Molly's Podcast
Be Determined
Be Determined is an intimate look at building a self-determined, multi-faceted life with cerebral palsy. Each episode explores themes of identity, resilience, diversity, advocacy, relationships, and community, and challenges conventional narratives about disability. Host Molly Kennedy shares her experiences and invites others to share their stories—stories of navigating a world not designed with them in mind, and the wisdom they've gained along the way. While cerebral palsy shapes how Molly experiences the world, it does not define her.
In her words, "What defines me is my determination, my achievements, and the lasting impact I strive to make on my community."
The Be Determined Podcast can also be found on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Ep 27 - Seen as Less, Leading as More
Leadership begins with how you lead yourself. In this episode, I reflect on the experiences that shaped my leadership journey, how navigating life with a disability strengthened my sense of purpose, and why empowering others to recognize their own potential is at the heart of meaningful leadership.
Ep 26 - Elevating Women with Disabilities Into Leadership
While some people are more naturally inclined to seek out leadership roles than others, it’s possible for anyone to grow into a leader.
Leadership fundamentally starts with yourself, your experiences, and how you’ve led yourself through life’s ups and downs. Good leaders know how to pick themselves back up after a challenge; they’re resilient.
Ep 25 - The Leader Within: Self-Advocacy, Purpose, and Finding Your Voice
What makes someone a leader?
While a lot of us might think of a leader as someone who has power or influence over others, or someone who’s got it all figured out and leads the way, I think about leadership a little differently.
Today, I’m talking about what it means to be a leader, what makes a good leader, and why you don’t have to be a “born leader” to be a great one.
Ep 24 - Be Bold, Be Free: Leading Through Life's Biggest Changes
Ten years ago, I was at a place I’d fought to be for a lot of my life. I was living independently, I had autonomy, and my days had a typical rhythm. And over a short period of time, it all changed.
My ability to walk grew more and more limited, I started having falls, and my apartment wasn’t accessible for the mobility scooter I came to rely on. I knew I needed a new living situation that could accommodate my new normal, but all of the unknowns were daunting. I didn’t want to lose the autonomy and self-determination I’d fought so hard for.
Ep 23 - Frustration and Leadership: The Way Forward
This episode is about how Molly handles frustration, and what really matters is how you deal with it. We all face frustrations, from day-to-day annoyances to life-altering situations, and how we choose to respond shapes our resilience. And resilience is not about pushing down your frustrations and moving on; resilience is what happens when we acknowledge the challenge in front of us and figure out how to move forward.
Ep 22 - Weaknesses as Doorways: How a Personal SWOT Can Redirect Your Life
This episode is about how Molly translated the SWOT analysis, often used by businesses, into a personal inventory. Taking stock of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats has helped guide her through moments of big change and is a tool she comes back to over and over again.
Ep 21 - Laugh With Me, Not At Me
This episode is about how humor isn’t deflection, it’s connection. This episode is about using laughter to lower defenses, face hard realities without shrinking, and meet people eye-to-eye by laughing with them, not at anyone, including yourself.
Ep 20 - Not Perfect, But Real
Self-honesty isn’t self-criticism or self-hype — it’s clarity. This episode is about telling yourself the truth, owning both strengths and limits, and using that honesty to set better goals, make cleaner decisions, and live on your own terms.
Ep 20 - Not Perfect, But Real
Self-honesty isn’t self-criticism or self-hype — it’s clarity. This episode is about telling yourself the truth, owning both strengths and limits, and using that honesty to set better goals, make cleaner decisions, and live on your own terms.
Ep 19 - The Rollercoaster of Life
Discover how life doesn’t warn you before the drop. This episode is about getting knocked off balance, making hard calls, leaning on others, and coming back tougher — using setbacks to rebuild with more clarity, resilience, and purpose.
Ep 18 - Moral Ambition
Ambition isn’t ladder-climbing, it’s aiming high to lift others. We unpack “moral ambition,” tying your goals to real impact and leading even when you’re underestimated.
Ep 17 - A Different Kind of Brilliance
From opening jars to entering buildings, disability demands daily ingenuity, and that’s its own brilliance. Hear how I anticipate barriers, ask for what I need, and keep my independence.
Ep 16 - Anger & Acceptance
Everyone feels anger, but disability can sharpen it: daily barriers and bias add up. In this episode, I name the sources, the signals, and how I channel that heat into change.
Ep 15 - Empowering Rather Than Limiting Children with Disability
When a child’s disability reroutes the map, parents often hear a scary “never” list — this episode is about ditching that script and empowering kids to try, choose, and thrive.
Ep 14 - Beyond Limitations
Too often, disability support fixes deficits instead of fueling strengths — this episode is about dreaming bigger and taking real steps toward goals, win or learn.
Ep 13 - Beyond Limitations
Big goals aren’t overnight wins — they’re built. In this episode, I share how I set aims, break projects into moves, and keep momentum through setbacks with resilience, collaboration, creativity, and adaptability.
Ep 12 - Cherishing the Victories, Big and Small
Little victories power big ambitions. Hear how I bank small joys, take smart risks, and stay creatively alive along the way.
Ep 11 - Learning to Run, Jump, and Fly in a Different Way
Limits are real, but so is ingenuity. In this episode, I share how creativity, the right tools, and community help you “run, jump, and fly” in your own way.
Ep 10 - The Honest Self
I’ve spent my life proving I belong in spaces that weren’t built for me. Let’s talk breaking stereotypes, owning your value, and contributing with purpose.
Ep 09- Humor, Grace, and Possibility
My greatest champion? My mom — Rita Rose — she taught me humor, grace, grit, and the courage to try even when things might not work out. This episode is a love letter to her influence on who I am.
Ep 08 - Cultivating a Glass Half-Full Attitude
Optimism works best with a reality check: set goals that build on what you’ve already done, allow room to fail, and keep the glass half-full.
Ep 07 - Goals, Dreams, and Vision
Forget flimsy resolutions — 2025 is about foundations. In this episode, we set values-driven goals, commit realistically, and take first steps that actually stick.
Ep 06 - Be Determined During the Holidays
Gratitude, togetherness, and tiny joys can carry you through tough weeks. Hear practical strategies to manage overwhelm and keep perspective.
Ep 05 - Determined Voices
Finding your place starts with challenging the stories that box you in. In this episode, we confront stigma, push for self-determination, and show what’s possible when disabled voices are centered — not sidelined.
Ep 04 - Change
When life throws a curveball, resilience and creativity become daily tools. Hear how I mourned lost independence, got honest about what needed to change, and found momentum in a big community project.
Ep 03 - How Adversity Shapes Purpose-Driven Leaders
Adversity doesn’t disqualify leaders — it forges them. In this episode, I share how disability shaped my grit, empathy, and purpose-driven approach to leadership.
Ep 02 – Turning Challenges into Strength
Challenges reveal who we are. In this episode, I share how people with disabilities turn hurdles into strength through perseverance, community, and purpose — despite a world still catching up in its attitudes
Ep 01 – Building a Life of Self-Determination
Self-determination means steering your own life — abilities, values, and preferences in the driver’s seat. In this episode, I share how that mindset shaped my path and why it matters for everyone.
