Wildly Unplug

Send us Fan Mail **CONTENT WARNING** The following episode of *All Night Breakfast at the Midnight Owl* is a work of fiction intended for mature audiences. It contains graphic descriptions, disturbing imagery, unsettling themes, and moments of psychological horror. Listener discretion is advised. Welcome to Eden Falls, a sleepy mountain town in the Pacific Northwest where the locals are friendly,...

Send us Fan Mail What can the Miami Dolphins’ legendary perfect season teach us about resilience, teamwork, competition—and even life outdoors? In this episode of Wildly Unplug, Lauren Connolly welcomes author Bob Gonzalez back to the podcast to talk about his new book, Pro Football’s Constitution, a humorous and creative celebration of the 1972 Miami Dolphins and the only perfect season in NFL hi...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when you deliberately try to get rejected 1,000 times? Six months ago, I started the 1,000 Rejection Challenge to stop letting fear of rejection make decisions for me. I committed to making 10 asks every week—submitting my art and writing, pitching ideas, entering competitions, applying for opportunities, and deliberately risking hearing “no.” Now I've made 212 a...

Send us Fan Mail What if some of our greatest teachers aren’t human? In this episode of Wildly Unplug, Lauren Connolly sits down with acclaimed naturalist and bestselling author Sy Montgomery, author of The Soul of an Octopus , How to Be a Good Creature , On Time and Turtles , and dozens of other books exploring the inner lives of animals. After a lifetime spent studying animals around the world,...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when a nightmare follows you for five years—and starts stealing the color from your world? Author Mark Benson returns to Wildly Unplug to talk about his new young adult horror novel, The Scattering , a story inspired by a real nightmare he couldn't forget. The novel follows James, a gifted young painter plagued by the same terrifying dream every night: his family...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when a challenge about rejection turns into a lesson about monarch butterflies, conservation, burnout, and knowing when to say no? In this week’s Wildly Rejected: Becoming the Bison, I’m continuing my journey toward 1,000 rejections—but I’m realizing that making 1,000 asks doesn’t mean chasing every opportunity that crosses my path. After another week of balancing pod...

Send us Fan Mail Seeing the World Through an Octopus’s Eyes with Angelique Allen What does the world look like through an octopus’s eyes? In this fascinating episode, Lauren talks with marine scientist and science communicator Angelique Allen about octopus vision, cephalopod brains, animal perception, and the science behind how octopuses see and interact with their underwater world . Angelique stu...

Send us Fan Mail What if rejection isn’t the end of the story—but part of the transformation? In this episode of Wildly Unplug , Lauren returns to her 1,000 Rejection Challenge , inspired by Gabby Carr’s rejection challenge, and shares what happened after stepping back into the arena and making 10 new asks. One rejection stung—an artist residency at a Frank Lloyd Wright house. But then an unexpect...

Send us Fan Mail The Wheeland Brothers have built their signature sound around surf rock, reggae, acoustic music, and a life spent chasing waves, adventure, and a little more time off the grid. In this episode of Wildly Unplug, brothers Travis and Nate “Frog” Wheeland join Lauren Connolly for a conversation about music, surfing, nature, burnout, creativity, and what happens when you step away from...

Send us Fan Mail Becoming the Bison: Monarch Mistakes, Putting Down Roots & Learning to Be a Beginner Again What happens when you move to a new ecosystem and realize you don’t know nearly as much as you thought you did? In this week’s Wildly Rejected: Becoming the Bison , Lauren shares an unexpectedly chaotic lesson involving monarch butterflies, 20 very hungry caterpillars, and one major real...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when rejection collides with grief, an empty nest, and a completely new life? In this deeply personal Wildly Rejected: Becoming the Bison update, Lauren catches up on weeks 16–19 of her 1,000 Rejection Challenge. She reflects on saying goodbye to her beloved dog Georgie, watching her son leave for college, moving away from Cincinnati, and beginning again as a full-tim...

Send us Fan Mail Happy Summer Y’All! Support the show

Send us Fan Mail Hope everyone is having a good summer so far! Catching up after the holiday! Enjoy!  Support the show

Send us Fan Mail 🔗 Connect with Ryan: https://www.ryangalway.com 🌿 Download your free Wildly Unplug Starter Guide here: https://gem.godaddy.com/signups/ebd116a3a09647638aa4d85c004839fa/join What does it take to chase a lifelong dream in the music industry while staying authentic to yourself? In this episode of the Wildly Unplug podcast, Lauren sits down with musician, songwriter, producer, and f...

Send us Fan Mail Week 12 of the 1,000 Rejection Challenge brought an unexpected realization: I had four rejections this week... and they weren't the most important thing that happened. In this episode, I share why that feels like a major milestone, the surprising power of encouragement after last week's troll encounter, and how a few kind messages reminded me that words can build people...

Send us Fan Mail 🔗 Connect with Peter: Website: https://www.peterdraws.com/ Follow on Instagram: @Peterdraws Youtube: @peter_draws 🌿 Download your free Wildly Unplug Starter Guide here: https://gem.godaddy.com/signups/ebd116a3a09647638aa4d85c004839fa/join What happens when an artist stops overthinking, trusts their gut, and simply starts creating? In this episode of the Wildly Unplug podcast, La...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when a week feels like nothing is moving forward? In this week's 1,000 Rejection Challenge update, Lauren shares a surprisingly eventful "stagnant" week that included a film festival rejection, an unforgettable encounter with an internet troll, and an unexpected opportunity connected to NASA. Along the way, she explores the difference between criticism...

Send us Fan Mail 🕊️ In Memory of Melanie Since recording this episode, Melanie unexpectedly passed away. Her joy for art, storytelling, animals, and life itself shines throughout this conversation. I’m deeply grateful our paths crossed, even briefly, and I hope this episode inspires others to slow down, create, and appreciate the people who leave lasting impressions on our hearts. Follow Melanie /...

Send us Fan Mail Week 10 of the 1,000 Rejection Challenge brought an unexpected lesson: not every acceptance is actually a win. In this episode of Wildly Unplugged , Lauren shares how the excitement of receiving a children's book publishing offer quickly turned into a crash course on vanity publishing, author scams, and the importance of doing your research before signing a contract. After re...

Send us Fan Mail Learn more / book a trip: Safari experiences: https://www.pamojasafaris.com What if you could build a life that combines travel, wildlife, and entrepreneurship… and actually make it work? In this episode of Wildly Unplugged, I sit down with Scott to talk about how he turned a passion for adventure into a career—running safari experiences in Africa, food tours in Japan, and creativ...

Send us Fan Mail The honeymoon phase is over. Now what? In this honest episode of Wildly Unplugged , Lauren Connolly shares a raw update from her 1,000 Rejection Challenge , reflecting on burnout, creative resilience, art rejection, and navigating major life transitions. After months of pitching podcasts, submitting artwork, applying for grants, and pursuing opportunities, Lauren reveals the surpr...

Send us Fan Mail Link to Peter's Website- https://www.petersewell.com/photography.html What happens when life completely falls apart… and you choose to start over? In this episode of Wildly Unplugged, I sit down with Peter Sewell to talk about travel, photography, resilience, and how reconnecting with the world can help you reconnect with yourself. After a major life transition, Peter set out...

Send us Fan Mail 2023 Solo Retreat to Cade’s Cove Playlist-  https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/photography-expedition/pl.u-e98lGamUzoR5jl Support the show

Send us Fan Mail 🔗 Connect with Jason: https://www.jasonedwards.co/en-us What does it really take to become a wildlife photographer for National Geographic? In this episode of Wildly Unplugged, I sit down with Jason Edwards—former zookeeper turned world-renowned wildlife photographer—to uncover the raw, unfiltered truth behind a career that many people dream about… but few truly understand. From...

Send us Fan Mail Wildly Rejected Week 7: Becoming the Bison, Avoiding Art Scams & Celebrating a Sea Turtle Win In this Week 7 update of the Wildly Unplug podcast, Lauren Connolly shares the latest chapter of the Wildly Rejected Challenge , also known as Becoming the Bison : a creative challenge to face rejection head-on instead of running from it. This week brings a mix of discernment, disappo...