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, healing, starting over, single seasons, motherhood, self-trust, and learning to grieve the life you thought you would have. 

Thea opens up about losing herself in marriage, finding her voice after divorce, discovering music as a form of healing, and rebuilding a life that feels more aligned with who she truly is. We talk about why healing is not always complete until you allow yourself to be vulnerable again, why relationships can bring up wounds you thought were already healed, and why the right partner should support your healing without being responsible for it.

We also explore the beauty and difficulty of being single after divorce, learning to enjoy your own company, breaking generational patterns, parenting with intention, and trusting that this season of your life still has purpose, even if it does not look how you planned.

If you are navigating divorce, starting over, healing from the past, grieving an old version of your life, or learning how to trust yourself again before love finds you, this episode is for you.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, follow, share it with a friend, and rate the podcast five stars. It helps others find the show.

Stay connected and check out all the ways you can follow along.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to rate the podcast five stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟. It really helps others find the show.

Make sure to subscribe, follow, and share it with a friend who needs it!

Stay connected and check out all the ways you can follow along!

 * Host Instagram: @heatherdyann [https://www.instagram.com/heatherdyann]
 * Host Facebook: heatherdyanmorgan [https://www.facebook.com/heatherdyanmorgan]
 * TikTok: @wanderingthewildmess [https://www.tiktok.com/@wanderingthewildmess]
 * Website: www.wanderingthewildmess.com [http://www.wanderingthewildmess.com/]
 * Subscribe to YouTube: www.youtube.com/@wanderingthewildmess [http://www.youtube.com/@wanderingthewildmess]
 * Email the show: contact.heather.morgan@gmail.com

Have a question you'd like answered on the show? Submit here: https://www.speakpipe.com/WanderingtheWildMess

Join the email list & more here:https://stan.store/wanderingthewildmess  [https://stan.store/wanderingthewildmess]

Find Guest Thea Lissi on Instagram @thealissi





94. When Life Doesn't Look Like You Planned with Thea Lissi 

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 be the setback we think it is. After divorce, moving across the country alone, and rebuilding my life from the ground up, I began to realize that major life changes create a rare opportunity: the chance to intentionally reinvent yourself.

We often think transformation happens because we're motivated, but real change happens when our routines, habits, and identity begin to shift. I talk about the lessons I've learned from rebuilding my life after divorce, creating new habits, strength training, trying new things, and choosing to become the person I wanted to be before I felt ready.

If you're navigating a divorce, breakup, career change, move, or any season of starting over, this episode is a reminder that you're not beginning from scratch. You're beginning with experience, wisdom, and the opportunity to build a life that reflects who you're becoming.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to rate the podcast five stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟. It really helps others find the show.

Make sure to subscribe, follow, and share it with a friend who needs it!

Stay connected and check out all the ways you can follow along!

 * Host Instagram: @heatherdyann [https://www.instagram.com/heatherdyann]
 * Host Facebook: heatherdyanmorgan [https://www.facebook.com/heatherdyanmorgan]
 * TikTok: @wanderingthewildmess [https://www.tiktok.com/@wanderingthewildmess]
 * Website: www.wanderingthewildmess.com [http://www.wanderingthewildmess.com/]
 * Subscribe to YouTube: www.youtube.com/@wanderingthewildmess [http://www.youtube.com/@wanderingthewildmess]
 * Email the show: contact.heather.morgan@gmail.com

Find free mindset tools & more here:https://stan.store/wanderingthewildmess  [https://stan.store/wanderingthewildmess]

93. What If Starting Over Is the Best Thing That Ever Happened to You?

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 to making unexpected friendships at the farmer's market, I've been reminded that many of life's best opportunities only appear when we're willing to step outside our comfort zone and say yes.

Because what if the life you want isn't “never going to happen,” you're just closing the doors that would allow it to find you?

If you've been feeling stuck, waiting for the right time, or wondering why life feels smaller than you hoped it would, this episode is your reminder that possibility often lives on the other side of uncertainty.

The life you want may not be avoiding you. You may be avoiding the situations where it can find you.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to rate the podcast five stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟. It really helps others find the show.

Make sure to subscribe, follow, and share it with a friend who needs it!

Stay connected and check out all the ways you can follow along!

 * Email the show: heather@wanderingthewildmess.c [heather@wanderingthewildmess.com]om
 * Host Instagram: @heatherdyann [https://www.instagram.com/heatherdyann]
 * Host Facebook: heatherdyanmorgan [https://www.facebook.com/heatherdyanmorgan]
 * TikTok: @wanderingthewildmess [https://www.tiktok.com/@wanderingthewildmess]
 * Website: www.wanderingthewildmess.com [http://www.wanderingthewildmess.com/]
 * Subscribe to YouTube: www.youtube.com/@wanderingthewildmess

92. What If You're Not Stuck?

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 are "good enough," raising your standards, healing after heartbreak, and learning how to stay open to love without closing your heart.

Taylor shares her journey of ending a relationship she thought would lead to marriage, moving to Nashville on her own, navigating dating apps, learning to be comfortable alone, and ultimately finding a healthy relationship after getting clear on what she truly wanted.

Together, Heather and Taylor discuss modern dating, situationships, emotional availability, self-worth, healing, faith, and why the relationship you want often requires becoming the version of yourself that's willing to stop settling for less.

If you're single, starting over, healing from heartbreak, or wondering if real love still exists, this conversation will remind you that your relationship status doesn't determine your worth, and that sometimes the right relationship arrives when you finally stop choosing from fear and start choosing from alignment.

Promise, you'll get something you need to hear from this conversation. 

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to rate the podcast five stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟. It really helps others find the show.

Make sure to subscribe, follow, and share it with a friend who needs it!

Stay connected and check out all the ways you can follow along!

 * Host Instagram: @heatherdyann [https://www.instagram.com/heatherdyann]
 * Host Facebook: heatherdyanmorgan [https://www.facebook.com/heatherdyanmorgan]
 * Website: www.wanderingthewildmess.com [http://www.wanderingthewildmess.com/]
 * TikTok: @wanderingthewildmess [https://www.tiktok.com/@wanderingthewildmess]
 * Subscribe to YouTube: www.youtube.com/@wanderingthewildmess

Find free mindset tools & more here: https://stan.store/wanderingthewildmess  [https://stan.store/wanderingthewildmess]

About the Guest: Taylor Ely is a life and relationship coach, host of the podcast Unlocking Her, and a Nashville-based content creator passionate about helping women build confidence, raise their standards, and create lives they genuinely love.

Connect with Taylor:
Instagram: @tayyele
Podcast: Unlocking Her



91. Dating After Starting Over with Taylor Ely

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 wrestling with the question I didn't want to ask: Can I do this forever?

We talk about trust, broken promises, self-honesty, and the difference between loving someone and knowing a relationship is no longer right for you. This isn't an episode about giving up on marriage. It's about what happens when you've tried everything you know how to try and your heart already knows the truth.

If you've ever questioned a relationship, struggled with a major life decision, or felt the weight of choosing a different path, this conversation is for you.

Learn to trust your path, no matter how messy it looks.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to rate the podcast five stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟. It really helps others find the show.

Make sure to subscribe, follow, and share it with a friend who needs it!

Stay connected and check out all the ways you can follow along!

 * Host Instagram: @heatherdyann [https://www.instagram.com/heatherdyann]
 * Host Facebook: heatherdyanmorgan [https://www.facebook.com/heatherdyanmorgan]
 * TikTok: @wanderingthewildmess [https://www.tiktok.com/@wanderingthewildmess]
 * Website: www.wanderingthewildmess.com [http://www.wanderingthewildmess.com/]
 * Subscribe to YouTube: www.youtube.com/@wanderingthewildmess

Find free mindset tools & more here:https://stan.store/wanderingthewildmess  [https://stan.store/wanderingthewildmess]



90. How I Knew It Was Time to Leave My Marriage

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, fear of getting hurt again, and the pressure to “get life right,” this conversation explores how easy it is to become so focused on healing and improving ourselves that we forget to actually live.

Maybe becoming your best self isn’t about perfecting yourself. Maybe it’s about becoming more present, connected, joyful, and alive while you’re here.

If you've been going through it.. and doubting yourself in any way, this episode is for you.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to rate the podcast five stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟. It really helps others find the show.

Make sure to subscribe, follow, and share it with a friend who needs it!

Stay connected and check out all the ways you can follow along!

 * Email the show: heather@wanderingthewildmess.c [heather@wanderingthewildmess.com]om
 * Host Instagram: @heatherdyann [https://www.instagram.com/heatherdyann]
 * Host Facebook: heatherdyanmorgan [https://www.facebook.com/heatherdyanmorgan]
 * TikTok: @wanderingthewildmess [https://www.tiktok.com/@wanderingthewildmess]
 * Website: www.wanderingthewildmess.com [http://www.wanderingthewildmess.com/]
 * Subscribe to YouTube: www.youtube.com/@wanderingthewildmess

Find free mindset tools & more here:https://stan.store/wanderingthewildmess  [https://stan.store/wanderingthewildmess]



89. When Becoming Your Best Self Becomes Exhausting 

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.

Maybe your win right now is rebuilding after heartbreak.
Maybe it’s finally making the hard decision.
Maybe it’s getting through the workday without falling apart.
Maybe it’s showing up to the thing you almost talked yourself out of.

And maybe the pressure to “have it all figured out” is the very thing making you feel behind.

This episode is a reminder that we are all running different races in different seasons of life. Success is relative. Healing isn’t linear. Growth is uncomfortable. And just because something feels hard doesn’t mean you’re failing.

We also dive into mindset, self-concept, resilience, personal growth, the psychology of self-reinforcement, and why confidence is often built by simply continuing to show up for yourself over and over again.

Because maybe winning was never about being first.

Maybe showing up is the win.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to rate the podcast five stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟. It really helps others find the show.

Make sure to subscribe, follow, and share it with a friend who needs it!

Stay connected and check out all the ways you can follow along!

 * Email the show: heather@wanderingthewildmess.c [heather@wanderingthewildmess.com]om
 * Host Instagram: @heatherdyann [https://www.instagram.com/heatherdyann]
 * Host Facebook: heatherdyanmorgan [https://www.facebook.com/heatherdyanmorgan]
 * TikTok: @wanderingthewildmess [https://www.tiktok.com/@wanderingthewildmess]
 * Website: www.wanderingthewildmess.com [http://www.wanderingthewildmess.com/]
 * Subscribe to YouTube: www.youtube.com/@wanderingthewildmess

Find free mindset tools & more here:https://stan.store/wanderingthewildmess  [https://stan.store/wanderingthewildmess]



88. Showing Up Matters More Than Winning

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 chaos, and what it actually looks like to evolve into the next version of yourself. From divorce and starting over, to boundaries, discipline, nervous system regulation, and self-concept, this episode explores the uncomfortable truth that healing doesn’t just change how you feel, it changes who you are.

I also reflect on the deeper meaning behind the question: “Do you want to be healed?” and why true healing changes your habits, routines, relationships, standards, and the way you move through the world.

If you’ve been feeling pulled toward a different version of your life but struggling to let go of old patterns, old identities, or familiar chaos, this episode is for you.

Because eventually life stops asking what you want…
and starts asking who you’re willing to become to receive it.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to rate the podcast five stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟. It really helps others find the show.

Make sure to subscribe, follow, and share it with a friend who needs it!

Stay connected and check out all the ways you can follow along!

 * Email the show: heather@wanderingthewildmess.c [heather@wanderingthewildmess.com]om
 * Host Instagram: @heatherdyann [https://www.instagram.com/heatherdyann]
 * Host Facebook: heatherdyanmorgan [https://www.facebook.com/heatherdyanmorgan]
 * TikTok: @wanderingthewildmess [https://www.tiktok.com/@wanderingthewildmess]
 * Website: www.wanderingthewildmess.com [http://www.wanderingthewildmess.com/]
 * Subscribe to YouTube: www.youtube.com/@wanderingthewildmess

Find free mindset tools & more here:https://stan.store/wanderingthewildmess  [https://stan.store/wanderingthewildmess]

87. Do You Actually Want to Heal?

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 you’re a good person by staying in situations that don’t feel good.

This episode is a reminder that choosing yourself isn’t about rejecting others; it’s about no longer rejecting yourself.

If you’ve ever struggled with guilt, overthinking, or feeling responsible for other people’s emotions, this conversation will help you start moving through life with more clarity, self-trust, and peace.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to rate the podcast five stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟. It really helps others find the show.

Make sure to subscribe, follow, and share it with a friend who needs it!

Stay connected and check out all the ways you can follow along!

 * Email the show: heather@wanderingthewildmess.c [heather@wanderingthewildmess.com]om
 * Host Instagram: @heatherdyann [https://www.instagram.com/heatherdyann]
 * Host Facebook: heatherdyanmorgan [https://www.facebook.com/heatherdyanmorgan]
 * TikTok: @wanderingthewildmess [https://www.tiktok.com/@wanderingthewildmess]
 * Website: www.wanderingthewildmess.com [http://www.wanderingthewildmess.com/]
 * Subscribe to YouTube: www.youtube.com/@wanderingthewildmess

Find free mindset tools & more here:https://stan.store/wanderingthewildmess  [https://stan.store/wanderingthewildmess]



86. Stop Abandoning Yourself to Keep the Peace

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 finding love again and building a thriving business, April shares what it really takes to start over.

They talk about:

 * What divorce actually feels like (the part no one talks about)
 * Dating after divorce and learning to trust again
 * Blending families and navigating step-parent roles
 * Building confidence through survival and self-leadership
 * How one person believing in you can change your entire path
 * Growing a successful business from the ground up

This episode is for anyone who feels like life didn’t go the way they planned and needs a reminder that it can still turn out better than they imagined.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to rate the podcast five stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟. It really helps others find the show.

Make sure to subscribe, follow, and share it with a friend who needs it!

Find the book mentioned in the episode linked on my website: www.wanderingthewildmess.com [http://www.wanderingthewildmess.com/]

Stay connected and check out all the ways you can follow along!

 * Email the show: heather@wanderingthewildmess.c [heather@wanderingthewildmess.com]om
 * Host Instagram: @heatherdyann [https://www.instagram.com/heatherdyann]
 * Host Facebook: heatherdyanmorgan [https://www.facebook.com/heatherdyanmorgan]
 * TikTok: @wanderingthewildmess [https://www.tiktok.com/@wanderingthewildmess]
 * Subscribe to YouTube: www.youtube.com/@wanderingthewildmess

Find free mindset tools & more here:https://stan.store/wanderingthewildmess  [https://stan.store/wanderingthewildmess]

Find more on April and her business on Instagram:

 * @bloomstudiosutah
 * @urhairsucks 
 * @gldnhr

85. Finding Love After Divorce: Blending Families & Building a Successful Business with April 

For anyone starting over, navigating a new chapter, or rewriting their story. I’m here to help you see your life through a new lens… one that reminds you everything is unfolding exactly as it should, even when it looks like a mess.



After leaving the only home I’d ever known, moving across the country alone after my divorce, and stumbling through more plot twists than I care to admit, I found myself in a place I never expected: completely lost. Which, honestly, is the best time to be found.



This podcast is for the person in the in-between… when the old life doesn’t fit anymore, but the new one hasn’t fully arrived. It’s for anyone who’s had something they thought would last forever fall apart, and is learning to trust their path again. Because the journey is the destination — and the mess is part of the magic.



Here, you’ll find honest reflections, vulnerable moments, and mindset shifts to help you take the lessons in the mess, reframe what feels hard, and remember you’re not behind. You’re exactly where you need to be.

And if you’ve ever felt lost, this pod gets you... because I know first-hand that growth is messy. But it’s yours. And it always works out.

Make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss an episode. And let’s wander this wild mess together.

Stay connected and check out all the ways you can follow along!

 * Website: www.wanderingthewildmess.com [http://www.wanderingthewildmess.com/] 
 * Instagram: @heatherdyann [https://www.instagram.com/heatherdyann]
 * TikTok: @wanderingthewildmess [https://www.tiktok.com/@wanderingthewildmess]
 * YouTube: @wanderingthewildmess 
 * Facebook: heatherdyanmorgan [https://www.facebook.com/heatherdyanmorgan]
 * 📧 Email: heather@wanderingthewildmess.com

Wandering the Wild Mess 

Join me on a journey of self-discovery, as I embrace life's uncertainties in a way I could have never imagined and remind you, you're enough.

Heather Morgan

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