Life Without Bookends

Raven

5.0 (1)
Society & Culture

Life without Bookends is for women navigating those moments when life changes in ways we did not expect. When a relationship ends, when a beloved career crumbles, or something in us wakes up one day and realizes that the life we’ve built no longer fits. This is a conversation about what becomes possible when you stop trying to rebuild the old life and start trusting what wants to emerge.

4d ago

Ditching the Weekend Script

Ditching the Weekend Script: On the Unspoken Divide Between Couples and Everyone Else This episode is about weekends and our orientation around them. And, what happens when you stop trying to outrun the discomfort of 'nothing to do' and no one to play with. If you're not part of a couple or family ... anymore... you can find yourself feeling lost, like you're floating in a sea of dread without anything or anyone to anchor you. In this episode: * Why weekends can feel heavier than weekdays when you're single * The cultural script around weekend plans and the mechanical expectations * What actually shifts the discomfort (hint: it's not distraction) * Finding your own rhythm when the coupled world has a different one. If you've broken the weekend spell, I'd love to hear. And if you'ready to, and would like support, reach out. Raven @ thisravensview dot com, or DM/comment wherever you listened.
Aug 28

She Was Supposed to be a Good Girl

She Was Supposed to Be a Good Girl… Breaking with Tradition Shedding the Expected Roles and Finding Herself, a conversation with Gladys Morales I met Gladys at 1 Million Cups in Albuquerque, and we hit it off right away. She's a professional motivational speaker and storyteller who transforms life unexpected disruptions into stories of courage, connection, and possibility. After cancer and significant vision loss, and a life that refused to follow the expected script, she discovered that resilience is not about returning to who you were. It's about it's about discovering who you can become. To which I say, yes! Born into Native and Hispanic cultures, Gladys quickly discovered that she didn't fit the mold of the traditions of her people. It started in childhood, not as a conscious rebellion, but by noticing her preference for pants and t-shirts over frilly dresses. And for sports and outdoor activities. At the same time, her heritage never left her. She straddles both worlds - her life as an independent women alongside a strong connection to her ancestors, including her grandmother who raised her. Breaking with the Tribe, Breaking with Tradition When I use the word "tribe" it's both literal and generic. Tribe points to any organized group or culture where, "This is how we do things - and how we don't" - dominates. For example, your family system, your religious upbringing, or any group where agreed upon beliefs keep behavoir and life choices in check. But, what if it's not your path? What if you're the one meant to break away? In this episode we talked about: The questions her break from the cultural traditions of her tribe gave rise to: Who am I, who am I really...and how the quest led Gladys to explore her Aztec heritage. What it has meant to root herself into her real essence, not the person that she was told she should be. From 'good girl' to sovereign as herself. The role of her father, and her grandmother (who she calls 'Mom') in her life, a thread that continues to this day. The cost of breaking away... of not being a part of everyday family gatherings and memories. And the gift; not being in a toxic environment...and finding herself. With keen understanding and articulation, Gladys models what it is to love fiercely, see clearly (without eyesight), and to turn her challenges into inspiration for others. You can reach Gladys at MoralesSpeaks.com.
Aug 10

The 10% Rule – And Other Money Myths

Raven talks about some of the money ‘rules’ that many wealth 'gurus' hand down like gospel. And the way these rules often stop people from doing anything. For example, if you don't have the 10% to put aside each month to 'go to work for you,' what then? She shares from her own experience and points to something most financial guidance doesn’t account for: the stress that the continual pursuit of more creates. - How she finally dealt with her debt - and the strange fear she exprerienced at the thought of zero debt. - How money apps can hide what we don’t want to face.
Jul 30

The Pressure to Prove

The Pressure to Prove, or Improve. Who said you should? What if the words we use every day are shaping decisions we think we're making freely? In this episode of Life without Bookends, Raven explores two of the most loaded words in our cultural vocabulary: prove and improve. She unpacks the difference between improving your skills and improving your being, what it costs us in our bodies and our decisions to live as if we're not yet enough, and what becomes possible when we stop performing for approval and start trusting the path that was always ours. This episode connects to Raven's card deck, Who Said You Should? Free Yourself from the Rules and Roles that Bind. Learn more at https://shedyourshoulds.com.
Jul 14

Bye-Bye Corporate

In this episode, Bye-Bye Corporate, I talked with Deborah Stephenson about what it was like to leave her corporate career after 40 years, not to retire, but to start something new. Said Deborah about approaching the decision moment:  "And so it was a really, really frightening, awful moment at that time because ... I felt pretty trapped at that point because I was like, at my age, if I leave here, I'm going have a difficult time finding another job. And it's probably going to be the same job. It's just a different company. So I knew that was probably not the right solution either. That was more than a year, almost a year of that kind of feeling of I have to do something different, I have to do something different." We talked about: * How she decided and what it was like after she took the leap. * Trial and error – what it’s really like to start a business from scratch. The fun, the challenges and the ‘oops’ moments. * Accounting for money during the transition. And more… If you're sitting on the fence this conversation is for you. =========== You can learn more about and connect with Deborah on LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborah-stephenson/ If you would like to look at the impact on your money, consider The Money Map for essential decisions and adjustments. https://thisravensview.com/the-money-map/
Jul 2

On Resistance and Procrastination: Inrelligence or Something to Overcome?

On Resistance and Procrastination: Intelligence or Something to Overcome? Life is perfect sometimes. I planned a different episode and recorded it 3 times only to realize it wasn't happening. Either the time for it was off, or it's not meant for me to record. Some things are simply 'good ideas' with no energy to back them up. Resistance and procrastination are only problematic when we're fixated on the plan - the timeline and goals. Otherwise, I assert that there IS an intelligence worth paying attention to. I wonder what your experience is with these 2 words? When you notice yourself feeling resistance, or putting something off - aka 'procrastinating' - do you push through, or do you get curious? ==== This is the work of unraveling the rules and expectations we've inherited about how life is supposed to go. If something here is landing for you, I'd love to continue the conversation. Visit me at thisravensview.com.
Jun 11

How "Weird" Do You Allow Yourself to Be?

The Challenge of Being Yourself: How 'weird' do you allow yourself to be? We all want to 'be ourselves,' yet we live in a world where fitting in to get along ofter supersedes that real drive. Some people go in the other direction - seeming to exaggerate their weird. Others, such as some of those among us who are neurodivergent, can't help but be themselves. No answers. Just questions: How 'weird' do you allow yourself to be? Interested in the transcript Raven mentioned, from The Challenge of Being Yourself? Visit https://thisravensview.com/the-challenge-of-being-yourself
May 27

What Are Life's Bookends - what happens when they fall away

In this episode I offer additional insight into what I mean about “Life without Bookends.” And what can happen when they fall by the wayside. Life contains obvious bookends, such as one’s relationship or marriage, parenthood, school, and one’s job or business. But, what about the more subtle bookends embedded in the vocabulary of our culture, and the hand-me-down beliefs that unknowingly shape behavior? Which did you recognize and which surprised you? Are you on Substack? I wrote a personal postscript to this episode. https://lifewithoutbookends.substack.com/p/what-are-lifes-bookends

Life without Bookends is for women navigating those moments when life changes in ways we did not expect. When a relationship ends, when a beloved career crumbles, or something in us wakes up one day and realizes that the life we’ve built no longer fits. This is a conversation about what becomes possible when you stop trying to rebuild the old life and start trusting what wants to emerge.

Creator

Raven
Years Active

2026
Episodes

13
Rating

Explicit
Copyright

© 2026 Joan "Raven" Friedlander - Your Chapter Next
Show Website

Life Without Bookends