Connecting with Mike & Adrian

What happens when you follow a treasure map into the Minnesota woods and come face-to-face with a 42-foot wooden giant?  You remember why adventuring matters.  In this episode, Mike and Adrian share the story of their troll hunt in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota — home to five massive sculptures by Danish recycling artist Thomas Dambo, whose goal of "Trail of a Thousand Trolls" has grown into...

What makes a hobby a hobby — and not a side hustle or a chore? In this episode, Mike and Adrian explore the joy of doing something purely because you love it and why so many adults feel guilty about it.  They also get out their shovels and dig up the hobbies that have been buried in the "Hobby Graveyard."

We were working on an upcoming episode on hobbies and were talking about the ones that we don't do much anymore.  Mike went through spurts of writing poetry over the years, and we thought we'd share some today - enjoy!

We live in a culture that's made it acceptable — even sophisticated — to keep your options open. But what happens when your word stops meaning anything? Mike and Adrian go deep on the real anatomy of commitment: what it costs, what it builds, and what it says about who you're becoming.

You know that feeling — it's 2am, you're replaying a conversation from this morning, and your brain absolutely refuses to let it go. That's not thinking. That's rumination. And most of us are way better at it than we'd like to be.  In this episode, Mike and Adrian get honest about their own spirals — the sleepless nights, the decision paralysis, the moments anxiety showed...

You've made the pros and cons list. You've asked everyone you know. You've Googled it at 1am, and somehow — you still haven't decided.  This week, we get into the psychology of how we make decisions and why we freeze or rush. We cover the hidden biases quietly running the show, real frameworks that work in real life, and the high-stakes decisions we tend to avoid the most — car...

We explore one of life's most uncomfortable — and unavoidable — experiences: the gray area. From moral dilemmas to unclear relationships to not knowing where you stand in your career, ambiguity shows up everywhere. But our brains are wired for certainty, and the mismatch causes real distress. Together we'll dig into why unresolved situations feel so threatening, the hidden costs of forci...

 In this episode, we step into the quiet and take an honest look at the difference between loneliness and solitude in a world that’s more connected — yet more isolated — than ever. Loneliness is the pain of missing connection, while solitude is the intentional choice to be alone and grow from it. We explore why we avoid silence, how that avoidance affects our relationships, and how a lack of self-...

We tackle one of life's most personal questions: how much of who you are today is the result of deliberate choices versus the forces — upbringing, trauma, relationships, and circumstance — that shaped you without your permission.  The conversation moves from childhood dreams to a genuine debate about agency versus circumstance.  We close with a practical framework for closing the gap between...

In this episode of Connecting with Mike & Adrian , Mike shares a 3 a.m. moment of inspiration from his company’s annual sales meeting. After days of talking about “Winning with Intention,” he realized something deeper: business empowerment only works when we’re self-empowered. Living unintentionally is like sailing without a rudder — without it, the winds of life can push you wherever they wan...

Silence can feel peaceful—or painfully loud. In this episode, Mike and Adrian explore how silence shapes relationships, from unanswered texts to quiet car rides and conversations that suddenly stop. They break down the different kinds of silence—healthy, awkward, petty, and processing—and why we often choose silence as self-protection rather than indifference. Through personal stories, humor, and...

We’ve all done it—nodding along while secretly planning the perfect response. In this episode, Mike and Adrian unpack the difference between actually listening and just waiting to talk. With humor, honesty, and real-life examples, they explore why we do it, the hidden cost it has on relationships, and how it impacts marriage, friendships, leadership, and trust. They share practical ways to listen...

This episode breaks down the idea of third spaces —the places outside of home and work where community naturally forms. We talk about why these spaces matter, how they’ve faded in modern life, and what their loss means for loneliness and connection. From cafés and parks to digital hangouts, we explore what makes a space truly communal and how we can start rebuilding places that foster belonging ag...

We're calling Season 2 a wrap and are taking a Fall & Holiday Break.  We'll be back with Season 3 on January 13th, so be sure to set a calendar reminder.  Send us a message if you've got a topic you'd like us to discuss.  We're already working on a couple, but we always appreciate listener input.

We explore the fascinating difference between maximizers—those who strive to make the absolute best choice in every decision—and satisficers—those who are content with “good enough.”  We dive into how these two mindsets shape everything from career decisions and relationships to daily habits like choosing what to eat or buy. Maximizers may enjoy the pursuit of perfection but often face decision fa...

If you've got a cell phone or tablet, you've probably spent a lot of time just scrolling, what some would call doom scrolling.  Adrian talks about her latest activity, which is "Good Scrolling", an intentional way to use the device to bring positivity to herself and to others.

In this episode, we dive into the powerful role expectations play in our daily lives—both the ones we place on ourselves and the ones we carry for others. Unmet expectations can lead to disappointment, conflict, and frustration, but managed wisely, they can set us up for peace, motivation, and clarity. We’ll explore practical strategies for setting realistic expectations, communicating them effect...

Encouragement might sound simple, but it’s one of the most powerful tools we have in relationships.  Whether it's family, friends, coworkers, or even strangers, a little encouragement goes a long way in strengthening those bonds.

We often use the words sympathy , empathy , and compassion interchangeably -but they’re not the same. By knowing the difference, we can transform how we connect with others.

In a culture obsessed with hustle, rest is often mistaken for laziness.  But true rest is not just a break - it's a vital component of productivity, creativity, and mental well-being.

We've enjoyed the card game Play Nine for many years and it's a mainstay game at many events.  Through the years of playing we have found wisdom in its correlations to real life.

Home projects of all sizes benefit from good communication as to the vision, timeline, costs, and the steps required get to the end.

The reality TV show Survivor has been on for 24 years and has over 700 episodes.  Our family has enjoyed watching this together over the years and it always brings up discussions about the choices players have made and how they interact with each other.  We talk about the show and the many lessons to be learned from it if you are a contestant and in our day-to-day lives.

Bickering is when we argue about trivial and seemingly unimportant things.  Working through the reasons for the bickering can help pull us together, but unattended bickering with barbs of personal attacks can push us apart.

We just returned from taking a family vacation to the Happiest Place on Earth and had an Epic adventure.  It made us wonder how we can carry the positive vibes of the theme parks forward into our daily lives.