoughtful reflection—not easy answers. Sometimes the greatest permission slip we can give ourselves is the courage to become who we've been all along. Contact us... Barb Nangle (email) Barb Nangle (website) Kate Turner (email) David Cooke (email)

    From People Pleasing to Personal Integrity

About

Permission Slip-ups is a personal growth podcast about reconnecting with yourself and creating a life that feels authentic, meaningful, and aligned with who you really are. Hosted by Kate Turner and David Cooke, each episode features honest conversations about life transitions, personal development, purpose, relationships, mindset, and the courage to move beyond expectations—both our own and those placed on us by others. Together, they explore the space between where we are and where we want to be. They talk about change, uncertainty, identity, success, failure, and the everyday moments that shape who we become. These aren't conversations between experts with all the answers. They're conversations between curious people asking better questions and learning as they go. If you've built a successful life but find yourself wondering, "Is this all there is?" or you're searching for greater authenticity, clarity, and fulfillment, this podcast is for you. Because sometimes all it takes is one conversation to give yourself permission to live more fully.