Heartbeat Narratives

DO YOUR BEST · This week, Heartbeat Narratives turns 1! To mark the milestone, we welcome the most requested guest, Amund Gismervik, a steady presence who has quietly shaped the podcast behind the scenes. Note: he is the guitarist behind the podcast's intro and outro music! A lifelong athlete with a deep passion for springboard and platform diving, Amund has transformed his love for the sport into...

EVERY WORD COUNTS · In this episode, playwright Sean Dunnington shares stories that travel as freely as he does from Hawaiʻi Island to New York, Singapore, and beyond. He reflects on growing up in the misty hills of Waimea, finding refuge in theater, and learning how art can belong anywhere including libraries, community circles, and far off stages. The conversation drifts through queerness, power...

Health Content Advisory: This conversation centers on pregnancy and birth, including personal experiences. Please listen with care – mahalo. In this life-affirming episode, we sit down with PuaOEleili Pinto - mother of two, cultural health provider, and keeper of lomilomi, lāʻau lapaʻau, and Hawaiian childbirth traditions. Raised in Kailua, Oʻahu, with ancestral roots across Maui and Hawaiʻi Islan...

WILDLAND FIREFIGHTING · Meet Harry Baden, a wildland firefighter based in Montana who followed an unexpected path from Minnesota to Hawaiʻi and into a life of fire service. In this episode of Heartbeat Narratives, he shares the fun, camaraderie, and standout moments that come from working long days on the fire line with friends who quickly become family. Harry talks about how discipline, training,...

COURAGE TO COMMERCE · In this mini episode, we meet Reshma in the bustling marketplace at Katong Square in Singapore, where commerce and community come alive. She shares how losing her job at 50 sparked the courage to turn her lifelong love of fashion and handmade goods into a vibrant, affordable boutique. Reshma’s journey is a joyful reminder that reinvention is part of life and taking the courag...

SPEARFISHING · In this episode, Cindy Kan shares her perspective as a waterwoman, spearfisher, and lifelong ocean lover. She reflects on how the Pacific has taught her balance and presence, shaping the way she moves through life both in and out of the water. Her story follows a path from Vancouver, Canada to the reefs of Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi where learning to source her own food strengthened the kinship...

As Heartbeat gets close to turning one, I’ve been thinking about how much joy this whole pod-life journey has brought me. And with my birthday this month, it felt like the perfect time to share a fun bit of serendipity - I discovered a video time capsule from when I was sixteen. I popped in a few audio clips at the end so you can get a quick peek into my teen years (midwest accent and all). Aloha...

A serendipitous encounter in Kīhei opens the door to the enchanting world of Maui musician Don Lax, whose hurdy-gurdy and violin shimmer with their own personalities. Don shares the spellbinding history of these instruments and brings them to life with music that feels as if it drifted in from another era. As he and Molly talk story on the sidewalk of a grocery store, Don reflects on his globe-tro...

Pop, pop, POP! It’s SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY! 🍿At Lani’s Island Snack Shack in Hilo, Hawaiʻi, Cassi of Kravin' Munchies brings pure joy to every conversation about handmade treats and the laughter-filled energy of the shop. Cassi dives into the beginnings of those flavored popcorn experiments and the mouthwatering power of Lani's beloved teri burger (with mustard!) that customers can’t stop orderi...

Content Advisory: This episode contains sensitive themes, including discussion of suicide and suicide awareness. Please listen with care -  mahalo. In this season of gratitude, I’m excited to share an episode recorded with a close college friend of mine, Coco , an artist in every sense of the word. During a reunion at our alma mater in St. Paul, Minnesota, we revisit our college years and the beau...

ZEST & ZIPLINING· Molly and Dina meet atop Mount Ulriken in Bergen, Norway, where Dina works as a zip line guide overlooking her ancestral homeland. It is the most beautiful "view from the office" you could imagine. She shares how growing up on a multigenerational family farm surrounded by sea, mountains, and animals shaped her love of nature and adventure. She talks about the rush of adrenaline t...

5 DAYS OF SILENCE · After ten years of dreaming about doing a meditation retreat, I finally found the courage to do it last month. In this solo episode, I share what it was like to spend five days in silence at a mountain retreat center in California. I had written it down as a New Year’s resolution because I LOVE exploring personal development strategies, but following through on this goal was SO...

In this episode, we share space and song with Kukui, a musician, law student, and ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi advocate whose life flows with aloha and mele (song, poetry, chant). This conversation is a testament to her love of music and how to her, mele is moʻokūʻauhau (genealogy). After seven years away, she returns home to Oʻahu with kuleana to teach and nurture others through oli (chant), cultural protocol,...

Aloha friends - today on Heartbeat Narratives, we’re sitting cross-legged on the floor in Kaimukī, Honolulu, with the windows open and the trade winds carrying stories. Our guest, Angelina Elido, is a traveler in every sense of the word. This past year, you could find her dog sledding across icy Minnesota landscapes, building earthships in New Mexico and ideating a wellness retreat in Turkey. We t...

IN SERVICE OF THE SEA · On this episode, longtime Mālama Maunalua  volunteer and science educator Ralph Dykes joins from Maunalua, Oʻahu where he has spent over 15 years helping restore the native marine ecosystem. A consistent presence who kayaks every day, Ralph reflects on what it means to care for a place over time and why that kind of steady, local effort matters. He shares stories from his l...

ROOTS, REGGAE & RHYTHM. Dr. Sunaina Keonaona Kale, an ethnomusicologist and member of the Hawaiian diaspora, explores the connections between reggae music and her growing interest in her Hawaiian identity. The conversation traces how reggae found a home in Hawaiʻi and how its rhythms echo the islands’ own expansive sense of community and belonging. Sunaina shares her own path of reconnecting to he...

Sham, a passionate skateboarder and coach, shares about his love of skateboarding and how it became a lifelong source of joy and confidence. From his first drop-in as a teenager to teaching kids as young as three at Skatebruh in Singapore, he talks about finding flow, pushing past fear, and embracing every fall as part of the ride. Now at 40, Sham continues to chase that same thrill that first spa...

In a remote corner of Norway’s Hardangerfjord, Knut shares stories shaped by stone, silence, and saltwater. We talk about fly-catching (for fun!), reindeer stew, and what it means to create without rushing. His world is one of quiet craftsmanship, reflection, and strong ties to the land and family. From building a simple pier to teaching loved ones how to sail, Knut’s life is woven into the rhythm...

In this heart-to-heart conversation, Paulette Erato, host of La Vida Más Chévere de Childfree Latinas , shares her journey of rewriting life’s narratives. Based in Los Angeles and rooted in her Puerto Rican heritage, Paulette brings humor and relatable insights to the theme of joy. She opens up about taking a non-traditional path, practicing radical self-kindness, and embracing the quiet strength...

In this episode of Heartbeat Narratives, we talk story with Hiʻilei, a carpenter from Lāhainā, Maui who shares how following your intuition can lead to a fulfilling career. From her early days on the basketball court to navigating a male-dominated industry, she shares how grit and discipline shaped her path in the construction industry. Hiʻilei reflects on the heartbreaking Maui wildfires of Augus...

In this mini travel episode of Heartbeat Narratives, Molly meets Leah Robb on a sunny morning by the river in Copenhagen, Denmark at Islands Brygge. Leah shares how swimming, from high dives to icy winter baths, has become a profound way to move through grief. What started as a tribute to a loved one’s suggestion of "winter bathing," has grown into a ritual of healing and helps her embrace difficu...

At Singapore’s National Botanic Garden, Molly sits down with Paul for a lively conversation about his love for his country. Paul, a fourth-generation Singaporean and tour guide, reflects on the nation’s independence in 1965 and its transformation into a vibrant global city in just 60 years. He shares what brings him joy - from family and friends to the colorful cultures, foods, and traditions that...

Aloha friends, this episode gave me the opportunity to reflect on my travels this summer and what it means to cultivate empathy across borders. From witnessing an American naturalization ceremony, to watching an international diving competition in Singapore, to experiencing Norway’s election this September, my thoughts have been spinning about what it means to be a global citizen. How do we treat...

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 Ligh...

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 givin...