Autonomy: How Do We Know If We’re Living the Right Life? | Emily Paulsen (Copy)
We often associate purpose with career goals, long-term plans, or major life milestones. But what if purpose wasn’t something you had to build from scratch, what if it could be found in simply showing up? In this week’s episode of Curious Life of a Childfree Woman, I spoke with Kelly Mehring, a passionate wildlife rescuer and yoga studio owner who has spent the last 20+ years volunteering across Ohio. What started as a teenager leafleting for animal advocacy turned into a lifelong commitment to service, community, and showing up, even when it’s hard.
Kelly’s story isn’t just inspiring. It’s clarifying. She’s childfree by choice, and rather than follow a conventional path of caregiving through family, she’s created a lifestyle where care is embedded in everything she does. From rescuing raccoons on the side of the highway to helping ducklings escape storm drains, she’s turned service into a spiritual practice, and a powerful source of meaning. Her perspective reminded me that giving back doesn’t require perfection or constant energy. It just requires presence.
Purpose Doesn’t Have to Be Polished
So often, we think of volunteering as something we’ll “get to” once we have more time. Or we imagine it as emotionally overwhelming, inconvenient, or something reserved for especially selfless people. But Kelly breaks that narrative wide open. She doesn’t sugarcoat the hard moments, some rescue situations are heartbreaking, and others involve emotional tension or physical risk. But she also shares the immense personal growth that comes from continuing to show up. It’s not about being unaffected. It’s about learning to process those emotions in community with others, while remembering that even small interventions can reduce suffering in big ways.
Kelly also talks about how her volunteer work shaped her identity through all life’s changes: job losses, breakups, even a recent breast cancer diagnosis. It wasn’t just what she gave to the work, it’s what the work gave back. Structure. Perspective. Friendship. Joy. In a world where so many of us feel isolated or unsure of our place, volunteering can be the thing that reconnects us to ourselves and others in the most grounded, practical way.
Giving Back Looks Different for Everyone. Curious About Where to Start? Try This.
If this episode stirred something in you, a desire to connect, contribute, or feel more grounded in your values, try one of these steps this week:
Start small: You don’t have to rescue wildlife to make a difference. Pick one cause that matters to you and look up local organizations or events.
Observe what lights you up: Pay attention to the stories or posts that move you. That emotional response might point to where your energy wants to go.
Talk to someone already doing it: Know someone who volunteers? Ask how they got started, what they love, and what surprised them.
Make space for trial and error: Not every organization or role will be a perfect fit. Give yourself permission to explore without pressure.
Use what you’ve got: Whether it’s your voice, your time, or your skills, there’s a place for it. And someone’s waiting on the other side of your effort.
Let’s Stay Curious Together
Giving back doesn’t require a grand gesture or a perfect plan. It starts with care, commitment, and the courage to step into something bigger than yourself. You can listen to the full conversation with Kelly Mehring on Curious Life of a Childfree Woman wherever you get your podcasts.
And if this sparked something for you, I’d love to hear about it.
Join me on Instagram @curiouslifeofachildfreewoman and share the cause, or the question, you’re feeling called to explore next.
