We Can Do Hard Things

Today, we remember the one and only Dolly Parton.

Dolly gave the world so much: her music, her humor, her generosity, her courage, and her unwavering commitment to being exactly who she was—and letting everyone else be exactly who they are, too.

We feel incredibly lucky to have had this conversation with her about trusting yourself even when it breaks your heart, beginning again at any age, mothering the world, and living a life of many colors.

We love you, Dolly. Thank you for showing all of us how to be more ourselves on purpose.

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Good Grief, the album, is out everywhere this Friday, and the documentary comes to theaters nationwide September 2!

Our dear friend Sara Bareilles joins us to talk about Good Grief—her deeply personal new album and documentary—and what she’s learning about grief, love, mental health, and the terrifying practice of trusting life to hold us.

Sara shares how infertility, loss, and some of her hardest moments became music; why grief might be love that has everywhere to go; and what becomes possible when we stop trying to fix ourselves and start telling the truth.

-Why Sara says avoiding pain doesn’t work: “It hurts anyway.”

- Sara on mental health, the fear of being “too much,” and learning to trust that life will hold her

-The unexpected connection between Sara’s infertility journey, Andrea Gibson, and the creation of Good Grief

-The stories and meaning behind the songs and lyrics including what it means to “worship your weather” instead of fearing your feelings

For everything Good Grief—the new album, documentary, and more—visit sarabmusic.com.

About Sara:

SARA BAREILLES is an award-winning singer, songwriter, actor, producer, activist, and New York Times best-selling author whose accolades include two Grammy Awards, three Tony Award nominations, and three Primetime Emmy Award nominations. As a recording artist and songwriter, she has sold more than 3 million albums and 15 million singles in the U.S., and her songs have been streamed more than 3.5 billion times worldwide. On Broadway, she composed music and lyrics for Waitress. On the screen, she executive-produced and wrote original music for the series Little Voice. She plays Dawn Solano on the Emmy-nominated musical comedy series Girls5eva.

Her song "Salt Then Sour Then Sweet" appears in the Peabody Award-winning documentary Come See Me in the Good Light, on which she also serves as executive producer; the song was shortlisted for Best Original Song and the film was nominated for Best Documentary at the 2026 Oscars.

Her new solo album, Good Grief, will be released this Friday, and Sara Bareilles: Good Grief, a documentary about the making of the album—which we are very proud to be Executive Producers on—comes to theaters nationwide on September 2.

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As another school year begins, many of us are wondering if we're doing enough to prepare our kids for the world. But maybe the most important thing we can give them isn't in a backpack. Maybe it's our willingness to have the conversations we're most afraid of. Sonya Renee Taylor reminds us that our kids don't need perfect answers—they need honest, trustworthy adults who are willing to tell the truth, stay curious, and keep learning alongside them. Because our job isn't to protect our children from reality. It's to help them meet reality without losing themselves.

- How to talk to your kids about sex, climate change, injustice, and other hard topics

- Why becoming a "reliable narrator" matters more than being a perfect parent

- The simple way to respond when you don't know the answer

- Why your own growth is one of the greatest gifts you can give your kids

About Sonya:

Sonya Renee Taylor is a New York Times best-selling author of seven books, transformational thought leader, world-renowned activist, artist, and founder of the international movement The Body Is Not An Apology. She is podcast host, sought-after speaker and new world midwife. She is also an intuitive astrologer helping to decipher our unique soul work through the planets. Her work has reached millions of people by exploring the intersections of identity, healing, and social justice using a radical self-love framework. She continues to write, create, speak, teach, and transform lives globally.

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Who invented gender? Who decided the rules, wrote the script, and convinced us it was all just…nature?

Amanda traces the wild history of how gender became a system we call “natural,” “biological,” and “just the way it is.” Then ALOK joins to help us see the game we’ve been playing without even knowing it—and imagine what becomes possible when we stop mistaking the rules for reality.

Together, they discuss the history we’ve forgotten, the freedom we’ve been denied, and the beauty, weirdness, and possibility waiting for us outside the boxes.

- Why pink was once for boys—and what that reveals about the “natural” rules of gender

- How property, inheritance, religion, science, and power helped construct the gender binary

- Why attacks on trans people are a threat to everyone’s freedom

- The difference between fitting into the world and freely inventing your life

- Why ALOK says we don’t need more great thinkers—we need great lovers

For more ALOK on We Can Do Hard Things:

74. ALOK: What makes us beautiful? What makes us free?

75. ALOK: How do we interrupt trauma? How do we heal?

293. The One Question to Finally Let Go of Control with ALOK

About ALOK:

ALOK is an internationally acclaimed poet, comedian, public speaker, and actor whose work has captivated audiences in over 40 countries. You can catch them live on their EAT PRAY LEAVE world comedy tour.

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So many of us are carrying the weight of uncertainty—about our families, our futures, our work, and our communities. Underneath all of that is something we don't talk about nearly enough: money.

Financial educator Tori Dunlap helps us untangle the stories we've inherited about money and replace shame with something far more powerful: agency. Because the goal isn't wealth for wealth's sake—it's freedom. The freedom to leave what harms us, support what matters, and take care of ourselves and the people we love.

- Why women are taught to feel shame about money—and how to unlearn it

- The hidden money stories that may be shaping your life

- Why financial freedom is really about choices, safety, and agency

- Simple first steps to build a healthier relationship with money

About Tori:

Tori Dunlap is the Author of the instant New York Times bestselling book “Financial Feminist”; host of the #1 Business Podcast, Financial Feminist; and co-creator of Treasury, an investing education platform that has over $82M invested. After saving $100,000 at age 25, Tori quit her corporate job in marketing and founded Her First $100K to fight financial inequality by giving women actionable resources to better their money. She has helped over five million women negotiate salary, pay off debt, build savings, and invest.

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