Thrive-Learn-Connect

After years of conversations centered on growth, curiosity, communication, and connection, Thrive- Learn-Connect comes to a close.

In this final episode, Jamie Green and Max Mendez offer a heartfelt thank you to the listeners, guests, and supporters who made the podcast possible. Reflecting on the show's origins and the many conversations shared along the way, they celebrate the power of thoughtful dialogue and the relationships built through the podcast.

Jamie shares her gratitude for the experience and for her longtime friendship and creative partnership with Max. She also offers a glimpse into her next chapter—one focused on writing, communication coaching, travel, and exploring human possibilities. Listeners are invited to continue the conversation through her Substack, Human Kind Possibilities, where she publishes reflections on communication, curiosity, kindness, and navigating a changing world. She also highlights her free Communication Tip of the Week newsletter and her book, May You: A Little Book of Blessings.

Max reflects on nearly two decades of friendship and collaboration with Jamie and expresses appreciation for everyone who contributed to the show's success. Looking ahead, he shares his continued passion for helping singers and speakers develop healthy, confident, and expressive voices through Mendez Vocal Works.

Together, Jamie and Max acknowledge that while this chapter is ending, the ideas explored through the podcast—growth, learning, communication, and human connection—remain as relevant as ever. The episode closes with gratitude, hope, and an invitation to carry those conversations forward.

Thank you for listening. Thank you for learning. Thank you for connecting.

Max:

The Thrive-Learn-Connect Podcast is a joint production of Creative Input LLC and St. Emillion Productions.

Stay curious and keep exploring!

©️2026 Thrive-Learn-Connect

Hey — Max here. Jamie and I are taking a short break between seasons of Thrive-Learn-Connect, and instead of filling the space with extra episodes we want to hear from you.

We’re asking one simple question: What’s on your mind?

To record, go to speakpipe.com/thrivelearnconnect

Find a quiet spot and record from your phone or desktop.

Tell us your first name and location, or stay anonymous — whatever feels right.

By submitting, you’re giving permission for us to share your audio on the podcast. We’ll play a couple of responses each week during our break, simply holding the question and letting different voices be heard.

If you’re up for it, share a favorite episode with a friend, family member, or colleague and invite them to record too. We appreciate you — thanks for being part of the Thrive-Learn-Connect community.

Until next time, stay curious and kind.

As Thrive-Learn-Connect celebrates its 50th episode, we're building on earlier conversations about voice, sound, and expression. This milestone episode turns the focus toward the often-overlooked counterpart: listening. Through the lens of music, communication, and everyday life, we explore what it truly means to listen—to ourselves, to one another, and to the silence in between.

The episode also takes a moment of gratitude and reflection: on what it has meant to make this podcast, how meeting guests and hearing their stories has shaped us, and how the simple act of listening has changed the way they show up in conversations and in the world.

Dear Listeners: We invite you to help shape what comes next. What might Thrive-Learn-Connect look like in Season 4? What would you like to learn, explore, or hear more about?

Connect with us:

Web: jamielgreen.com/podcast

Facebook: jamielgreen.thrivelearnconnect

Instagram: @jamie.l.green

YouTube: youtube.com/thrivelearnconnect

The Thrive-Learn-Connect Podcast is a joint production of Creative Input, LLC, and St. Emillion Productions.

Stay curious and keep exploring!

©️2025 Thrive-Learn-Connect

As 2025 comes to a close, Jamie and Max invite listeners into a reflective conversation about release—what we hold onto, why we cling so tightly, and what becomes possible when we finally let go.

They begin with the idea of embracing disruption: the small, everyday interruptions that can either frustrate us or create unexpected opportunities for connection. From there, the conversation unfolds into deeper territory—letting go of tension, releasing the belief that struggle is necessary, and re-framing difficulty as challenge rather than loss.

Jamie reflects on perfectionism—how it can stall creativity, delay progress, and quietly lead to burnout—while Max shares the moment he realized perfection wasn’t worth the cost. Together, they explore the idea of standards that evolve with experience, honoring growth rather than demanding flawlessness.

The episode closes with a powerful theme many of us wrestle with: giving up the need to care so much about what others think. From mismatched slippers at an art museum to the freedom of being fully yourself, Jamie and Max remind us that letting go isn’t about apathy—it’s about living unencumbered.

Instead of resolutions that add more to our plates, this episode offers a gentler invitation:

Connect with us:

Web: jamielgreen.com/podcast

Facebook: jamielgreen.thrivelearnconnect

Instagram: @jamie.l.green

YouTube: youtube.com/thrivelearnconnect

The Thrive-Learn-Connect Podcast is a joint production of Creative Input, LLC, and St. Emillion Productions.

Stay curious and keep exploring!

©️2025 Thrive-Learn-Connect

As the year draws to a close, many of us find ourselves thinking about the people who have drifted to the edges of our lives—not because of conflict or choice, but because life simply got busy. In this heartfelt conversation, Jamie and Max explore the idea of reconnection: what it means, why it matters, and how we can approach it with intention rather than obligation.

From cousins rediscovered after decades, to handwritten notes, phone calls, Zoom cocoa dates, and opening our homes to friends old and new, this episode reflects on the many ways connection can be rekindled. Jamie and Max talk candidly about how relationships change over time, the importance of allowing people to grow, and the courage it sometimes takes to reach out—especially when we fear awkwardness, difference, or rejection.

They also introduce the idea of recalibration—meeting people where they are now, not where they once were—and recommitment, choosing the relationship even when opinions, life paths, or seasons have shifted. With humor, nostalgia, and gentle wisdom, this episode offers listeners permission to reconnect in ways that feel authentic, low-pressure, and human.

Whether it’s the holidays or a random Tuesday in March, this conversation is an invitation to lean into all the “re’s”: reconnect, recalibrate, recommit—and maybe add a little more sparkle along the way.

We love the Ali and Callie Artcast and think you will, too: alicallieartcast.com

Connect with us:

Web: jamielgreen.com/podcast

Facebook: jamielgreen.thrivelearnconnect

Instagram: @jamie.l.green

YouTube: youtube.com/thrivelearnconnect

The Thrive-Learn-Connect Podcast is a joint production of Creative Input, LLC, and St. Emillion Productions.

Stay curious and keep exploring!

©️2025 Thrive-Learn-Connect

Loneliness isn’t just a passing mood—it’s a growing public health concern that affects people of all ages, in every season of life.

In this replay of our conversation with Ann Long, founder of Burbity Workspaces in Spokane, Washington, we explore what the U.S. Surgeon General has called the loneliness epidemic. Together, we talk about how the pandemic fractured our social connections, how remote work and online learning have changed the way we relate to one another, and why you can feel deeply lonely even when you’re surrounded by people.

Ann shares stories from her co-working spaces, where remote workers and solo entrepreneurs rediscover the simple power of being around others—having a reason to leave the house, being greeted with a daily “hello,” and feeling like they belong somewhere again. We reflect on how loneliness shows up in schools, in the arts, at work, and in everyday life—and how kindness and empathy are built not through apps and algorithms, but through shared stories, regular gatherings, and face-to-face connection. You’ll also hear a simple ABC framework to help you respond to your own loneliness.

This episode includes a brief mention of suicide and the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. If that topic is sensitive for you, please listen with care—or come back to it when you feel ready.

Whether you’ve been feeling lonely yourself or you’re worried about a loved one—especially an older adult whose world has gotten smaller—this conversation is an invitation to take one small, courageous step toward connection today.

Connect with us:

Web: jamielgreen.com/podcast

Facebook: jamielgreen.thrivelearnconnect

Instagram: @jamie.l.green

YouTube: youtube.com/thrivelearnconnect

The Thrive-Learn-Connect Podcast is a joint production of Creative Input, LLC, and St. Emillion Productions.

Stay curious and keep exploring!

©️2025 Thrive-Learn-Connect

Hello everyone, Jamie here with a quick update: Max and I are taking a bit of a hiatus while I care for my aunt and help her move to a new home. This week, we're offering up a replay of a Season 1 episode that seems particularly fitting: “Pivot and Adapt.”

This short episode is about breathing through the chaos, leaning into small shifts, and trusting that we can handle more than we think — from getting stuck behind a semi full of bees to choosing compassion over panic. If you need a reminder that pivoting is a skill, this one’s for you.

Thanks for your patience and kindness — we’ll be back with new episodes soon. If you want to follow the caregiving journey, find me on Instagram: jamie.l.green.

Connect with us:

Web: jamielgreen.com/podcast

Facebook: jamielgreen.thrivelearnconnect

Instagram: @jamie.l.green

YouTube: youtube.com/thrivelearnconnect

The Thrive-Learn-Connect Podcast is a joint production of Creative Input, LLC, and St. Emillion Productions.

Stay curious and keep exploring!

©️2025 Thrive-Learn-Connect

In this episode we sit down with Brynn MacLennan, founder of Slate, to uncover why flossing matters way beyond fresh breath: it protects your gums, heart, and even your brain. Brynn walks us through startling stats, her own wake-up stories, and how Slate’s easy-to-use flosser and gum-sweeps make a 30-second habit actually doable for kids, seniors, and anyone with sore hands.

Want to get healthier together? Check out slateflosser.com (and the show notes for a listener discount), follow Bryn on Instagram, and let’s hold each other accountable — one tiny habit at a time.

Here you go—clean and ready to paste:

Slate Flosser (Electric & Manual) + Accessories – woven floss, interchangeable “gum sweep” tips, tongue scraper, and a braces head

Bryn MacLennan (Guest) – Slate CEO & product designer

Columbia University research on gum disease & dementia risk

Ali & Callie Artcast (promo heard in episode)

Connect with us:

Web: jamielgreen.com/podcast

Facebook: jamielgreen.thrivelearnconnect

Instagram: @jamie.l.green

YouTube: youtube.com/thrivelearnconnect

The Thrive-Learn-Connect Podcast is a joint production of Creative Input, LLC, and St. Emillion Productions.

Stay curious and keep exploring!

©️2025 Thrive-Learn-Connect

This episode opens with a quick riff on guaranteed income for artists and the ripple effect of arts in our communities, then pivots into the heart of the conversation: your future self. Jamie and Max unpack research suggesting the brain treats future-you like a different person—and how that insight can help us make kinder, wiser choices right now.

You’ll hear practical stories (the “do the dishes for morning-you” test), simple money and wellness moves that compound over time, and creative tools—vision boards, personalized visualizations, and even writing a letter from your future self—that make tomorrow feel tangible today. They reflect on redefining success beyond titles, preparing emotionally for life’s inevitable changes, and why curiosity and kindness are essential companions at every age.

 Atomic Habits by James Clear

The Mindset Mentor Podcast by Rob Dial

Ali and Callie Artcast

Guaranteed Income for Artists — Ireland

Facebook: jamielgreen.thrivelearnconnect

Instagram: @jamie.l.green

YouTube: youtube.com/thrivelearnconnect

The Thrive-Learn-Connect Podcast is a joint production of Creative Input, LLC, and St. Emillion Productions.

Stay curious and keep exploring!

©️2025 Thrive-Learn-Connect

Fall invites fresh routines—and sometimes overwhelm. In this warm, playful episode, Jamie and Max talk about breaking big projects into doable steps, celebrating “ta-da” moments, and why our brains often relax when they’re in task mode.

Then they head to the game table: childhood classics that sparked sibling rivalries (Monopoly, Uno), brainy word play (Scrabble, Spelling Bee, Wordle, crosswords), strategy builders (chess, backgammon), card-night staples (poker, gin, cribbage), spontaneous napkin games (tic-tac-toe, hangman, charades), and a visually striking favorite, Ouisi, that Jamie uses to teach perspective-taking. You’ll hear how games create shared experiences, sharpen thinking, and deliver those tiny “jolts of joy” we all crave on long winter evenings.

Listen in, grab a deck or a board, and tell us: what do you play—and why?

We love the Ali & Callie Artcast and think you will, too: https://www.alicallieartcast.com

Games: We are not affiliated with or sponsored by any of the companies whose games we mentioned in this episode. Most of the games mentioned are readily available in online and retail stores. Also check out:

New York Times Games (Spelling Bee, Wordle, Mini & Sunday Crossword) — nytimes.com/games

Jackbox Party Packs — jackboxgames.com

Connect with us:

Web: jamielgreen.com/podcast

Facebook: jamielgreen.thrivelearnconnect

Instagram: @jamie.l.green

YouTube: youtube.com/thrivelearnconnect

The Thrive-Learn-Connect Podcast is a joint production of Creative Input, LLC, and St. Emillion Productions.

Stay curious and keep exploring!

©️2025 Thrive-Learn-Connect