When the Darkness Hits

Maybe This Is What Your 20s Are Actually For

This week I’m talking about something I keep bumping into in my late 20s: the difference between doing things because you should… and doing things that actually fit the season you’re in. Somewhere along the way I realized that growing up isn’t just about trying new things — it’s about noticing what works for you right now, what doesn’t, and letting yourself shift without feeling like a failure. So that’s what today’s episode explores: honoring your energy, listening to yourself, and giving things permission to be “for now” instead of forever. And yes, I’m taking a little break from the podcast while I’m in Texas — we’ll see what happens next. But for now, here’s a end-of-season reflection on the weird, fun, figuring-it-out stage of your 20s. (Music Prod. credit to Matt Monroe) IG/TikTok: @mandywecksten YouTube: @mandywecksten

Holidays hit different when you live abroad

This year, we hosted our first real Thanksgiving in Finland — and it made me realize how holidays hit completely differently when you live abroad. In today’s episode, I’m talking about what it feels like to rebuild traditions from scratch, the emotional whiplash of being far from home during the holidays, and how adulthood shows up in the smallest moments… like trying to buy canned pumpkin in a country that doesn’t even celebrate Thanksgiving. If you’re navigating holidays in your late 20s, figuring out who you are while building a life far away from where you started — this one’s for you. (Music Prod. credit to Matt Monroe) INSTAGRAM/TIKTOK: @mandywecksten YOUTUBE: @mandywecksten

The Places I Swear I’ll Go (But Somehow Don’t)

This episode is about the funny little pattern we all fall into: saying “we should do that sometime” and then never actually doing it. My Something New challenge has been forcing me out of my usual routines, and it’s made me realize how many things I’ve been putting off for no real reason. I talk about a few places I finally checked off my list, why it’s so easy to get stuck in autopilot, and what this month of trying new things is showing me about how I actually spend my time. (Music Prod. credit to Matt Monroe) INSTAGRAM/TIKTOK: @mandywecksten YOUTUBE: @mandywecksten

Planning Instead of Doing (& the pressure to be sure)

I spent most of October doing what I do best: planning. Planning my content, my systems, my routines... basically everything except actually doing the things. In this quick episode, I’m talking about that habit of planning instead of doing — and how it’s really just another way of trying to feel sure before you start. Because let’s be honest, half of your 20s is just pretending to have a plan while you figure it out in real time. (Music Prod. credit to Matt Monroe) INSTAGRAM/TIKTOK: @mandywecksten YOUTUBE: @mandywecksten

When the Darkness Hits

The clocks changed this week, and suddenly it’s dark before dinner. My body feels off, my energy’s weird, and I caught myself not leaving the apartment till 6 p.m. — classic start-of-winter behavior.😅 In this episode, I’m talking about what it’s like when the darkness hits — growing up somewhere where the sun sticks around, moving to places where it doesn’t, and realizing you can’t just out-fight the season. This episode is a lot of real talk about learning to live with slower seasons (both the weather kind and the emotional kind). (Music Prod. credit to Matt Monroe) INSTAGRAM/TIKTOK: @mandywecksten YOUTUBE: @mandywecksten