
Finding the Throughline with Kate Hanley
Finding the Throughline: Conversations about the Creative Process invites you into the minds of writers and other creatives as they open up about their process, their doubts, and what kinds of changes they’re thinking about making. The questions are mildly invasive, honestly, and the answers are unvarnished…and so refreshing! Whether your creative work is writing, painting, making music, parenting, or simply living, Finding the Throughline can help you get—and stay—inspired. Invigorated, even. For detailed show notes on each interview, visit katehanley.substack.com. And if you’d like to hear these interviews in one ad-free episode (as opposed to broken up into three shorter episodes with a few ads sprinkled in to keep the lights on), become a paid subscriber once you’re there..
Latest episodes

Feb 24, 2022 • 7min
[Quick Hits]: Say “Thank You” for Things You Normally Wouldn't. EP: 650
Saying thank you is about more than being polite--it's about training yourself to look for the good, even in situations that are otherwise neutral or even negative. It helps you re-wire your brain, which is trained to look for and remember the bad.Enjoying these episodes? Leave me a tip! All proceeds used to offset production costs and create more episodes. :) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 23, 2022 • 8min
[Quick Hits]: Ask Someone How They’re Doing in a Way that Elicits More than ‘Fine’. EP: 649
Say you’re checking out at the grocery store, or picking up books from the library, or getting dinner delivered, or actually eating out in a restaurant. It’s pretty automatic to say, “how are you?” to the person who is helping you. And then they say ‘Fine, how are you?” And these kinds of pleasantries are more important than they might seem. But they don’t really require a stretch. And sometimes we have to try in order to be a better person. Enjoying these episodes? Leave me a tip! All proceeds are used to offset production costs and create more episodes. :) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 22, 2022 • 8min
[Quick Hits]: Let Someone Else Go First. EP:648
When you’re in a hurry it’s easy to wish everyone would just get out of your way already. You know, it’s a real “me first” state of mind. “Please step to the side so that I may get to my very important destination!” Today's quick hit can help you pull yourself out of that subconscious way of thinking, and potentially even make someone else's day (which feels just as good to you as it does to them).Enjoying these episodes? Leave me a tip! All proceeds used to offset production costs and create more episodes. :) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 21, 2022 • 9min
[Quick Hits]: Look Someone in the Eye. EP:647
This week I’m sharing really quick, concrete things you can do to act on the desire to be a better person. I love to talk about deeper, bigger stuff, and figuring out how to make long-lasting changes. But sometimes, you just need a quick hit. That’s what the episodes this week are all about.Today’s quick hit is to look people in the eye. This may seem like no big deal, or like it doesn’t have anything to do with being a better person. But hear me out. Enjoying these episodes? Leave me a tip! All proceeds are used to offset production costs and create more episodes. :) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 18, 2022 • 11min
[Re-Imagining Work]: Listen to Your Laziness. EP:646
Laziness gets completely frowned upon in our productivity focused society. But you could have a very good reason to be feeling–or being perceived–as lazy. AND that feeling of not wanting to do anything–which, I fully admit, I have been feeling so frequently lately–is likely telling you something really important. Let's see what laziness has to say. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 17, 2022 • 8min
[Re-Imagining Work]: Tend to Your Network. EP: 645
Your network isn’t some wall of trophies that you can proudly point to. It’s your support system--the net beneath your trapeze AND the slingshot that can help launch you higher or in a different direction than you could go on your own. And most likely, the last two years of working remotely and hunkering down hasn't exactly been great for strengthening this web. Let's fix that. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 16, 2022 • 20min
[Re-Imagining Work]: Things to Consider Before You Quit Your Job. EP: 644
Today I'm talking with Damon Brown, author of the brand new book Career Remix: Get the Gig You Want with the Skills You've Got about the things you should consider before you up and quit your job. Even if you’re NOT currently secretly–or not so secretly–fantasizing about heading off for greener pastures, thinking about these things will help you improve your relationship to the work you do and understand exactly what it is you have to offer, and what you stand to gain. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 15, 2022 • 11min
[Re-Imagining Work]: Making Space for Mental Health at the Office. EP: 643
Something so very many of us has experienced during this pandemic is challenges to mental health. And in general, we've gotten a lot more open about sharing our mental health struggles with others. How does this impact our work lives? How can we make space for mental health while still taking care of business? Let's talk about it.I also answer a question from listener Nina. If you have questions you'd like me to address in a future episode, email me at kate at katehanley dot com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 14, 2022 • 9min
[Re-Imagining Work]: Let’s Challenge the Culture of Overwork. EP: 642
This week on the podcast is all about re-imagining work. After all, like the rest of our lives, much of our work lives have been upended since the pandemic started. Whether that’s the physical location of where you’re doing your work, or how stressful your work has been, what’s clear is that work is not the same as it was in 2019. So let’s take this opportunity to figure out where we want it to go from here, both for yourself as an individual and for our society as a whole.No big deal! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 11, 2022 • 7min
[Being There for Others]: A Crucial Thing to Keep in Mind in Order to Be Truly Helpful. EP: 641
Wanting to help someone who’s in need of support is honorable. But what it ISN’T, is about you. You are not the solution for their problems, nor is it your full responsibility to solve anyone’s problems.I think this is another reason why we sometimes resist reaching out to someone in need of help–we fear that we won’t actually be able to help, or that we might get overwhelmed by the amount of help they need. I share a helpful analogy that can help get your head on straight about what your ultimate goal is. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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