Wandering the Wild Mess

When did you start believing your feelings were too much for other people? In this episode of Wandering the Wild Mess, I explore the deeply human fear of feeling like a burden. For as long as I can remember, asking for help has felt uncomfortable. Even when I knew I needed support, there was always a voice in the back of my mind telling me I was asking for too much, taking up too much space, or ma...

What if nobody actually knows what they're doing—and we're all just figuring it out as we go? In this episode of Wandering the Wild Mess, I reflect on my life two years after making the difficult decision to leave my marriage and everything I've learned along the way. There have been moments of loneliness, uncertainty, and wondering if I was making the right choices. At times, it felt like hiking...

Nobody talks about how much blind trust it takes to start over. In this episode of Wandering the Wild Mess, I explore the unpredictable journey of starting over and learning to trust the path before you can see where it leads. Through my experiences navigating divorce, self-discovery, and rebuilding my life from the ground up, I've realized that adulthood doesn't come with a roadmap. The truth is,...

The hardest part wasn't leaving my marriage. It was sitting alone in Nashville, wondering if I'd made a mistake..... In this episode of Wandering the Wild Mess, I share one of the hardest seasons of my life—the first month after moving to Nashville completely on my own. From the outside, it looked exciting. A fresh start. A new city. A new chapter. But behind the smiles was a very different realit...

Can a new place really heal you? In this episode of Wandering the Wild Mess, I share the story of my first trip to Tennessee and the unexpected journey that followed. At the time, I was searching for a fresh start and wondering if moving somewhere new could help me heal from the pain, uncertainty, and challenges I was carrying. What I didn't expect was a chance encounter with a complete stranger w...

Finding a place to live is one thing... finding a place that truly feels like home is another. In this episode, I share the journey of finally putting down roots in Nashville after spending three months moving between Airbnbs while starting my life over. Buying my own house wasn’t just about having a roof over my head — it was about learning independence, trusting myself, and creating stability in...

Pretending everything is fine can quietly keep you stuck in a life that no longer fits. In this episode, I reflect on the version of myself I might have become if I had stayed where life felt safe and familiar. It’s easy to convince ourselves we’re okay, to keep playing roles others expect from us, and to pretend nothing needs to change. But sometimes pretending everything is fine is exactly what...

Starting over in a new city isn’t for the faint of heart. It can be messy, confusing, and full of unexpected encounters — especially when you’re rebuilding your life in Nashville. In this episode, I share the chaotic and eye-opening moments from my early days navigating single life in Nashville. From meeting new people and musicians in Music City to questioning what love, relationships, and connec...

Sometimes the biggest life changes don’t happen all at once — they unfold mile by mile. In this episode, I share the story of leaving behind my corporate career, the Salt Lake City office, and the final ties to my life in Utah as I drove alone back to Tennessee. What started as a solo road trip quickly became a journey of reflection, unexpected conversations, and powerful reminders about relations...

What can really change in one year? In this episode, I reflect on the difference between celebrating my first birthday in Tennessee surrounded by friends from back home — and celebrating this year with the new friendships I’ve built here. We talk about what it takes to start over in a new city, how to build community as an adult, and the emotional highs and lows of creating a new support system fr...

Starting over? It isn't going to be comfortable, but you'll make through..  In this episode, I revisit the trials that tried to make the leaving hard, as I moved through the changes of packing up the life I knew. I share the stories of things that came to test me and look back on the last time I heard a voice that spoke to me every day for years. I  discuss the uncertainty and doubts tha...

Sometimes you don’t realize you’re home until life comes full circle. But it's a little messy...  In this episode, I reflect on a whirlwind of emotions that took me back to Utah — only to return to Nashville with deeper clarity. From spontaneous moments and unexpected connections to the songs that marked the turning points, this story is about recognizing when a place begins to feel aligned....

There comes a point when you truly understand that life is short — and once you do, you can’t unsee it. In this episode, I reflect on how losing my father reshaped my perspective on time, comfort, and the risks I was willing to take. His passing didn’t immediately change my life, but over time it redefined my standards — including my decision to leave my marriage and ultimately start over in Tenne...

Will I be alone forever? That question hits differently when you’re navigating life after a long-term relationship and trying to figure out who you are on your own. In this episode of Wandering the Wild Mess , I talk about the fear of being single, modern dating struggles, and what it really feels like to start over. From awkward first dates to questioning whether you’re ready to be a partner agai...

Taking a leap of faith isn’t easy, especially when you’re starting over and facing the fear of the unknown. In this episode, I talk about what it really feels like to jump into uncertainty and trust yourself anyway. If you’re navigating a major life change, rebuilding after divorce, making a bold decision, or leaving your comfort zone, this conversation will help you move forward with clarity and...

There’s a moment in every major life change where you look at yourself and think: I don’t even recognize who I am anymore. In this episode, we explore what it feels like to lose parts of your identity, whether through divorce, career shifts, relocation, or personal growth, and how that disorientation can actually become the doorway to reinvention. I share how reflecting on childhood, past versions...

How do you trust that everything will be okay when your entire life changes? In this episode of Wandering the Wild Mess, I share one of the first moments that helped me realize I was going to be okay on the other side of a major life transition. When everything familiar falls away, it's easy to believe that the life you knew was the best life you would ever have. But sometimes the hardest changes...

Starting over doesn't always feel empowering; sometimes it’s emotional, uncomfortable, and messy. In this episode, I open up about the tears, embarrassing moments, and emotional ups and downs that followed some of the biggest changes of my life. From heartbreak and relocation to rebuilding my identity, this conversation explores what healing really looks like behind the scenes. We talk about why e...

Change is uncomfortable, but it’s often the doorway to everything new. In this episode, I share how a series of major life changes, ending a relationship, losing a close friendship, leaving a 10-year career, and moving to Tennessee, completely disrupted what I thought was my “normal.” We talk about what it feels like when everything familiar shifts at once and how those seasons of instability can...

Dating after a major life change feels like stepping into a world with entirely new rules. In this episode, I open up about navigating dating apps for the first time and what it’s like to start dating again when you feel completely out of your depth. We talk about the uncertainty of modern dating, the pressure to “figure it out,” and the fear of putting yourself out there when you don’t feel fully...

How much of your life has fear quietly controlled? In this episode, we unpack how fear of failure, fear of judgment, and fear of stepping outside the “safe” path can keep you stuck in a version of yourself that feels small. I share how pushing past fear allowed me to start this podcast, make bold life changes, and stop living inside a box built by other people’s expectations. We talk about the cos...

What does it really look like to choose to start over in a new city? In this episode, I share why I left Utah, the only place I had ever called home and made the decision to move to Nashville, Tennessee.  We talk about the moment you realize that growth sometimes requires a new environment, a new perspective, and a willingness to step into the unknown. Starting over isn’t always about running...

If you've found your way here, I have no doubt it's meant to be! This podcast is for anyone navigating uncertainty, healing from the past, or figuring out what it means to truly choose yourself. If you’ve ever questioned the life you were raised to live—the beliefs, the expectations, the roles—you’re not alone. I’m Heather, a Utah native who left behind the only life I’d ever known: a marriage tha...