Lead to Gold

Paul Lagerstedt has always been drawn to fixing things and understanding how systems work. When he began to notice his own adverse reaction to alcohol without an explanation, he got curious: what’s actually in alcoholic beverages beyond ethanol, and why do people respond so differently? He began researching the trace compounds that can be present in wine, beer, spirits, and cocktails, and whether it was possible to reduce exp...

I'm going through a little bit of a hard time right now. So to be very candid, I needed a little bit of my own cheering up. I hope it helps you through whatever stuckness you're experiencing right now, too.

In today's episode, I'm outlining five reminders or mantras that have helped me through difficult periods of my life, from lacking motivation to perpetuating negative self-talk, so much so that I still think about them to this da...

Jealousy gets a bad reputation, but what if it's actually trying to tell you something? 

In this episode, I'm making the case for sitting with your jealousy instead of rushing to shame yourself out of it. We'll dig into why the current discourse around jealousy flattens a genuinely complicated feeling into either a character flaw or a feeling to normalize, and why neither of those is especially useful. We talk about the real di...

Sigh...this was a big one. So big, in fact, I had to split it into two parts. Please listen to part one first if you haven't already!

Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with trading Spotify for a record collection - I think it's a big step in the right direction. But if we've ironed out the true problems of the internet, the analogue movement isn't addressing or solving a large chunk of them. Today, in the conclusion of this...

Sigh...this is gonna be a big one. So big, in fact, I had to split it into two parts.

In the opening chapter of our dive into the modern digital landscape, we move past the surface-level complaints of "too much screen time" to examine the structural rot making our online lives feel so hollow. We'll explore the transition from the internet as a creative "Third Space" to a monopolized factory floor where every interaction is a transac...

You GUYS...I'm so psyched about this episode. Hydroxide has been one of my longest and best friends, and it's been such a joy to watch her career grow. In this conversation, of course we discuss the current standings of the food and food safety industries, but we also talk unemployment, going viral, comment sections, and how to discern disinformation from truth. 

As a bit of a skeptic, I love how optimistic this conversation tu...

Your screenshots folder is full of old horoscope wisdom from your astrology app, advice pieces from Reddit, and stills of videos from TikTok wellness influencers. You meant well by saving them. You still want to incorporate them.

But you'll never have time to look at those screenshots, much less utilize them.

Today we're discussing the plague of overwhelm that comes from the internet of wellness, and why you can't get any of those le...

It really feels like nothing anyone says matters anymore. Companies aren't transparent, friends flake, leaders promise things they can't deliver. This leads to an overall degradation of language and trust, or what I like to call "linguistic inflation."

The slight bright spot in this problem is that it isn't new, at all.

Join in on the conversation today as we unpack what linguistic inflation looks like at all levels, why it really is...

You know the feeling when after being so constantly booked and busy, your body literally starts to give out? Or you have to start last-minute cancelling plans you were actually excited for? Orrrrr the plans start to feel more like obligations than events you're looking forward to?

If you're nodding along to any of these, this is the episode for you.

Join in as we discuss the frustrating nuances of wanting more community, but hav...

You're feeling a desperate itch for a thing you know, deep down, you'll never fully possess. This is the kind of craving that comes from a core wound. And spoiler alert: It's not going to go away unless you start tending to it.

In today's episode, we're speaking to that part of ourselves - the uncomfortable reality that our most intense yearning is likely directly connected to an old, neglected fragment of our lives. We'll chat abou...

Everyone online seems to be sharing their fondest memories of a year that marks the last time a lot of us felt uninhibited from life's greatest stressors: adulthood, the economy, the government, unprecedented events...you name it. It makes sense that everyone wants to bask in the nostalgia.

The funny thing is, 2016 was the worst year of my life.

But this isn't just about me. In this episode, we're discussing the juxtaposition of nost...

One of the biggest questions I've had stirring around in my head this past year was what a woman's role really is in our current age - where fascists are abundant, young people have endless access to influence (for better or worse), and so many people seem so excited to throw inclusivity and equity out the window. Where are we? How did we get here? And who are the voices we need to be listening to to guide us through?

Show notes:

History won't remember 2025 fondly, but I think I will. There was a lot of upset, a lot of rage, a lot of worry and wallowing, but I'm thanking my lucky stars that all of it was met with unrelenting love and support. If anything, this year taught me just how many people have my back, and how easy it actually is to seek help when it's needed.

Don't believe me? Then this is the perfect episode for you.

Welcome back, friends. 💫

Show not...

Welcome to the Season 1 finale of Lead to Gold. It's been a joyride, and I'm so grateful for your part in it.

I couldn’t possibly think of a better duo to bring on for such a vast topic, especially for one that means so much to me personally and is a massive need for the collective right now. As two fantastic co-facilitators of psychedelic retreats, Nick and Clare walk us through the often-forgotten importance of incor...

As much as I talk 💩 about the internet and social media on this podcast, I have to  admit to the few nuggets of gold to be found among the dumpster fire. In today's episode, we're gonna take some advice from a classic r/AskReddit thread and see what has helped other people make their lives better, most importantly, in very realistic ways. I hope you can take a lil nugget with you from this episode!

Everyone say...thank...

Is everyone going through it right now? The answer is a resounding "yes," especially if you are chronically online. With the constant news cycles, more difficulty in parsing through falsities and disinformation, overwhelming tragedy, violence, and outrage being forced down our throats, it's no wonder we feel so scared and overwhelmed. 

Let's talk about what to do about it.

Show notes:

• Very relevant blog posts:...

Is money an energetic tool, or is it the root of all evil? Let's *attempt* to get to the bottom of all the mixed messaging we receive about how to relate to our finances. In this episode, we’ll give context to our varying cultural attitudes toward money and how they impact our external lives. From societal conditioning to personal beliefs, let's settle this debate and develop a healthier, more empowered relationship with weal...

As someone who felt the pressure of turning off all outward-facing emotions in my youth, and now struggle to authentically share those still deeply felt emotions with my loved ones, I wanted to chat about our societal norming around being sensitive. We've all heard the clichés by now: it's okay to cry, sensitivity is a gift, men have feelings too, etc...but embodying our pain, anger, and sadness is an entirely different process.

Madelyn Moon is a leading voice in the world of feminine-masculine relationships, devoted to serving women in liberating their expressive, artistic hearts with themselves, with partners, and with the world. Today, she's teaching ALL of us how to get out of our minds and into our bodies - finally, a place where we can safely unleash the emotions we may not always want to look at. 

Let's get witchy, let's get weird, let's...