Heartbeat Narratives

Welcome to Singapore’s Little India, where the air is buzzing with voices, incense, the the heavy heat of the sun. Amid the vibrant bustle is Nagaraj, a street vendor from Tamil Nadu, India who has spent the past decade handcrafting flower garlands of jasmine, marigold, and roses. Woven for celebrations including weddings and festivals like Pongal (Harvest festival) and Deepavali (Festival of Lights), each garland is made with speed and skill. Many of the blossoms are flown in fresh from India, carrying a reverence much like Hawaiian flower lei. Nagaraj and his colleagues work long hours to transform baskets of flowers into offerings of color and care. He speaks to the joy he finds in his work and his appreciation for life in Singapore.

Photo Credit: Molly Mamaril

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Guest Inquiries
Interested in sharing what brings you joy? Complete our Guest Interest Form

Heartbeat Narratives Book Recommendations
Our curated reading list that inspires and connects: Heartbeat Narratives on Bookshop.org

Credits
🎙️ Host & Producer: Molly Mamaril
🎸 Guitar: Amund Gismervik

A Diversity of Experiences: Guests on Heartbeat Narratives share their own perspectives and experiences. Their views do not necessarily reflect those of the host or the podcast. We invite you to listen with an open mind and enjoy the joy and insight offered from many different vantage points.

Two hearts = one solution. In this love story episode (recorded in a classroom), DJ and Hye Jung Tano interview each other about the beginnings of their relationship as math teachers at the same Honolulu school. DJ, a football coach from Kailua, Oʻahu, and Hye Jung, a waterwoman with roots in South Korea, Florida and now Hawaiʻi, built a foundation of trust through years of friendship before giving love a chance.

Their story takes you through the quiet patience of DJ’s secret crush, the turning point into love, and the joys of marriage and welcoming keiki. Along the way, they share the humor  and the real-life problem-solving that keeps them grounded as partners and parents. Looking to the years ahead, DJ and Hye Jung promise to keep laughing through the lasterdays and tomorrows.

Episode Highlights

00:00 Welcome to the classroom

01:33 Meet Hye Jung and DJ

02:10 Who makes your heart beat?

03:54 When two paths intersect at new teacher orientation

06:11 From friendship to dating — shifting the equation

09:06 Three years of friendship (extra credit for trust)

13:11 The second chance

14:45 Love lessons

18:35 Life’s aha moments

19:06 First impressions that added up

21:33 Parenting joys and balancing acts

25:47 Growing old together

33:40 Laughing forever = solutions without end

Episode Photo Credit: DJ and Hye Jung Tano

Listen & Subscribe

• Apple Podcasts
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• Heartbeat Narratives Website

Guest Inquiries
Interested in sharing what brings you joy? Complete our Guest Interest Form

Heartbeat Narratives Book Recommendations
Our curated reading list that inspires and connects: Heartbeat Narratives on Bookshop.org

Credits
🎙️ Host & Producer: Molly Mamaril
🎸 Guitar: Amund Gismervik

A Diversity of Experiences: Guests on Heartbeat Narratives share their own perspectives and experiences. Their views do not necessarily reflect those of the host or the podcast. We invite you to listen with an open mind and enjoy the joy and insight offered from many different vantage points.

This mini episode takes you on a short stopover in Sydney, Australia as Molly (in her search for coffee and cabs) has happenstance meetings with Jane and Louie who each live and work in the city, 

✨ Molly shares her rose, thorn, and bud with reflections about embracing her middle name, Noelaniokekai (Noelani) and leaning into our own voices and character amidst the efficiency of AI. Think: "make art, not content."

☕ Jane, our new favorite Balinese barista talks about finding meaning in her work and relationships. Her motto is: “I’m selling your day, not selling a coffee.”

🚕 Louie, a cab driver who is fluent in Italian, Tagalog and English, offers a glimpse into his joy of travel to the Philippines and the variety of meeting new riders every day.

Episode Highlights

00:23 On the road in Australia and Singapore

02:05 Roses,Thorns & Buds:

Bud: Embracing Noelani

03:10 Thorn: donʻt lose your voice to AI

03:33 "Make art, not content"

04:23 Rose: Opportunity to travel and work remotely

05:54 Jane: your favorite Balinese barista

08:06 "I'm selling your day, not selling up a coffee"

11:42 Louie: the cab driver who loves the Philippines

Listen & Subscribe

• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• Substack
• Youtube
• Heartbeat Narratives Website

Guest Inquiries
Interested in sharing what brings you joy? Complete our Guest Interest Form

Heartbeat Narratives Book Recommendations
Our curated reading list that inspires and connects: Heartbeat Narratives on Bookshop.org

Credits
🎙️ Host & Producer: Molly Mamaril
🎸 Guitar: Amund Gismervik

A Diversity of Experiences: Guests on Heartbeat Narratives share their own perspectives and experiences. Their views do not necessarily reflect those of the host or the podcast. We invite you to listen with an open mind and enjoy the joy and insight offered from many different vantage points.

In this episode, we dive into the life of Dan Worden, athlete, nonprofit founder, ocean safety expert, adventurer, and photographer, known to many as @adventuremandan through his social media following. Growing up in Oregon with dreams of swimming at a Division 1 school, Dan’s path eventually led him to the University of Hawaiʻi, where joining the swim team, biomechanics research, amazing friends and love of helping others helped him put down roots. He shares stories of cliff dives, his infamous turquoise van, and the body-mind connection that fuels his athleticism and curiosity. We also dive into the origins of his next venture, founding Palekana Aquatics Academy, and his mission to make ocean safety education accessible. As always, it is his hope to find balance between pushing limits and respecting the sea. Through it all, Dan reminds us that adventure is for everyone - if you match the positive energy.

Episode Highlights

00:21 Meet Adventure Man Dan, your favorite wave-chasing, cliff-jumping storyteller

01:07 Big dreams of swimming for a Division 1 school

01:58 How Hawaiʻi stole his heart through biomechanics research, film swim lessons, and social media magic

04:38 Why friends make every adventure better

07:10 The origin story of @adventuremandan

08:47 That moment when someone recognizes you in public

10:39 Wearing more hats than your average lifeguard

11:45 The infamous turquoise adventure van

15:41 The cliff dive he’ll never forget

17:49 The body–mind connection and pushing the limits of what’s possible

20:57 Revisiting favorite wild places through new seasons, new friends, and new perspectives

22:58 Kilo (observe)

24:33 Why adventure is for everyone if you bring the right energy

25:17 Roses & Thorns -  leading life with curiosity

26:49 Founding Palekana Aquatics Academy to spread ocean safety skills

28:25 Discovering his purpose by helping others level up

29:09 How to push the limits while honoring the ocean’s power

30:08 The essential aquatic safety skills everyone should know

32:31 What’s next for Adventure Man Dan

33:26 “Smiles are for miles”

Photo Credit: Dan Worden

@adventuremandan @swimmingwithdan

Listen & Subscribe

• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• Substack
• Youtube
• Heartbeat Narratives Website

Guest Inquiries
Interested in sharing what brings you joy? Complete our Guest Interest Form

Heartbeat Narratives Book Recommendations
Our curated reading list that inspires and connects: Heartbeat Narratives on Bookshop.org

Credits
🎙️ Host & Producer: Molly Mamaril
🎸 Guitar: Amund Gismervik

A Diversity of Experiences: Guests on Heartbeat Narratives share their own perspectives and experiences. Their views do not necessarily reflect those of the host or the podcast. We invite you to listen with an open mind and enjoy the joy and insight offered from many different vantage points.

Seven-year-old Elle Nishimoto is a rising second grader with a big heart and dozens of stories to share. From breakdancing battles to running her own Honolulu-based shave ice business, Little House of Pure Aloha, Elle shows how creativity and hustle can start anytime. She talks about loving her baby brother, supporting classmates even when it means standing out, and the joy that comes from being brave and trying new things, like rock climbing and working in the loʻi kalo (taro patch). Through her parent's encouragement, Elle reminds us that having a good attitude and embracing fun can make anything possible. Mahalo for tuning in!

✨ Episode Highlights ✨

00:34 👋 Meet Elle! She’s 7, full of smiles and ready to share her stories

01:00 💃 Busting moves in breakdancing battles

03:42 📿 Making bracelets and bead buddies galore

05:15 ❤️ Baby brother love

08:29 😄 How a good attitude makes everything more fun

10:08 🤝 Cheering for friends and teaming up with teachers

14:00 💥 “Hammah guys do hammah tings”

16:05 🧗‍♀️ Climbing like a rockstar

18:26 🍧 Serving sweet shave ice at Little House of Pure Aloha

22:03 🌱 Getting muddy and happy at the loʻi kalo

24:00 🦁 Finding courage and being brave every day

Photo Credits: Scott Nishimoto

Episode Art: Molly Mamaril

Listen & Subscribe

• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• Substack
• Youtube
• Heartbeat Narratives Website

Guest Inquiries
Interested in sharing what brings you joy? Complete our Guest Interest Form

Heartbeat Narratives Book Recommendations
Our curated reading list that inspires and connects: Heartbeat Narratives on Bookshop.org

Credits
🎙️ Host & Producer: Molly Mamaril
🎸 Guitar: Amund Gismervik

A Diversity of Experiences: Guests on Heartbeat Narratives share their own perspectives and experiences. Their views do not necessarily reflect those of the host or the podcast. We invite you to listen with an open mind and enjoy the joy and insight offered from many different vantage points.

Today we’re joined by Nanea Lo, a fellow Native Hawaiian podcaster, and the unapologetically joyful voice behind Naughty + Native. Nanea who is from Papakōlea, Oʻahu shares her path of understanding native joy as a way to reclaim identity as a Kanaka Maoli wāhine and to live in her purpose to uplift the lāhui (Hawaiian nation) in everything that she does. We talk story about what it means to live at the intersection of indigenous and western worlds, and how to shift from just surviving to fully thriving. Nanea unpacks her tips on journaling, stacking positive habits, manifestation, and embracing the law of attraction. We also touch on the power of community and imagining a future where kamaʻāina (children of the land) live in abundance.

We use many words from the Hawaiian language ('ōlelo Hawaiʻi) in this episode, so if you want to look them up to learn, www.wehewehe.org is a great starting place. Revival of indigenous languages is a key to understanding indigenous worldviews and ways of being so we invite all you to learn and grow in understanding of your own lineages. Where do YOU come from? What are the traditions, practices, and languages of YOUR ancestors? Mahalo for pausing and listening alongside us in this conversation.  

Episode Highlights

00:21 Intro to Nanea, your favorite "Naughty + Native" podcast host

02:48 Her origin story of creating a podcast about native joy

04:52 Purpose, identity and empowering lāhui (the Hawaiian nation)

09:54 Reconnecting with ourselves and other wāhine through Hoʻomana Hale Oʻahu with Moonkinetingz

13:19 Does it bring you joy? Navigating between two worlds: indigenous and western

14:51 Survival mode to thriving mode: reaching for our best selves, setting goals, honoring deadlines, sticking to the calendar, planning, positive habit stacking

18:37 Reflection through journaling

19:30 Manifestation and the Law of Attraction

23:22 Identifying the gray space (feeling stuck) and then pivoting

29:16 "I think of the future as today": Envisioning a thriving Hawaiʻi with forward facing Kanaka Maoli forward facing

33:31 "As native people, we create"

Photo Credits:

• Episode art: Molly Mamaril
• Protest Photo: Nanea Lo
• Kahana Bay Photo: Tâm Koppelaar

Listen & Subscribe

• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• Substack
• Youtube
• Heartbeat Narratives Website

Guest Inquiries
Interested in sharing what brings you joy? Complete our Guest Interest Form

Heartbeat Narratives Book Recommendations
Our curated reading list that inspires and connects: Heartbeat Narratives on Bookshop.org

Credits
🎙️ Host & Producer: Molly Mamaril
🎸 Guitar: Amund Gismervik

A Diversity of Experiences: Guests on Heartbeat Narratives share their own perspectives and experiences. Their views do not necessarily reflect those of the host or the podcast. We invite you to listen with an open mind and enjoy the joy and insight offered from many different vantage points.

Meet Chie Shimada, a multifaceted artist and tour guide based in Kyoto, Japan. Trained as a traditional Maiko (apprentice geisha) at age 15, Chie once embodied centuries-old customs before stepping into new roles as a grammar school teacher, hip hop dancer, DJ, and surfer. She shares how her ever-curious personality and pull towards the extremes has led her to the elegance of Japan’s history and the pulse of its creative scene. From teaching Japanese cooking classes to visitors (think fresh ramen and dumplings!) to creating beats behind the DJ booth, Chie approaches each season of her life with fluidity and rhythm. Her story shows how our evolving sense of self can stretch gracefully across both timelines and turntables. Kiite kurete arigatō!

Episode Highlights

00:21 Chie Shimada of Kyoto, Japan

01:02 Training to be a Maiko, an apprentice geisha

01:59 A renaissance woman: surfer, DJ, teacher, tour guide, dancer!

05:11 Becoming a grammar school teacher and loving it

07:59 Yoshi, a favorite student

11:10 Experiences as a Kyoto history, cooking and foodie tour guide

15;36 Cooking tours: ramen, sushi, okonomiyaki, beef soup, dumplings

18:26 Love of dancing and hip hop culture

20:47 From traditional Maiko dances to the nightclub, drawn to the extremes

23:46 Favorite musicians: Grover Washington, Jr. and DJ Premier

25:02 How can travelers be better visitors in Japan?

25:25 Learn Japanese hand gestures (read between the lines!)

26:31 Do your food research

27:02 Choose a theme for each day of travel: food, culture, history, shopping, etc.

28:10 Hobbies are the joy of life - stay curious! 

Listen & Subscribe

• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• Substack
• Youtube
• Heartbeat Narratives Website

Guest Inquiries
Interested in sharing what brings you joy? Complete our Guest Interest Form

Heartbeat Narratives Book Recommendations
Our curated reading list that inspires and connects: Heartbeat Narratives on Bookshop.org

Credits
🎙️ Host & Producer: Molly Mamaril
🎸 Guitar: Amund Gismervik

A Diversity of Experiences: Guests on Heartbeat Narratives share their own perspectives and experiences. Their views do not necessarily reflect those of the host or the podcast. We invite you to listen with an open mind and enjoy the joy and insight offered from many different vantage points.

In this episode, Kevin, a tax attorney takes us back to Kauaʻi in the 1950s, where nature shaped his sense of home. He reflects on the tension between logic and the subtle pull of intuition and how we must learn to trust our gut feelings to connect back to ourselves. Kevin shares how certain truths live in the body, beyond what words can reach. We talk about love at first sight, finding connection in unexpected places, and our lifelong search for belonging. He also discusses how the law can be a tool for shaping society, while gut instinct shapes how we move through it. This episode is about paying attention to what feels authentic and learning to live in alignment with it. Mahalo for listening.  

Episode Highlights

00:22 Introduction to Kevin, Kauaʻi in the 1950s

02:03 Nature is dominant

03:32 Fish for days, forest was the icebox

06:18 Education and career as a tax attorney

07:43 Nature is home

09:23 Heart and body wisdom; accessing the deeper seat of our soul

12:09 Love at first sight: feelings stem from our search validation and security in the "home"

15:35 Love for strangers through recognition and connection

18:06 Falling in love on the internet

21:20 Love at first sight (that lasts)

26:43 The law as a form of social engineering: Balancing feelings and the legal world

28:25 William OʻDouglas' autobiography

30:08 Tapping into our gut feelings and seeing connections

34:54 Living an authentic life

Listen & Subscribe

• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• Substack
• Youtube
• Heartbeat Narratives Website

Guest Inquiries
Interested in sharing what brings you joy? Complete our Guest Interest Form

Heartbeat Narratives Book Recommendations
Our curated reading list that inspires and connects: Heartbeat Narratives on Bookshop.org

Credits
🎙️ Host & Producer: Molly Mamaril
🎸 Guitar: Amund Gismervik

A Diversity of Experiences: Guests on Heartbeat Narratives share their own perspectives and experiences. Their views do not necessarily reflect those of the host or the podcast. We invite you to listen with an open mind and enjoy the joy and insight offered from many different vantage points.

In this episode, Daniel Etika Masifilo shares a journey that spans the football field, ancestral lands, and the inner work of reconnecting with his identity. Raised between cultures in Ewa Beach, Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi, with roots in Tonga, Norway, and Switzerland, Daniel speaks about his desire to belong, rediscovering his name, and embracing the ever-shifting path forward through the deep internal work of building character. From the intensity of Division I football and professional leagues across the U.S. and Denmark, to coaching and homestead life, this conversation is an honest recollection of how to "unlearn" to become your true self.  Daniel's stories are relatable and show the human side of pivoting towards your inner purpose. IMUA! Follow: @dmasifilo @islandskills

Episode Highlights

00: Intro to Daniel Etika Masifilo

01:14 Goal Setting

02:49 Ancestral roots in Tonga, Norway and Switzerland; from Puʻuloa, Oʻahu

03:54 Rediscovering self

07:08 Unlearning to recalibrate and be present

09:05 Homestead life on Hawaiʻi island, living in tune with nature

10:58 Growing up half Tongan, half Caucasian in Hawaiʻi; navigating belonging

11:56 Language toggling: Tongan, English, Pigeon

12:58 Evolving to be proud of our Polynesian names

15:56 American identity: we have to go further back to where weʻre originally from

17:08 A thousand ancestors stand behind us

19:10 Love of football and new beginnings

23:22 High school junior - on a different path

25:07 High School senior  - back on track

27:00 Mount Sac Junior College and Arizona State

28:43 Self realizations and growth, joining the University of Hawaiʻi Warriors Football team

29:46 NFL hopes and receiving "Iʻm proud of you"

30:45 Playing professional football in Denmark, redefining character, getting back to the roots

32:26 Arena football in Colorado and Nebraska; still hopeful for the NFL

34:01 A new life trajectory - new relationship, getting back to ʻāina (land), connecting with the Lakota Nation and ancestral ways of being

35:12 One last shot

36:07 Back to Hawaiʻi, full circle moments with coaching

38:43 Ahonui: patience with perseverance

39:59 On the horizon

41:57 The producer mindset

Episode Art: Molly Mamaril

Listen & Subscribe

• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• Substack
• Youtube
• Heartbeat Narratives Website

Guest Inquiries
Interested in sharing what brings you joy? Complete our Guest Interest Form

Heartbeat Narratives Book Recommendations
Our curated reading list that inspires and connects: Heartbeat Narratives on Bookshop.org

Credits
🎙️ Host & Producer: Molly Mamaril
🎸 Guitar: Amund Gismervik

A Diversity of Experiences: Guests on Heartbeat Narratives share their own perspectives and experiences. Their views do not necessarily reflect those of the host or the podcast. We invite you to listen with an open mind and enjoy the joy and insight offered from many different vantage points.

Still buzzing from Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter concert, this special episode of Heartbeat Narratives takes you into the heartbeat of Houston through the voices of the BeyHive on June 29, 2025. From Galveston to Tokyo, Louisiana to Hawaiʻi, fans reflect on what Beyoncé means to them as an artist, icon, and source of empowerment. We hear from best friends to mother-daughter duos, each sharing how Queen Bey's music brings them joy and strength. Whether through her genre-defying artistry or the deep resonance of her lyrics, this is a love letter to Beyoncé and a celebration of the connection, representation, and aliveness she inspires. With electric energy and heartfelt gratitude, these are the voices moved by the music — with shoutouts to fan-favorite tracks including “Tyrant,” “Yaya,” “16 Carriages,” “Spaghetti,” “Two Hands to Heaven,” “Daughter,” and more.

🎤 Episode Highlights – BeyHive Edition

00:21 – Beyoncé returns to Houston — Cowboy Carter hits home

01:16 – Saying yes to Texas, and every unforgettable moment

02:53 – The BeyHive shows up strong and full of heart

04:35 – Mikayla from Michigan on Virgo sisterhood and lifelong fandom

05:41 – Anushka & Jules reflect on vocals, artistry, and the Renaissance era

07:55 – Angel & Josh talk representation, growing up with Beyoncé

10:15 – Midori from Japan and Texas shares how Beyoncé inspires empowerment

11:02 – Jayla: “It’s in Houston’s DNA to love her”

13:44 – Cindy from Hawaiʻi on genre-hopping, femininity, creativity, and unity

16:10 – Niecy & Rikaya from Louisiana reflect on growing up with Beyoncé as a mother-daughter duo

18:34 – Yasmine calls her “the artist of our generation” — a celebration of the diva

20:04 – Adam from Australia and Kenya on the Beyoncé blues, euphoria, and Beyoncé’s boundless grace

#BeyHive #BeyoncéPodcast #CowboyCarterTour #BeyHiveWithLove #BeyoncéFans #QueenBey #BeyoncéCommunity #BeyoncéConcert #BeyoncéHouston

Photo Credits from concert: Molly Mamaril

Listen & Subscribe

• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• Substack
• Youtube
• Heartbeat Narratives Website

Guest Inquiries
Interested in sharing what brings you joy? Complete our Guest Interest Form

Heartbeat Narratives Book Recommendations
Our curated reading list that inspires and connects: Heartbeat Narratives on Bookshop.org

Credits
🎙️ Host & Producer: Molly Mamaril
🎸 Guitar: Amund Gismervik

A Diversity of Experiences: Guests on Heartbeat Narratives share their own perspectives and experiences. Their views do not necessarily reflect those of the host or the podcast. We invite you to listen with an open mind and enjoy the joy and insight offered from many different vantage points.