Carol Jean: Pull the first brick.

In this episode, Kristin sits down with her mother-in-law, Carol Jean (she/her), to talk about what happens when the life you were taught to build stops making sense. Carol shares how raising her children challenged the deeply held beliefs she grew up with, setting off a years-long process of questioning, unlearning, and rebuilding her life on her own terms. She also reflects on spending more than 30 years as a dental hygienist before returning to college at 50, discovering a love of learning, and beginning an entirely new career as an elementary school teacher. It’s a conversation about curiosity, changing your mind, starting over, and the courage to pull one brick loose even when you don’t yet know what you’ll build in its place.