Life happens. Messy, unpredictable, sometimes beautiful, sometimes brutal… and then, eventually, we die.
This podcast isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about asking better questions. Relationships, identity, career pivots, emotional patterns, and the quiet moments where everything shifts.
Hosted by a rotating cast of voices, Life Happens and Then You Die brings together different perspectives, lived experiences, and unfiltered conversations about what it actually means to live before it’s over.
Special Guest: Gabby: Dating, Writing & Other Plot Twists
She’s making her Life Happens and Then You Die debut, so naturally Jes decided the best way to welcome her was to start asking questions.
We get into who Gabby is, what her dating life looks like, the relationships and experiences that have shaped her, and what she’s learned along the way. We also talk about a pretty major new chapter in her life: becoming a published author and putting her own story out into the world.
There’s dating, nostalgia, childhood stories, writing, a little vulnerability, and plenty of detours.
Consider this your official introduction to Gabby.
21 Aug 2026
Spicy Books, The Wicker & Reading Without Shame
We're back for Part 2 of our conversation about books, and this time things get a little more... spicy.
Melissa and I talk about The Wicker trailer, more books, and the growing popularity of spicy romance. We get into why people sometimes feel embarrassed about what they read and why, honestly, they shouldn't.
Whether you love literary fiction, fantasy, romance, thrillers, spicy books, or something completely different, reading is supposed to be enjoyable. So why are we so quick to judge someone else's bookshelf?
Grab whatever you're currently reading and join us for a conversation about book preferences, guilty pleasures, and letting people enjoy things without the shame.
14 Aug 2026
Banned Books, Bibles & Religion in Schools
What books did you grow up reading?
In this episode, Melissa and I take a trip down memory lane and talk about the books we read as kids, some of our favorites, and the books that have since been banned or challenged.
From there, the conversation takes an unexpected turn when we start talking about required reading in schools. That leads us into a larger discussion about what students should be required to read, who gets to make those decisions, and eventually, the role of the Bible and religion in public education.
What starts as a conversation about childhood books turns into a much bigger discussion about censorship, education, religious freedom, and what belongs in a classroom.
It's a little nostalgic, a little contentious, and very much a Life Happens & Then You Die conversation.
24 Jul 2026
Questions, Tangents & Everything In Between
What happens when life gets busy, your podcast plans fall through, but you're determined to keep your posting schedule?
You call your sister.
What started as a simple random Q&A quickly turned into stories, unexpected tangents, and plenty of laughs. Sometimes the best conversations are the ones you never planned.
So grab your favorite drink and join us for a completely unscripted episode of Life Happens & Then You Die.
17 Jul 2026
AI in Everyday Life: Marketing, Mental Health, Creativity and the Risks We Ignore
AI is showing up everywhere, from social media posts and Google searches to emails, dating profiles, artwork, and business marketing. In this episode, Jes and Melissa talk about how people are actually using artificial intelligence, where it can go wrong, and why it is getting harder to tell what is real.
They get into AI-generated content, stolen videos, copyright, small business marketing, data centers, misinformation, people-pleasing AI, mental health, and the very strange experience of two people using AI to email each other.
Are we using AI as a helpful tool, or letting it do too much of the thinking for us?
10 Jul 2026
Dreams, Nightmares & the Weird Stuff Our Brains Do
In this episode of Life Happens and Then You Die, we talk about dreams, recurring dreams, nightmares, and the strange ways our subconscious processes emotions while we sleep.
We explore dream symbolism, common dream interpretations, REM sleep, and the science behind why our brains may revisit stressful, emotional, or unresolved experiences at night.
We also get into visitation dreams, grief dreams, falling dreams, teeth falling out, being chased, sleep paralysis, flying, floating, and what it might mean when the same dream keeps coming back.
From spiritual interpretations to psychological theories, we look at dreams as more than random brain noise. And yes, we also talk about sex dreams, or in Jesica’s case, the frustrating lack of them.
7 Jul 2026
The Company We Keep, Part 2: Rapid Fire, Avoidance, and More
My sister is back for Part 2 of Life Happens and Then You Die: The Company We Keep.
We attempt rapid-fire questions, which immediately become less rapid and more “accidentally wandered into an emotional cave with snacks.” This episode takes us through avoidance, death, memory, personal growth, and the strange places a conversation can go when you stop trying to control it.
3 Jul 2026
Part 2: Deconstructing Faith: Why Melissa Left the LDS Church
After spending most of her life in the LDS Church, Melissa began asking questions she could no longer ignore. In this episode, she shares her deconstruction journey, the research that challenged her beliefs, the emotional impact of questioning her faith, and how her relationships, identity, and worldview changed along the way.
We discuss confirmation bias, information control, church history, LGBTQ issues, personal autonomy, and what it means to rebuild a life after leaving a belief system that once defined you.
3 Jul 2026
Part 1: Growing Up Mormon: Melissa's Experience Inside the LDS Church
What was it like growing up in the LDS Church? In this episode, Melissa shares her personal experience growing up Mormon, including church culture, expectations around marriage and family, missions, modesty, temple practices, and the impact faith had on her identity and worldview.
This isn't a debate about religion. It's an open conversation about lived experience, belief, community, and what it was like to navigate life inside a faith that shaped so much of her upbringing.
2 Jul 2026
The Company We Keep, Part 1: Sisters, Stories, and Questionable Memory Recall
My sister joins me for a special two-part episode of Life Happens and Then You Die: The Company We Keep.
In Part 1, we talk about life, growing up, shared memories, and the stories we somehow remember both together and completely differently. It’s funny, personal, reflective, and occasionally proof that memory is less of a filing cabinet and more of a junk drawer with opinions.
26 Jun 2026
Midlife Crises, Hobby Hopping & Finding Your People
Are hobbies just a way to pass the time, or are they something more?
In this episode of Life Happens and Then You Die, Jes and Melissa explore everything from millennial midlife crises and hobby hopping to Dungeons & Dragons, rock polishing, fishing, creative writing, and the endless pursuit of knowledge.
Along the way, they discuss how hobbies can help us reconnect with ourselves, build confidence, meet new people, and discover interests we never knew we had. They also dive into the challenges of starting something new, overcoming gatekeeping, and why being a beginner might be one of the most important parts of personal growth.
Whether you're a lifelong hobbyist, a serial hobby hopper, or someone looking for a new passion, this conversation might inspire you to try something new.
Topics include:
• Millennial midlife crises and identity
• Hobby hopping and creative exploration
• Dungeons & Dragons and gaming communities
• Turning hobbies into work
• The pursuit of knowledge as a hobby
• Finding your people through shared interests
• Why hobbies matter for personal growth
What hobby have you always wanted to try?
19 Jun 2026
Part 2: Are You Distracted Challenge Wrap Up
In our last episode, we challenged ourselves to spend a day being more intentional with our time and attention. What started as a one-day experiment turned into a week-long reality check.
In this episode, we share what happened when we tried to be more aware of our distractions, reduce screen time, and focus on the things that matter most. Along the way, we discovered that focus isn't always about discipline. Sometimes it's about capacity, recovery, environment, and even fear.
We talk about productivity, emotional bandwidth, healthy breaks, multitasking myths, the difference between distraction and limited capacity, and why staying busy can sometimes be a way to avoid the things that matter most.
This conversation became less about getting more done and more about understanding where our attention goes, what drains it, and how to work with ourselves instead of against ourselves.
In this episode:
• The results of our week-long focus challenge
• Why productivity without recovery doesn't work
• The difference between distraction and limited capacity
• How multitasking affects attention
• Fear, avoidance, and the illusion of productivity
• The role environment plays in focus
• What it means to be intentional with your time
• Our biggest takeaways from the challenge
Sometimes the goal isn't to focus harder. It's to understand what's competing for your attention in the first place.
12 Jun 2026
Part 1: Are You Busy or Just Distracted? Join the Challenge
Are you actually busy, or are you just distracted?
In this episode, we challenge ourselves to reduce digital distractions and pay closer attention to how we spend our time. What started as an experiment in cutting back on social media quickly turned into a deeper conversation about habits, emotional distractions, intentional living, and why so many of us struggle to sit still.
We discuss doom scrolling, attention traps, productivity, self-awareness, personal growth, and what happens when you remove the noise long enough to hear your own thoughts.
The results weren't exactly what we expected.
7 Jun 2026
Unscheduled Thoughts: Jesica Answers Questions
Welcome to the first Unscheduled Thoughts episode of Life Happens and Then You Die.
Jesica tackles three questions that led to some surprisingly honest conversations:
• Why do we keep falling back into the same patterns even when we know better?
• How do we survive major life changes, grief, and uncertainty?
• What are we still trying to prove, and why do we keep looking to other people for validation?
From nervous system responses and emotional awareness to people-pleasing, self-worth, and learning to trust yourself, this episode explores the messy reality of growth.
No perfect answers.
No life hacks.
Just an honest conversation about being human and figuring things out as you go.
If you've ever felt stuck, overwhelmed, uncertain, or like you're waiting for permission to become the person you want to be, this episode is for you.
5 Jun 2026
Personality Tests, Career Changes & Figuring Out Who You Are
How much can a personality test actually tell you about yourself?
In this episode, we explore personality assessments, self-discovery, career changes, and the sometimes messy process of figuring out who you are when life doesn't go according to plan.
We talk about our own personality results, how they show up in our relationships and work lives, and what happened when we stepped away from familiar careers to pursue something different.
Whether you love personality tests or think they're complete nonsense, this conversation might give you a new perspective on growth, identity, and change.
Personality Test Link: https://openpsychometrics.org/tests/IPIP-BFFM/
29 May 2026
Getting to Know Us: Random Questions, Unexpected Answers
Welcome to the first episode of Life Happens and Then You Die!
Before diving into bigger topics, we thought it would be fun to introduce ourselves through a series of random questions. What started as a simple get-to-know-you exercise quickly turned into stories, laughs, unexpected answers, and a glimpse into how differently we see the world.
In this episode, you'll learn a little about who we are, what inspired us to start the podcast, and why we're inviting you along for the ride.
Sometimes the best conversations start with the most random questions.
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Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
4 ratings
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