Wandering the Wild Mess

People joke about getting their "starter marriage" out of the way.  There are divorce parties, jokes about finally finding the right person after years with the wrong one, and the idea that once your marriage ends, your real life can finally begin. But I think that story leaves something out.... In this episode, we reflect on the day we say "I do," the moment we believe we know exactly what o...

Have you ever looked around at your life and thought, “How did I end up here?”  Not always in a bad way, but in the way that makes you realize your life looks nothing like what you once imagined. In this episode of Wandering the Wild Mess , I sit down with Thea Lissi, a singer-songwriter, dancer, entrepreneur, dance studio owner, and mother, for a vulnerable conversation about divorce, healin...

The biggest lie about starting over is that you're back at square one. You're not. You're starting with lessons, wisdom, experience, and a clearer understanding of who you want to become. And sometimes the moments that force us to start over also give us something we never had before, the chance to become someone new. In this episode of Wandering the Wild Mess , I share why starting over may not b...

How many doors have you closed before opportunity ever had the chance to knock? Because you didn't know how it would work out. Because you weren't sure you were ready. Because hearing "no" felt worse than staying where you were. In this episode, I explore how fear of rejection, embarrassment, uncertainty, and discomfort can keep us from the very experiences we're hoping for. From joining a new gym...

Starting over changes more than your life... it changes what you're willing to accept in a relationship. It also has a funny way of sending you back into the world of dating, whether you feel ready or not... In this episode, Heather sits down with her good friend, life and relationship coach, and fellow podcast host, Taylor Ely, to talk about dating after starting over, leaving relationships that...

When did you know it was time to get divorced? It's one of the questions I get asked most often, and the truth is, there wasn't one defining moment..  In this vulnerable episode, I share the real story behind my divorce, what it felt like to spend years trying to make a marriage work, pretend it's "not that big of a deal," convincing myself to stay, hoping things would change, and quietly wre...

What happens when self-improvement slowly turns your entire life into a performance review? In this episode, we talk about the pressure of constantly trying to become a better version of ourselves after heartbreak, divorce, healing, and starting over, and what happens when personal growth starts turning into exhaustion instead of fulfillment. From perfectionism and self-optimization to isolation,...

Some people are trying to break records. Some people are just trying not to quit. It depends on the season they’re in..and both matter. In this episode, we’re talking about why showing up for yourself is sometimes the biggest win of all. Because sometimes winning looks big and obvious, and other times it looks like quietly continuing when no one else sees how hard it is for you to keep going. Mayb...

What happens when healing starts asking you to become someone unfamiliar? A lot of us say we want healing. We say we want peace, love, confidence, purpose, success, and a different life. But what happens when healing starts asking you to let go of the version of yourself that’s been "you" for so long? In this episode, I talk about identity shifts, outgrowing survival mode, emotional attachment to...

Many of us believe we’re being kind… when we’re actually abandoning ourselves. In this episode, we unpack the subtle ways self-abandonment shows up in everyday life, from saying yes when your body says no, to over-explaining yourself, to staying in relationships that quietly drain your energy. I'll share personal reflections on people-pleasing, boundaries, and learning that you don’t need to prove...

Starting over after divorce can feel lonely, uncertain, and overwhelming, but it can also lead to a life you never imagined... In this episode of Wandering the Wild Mess , Heather sits down with a back-home friend, April, a mother of eight and a successful entrepreneur who rebuilt her life after a divorce in her 20s. From navigating single motherhood and the loneliness that comes after leaving, to...

We often pick a time in our life and think we’ll be “there” by now. But what no one talks about is the in-between—the space where you’ve changed your life, done the work, and you’re still waiting for it to come together. Starting over can feel like 10 steps backwards, and getting another year older can feel like you still haven't made it to where you wanted to be. In this raw and honest episode, I...

When your focus is on everyone else’s perception, it becomes almost impossible to fully be yourself... “You don’t need to be understood by everyone. You just need to be aligned with yourself.” In this episode, we unpack a hard truth: how much of our lives are shaped by the fear of what other people might think. From second-guessing decisions to holding back parts of who we are, many of us are unkn...

When you leave everything you’ve ever known, it gets messy. If you've ever left a life you thought you'd always have, and no longer know who you are after it's all said and done. This episode will hit. After my divorce, I felt defeated. I left Utah, followed a feeling, and started rebuilding my life in Tennessee one wild decision at a time. In this episode, I’m taking you back to the “wild mess er...

You say you want a different life… But somehow you keep ending up in the same patterns. In this episode, I sit down with Josh Terry for a real, unfiltered conversation about why that happens, and what it actually takes to change. We talk about the fear of being seen differently, how much we let other people’s opinions control us, and the truth that most people don’t realize: Nobody is thinking abo...

How do you actually start over after a divorce, and why does no one talk about what it really feels like? Three years after leaving my marriage and rebuilding my life from scratch, I’m sharing the raw, unfiltered truth about starting over—what happens after the decision is made and you’re left to figure out who you are on your own. In this episode, I talk about the loneliness of having no one to f...

No one prepares you for what it feels like to lose a marriage you never thought would end… when he decides to leave... and it quickly becomes a journey of learning how to let go of the life you built.  This episode is one of the most raw and honest conversations I’ve had on Wandering the Wild Mess . Leah Wade shares her story of going through two divorces, navigating emotional manipulation, a...

You don’t get what you want in life. You get who you believe you are . In this episode of Wandering the Wild Mess , I break down why self-concept and identity shape the life you experience. Your brain filters reality through the Reticular Activating System (RAS) , highlighting evidence that confirms what you already believe about yourself.  If you believe you’re someone who figures things out...

Being single isn’t the hard part. Being ready.. and still waiting is. No one talks about the discipline it takes to desire partnership without settling for less. Three years post-divorce and a full year without dating, I’m sharing what it feels like to finally be ready for love… and still be in that uncomfortable gap of “put me in, coach.” This isn’t just about the loneliness. It’s about identity....

In this episode, I sit down with my first-ever guest, Kade, for an honest, grounded conversation about what divorce actually feels like — this time with a man’s perspective. I met Kade while wandering the wild mess of life in Nashville, at a time when we had both recently moved there after our divorces, trying to rebuild and rediscover who we were, even as we were still running from some hard trut...

Comparison is the quiet thief of joy, and this year, we are done letting it run the show .  In this episode, I talk about why feeling “behind” is an illusion created by comparison—especially in a world obsessed with timelines, numbers, and visibility. I share a personal moment that almost stopped me from recording, along with a metaphor about walking your own path instead of running someone e...

Why do New Year goals feel so motivating… and then quietly fall apart a few weeks later?  In this episode, I break down the real reason goals fail — and it has nothing to do with laziness or lack of discipline. I walk you through the psychology of the nervous system, self-concept, and why big goals can start to feel unsafe, triggering self-sabotage and burnout when expectations exceed capacit...

Let this be a reminder that your life doesn’t need to be rushed, fixed, or proven to be worthy. You can be deeply grateful for where you are and still long for more. Those two things can exist at the same time. This episode is about worthiness, about releasing the belief that good things “aren’t for you,” and remembering that your desires are valid because you are valid. If last year felt heavy, t...

If this season feels different this year, you’re not alone. The holidays have a way of amplifying everything: your joy, your healing, your loneliness, and your growth. Life changes, Traditions shift. Emotions rise. And the contrast between what was and what is can feel heavy. This is a must-hear, honest reflection on navigating the holidays (and any season of life) when your life no longer fits th...

If you’ve ever wondered why your life hasn’t changed yet — even though you want it so badly — this episode finally reveals what’s been missing. As we move into a brand-new year, we explore the real reason your reality looks the way it does. Spoiler: it’s not your habits, your discipline, or your timing. It’s your self-concept — the identity you keep returning to. In this transformative episode, He...