More Than Pod

Kristen Smith
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Relationships
  • Weekly

The More Than Pod is for the 30-something-year-old woman who isn’t where she thought she’d be. Here, we’ll have real, no-b******t conversations about dating, relationships, careers, friendships, and everything in between. My goal is for every girl to leave an episode reminded that she is more than what she settled for, stronger than what tried to break her, and better because of what she overcame.

Episodes

  1. Oct 29

    More Than Your Past

    Kristen Luna Smith shares personal insights on overcoming past insecurities and embracing self-acceptance, emphasizing that you're more than your past. She discusses how childhood experiences shape us and how to turn those experiences into positive growth. Chapters00:00Introduction and personal update on a successful presentation02:16The importance of celebrating your wins and self-pride04:34Women often downplay their achievements and how to change that05:57Understanding the phrase 'more than your past' and its meaning07:26How childhood and past experiences shape us09:45The impact of middle school and social media on self-esteem12:32Recognizing and overcoming childhood insecurities15:40Turning past pain into positive growth18:46The importance of separating past from present identity22:42Letting go of societal and familial expectations26:59The power of self-affirmation and challenging old insecurities29:49Embracing change and writing your own story31:33Final thoughts: Be yourself and move forward confidently

  2. Oct 22

    More Than Not Feeling Enough

    Kristen Luna Smith opens up about preparing for a major work presentation and how that pressure sparked a bigger reflection on self-worth, confidence, and comparison. This episode connects professional self-doubt with dating and future goals, showing how the feeling of “not being enough” can show up in more than one area of life.In this solo episode, Kristen shares how to separate momentary insecurity from actual lack of worth, why confidence does not mean never feeling unsure, and why you do not have to become a different person to deserve the life or relationship you want. 02:24 - Why experienced people still second-guess themselves05:50 - Remembering you earned your seat in the room06:20 - The week’s mindset: believing in yourself10:27 - How self-worth shows up in dating and relationships12:22 - Confident people can still feel insecure17:58 - A key distinction: feeling not enough is not the same as being not enough18:35 - Wondering if you are enough for the relationship you want22:42 - Why we assume other people are the better option25:02 - Choosing yourself instead of chasing approval27:51 - Building a life that adds to your joy, not fixes it29:16 - Stop moving the finish line every time you improve30:46 - Wanting more without devaluing who you already are32:14 - A reminder that you are more than not feeling good enough

  3. Oct 15

    More Than Being Hard On Yourself

    More Than Being Hard On Yourself Kristen Luna Smith uses this solo episode to unpack how overthinking often turns into self criticism, especially in relationships, work, health, and everyday life. The conversation is personal and practical, centered on one core reminder: you can be capable, independent, and still have human moments without turning them into evidence that you are failing. Timestamps:00:00 - Episode seven and the theme of being hard on yourself01:50 - Why returning to routine feels like a reset04:14 - How overthinking turns into self criticism06:13 - The flat tire moment that triggered the bigger reflection09:31 - Missing an ex without wanting the relationship back10:56 - Why Kristen caught herself telling herself not to feel12:18 - Moving forward does not mean never looking back13:12 - The pressure that comes with being the person who figures things out15:10 - Strength, independence, and still needing help16:10 - How self criticism shows up at work18:06 - Overthinking mistakes versus attacking your character20:00 - Productivity guilt and the pressure to always do more22:25 - Why women feel pressure to be successful at everything23:23 - Motherhood, guilt, and doing your best in different life stages27:12 - Health, food, wine, and feeling guilty for enjoying life31:07 - Missing workouts, needing rest, and listening to your body33:31 - Would you talk to a friend the way you talk to yourself?35:56 - Accountability versus beating yourself up38:22 - Sometimes you are not broken - you are just sad40:18 - Healing without imaginary deadlines41:49 - Final reminder to stop being so hard on yourself

  4. Oct 8

    More Than Overthinking

    More Than Overthinking Kristen Luna Smith opens with a personal mindset check-in after a long work travel stretch, using a flat tire and a stressful return home as the launch point for a broader conversation about overthinking. This solo episode is a candid, practical reflection on how overthinking shows up in work, friendships, dating, parenting, and self-image, and why trusting yourself matters more than chasing certainty. Timestamps 00:00 - Episode six and the mindset check-in02:55 - Coming home after 20 days on the road05:16 - The work spiral: did I do enough?07:06 - More than overthinking: the next chapter in the series10:52 - Thinking in circles versus thinking something through11:50 - Work overthinking and second-guessing execution14:11 - Email tone, punctuation, and reading too much into replies16:07 - Trusting your experience and belonging in the room17:34 - Overthinking personal choices like clothes, food, and routine20:26 - Turning yourself into a constant project23:55 - Friendship overthinking and changing seasons26:18 - Giving people the benefit of the doubt30:06 - When friendship questions become a real mismatch33:31 - Kids, fertility, and the pressure to control outcomes38:31 - Dating, confidence, and choosing from both sides41:46 - Why certainty is the real thing we keep chasing44:11 - Thinking versus overthinking46:37 - Catching the loop sooner and trusting yourself

  5. Oct 1

    More Than Feeling Behind

    More Than Feeling Behind Kristen Luna Smith opens episode 5 with a candid mindset check-in from Deer Valley, Utah, then turns into a larger message about why feeling "behind" is often just a mismatch between your real life and the timeline you invented for yourself. This episode matters because it reframes breakup, career, money, and relationship anxiety through one central idea: your life is not late, it is yours.In this episode, Kristen shares: Why solo travel exposed a new kind of grief after her breakup, without meaning she wants the relationship backHow breakup pain is often about losing the built-in life plan, not just missing one personWhy feeling behind is different from being behindHow society pressures women with an imaginary checklist for career, marriage, kids, and homeownershipWhy comparing your life to friends, influencers, or previous generations is usually a false comparisonHow career changes, title changes, and starting over can be signs of growth, not failureWhy finances are easier to compare than understand, especially when you only see what people choose to showWhy homeownership is not the only marker of success, especially when renting allows flexibility, saving, and investingHow success can happen at any age, with examples like Kris Jenner, Vera Wang, and J.Why this season of life is teaching her who she is outside of a relationship Timestamps:(00:00) Episode 5 intro and gratitude for listeners (03:06) New mindset check-in format and a Deer Valley update (04:33) Learning to travel alone after a breakup (06:27) Missing the life plan, not just the person (07:56) Solo time in Deer Valley and proving she is okay (08:56) Introducing the episode topic: more than feeling behind (10:21) The pressure of society’s imaginary timeline for women (11:51) Why meeting your person at 35 is still right on time (13:19) Comparing yourself to people with different lives makes no sense (14:47) House poor, debt, and why visible success can be misleading (15:45) Career changes are not going backward (19:30) Feeling behind in one area does not mean behind in all areas (20:30) Career frustration, promotions, and corporate ladder reality (22:25) Starting over in a new industry can feel like moving backward (24:11) You are not starting over, you are starting again (26:07) Why money is one of the easiest places to compare (27:04) Wealth is not always visible from the outside (28:27) Renting versus buying and why homeownership is not the trophy people think (31:26) Success has no age limit (32:23) Kris Jenner, Vera Wang, and J.K. Rowling as late-blooming examples (34:20) Your defining chapter may still be ahead of you (35:40) The college hot tub story and how early the timeline pressure starts (38:29) Why having milestones does not mean you are ahead (41:44) What this season is teaching her about herself (44:39) The real culprit behind feeling behind is comparison (46:03) Deer Valley as proof that life can look different and still be good (47:33) Final reminder: your life is not late

  6. Sep 24

    More Than What's Next

    More Than What’s Next: Navigating Uncertainty, Change, and New Seasons: Kristen Luna Smith reflects on the fear and freedom that come with major life transitions. She connects her own experience of being newly single with the bigger question of what to do when life no longer looks the way you planned.In this episode, Kristen shares how to sit with uncertainty without staying stuck in it, how to tell the difference between comfort and fulfillment, and how to recognize when a new season is actually an opportunity. She also offers practical perspective on dating again, leaving a job, starting over in a new city, and protecting your sense of self through every major change. Timestamps: 00:00 - Welcome, gratitude, and introducing the “what’s next” theme 02:52 - Recap of the breakup episode and why speaking about it mattered 04:16 - Why uncertainty creates anxiety in every season of life 09:17 - The engagement that never came and the warning signs to notice 11:24 - Grieving a future that felt real even when it never happened 12:53 - Resilience, quick resets, and finding unexpected freedom 19:57 - What was lost: companionship, comfort, and being fully known 22:44 - Missing him without wanting the relationship back 24:35 - When dating again becomes part of the next chapter 28:55 - Standards, walls, vulnerability, and not rushing healing 33:07 - “What’s next” after leaving a job or being laid off 41:31 - Why your job cannot be your entire identity 42:56 - Starting a new job and adjusting to being the new person 44:54 - Moving cities, rebuilding routines, and creating a new life 49:13 - How marriage changes identity, priorities, and family dynamics 55:03 - Transparent conversations about money and shared finances 56:59 - Maintaining independence inside a committed relationship 59:25 - Motherhood, identity shifts, and making room for yourself 68:53 - Positive “what’s next” moments like engagement, promotion, and homeownership 70:43 - Why the middle of a transition feels uncomfortable for everyone 72:35 - You do not need a five-year answer, just the next step 74:00 - Choosing gratitude for the life a new chapter can provideNotable quotesCopy“The reset’s gotta be quicker than the setback.”Copy“Being single isn’t a waiting room for your next relationship.”Copy“You don’t need a five-year answer. You just have to look at your immediate what’s next.”

  7. Sep 17

    More Than A Break Up

    More Than a Breakup Kristen shares the story behind the relationship that inspired her podcast, tracing it from an exciting beginning through growing conflict and, eventually, a painful breakup. The episode is a personal reflection on recognizing red flags, trusting your gut, and understanding how conflict styles and family dynamics can shape a relationship.This is a solo episode focused on healing, self-awareness, and offering reassurance to anyone going through something similar. Kristen speaks directly to listeners who may be in the middle of a breakup or on the edge of one, with a message that they are not alone and they will be okay. Timestamps00:00 - Why this breakup story matters 00:59 - Speaking with respect, not revenge 01:59 - Meeting on a dating app in March 2023 03:17 - The first year and a half felt perfect 05:45 - The relationship shift after the honeymoon phase 06:14 - Anxious versus avoidant conflict styles 08:08 - Couples therapy and trying to make it work 09:01 - Realizing they were different people 11:23 - Serious commitment, Catholicism, and marriage talks 13:46 - The first signs something was off in 2026 15:43 - The April situation that changed everything 18:11 - Being kept in the dark by his family 21:48 - Coming home shaken and overwhelmed 24:33 - Realizing they were not being told the full truth 26:34 - Avoidance and the first major blowup 28:09 - A month of space, work travel, and separation 31:29 - He cancels the do or die conversation 33:37 - Begging him to stay and seeing the house clearly 35:32 - The phone call that showed the relationship had changed 38:34 - The final fight and emotional breaking point 40:55 - Writing the five page letter and ending contact 43:43 - What she learned about conflict and patterns 45:01 - Why leaving does not mean you are broken 46:27 - Why she shared this story and what comes next

  8. Sep 10

    More Than Kristen

    More Than Pod: Kristen Luna Smith Intro Episode Kristen Luna Smith introduces herself and sets the tone for the podcast by explaining who she is, what shaped her, and why this show exists. This episode matters because it frames the themes she wants to explore going forward: identity, friendship, family, work, faith, and figuring out who you are outside of life labels.In this episode, Kristen shares her background, her values, and the personal experiences that influenced the way she lives, works, and relates to other people. Timestamps:00:00 - Welcome to More Than Pod and why this first episode is about getting to know Kristen01:01 - Kristen’s four core traits: loyal, outgoing, persistent, thoughtful02:00 - Why she loves planning, logistics, routines, and getting things done03:28 - Hosting, coordinating, and being the person who brings people together05:25 - Growing up in the Texas suburbs and how travel shaped her worldview06:49 - Lessons from her dad about money, work, and living within your means07:48 - How her mom influenced her upbringing and why family structure mattered08:47 - Bills, Sooners, golf, tennis, and the sports that shaped her household10:16 - Why golf matters in relationships and family life11:16 - Looking like her mom but acting like her dad13:58 - Her decade-long career in industrial sales and why she loves her work15:23 - Learning from the people above and around her at work16:49 - What being an only child taught her about friendship and resilience18:10 - Loyalty, ride-or-die friendships, and why she doesn’t look back after friendships end19:03 - Knowing friends’ families and becoming part of their lives20:30 - Making friends in a new chapter of life in her mid-30s and being single22:23 - How age has made her more intentional with health, fitness, and self-care23:53 - Fitness habits, GLP-1 use, and taking care of her body without apology24:53 - Drinking less on weekdays and balancing work, fitness, and fun26:47 - Fashion, style, and the influence of her mom’s taste27:45 - Skin care, Botox, facials, and why she prioritizes it29:15 - Hosting dinners and making sure all her friends know each other29:44 - Travel, restaurant favorites, and the family values behind how she travels30:38 - Sports, music, and the wide range of interests that make up her personality32:04 - The values that matter most: family, loyalty, faith, work ethic, and showing up34:50 - Why the podcast is about identity beyond labels, losses, and life transitions36:13 - Kristen’s promise to listeners: honesty, encouragement, and not feeling alone37:42 - Closing reminder: you are more than what you settled for

  9. Aug 29

    Welcome To The More Than Pod!

    Hi y'all! WOW. Here. We. Go. Thank you SO much for listening. This is just a sneak peak of what's to come on this podcast & a look into why I started this podcast. For all you 30 year old women who are not where they'd be- welcome. I'm SO happy you're here! It's just the beginning of our best lives. Let's ride.

  • 9 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

About

The More Than Pod is for the 30-something-year-old woman who isn’t where she thought she’d be. Here, we’ll have real, no-b******t conversations about dating, relationships, careers, friendships, and everything in between. My goal is for every girl to leave an episode reminded that she is more than what she settled for, stronger than what tried to break her, and better because of what she overcame.

Information

  • Creator
    Kristen Smith
  • Episodes
    9
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Kristen Smith
  • Show Website
    More Than Pod