The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the World

Whether you’re ladling soup at a local shelter or attending a UN Peace Conference, those who devote their lives to the service of others are often exhausted and in need of a little break. Welcome to the PlayFull Podcast, bringing fun to the serious work of changing the world. I’m Kristine Michie, myself 5 decades into trying to make the world a better place. Join PlayFull as we meet movement builders from around the world and learn about the problems they’re solving, the systems they’re disrupting, and the ways they take breaks in the midst of it all.

The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the World is a business podcast hosted by Kristine Michie, with 169 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Kristine Michie hosts The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the World, a business show with 169 episodes published.

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  Episode #167

  How To Series – How to Make Play a Priority with Philip Steigman

  Aug 20, 202644 minS1

  In this episode of The PlayFull Podcast, Kristine Michie is joined by Philip Steigman, Doris Duke Distinguished Visiting Fellow at Georgetown University's McCourt School of Public Policy. Together, they explore a critical question: why do we promote and celebrate play with babies and toddlers – and then systematically squeeze it out of school and other places kids hang out as they age? Through his work with the Future of Thriving initiative, Philip discusses how re-centering play, connection, and purpose in both policy and community reverse trends of loneliness and depression in young people. From navigating the impact of screens to redesigning cross-sector ecosystems, this conversation offers a roadmap for aligning our systems with the true science of child development. Key Takeaways: Research clearly shows that play, back-and-forth interactions, and meaningful experiences are core to healthy brain development, yet most systems stop honoring this once children enter formal schooling. Modern life—especially screens, safety concerns, and over-structured schedules—has eroded unstructured, child-led play, meaning it must now be intentionally created within our communities. Thriving is multi-dimensional—built on basic needs, curiosity, agency, identity, relationships, and purpose—and it unfolds differently across early childhood, middle childhood, adolescence, and emerging adulthood. Current metrics like test scores and graduation rates are poor proxies for true well-being; communities need shared definitions and dashboards that track purpose, social connectedness, and self-efficacy. Systemic change requires cross-sector collaboration—educators, pediatricians, faith leaders, policymakers, and families must align around a shared "North Star" of what children actually need to flourish. "You can't promote thriving together until you agree on what thriving is. " — Philip Steigman "Nobody's going to come and save us. We don't have a Department of Children. Nobody's saying, We have this agenda now for thriving young people. So, I think we have to do it ourselves. " — Philip Steigman Episode References:  A Call to Action for a Shared Strategy for 0-25 Thriving: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSefk_iBNt3xZi-aISkXmDZ_xePV69gWtSIXCDYIMQaogwXG0w/viewform   About Philip Steigman: Philip Steigman is the Doris Duke Distinguished Visiting Fellow at Georgetown University's McCourt School of Public Policy, leading the Future of Thriving initiative to bring developmental science and play-based learning into real-world policies and systems for children and youth. Connect with Philip Steigman:   Substack: https://substack.com/@philipsteigman Connect with Kristine: The PlayFull Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-playfull-podcast-with-kristine-michie-bringing-fun/id1676838213?action=write-review Website: https://www.impactfullinc.com/   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/impactfull_inc LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristine-breese-michie/   Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.  Sign up for Kristine's Elder Academy workshop The Power of Play in Santa Fe, NM, Sept 10-13. https://www.meawisdom.com/workshop/the-power-of-play-unlock-your-story-purpose-for-whats-next-sept/

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  Episode #166

  How To Series – EVERYDAY DEMOCRACY: Turning Picnics and Potlucks into Civic Power

  Aug 13, 202655 minS1

  In this episode of The PlayFull Podcast, Kristine Michie is joined by Merle McGee and Chandanie Orgias to explore how joyful, everyday gatherings can rebuild trust, spark civic imagination, and turn neighbors into co-creators of a more caring democracy. Together, they discuss viewing democracy not as an abstract institution, but as a practice rooted in relationships, community care, and local connection. From hosting block parties to utilizing Everyday Democracy’s 250-year civic imagination toolkit, this conversation offers an inspiring roadmap for taking relational risks, embracing differences, and building a future worth living in. Key Takeaways: Democracy is sustained not just by institutions or elections, but by everyday relationships rooted in trust, care, and community connection. Simple gatherings—dinners, picnics, block parties—can become powerful spaces to practice democracy by aligning on values, sharing stories, and imagining a shared future. Courage in this moment often looks like taking relational risks close to home: inviting neighbors together, asking deeper questions, and stepping beyond ideological comfort zones. Civic imagination—envisioning in detail what a thriving future could feel like—is a practical tool for moving from fear and stuckness into hope, creativity, and collective action. Local, joyful action is the pathway to national impact: when people solve problems together where they live, they become more civically engaged and more invested in democratic institutions. "Democracies fundamentally run on relationships and relationships run on trust… You can't build trust without being in community and connection with other people. " — Merle McGee "Everyone is qualified anywhere where community happens, and the goal there is that it's not just the conversation, but an opportunity to experience what democracy can feel like. " — Chandanie Orgias Episode References:  Our Next 250 Community Gathering Toolkit: https://everyday-democracy.org/ournext250/   Trust for Civic Life: https://trustforciviclife.org/ Destination Imagination: https://www.destinationimagination.org/   About Merle McGee: Merle McGee is President & CEO of Everyday Democracy, with 25+ years fighting for justice across racial, gender, and economic lines. About Chandanie Orgias: Chandanie Orgias is the National Director of Narrative and Culture at Everyday Democracy, with over a decade of experience across youth development, participatory change processes, and artivism where arts meets activism. Connect with Everyday Democracy:   Website: https://everyday-democracy.org   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everydaydemocracy/   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/evdemusa/   YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/everydaydemocracy   Connect with Kristine: The PlayFull Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-playfull-podcast-with-kristine-michie-bringing-fun/id1676838213?action=write-review Website: https://www.impactfullinc.com/   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/impactfull_inc LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristine-breese-michie/   Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. Sign up for Kristine's Elder Academy workshop The Power of Play in Santa Fe, NM, Sept 10-13. https://www.meawisdom.com/workshop/the-power-of-play-unlock-your-story-purpose-for-whats-next-sept/

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  Episode #165

  How To Series – HOW TO REFRAME MIDLIFE WITH CHIP CONLEY: Becoming a “Wise Beginner” through Reframing Midlife as a Second Adulthood

  Aug 6, 202647 minS1

  In this episode of The PlayFull Podcast, Kristine Michie is joined by Chip Conley, author, hospitality pioneer, and founder of the Modern Elder Academy (MEA). Together, they explore treating your 40s, 50s, and 60s (and beyond) as the start of a vibrant "second adulthood." Chip reveals how pairing wisdom with a "wise beginner's" mind creates room for personal flourishing and impact. From navigating burnout to unlocking leadership through vulnerability, humor, and play, this conversation offers a roadmap for opening your aperture and redefining how we age, lead, and love life in the long haul. Key Takeaways: Midlife can be a time of profound flourishing when people intentionally harvest their wisdom and pair it with a beginner’s mind. Curiosity, learning new things, and being willing to be a “kook” are strongly correlated with health and happiness later in life. Play and imagination help leaders step out of overthinking and into a wider field of perception, which often leads to more innovative solutions. Vulnerability from senior leaders is essential if teams are going to feel safe enough to play, experiment, and take creative risks together. Sustainable social justice work depends on self-care, mutual care, humor, and the ability to reframe difficult seasons without bypassing the pain. You don’t have to sacrifice joy to make a serious impact—play and fun are essential tools for waking up to your second adulthood. "Getting used to the idea of trying something new and being curious are two of the 10 most correlated variables for people who are healthy and happy later in life." — Chip Conley "For many of us, when we're really struggling with something… we sort of double down on our brain… and that doesn't usually work because it actually means you get more intensely focused on something, and sometimes you need to open the aperture." — Chip Conley "Get out of the box you have created for yourself… play is a natural pathway to doing that, partly because it forces you to get out of your brain and to exercise other parts of yourself. " — Chip Conley Episode References:  The Midlife Chrysalis Podcast: https://www.meawisdom.com/podcast/   Sept 10-13 – MEA 3-Day Deep Dive on Play and Storytelling: https://www.meawisdom.com/workshop/the-power-of-play-unlock-your-story-purpose-for-whats-next-sept/ About Chip Conley: Chip Conley is on a midlife mission. After disrupting the hospitality industry twice, first as the founder of Joie de Vivre Hospitality, the second-largest operator of boutique hotels in the U.S., and then as Airbnb’s Head of Global Hospitality and Strategy, leading a worldwide revolution in travel, Conley co-founded MEA (Modern Elder Academy) in January 2018 in Baja California, Mexico. Inspired by his experience of intergenerational mentoring as a ‘modern elder’ at Airbnb, where his guidance was instrumental to the company’s extraordinary transformation from fast-growing start-up to the world’s most valuable hospitality brand, MEA is the world's first ‘midlife wisdom school’ and opened a campus in 2024 on a 2,600-acre regenerative horse ranch in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Dedicated to reframing the concept of aging, MEA supports students to navigate midlife with a renewed sense of purpose and possibility. TIME magazine honored MEA as one of the 100 Greatest Places to Visit in 2024. A New York Times bestselling author, Conley has authored eight books, given three TED talks, has a daily Wisdom Well blog, and a weekly podcast, The Midlife Chrysalis, which has included a wide variety of guests from Maria Shriver to Arthur Brooks to Elizabeth Gilbert to Rich Roll. Connect with Chip Conley: Website: meawisdom.com   Social Media: @chipconley Substack: chipconley.substack.com   Connect with Kristine: The PlayFull Podcast Review Website   Instagram LinkedIn Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.  Sign up for Kristine's Elder Academy workshop The Power of Play in Santa Fe, NM, Sept 10-13. https://www.meawisdom.com/workshop/the-power-of-play-unlock-your-story-purpose-for-whats-next-sept/

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  Episode #164

  How To Series – HOW TO WRITE A NOVEL with Brian Schaefer: Weaving Dance, Politics, and Place into a Powerful Story About Community and Loyalty

  Jul 30, 202645 minS1

  In this episode of The PlayFull Podcast, Kristine Michie is joined by Brian Schaefer, a cultural journalist, former dance critic, and author of the debut novel Town & Country (Atria Books, 2025). Together, they explore the playful and nonlinear path from dance studios and arts journalism to creative writing, revealing how movement, rhythm, and play inform the craft of storytelling. Brian shares how, as a part-time Hudson Valley resident, he spent six years refining a multi-draft novel set in a swing district town, offering deep insights on writing across lines of difference, navigating the ethics of place and community, and treating the first draft as raw material to unlock authentic, compassionate narrative journeys. Key Takeaways: When putting pen to paper, the initial draft offers but a glimpse of your capacity. The real work lies in returning to the story draft after draft to unearth clarity, precision, and depth. Treating the writing process like a dance studio—generating freely and without preciousness before shaping and refining—relieves pressure and opens the door to playful discovery on the page. Narrative grounded in real swing-district dynamics and geographic tensions serves as a powerful mirror for self-examination, forcing us to examine what we owe our neighbors and communities. Crafting characters with unfamiliar perspectives requires humility, research, and active listening, ultimately expanding empathy for both the writer and the reader. Setting low-stakes, finite challenges—such as writing a novel draft in a single month—can lower inhibition and kickstart a project that later evolves into a polished, long-term work. You don’t have to write about politics to write about politics. Let the story do its work. "The first thing that you write is not even close to what the final product will be... but if you take the time and you have the patience and you do the work to stay with the story and to continue to refine it, you will get it there. It will arrive. " — Brian Schaefer "So much of this book is about examining our obliviousness, and the way that you address that is to really pay attention to what others around you are experiencing, what they're saying, listening to that, and trying to understand it. " — Brian Schaefer "My job right now is to play and to generate the material and to find what the story is and who these characters are and what I want to say with it, and that is something that I'm going to unearth draft after draft after draft, and it'll take as long as it needs to take. " — Brian Schaefer Episode References:  Town & Country: A Novel, by Brian Schaefer. https://www.brian-schaefer.com/town-and-country   About Brian Schaefer: Brian Schaefer contributed regularly to The New York Times for over a decade and has written for The New Yorker, New York magazine, and more. He is a recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship in Arts Journalism and was a finalist for the Livingston Award for International Reporting. He earned his master’s degree in creative writing from Bar-Ilan University in Tel Aviv. He and his husband live in New York City and the Hudson Valley. Town & Country is his first novel. Connect with Brian Schaefer:   Website: https://www.brian-schaefer.com   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsbrianschaefer/ Connect with Kristine: The PlayFull Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-playfull-podcast-with-kristine-michie-bringing-fun/id1676838213?action=write-review Website: https://www.impactfullinc.com/   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/impactfull_inc LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristine-breese-michie/   Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. Sign up for Kristine's Elder Academy workshop The Power of Play in Santa Fe, NM, Sept 10-13. https://www.meawisdom.com/workshop/the-power-of-play-unlock-your-story-purpose-for-whats-next-sept/

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  Episode #163

  How To Series: JD Schramm: How to Tell Your Story

  Jul 23, 202642 minS1

  In this episode of The PlayFull Podcast, Kristine Michie is joined by JD Schramm, an expert in communication and storytelling for nonprofit and philanthropic leaders. Together, they explore how to turn typical "we’re so busy" organizational updates into unforgettable narrative journeys that actually move people to care, give, and get involved. JD shares practical storytelling frameworks, vivid examples, and the essential mindset shifts required to inspire genuine action without slipping into manipulation or "charity porn." Key Takeaways: The difference between “just talking” and telling a story is intention—knowing the finish line you want your audience to arrive at and crafting a journey that takes them there. Storytelling in the social impact space works best when the goal is to create genuine impact in the listener, not to manipulate them into giving or volunteering. In nonprofit storytelling, focusing on impact over activity (what actually changes for people, communities, or the planet) is far more powerful than listing how busy the organization has been. Follow JD’s simple storytelling framework with four prompts to deliver a classic story: 1) “once upon a time …” 2) “then one day …” 3) “because of that …” 4) “until now…”  Too much context, too many details, and an overreliance on statistics are common pitfalls; concise, well-chosen stories that spotlight beneficiaries’ voices are far more memorable. "A well-crafted story that's going to have impact is one that is not over-engineered, but we know the finish line that we want the audience to arrive at, and we craft the story in a way to be able to take them there. " — JD Schramm "We've got to remember that impact is greater than activity. " — JD Schramm "We are always going to be most drawn to the shorter, more concise story. Sometimes a storyteller can just go on too long, and it becomes more about them than the audience and the impact. " — JD Schramm Episode References:  Students Run LA - srla.org One Mind Accelerator - onemind.org/what-we-do/one-mind-accelerator Epilepsy Foundation’s Venture Fund - epilepsy.com/strategy/venture-fund Skoll World Forum - skoll.org/skoll-world-forum Pattern Breakers by Mike Maples Jr. - patternbreakers.com The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker - priyaparker.com/the-art-of-gathering About JD Schramm: JD Schramm is a leadership communication expert, keynote speaker, and educator with more than 25 years of experience coaching founders, executives, scientists, and educators. He created and led the communication programs at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and currently teaches graduate students at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. He is the author of Communicate with Mastery: Speak with Conviction and Write for Impact, a practical field guide for organizational leaders looking to drive change. Drawing from his own life experiences, including surviving a 2003 suicide attempt, he is also a dedicated advocate for mental health and suicide prevention, working to help individuals and organizations move past simple competence to achieve true communication mastery. Connect with JD Schramm:   Website: https://www.jdschramm.com/   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jdschramm/   Substack: https://jdschramm.substack.com/   JD's Newsletter: https://www.jdschramm.com/newsletter   The Power of Play (MEA 3-Day Deep Dive): https://www.meawisdom.com/workshop/the-power-of-play-unlock-your-story-purpose-for-whats-next-sept/   Connect with Kristine: The PlayFull Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-playfull-podcast-with-kristine-michie-bringing-fun/id1676838213?action=write-review Website: https://www.impactfullinc.com/   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/impactfull_inc LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristine-breese-michie/   Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.  Sign up for Kristine's Elder Academy workshop The Power of Play in Santa Fe, NM, Sept 10-13. https://www.meawisdom.com/workshop/the-power-of-play-unlock-your-story-purpose-for-whats-next-sept/

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