The Closest Thing to Magic, featuring Andrea Hogan

Andrea Hogan shares the deeply personal story behind leaving a high-powered marketing career, returning home to care for her mother, and making the spontaneous decision to walk the Camino de Santiago. What unfolds is a conversation about grief, identity, ambition, and the courage to choose a different path when life demands it. Michelle and Andrea explore what happens when achievement no longer feels like enough, how joy can be rediscovered in simple moments, and why stepping away is sometimes the most powerful move a person can make. It is a moving reflection on reinvention, purpose, and the seismic shift that happens when you finally listen to yourself.This episode is a reminder that stepping back is not the same as falling behind. Sometimes the boldest move is to leave the noise, listen to your own voice, and trust that a different path may lead you closer to yourself.CHAPTERS: 00:00 Welcome and introducing Andrea Hogan 00:42 How Michelle and Andrea first met at Qualcomm 01:36 Andrea’s journey from tech executive to author 03:31 Caring for her mother and returning to Ireland 04:25 Finding her mother’s Camino journal 05:00 Why she decided to walk the Camino right away 07:01 What 33 days of walking began to change 08:13 The shift from achievement to identity 11:05 What changed personally on the trail 12:11 A powerful moment in Portomarin 15:47 Rediscovering joy as a factory setting 16:56 What action came from that transformation 18:54 Writing the book and starting a new chapter 20:14 Grief, permission, and stepping back from work 22:40 Building a consulting business with purpose 23:09 Comparing corporate life to life now 24:42 Energy, routines, and owning your calendar 27:28 Why her mother walked the Camino 30:15 Michelle’s reflection on Andrea’s seismic shift 31:26 Where to find The Closest Thing to MagicSpecial thanks to our friend Brian Wayy for the theme music this season! Track Title: My Heart's On FireFollow Michelle for more inspiring content:Watch the podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheSeismicShiftwithMichelle  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michelle-johnston-0264b5b Instagram: instagram.com/michellekjohnston  Website: https://michellekjohnston.com/