Podcast · Learning

Twenty Something with Olivia Burnett

by Olivia Burnett · English · Learning

Twenty Something is a raw, honest community for people in their twenties (or anyone who still feels like they are). Here we overshare, laugh at our own chaos, and unpack what’s called the ‘defining decade’—all in an effort to set ourselves up for the future and build the lives we actually want. With

New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 55 min
Latest: 8 Oct 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

8 Oct 2026 · 42 min

Turning Grief Into Your Superpower with Patrick McCarthy

Grief doesn’t only happen when someone dies. It can show up after a breakup, a major life change, losing a job, losing a version of your future, or saying goodbye to a person or chapter you thought would always be there. In this episode, Olivia sits down with Patrick McCarthy (@misterpjm) for an honest conversation about what grief actually does to us — emotionally, physically, and even in the way we see our lives. After losing his mom, Patrick began sharing openly about grief online and quickly found that thousands of people were carrying versions of the same pain. Together, he and Olivia…

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Earlier episodes 29 most recent

E46 · 30 Sep 2026 · 58 min
You Don’t Have to Lose Yourself to Become a Mom with Kylee Noorlander
Can I be a good mom and still miss my old life? Can I love my kids more than anything and still want time alone? Can I be ambitious, love my career, and not feel guilty for wanting something outside of motherhood? These are the hard questions so many moms ask themselves — and the ones we don’t always say out loud. In this episode, Olivia sits down with Kylee Noorlander, founder of Come Home Collective, to talk about what it actually looks like to become a mom without losing yourself in the process. Kylee became a mom at 21, and she opens up about loving motherhood while also grieving parts…
E1 · 23 Sep 2026 · 51 min
LGBTQ+, Faith, and the LDS Church: The Conversation We Need to Have with Richard Ostler
In this episode, Olivia sits down with Richard Ostler, host of the Listen, Learn & Love podcast, to have an honest conversation about LGBTQ+, faith, and the LDS Church. Richard is the author of Listen, Learn & Love: Embracing LGBTQ Latter-day Saints and has spent years listening to and sharing the stories of queer Latter-day Saints through his podcast, which now has more than 900 episodes and 8 million downloads. Richard shares how serving as a YSA bishop changed the way he understood and supported queer Latter-day Saints, and why listening to people’s lived experiences became such an…
E44 · 9 Sep 2026 · 57 min
How to Stay Informed About News and Politics Without Losing Your Mind with Spencer Joseph, 10x Emmy-Winning Journalist
Politics and the news can feel impossible to keep up with. There’s always another headline, TikTok, breaking story, opinion, or person telling you what you should believe; and sometimes trying to stay informed just leaves you feeling even more overwhelmed. So what do we do? A lot of us get overloaded and stop paying attention altogether. In this episode, Olivia sits down with 10x Emmy-winning journalist Spencer Joseph to talk about how to actually stay informed without letting the news, and all the emotions that come with it, consume you. Olivia and Spencer also talk about how algorithms…
E43 · 2 Sep 2026 · 37 min
He Thought His Wife Had Died: What You Learn When You’re About to Lose Everything with Tyler Hall
Tyler Hall was in New York City preparing for one of the biggest moments of his career when he got a call that changed the course of his life: his wife, Brooklyn, was being rushed to the hospital. What followed was a flight home believing he may have already lost the person he had known and loved nearly his entire life. In this episode, Olivia and Tyler talk about the experience that divided his life into “before” and “after”, and what nearly losing his wife taught him about success, family, faith, presence, and what actually matters. Tyler also opens up about healing after trauma, learning…
E42 · 27 Aug 2026 · 48 min
Stop Living in Fear: Trusting God’s Plan with Chase Roberts
NFL wide receiver and former BYU standout Chase Roberts joins Olivia to talk about what it looks like to choose faith when you have absolutely no idea what comes next. After injuries disrupted his NFL Combine preparation, Chase was advised not to run the 40-yard dash. He chose to run anyway, and finished with the slowest time of the receivers who participated. But for Chase, that moment became about something bigger than a number: deciding whether he was going to live his life in fear or move forward in faith. And wouldn't you know it? Chase is now playing for the Las Vegas Raiders. Chase…
E41 · 19 Aug 2026 · 1 hr 9 min
Grief Doesn’t Mean You Can’t Have a Beautiful Life with Krista Jones
Life doesn't always go the way we thought it would. Sometimes it's losing someone we love. Sometimes it's heartbreak, a friendship ending, a diagnosis, a career change, or simply realizing the life we pictured for ourselves isn't the life we're living. Krista Jones learned that lesson earlier than most. She lost her dad to cancer when she was just seven years old, was raised in large part by her grandparents before eventually losing both of them, and at 19 watched her mom battle breast cancer. But this episode isn't only about grief. It's about what happens after life changes you. Olivia and…
E40 · 12 Aug 2026 · 55 min
Becoming a Dad and a Widower on the Same Day with Aaron Martin
Aaron Martin never imagined he would leave the hospital with his newborn son, Parker, without his wife by his side.After what began as a normal Valentine’s Day turned into an emergency C-section, Aaron and his wife, Natalie, welcomed their baby boy into the world. Hours later, complications from internal bleeding took Natalie’s life, leaving Aaron to navigate becoming a new father and a widower on the same day.In this episode, Olivia and Aaron have an honest conversation about what grief actually looks like when the shock wears off and life keeps moving. Aaron shares the unexpected moments…
E39 · 6 Aug 2026 · 51 min
Reconnecting with Her Mom After 10 Years: Addiction, Healing and Forgiveness with Adi Tanner
There are some experiences that force you to grow up long before you should have to. In this episode, Olivia sits down with Adi Tanner to talk about growing up with a mother struggling with addiction, losing contact with her for ten years, and the emotional journey of reconnecting after a decade apart. Together, they explore what forgiveness really looks like, how to set healthy boundaries without closing your heart, and why healing doesn't mean pretending the past never happened. Adi shares the mindset that helped her refuse to become a victim of her circumstances, break unhealthy cycles,…
E38 · 30 Jul 2026 · 1 hr 3 min
What Counterfeit Emotions Are and How They're Secretly Controlling Your Life with Curtis Morley
Do you ever feel like you're reacting in ways you don't fully understand? Like you keep falling into the same emotional patterns, making the same decisions, or feeling stuck but you can't figure out why? In this episode, Olivia sits down with entrepreneur, speaker, and Counterfeit Emotions expert Curtis Morley to explore one of the most life-changing concepts we've ever discussed on Twenty Something: counterfeit emotions. Curtis explains that many of the emotions we experience every day aren't actually telling us the truth. Instead, they're counterfeit emotions that look and feel real but…
E38 · 22 Jul 2026 · 1 hr 12 min
The Hormone Guide Every Woman Needs: Mood, Energy, Dating & More with Kiera Davis
PSA to every woman: This episode will CHANGE the way you understand your body. It did for me. Have you ever felt emotional, exhausted, anxious, unmotivated, or completely unlike yourself and wondered what on earth is going on inside your body? Or maybe you’ve blamed something you couldn’t explain on a sentence like, “Hm. Must be my hormones,” while having no idea what that actually means. In this episode, Olivia sits down with hormone health coach Kiera Davis to make hormones feel understandable instead of overwhelming. They break down the four phases of the menstrual cycle and explain how…
E37 · 15 Jul 2026 · 47 min
Grief Doesn't End, But Neither Does Joy with Alexa Norton
Olivia sits down with Alexa Norton, creator of Grief Shine , for one of the most honest conversations yet about what it actually means to live after losing someone you love. After losing her dad in a tragic skiing accident at just 22 years old, Alexa found herself navigating the kind of grief that no one can truly prepare you for. Together, Olivia and Alexa talk about what those first days felt like, why grief never really "ends," and how it's possible to hold both heartbreak and happiness at the same time. They also share the lessons they've learned from losing their dads at a young age,…
8 Jul 2026 · 58 min
Strong Over Skinny: Building a Body That Supports the Life You Want with Lacey Bruschke
For years, women have been told that smaller is better. Smaller waist, smaller jeans, smaller number on the scale. But what if the goal was never to become the smallest version of yourself? What if the goal was to become strong enough to actually live the life you want? In this episode, Olivia and Lacey Bruschke talk about what it really means to build strength physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Lacey is a Registered Nurse, NASM-Certified Personal Trainer, Corrective Exercise Specialist, founder of Obsidian® Fitness in Millcreek, Utah, and creator of the Obsidian® Slide…
E34 · 1 Jul 2026 · 1 hr 15 min
The One Word That Saved His Life with Todd Sylvester (How the Story You Tell Yourself Changes Everything)
In this episode of Twenty Something, Olivia sits down with Todd Sylvester, a mental fitness coach, substance use disorder counselor, bestselling author, host of the Belief podcast, regular host on Good Things Utah, and one of the 2024 Freedom Award honorees. After battling addiction, self-hatred, and despair, Todd found himself at one of the darkest points of his life. Then one word led him to ask for help, and that moment became the beginning of a story that would eventually save his life. Today, after conducting more than 18,000 coaching sessions and helping people through some of their…
E34 · 25 Jun 2026 · 59 min
Feeling Advice Overload? How to Cut Through the Noise and Take the Right Action with Jimmy Rex
There is more advice available to us than ever before, but somehow, it can make us feel more stuck. More podcasts. More books. More TikToks. More opinions. More people telling you how to build a successful life.So how do you know what to actually listen to? And what will actually make the difference?In this episode, Olivia sits down with Jimmy Rex, entrepreneur, podcaster, author, and founder of We Are The They, to talk about how to stop getting trapped in learning mode and start taking real action. Jimmy shares why confidence is built by doing, why failure is often the thing that teaches…
E33 · 17 Jun 2026 · 52 min
How to Live in Alignment with the Life You Actually Want with Shawn Moore
What does it actually mean to live in alignment with what you want? And how does that change your life? In this episode, Olivia sits down with Shawn Moore, founder and CEO of COVE and a board member for Humanitarian Experience, to talk about health, happiness, purpose, and what it really looks like to build a life that feels true to you. Shawn shares key decisions he made that initially scared him, but ultimately led him to a more intentional way of living and helped him find more peace, love, and fulfillment than he expected. Together, Olivia and Shawn talk about why “alignment” is more…
E32 · 10 Jun 2026 · 42 min
Why Trying New Things Is the Point of Your 20s with Rylee Thompson
In this episode of Twenty Something , Olivia sits down with Rylee Thompson to talk about why your 20s are not about having everything figured out. They’re about trying, changing your mind, following your curiosity, and becoming confident enough to trust your own timeline. Rylee shares how moving to a new state, pursuing her career, content creation, health and wellness, and deepening her faith have helped her build a life that feels more aligned, exciting, and true to her. Olivia and Rylee also talk about mental health, comparison, dating in your 20s, setting boundaries, learning to spend…
E31 · 3 Jun 2026 · 46 min
How to Build the Kind of Unshakeable Confidence No One Can Take From You With Eliza Smith
Self-doubt will keep you waiting for permission that is never coming. She was cut late in her sport. Many said she couldn't do it. Then she ended up at her dream school. How did she do it? In this episode of Twenty Something , Olivia sits down with Eliza Smith, a D1 soccer player at the University of Utah, to talk about what it actually takes to build confidence, chase big goals, and become the kind of person who follows through. Eliza shares her journey from getting cut, switching teams, showing up to ID camps, advocating for herself, and eventually earning the opportunity to play college…
E30 · 27 May 2026 · 1 hr 18 min
What Happens When We Die? Near Death Experiences with Martin Tanner
What happens after we die? And what can near death experiences teach us about the way we live now? In this episode of Twenty Something, Olivia sits down with Martin Tanner to discuss the stories, patterns, and life-changing lessons he has heard from interviewing more than 700 people about their near death experiences. Martin is the host of the Religion Today podcast and radio show on KSL, co-founder of Utah’s International Association for Near-Death Studies, and a longtime researcher of near death experiences. Together, Olivia and Martin explore the common threads Martin has heard across…
20 May 2026 · 1 hr 11 min
The Power of Reinvention with Ruston Jones
In this episode of Twenty Something , Liv is joined by Ruston Jones and Kait Stone for a conversation about creativity, resilience, reinvention, and what happens when you give yourself permission to keep evolving. After a motorcycle accident shifted the way Ruston moved through life, he found his way into hot yoga and Pilates, eventually becoming the kind of instructor who makes people feel seen, welcomed, and brave enough to try. But his story doesn’t stop there. Ruston is also a filmmaker, author, and fashion designer who has built a life around curiosity, courage, and trying new things…
13 May 2026 · 49 min
How to Take Ownership of Your Health, Work, and Love with Lauren Dudley
Do you ever leave the doctor’s office and think, “Wait, what did they just say?” Or sit in your car afterward realizing you forgot to ask the one question you actually needed answered? In this episode of Twenty Something , Liv sits down with Lauren Dudley for a conversation about what it looks like to take ownership of your health, your work, and your relationships, especially in your 20s when you’re suddenly expected to figure so much of it out on your own. Lauren is currently living what so many of us talk about but few actually do: betting on herself before she has it all figured out. She…
11 May 2026 · 23 min
Why You Feel Behind in Your 20s (and What Actually Helps) | With Love, From Liv
Dear Twenty Somethings, Welcome to the very first episode of With Love, From Liv !!! I’m honestly so excited to finally be doing this. Solo episodes have been on my heart for a long time, and I wanted this series to feel a little more personal. Like a conversation. Like a voice note from a friend. Just me, talking directly to you about the things you guys are asking. Things I think so many of us quietly carry in our twenties. (But also still bringing you science-backed tools into practical strategies for change.) And I can’t think of a better first episode than this one. Because if we’re…
6 May 2026 · 1 hr 1 min
Exploring Different Religions, Asking the Hard Questions, and Healing from Sexual Abuse with Logan Green
In this episode of Twenty Something, we sit down with Logan Green for an honest conversation about faith, healing, shame, and what it looks like to ask yourself and God the hard questions. Sometimes, asking questions about your religion can feel scary. It can feel like doubting, betraying God, or stepping too far outside of what you’ve always known. But instead of avoiding those questions, Logan has taken a different approach. He has started asking them directly, exploring different churches and religious communities, studying what they believe, and trying to learn as much as he can from the…
28 Apr 2026 · 52 min
How to Make People Feel Seen (And Why It Changes Everything) with Brayden Black
If you’ve ever walked into a party and immediately wanted to leave, overthought a first date, sat through an awkward work lunch, found yourself having the same surface-level conversations with people you’ve just met, or wondered why building meaningful relationships feels harder than it should—this episode is for you. Today, I’m joined by coach, mentor, and speaker Brayden Black for a conversation about connection, confidence, and the mindset shifts that can completely change how you show up in your relationships and your life. He shares three actionable frameworks that can immediately…
22 Apr 2026 · 54 min
When Life Changes Overnight: Rebuilding After Losing His Leg with Hunter Rasmussen
One moment, Hunter Rasmussen was planning his future, navigating relationships, working long hours, dreaming about owning a ranch, and figuring out life in his twenties. The next, everything changed. After a hunting accident left him fighting for his life and ultimately losing his leg, Hunter found himself facing pain, uncertainty, and an identity crisis he never saw coming. The athlete. The outdoorsman. The version of life he had planned, it all felt gone overnight. In this episode, Hunter shares the full story of the accident, the miraculous moments that followed, and what it’s looked like…
14 Apr 2026 · 1 hr 3 min
Hope for the Highest: What If It Actually Worked Out? with Blake Barney
There’s a version of your life you want. But if you’re honest, you probably don’t fully let yourself go there. Because hoping for it feels risky. If you really want it, and it doesn’t happen, that disappointment hits harder. So instead, you stay somewhere in the middle. You work hard, you show up, but you don’t fully expect things to work out. In this episode, I sit down with Blake Barney to talk about a phrase he lives by: “Hope for the highest.” And not in a cliché way—but in a way that actually changes how you think, act, and build your life. In this episode you'll learn: Why we default…
7 Apr 2026 · 1 hr 7 min
The 3 Shifts to Actually Stay Consistent with Your Health (Without Starting Over Every Monday) with Natalie Wilson
If you’ve ever felt like you’re constantly starting over with your health, this episode is for you. Because the problem usually isn’t that you don’t care. It’s that you’ve been taught to approach health in a way that isn’t sustainable . All-or-nothing routines. Extreme plans. Trying to become your “ideal self” overnight. And then when it doesn’t stick, you feel like you failed. In this episode, I’m joined by Natalie Wilson - a fitness coach whose entire philosophy is built around sustainable health, realistic routines, and progress over perfection. But this conversation isn’t just about…
31 Mar 2026 · 49 min
What If You’re Not Behind? With Hank Smith
In your 20s, it can feel like you’re doing everything right… and still somehow falling behind. You’re working, trying to build a life you actually want, navigating relationships, figuring out your faith, and instead of clarity, you’re left with more questions. About God. About timing. About who you’re supposed to become. And if you’re honest, sometimes it feels like everyone else got the memo except you. In this episode, I sit down with Hank Smith - BYU professor and co-host of the Follow Him podcast - to talk about what’s actually going on underneath that feeling. Because what if the reason…
25 Mar 2026 · 1 hr 1 min
Why So Many Men Feel Burnt Out (But Won’t Say They’re Sad) with Nate Johansen
Why do so many men feel exhausted, disconnected, and unfulfilled—but struggle to say they’re sad? In this episode of Twenty Something , Liv sits down with men’s coach Nate Johansen to unpack the emotional reality behind burnout—and why it’s often misunderstood. Because what if burnout isn’t just about doing too much… but about being disconnected from who you are? Nate shares why so many men are taught to suppress emotion, how that shows up as exhaustion, isolation, and disconnection, and why so many people feel stuck in lives that don’t fully feel like their own. If you’re a man, this…
17 Mar 2026 · 50 min
Navigating Grief, Love, and Life After Loss with Shay Martin
In this episode, I sit down with Shay Martin for an honest and deeply human conversation about what it looks like to keep living after loss. At just 25 years old, Shay’s husband, Tanner, was diagnosed with stage IV colorectal cancer. What followed was years of navigating treatments, uncertainty, and learning how to hold onto hope while facing a reality neither of them expected so young. Along the way, Shay and Tanner shared their journey online, building a community of hundreds of thousands of people who followed their story, drawn to their honesty, their love, and the way they chose to keep…

About Twenty Something with Olivia Burnett

Twenty Something with Olivia Burnett is a English learning podcast from Olivia Burnett. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: Olivia Burnett
Language: English
Category: Learning
New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 55 min
Latest episode: 8 Oct 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1849245894
Rights: Olivia Burnett

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