I Thought I Wanted This with Katie Carson en You know that weird moment when you get something you wanted and think... Oh. Wait. I don't think I want this anymore. Welcome to I Thought I Wanted This, the podcast about what happens when the life you planned and the life you actually want stop being the same thing. I'm Katie Carson, and I have some experience with changing the plan. Careers. Relationships. Expectations. And, most recently, selling most of my stuff and moving to Italy. This isn't a podcast about blowing up your life because TikTok told you to follow your dreams. It's about asking better questions. Do I actually want this? Or am I just good at it? Would I choose this again? Or have I just been here so long that leaving feels impossible? Is this an actual obstacle? Or something I've decided is an obstacle without ever testing it? And if I do want something different... what would it actually take to make that happen? We'll talk career changes, money, relationships, friendship, moving, starting over, doing big things on one income, and the thousand tiny decisions involved in building a life that fits the person you are now—not the person who made the original plan. Just honest conversations, questionable decisions, practical plans, and one very important question: What if you're allowed to change your mind? https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/f166ade8-b5b3-11f1-8176-077078d1e7b1/image/afb8879902fd72152855761e77be222c.png?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&max-w=3000&max-h=3000&fit=crop&auto=format,compress I Thought I Wanted This with Katie Carson episodic For when the life you planned doesn't fit anymore Katie Carson You know that weird moment when you get something you wanted and think... Oh. Wait. I don't think I want this anymore. Welcome to I Thought I Wanted This, the podcast about what happens when the life you planned and the life you actually want stop being the same thing. I'm Katie Carson, and I have some experience with changing the plan. Careers. Relationships. Expectations. And, most recently, selling most of my stuff and moving to Italy. This isn't a podcast about blowing up your life because TikTok told you to follow your dreams. It's about asking better questions. Do I actually want this? Or am I just good at it? Would I choose this again? Or have I just been here so long that leaving feels impossible? Is this an actual obstacle? Or something I've decided is an obstacle without ever testing it? And if I do want something different... what would it actually take to make that happen? We'll talk career changes, money, relationships, friendship, moving, starting over, doing big things on one income, and the thousand tiny decisions involved in building a life that fits the person you are now—not the person who made the original plan. Just honest conversations, questionable decisions, practical plans, and one very important question: What if you're allowed to change your mind? You know that weird moment when you get something you wanted and think...

Oh.

Wait.

I don't think I want this anymore.

Welcome to I Thought I Wanted This, the podcast about what happens when the life you planned and the life you actually want stop being the same thing.

I'm Katie Carson, and I have some experience with changing the plan. Careers. Relationships. Expectations. And, most recently, selling most of my stuff and moving to Italy.

This isn't a podcast about blowing up your life because TikTok told you to follow your dreams.

It's about asking better questions.

Do I actually want this? Or am I just good at it?

Would I choose this again? Or have I just been here so long that leaving feels impossible?

Is this an actual obstacle? Or something I've decided is an obstacle without ever testing it?

And if I do want something different... what would it actually take to make that happen?

We'll talk career changes, money, relationships, friendship, moving, starting over, doing big things on one income, and the thousand tiny decisions involved in building a life that fits the person you are now—not the person who made the original plan.

Just honest conversations, questionable decisions, practical plans, and one very important question:

What if you're allowed to change your mind?

]]> Katie Carson katie@podfoxmedia.com 3: Do I Actually Want This, or Am I Just Good at It? Do you actually like the work, or do you just like being good at it? If you were the gifted kid, the eldest daughter or the one who always gets voluntold, this one’s for you. We dig into how being good at something turns into an identity you never asked for, and why praise and promotions can keep you in a role you don’t enjoy. We also talk about how to tell the difference between liking the work and liking the recognition that comes with it. In this episode: How “the responsible one” becomes who you are, not just what you do Liking the work vs. liking the praise, money or security Would you still do it if you were only mediocre at it? Why the job you’re good at can pay for the space to experiment This week’s exercise: make three lists (good at and like, good at but don’t like, not good at yet but curious) Connect with us: Apply to be a guest: https://forms.gle/aumPddFB33yvBUxB6 Email: ithoughtiwantedthis@gmail.com Instagram: @ithoughtiwantedthis / Katie: @ladykatieabroad Fri, 30 Oct 2026 06:02:00 -0000 Do I Actually Want This, or Am I Just Good at It? full 1 3 Katie Carson Do you actually like the work, or do you just like being good at it? If you were the gifted kid, the eldest daughter or the one who always gets voluntold, this one’s for you. We dig into how being good at something turns into an identity you never asked for, and why praise and promotions can keep you in a role you don’t enjoy. We also talk about how to tell the difference between liking the work and liking the recognition that comes with it. Do you actually like the work, or do you just like being good at it? If you were the gifted kid, the eldest daughter or the one who always gets voluntold, this one’s for you. We dig into how being good at something turns into an identity you never asked for, and why praise and promotions can keep you in a role you don’t enjoy. We also talk about how to tell the difference between liking the work and liking the recognition that comes with it. In this episode: How “the responsible one” becomes who you are, not just what you do Liking the work vs. liking the praise, money or security Would you still do it if you were only mediocre at it? Why the job you’re good at can pay for the space to experiment This week’s exercise: make three lists (good at and like, good at but don’t like, not good at yet but curious) Connect with us: Apply to be a guest: https://forms.gle/aumPddFB33yvBUxB6 Email: ithoughtiwantedthis@gmail.com Instagram: @ithoughtiwantedthis / Katie: @ladykatieabroad Do you actually like the work, or do you just like being good at it? If you were the gifted kid, the eldest daughter or the one who always gets voluntold, this one’s for you.

We dig into how being good at something turns into an identity you never asked for, and why praise and promotions can keep you in a role you don’t enjoy. We also talk about how to tell the difference between liking the work and liking the recognition that comes with it.

In this episode:

  • How “the responsible one” becomes who you are, not just what you do
  • Liking the work vs. liking the praise, money or security
  • Would you still do it if you were only mediocre at it?
  • Why the job you’re good at can pay for the space to experiment
  • This week’s exercise: make three lists (good at and like, good at but don’t like, not good at yet but curious)

Connect with us:

]]> 1273 yes 2: I Threw My Business a Retirement Party with Ellie Kime Ellie Kime thought she’d be a copywriter forever. Then the business she built for freedom started to feel like a trap. So she threw her copywriting offers a retirement party and started over with everyone watching. We get into how she knew it was time to go and why changing direction publicly can feel like letting people down. We also talk about what the messy middle actually looks like almost a year later: more joy, less income and a lot of experimenting. In this episode: Throwing your old offers a retirement party instead of quietly pivoting Telling intuition apart from anxiety when you have OCD Being happy in your business but not with it Why a part-time job alongside your business isn’t a failure Finding the through line in a career that looks all over the place About Ellie: Ellie Kime is a business personality strategist and the founder of Eleanor Mollie, where she helps small business owners put more of their personality forward to stand out from competitors (and robots alike). She’s the host of the Front & Centre podcast, an event MC, and has worked with businesses like [noths] and Pinterest. She doesn’t believe in the phrase “long story short,” and her absolute favourite thing in the world is 0.5 zoom photos. Website: eleanormollie.co.uk Instagram: @eleanor_mollie Podcast: Front & Centre Connect with us: Apply to be a guest: https://forms.gle/aumPddFB33yvBUxB6 Email: ithoughtiwantedthis@gmail.com Instagram: @ithoughtiwantedthis / Katie: @ladykatieabroad Fri, 30 Oct 2026 06:01:00 -0000 I Threw My Business a Retirement Party with Ellie Kime full 1 2 Katie Carson Ellie Kime thought she’d be a copywriter forever. Then the business she built for freedom started to feel like a trap. So she threw her copywriting offers a retirement party and started over with everyone watching. We get into how she knew it was time to go and why changing direction publicly can feel like letting people down. We also talk about what the messy middle actually looks like almost a year later: more joy, less income and a lot of experimenting. Ellie Kime thought she’d be a copywriter forever. Then the business she built for freedom started to feel like a trap. So she threw her copywriting offers a retirement party and started over with everyone watching. We get into how she knew it was time to go and why changing direction publicly can feel like letting people down. We also talk about what the messy middle actually looks like almost a year later: more joy, less income and a lot of experimenting. In this episode: Throwing your old offers a retirement party instead of quietly pivoting Telling intuition apart from anxiety when you have OCD Being happy in your business but not with it Why a part-time job alongside your business isn’t a failure Finding the through line in a career that looks all over the place About Ellie: Ellie Kime is a business personality strategist and the founder of Eleanor Mollie, where she helps small business owners put more of their personality forward to stand out from competitors (and robots alike). She’s the host of the Front & Centre podcast, an event MC, and has worked with businesses like [noths] and Pinterest. She doesn’t believe in the phrase “long story short,” and her absolute favourite thing in the world is 0.5 zoom photos. Website: eleanormollie.co.uk Instagram: @eleanor_mollie Podcast: Front & Centre Connect with us: Apply to be a guest: https://forms.gle/aumPddFB33yvBUxB6 Email: ithoughtiwantedthis@gmail.com Instagram: @ithoughtiwantedthis / Katie: @ladykatieabroad Ellie Kime thought she’d be a copywriter forever. Then the business she built for freedom started to feel like a trap. So she threw her copywriting offers a retirement party and started over with everyone watching.

We get into how she knew it was time to go and why changing direction publicly can feel like letting people down. We also talk about what the messy middle actually looks like almost a year later: more joy, less income and a lot of experimenting.

In this episode:

  • Throwing your old offers a retirement party instead of quietly pivoting
  • Telling intuition apart from anxiety when you have OCD
  • Being happy in your business but not with it
  • Why a part-time job alongside your business isn’t a failure
  • Finding the through line in a career that looks all over the place

About Ellie:
Ellie Kime is a business personality strategist and the founder of Eleanor Mollie, where she helps small business owners put more of their personality forward to stand out from competitors (and robots alike). She’s the host of the Front & Centre podcast, an event MC, and has worked with businesses like [noths] and Pinterest. She doesn’t believe in the phrase “long story short,” and her absolute favourite thing in the world is 0.5 zoom photos.

Connect with us:

]]> 2679 yes 1: I Got the Job I Wanted. It Was Just… Fine. What happens when you finally get the thing you wanted, and it’s not terrible, just fine? We’re kicking off the show with the job I was sure would fix everything, why “fine” can be harder to leave than a disaster, and why we so often need a villain before we let ourselves change our minds. We also walk through the five questions we’ll come back to all season, and what this show is (and isn’t). In this episode: Why “fine” isn’t the same as content Inflating the story to justify changing your mind Running my own career change through the five questions This week’s exercise: finish the sentence “I thought I wanted ___” Is “Same girl. Different plan.” the right tagline? Tell us. Connect with us: Apply to be a guest: https://forms.gle/aumPddFB33yvBUxB6 Email: ithoughtiwantedthis@gmail.com Instagram: @ithoughtiwantedthis / Katie: @ladykatieabroad Fri, 30 Oct 2026 06:00:00 -0000 I Got the Job I Wanted. It Was Just… Fine. full 1 1 Katie Carson What happens when you finally get the thing you wanted, and it’s not terrible, just fine? We’re kicking off the show with the job I was sure would fix everything, why “fine” can be harder to leave than a disaster, and why we so often need a villain before we let ourselves change our minds. We also walk through the five questions we’ll come back to all season, and what this show is (and isn’t). What happens when you finally get the thing you wanted, and it’s not terrible, just fine? We’re kicking off the show with the job I was sure would fix everything, why “fine” can be harder to leave than a disaster, and why we so often need a villain before we let ourselves change our minds. We also walk through the five questions we’ll come back to all season, and what this show is (and isn’t). In this episode: Why “fine” isn’t the same as content Inflating the story to justify changing your mind Running my own career change through the five questions This week’s exercise: finish the sentence “I thought I wanted ___” Is “Same girl. Different plan.” the right tagline? Tell us. Connect with us: Apply to be a guest: https://forms.gle/aumPddFB33yvBUxB6 Email: ithoughtiwantedthis@gmail.com Instagram: @ithoughtiwantedthis / Katie: @ladykatieabroad What happens when you finally get the thing you wanted, and it’s not terrible, just fine? We’re kicking off the show with the job I was sure would fix everything, why “fine” can be harder to leave than a disaster, and why we so often need a villain before we let ourselves change our minds.

We also walk through the five questions we’ll come back to all season, and what this show is (and isn’t).

In this episode:

  • Why “fine” isn’t the same as content
  • Inflating the story to justify changing your mind
  • Running my own career change through the five questions
  • This week’s exercise: finish the sentence “I thought I wanted ___”
  • Is “Same girl. Different plan.” the right tagline? Tell us.

Connect with us:

]]> 1327 yes I Thought I Wanted This? The first full episodes arrive Friday, October 30. You know that moment when you finally get the thing (the job, the relationship, the house) and it's… fine? Maybe even good? You just don't think you want it anymore. And honestly, sometimes you're not sure you ever did. I'm Katie Carson, and this is I Thought I Wanted This, a podcast about what happens when the life you planned and the life you actually want stop being the same thing. I've changed careers and industries more than once and started over more times than I can count. Most recently, I packed up my dog and moved from East Tennessee to Florence, Italy. It sounds very Under the Tuscan Sun. It was significantly more paperwork. But this isn't a podcast about moving to Italy. It's about the question that got me here: What do I actually want? Not what I'm supposed to want. Not what 18-year-old me decided when she picked a major, or what 25-year-old me decided was a career path. What do I want right now? And then my favorite question: how the hell do I actually do it? We'll talk careers, relationships, friendship, money, moving and starting over, including the plans that worked and the ones that didn't. I'll talk with women who changed course when they realized their lives weren't what they actually wanted, and we'll get practical about turning "I wish I could" into "okay, what would it actually take?" You don't have to hate your life to want something different. You don't have to burn it all down. And changing your mind doesn't mean you got it wrong the first time. Sometimes the plan worked. Then you changed. Same girl. Different plan. First episodes drop Friday, October 30. Thu, 01 Oct 2026 19:38:00 -0000 trailer 1 Katie Carson I Thought I Wanted This with Katie Carson is a podcast about what happens when the life you planned and the life you actually want stop being the same thing. The first full episodes arrive Friday, October 30. You know that moment when you finally get the thing (the job, the relationship, the house) and it's… fine? Maybe even good? You just don't think you want it anymore. And honestly, sometimes you're not sure you ever did. I'm Katie Carson, and this is I Thought I Wanted This, a podcast about what happens when the life you planned and the life you actually want stop being the same thing. I've changed careers and industries more than once and started over more times than I can count. Most recently, I packed up my dog and moved from East Tennessee to Florence, Italy. It sounds very Under the Tuscan Sun. It was significantly more paperwork. But this isn't a podcast about moving to Italy. It's about the question that got me here: What do I actually want? Not what I'm supposed to want. Not what 18-year-old me decided when she picked a major, or what 25-year-old me decided was a career path. What do I want right now? And then my favorite question: how the hell do I actually do it? We'll talk careers, relationships, friendship, money, moving and starting over, including the plans that worked and the ones that didn't. I'll talk with women who changed course when they realized their lives weren't what they actually wanted, and we'll get practical about turning "I wish I could" into "okay, what would it actually take?" You don't have to hate your life to want something different. You don't have to burn it all down. And changing your mind doesn't mean you got it wrong the first time. Sometimes the plan worked. Then you changed. Same girl. Different plan. First episodes drop Friday, October 30. The first full episodes arrive Friday, October 30.

You know that moment when you finally get the thing (the job, the relationship, the house) and it's… fine? Maybe even good?

You just don't think you want it anymore.

And honestly, sometimes you're not sure you ever did.

I'm Katie Carson, and this is I Thought I Wanted This, a podcast about what happens when the life you planned and the life you actually want stop being the same thing.

I've changed careers and industries more than once and started over more times than I can count. Most recently, I packed up my dog and moved from East Tennessee to Florence, Italy. It sounds very Under the Tuscan Sun. It was significantly more paperwork.

But this isn't a podcast about moving to Italy. It's about the question that got me here:

What do I actually want?

Not what I'm supposed to want. Not what 18-year-old me decided when she picked a major, or what 25-year-old me decided was a career path. What do I want right now?

And then my favorite question: how the hell do I actually do it?

We'll talk careers, relationships, friendship, money, moving and starting over, including the plans that worked and the ones that didn't. I'll talk with women who changed course when they realized their lives weren't what they actually wanted, and we'll get practical about turning "I wish I could" into "okay, what would it actually take?"

You don't have to hate your life to want something different. You don't have to burn it all down. And changing your mind doesn't mean you got it wrong the first time.

Sometimes the plan worked. Then you changed.

Same girl. Different plan.

First episodes drop Friday, October 30.

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