LET IT OUT

[COMEBACKS] What Are You Waiting For? Jessica Murnane on Reinvention, Nostalgia, Aging Narratives, and more!

Episode Summary

In this first episode of the new COMEBACKS series, I spoke with my longtime friend Jessica Murnane about reinvention, knowing when to move on, and why I tend to linger in the past too long. We talk about creative pivots, grief around letting go, and starting again—without forcing it. Jess shares how she’s built multiple careers, moved cities, why she’s not nostalgic, and the simple question she always comes back to when she’s stuck: What are you waiting for?

Episode Notes

In this first episode of the new COMEBACKS series, I spoke with my longtime friend Jessica Murnane about reinvention, knowing when to move on, and why I tend to linger in the past too long. We talk about creative pivots, grief around letting go, and starting again—without forcing it. Jess shares how she’s built multiple careers, moved cities, why she’s not nostalgic, and the simple question she always comes back to when she’s stuck: What are you waiting for? Let us know if you listen.

Key Insights: 

• Starting something new can be the fastest way to let go of something old.
• Reinvention isn’t always strategic—it’s often a gut feeling that it’s time to move on.
• Lingering (in careers, relationships, identities) is often about fear, not timing.
• Nostalgia can keep us stuck.
• Success isn’t recognition or fame—it’s often feeling financially and emotionally steady.
• Movement is one of the best ways to shift your mental state when stuck, even just a few minutes.
• Aging narratives are mostly cultural noise—you don’t have to opt in. And extremely boring.

Show Notes / Resources / Mentions:

• Katie's Substack | IG: @letitouttt + @katiedalebout | Zine shop is here!
  Inside + Outside with Jessica Murnane
• Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favorite podcast player!

If you liked this episode, try this one from the archive: The Art of Tending: Kerrilynn Pamer, Founder of CAP Beauty, Returns