John O’Leary welcomes Nothing Much Happens creator Kathryn Nicolai to share how rest, cozy storytelling and noticing life’s ordinary moments can bring greater peace and presence.
Kathryn Nicolai is the creator and host of the beloved podcast Nothing Much Happens, where her soothing bedtime stories help millions of adults quiet their minds and find more restful sleep. A former yoga instructor and lifelong storyteller, Kathryn has transformed her childhood practice of creating stories before bed into books, audiobooks, and a comforting community for people seeking peace in a noisy world.
Today, Kathryn shares how storytelling became a sanctuary during her childhood in Flint, Michigan, why the ordinary moments of life are often the most meaningful, and how rest can help us reconnect with ourselves. We also discuss the friend whose final words inspired Kathryn to pursue her dreams, the healing power of feeling safe and seen, and her latest book, On the Street Where You Live.
My friends, if life has felt a little too loud or you need permission to slow down, this conversation is for you. You’ll leave encouraged to find joy in the ordinary and to give yourself the rest you need and deserve.
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- Architect of Cozy: From books to podcasts and audiobooks, Kathryn has guided hundreds of millions of people away from racing thoughts and into restful sleep, transforming bedtime into a comforting daily ritual.
- Growing up in Flint, Michigan, Kathryn learned that if you want something to exist, sometimes you must be willing to create it yourself. She also developed a deep appreciation for community and the importance of leaning on one another.
- While dying of cancer, Kathryn’s friend Renee encouraged her to stop waiting and pursue her dreams. “For those of us who lose people too early, we owe it to them to live our lives fully, with intention, to take risks, and to put ourselves out there because those are the things they don’t get to do.”
- Pay attention. Be amazed. Tell about it. Inspired by Mary Oliver’s poem, Kathryn centers her stories on the small, simple moments that make up our lives.
- “If we can awaken to the small moments, that’s a different life at the end of the day.” By becoming more attentive to the ordinary, Kathryn believes we can live richer, fuller lives that are less focused on the past or future and more connected to ourselves, our loved ones and our communities.
- Kathryn shares practices that help us close the open tabs in our minds, return to the present and create a sense of safety.
- “Coziness is not about blankets and candles. It’s about finally feeling safe enough to exhale.”
- Kathryn considers herself a guardian of sorts, helping listeners feel safe enough to rest. She reflects on hearing from people who finally slept through the night after losing a child, as well as families who played her stories for loved ones in hospice.
- “Sometimes healing begins the moment we stop trying to outrun ourselves.”
- “Rest is not a reward for finishing life. Rest is part of how we live it well.”
- “The ordinary moments we rush past are often the very places peace is waiting for us.”
- Listen to Kathryn Nicolai’s audiobook On The Street Where You Live here.
- Learn more about Kathryn Nicolai’s work here.
Did you enjoy today’s episode?
You’ll love my conversation with Meik Wiking. As the founder and CEO of The Happiness Research Institute, Meik shares what his research reveals about the true drivers of happiness and introduces us to hygge, the Danish practice of creating comfort, connection, and joy through life’s simple pleasures. Listen to Meik Wiking on episode 148 now.
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KATHRYN NICOLAI'S LIVE INSPIRED 7
- Q. What is the best book you’ve ever read?
A. Wherever You Go, There You Are by Jon Kabat-Zinn. - Q. What is a characteristic or trait that you possessed as a child that you wish you still exhibited today?
A. I have matured into a person that little girl only dreamed of. - Q. Your house is on fire, all living things and people are out. You have the opportunity to run in and grab one item. What would it be?
A. I have the key that opened the apartment that I used to live in when I was a foreign exchange student in Italy when I was 16 years old. That year of learning to stand on my own two feet in another country, speak another language and stand up for myself built so much into me. That is a pivot point for sure, and I have that key. I wore it around my neck at my wedding. I would go get that. - Q. You are sitting on a bench overlooking a gorgeous beach. You have the opportunity to have a long conversation with anyone living or dead. Who would it be?
A. My grandfather. - Q. What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
A. When in doubt, do that thing you were going to do first. - Q. What advice would you give your 20-year-old self?
A. Stop waiting to feel ready. - Q. It’s been said that all great people can have their lives summed up in one sentence. How do you want yours to read?
A. She helped me feel safe.
