Finding Joy When Life Changes the Plan with Julie Boden Schmidt
What happens when someone who has spent much of her career working in healthcare suddenly finds herself searching for answers about her own health?
In this episode of It Just Takes One, Kelli welcomes Julie Boden Schmidt back to the podcast. Julie is the author of the children’s book Woody’s Leap of Faith and a contributor to HER Legacy: A Tribute to Elaine LaLanne’s Impact on Health, Wellness, and Empowerment. Her chapter, “Finding Joy in My Struggle to Find Health and Meaning,” shares a personal side of her story that many listeners will understand.
Julie talks openly about the frustration of knowing something isn’t right, searching for answers, and learning that health can affect far more than the body. It can change the way you see yourself, the choices you make, and the things that bring meaning to your days.
The conversation also explores the difference between having medical knowledge and becoming the person who needs care. Julie’s professional background gave her a clear understanding of the healthcare system, but her personal experience required patience, self-advocacy, and a willingness to keep asking questions.
Through it all, Julie found ways to hold on to humor and joy. Her story reminds us that joy doesn’t have to wait until every problem has been solved. It can be found in small moments, meaningful relationships, and the decision to keep participating in your own life.
Listeners who remember Julie’s earlier conversation about Woody’s Leap of Faith may notice a familiar thread. Sometimes life asks us to leave what feels safe, trust ourselves, and take the next step before we know exactly where it will lead. Julie’s children’s book carries a message about courage and believing in yourself, and those same lessons take on new meaning in her own health journey.
Listen in for an honest, thoughtful conversation about health, purpose, and finding reasons to laugh along the way.
