🎙️ Episode 37: Life Update + The Podcast is Back!

Hey y’all — I’m back! It’s been over a year since I last dropped an episode of Whatever with Heather, and honestly, I didn’t know I was going to press pause when I did. In this episode, I catch you up on everything that’s happened since May 2024: the highs, the hard stuff, and all the moments in between that helped me get clear on what I truly value.

This isn’t just a life update — it’s about navigating change, facing burnout, choosing alignment, and stepping back into what feels right for me and my family.

✨ In This Episode, I Talk About:

• Why the podcast went silent for 13 months
• What it was like teaching in public school for the first time
• What led to full-blown burnout and my decision not to renew my teaching contract
• How my husband and I started rebuilding our Taekwondo business
• The values that surfaced through all of this: integrity, alignment, peace, and freedom
• What we’re building now — and why it feels so right

💭 What I’ve Learned:

• I’m not meant to work in environments that drain me, even if I can handle them
• Integrity isn’t just important — it’s a non-negotiable
• I need work that feels aligned, creative, and rooted in purpose
• Stepping into the unknown is scary... but also where the magic happens

🛠️ Looking Ahead:

Now that I’ve got more space and clarity, the podcast is back! Here’s what to expect going forward:

• New episodes on mindset, parenting, marriage, and life’s messy ups and downs
• Honest reflections on what I learned through teaching and burnout
• Guest conversations and chats with my husband (we have thoughts)
• Updates as we build our new business — and continue this wild adventure
• Oh, and… I’m finally finishing my book! 🎉

💬 A Little Note from Me:

If you’ve been listening from the beginning — thank you. And if you’re new here, welcome. I hope this episode helps you feel less alone in whatever season you’re walking through. I’m so grateful to be back, to be sharing again, and to have you along for the ride.

In this episode I share the concept I created this year of 'creative discipline.'

Download My Free Habit Tracker: "Focused 50/Focused 14"

I describe my process of choosing this year's 'word of the year' and how it turned into putting 2 words together. Life is a dance of sorts, one where every step counts, bringing us closer to a life that's as disciplined as it is delightfully unpredictable.

Let's talk about turning the tedious into the terrific. This episode is about connecting the dots between our drives and our dreams, and finding that sweet spot where discipline fuels our creativity, not stifles it.

In this episode we talk about the role that failure plays in personal growth and success.

We'll also talk about re-framing our journeys in a way that helps us move forward with the ability to navigate obstacles and failures.

0:00
0:36 Why we fear/avoid failure...
1:29 Academic "failing" and life
2:39 Failing is part of the journey
3:18 Low/No Obstacles
3:45 Obstacles & failure with hard things
4:33 Climbing Everest
5:31 Failure/Obstacles are a feature
6:31 Making the journey less scary
6:40 Fear of the upward climb
6:55 #1 Fear of being "above" others
7:20 #2 Failure is dangerous
7:54 Forward vs. upward
9:37 Life as a forward journey
9:43 Not a climb
10:10 Crash and burn
10:37 Navigation, re-routing, re-evaluating
11:05 No more leveling up
11:30 "Going on a Bear Hunt"
11:54 Navigate the obstacles
12:35 Thank you!