I Don't Know How You Do It

Jessica Fein

Meet the people who stretch the limits of what we think is possible and hear "I don't know how you do it" every single day. Each week we talk with a guest whose life seems unimaginable from the outside. Some of our guests were thrust into extraordinary circumstances. Others chose them voluntarily.
People like:
The athlete who learned to walk again and became a paralympic gold medalist after being in a coma for four years...
The woman who left the security of her job and home to live full-time on a small sailboat...
The child-welfare advocate who grew up homeless and turned his gut-wrenching childhood into a lifetime of making a difference...
The mother who worked with scientists to develop a custom treatment for her daughter’s rare disease...
They share their stories of challenge and success and dive into what makes them able to do things that look undoable. Where do they find their drive? Their resilience? Their purpose and passion?
You'll leave each candid conversation with new insights, ideas, and the inspiration to say, "I can do it too," whatever your "it" is.

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Top 10 I Don't Know How You Do It Episodes

Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best I Don't Know How You Do It episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to I Don't Know How You Do It for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite I Don't Know How You Do It episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

Changing Your Life's Course with Vickie Leuenberger

I Don't Know How You Do It

02/14/23 • 33 min

Vickie Leuenberger went on a 2-week vacation and found her life's dream. She fell in love with life on the water, and fell in love with who she was on the water. Vickie returned home and spent four years learning about sailing, diesel mechanics, astronomy, and so much more so she could turn her dream into a plan. Then she quit her job, gave up her home, bought a small sailboat and set out for the sea.
Vickie's courage and determination are tested over and over -- when her engine breaks, when she dislocates her shoulder, when her toilet sinks in the ocean. Vickie faces unexpected obstacles and the fear of not being good enough for her boat.
You will learn:
1. What it's like to give up everything and move for a life of adventure?
2. How to make a big life change, even if it's scary.
3. What to do when you're feeling stuck.

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"This is my go-to podcast for inspiration and to discover new approaches to embrace the challenges in my life." If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me reach more people -- just like you -- find strategies and insights to do the things that feel undoable. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!

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Sign up for my newsletter and learn more about these remarkable stories at www.jessicafeinstories.com
Order Jessica's memoir, Breath Taking: A Memoir of Family, Dreams, and Broken Genes

Music credit: Limitless by Bells

Mama On a Mission With Jacqueline Arlen

I Don't Know How You Do It

02/10/23 • 34 min

Jacqueline Arlen epitomizes a mama on a mission. She advocated for her daughter, Victoria Arlen, for years, while Victoria was in a vegetative state and doctors had given up hope of recovery. During that time, she found her faith and learned to get out of her head and listen to her heart.
Her heart would serve her well after Victoria recovered and Jacqueline had to find her own purpose. Jacqueline founded Project Walk Boston, an activity-based recovery center for people with any mobility related disorders, based in Stratham, NH. Jacqueline explains that this was her calling not only so she could help her own daughter walk again, but for countless others who benefited as well.
But that wasn't all. Next, Jacqueline co-founded Victoria's Victory Foundation to provide awareness and advocacy for access and inclusion as well as assistance for everyday needs for people living with mobility challenges.
You will learn:
1. How Jacqueline found her faith and how it carried her through her daughter's illness
2. How she decided to open Project Walk Boston even though she was petrified
3. How parents can find their own purpose once their children are flying solo

Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast. Follow now!

Victoria Arlen's Strength of Spirit: From Blinking to Breaking World Records

I Don't Know How You Do It

02/07/23 • 41 min

Victoria Arlen is a testament to resilience and strength. After slipping into a vegetative state at age 11, Victoria found the power of faith, hope, and love to miraculously communicate with a blink of her eye, igniting an unstoppable journey to fulfill her promise of using her voice to be a voice for the voiceless. She defied the odds and went on to break records at the Paralympics, become a sportscaster for ESPN, and compete on Dancing with the Stars. She's also the author of the book, "Locked In," and a founder of Victoria's Victory Foundation.

You will learn:

1. How did Victoria Arlen find her message in her mess?

2. What motto did Victoria create that helps her move from strength to strength?

3. How did Victoria go from being told she could never walk again to becoming a Paralympic champion and contestant on Dancing with the Stars?
4. What accomplishment leaves Victoria speechless?

Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast. Follow now!

From Hairstylist to Rare Powerhouse with Effie Parks

I Don't Know How You Do It

01/31/23 • 36 min

Jessica Fein welcomes Effie Parks to the I Don't Know How You Do It podcast to discuss Effie’'s journey as a rare-disease mom. Listen in as Jessica and Effie talk about how Effie went from being a hairdresser to becoming a leader within the rare-disease community. Find out what her oxygen tanks are that get her through every single day, how she describes what real self-care looks like, and how she found the connections that changed her trajectory. Effie's mission is to lift voices of the community, connect people to resources, and to leave this world better than she found it.
Follow her at www.effieparks.com and www.onceuponagenepodcast.

Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast. Follow now!

Reimagined Motherhood: A No BS Zone, with Myra Sack

I Don't Know How You Do It

06/11/24 • 41 min

How can we use ritual to create a life of joy and meaning when our world is turned upside down? What's a no-bullshit zone, and how can we dress ourselves in psychological teflon?
Tune in to this conversation with Myra Sack, author of 57 Fridays, and find out.
When Myra's daughter Havi was diagnosed with a fatal neurodegenerative disease in 2019, Myra knew nothing would ever be the same. In this deeply moving conversation, Myra shares the sacred family rituals and "shabirthdays" that brought joy and holiness into their devastation.

With candor and wisdom, Myra opens up about creating a "no bullshit zone" to shield her family, building "psychological teflon" to navigate the outside world, and the profound lesson that grieving is a way to keep expressing love. Myra also shares why she founded E-Motion, a nonprofit ensuring community, movement and ritual as rights for the grieving.

Whether you're walking a path of loss or want to meaningfully support someone who is, Myra provides indispensable insights on:

Inhabiting the "both/and" of grief and joy
How our loved ones can tell us what they need without words
The power of yearning over fear in grief
Integrating loss through small, manageable ritual acts
Why community is crucial, but so often lacking, for grievers
How workplaces can become grief-literate to better help employees
And so much more

Learn more about Myra:
57 Fridays
Instagram
E-Motion

Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast. Follow now!

Tap Dancing on Everest, with Dr. Mimi Zieman

I Don't Know How You Do It

04/02/24 • 33 min

Have you ever felt a pang of regret for not saying yes to an opportunity that scared you? Or wondered what hidden potential lies within you that others see, but you can't quite yet?

This week's episode will light a fire under those very questions. Physician and writer doctor Mimi Zieman joins us with a truly extraordinary story - the time she said a resounding "yes" to an invitation that most of us would never have the audacity to accept.

At just 25 years old and one year into medical school, Mimi agreed to become the sole medical professional and only woman on a climbing team attempting a new, never-before-done route up the treacherous east face of Mount Everest. Oh, and they'd be doing it without supplemental oxygen.

In our riveting conversation, Mimi doesn't hold back on all the behind-the-scenes details you'd never imagine - from tap dancing in psychedelic tights on a boulder to leading a Passover Seder at 20,000 feet. You'll hear firsthand how she grappled with imposter syndrome while responsible for the lives of her teammates.

But ultimately, Mimi's journey becomes one of vulnerability, feminism, and an examination of what it truly means to feel vibrantly alive in the face of risk and uncertainty. Her hard-won wisdom and candidly beautiful writing will make you question how you too can start living more authentically and courageously.

Whether you're an adrenaline junkie or can't fathom leaving your living room couch, Mimi's inspirational story and perspective is one you won't want to miss. She'll have you pondering what you're willing to risk in order to discover your deepest self and make your own life itself a work of art.
You'll learn:

Why you should trust the people who see potential in you that you don't yet see in yourself
A simple tool to help combat imposter syndrome
Why "coming of age" is an ongoing process
Why you should get out of your safe zone
How curiosity can be the most interesting life guide
And so much more...

Learn more about Mimi:
website.
Instagram
Threads
Facebook
X

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Comic Relief: Nika Stewart on Coping With Cancer

I Don't Know How You Do It

04/18/23 • 37 min

When Nika Stewart received her cancer diagnosis through an email, she was initially confused. She looked at the path in front of her and didn't like what she saw ... so she created a new path. Nika realized that humor and laughter could not only help her cope but also inspire hundreds of millions of other people who began following her journey.
In this episode you'll learn how to:

Uncover the magic of laughter in navigating challenges
Forge a new path when the conventional one isn't working for you
Share authentically to help yourself and captivate others
Consciously select your thoughts to change your feelings

Learn more about Nika:
Website: shine-365.com
Youtube: youtube.com/nikastewartshine
Instagram: @nikastewartshine

Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast. Follow now!

Turning Hope Into Action with Dr. Maria O'Rourke

I Don't Know How You Do It

04/04/23 • 24 min

Dr. Maria O'Rourke, a highly respected emergency medicine physician with more than 20 years of experience, has an incredible story of resilience and determination. Growing up in the foster care system and enduring unthinkable abuse, Maria found solace and inspiration in an unlikely role model on television who guided every decision she made along the way.
As Maria navigated through life's obstacles, she relied on the three-question system she devised to guide her decisions, ensuring they aligned with her goal of becoming a doctor. Despite facing hardships like leaving college, working multiple jobs, and even experiencing homelessness, Maria's determination never wavered. She joined the army to gain the education and stability she needed, eventually becoming a successful doctor treating wounded soldiers on the battlefield in Kuwait.
In this episode, you'll learn:
1. The power of finding someone who believes in you
2. How you can turn hope into action
3. Why it's important to breathe and do
4. What not to do with the lessons you learn along the way

Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast. Follow now!

Flipping the Script: A Stuntwoman and Her Dog Refuse to Roll Over

I Don't Know How You Do It

03/14/23 • 38 min

Former stuntwoman Bunny Young was diagnosed with a life-threatening heart condition as a teenager. Together with her service dog, she went on to defy expectations as she chose to live against the script, challenging society's perceptions on her journey to becoming a successful entrepreneur, author, speaker, and consultant.

In this episode, you'll learn:

1. What it means to advocate for yourself in the face of challenges others don't see

2. How to identify what really matters and simplify your life

3. The difference between growing up and growing in

Learn more about Bunny at www.bunnyyoung.com. Find her on Instagram @bunnyhas6legs

Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast. Follow now!

From Setback to Comeback with Champion Skier Jamie MoCrazy

I Don't Know How You Do It

09/05/23 • 46 min

From gut-wrenching loss to newfound purpose, hear how ski champion Jamie MoCrazy as defied expectations, harnessed her resilience, and embarked on a daring journey to sculpt a triumphant new identity after a traumatic brain injury shattered her skiing career.

As a professional athlete, Jamie MoCrazy has always been known for her astonishing tenacity and resilience. After surviving a near-fatal skiing accident in 2015, she was forced to recalibrate her ambitions. She utilized her competitive drive to fuel her recovery and find new peaks to climb. Jamie's mother, Grace, used her experience with early childhood development to inform the care Jamie received after her injury, creating new protocols for the treatment of patients suffering from TBIs.
Now Jamie shares her story on stages across the country, in a new documentary, and in her own podcast.
In this episode you'll learn:

The power of striving for your own personal best
How to set manageable goals to get you to your ultimate growth goal
Why collaboration with medical professionals makes such a huge difference in medical recovery
What it's like to be forced to create a new identity when your dreams are shattered
And much more

Learn more about Jamie:
Instagram
Website
Facebook
LinkedIn
YouTube

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FAQ

How many episodes does I Don't Know How You Do It have?

I Don't Know How You Do It currently has 101 episodes available.

What topics does I Don't Know How You Do It cover?

The podcast is about Society & Culture, Parenting, Podcasts, Inspiration, Self-Improvement, Balance, Education, Caregiving and Relationships.

What is the most popular episode on I Don't Know How You Do It?

The episode title 'Going Graphic on the Road to Motherhood with Myriam Steinberg' is the most popular.

What is the average episode length on I Don't Know How You Do It?

The average episode length on I Don't Know How You Do It is 40 minutes.

How often are episodes of I Don't Know How You Do It released?

Episodes of I Don't Know How You Do It are typically released every 7 days.

When was the first episode of I Don't Know How You Do It?

The first episode of I Don't Know How You Do It was released on Jan 26, 2023.

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I Don't Know How You Do It

Jessica Fein

Top 10 I Don't Know How You Do It Episodes

FAQ

How many episodes does I Don't Know How You Do It have?

What topics does I Don't Know How You Do It cover?

What is the most popular episode on I Don't Know How You Do It?

What is the average episode length on I Don't Know How You Do It?

How often are episodes of I Don't Know How You Do It released?

When was the first episode of I Don't Know How You Do It?

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