The Real Stuff with Lucie Fink

In this solo episode of The Real Stuff, I'm sharing a theory I've been quietly developing for years. If you've ever watched my TEDx talk on The Power of Trying New Things, you know I've always championed getting out of your comfort zone. But today I’m going one layer deeper — asking the question: what is the underlying force that drives all of that trying? My answer: curiosity. I'm calling it The Curiosity Crisis — a societal theory about how and why adults gradually lose the childlike wonder they were born with, and what it's costing us collectively. Drawing on my own career journey — from pitching a YouTube show as a freshman at Johns Hopkins, to discovering stop motion animation, to launching this very podcast, to now writing a psychological thriller novel — I make the case that curiosity isn't just a personality trait. It's a life strategy. I break down the four forces I believe are dimming our curiosity light switches (societal skeletons, the burnout burden, toxic tech, and the fear factor), then I get practical. I share a handful of ways to start recharging your curiosity light bulb — from carving out just 10 minutes a day to explore something new, to practicing what I call "conscious content consumption," to simply looking up from your phone and noticing what's always been around you. This episode is equal parts personal reflection, cultural commentary, and pep talk. If you've ever felt stuck in a routine, disconnected from what excites you, or like you used to be a more interesting version of yourself, you’re going to want to listen to this. Thank you to our sponsors:  Clean Simple Eats: Shop the best tasting protein drinks at https://www.CleanSimpleEats.com Blissy: Wake up with clearer skin, smoother hair, and cooler sleep. Use code LUCIE for an extra 30% off at https://www.blissy.com/LUCIE Ogee: A higher standard for beauty. Go to https://www.ogee.com/LUCIE and use code LUCIE to get 15% off certified organic makeup that performs like luxury. SKIMS: Shop SKIMS Fits Everybody collection at https://www.skims.com/realstuff #skimspartner Watch this episode in video form on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjmevEcbh5h5FEX0pazPEtN86t7eb2OgX  To apply to be a guest on the show, visit luciefink.com/apply and send us your story.  I also want to extend a special thank you to East Love for the show's theme song, Rolling Stone.  Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealstuffpod  Find Lucie here:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/luciebfink/  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@luciebfink  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/luciebfink Website: https://luciefink.com/  Subscribe to my free newsletter "The Lucie List" here: https://thelucielist.beehiiv.com/subscribe Subscribe to "The Creator Confidential": http://www.luciefink.com/confidential Executive Producer: Cloud10 Produced by Dear Media. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I genuinely believe every single person needs to hear this conversation. Jackie Blankenship is an intersex advocate who was born with complete androgen insensitivity syndrome — meaning she has XY chromosomes, but her body couldn't respond to testosterone, so she developed externally female. She also has no internal reproductive system and no vaginal canal. And she didn't tell a single soul until she was 40. In this episode, Jackie walks me through everything: what it actually means to be intersex, what her childhood was like being told to keep her diagnosis a secret, the surgery she had at 15 that she wasn't fully informed about and didn't consent to, the dilation therapy she went through at 18, and what it was like navigating relationships, intimacy, and marriage while carrying this secret for decades. We also talk about her journey to motherhood — her sister served as her gestational carrier, and the process of choosing a donor egg is something you truly have to hear to believe. And then there's the moment that changed everything: Jackie won Mrs. America. And while crowning the next queen live on stage, she read aloud a rule that she realized — in real time — wouldn't have included her. That was the moment she knew she had to speak up. We get into intersex advocacy, nonconsensual surgeries on intersex children, what the word "intersex" actually means versus transgender, what it's like to come out publicly in today's politically charged climate, and why Jackie says she doesn't consider her diagnosis a disorder — just a really cool quirky trait that the world needs to understand better. This episode will genuinely expand the way you think about the human body, identity, and what it means to live authentically. Sponsors: Ritual: For a limited time, save 25% on your first month at https://www.Ritual.com/REALSTUFF Clean Simple Eats: Shop the best tasting protein drinks at https://www.CleanSimpleEats.com Rhoback: Use code REALSTUFF at https://www.rhoback.com for 20% off your first order through the end of this week. Magnetic Me: Get 15% off at https://www.magneticme.com Watch this episode in video form on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjmevEcbh5h5FEX0pazPEtN86t7eb2OgX  To apply to be a guest on the show, visit luciefink.com/apply and send us your story.  I also want to extend a special thank you to East Love for the show's theme song, Rolling Stone.  Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealstuffpod  Find Lucie here:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/luciebfink/  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@luciebfink  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/luciebfink Website: https://luciefink.com/  Subscribe to my free newsletter "The Lucie List" here: https://thelucielist.beehiiv.com/subscribe Subscribe to "The Creator Confidential": http://www.luciefink.com/confidential Executive Producer: Cloud10 Produced by Dear Media. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I put out a casting call asking for audience members with unconventional family setups and Laura's submission stopped me in my tracks. Honestly? I think it should be a movie. Laura is 40, lives in New York City, and is mom to her almost-two-year-old daughter Adeline. But the story of how Adeline came to be is one of the most intentional, creative, and genuinely heartwarming things I've ever heard. After a divorce in her early 30s, a traumatic IVF experience, and years of navigating the dating scene with a “ticking” biological clock, Laura made a decision: she was going to become a mom — with or without a husband. What she didn't expect was that the answer would come in the form of a DM to a peripheral acquaintance named Lenny. In this episode, Laura opens up about uncoupling motherhood from marriage, the very practical (and sometimes hilarious) process of co-parenting with your gay best friend, what it actually costs to do IVF out of pocket in New York City, how they navigated co-parenting agreements and reproductive lawyers, and what their unconventional but deeply loving family unit looks like today. We get into egg freezing, embryo transfers, single motherhood by choice, platonic co-parenting, the mental load of raising a child across two apartments, dating as a single mom, and why Laura says becoming a mother made her feel more free — not less — when it comes to finding love. This one is sweet, funny, and just a little bit life-changing. If you've ever questioned the "traditional" path to building a family, you need to hear Laura's story. Watch this episode in video form on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjmevEcbh5h5FEX0pazPEtN86t7eb2OgX  To apply to be a guest on the show, visit luciefink.com/apply and send us your story.  I also want to extend a special thank you to East Love for the show's theme song, Rolling Stone.  Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealstuffpod  Find Lucie here:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/luciebfink/  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@luciebfink  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/luciebfink Website: https://luciefink.com/  Subscribe to my free newsletter "The Lucie List" here: https://thelucielist.beehiiv.com/subscribe Subscribe to "The Creator Confidential": http://www.luciefink.com/confidential Executive Producer: Cloud10 Produced by Dear Media. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

My husband Michael is back on the podcast— and this time, we're getting into the biggest life shift our family has made in years. At the end of last year, Michael made the decision to leave his corporate job in sports media after over a decade of climbing the ladder. He had no new job lined up… it was just a leap of faith toward a different kind of lifestyle. I've been watching him grind through high-pressure, around-the-clock work for years, and honestly? I've had a front-row seat to what corporate burnout, work-life imbalance, and sacrificing your well-being for a paycheck can really look like from the inside of a marriage. In this episode, we're co-telling the story of how we got here — from the cyclical conversations we kept having, to the moment I finally said what I needed to say in a way that actually landed, to Michael's very “Michael” way of making one of the biggest decisions of his career.  We're also getting into what comes next: Michael joining me at Lucie Fink Media, what it means to truly run your life like you run a business, and how we've been building our version of a "rich life" as a couple and as a family. We talk about corporate burnout, setting work-life boundaries, the mental load of running a household, couples and individual therapy, quitting your job without a plan, leaving a high salary, working with your spouse, and what it actually looks like to redesign your life from the ground up together. Watch this episode in video form on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjmevEcbh5h5FEX0pazPEtN86t7eb2OgX  To apply to be a guest on the show, visit luciefink.com/apply and send us your story.  I also want to extend a special thank you to East Love for the show's theme song, Rolling Stone.  Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealstuffpod  Find Lucie here:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/luciebfink/  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@luciebfink  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/luciebfink Website: https://luciefink.com/  Subscribe to my free newsletter "The Lucie List" here: https://thelucielist.beehiiv.com/subscribe Subscribe to "The Creator Confidential": http://www.luciefink.com/confidential Executive Producer: Cloud10 Produced by Dear Media. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I have been waiting to have this conversation. Les Alfred — host of the She's So Lucky podcast and one of the most refreshingly honest voices in the self-development space — sat down with me in the studio, and we went deep. We talk about what it really means to want a big life. Les is unapologetically vocal about wanting wealth, success, and a life that is anything but average, and in this episode, she explains exactly why she thinks more women need to say that out loud. We get into the psychology of perfectionism and why it's rarely actually about getting things right; it's about the fear of being seen trying. I also open up about a very personal block I hit while launching my own YouTube course and how working through it completely changed the outcome. Les shares her theory on the post-peak pivot and why the most successful women know when to step back, lie low, and let the next chapter build. We use everyone from Rihanna to Jackie Aina to Taylor Swift as case studies. Plus, we get into the concept of creating your own luck, best-case scenario journaling, and why negative comments and criticism might actually be the best sign your career is growing. Follow Les: https://www.instagram.com/lesalfred/  Listen to the She's So Lucky Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/46muBfvOgp2U44ycqZJPPN  Sponsors: Vuori: Get 20% off your first order at Vuori.com/REALSTUFF Ritual: For a limited time, save 25% on your first month at Ritual.com/REALSTUFF Watch this episode in video form on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjmevEcbh5h5FEX0pazPEtN86t7eb2OgX  To apply to be a guest on the show, visit luciefink.com/apply and send us your story.  I also want to extend a special thank you to East Love for the show's theme song, Rolling Stone.  Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealstuffpod  Find Lucie here:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/luciebfink/  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@luciebfink  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/luciebfink Website: https://luciefink.com/  Subscribe to my free newsletter "The Lucie List" here: https://thelucielist.beehiiv.com/subscribe Subscribe to "The Creator Confidential": http://www.luciefink.com/confidential Executive Producer: Cloud10 Produced by Dear Media. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.