Catherine reflects on regret through a compassionate lens—less “what I should’ve done” and more “what I wish I could lovingly tell my younger self.” She shares a grounding quote about mountains (obstacles) and how the growth you earn while climbing them stays with you long after the hardship is behind you. From there, she talks candidly about how silencing your voice can shape major life decisions, and how she wishes she’d cultivated joy and identity earlier instead of trying to become who the world wanted her to be. Catherine also offers heartfelt reflections on parenting—moving from control and perfection toward connection, curiosity, and nervous system regulation—plus the ways divorce, grief, and financial insecurity impacted her kids. She closes with hope: mountains are inevitable, but with grace, resilience, and self-trust, what feels impossible today can become a distant view in the rearview mirror.

💬 What You'll Hear

• A powerful “mountain” quote and why obstacles can become opportunities
• Catherine’s take on regret: reflection without shame, compassion without rewriting your life
• How silencing your voice (and listening to the loudest voice in your head) can shape your choices
• What she wishes she’d cultivated earlier: joy, identity, and self-trust
• The perspective shift of parenting adult children—and how every child experiences family differently
• Unsolicited (but loving) parenting advice: presence, eye contact, listening, and connection over perfection
• Why kids don’t need rigid control to become good humans—they need safety, love, and boundaries
• A reframing of “skills”: why bedwetting, emotions, and behavior are learned like riding a bike
• Reflections on divorce, bankruptcy, grief, and the hope that time can soften even the hardest seasons

✨ Takeaway

Regret doesn’t have to be punishment—it can be a gentle teacher. When you look back with compassion, you can keep the wisdom without carrying the shame. And when you parent (or re-parent yourself) with connection over control, you create the kind of safety that lasts.

⚖️ Disclaimer
These stories are mine — told through my eyes, my lens, and my lived experience. Each person moves through life in their own way. I own these stories, and I share them to inspire us all to live truthfully, freely, and as our most authentic selves.

🌿 Connect with Catherine
If this episode made you reflect on a time when you judged others or needed forgiveness yourself, share it with someone who showed you grace when you didn't deserve it.

Follow Catherine on Instagram to keep following the story.

Theme Song Written and Composed by Trevor Lynch and Michaela Dennis and recorded by Trevor Lynch in Chicago IL
Photo: Baumgardner Studio Yakima, WA
Production: Red Trux Productions Snohomish, WA