Sound Insight

Hosted by Cathy Jacob

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Oct 2026

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About the show

Welcome to Sound Insight, the podcast that explores our complex relationship with work and life. I'm your host, Cathy Jacob. For 20 years, I've coached executives, professionals, entrepreneurs, and creators to do the work they love without sacrificing the rest of their lives in the process. For inspiration in an earbud, each episode will challenge your thinking, expand your perspective and offer practical strategies to take you from tired to inspired. For a written adaptation of each episode, visit my blog at cathyjacob.com/blog. You'll find a transcript of the episode plus more articles, recommendations, and practices on the topics I cover here.

Listen to episodes

57 recent

October 16, 2026Episode 813 min

Our False Assumptions About Aging May Be Hurting Our Health

In part two of my series on growth in later life, I explore the impact that our negative beliefs about aging have on the aging process itself. Our culture has us all swimming in ageism. False, negative, and disparaging beliefs about aging are so pervasive that we don't even notice them. According to three decades of research conducted by Dr. Becca Levy of Yale School of Public Health, these beliefs are hurting our health and well-being. Further, they don't only hurt older people; they hurt the young as well. In this episode, I explore three common false stereotypes about aging that can have a powerful effect on how we feel, what we do, and, in some cases, our biology itself.

October 11, 2026Episode 78 min

Elderhood is More Than a Nicer Way to Say Old

The difference between getting old and growing old may be more important than you think. In this episode, I explore the key differences between our notions of "getting" old, as a process of contraction and the precarity of living with an aging body and mind. And something more empowering. A growing body of research shows us what some cultures have known for centuries. Growing old is entering elderhood, a distinct late-stage of development filled with new possibilities, skills, and capacities in later life.

September 6, 2026Episode 611 min

7 Lessons I Still Haven't Learned.

Mind-blowing revelations for my 70th birthday. It appears I have officially entered "Elderhood." This is a time when, as a writer and leadership coach, I feel some pressure to spew wise. And as a subscriber to Sound Insight, you deserve, well... insight! I find on this BIG birthday, however, I just don't have it. I hope you can forgive me as I offer you, instead, seven lessons I still haven't learned.

April 29, 2026Episode 57 min

How Can You Stay Anchored in a World That Won't Stop Churning?

This is the third episode in Sound Insight's series celebrating National Poetry Month. This episode was inspired by that profound sense of disorientation that arises when the ambient turmoil becomes so pervasive, it begins to feel normal. I explore how listening to sensations of resonance and dissonance in our bodies can guide us back to clarity and alignment. This week's poem is called Unmoored. If you are enjoying Sound Insight and would like to dive deeper on the themes I explore here, consider a subscription to my newsletter, The Slow Sip . The Slow Sip will introduce you to a world where less is more, slow is fast, failure is funny and relief is just one slow sip away.

April 12, 2026Episode 47 min

When the Hardest Thing is Showing Up.

The courage to arrive in a world that's not always welcoming. This is week two of Sound Insight's series in celebration of National Poetry Month. This week's poem is called Arrival Rite. In this reflection and poem, I explore what it takes to show up, especially when the world does not feel welcoming. And how that rite of arrival can lead to a sense of our worthiness that runs deeper than the stories we are told or the ones we believe about ourselves. For a full transcript of this episode, plus practical guidance and more, subscribe to my free newsletter, The Slow Sip.

April 6, 2026Episode 35 min

Threshold: A New Series to Celebrate National Poetry Month

In honour of National Poetry Month (and a recently fractured collar bone) I'm practicing "less is more" this month. And nothing illustrates that more perfectly than poetry. In April, Sound Insight will feature a series of three reflections, each accompanied by one of my poems. This week's poem is Threshold. We tend to think of thresholds as lines to cross, doorways to enter, or edges from which we leap. If we are held there longer than we want to be, we become impatient, agitated, or even despondent. We rarely consider the value in the threshold itself. This poem was written during one of those difficult threshold seasons, April 2020, our first COVID-19 lockdown. You can find a full transcript of this episode that includes an inquiry to support your practice by subscribing to my newsletter, The Slow Sip on Substack. The Slow Sip will introduce you to a world where less is more, slow is fast, failure is funny, and relief is just one slow sip away.

March 8, 2026Episode 29 min

[Best of] Small Decisions for a Big Life

A Simple Way to Make Everyday Choices that Matter. Over the sweep of a life, it is the tiny, seemingly insignificant decisions we make every day that can make the biggest difference. On their own, they don't seem to matter much, but as they accumulate over time, they can make the difference between a rich and fulfilling life or one filled with regret. In this episode, I share a simple approach for recognizing and making the tiny decisions that matter. Small Decisions for a Big Life first aired in Season 2. In season 5, I'll be bringing back some of Sound Insight's most popular and favorite episodes. If you'd like a transcript of this episode plus much, much more, check out my newsletter, The Slow Sip on Substack. The Slow Sip will introduce you to a world where less is more, slow is fast, failure is funny, and relief is just one slow sip away.

February 17, 2026Episode 16 min

Can You Find The Stillness Beneath the Storm

Welcome to Season 5 of Sound Insight. In episode 1, I share a simple reflection and a personal story to inspire and offer encouragement in a turbulent time. Return is a personal ritual of recovery and re-alignment of our body, mind, heart, and spirit. It is a return to the fundamentals that anchor us. When our lives become stormy and chaotic, return is how we remain grounded and whole. It is a gesture of coming home to yourself. Returning again and again to that inner sanctuary that is always waiting for you. In season 5, I will dive into the theme of return and its practices more deeply, but to begin, I invite you to take a long slow breath, listen, and enjoy. Here's where you can find more. If you'd like a transcript of this episode plus a more detailed overview of what is coming in Season 5, you can find it here. Also, consider a subscription to The Slow Sip on Substack. The Slow Sip will introduce you to a world where less is more, slow is fast, failure is funny, and relief is just one slow sip away.

November 23, 2025Episode 79 min

A Recipe for Finishing Strong

When I think about finishing strong, I think of marathon runners. The good ones that keep just enough in the tank to mount a heroic sprint to the tape. I think of that triumphant moment when they raise their hands in the air as they cross, just before they collapse on the track in exhaustion. But finishing strong is not only about crossing finish lines. Often we're so eager to get on to the next thing that we blow right past the most important ingredient to a strong finish. In this episode, I share a story about a more powerful finish; the kind of finish that most of us skip. Looking for more? If you'd like to reduce the slog and dial up the inspiration in your life, consider pairing this podcast with a subscription to my monthly newsletter, The Slow Sip.

October 29, 202517 min

The Inside Story Behind Our Genius for Getting in Our Own Way.

Have you ever wondered why you keep working against your own interests? Or why, when you are on the verge of achieving your goals, you start doubting and sabotaging yourself? Meet The Committee, an unruly band of shadowy critics, doubters, and second-guessers who dwell inside our brains. They are participants in the most common and effective conspiracy of all time. The conspiracy to take control of your life, to keep you small, to keep you safe, and to make you as miserable as possible in the process. In this episode, I take you undercover to reveal the inner workings of The Committee. Because once you understand how it works, you have the key to get it to stop messing with your life. Looking for more? If you'd like to reduce the slog and dial up the inspiration in your life, consider pairing this podcast with a subscription to my monthly newsletter, The Slow Sip. For actionable strategies, practices, and tools developed over 20 years of professional coaching, subscribe to The Slow Sip today.