Enter The Unknown

What happens when a decade of holistic bodywork meets the absolute stillness of a 10-day silent retreat?

In this episode, Hayden Thomas sits down with Michelle Hahn, a certified Rolfer, massage therapist, and movement educator, to explore the deep connection between structural alignment and mental clarity. Michelle shares her journey from the surf of Santa Cruz to the rigorous movement methods of Ido Portal, eventually leading her to the "brain surgery" of Vipassana meditation. Whether you are struggling with chronic pain, "monkey mind," or the feeling of being disembodied in a digital world, this conversation offers a roadmap for coming home to your physical self.

Main Topics Covered

• The Geography of the Body: How living on the East Coast vs. West Coast changes our posture, gait, and even the "aperture" of our vision.
• What is Rolfing? Demystifying the "10-Series" and how manipulating the fascial web creates structural integration and myofascial release.
• Ido Portal & Natural Movement: Lessons from the Ape Co Movement School on coordination, joint strength, and finding rhythm in unconventional ways.
• Vipassana Meditation: A raw account of a 10-day silent retreat at the Dhamma Center—from the agony of day two to the profound emotional release of day four.
• The Science of "Exercise Snacks": Why three-minute bouts of vigorous movement can lower all-cause mortality by 40%.
• The Power of Walking Backwards: How simple changes in physical patterns can rewire the brain and enhance mental presence.
• You Are Your Own Savior: A deep dive into personal accountability and why externalizing responsibility hinders spiritual and physical growth.

Key Takeaways

• Fascia is a Perceptual Organ: It doesn’t just hold muscles together; it is a web of communication that responds to stress, trauma, and alignment.
• Non-Attachment to Sensation: Through Vipassana, we learn to observe pain and pleasure objectively, realizing that neither is permanent.
• Embodiment Through Movement: For those in "heady" professions, slowing down and getting curious about physical sensation is the quickest path to mental relief.
• Accountability is Freedom: Taking responsibility for your own "misery" or "alignment" allows you to become the champion of your own story.

Connect with Michelle HahnWebsite: Full Embodiment Rolfing

Instagram: Instagram.com/full_embodiment_rolfing_

Meditation Resources: Vipassana Meditation (Dhamma.org)

Connect with HaydenInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/entertheunknown.hayden/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@entertheunknown1

X: https://x.com/ETUwithHaydenT

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@EnterTheUnknownwithHT

Spotify: Enter the Unknown with Hayden Thomas

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If this episode helped you feel a little more at home in your body, please follow, like, and share Enter The Unknown on your favorite platform!

What happens when your lifelong identity as a "baller" is stripped away by chronic injury? Hayden Thomas sits down with Keegan Hyland, a former professional basketball player turned Managing Director of Wealth Management at Raymond James. Keegan shares his journey from obsessive training to the "dark days" of physical failure that led him to the healing powers of meditation, Reiki, and the mind-body connection. Whether you are navigating a career pivot or seeking to integrate spiritual abundance with professional success, Keegan’s story is a masterclass in surrendering to the "portal" of transformation.

Keegan Hyland is a wealth advisor at Raymond James whose career has been shaped by high-level athletics, leadership, and a commitment to personal growth. He played professional basketball in Zwolle, Netherlands, and served as an assistant coach at Le Moyne College, developing a foundation in mentorship and discipline.

In 2018, Keegan launched his wealth management practice. Over the past seven years, he has built a collaborative team helping families optimize their wealth through comprehensive planning and disciplined investment—always with a focus on long-term relationships. Beyond his professional work, Keegan is deeply committed to personal and spiritual growth, participating in retreats in Zion and Iceland that shape his belief that true wealth extends beyond financial capital alone.

Main Topics Covered

• The Making of a Baller: The obsessive drive that led to Division I basketball.• The Identity Crisis: Navigating the "dark period" of losing the athlete avatar to injury.
• Healing Beyond Medicine: Discovering TMS and how the mind can cure physical pain.
• Professional Ball & Culture: Living in the Netherlands and life after the game.
• Wealth as Stewardship: Why Keegan views wealth management as "coaching."
• Zion & Iceland Portals: Off-the-grid retreats and surviving blizzards with Wim Hof.
• Breathe Deep & Seek Peace: Centering yourself through a family mantra.

Key Takeaways

• The Power of the Pivot: Failure as a catalyst for spiritual awakening.
• The Mind-Body Link: Understanding how emotional stress manifests as physical pain.
• Surrender vs. Ego: Why surrendering to the cold is more powerful than fighting it.
• Abundance Mentality: Managing the human emotions behind generational dreams.

Connect with the GuestWebsite: www.portlandharborgroup.com

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/keeganhyland

Instagram: Instagram.com/Keegan.r/hyland

Connect with Hayden

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/entertheunknown.hayden/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@entertheunknown1

X: https://x.com/ETUwithHaydenT

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@EnterTheUnknownwithHT

Spotify: Enter the Unknown with Hayden Thomas

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How do you transition from designing massive commercial ships in Manhattan to becoming the "local legend" of wind sports in Maine? This week, Hayden sits down with Scott Furr, a naval architect, founder of Kite Maine, and a master of all things wind-powered. From the "raw dogging" days of early kitesurfing in the Dominican Republic to 100-mile "downwinders" through shark-populated preserves, Scott discusses his journey through the evolution of the sport and how he now fosters a safe, collaborative community of pilots on the water and the ice.

Main Topics Covered

• The Evolution of Kiting: Transitioning from the heavy, unrefined gear of the early 2000s to modern, portable tech.
• Naval Architecture to Instruction: How a background in marine engineering and stability calculations informs a career in flight.
• Extreme Downwinders: Navigating 100-mile journeys along the Cape Cod coast and the Monomoy Preserve.
• Winter's "Black Ice": The magic of wing skating at 40mph across Maine’s frozen lakes.
• Shark Science: Managing the psychological and physical risks of kiting in the Atlantic shallows.
• Environmental Resilience: Kiting in sub-27-degree temperatures and dealing with "iced-over" control bars.
• Community Stewardship: Moving from a "gatekeeping" mindset to building a safe, inclusive kiting culture in Maine.

Key Takeaways

• The Power of Flow: Whether on a kite or a wing, success comes from leaning into the wind and finding a "spiritual connection" with the elements.
• Safety Through Education: In a sport where the wind can be inconsistent and dangerous, formal instruction is the key to preserving beach access and pilot safety.
• Exploratory Kiting: "Kite touring" offers a unique way to bond with a community and explore untouched coastlines.
• Adaptability: When the water freezes, the passion doesn't stop—it just shifts to the ice.

Connect with Scott

Web: KiteMaine.com

Instagram: @KiteMaine

Connect with Hayden

Instagram: entertheunknown.hayden

TikTok: entertheunknown1

X: ETUwithHaydenT

YouTube: @entertheunknownwithht

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How do you transition from studying the potential collapse of global ecosystems to managing one of the most storied flight parks in the country? This week, Hayden sits down with Gisele "Gigi" Dierks, a musically inclined artist, author, and hang glider pilot who is currently diagnosing and holistically healing unsustainable systems as the manager of Morningside Flight Park in Charlestown, NH. A Bennington College graduate focused on restorative and regenerative cycles, Gisele discusses her journey from environmental depression to finding a "nonlinear" path toward hope through flight, soil health, and the unique "flow state" required to lead a community of pilots and stewards of the land.

Main Topics Covered

• Regenerative Systems: Restorative social and environmental cycles vs. sustainability.

• Morningside History: Evolution from a dairy farm to an East Coast flight legacy.

• Eco-Anxiety & Hope: Overcoming "climate doom" through biodiversity and soil health.

• The Philosophy of Flight: Choosing hang gliding and the magic of a sunset flight.

• Land Stewardship: Managing 160 acres of New Hampshire wilderness as a business.

• The "Misfit" Community: Navigating the social fabric of high-adrenaline pilot culture.

• Flow State: Using photography and "social rest" to combat burnout.

Key Takeaways

• Nature’s Resilience: Regenerative practices offer a nonlinear way to repair the environment.

• Business as a Vote: Entrepreneurship is a tool for building inclusive communities.

• The Importance of Rest: High performance requires strict boundaries around sleep.

• Finding Flow: Success comes when you relax into the task at hand and stop the "shame talk."

Connect with Gisele

Web: Giseledierks.com | flymorningside.com

IG: @howtogigi101 | @flymorningside

Substack: giseledierks.substack.com

Connect with Hayden

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/entertheunknown.hayden/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@entertheunknown1

X: https://x.com/ETUwithHaydenT

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@EnterTheUnknownwithHT

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Bjw9Hp4ouw3w6Hqqfbyoz?si=933570ccd73f41cb

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In this episode of Enter The Unknown, host Hayden Dudley sits down with longtime friend and TV production veteran Christiaan Cokas to deconstruct the "magic" of everyday life. From the high-stakes world of live sports broadcasting at ESPN to the internal power of "Shin-po" (martial arts of the mind), this conversation explores how the stories we tell ourselves dictate our reality. Whether you’re a creative looking to automate your workflow or an adventurer seeking to understand the biology of risk, this episode serves as a powerful reminder that everything is working to your advantage in the most perfect way.

Christiaan is an ideas guy who makes things happen. A man on a mission, he has decided there is only one way to do it: Go all in, celebrate life, family, food, and friends to the fullest. 100%.

Recorded at The Domestead in Connecticut.

Main Topics Covered

• The Power of Words and Spelling: How specific language—like swapping "trying" for "doing"—acts as a literal spell to shift your reality.

• The 7% Rule of Communication: A deep dive into why in-person connection is irreplaceable and how sensory inputs like pheromones and olfactory senses influence our relationships.

• Behind the Curtain at ESPN: Christiaan’s journey from a "naive kid" in a suit to a three-time Emmy-winning producer, managing tech for Bassmaster and the X Games.

• The Evolution of Tech: Transitioning from analog scoreboard modems to modern virtual production using LED volumes and Unreal Engine.

• The Biology of Risk: Discussing the "safety net" of the American financial system and why taking controlled risks is essential for growth.

• Shin-po and Mental Sovereignty: Learning to control the "processor" of the mind to filter the digital algorithm and reclaim your internal narrative.

• The Chicken or the Egg: A philosophical look at whether our environment dictates our consciousness or if our manifestation creates our surroundings.

Key Takeaways

• Control the Narrative: Just like a phone processor filters information before it reaches the screen, your mind is the ultimate filter for your life’s story.

• The "Everything is Working" Mantra: Adopting the belief that every situation—good or bad—is working to your advantage in a perfect way.

• High Risk, High Reward: Understanding that the fear of financial or personal risk is often a biological holdover, and stepping outside the "herd" is where true reward lives.

• Intentional Communication: Being hyper-aware of the words you use, as they represent the power you exert over your environment.

Connect with Christiaan Cokas

Website: https://lovemagic.life/

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/lovemagic.life?utm_source=linktree_profile_share

Connect with Hayden

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/entertheunknown.hayden/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@entertheunknown1

X: https://x.com/ETUwithHaydenT

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@EnterTheUnknownwithHT

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Bjw9Hp4ouw3w6Hqqfbyoz?si=933570ccd73f41cbGet

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What happens when a professional chef and adventurer dives into the unknown world of entrepreneurship and performance-enhancing wellness? In this episode, Hayden Thomas shares his journey from running fine dining restaurants in Aspen to founding Stokes Picks, a revolutionary nicotine-infused toothpick company. Discover how he leverages flavor expertise, extreme sports experience, and personal experimentation to create products that enhance focus and wellbeing. This episode is for aspiring entrepreneurs, wellness enthusiasts, and anyone curious about unconventional approaches to performance and health. Join Hayden as he blends adventure, science, and creativity into a life well-lived.

1. Hayden’s background as a professional chef and flavor specialist
2. Launching Aspen’s first kombucha brewery, Elevated Elixirs
3. Founding Stokes Picks: a nicotine-infused, organic, biodegradable toothpick
4. Health and cognitive benefits of nicotine when used responsibly
5. Flavor profiles and intended uses of Stokes Picks
6. Extreme sports, adventure, and how personal experience informs business
7. Sustainable practices and regenerative agriculture in product development
8. Personal routines, fitness, and mental focus strategies

1. Nicotine can be a performance enhancer, improving focus, memory, and neuroplasticity
2. Entrepreneurship often requires blending passion, creativity, and trial-and-error
3. Personal health and sustainability can coexist in innovative product design
4. Extreme sports and adventurous experiences shaped Hayden’s resilience and approach to life
5. Small habits, like strategic use of Stokes Picks, can help manage stress and maintain cognitive performance

If you loved this episode, follow Enter the Unknown on your favorite podcast platform, like and share this episode with your friends, and leave a review to help others discover the unknown.

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/entertheunknown.hayden/
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@entertheunknown1
• X: https://x.com/EnterUnknown_HT
• YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@EnterTheUnknownwithHT
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Bjw9Hp4ouw3w6Hqqfbyoz?si=933570ccd73f41cb

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Brandon Chase shares his journey from whitewater guiding in Maine to leading epic backpacking trips in the High Sierras. Along the way, he reveals the challenges, lessons, and flow-state moments that have shaped him as a guide. From navigating the tricky Knife Edge on Mount Katahdin to empowering clients to lead their own off-trail adventures, Brandon Chase shows what it really means to balance adventure, responsibility, and personal growth.

This episode is for anyone curious about wilderness guiding, outdoor adventures, or the delicate art of balancing life, family, and passion.

Main Topics Covered:

• Becoming a registered Maine guide: recreation and hunting certifications
• The practical and personal reasons for moving to Millinocket
• Early experiences with New England Outdoor Center and Andrew Skurka Adventures
• Training for naturalist tours: flora, fauna, and environmental knowledge
• The rigor and prestige of Maine’s guide examinations: oral and written
• Epic Katahdin guiding story: navigating the Knife Edge with a determined client
• Flow-state experience guiding off-trail in the High Sierras
• Lessons learned: preparation, adaptability, client capabilities, and safety
• Balancing outdoor adventures with family life and caregiving responsibilities
• Favorite guiding philosophy: “Whatever you’re not changing, you’re choosing”

Key Takeaways:

• Being a guide isn’t just about knowledge — it’s about judgment, adaptability, and empathy.
• Preparation is critical: clothing, food, hydration, and contingency plans can save a trip.
• Clients may underestimate challenges; a good guide adapts without taking away their agency.
• Outdoor adventures are also personal growth opportunities, teaching patience, leadership, and flow.
• Finding balance between personal passion and family commitments is a continual, evolving journey.

Connect / Work With Brandon Chase:
New England Outdoor Center
Andrew Skurka Adventures

Connect With Hayden:
Instagram: @entertheunknown.hayden
TikTok: @entertheunknown1
X: @EnterUnknown_HT
YouTube: Enter The Unknown with HT

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Premium flavored nicotine toothpicks: stokespicks.com
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Hayden sits down with Katie Shorey—often playfully referred to as the “Queen of Maine”—for a wide-ranging conversation about leadership, place, growth, and choosing to build a life where your roots are.

Katie shares her journey from leaving Maine at 18, spending years in Washington, DC and San Francisco, and eventually “boomeranging” home after discovering Maine’s emerging entrepreneurial ecosystem. What began as volunteering at a startup conference became a decade-long chapter leading Startup Maine, culminating in a bittersweet but intentional passing of the torch.

Together, Hayden and Katie explore what it means to create opportunity instead of waiting for it, how narrative shapes a place’s future, and why belonging, ambition, and growth are deeply intertwined—both personally and collectively.

Main Topics Covered:

1. Leadership transition and passing the torch at Startup Maine

2. Leaving Maine, boomeranging back, and redefining opportunity at home

3. Building and growing Maine’s entrepreneurial and talent ecosystem

4. Demographics, migration, remote work, and the future of Maine’s workforce

5. Belonging, community, and intentional relationship-building

6. Physical challenge, flow state, and movement as grounding practices

7. Ambition, decision-making, and navigating the unknown around family and future planning

This conversation is ultimately about growth—of people, places, and possibilities. Katie Shorey’s story shows how ambition doesn’t have to mean leaving, how leadership can be an act of stewardship, and how entering the unknown often looks like trusting what you’ve already built enough to let it evolve.

Connect with Katie Shorey

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katelynshorey/

Connect with Hayden

Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/entertheunknown.hayden/ ⁠

TikTok: ⁠ https://www.tiktok.com/@entertheunknown1

X: ⁠https://x.com/EnterUnknown_HT

YouTube: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/6Bjw9Hp4ouw3w6Hqqfbyoz?si=933570ccd73f41cb⁠

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No script, no notes, and no safety net. What unfolds is an honest, wide-ranging reflection on adventure, risk, identity, and the experiences that shape a life lived at the edge of comfort.

Hayden shares the many chapters that led him here—professional chef, climber, paraglider, entrepreneur, kombucha brewer, guide—and how a lifelong willingness to enter the unknown has brought both catastrophic lows and transformative growth. This episode sets the foundation for the podcast: real stories, real risk, and real conversations about becoming who you are through what you’re willing to face.

Main Topics Covered

• Entering the unknown as a way of life through adventure, risk, and choice

• Identity shaped by many lives: chef, climber, paraglider, entrepreneur, guide

• Flow state vs. adrenaline in high-risk sports and decision-making

• Trauma, healing, and growth through hardship and near-death experiences

• Manifestation, belief, and building a long-term legacy

This is just the beginning. Future episodes will feature guests from all walks of life—people willing to peel back layers, take risks, and share what it really means to step into the unknown. More solo episodes will return as well.

Connect with Hayden

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/entertheunknown.hayden/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@entertheunknown1

X: https://x.com/EnterUnknown_HT

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@EnterTheUnknownwithHT

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Bjw9Hp4ouw3w6Hqqfbyoz?si=933570ccd73f41cb

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🎙️ Subscribe, follow, and stay curious.
Until next time—keep Entering The Unknown.

In the inaugural episode of Enter The Unknown, Hayden sits down with his partner Molly Frantzen for an intimate, wide-ranging conversation about risk, artistry, love, and what it means to live without a safety net. Fresh off her decision to leave the corporate world and become a full-time artist, Molly reflects on freedom, fear, creative discipline, and the unseen forces that shape a meaningful life.

This episode explores how breath, presence, and trust act as guiding principles—not just in acting and singing, but in relationships, career pivots, and stepping boldly into life’s biggest unknowns.

Main Topics Covered

• Leaving the corporate world and choosing life as a full-time artist

• Freedom, fear, and living without a financial safety net

• Classical training in singing and acting as a foundation for creative confidence

• The “Doctor of Oxygen” concept: breath, presence, and life energy in work and relationships

• Intuition vs. anxiety and learning to trust inner guidance

• Being your own boss: self-talk, discipline, and creative leadership

• Love, partnership, and entering major life transitions together

• Reframing the unknown as growth, initiation, and alignment

Enter The Unknown is a space for honest conversations about risk, intuition, identity, and becoming. Through personal stories and reflective dialogue, the podcast reframes the unknown—not as something to fear—but as a place of possibility, growth, and alignment.

Connect with Molly Frantzen

Website: https://mollyfrantzen.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mollyfrantzenart/

Connect with Hayden

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/entertheunknown.hayden/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@entertheunknown1

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@EnterTheUnknownpodcast

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