What keeps you grounded? What activities, habits, and rituals help you stay balanced, healthy, and fully human?

In this week’s episode of Cracking Open, I dive deep into these questions and more with our guest, Cory Richards. Cory is the first American to summit an 8,000-meter peak in winter, and in 2016, he reached the summit of Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen.

Cory’s now-iconic photograph—a selfie taken after surviving an avalanche—was featured on the 125th Anniversary cover of National Geographic. To most, this striking image represents sheer survival in the harshest conditions and a testament to human resilience and the extremes we can push ourselves to.

But this one moment is far more than just a photograph. It’s the culmination of Cory’s entire life—one marked by struggles that include experiencing homelessness in adolescence, searching for love in all the wrong places, facing addiction, battling suicidal thoughts, and navigating a bipolar disorder diagnosis. Driven by a need to escape his inner chaos, Cory pushed himself to the edge, seeking solace and a sense of aliveness in the most extreme, dangerous pursuits.

His memoir, The Color of Everything, lays bare his vulnerability, offering an honest reflection on his mental health journey and the healing power of storytelling—not only for him but for his readers as well. Cory’s bravery in sharing his personal highs and lows serves as a powerful invitation for all of us to embrace our humanity and find healing through connection.

Whether you're grappling with your own sense of self or seeking to understand the intricate balance of success and recovery, our conversation today offers insights that I hope will lead you toward greater self-love and acceptance.

Love,
Molly

Learn more about Cory here

Purchase The Color of Everything here
Follow Cory on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook



Special Upcoming 1-Hour Live Workshop with Molly:
How To Get Unstuck
March 10, 2025
Click here to learn more and register

6-Week Coaching Program starts May 14th!

6-Month Coaching Program starts August 13th!

Follow Molly on Instagram and Facebook

“Dance is for everybody. I believe that dance came from the people, and it should always be delivered back to the people.”
~ Alvin Ailey

This powerful quote captures the spirit of this week’s conversation with Jaycee Gossett, a founding teacher and VP of Experience of The Class, a dynamic exercise workout that blends yoga, dance, HIIT, and meditation. Focusing on more than simply getting into physical shape, this program also invigorates your mind and helps you process emotions through a fusion of movement, music, and self-reflection.

On this week's episode of the Cracking Open Podcast, Jaycee shares how movement can release tension and free up stuck energy, creating space for clarity, presence, and reconnection with the self. She also opens up about her own transformative journey with her love of dance, and we even dive into my personal experience of taking her class at The Nantucket Project this past Fall. (Spoiler alert: In just one hour of dancing and sweating—yes, even crying—I felt a deep healing I hadn’t experienced in years!)

Jaycee reminds us that in times of fear, confusion, or loneliness, the best medicine is to move. Movement helps ground us, calms our minds, and keeps us present. It's a reminder that, no matter what, we’re going to be okay. Her teaching embodies The Class’s mantra: “We exercise the body to ground the mind and open the heart.”

Before joining The Class, Jaycee traveled the world studying movement, competed in ballroom dance, and worked in television and film. Her classes are a space to find strength, explore freedom, and reconnect with spirit. Through her passion for music and dance, Jaycee encourages students to move, feel, and live with full expression. The result? Classes that are challenging, soulful, liberating—and most importantly, welcoming.

Be sure to listen to the full episode—at the end, Jaycee leads us through a short class! Plus, as a special treat for Cracking Open Podcast listeners, Jaycee is offering a 30-day free trial (link below!).

Jaycee's overarching message is that dance truly is for everybody. And now more than ever, we need to move, release negative emotions, and invite more joy and love into our lives.

Love,
Molly

*Special gift for Cracking Open listeners*
Click here to get your FREE 30-day trial to The Class!

Learn more about The Class here
Follow The Class on Instagram; Follow Jaycee on Instagram



Special Upcoming 1-Hour Live Workshop with Molly:
Calming Your Nervous System to Be Your Best Self
February 10, 2025
Click here to learn more and register

Follow Molly on Instagram and Facebook

I want to begin today by extending my deepest sympathies to the people of Los Angeles. To those who have suffered unimaginable losses due to the California fires, please know that my heart, prayers, and thoughts are with you.

This tragedy is a stark reminder of the power of community—the strength we find in coming together as one. Fire does not discriminate based on our skin color, our workplace position, or the balance in our bank accounts. It impacts us all, underscoring the importance of unity and compassion.

Our guest today, Eboo Patel, is a powerful advocate for building and strengthening communities. He joins us on this week's episode of the Cracking Open podcast to remind us of a profound truth: “We should do social change work because God wants humans to thrive, and it is our job to help that happen.”

Together, we explore his upbringing, the concept of pluralism in today’s divisive political climate, and his refreshing perspective on America’s identity:

“America is not a melting pot, and it’s not a battlefield. It’s a potluck. That means welcoming and being delighted by the distinctive dishes that people bring to the table, finding creative combinations, and engaging in enriching conversations. That’s what America is about.”

Eboo Patel is an author, speaker, educator, and Founder and President of Interfaith America, the leading interfaith organization in the United States. He is a civic leader who believes religious diversity is a vital and inspiring aspect of American democracy. Named one of America’s best leaders by U.S. News & World Report, Eboo has worked with governments, universities, corporations, and civic organizations to transform faith into a bridge for cooperation, not division.

Some of Eboo’s notable achievements:

• Served on President Obama’s Inaugural Faith Council
• Delivered hundreds of keynote speeches worldwide
• Authored five books, including We Need to Build: Field Notes for Diverse Democracy
• Ashoka Fellow and Rhodes Scholar with a doctorate in sociology of religion from Oxford University

Eboo’s honesty and vulnerability in this episode will inspire you. He shares powerful stories about how religious and educational institutions can foster unity instead of division. His words ignited a fire in me to embrace the "potluck" concept in my own life, celebrating the diversity of people, traditions, and ideas that bring us all closer together.

Tune in to discover how you too, can create a more inclusive and thriving community.

Love,
Molly


To support the Los Angeles community in healing from the devastation and trauma caused by the Kenneth fire, Molly is offering valuable information sessions on how to start the healing process. These are designed to assist companies, schools, hospitals, and other organizations. For more details, please email Molly at molly.rowen.carroll@gmail.com.


Learn more about Eboo Patel and Interfaith America here
Follow Eboo on X
Purchase We Need to Build: Field Notes for Diverse Democracy here

Follow Molly on Instagram and Facebook
6-Week Coaching Program coming May 14th!
6-Month Coaching Group coming August 13th!
Click here for more details