Soft Armor

In this episode, I talk about what it feels like to navigate divorce guilt during the holidays, and the hard work of letting go of the way things used to be. I share what it looks like to step into the way things are now, welcome change, and make space for a less-than-traditional Thanksgiving. It’s about learning to hold both—gratitude and grief—and allowing yourself to feel every emotion without apologizing for it.

After a little break, I’m back behind the mic with a life update. Between work, kids, and a whole lot of personal transition, this season of life has been… full. I’m talking about where I’ve been, what’s shifting, and how I’m attempting to date without actually leaving my house (is that a thing?). Welcome back to the chaos.

In this solo episode, I’m catching you up on life lately—post-DIEP flap surgery, back to work, and navigating a whole new rhythm. I open up about what recovery really looks like, the behind-the-scenes family dynamics I don’t always talk about, and how I’m learning to feed my body (and soul) with better things.

I talk about honest conversations with friends who stretch me, choosing peace over perfection, and embracing my new body while staying committed to my health. I’m sober right now, slowly figuring out how to reintroduce fun, connection, and balance into my world. It’s not always graceful, but it’s real—and that’s enough.

In this episode, I open up about a podcast I recently listened to that explored death awareness....and how our fear of dying alone often fuels our desperation to find a partner. It stopped me in my tracks and made me reflect on how that fear has shaped my own dating journey.

I talk about what it means to truly show up as yourself in love, how I’ve let go of the checklist, and why I’m no longer trying to be saved by a relationship. Maybe I’ll meet “my person,” maybe I won’t....but I’m staying open. Because real love doesn’t start with someone choosing you… it starts when you stop hiding.

Whether you’re single, dating, healing, or just figuring it all out, this one’s for you.

In this episode, I share a raw life update....from post-surgery reflections to end of school year feelings and everything in between. I also dive into a phrase that’s been hitting home for me lately: radical acceptance. What does it really mean? And how do we practice it without letting people walk all over us? This one’s about staying soft, staying grounded, and staying true to yourself....even when life doesn’t give you a perfect ending.

This episode is kind of a rant, kind of a reckoning. I’m talking about what happens when you stop overgiving and start setting boundaries....real ones. The kind that make people uncomfortable. I touch on divorce, friendship shifts, cancer, rebuilding my life, and just the quiet realization that I can’t keep performing anymore. If you’ve ever been called too much, too distant, too dramatic...or not enough....this one’s for you. I’m not cold. I’m just clear. And if that makes the room quieter… maybe that’s not a bad thing.

In this post-Mother’s Day episode, I talk about recovering from surgery, parenting while exhausted, and prioritizing my health without losing my mind (or my patience). I reflect on the messy beauty of being a mom, the emotional rollercoaster of healing, and why the future...no matter how uncertain...still holds so much hope. If you’re in a season of softness, survival, or just trying to appreciate the little joys in between the chaos, this one’s for you.

Thank you for listening. I would love to interact. Please like, follow, or leave a comment and review.

Book By Jen Rozenbalm

What the F🎀ck just happened

A Survivor Guide to life after breast cancer

It’s the day before my surgery, and before my house fills up with people and noise and love, I needed to take a moment with myself....and with you. This episode is my way of processing everything, what cancer taught me, what healing has looked like, and how deeply grateful I am for the people who have supported me along the way.

I talk about forgiveness, faith, my prognosis, and the life lessons that come when you realize time isn’t promised. This isn’t about seeking attention....this is about honoring the moment. About choosing softness over bitterness. About naming the sacred in the middle of the unknown.

To my clients, my friends, my family, and my babies......you’ve all given me more than I can ever put into words. And I just needed to say it out loud.

In this Easter Sunday episode, I’m sharing a tender conversation I had with my childhood friend Sheri that opened my eyes to a wound I didn’t even know was still shaping me. We talk about how, even as a little girl, I was seen as pretty—but not necessarily smart—and how that message became a self-fulfilling prophecy in my life. I’m also opening up about my faith journey, the doubt I’ve wrestled with, and how, through cancer and healing, I’ve come to believe that God still calls people who don’t feel qualified. I don’t have all the answers, and I’m not trying to preach—I just want to speak from the heart, be who I really am, and lead with love.

At the end, I read the poem Footprints in the Sand and share a reflection that surprised even me. If you’ve ever felt unseen, unworthy, or unsure of where you stand with God—this episode is for you.

If this episode resonated with you, it would mean so much if you’d take a moment to like, follow, or leave a kind review. You can also tap the notification bell so you don’t miss new episodes. I’m sending so much love to anyone listening—truly.

If there’s a topic you’d love for me to talk about, a question you’re holding in your heart, or even a story you’d like to share—I would be honored to hear from you. You can reach me on Instagram at @tghairdesign, or leave an anonymous comment or message through this link:

Let’s keep having these quiet, honest conversations—together.

In this episode of Soft Armor, I sit down with my childhood friend Sheri for a raw and real conversation about motherhood, identity, and rising above the pressure to prove yourself. Sheri opens up about becoming a teenage mom, the silent expectations she carried, and how alcohol became her coping mechanism—until she decided to take her life back. From sobriety to strength training, her journey is one of resilience and radical self-ownership.

But somewhere in the middle of her story, she dropped a truth bomb that stopped me cold—one that held up a mirror to my own mother wound. She reminded me of something my mother used to say: that I was beautiful… but not very bright. It was something I had buried, brushed off, made light of—but in that moment, it hit different. For the first time, I truly saw the root of the wound. And I couldn’t unsee it.

This episode isn’t just about Sheri’s transformation—it’s about how a single moment of honesty can crack something open in you too.

You follow and support Sheri on Instagram @ Sheri._Johnson

Her inspiration on Instagram @Alicia

@Shannonleighmccabe @Mindybeyers

If you like the episode, please comment, like, follow, or leave a review. You can also share the love with someone who might need it.

Let’s have a conversation ☕ Do you have a story or something in your heart that needs to be set free? Or drop me a question and I’ll answer to m the show. You can DM on Instagram @tghairdesign or leave an anonymous question at the link below. Sending out some much love to you all. Stay tuned