Weaving Success with Self-Care: Heather Wagner's Transformation into Motherhood and Leadership

Embarking on a career transformation that aligns with your heart's deepest desires can be both daunting and invigorating—just ask Heather Wagner, the trailblazing founder of Into the Wild. She joins me in a conversation that weaves through the intimate pathways of reshaping one's professional life to embrace the fullness of motherhood and personal fulfillment. Heather's daring leap from corporate leadership into nurturing mothers through their own wild journeys, mirrors our shared conviction that true success blooms from the seeds of self-care and balanced personal growth.

As we warm ourselves by the fireside of candid dialogue, Heather and I unspool the threads of our stories, discovering common fabrics. My own return from maternity leave to an unexpected role shift mirrors Heather's experiences, affirming our belief in the importance of supporting systems and coaching in the delicate dance of motherhood. This episode is a tapestry of insights, highlighting the leadership role of mothers and the ripple effect of emotional well-being on the family unit. It’s a reminder that self-compassion and ambition can coexist, providing a model for our children and a legacy for generations to come.

Heather's creation, Into the Wild, emerges as a beacon for women navigating life's transitions, offering a space where emotional support, personal development, and the power of community converge. The potential for joint retreats and monthly fireside chats is a testament to our commitment to fostering environments where women can flourish. This episode is an invitation to listen to the whispers of your inner guidance, encouraging you to trust in the transformative journey ahead. Join us as we share our stories, strategies, and support to empower you in your own quest for a joy-filled life, unburdened by burnout.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:03

You guys. I'm so excited for my guest today. She is a good friend that I just met a few months back, but I feel like I have known her for years. We were in a mastermind group together with a business mentor friend of ours, hailey Thomas, and her name is Heather Wagner. She is the founder of Into the Wild and she just helps support mothers in their journey of motherhood and parenting and marriage and all of that.

Speaker 1: 0:34

But Heather's career started years ago in a leadership role within the space of mental health and after finding out she was pregnant and becoming a mother, she just saw how parenting and motherhood is very similar to leadership in the business world and how important our mental health and taking care of ourselves as mothers is to the key of the success of our families. So with a degree in family consumer science and family life education and with her masters in business administration, heather just has a passion for relationships and for helping people really pursue their callings and their dreams. Heather knew it was time to kind of blend it all together and that is where Into the Wild came to be born and she just believes that the biggest impact that we can make in the world really starts in our homes and you can hear that just by hearing her speak. She's just so compassionate and loving and just really is a wonderful person. But Heather believes that when we are our bests, our families can be their bests as well. So today we're going to dive into some big career pivots that Heather made and just really listening to that little voice saying that you need to make a change, but then also embracing who we were called to be and who we have grown to be, because we are always changing and growing, and so Heather is a really great example of just leaning into who we were called to be. So let's do this. Here we go. Let's meet Heather Wagner from Into the Wild.

Speaker 1: 2:10

Welcome to the Farm to Heart Podcast. A podcast for heart-centered entrepreneurs and dreamers alike seeking to plant their seeds and grow a life of alignment, purpose and their own version of joy-filled success. I'm Sarah Rutter, a former award-winning bakery owner, turned mama, animal rescuer and multi-passionate entrepreneur with a desire to help others ignite their dreams and create a life they love without the burnout. So whether you're seeking guidance on personal growth, launching or growing your current business, or simply looking for inspiration to ignite your entrepreneurial spirit, this podcast will be your loyal companion. So join me as we plant the seeds of your dreams, nurture their growth and cultivate a life of purpose, abundance and fulfillment. So saddle up and let's go. Hi, heather, how are you? I'm great. Sarah, how are you? I'm good. Thank you so much for being here. You are my first ever podcast guest. I wouldn't have wanted it to be anybody else.

Speaker 2: 3:18

Oh, that is so sweet. Thank you so much for this opportunity. Thank you, I appreciate it.

Speaker 1: 3:24

I know. So you and I just connected recently in a somewhat of a mastermind group, right? Is that what you would call it? Kind of a mastermind? I definitely would. Yes, yeah, and I feel like we connected pretty much right off the bat, which is kind of like new, that we would be friends.

Speaker 2: 3:45

Yes, at least that's how I felt yes, and your son thought I was you, and so if he thinks that that's his mama, that means instant connection, I know.

Speaker 1: 3:55

Yeah, he's like yeah, mama, I was like, yeah, we both kind of look the same, I guess. Yes, but I'm so happy that you are here and I am excited to just share with everybody the wonderfulness that is you and. But do you want to start out by just kind of introducing yourself and telling everybody a little bit more about you and what you do and how you came to where you?

Speaker 2: 4:22

are today, absolutely so. Again, thank you, sarah, for this opportunity. It's funny I was just thinking about I've talked about this story before, but it was about six months ago on a different podcast and I thought, okay, the universe is telling me to like this story needs to be shared more. So thank you again for this time to share it, and I just hope these words can be impactful for someone just to hear. So I am for gosh.

Speaker 2: 4:50

12 plus years was on the corporate ladder. Climb, just pushing that van to the gas pedal to the floor, just going, going, going, going. I've always been the type of achiever. I've always had the drive and I just kept going, going, going. I was working in healthcare, in a mental health facility, for it was about 10 years. During that time I had various roles and one of them landed me in an awesome spot of a leadership role. Loved it, was fabulous, loved the opportunity. But again, I was driving, I was running, I was pushing hard and I was doing it for our organization and something inside of me kept always feeling like there's something more. You're using your gifts, but there's something else out there, and so part of that journey, too, was they actually wanted me to get my master's degree. So I did. I got my master's so I could stay in my position. I was in and it was part of the succession planning at that organization.

Speaker 2: 5:52

But the next step there would be I'd step into a director role, so I'd be the main person over the entire mental health facility. And it sounded great for my achiever side. I'd hit the title, I'd get all of those pieces like that's fabulous, you know. But there was something that was just telling me no, this is not for you, this is not for you at all. So I actually pivoted. I got my master's degree and part of the pivot came around to is because I had a life change that also occurred.

Speaker 2: 6:27

And so here I am, I'm climbing this ladder and doing all these things. I get a master's degree. Society says you just keep going up and up and up and you just keep climbing and doing. And I did the exact opposite. I stepped back. I took some sacrifices from a resource side of things, from salaries, et cetera to step into a very different role. I stepped out of leadership but I stepped into something I've been pretty passionate about, and so currently I get to coach college students on how to be successful.

Speaker 2: 7:00

So that step allowed me an opportunity to step away from all the hustle and bustle that was coming from the corporate world, but also allow me an opportunity to get exactly what I was looking for, and that was a slowdown. I needed to personally slow myself down and get myself off the hamster wheel of go go, go, go go, to really find out who I am and especially who I was, because that big life change that came for me was I had my son, so I knew, as a mom, I wanted to be able to be a mom. I didn't want to have to be available for everybody else and put him in a lower seat, or my husband, and so it really has allowed me that opportunity to do that and has granted me some other space to dream and really chase some passions that I'm after and so which I'm sure we'll get into a little bit more, but that's where I can say that I am the founder of Into the Wild and I'm excited for that opportunity and to share more with women about that.

Speaker 1: 8:10

That's amazing. Yeah, I want to stop you right there for just a second, because I don't think I realized how many parallels you and I have in our stories as far as like climbing, go, go, go, like thinking we want to reach the top and then all of a sudden we're just like whoop, pivot. Yes, yes.

Speaker 2: 8:30

I did not know that about you.

Speaker 1: 8:32

Yeah, oh, I'm curious Absolutely when, like, what was the first sign for you? Do you remember like a specific moment when you were like ooh, like that didn't feel how I thought I wanted to. I think I want to pivot. Do you remember like, or even just maybe not a specific moment, but just kind of like the big aha of like oh, I think I don't think this is for me anymore.

Speaker 2: 8:55

Yeah, so actually, I feel like there was a few. There was different times like I feel like I was getting a little bit more in tune with my body, too, and really listening to like, okay, what, what is that saying? Because a lot of me was like, oh, wow, no, this hour is going to be way better, so we're going to go for that. Like you can manage this. It was. I kind of felt like I had the angel in the devil on my shoulders with me, and like the angel is telling me think about yourself, think about your family and the devil's. Like you've handled it, keep going, you can do this. And so there was so many of those little pieces.

Speaker 2: 9:30

The one thing I think I keep coming back to is, though and I didn't see it when I was in the moment, and I have heard this saying, and I was like, oh, I really like that the, the eye does not see the eyelash, no, the eyelashes do not see the eye, and so, because it's so close so in the moment I was so close to it, I just did not see that part of my master's program was constantly at the end of each class talking about how are you going to like impact this in the world and from the start to the finish I continually kept writing the same thing, like I already knew.

Speaker 2: 10:04

But I didn't see it and so I was too close to it and so I feel like those pieces just kept coming back to me and just kind of reiterating at different times, so it wasn't like a one big piece. But there was some change in our leadership team at that point of the direct leadership and for me it was, you know, it's time to just move past. That Like let's just step away, and it just doesn't feel that right feeling anymore for me to be pushing so hard. So I think it was a lot of little feels along the way and just getting so much more in tune with myself.

Speaker 1: 10:43

Yeah, and do you feel like when you found out you were pregnant, that was like the permission you needed, almost?

Speaker 2: 10:50

Oh my gosh, absolutely. And taking maternity leave, I was so grateful I was lucky to have three months that I was able to be home with my son. And actually that leadership change all happened when I came back. The current leader that I was working with who was fabulous he left. We had some open time, so I kind of stepped into that role of leading a lot more. And then the new person came on and so that, having that time away, I had set everything up for the organization that I was like, oh they're good without me, and so it gave me that permission to really have, like they're fine. So I wasn't feeling like I had to give to them, I was finally starting to give to myself.

Speaker 1: 11:37

I love that. That's so cool. Yeah, I feel like I mean I can. I've talked about it in a couple other episodes, but there's definitely. There was definitely like a bunch of little moments for me too, as far as like feeling that pivot coming and then kind of life just all comes at you in the perfect way, where you know that you're supposed to be pivoting, and I think that that's. It's really beautiful when you actually like step back and do that pivot and accept that pivot and like really embrace it and so that's. That's awesome. I didn't. I did not know all that about you.

Speaker 1: 12:13

So, I'm excited to know it now.

Speaker 2: 12:16

Well, thank you and I I shouldn't say too like it kept coming back to me, like I would resist it and I would push it and be like pfft, like I kind of the angel devil conversation and like no, I can handle it. And it just kept coming back and kept coming back and kept coming back. And then doors just opened perfectly that were aligned for me. That was like you would be silly not to take this opportunity, which has continued to open up more doors, and more for myself too.

Speaker 1: 12:44

Yeah, yeah, I want to hear it. So let's kind of dive into that. So you stepped into your new role and you were also into your new role as a mommy. So tell me a little bit just about like the shift in your life since having your son and take just pivoting Like what, what has your life been like? What have you been up to since then? Oh, I love that yeah.

Speaker 2: 13:08

So pivoting into motherhood is its own thing. I feel like you can transition with jobs, you can transition, you know, when you're getting married, et cetera, and you're kind of learning together. At that point, but, like having a child, you're like who the heck am I now? What just happened physically to my body, but also like emotionally, mentally, like just trying to figure out what does all of that look like. And so I did. I actually took that time. I worked with a coach for a while, um, right after having my son, because I also was looking at, like I think I need to make a transition, and so I was kind of looking for some validation and some support in that of like how can I do this? And so made those changes. And now, when I work with coaches et cetera, it's looking at their way ahead of me and I want to get to where they are and they can teach me and moving along with it.

Speaker 2: 14:05

One other thing, too, I think about of like Having my son.

Speaker 2: 14:09

I was thinking, you know, I could be that mom who just does everything for him and gives him everything and make my life revolve everything around him. But that wasn't the mom I wanted to be, and that's not the legacy I want to leave for him, as if he becomes a parent in his future, and so I saw the importance of taking care of me, making sure that I'm getting time away from him, that he sees his dad and I together to see that relationship. So really, this time has really been focusing on those areas of what am I modeling for my son and I think that's too where I come around to. Launching into a business is I want him to see like his mom can do all kinds of things. She can be the fun one who's on the floor playing Paw Patrol and she can be this really cool person who's talking to, as he knows, all of her friends, and so, like, just really I would say, taking care of myself has been that main priority to then be able to take care of those around me.

Speaker 1: 15:18

Ooh, you're preaching to the choir. This week I was telling you a little bit before we started recording that it has been a rough week. Yes, and so I needed that reminder. That's like I knew before we hopped on our call. I was like you are the absolute best person to be talking to for this conversation, because it has been such a hard week of like forgetting that I need to take care of me too, and so that, and Brett's had a hard week and he's going through. I think he's just like mentally growing and like learning new things and just finding his voice a little bit more.

Speaker 1: 16:01

Yes, and it's just been a really challenging week, and so, like I was talking, like Calvin, my husband and Brett are off running an errand right now because I just needed more than I thought I would this week, like I needed more time alone than I ever have because mentally I was just drained and exhausted, and so it's super inspiring to talk to you and just hear, like how confident you are in knowing that the best thing for our children is for us to show them that they we need to take care of ourselves and we need to be pursuing our own dreams and our own passions, and that we still love them unconditionally and we still, our worlds revolve around them, but we also have to revolve our world around us too, and so thank you for that reminder.

Speaker 2: 16:50

You are so welcome. You're so welcome, and I think part of it, too, is really just having in the moment it can be so difficult, but that compassion for ourself and that compassion for what is that? Why is this behavior coming from? What kind of connection are they needing at this moment? And sometimes, you know, and maybe we're going to cry together and there's so much beauty in that, because they're learning it's okay to cry, it's okay to share those emotions, it's okay to be frustrated and like just really just allowing what is to be.

Speaker 1: 17:24

Yeah, oh, I'm so glad we talked today. Let's talk about Into the Wild. So how? Because I love, I think that you were like made for the mental health space. You just seem like you were like absolutely made to be in that space, whether it's for adults or moms or children or college kids. Like you just seem like that is what you were created for. And so tell me about Into the Wild and just how that came to be and what's happening with that.

Speaker 2: 18:00

Yeah, Well, thank you. Into the Wild is just, it's exactly that. Life is wild, Relationships are wild, Our children are wild, we are wild and like embracing all of that. But we all have our own wild sides to us, but we all connect back together and I think that's kind of the beauty. I am a huge nature lover and always thinking of how it all, how the world, comes together and intervenes and just mends all back together. And so really Into the Wild really came from myself working through with a coach that transitioned into motherhood and what that was, and really seeing and noticing a lot of people. There's so much support. There's so much support, especially through pregnancy. You have so much through all that time. It's so great to work and vibe you.

Speaker 2: 18:58

They let you leave a hospital with a little tiny baby. I don't even think they checked to make sure my son was in the car seat correctly. I was like, are we doing this right? What is happening right now? You get a check-in, you'll go back a few times, but no one is checking in on you. Mentally, emotionally and really what that looks like from that stage postpartum, but then also thinking about toddler stage that's a whole different ball of wax, Literally. How are you? Are you okay at this point? No, I'm not okay. Exactly In saying that and being in community with others to say I am not at this moment and sometimes hearing too like this has worked for me or that hasn't.

Speaker 2: 19:44

There can be some benefit to that, but also just knowing how key relationships are. But allowing women specifically to me, women are leaders in our world and sometimes silent leaders, and that's A-okay. But I think about how impactful a mom is to their children and how they are with them and raise them and model with them. So are dads. There's so much impact from a dad, but sometimes you see a lot more from mom and mom usually is at first safe space. And think about when someone's sick. First place they go is I want mom, but they've been connected with us a lot longer than they have with dad and it's a little bit different of that connection.

Speaker 2: 20:32

And so just having women lead and step into that bold woman that they are to really lead their families is really what Into the Wild is about and that impact that it has for generations to come. You hear a lot about generational change and how things are different from the past and how we say things and do things and there's so much to that. Our words are so powerful and so allowing and learning different ways, and it sounds like that's a lot about what we do for our kiddos, but really a lot of what comes from it is what we do for our own inner child and getting ourselves that space, whether it's to play or to acknowledge just maybe whatever that feel, maybe, et cetera, and just having that opportunity, because when we are aware of it and maybe heal it it may not need healed but just are aware of it's there. It changes then the behaviors that we do ourselves. So Into the Wild is its own wild beast, but it's just a space for women to learn how to lead and to lead their lives.

Speaker 1: 21:50

Oh, I love that. I love everything you just said and I can't wait for you to just like take off with it, because it sounds incredible and everything you've done so far is amazing, and just what's the next big step for Into the Wild? What are you working on right now?

Speaker 2: 22:08

Yeah, absolutely so. Monthly there will be fireside chats. To me it's important to gather in community and, being a nature lover, I love the idea of sitting around a fire. It's a calming place. It's a very usually relaxing I feel like it's. Also sometimes you sit a lot in a circle and it's kind of like driving in a car. You feel more comfortable to be able to just talk when you're not looking face to face with people and so just kind of being around in that community allows that conversation to come around free. So fireside chats are a free group for women to join. I have kept it a very intimate group, but that will be one that will grow, that more women can join into. At this time and then, coming after that is, I am looking to be able to offer one-on-one coaching and that will look focused in three areas on motherhood, marriage and me. So focusing on ourselves and really weaving that into. Yes, we're bold women who lead, but all of those areas are so important in our lives too.

Speaker 1: 23:15

That's amazing, and I'm just throwing it out there that I see that we should probably host a retreat together sometime, or something like that.

Speaker 2: 23:24

Yes, it's so funny you say that, Sarah, because the retreat has been in the back of my mind of that's the big thing that needs to happen, and so I would be absolutely honored to do that with you.

Speaker 1: 23:36

I think we should start talking about that for sure, because I love all of what you do and who you are, and the nature aspect. I think it would be perfect for here at the farm. So we should definitely get that going.

Speaker 2: 23:50

Yes, and you know this girl's coming to the mountains.

Speaker 1: 23:53

Yes, we'll get that fireside chat out here for real life.

Speaker 2: 23:58

Yes, absolutely absolutely.

Speaker 1: 24:02

Heather, I just want you're just such an amazing person and I am so glad that we met you and I just want what would you say to somebody that maybe just feels like they need to pivot, or they just keep kind of getting those little, like you know, the angel and devil chit chatting back and forth? What would you say to them that maybe they're struggling right now to know which direction or what to listen to?

Speaker 2: 24:28

Absolutely In that stage you already know and so listen to listen to your body, listen to that awareness. You have everything you need. Everything will be fine. It's actually probably gonna turn out 10 times better than you can ever expect. It may be different and maybe more challenging, etc. But Just listen to yourself because you already know and you already know what you want and follow that, follow your heart, follow when it's leading you and and know you already know.

Speaker 1: 25:06

That's amazing, thank you. Thank you so much for being here. Is there anything else that you want the listeners to know, just about you, about into the wild? About Motherhood.

Speaker 2: 25:20

Absolutely yes. Well, thank you, sarah, for having me too, and if anyone wants to connect, my biggest area is on Instagram.

Speaker 1: 25:28

you can find me at Heather Wagner dad into the wild Perfect, and I will link that in the show notes as well too, and then Tag everybody or tag you on Instagram for this episode, so that everybody can find you there as well.

Speaker 2: 25:44

Yes, and we hope to see you all at our retreat.

Speaker 1: 25:47

Yes, we will announce that soon. Yes, I love it. Perfect. Well, thank you, heather.

Speaker 2: 25:54

Thank you.

Speaker 1: 25:57

Thank you so much for listening today. If you enjoyed the show, please like and subscribe to the podcast on your favorite listening platform. You can also leave a review anytime or send me a DM on Instagram at farm to heart. Sarah, I would love to hear from you and hear more about your story. You can also help the podcast even more by financially supporting the tech and time costs of each episode, starting at just three dollars per month. Click the support the show link and show notes to learn more. Today's show plus more farm fun can be found on the blog at sweetfreedomfarmcocom. I can't wait to talk to you again next week. Have a beautiful day everyone.