EP 30 | Pick Up the Pennies

In this episode, Jenna Marilyn explores a metaphor that completely reframed the way she sees effort, failure, and what actually builds a meaningful life. Some people only respect $100 bills. Others pick up pennies. And those two people are relating to life in fundamentally different ways.

This conversation isn’t about money. It’s about energy. About who’s willing to stay impressed by the small, unglamorous moments that make up real growth. Jenna unpacks why failure isn’t rare or shameful, why avoidance is what actually keeps people stuck, and how the way you treat “small things” reveals how you handle the big ones too.

A meaningful life isn’t built by waiting for certainty or impressive outcomes. It’s built by responding to what’s in front of you, learning as you go, and choosing the kind of struggle that moves your story forward. Pick up the pennies or don’t. Either way, life keeps asking.

Follow Jenna on Instagram: @jennamarilyn_

Email thoughts or reflections to: [email protected]

Host: Jenna Marilyn

Producer: JD Ferrell

Presented by: THE Modern Podcast Network and Themodern.fm