stranger turned friend 💌

Hi friends!

Lots of life has passed, and I hope you're doing well. This episode may seem like a conversation about art and creativity, but it's really an experiential and spiritual jazz session with Day To Have a Day creator, Adam Ripley.

Each of his silly little comic perfectly captures a shred of the human condition and you can't help but go into a deep reflection after coming across his work. I highly recommend checking them out on @daytohaveaday on instagram.

Here's 5 DEEP things we talked about:

🌳 Nature as a refuge

🎨 Using art to connect with others

👯 Conversation as act of creativity

🌎 Letting go into the experience exactly as it's happening

🚪How to stay open to the moment in front of us?

Follow Adam here:

IG: @daytohaveaday

Till next time, 

Gladys 💌

Come say hi (I answer everything!) :

Instagram - @strangerturnedfriend

Newsletter - theslowdispatch.substack.com

Email - [email protected]

TikTok - @strangerturnedfriend

Hi friends!!

I know we're already at the end of January... but happy 2025 :)

Thanks Nate for being my first stranger-turned-friend of the year 😌 Even though we recorded this during Thanksgiving last year, the message is perfect to welcome the year ahead.

Listening to this conversation was like drinking a warm cup of tea. I hope you enjoy it too 🎙️

Here's 5 LOVELY things we talked about:

⏳ Making time to do things we enjoy

📖 What chapter of our lives are we in?

☁️ Finding peace, going with the flow, appreciating life's changes

😌 Being in a state of gratitude

🌀 The process of unbecoming and deprogramming ourselves

Oh! Nate is also starting his own clothing brand. Give him a follow here:

IG: @goodvibetribe.co

Till next time, 

Gladys 💌

Come say hi (I answer everything!) :

Instagram - @strangerturnedfriend

Newsletter - theslowdispatch.substack.com

Email - [email protected]

TikTok - @strangerturnedfriend

Hi friends!

Here's an end of year episode for ya'll :)

Stranger-turned-friend, Madison, joins us on the pod today. We chat about her ADHD diagnosis and journey towards sobriety, becoming more self-aware and stepping away from toxic friendships, and doing things for their own sake.

My favorite thing about her is how open she is in following what lights her up. She loves learning about skincare, writing poetry, graphic design, coding. And then I find out that her job is an accountant. 🤯

You're gonna love this one - I know I did.

Thanks Madison for being on the pod :)

Till next time, 

Gladys 💌

Come say hi (I answer everything!) :

Instagram - @strangerturnedfriend

Newsletter - strangerturnedfriend.substack.com

Email - [email protected]

TikTok - @strangerturnedfriend

Hi friends!

My next stranger-turned-friend, Elias, is a quiet and introspective lover of music.

We talk about Elias' experiences as a music student in Finland (he's a drummer boy!) and how My Chemical Romance helped him accept himself as he came to terms with his gender identity and struggles of body dysmorphia.

We also explore how becoming more aware of our reactions helps us to be kinder people, and how alone time can be used for creative pursuits and self-reflection.

Oh, one last thing - Elias wants to challenge you to go back to an old hobby and give it another go. No expectations or judgment. Go rediscover your old loves again :)

Till next time, 

Gladys 💌

Come say hi (I answer everything!) :

Instagram - @strangerturnedfriend

Blog - strangerturnedfriend.substack.com

Email - [email protected]

TikTok - @strangerturnedfriend

Hi friends,

I got new mics! I've always wanted to record conversations on walks and park benches in public, so I picked up two wireless mics.

Anyway, this is the first conversation I've recorded with my favorite person, Paola, and it's also her birthday today!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY I LOVE YOU ♥️

We always have the best chats, especially on our random long walks around the city so I figured I'd record and share her wisdom with ya'll as well.

Enjoy these 3 BIG things and more:

🚲 How allowing our emotions to flow helps to reduce stress and anxiety

🚲 How to find the joy in self-improvement

🚲 How to be more confident

Thanks for listening!!

Till next time, 

Gladys 💌

Come say hi (I answer everything!) :

Instagram - @strangerturnedfriend

Blog - strangerturnedfriend.substack.com

Email - [email protected]

TikTok - @strangerturnedfriend

Howdy stranger-turned-friends 🤠

This was a fun episode to record. Please welcome Ken, a sea sailor who lives by his own rules. How rare is that?

Ken went on a solo trip to a small town in Finland when he was 18 and loved it so much, he promised himself he would move here. And he did. He zigged when everyone else zagged and took a path less travelled - a life that led him out to sea.

We talk all about:

🌊 The free-spirited and rugged vibes of sea culture

🌊 Perks of living a seasonal life (+ a life full of hobbies)

🌊 How choosing the path not taken leads us to interesting places

And lots more!!

Ken also loves combining his two hobbies - playing folk music and explaining the history of music. Do check it out (it's pretty cool!):

Here it is

Till next time, 

Gladys 💌

Come say hi (I answer everything!) :

Instagram - @strangerturnedfriend

Blog - strangerturnedfriend.substack.com

Email - [email protected]

TikTok - @strangerturnedfriend

Hi friends,

In the 2nd episode of ANALOG, I have the wonderfully self-aware and curious stranger-turned-friend, AccidentalCISO, on the pod.

He is a former Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) who burned out after working in a toxic tech career for years. Itching to build a slower life for himself and his family, AccidentalCISO finally started his own consulting firm and now works from an RV, traveling 6-8 weeks of the year in pursuit of a life that centers on travel and nature. RAD🌞

We talk all about:

🚌 Simple actions that add joy and appreciation to our every day (without relocating to the woods!)

🚌 Slowing down to keep work enjoyable and sustainable

🚌 How engaging in thoughtful, 1-on-1 conversations is more impactful than participating in social media debates

And lots more!!

Please check out AccidentalCISO's work:

Spotify, Apple: The Mindful Business Security Show

Twitter: @AccidentalCISO

Till next time, 

Gladys 💌

Come say hi (I answer everything!) :

Instagram - @strangerturnedfriend

Blog - strangerturnedfriend.substack.com

Email - [email protected]

TikTok - @strangerturnedfriend

Hi friends!

I'm starting a fun little set of episodes called ANALOG. I've recently been getting into the slow life and have been intentionally seeking out likeminded peers who want to have a chat about it :)

Here's the first one with the very lovely Ben Quam. We talk all about:

🌞 Analog activities - music, listening to records
🌞 Ben's past as a DJ and how he learned to be in tune with people's energies
🌞 Why you should break rules and how to test your beliefs
🌞 Ben's way of reframing rejection
🌞 The power of serendipity 
🌞 Ben's therapist advice to let things go

Ben does a similar thing where he has lovely conversations with strangers as well.

Spotify, Apple: ⁠Libations for Everyone

Instagram: @libationsforeveryone

Thanks Ben!!!

Till next time, 

Gladys 💌

Come say hi (I answer everything!) :

Instagram - @strangerturnedfriend

Blog - strangerturnedfriend.substack.com

Email - [email protected]

TikTok - @strangerturnedfriend

Hi friends!

I'm excited to share this conversation with stranger-turned-friend, Kevin, with ya'll 😌

I admired Kevin's immense curiosity and gratitude for life. I remembered leaving the chat feeling so inspired to go on adventures and pay more attention to the world around me 🤓

In this conversation you'll enjoy 3 BIG things:

- How to love learning: Kevin's motorbike accident revealed his habit to constantly ask "why?" and learn about everything (medical science included)

- Choose passion over traditional careers: How Kevin decided to let go of his soul-crushing investment banking job for a sports career

- How to embrace spontaneity: Saying "yes" to interesting, random opportunities

Till next time, 

Gladys 💌

Come say hi (I answer everything!) :

Instagram - @strangerturnedfriend

Blog - strangerturnedfriend.substack.com

Email - [email protected]

TikTok - @strangerturnedfriend

Hellooooo friends :)

I had the lovely pleasure of chatting with Adam, who tuned in from the comfort of his front yard as he slow cooked some pulled pork for Super Bowl Sunday. If only you could see the look on his face - sun shining on him, birds chirping in the background - it was pure bliss and peace.

Our conversation was honest and heartfelt as Adam shared his life story about being homeless and climbing out of his rock bottom through incremental decisions to be more accountable and treat the people around him a little bit better everyday. We talked all about creating meaningful friendships and relationships, knowing what truly matters in life (hint: it's not work), our ideal day, and saying "I love you" more often.

Enjoy the pod!  

Till next time, 

Gladys 💌

Come say hi (I answer everything!) :

Instagram - @strangerturnedfriend

Blog - strangerturnedfriend.substack.com

Email - [email protected]

TikTok - @strangerturnedfriend