Advertise on podcast: Mic'd Up & Unfiltered with Kristine & Amy

Your boss calls on the first day of vacation and asks you to work. Again. This time, you quit. Amy shares the moment she finally left corporate America after 27 years, and why that vacation phone call became her breaking point. This week on Mic’d Up & Unfiltered, Amy and Kristine start with a hilarious retreat reel and end up talking about AI clones, buying from real people, and the assumptions people make about direct sales. They share what running their own businesses looks like in two very different seasons of life, and why knowing their customers means so much to them. Of course, there are detours into food choices, farm life, and growing up barefoot. It’s an unscripted conversation about work, freedom, and figuring out what matters to you. And to all the perfectly lovely Garys out there… this isn’t about you.

We spend years teaching our kids to be independent. So why does it hurt when they actually are? This week on Mic’d Up & Unfiltered, Amy and Kristine talk about the strange tug of war between being proud of your kids and missing how much they used to need you. Amy opens up about approaching an empty nest after 36 years of raising children, the quiet moments that catch her off guard, and wondering who she wants to be in this next chapter. They also get into mom guilt, parenting your younger kids differently than your first, and dreaming about the future with your spouse when you haven’t even figured out this weekend. There are detours into sleepless nights, college life, and the questionable things we survived growing up. Because apparently, becoming more independent is an adjustment for the moms, too.

A racerback sports bra on backward. A first cruise that might also be the last. And the friends who make life a little lighter. This week on Mic’d Up & Unfiltered, Amy and Kristine catch up on a rough cruise, the surprises of getting older, and the different kinds of friends we need in our lives. From the friend who tells you the truth in the fitting room to the one you can call when everything goes sideways, they talk about feeling connected and how much a good conversation can fill your cup. There are a few detours, plenty of laughs, and a reminder that sometimes, time with a friend is exactly what you need.

How often have you convinced yourself that someone doesn’t like you, is judging you, or has something you don’t, without actually knowing what they’re thinking? In Part 2 of their conversation about judgment and empathy, Amy and Kristine explore envy, comparison, and the stories we create inside our own heads. They talk about parenting children who need love in different ways, misinterpreting text messages, feeling lonely even when we enjoy being alone, and how social media gives us tiny snapshots that rarely tell the whole story. They also ask an important question: When comparison starts stealing your joy, how do you interrupt the story you’ve already convinced yourself is true? It’s a funny, honest conversation about insecurity, connection, vulnerability, and learning to see life through a lens other than our own.

What happens when someone is hurting—or grieving—and you just… don’t feel what you think you’re supposed to feel? Does that make you a bad person? And can you truly understand someone’s pain if you’ve never experienced what they’re going through? In this episode of Mic’d Up & Unfiltered, Amy and Kristine dig into the messy space between sympathy, empathy, compassion, and judgment. From losing beloved pets and parents to complicated grief, generational trauma, and breaking cycles, they explore how our own experiences shape the way we connect with—and sometimes judge—other people. It’s an honest conversation about finding empathy even when someone’s story looks nothing like your own, recognizing familiar feelings inside unfamiliar circumstances, and learning that understanding someone’s pain doesn’t mean excusing the behavior that caused it.

What’s the difference between being vulnerable and simply oversharing? And why can saying “I need help” feel so much harder than pretending we have it all together? In this episode of Mic’d Up & Unfiltered, Amy and Kristine talk honestly about vulnerability, shame, and the fear hiding beneath both: If people really knew me, would they still like me? They explore the difference between guilt and shame, the pressure created by picture-perfect social media, and the quiet shame women carry around motherhood, business, aging, relationships, asking for help, and never feeling like they’re doing enough. Kristine & Amy dig into why vulnerability can create connection, what happens when we share with someone who isn’t ready to receive it, and how honesty helps other people realize they aren’t alone. It’s honest, funny, a little messy, and a reminder that vulnerability isn’t weakness. Sometimes it’s the bravest way we can show up.

What if entrepreneurship is an opportunity available to far more people than realize it? This week, Amy and Kristine are joined by their friend Suzanne Holt, one of only four Norwex Silver Senior Vice Presidents in the world. Suzanne started her business from home when her boys were just 3 and 6. Today, she leads a team of approximately 11,000 people — and has raised two sons with entrepreneurial minds of their own. Together, they talk about what it really means to work for yourself: the freedom, the responsibility, the self-motivation, and the work ethic it takes to build something from the ground up. Because entrepreneurship isn’t reserved for people who grew up knowing it was an option. The opportunity may be there for more of us than we realize — what we do with it is another story. And, naturally, the conversation takes a few unfiltered detours along the way. 😂 At the end of the day, whether it’s business, parenting, or life, you reap what you sow.

What happens when a family of six packs up their life, moves into a 39-foot travel trailer, and spends 10 months exploring North America? This week, Amy & Kristine sit down with their friend Kara Ameloot — aka Clean with Kara — for a hilarious and honest look at RV life with four kids. From homeschooling and ferry ramps to Florida storms, roadside potty breaks, running a business from the road, and six people sharing one VERY small space… Kara has stories. And underneath the adventure is a story about marriage, anxiety, sobriety, simplifying life, and what can happen when you step outside of everything familiar. Learn more about Thousand Trails: https://thousandtrails.com/memberships

What happens when you’ve been taught to be polite, question your instincts, or believe someone else’s wants matter more than your own boundaries? Picking up where last week’s conversation about alcohol left off, Amy and Kristine go much deeper this week—into consent, vulnerability, abusive relationships, workplace harassment, predators, and the complicated reasons we don’t always recognize danger or leave when we know something isn’t right. Kristine shares parts of her story that she has rarely spoken about publicly, including experiences that shaped the way she understood relationships, boundaries, safety, and her own self-worth. She also shares the moment she knew something had to change—and what it took to begin choosing a different life for herself. This conversation isn’t about asking, “Why didn’t you just leave?” or “Why didn’t you say no?” It’s about understanding what can happen to a person’s sense of self over time. How boundaries get blurred. How manipulation works. Why we sometimes explain away the feeling in our gut. And what consent actually looks like. Amy and Kristine also talk about what comes after: rebuilding trust in yourself, teaching our children that their bodies and voices belong to them, recognizing red flags, and imagining who you could become on the other side of fear, addiction, abuse, or trauma. This one is deep, personal, and vulnerable. It’s also about finding your fire again, learning to trust yourself, and believing you were made for more. Content note: This episode includes personal discussions of domestic abuse, sexual assault, drug-facilitated assault, workplace harassment, alcohol, and trauma. ----- If you or someone you know needs help: If something in this episode feels familiar, you do not have to navigate it alone. Abusive or unsafe relationships — National Domestic Violence Hotline Free, confidential support is available 24/7. Advocates can help you understand what you’re experiencing, explore your options, connect with local resources, and create a safety plan—including if you are thinking about leaving. Call: 800-799-SAFE (7233)Text: START to 88788Help & live chat:https://www.thehotline.org/get-help/ Safety planning:https://www.thehotline.org/plan-for-safety/ Dating abuse & healthy relationships — love is respect Confidential 24/7 support for teens and young adults, as well as concerned friends and family. Advocates can help with questions about healthy relationships, dating abuse, boundaries, safety planning, and getting out of an unhealthy relationship. Call: 866-331-9474Text: LOVEIS to 22522https://www.loveisrespect.org/get-relationship-help-24-7-365/ Sexual assault — RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline Free, confidential support is available 24/7 for anyone who has experienced sexual assault. RAINN can help connect you with medical care, local support services, counseling resources, and information about your options. Call: 800-656-HOPE (4673)Text: HOPE to 64673Online support & chat:https://rainn.org/help-and-healing/hotline/ If you have recently experienced sexual assault or believe you may have been drugged or assaulted: Consider seeking medical care as soon as possible. You can ask about a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) or Sexual Assault Forensic Exam (SAFE). You can seek medical care and learn about evidence-collection options even if you are not ready to report to law enforcement. What to do after sexual assault:https://rainn.org/help-and-healing/if-youve-been-assaulted/ If you are in immediate danger or experiencing a life-threatening emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.

Alcohol is deeply woven into our culture — celebration, relaxation, friendship, dating, stress relief, fitting in, and sometimes escape. But how often do we stop and ask what it's actually adding to our lives… and what it might be taking away? In this episode of Mic’d Up & Unfiltered, Amy and Kristine have an honest conversation about alcohol — from social drinking and drinking culture to dependence, addiction, sobriety, and healing. Amy shares her experience with alcohol dependence and the work it took to heal what she had spent years trying to numb, while Kristine shares her perspective from loving someone with alcohol dependence and becoming increasingly aware of the effects alcohol has on her own body and well-being. Ultimately, this conversation is about more than drinking. It's about paying attention to what we use to cope or escape, understanding why we reach for it, and building a life we don't need to escape from. Want to go deeper into what it looks like to build that life? Listen to Episode 10, Finding Balance in a New Season, where we talk about the six pillars Kristine uses to come back to herself: nourishment, rest, movement, spirituality, play, and purpose. https://open.spotify.com/episode/76jP1NODEJ7J0C9gDYs5ks?si=8WW8PijSQK6hZ7v1Ym6_Kw If you're ready to stop drinking — or you're wondering whether alcohol has become a bigger part of your life than you want it to be — you don't have to figure it out alone. Support & Resources: SAMHSA National Helpline — Free, confidential, 24/7 treatment referral and information for mental health and substance use disorders.1-800-662-HELP (4357)https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/helplines NIAAA Alcohol Treatment Navigator — Find evidence-based alcohol treatment and learn how to choose quality care.https://alcoholtreatment.niaaa.nih.gov/ Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) — Find local and online AA meetings and recovery support.https://www.aa.org/find-aa SMART Recovery — Free meetings and practical, evidence-informed tools for changing addictive behaviors, including alcohol use.https://smartrecovery.org/meeting A note about stopping alcohol: If you drink heavily or regularly and think you may be physically dependent on alcohol, talk with a healthcare professional before suddenly stopping. Alcohol withdrawal can be serious and, in some cases, life-threatening. Content note: This episode includes conversations about alcohol dependence, childhood trauma, abusive relationships, and sexual assault.

Packing cubes? Check. Passport? Check. A plan for when your brain starts spiraling before a trip? That one's a little harder. With a trip to Toronto just days away, Amy and Kristine dive into all things travel—from overpacking and travel anxiety to airplane must-haves and the little tricks that make traveling easier. Kristine shares the simple mindset shift that helped her overcome panic attacks while traveling, while Amy proves that not everyone needs an itinerary after backpacking through Europe with no hotels booked. Along the way, they swap stories about wildlife encounters, favorite travel gadgets, surprisingly gross airplane tray tables, and the travel moments they'll never forget. Whether you're a seasoned traveler or someone who gets anxious just thinking about leaving home, this episode is packed with practical tips, honest stories, and plenty of laughs before your next adventure.

What if keeping your relationship strong could start with one simple conversation a day? This week, our friend Merlene Austen joins us to talk about relationships, communication, and the practical tools she and her husband have spent years sharing through premarriage and marriage retreats. We dig into the Daily Temperature Reading—a simple five-part check-in built around appreciation, new information, puzzles, complaints with requests, and hopes and dreams—and how having a structure for communication can help us stay connected BEFORE things pile up. We also talk about the words that can completely change a conversation (“You always…” vs. “I feel…”), making intentional deposits into each other’s Love Banks, and continuing to invest in passion, intimacy, and commitment as a relationship grows and changes. Whether your relationship is thriving, struggling, or somewhere in between, this conversation is full of simple tools for communicating better, staying connected, and continuing to choose each other. 💚 Resources mentioned:Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts — Les & Leslie ParrottHis Needs, Her Needs — Willard F. Harley Jr.Paired — Couples & Relationship App

Have you ever fallen down an internet rabbit hole and come out wondering if you should wash your pillows, feed your dog differently, or completely rethink your morning routine? Welcome. You're our kind of people. In this episode, we talk about everything from homemade dog food and sleep to dust mites, enzymes, tea, coffee, and why "clean living" goes way beyond the products we bring into our homes. We don't always know where these conversations are going when we hit record, but we've learned that's usually where the magic happens. --- Enjoyed hanging out with us? Make sure you're subscribed so you don't miss an episode. If this conversation resonated with you, we'd be so grateful if you'd leave a 5-star review or share it with a friend.

What if changing just one word could change the entire way a conversation feels? In this episode of Mic'd Up & Unfiltered, Amy and Kristine dive into the power of language, the stories we tell ourselves, and what it means to build a life that actually feels like yours. Along the way, they laugh, overshare, go wildly off-topic, and have some surprisingly honest conversations about relationships, resilience, parenting, and doing scary things anyway. Because sometimes changing one word really can change everything. ---If you enjoyed this episode, we'd love it if you'd subscribe, leave a 5-star review, and share it with someone who might need to hear it. Your support helps us keep these conversations going.

What do customer service, strong friendships, healthy marriages, and thriving businesses have in common? They all grow from the way we care for people. In this episode of Mic’d Up & Unfiltered, Amy and Kristine laugh their way through stories, memories, and a few unexpected tangents as they explore why thoughtful service still matters, how simple acts of kindness leave lasting impressions, and why they're reimagining Facebook parties as Healthy Home Workshops centered on education, connection, and real value. From Kristine's waitressing days to Amy's inner investigator, the conversation naturally weaves into friendship, marriage, protecting what matters most, and creating a life filled with genuine connection. Come for the laughs, stay for the reminders that the little things often become the big things—and that how we show up for one another matters more than ever.