That Salty Girl: Confidence, Reinvention, And Figuring Out What's Next

I'm from Louisiana, so people are always surprised when they find out just how much I love Alabama football. In this episode, I'm finally telling the whole story, from growing up in a tiny Louisiana town without a football team to learning the game from Jerry, attending our first Alabama game together, earning two degrees from the University of Alabama, and eventually making Alabama home. Somewhere along the way, Roll Tide became part of my life, and this is how it happened.

In This Episode:

• (00:51) Fall in Alabama, a little life lately, and feedback from Episode 10
• (02:16) Growing up in tiny Simsboro, Louisiana, without high school football
• (05:17) Meeting Jerry and learning Alabama football one Saturday at a time
• (07:03) My first Alabama game—and the terrible first-game luck I brought with me
• (09:22) How Alabama football followed us through military moves, deployments, and different time zones
• (10:23) Why I chose the University of Alabama, earned two degrees there, and became part of the Alabama family

Want to start or grow your own spray tan business?

Grab Holly’s free guide: thatsaltygirl.myflodesk.com/start-spray-tan-biz

In the Birmingham area and want your own Salty Spray?

Book a mobile spray tan with Holly: thesaltyspray.com/booknow

Connect With Holly:

The Salty Scoop Newsletter - thatsaltygirl.myflodesk.com/saltyscoop

Instagram - instagram.com/thatsaltygirlpodcast

Website - thesaltyspray.com

I put off getting my first mammogram for seven years because I felt fine and breast cancer didn't run in my family. Then, at 47, the appointment I kept avoiding found my cancer. For Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I'm finally telling the whole story, my diagnosis, the treatment decisions I made, my military burn-pit exposure, the Marine whose advocacy changed screening access for other women veterans, and why I will never again assume that no family history means no risk. If there's an appointment you've been putting off, this episode is for you.

In This Episode:

• (00:00) Why I'm finally telling my breast cancer story—and the mammogram I put off for seven years
• (03:17) My first mammogram at 47, having no symptoms, and finding out it was cancer
• (05:38) The treatment options I was given and how I made my personal decisions
• (09:28) My Iraq burn-pit exposure and the connection made through my VA claim
• (10:40) Dr. Kate Hendricks Thomas and the fight that changed breast cancer screening access for women veterans
• (12:46) No family history doesn't mean no risk—and why early detection matters

Want to start or grow your own spray tan business?

Grab Holly’s free guide: thatsaltygirl.myflodesk.com/start-spray-tan-biz

In the Birmingham area and want your own Salty Spray?

Book a mobile spray tan with Holly: thesaltyspray.com/booknow

Connect With Holly:

The Salty Scoop Newsletter - thatsaltygirl.myflodesk.com/saltyscoop

Instagram - instagram.com/thatsaltygirlpodcast

Website - thesaltyspray.com

There's a big difference between wanting a result and being committed to everything that comes with getting it.

This week, I'm talking about what commitment actually looks like, the boring parts nobody claps for, the micro-quits that keep us stuck, starting before we know if something will work, and knowing when changing direction isn't quitting.

I'm also sharing some very real examples from my own life, including the podcast microphone that sat untouched for three years, what the early days of The Salty Spray actually looked like, why I walked away from a successful VA business, and the pile of calligraphy supplies currently waiting for my next garage sale.

Because sometimes you're committed. And sometimes you just really like the idea of something.

There's a difference.

In This Episode

• (00:42) Interested vs. committed—and why taking action changes everything
• (01:41) My very short-lived interest in becoming a calligrapher
• (02:55) Wanting the result vs. wanting the actual work that comes with it
• (04:21) What commitment looks like when it's boring and nobody is watching
• (06:26) Fitness, consistency and doing something even when you don't feel motivated
• (08:58) Micro-quits and the podcast microphone that sat untouched for three years
• (11:14) What the first year of The Salty Spray really looked like
• (13:16) Why commitment doesn't mean stubbornly sticking to the original plan
• (14:25) The successful business I walked away from because I realized I didn't want it
• (15:59) How to start something without blowing up your entire life
• (17:30) The question to ask yourself: Are you interested or committed?

Want to start or grow your own spray tan business?

Grab Holly’s free guide: thatsaltygirl.myflodesk.com/start-spray-tan-biz

In the Birmingham area and want your own Salty Spray?

Book a mobile spray tan with Holly: thesaltyspray.com/booknow

Connect With Holly:

The Salty Scoop Newsletter - thatsaltygirl.myflodesk.com/saltyscoop

Instagram - instagram.com/thatsaltygirlpodcast

Website - thesaltyspray.com

What would I tell you if you actually asked me what I think? Probably to stop waiting for the perfect time, stop researching something you already know enough to start, quit letting other people's opinions live in your head, and do something about the things you have the power to change.

This week, I'm talking about networking, perfectionism, micro-quits, self-trust, comparison, bitterness, purpose, and why sometimes you just need to make the damn decision.

In This Episode

• (00:27) What I'd actually tell you if you said you wanted something in your life to change
• (02:12) Hate your job? Start creating another option before you need one
• (04:47) When learning, researching and perfectionism become procrastination
• (06:38) Micro-quits and the tiny decisions that keep you exactly where you are
• (09:17) Why confidence may start with learning to trust yourself
• (10:21) Getting your mind right, comparison, resentment and the stories you keep telling yourself
• (15:06) Make the decision: act, learn, adjust and keep moving

Want to start or grow your own spray tan business?

Grab Holly’s free guide: thatsaltygirl.myflodesk.com/start-spray-tan-biz

In the Birmingham area and want your own Salty Spray?

Book a mobile spray tan with Holly: thesaltyspray.com/booknow

Connect With Holly:

The Salty Scoop Newsletter - thatsaltygirl.myflodesk.com/saltyscoop

Instagram - instagram.com/thatsaltygirlpodcast

Website - thesaltyspray.com

I had a completely different birthday episode planned, hated it, and decided to scrap the whole thing. So instead, I'm catching you up on life lately, what I'm loving, what's happening with The Salty Spray, what I'm learning, a military case that's been sitting heavy with me, and a few things I'm finally saying yes and no to at 52.

In This Episode:

01:52 — Why walking has become one of my favorite ways to work, think, and get new ideas
04:13 — The Salty Spray's summer slowdown, and the numbers that completely changed my perspective
06:10 — Creating spray tan training, updating my website, and what's happening behind the scenes in the business
09:51 — Everything I've taught myself lately, from publishing a podcast to changing how clients book
12:51 — Losing a military case I'd worked on for almost two years and why that one bothered me
15:31 — What I'm saying yes to right now, and why 8:00 and 9:00 p.m. spray tans are officially a NO

Want to start or grow your own spray tan business?

Grab Holly’s free guide: thatsaltygirl.myflodesk.com/start-spray-tan-biz

In the Birmingham area and want your own Salty Spray?

Book a mobile spray tan with Holly: thesaltyspray.com/booknow

Connect With Holly:

The Salty Scoop Newsletter - thatsaltygirl.myflodesk.com/saltyscoop

Instagram - instagram.com/thatsaltygirlpodcast

Website - thesaltyspray.com

Have you ever talked yourself out of doing something because you were worried about what people would think? I went down a rabbit hole on the spotlight effect, the imaginary audience we carry around in our heads, and how much power we give people who probably aren't thinking about us nearly as much as we think they are. I'm also talking about confidence, being uncomfortable, and figuring out whose opinions actually deserve a vote in your life.

In This Episode:

01:54 — The spotlight effect and why we think people notice us more than they actually do
05:37 — Social media, imagined audiences, and the six people we're really thinking about when we post
08:44 — Are you actually not ready—or are you afraid of being seen trying?
11:57 — Why confidence usually comes after doing the uncomfortable thing
12:48 — Somebody probably is judging you. Now what?
15:16 — How to decide whose opinions actually deserve weight in your life

Listen & Follow That Salty Girl:

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If this episode hit home, follow the show and leave a rating or review on Apple Podcasts. And then ask yourself the question from this episode: If I knew nobody was going to judge me for doing it, would I do it?

What if the season you're trying so hard to get through is actually part of the life you're going to miss someday? After finding old letters I wrote to my husband while deployed to Iraq in 2003, I started thinking about how much of my life I've spent looking ahead, to the end of deployment, the next promotion, retirement, or whatever came next. In this episode, I talk about what those letters, getting older, a breast cancer diagnosis, and 26 years in the Navy have taught me about time, ambition, and being present in the life I'm actually living. I'm not done setting goals or looking forward to what's next. I just don't want to rush through what's here to get there.

In This Episode:

• (00:00) Finding old letters from Iraq and realizing how much of my life I spent waiting for the future
• (05:23) When ambition and achievement quietly become part of your identity
• (08:15) Turning 52, starting new things, and realizing usefulness doesn't have an expiration date
• (11:19) The people we don't realize we're going to miss while we're busy trying to get through a hard season
• (13:03) How a breast cancer diagnosis changed the way I think about being alive
• (15:05) Every season has a purpose—and why the ordinary Tuesdays count too

Want to start or grow your own spray tan business?

Grab Holly’s free guide: thatsaltygirl.myflodesk.com/start-spray-tan-biz

In the Birmingham area and want your own Salty Spray?

Book a mobile spray tan with Holly: thesaltyspray.com/booknow

Connect With Holly:

The Salty Scoop Newsletter - thatsaltygirl.myflodesk.com/saltyscoop

Instagram - instagram.com/thatsaltygirlpodcast

Website - thesaltyspray.com

How do you go from 26 years in the Navy to building a mobile spray tanning business? Holly gets asked that question all the time, and the answer involves a lot more twists and fresh starts than you might expect. In this episode, she shares the unexpected story behind The Salty Spray; from leaving the military and bouncing through jobs, business ideas, and career pivots to eventually building something completely her own. She also opens up about nearly quitting when the business wasn’t growing fast enough, the turning point that changed everything, and why the chapters that felt like failures were just preparing her for what came next. If you’re in a season that doesn’t make sense yet, this episode might change the way you see it.

In This Episode:

• (02:00) When a hobby turns into a business idea
• (05:00) Using LinkedIn networking to rebuild a career after the military
• (08:00) The fear of starting before you feel good enough
• (10:50) Helping other spray tan artists and creating something new
• (13:00) How seemingly failed seasons can prepare you for what’s next

Want to start or grow your own spray tan business?

Grab Holly’s free guide: thatsaltygirl.myflodesk.com/start-spray-tan-biz

In the Birmingham area and want your own Salty Spray?

Book a mobile spray tan with Holly: thesaltyspray.com/booknow

Connect With Holly:

The Salty Scoop Newsletter - thatsaltygirl.myflodesk.com/saltyscoop

Instagram - instagram.com/thatsaltygirlpodcast

Website - thesaltyspray.com

What happens when the role that defined you for years suddenly disappears? For 26 years, Holly knew exactly who she was. Then she left the Navy and found herself asking a question she never expected: Who am I without the title? In this episode, Holly opens up about the identity crisis that followed, the humbling transition into civilian life, and what it took to rediscover herself outside the uniform. If you’ve ever tied your identity to your career, accomplishments, a relationship, or a role you thought would always be there, this episode will make you think differently about who you are underneath it all.

In This Episode:

• (01:00) Why Holly's Navy career became so deeply connected to her identity
• (03:40) The humbling experience that followed her decision to retire
• (07:00) The grief that can come with losing a role that once defined you
• (09:45) Why your accomplishments, job title, and roles don't determine your worth
• (11:20) The question to ask yourself when you're figuring out who you are next

Connect With Holly:

The Salty Scoop Newsletter - thatsaltygirl.myflodesk.com/saltyscoop

Instagram - instagram.com/thatsaltygirlpodcast

Website - thesaltyspray.com

What if you make the big decision and regret it? Leaving a career. Ending a chapter. Starting over after you’ve already invested years building the life you have. Sometimes the hardest part is wondering whether you’ll look back and realize you chose wrong. In this episode, Holly shares some of the biggest decisions of her life, from leaving her small Louisiana hometown at 18 to join the Navy to eventually walking away from a 26-year Navy career without knowing what would come next. She talks about why staying with what’s familiar can feel safer than listening to the voice telling you it’s time for something different, and why the years you’ve already invested aren’t wasted when you change direction. Because your past isn’t a sunk cost. It’s seasoning.

If this episode resonated with you, subscribe so you don’t miss the next one. Also, join Holly’s newsletter, The Salty Scoop, for personal stories, photos, and pieces of life she doesn’t share anywhere else!

In This Episode:

• (02:00) Holly’s decision to leave home at 18 and join the Navy
• (07:45) The difference between staying because you want to and staying because it feels safe
• (12:00) Why starting over doesn’t erase everything you’ve already accomplished
• (13:30) What to do when that little voice keeps telling you, “This isn’t it”

Connect With Holly:

The Salty Scoop Newsletter - thatsaltygirl.myflodesk.com/saltyscoop

Instagram - instagram.com/thatsaltygirlpodcast

Website - thesaltyspray.com