Then When

Find Your Voice (And Actually Use It) 🎤✨

Seventy-five percent of people worldwide are afraid of public speaking. SEVENTY-FIVE. Which means chances are good that you, reading this right now, have felt that knot-in-the-stomach, voice-going-wobbly, heart-beating-out-of-your-chest feeling before stepping up to say something in front of other people. Yeah. Us too. This one's for you.

This week Serina and Mary are getting into the art of finding your voice — whether that's standing at a podium, making a toast at a wedding, sharing something you care deeply about with one person, or just showing up as your full, unapologetically nerdy, wonderfully weird self in the rooms you're already in. 🦋

Because here's the thing nobody tells you: the nervousness doesn't mean you're not ready. It might actually mean you care. And accepting it — just letting it be there while you show up anyway — is the whole move. Try it on.

Also in this episode: destination weddings in Mexico, a work trip to Portugal, the Taco Bell paint palette of Serina's first home 🌮, Lego flowers progress report 🌸, speed puzzling as a life philosophy, and the world's most wholesome story involving an exchange student, a chipboard puzzle, and Beauty and the Beast.

In this episode: 🎙️

• 🎤 Public speaking: 75% of people fear it — so why does it feel so lonely when you do?
• 🧠 Imposter syndrome, waiting to be "ready," and the third culprit: shrinking yourself for others
• 🤍 When someone accepts a compliment gracefully — and why it's actually a skill worth practicing
• 👏 The vocal coach moment at the wedding that gave Serina full-body goosebumps
• 💬 "No one in here knows your script" — the most liberating thing you can hear mid-speech
• 🌿 How your totally unrepeatable life experiences are actually your most powerful thing to share
• 🧩 The speed puzzle origin story involving a Japanese exchange student, a chipboard puzzle, and a date to see Beauty and the Beast (it's precious, we promise)
• 🌸 Lego flower bouquet update!
• 🎵 Never the Same by Supreme Beings of Leisure — Serina's go-to for transitional moments
• 🏕️ Mary's camp counselor training program: shoot your shot, one day a week
• 💛 Finding the people who hold your weirdness and amplify your voice
• 🧪 What it means to try on who you are — and let the confirmations come to you

Show Notes and Shout Outs 🔗

• 🎵 "Never the Same" — Supreme Beings of Leisure: https://youtu.be/odhMJ_Mlo0o?si=vSUjfxtG1jNVzKOa
• 🌐 Then When website: thenwhenpod.com
• 💬 Join the Discord — share a moment you used your voice, a then-when update, or your hot take on speed puzzling: https://discord.com/invite/UYjfTPSdcQ
• 📱 Find us on TikTok & socials @thenwhenpod
• 🎙️ Listen on all major podcast platforms — share this one with someone who needs a little push to use their voice 💛

We'll see you in the then — so we can get to the when. 🤍

#ThenWhen #ThenWhenPodcast #IfNotNowThenWhen #SomeDayIsToday #FindYourVoice #PublicSpeaking #ImposterSyndrome #BeYourself #TryItOn #SpeakUp #PersonalGrowth #YouAreEnough #OwnYourWeird #NeverTheSame #VoiceYourTruth #ShowUp

You know that thing you've been putting off since basically forever? Not because you can't do it — but because you told yourself a story about why you shouldn't, can't, or won't? Yeah. This one's for you.

This week Serina and Mary are getting into the sneaky, shape-shifting world of learned history — those old narratives baked into us from past experiences that quietly run the show when we're not paying attention. We're talking about the backlog item that won't leave you alone (look at me, look at me 👀), the skills you already have but still don't trust yourself with, and the difference between "not ready" and "just scared." Spoiler: you're probably ready.

Also on the docket: Serina is finally — finally — returning to re-learning driving a stick shift until it feels natural 🚗, Mary is wrangling vegetables and work projects with behavioral science, and someone in the conversation recently signed up to get certified in sound therapy (we are CHEERING 🎶). Big moves happening over here, people.

The invitation this episode? Try it on. What's the story you keep telling yourself that you're finally ready to put down? Let's walk through it together. 💛

In this episode: 🎙️

• 📖 The stories we tell ourselves and how our learned history quietly runs the show
• 🚗 Serina's manual transmission saga — a tale of a terrifying intersection, a kind stranger, and unfinished business
• 🧠 Unhooking from "I'm not good enough or ready enough" — Mary gets real about the story that holds her back
• 🎶 Big news: Serina signed up to pursue her sound therapy certification (parasympathetic nervous system girlie, incoming)
• 💌 Why eulogizing people AFTER they're gone is a tragedy — and how to give your flowers NOW
• 📊 The passion PowerPoint trend and why it's secretly one of the best antidotes to imposter syndrome
• 🦎 Lizard energy makes a return — this time for running up hills, apparently
• 🏃 Peach Tree Road Race, Bolder Boulder, Cooper River Run, and the wisdom of the lamppost method
• 🥦 Brussels sprouts discourse (boiled baby cabbage: threat or menace?)
• 🎯 Doing the hard thing first, the fun thing second: behavioral momentum in real life
• 💬 Call to the community: what story are you ready to unhook from?

Links & Resources 🔗

• 🌐 Then When website: https://www.thenwhenpodcast.com/
• 💬 Join the Discord — drop your story, your then-when, or your hot take on Brussels sprouts: https://discord.com/invite/UYjfTPSdcQ
• 📱 Find us on TikTok & socials @thenwhenpod
• 🎙️ Listen on all major podcast platforms — and share this episode with someone who needs to hear it 💛

We'll see you in the then — so we can get to the when. 🤍

#ThenWhen #ThenWhenPodcast #IfNotNowThenWhen #SomeDayIsToday #StoriesWeTellOurselves #UnhookYourself #LearnedHistory #SoundTherapy #PersonalGrowth #SelfTalk #MindsetShift #TryItOn #BreathWork #DoItScared #GiveYourFlowers #ManualTransmission #SmallSteps 🧠🚗🎶💛

Hold Your Ground (And Maybe Pull Some Weeds While You're At It) 🌿🔥

You know that feeling when someone crosses a line and your eyes start boiling? Yeah. We've been there. This week Serina and Mary get into the real, sometimes messy work of holding your boundaries — not just setting them and hoping for the best, but actually defending them in the moment, when it counts, when it's hard, and when a random text from your green-thumb bestie shows up exactly when you need it. ✨

Because here's the thing: your boundaries don't just get set once. They get tested. Constantly. And how you respond in those moments? That's where the growth is. That's the Then When.

We also get into noticing your patterns (even in the laundry pile 🧺), redirecting hot energy into something useful (like tearing out dead shrubs and planning a raised garden 🌱), and why sometimes the best thing you can do is say, "I'm not making a decision right now because I'm not calm enough." That's not weakness, people. That's wisdom.

P

lus: grandmothers who did Jäger shots at 10am, sweet "no soap radio" memories, a surprise string quartet concert for a very lucky nephew 🎻, and a great-great-grandma who decided that if she couldn't have her daily whiskey, she was done. At 102. On her birthday. We stan a woman who holds the boundary.

In this episode: 🎙️

• 🔥 Why your boundaries will always get challenged — and what to do when they do
• 🦎 Serina is a lizard (you'll have to listen to understand, but also: take up your space)
• 🧠 The "molting stage" — shedding the hard shell and surviving the tender meatsies phase
• 🛑 The power of pausing: "I'm not making a decision right now"
• 🌿 How redirecting fierce energy into a then-when project can be genuinely healing
• 👀 Body scans, pattern-noticing, and finishing the laundry all the way (Mary's growth arc 👏)
• 🔬 Dr. Lisa Miller: when spirituality meets science (spoiler: Mary wants her on the pod)
• 🎻 Knights of Tears — a live string quartet tribute to Hollow Knight & Silksong that Serina surprised her nephew with (in a cathedral, no less — absolutely breathtaking)
• 😂 Two short jokes and one long joke. You've been warned.
• 🥃 Great-grandma stories, 102-year-old boundary queens, and Jäger shots with grandma at 10am
• 🎵 Sweet Caroline in the kitchen, Neil Diamond, Taylor Swift, and how someone's energy lives on in a song

Links & Resources 🔗

• 🎻 Knights of Tears — string quartet tribute to Hollow Knight & Silksong: knightsoftears.com
• 🌐 Then When website: thenwhenpodcast.com
• 💬 Join the Discord — tell us YOUR then-when moment, your calling card of joy, or your best joke: thenwhenpod.com/discord

We'll see you in the then — so we can get to the when. 🤍

#ThenWhen #ThenWhenPodcast #IfNotNowThenWhen #SomeDayIsToday #DoItNow #Boundaries #PersonalGrowth #NotTakingYourselfSoSeriously #HoldYourGround #MindsetShift #EnergyRedirect #SelfCare #CoreMemories #GrandmaWisdom #HollowKnight #KnightsOfTears #CottageIndustries 🎻🌿🔥🦎💛

What happens when three ladies, a Lego set, and a two-year plan to play hockey all end up in the same recording session? This episode. 🏒

We welcomed the one and only Lisa Oestreicher to the podcast this week — Serina's longtime friend, certified Lisapedia, queen of handmade cookie cutters, and all-around creative force of nature. (Spoiler: she is not just one thing. She is, in her own words, a bunch of goblins in a trench coat — and honestly? Aren't we all. 🫂)

We dove deep into the art of attention — how we manage it, lose it, fill it back up, and use it to stay connected with the people we love. Oh, and Serina tried to build a Lego set while recording. Live. With guests. Bold choice. Focus, focus, LET'S GO SKATE! 🛼😂

A huge shoutout to the Marietta History Museum 🏛️ — where Lisa works her magic as museum assistant, resident numbers whiz, and the creative brain behind some seriously awesome Big Chicken merch. 🐔 If you've never heard of the Big Chicken — Marietta's most iconic landmark and the OG pre-MapQuest GPS — well, now you have. Museum Nerd shirts, buttons, and stickers available in-store. Link in show notes. Yes, really.

In this episode:

• 🧩 Serina attempts to build a Lego set mid-episode while holding a full conversation — a masterclass in multitasking OR chaos, depending on who you ask
• 🎨 Lisa's creative life: handmade cookie cutters, museum merch, designing Big Chicken-themed goods, and being the human encyclopedia her husband aptly named "Lisapedia"
• 🏛️ A love letter to the Marietta History Museum and the joy of local art, local history, and Museum Nerd merch (you need the shirt, trust us)
• 🧠 How each of us finds our "attention sweet spot" — doodling, timers, fidget rocks, neo soul playlists, and more
• 📱 Marco Polo app — the unofficial sponsor of Serina and Lisa's friendship, and honestly? It should be an official one. (Marco Polo, call us. Link in show notes 😂)
• 🏒 Lisa's THEN WHEN: a two-year plan to play hockey at 47 — starting from scratch, building endurance, and doing it anyway. We are obsessed.
• 💪 Breaking goals into consumable steps, celebrating small wins, and why "showing up IS the badass move"
• 🪞 The quiet power of mirroring — how watching someone else pursue their goal lights a fire under the rest of us (Lisa's workout Marco Polos have Serina AND her mom moving more 🥹)
• 💬 On receiving compliments gracefully — just say thank you. That's it. That's the whole thing.
• 👩‍👧 Parenting with your whole heart, modeling boldness for your kids, and cheering on the feral little creative creatures they are

🎙️ We want to hear from YOU. Do you have a THEN WHEN you're working toward — big, small, or somewhere in between? Are you your own version of Bambi on the ice, just showing up anyway? 🥺🏒 Come tell us about it in our Discord community! Drop your goals, your check-ins, your sweaty progress pics — we're here for ALL of it. Serina and Mary will be cheering you on. 👏

We'll see you in the then — so we can get to the when. 💫

Then When Links

• Website: https://www.thenwhenpodcast.com/
  

#ThenWhenPodcast #KindnessMatters #SmallActsBigImpact #PayAttention #MariettaHistoryMuseum #BigChicken #MuseumNerd #AttentionIsAGift #CommunityOverEverything #GoalsAndGoblins 🐔🏒🎨🧩

Then When Will You Love Yourself? 💛

Spoiler: the answer is now. In this episode, Serina and Mary drop in — warm, a little nerdy, and genuinely funny as they dig into what self-love actually looks like — not the polished, curated version, but the real, everyday, still-a-work-in-progress kind. From loving your past self (not just your future one) to joy replenishment, mirror talk, and the rituals that quietly refill your tank — this conversation is part therapy drop, part bestie chat, and 100% permission to finally be a little kinder to yourself. 🌸✨

Because the then when isn't someday. It's right here.

In this episode:

• 💡 The quote that reframes everything: "Information doesn't change behavior — design does"
• 🔙 Why loving your past self matters just as much as betting on your future self
• 🌸 Self-acceptance vs. self-love — and why both are part of the journey
• 🗣️ Talking to yourself like you'd talk to a friend (and why we're all terrible at this)
• 🌊 Joy replenishment: what fills your tank? (dance nights, library trips, and secret forest coves all qualify)
• 😂 Playful self-love questions that make you think AND laugh
• 🌺 Mary on growing through body image, bullying, and what actually shifted
• 🏺 Serina as the "glimmer keeper" — and why your lore-keeper friends are everything

We want to hear from YOU! 💬 Serina and Mary are posing these questions to the community — drop your answers in the Discord or the comments:

🌴 If self-love were a vacation destination, where would yours be? 

🎤 What compliments do you freely give others that you should be giving yourself? 

🏆 What's something you do really well that you tend to minimize or dismiss? (It doesn't have to be deep — bird whistles count!)

🚗 What's your favorite song to dance to in the car? (Don't lie, we all do it.)

We'll see you in the then — so we can get to the when. 🎙️💛

Join the conversation in our Discord and share your own then when moments!

Then When Links

• Website: www.thenwhenpodcast.com
• Insta: https://www.instagram.com/thenwhenpod
• Discord: https://discord.com/invite/UYjfTPSdcQ

#ThenWhenPodcast #WhenWillYouLoveYourself #SelfLoveSeason #KindnessMatters #SmallActsBigImpact #LoveYourPastSelf #SelfAcceptance #JoyReplenishment #GlimmerKeeper #PersonalGrowth #YouAreEnough #PodcastCommunity 💛✨🌸

Ever notice how a single moment — a stranger's smile, an unexpected compliment, someone just showing up — can shift your whole day? ✨ That's what this episode is about.

Serina and Mary get into the magic hiding inside everyday human interactions and why those small acts of kindness hit different than we give them credit for. 💛 This one's equal parts heartfelt and energizing, and honestly? It might make you want to call someone you love. 📲

We're talking about finding joy in the little things, what it actually looks like to support each other through growth and change, and why being vulnerable enough to share your story might be the most powerful thing you can do. 🌱 Plus — yes — we go on a whole tangent about weather and location, and somehow it gets deep. 🌦️ Don't question it, just trust the process.

If you've ever been someone's reason to keep going without even knowing it, this episode is for you. 🫶

In this episode:

• 💫 Why small acts of kindness carry more weight than we realize
• 🎉 Celebrating tiny wins (and why they're not actually tiny)
• 🌿 How nature, perspective shifts, and the people around you can change everything
• 💪 Vulnerability as a superpower — not a weakness
• 🎙️ The ripple effect of sharing your story

We'll see you in the then — so we can get to the when. 🎙️✨

#ThenWhenPodcast #PersonalGrowth #KindnessMatters #SmallActsBigImpact #Inspiration #Storytelling #Vulnerability #GrowthMindset #SpreadPositivity #PodcastCommunity #CelebrateTheWins #EverydayMagic #MindsetShift #SupportEachOther #YouGotThis

Today on Then When, we had the absolute pleasure of sitting down with the remarkable Sara Wasley ✨ — a wonderfully curious soul who doesn't just dream; she does. 🙌

Sara has a rare and radiant quality: she chases her curiosities with conviction 🔥, turning sparks of wonder into real, lived experiences 🌱. She is, in every sense of the word, a Then When spirit made flesh — someone who refuses to let "someday" stand in the way of today.

Juggling many hats with grace 🎩, Sara somehow never loses sight of what matters most — nourishing her own spirit 🌻. Whether she's diving into something new 🤿 or showing up fully for the things she loves, she brings an energy that is nothing short of magnetic 🧲. Her enthusiasm is contagious 😄, her joy unmistakable ☀️, and her presence the kind that lingers long after the conversation ends 💫.

Shout Out Links!

• April is National Poetry Month!
• Restart (book)
• Let Them Theory (book)
• The Alchemist (book)
• God Bless You, Mr Rosewater (book)
• Island of the Blue Dolphins (book)

Then When Links!

• https://www.thenwhenpodcast.com/
• / discord  
•  / thenwhenpod  

#ThenWhen #IfNotNowThenWhen #DoItNow #CuriosityInAction #NourishYourSpirit #WomenWhoInspire #BookClub #DnDClub #DungeonsAndDragons #LibrariansRock

Seize the Day with Scuba Steve!

What does it take to chase your deepest passion when life keeps throwing curveballs? 🎯 This week, we're diving in, literally, with the incredible Steve Rindshoj, a scuba instructor who has built a life around the ocean while navigating the very real challenges of living with type 1 diabetes. Steve brings it all to the table: the wisdom of someone who's been humbled, the humor of someone who doesn't take himself too seriously, and the fire of someone who simply cannot imagine life away from the water.

Steve's journey is about what happens when you refuse to let limitations write your story. From setbacks and failures to rediscovering his love for the deep blue, he's proof that resilience looks a lot less like perfection and a whole lot more like showing up anyway. 💙 We also get into the magic of mentorship, the power of finding your people in the diving community, and why sharing a passion with someone else is one of life's greatest joys.

If you've ever stood at the edge of the water, heart pounding, wondering if the ocean is really for someone like you, this episode is your sign. 🐠 Whether you're ocean-curious, quietly terrified of the big blue, or just waiting for permission to try something that scares you a little, Steve's story will have you googling "scuba lessons near me" before the episode is even over. The water is waiting, and there's a whole community ready to welcome you in. 🤿

Come hang out! The ocean is big enough for all of us. 🌊✨

Shout Out Links!

• Steve's blog links | This 1 Life & Type 1 Liveabetic
• Steve's Instas | @Type1ScubaSteve & @SteveRindshoj
• DiveVolk
• Orange County Divers
• ScubaRepair

Then When Links!

• Then When Website
• Then When Discord
• Then When Instagram

#scubadiving #learntodive #oceanlife #type1diabetes #overcomingfear #resilience #pursueyourdreams #scubainstructor #divecommunity #getintheocean #growthmindset #podcast #mentorship #openwater #diabetesandadventure #justkeepswimming 🎙️🐡🌺

!! Hey friends! 👋 Just a quick note — while we love diving into real, meaningful conversations, our podcast is for entertainment and informational purposes only. Nothing we share should be taken as medical advice. If anything we discuss sparks questions about your own health, please reach out to a qualified healthcare professional.

Welcome back, friends! 🎙️ This week, Serina and Mary are getting serious about those "I'll do it when everything is perfect" moments — and why life is way too interesting to wait. Mary's actually been doing the thing, checking off goals she once kept deferring - putting joy on display, and her wins are the kind that make you want to dust off your own list. ✅ Serina, meanwhile, attempted bread — which didn't quite rise, came out a little dense, and was somehow still delicious. 🍞 Honestly? A perfect metaphor. This episode is about leaning into creative pivots, celebrating every imperfect version of yourself, and staying curious enough to just keep going — not because it's always pretty, but because it's always worth it. 💛 Come hang out with us.

#podcast #personalgrowth #thenwhenthinking #creativepivot #embracetheprocess #growthmindset #keepgoing #podcastcommunity #selfevolution #progressoverperfection 🎧✨

Shoout Out Links!

• NPR Wild Card | https://www.youtube.com/@NPRWildCard
• First We Feast Hot Ones | https://www.youtube.com/@FirstWeFeast
• Djo - End of Beginning | https://youtu.be/xy3AcmW0lrQ?si=rzhbaO-jlAR5H4v5

Then When Links!

• Then When Website | https://www.thenwhenpodcast.com/
• Then When Discord | https://discord.gg/UYjfTPSdcQ

Serina and Mary finally get to hang out again IRL! A dance retreat has brought your hosts together to explore whole-body movement, taking up space, side-quest spontaneity, and testing out if Connecticut truly is the center of all things pizza. Listen along for little joyful nuggets of strangers turning into connections, breaking free of your own personal Groundhog Day, and challenging your learned histories.

Eat the slice!

Cook the egg!

Try it on!

Will Gavin ever reach out to Mary!?

All this and more ont his episode of the Then When podcast!

Shoutout Links!

• IFS (Internal Family Systems)
• Dance and Mudra Retreat
• Groundhog Day

Then When Links!

• Discord