Episode Details

241 What if a gap year wasn't only reserved for high school grads trying to find themselves? In this encore episode, writer, hiker, and anti-capitalist tiny biz owner, Nic Antoinette, discusses the inspiration behind their grown up gap year, and Nadine opens up about the moment of jealousy that led to her "apprentice year." This is not a new-year-new-you, live-your-best-life episode. Instead, Nic and Nadine talk openly about how they are trying to be real with their plans and expectations. Nic also discusses the other ways they have curated a values-aligned life and career. In this inspiring and permission-granting conversation, you'll feel encouraged to make choices that challenge the norm in order to live a life that is a right fit for you.

Covered in this episode:

• Why Nic writes so transparently about money
• How honesty and privacy can exist at the same time
• Creating a values-aligned approach to work and life
• The burnout that comes from being accessible to too many people
• How we can be honest with ourselves with no pressure to do anything about it
• How Nadine and Nic have pivoted in their lives and careers
• The key question that will help us take imperfect action
• The price of admission that Nic was willing to pay for peace of mind
• How Nic's divorce impacted their outlook on change
• What Nic and Nadine are doing during their gap and apprentice year
• Their worries about how these changes will impact their lives and careers
• Nurturing our off-line lives

About Nic:

Has spent the past 19 years devoted to a public writing and storytelling practice.

Their current writing can be found in a pay-what-you-can weekly newsletter project called Now What? — written for big-hearted, liberation-oriented people who are grappling with the question of who/how we want to be in this collapsing world.

They are also the author of two adventure memoirs: How To Be Alone: an 800-mile hike on the Arizona Trail and What We Owe To Ourselves: a 500-mile hike on the Colorado Trail

• Website: https://www.nicoleantoinette.com/

Revision Retreat: Craft Your Best Draft Aug 2026, Madeline Island School of the Arts, WI

Tiny True Stories and Sketches: A Micro-Memoir Retreat. Oct 26-Nov 2, Spain

About Nadine:

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is an award-winning author, podcast host, and writing coach. After fifteen years as a writing professor, she founded WriteWELL workshops and retreats for women writers. She interviews today’s top female authors on her podcast, Heart of the Story. Her infertility memoir,

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