Mic'd Up & Unfiltered with Kristine & Amy

Kristine Barnes and Amy Dabbelt
  • 4.3 (6)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Weekly

Two women navigating life, health, relationships, home, and business—out loud. We’ve lived a lot of life, and we’re still figuring plenty of it out. We talk about the things we’re experiencing, questioning, learning, unlearning, and changing our minds about—with honesty, curiosity, humor, and two perspectives that don’t always match. No pretending we have it all figured out. Just real conversations about being human and trying to live a life that feels good, means something, and actually works for you.

  1. 3d ago

    Episode 36: The Woman I Used to Be: Changing, Growing & Letting Go of the Guilt

    Do you miss the woman you used to be? Or have you ever stopped to thank her for getting you this far? This week on Mic’d Up & Unfiltered, Amy and Kristine talk about the different versions of ourselves, from the younger women we judged too harshly to the women we’re still becoming. Amy shares the questions she’s been asking as her kids become more independent: Who am I when someone doesn’t need me the way they used to? Have I been so busy being useful that I haven’t figured out what I actually enjoy? And just because I’m good at something, does that mean I have to keep doing it? They also get into changing careers, outgrowing friendships, setting boundaries when people are used to hearing yes, and helping a marriage grow as both people change. Of course, there are detours into questionable Gen X sleepovers, terrible interview advice, and a husband who walks a little too fast. The conversation ends with two questions worth sitting with: What would you thank the woman you used to be for? And what would you tell her she doesn’t have to carry anymore?

  2. Oct 26

    Episode 35: I’ll Start Monday: Getting Back to Good Habits Without the Guilt

    You know what makes you feel better. So why is it so hard to get back to doing it? This week on Mic’d Up & Unfiltered, Kristine and I talk about falling out of good habits and the pressure we put on ourselves when we try to start again. From putting everyone else first to deciding one missed workout means the whole week is ruined, we’ve both been there. We share what’s helped us get moving again: starting small, attaching a new habit to something we already do, finding accountability, and making tomorrow a little easier by preparing today. We also get into the guilt, overwhelm, and fear of letting ourselves down that can make starting over feel harder than it sounds. Of course, there are detours into competitive planking, sleep scores, bedtime yoga, and an unfortunately named fitness group. Plus, a little rant about why working from home doesn’t mean we’re sitting around watching Lifetime all day. If you’ve been telling yourself, “I’ll start Monday,” this conversation is for you. You don’t have to fix everything at once, and you don’t have to wait until Monday.

  3. Oct 19

    Episode 34: Quitting Corporate & Keeping It Real: It’s Not Me, It’s You, Gary

    Your boss calls on the first day of vacation and asks you to work. Again. This time, you quit. Amy shares the moment she finally left corporate America after 27 years, and why that vacation phone call became her breaking point. This week on Mic’d Up & Unfiltered, Amy and Kristine start with a hilarious retreat reel and end up talking about AI clones, buying from real people, and the assumptions people make about direct sales. They share what running their own businesses looks like in two very different seasons of life, and why knowing their customers means so much to them. Of course, there are detours into food choices, farm life, and growing up barefoot. It’s an unscripted conversation about work, freedom, and figuring out what matters to you. And to all the perfectly lovely Garys out there… this isn’t about you.

  4. Oct 12

    Episode 33: When Your Kids Need You Less: Motherhood, Mom Guilt & What Comes Next

    We spend years teaching our kids to be independent. So why does it hurt when they actually are? This week on Mic’d Up & Unfiltered, Amy and Kristine talk about the strange tug of war between being proud of your kids and missing how much they used to need you. Amy opens up about approaching an empty nest after 36 years of raising children, the quiet moments that catch her off guard, and wondering who she wants to be in this next chapter. They also get into mom guilt, parenting your younger kids differently than your first, and dreaming about the future with your spouse when you haven’t even figured out this weekend. There are detours into sleepless nights, college life, and the questionable things we survived growing up. Because apparently, becoming more independent is an adjustment for the moms, too.

  5. Oct 5

    Episode 32: Friendship, Getting Older & a Cruise Gone Wrong

    A racerback sports bra on backward. A first cruise that might also be the last. And the friends who make life a little lighter. This week on Mic’d Up & Unfiltered, Amy and Kristine catch up on a rough cruise, the surprises of getting older, and the different kinds of friends we need in our lives. From the friend who tells you the truth in the fitting room to the one you can call when everything goes sideways, they talk about feeling connected and how much a good conversation can fill your cup. There are a few detours, plenty of laughs, and a reminder that sometimes, time with a friend is exactly what you need.

  6. Sep 28

    Episode 31: She Doesn’t Like Me | Comparison, Envy & the Stories We Tell Ourselves — Part 2

    How often have you convinced yourself that someone doesn’t like you, is judging you, or has something you don’t, without actually knowing what they’re thinking? In Part 2 of their conversation about judgment and empathy, Amy and Kristine explore envy, comparison, and the stories we create inside our own heads. They talk about parenting children who need love in different ways, misinterpreting text messages, feeling lonely even when we enjoy being alone, and how social media gives us tiny snapshots that rarely tell the whole story. They also ask an important question: When comparison starts stealing your joy, how do you interrupt the story you’ve already convinced yourself is true? It’s a funny, honest conversation about insecurity, connection, vulnerability, and learning to see life through a lens other than our own.

  7. Sep 21

    Episode 30: Am I a Bad Person for Not Feeling Sad? | Empathy, Judgment & Understanding Pain

    What happens when someone is hurting—or grieving—and you just… don’t feel what you think you’re supposed to feel? Does that make you a bad person? And can you truly understand someone’s pain if you’ve never experienced what they’re going through? In this episode of Mic’d Up & Unfiltered, Amy and Kristine dig into the messy space between sympathy, empathy, compassion, and judgment. From losing beloved pets and parents to complicated grief, generational trauma, and breaking cycles, they explore how our own experiences shape the way we connect with—and sometimes judge—other people. It’s an honest conversation about finding empathy even when someone’s story looks nothing like your own, recognizing familiar feelings inside unfamiliar circumstances, and learning that understanding someone’s pain doesn’t mean excusing the behavior that caused it.

  8. Sep 14

    Episode 29: If You Really Knew Me, Would You Still Like Me? Vulnerability, Shame & Being Seen

    What’s the difference between being vulnerable and simply oversharing? And why can saying “I need help” feel so much harder than pretending we have it all together? In this episode of Mic’d Up & Unfiltered, Amy and Kristine talk honestly about vulnerability, shame, and the fear hiding beneath both: If people really knew me, would they still like me? They explore the difference between guilt and shame, the pressure created by picture-perfect social media, and the quiet shame women carry around motherhood, business, aging, relationships, asking for help, and never feeling like they’re doing enough. Kristine & Amy dig into why vulnerability can create connection, what happens when we share with someone who isn’t ready to receive it, and how honesty helps other people realize they aren’t alone. It’s honest, funny, a little messy, and a reminder that vulnerability isn’t weakness. Sometimes it’s the bravest way we can show up.

See All (36)

Ratings & Reviews

4.3
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

Two women navigating life, health, relationships, home, and business—out loud. We’ve lived a lot of life, and we’re still figuring plenty of it out. We talk about the things we’re experiencing, questioning, learning, unlearning, and changing our minds about—with honesty, curiosity, humor, and two perspectives that don’t always match. No pretending we have it all figured out. Just real conversations about being human and trying to live a life that feels good, means something, and actually works for you.

Information

You Might Also Like