Unapologetically Wild with Mary Giordano

30. Why You Quit Every January (And How to Stop)

It’s January - which means everyone’s talking about resolutions.What they’re cutting out, fixing, or finally going to “get right” this year.
But if you’re being honest… most resolutions don’t last.And it’s not because you’re lazy. It’s because your brain is wired to stay comfortable, not evolve.
In this episode, I’m breaking down why resolutions fail, what Quitter’s Day really says about the way we approach change, and why motivation is a terrible plan for building a new life.
Instead of chasing the “new year, new you” fantasy, I’m sharing what I do instead: choosing a word + a feeling for the year, and using that as a filter for how you live, decide, and show up.
This year, my word is flexible.Not “cute yoga girl” flexible - real-life flexible.In my body, my mindset, and the way I move through hard seasons without snapping.
If you’re tired of starting over every January… this episode is your reality check.
🎧 In this episode, we talk about:
Why your brain fights change (even when you want change)
What Quitter’s Day reveals about the way most people set resolutions
Why motivation always fades — and what actually works instead
The difference between forcing change and building identity
How choosing a feeling (instead of a list of rules) changes everything
My word for the year: flexible — and what that means in real life
💬 Let’s Stay Connected:
Check out my Women's Group Trips
Subscribe to UA Wild Chronicles (weekly newsletter)
Connect with me on Instagram
Follow me on Substack
Subscribe to my Spotify Playlist
If this episode was valuable, share it with a friend and let’s bring more women into this wild, unapologetic space.
Until next time...
Stay wild ⛰️💫🌵

29. Holiday Chaos Got You Hiding in Your Car? How to protect your peace (and maybe even enjoy yourself) this season

Why does the “most wonderful time of the year” make so many women want to hide in their car with coffee?Because the minute November hits, the world forgets how to function - traffic triples, parking lots turn into demolition derbies, and everyone’s pretending they’re fine while quietly losing it.
In this episode, I’m breaking down what’s really behind holiday burnout - the pressure to make it perfect, the invisible mental load women carry, and how to protect your energy without guilt.
We’ll talk about:🌪️ Why women end up managing everyone’s emotions during the holidays (and how to stop)🧘 How to protect your peace and stay grounded when everything feels chaotic🙅‍♀️ Boundaries - saying no without apology and doing less without the guilt💫 Microshifts that help you feel calm, centered, and present - no Pinterest perfection required❤️ My personal story of losing my dad just after Christmas, and how I turned that loss into a yearly celebration of his life with my mom - yes, we even bring his mini urn along for the ride
This episode is about slowing down, dropping the “shoulds,” and redefining what wonderful really means... for you.
Because peace doesn’t show up when everything’s done.It shows up when you stop trying to earn it.
🎧 Listen now and learn how to:
Protect your peace during the holidays
Release the pressure to make it perfect
Redefine joy, presence, and connection on your own terms
If the holidays make you feel more frazzled than festive, this episode will help you breathe again, and maybe even enjoy the season this time around.
💬 Let’s Stay Connected:
Check out my Women's Group Trips
Subscribe to UA Wild Chronicles (weekly newsletter)
Connect with me on Instagram
Follow me on Substack
Subscribe to my Spotify Playlist
If this episode was valuable, share it with a friend and let’s bring more women into this wild, unapologetic space.
Until next time...
Stay wild ⛰️💫🌵

28. Who the Hell Am I Now?: The Midlife Identity Crisis No One Warned You About

Have you ever looked in the mirror and thought, who the hell is that person staring back at me?Not just your reflection, but the woman behind it.
For years, maybe decades, you’ve been everything for everyone else - the mom, the partner, the friend, the employee, the dependable one.You built your life around everyone else’s needs, and now that the noise has quieted - the kids are grown, the job’s winding down, the house feels still - you’re left wondering… who am I now?
This week’s episode dives into that identity shift so many women experience in midlife, the one no one talks about.We’ll unpack:
How we lose ourselves piece by piece without realizing it
Why “starting over” isn’t really the point - it’s about remembering who’s underneath
How to rediscover what actually lights you up (without chasing who you used to be)
And the real reason this season of life can be the most freeing one yet
If you’ve been feeling lost, disconnected, or unsure of who you are beyond your roles, this episode is for you.Because you haven’t lost yourself, you’ve just been buried under years of doing, caring, and carrying everyone else.
It’s time to meet you again.
💬 Let’s Stay Connected:
Check out my Women's Group Trips
Subscribe to UA Wild Chronicles (weekly newsletter)
Connect with me on Instagram
Follow me on Substack
Subscribe to my Spotify Playlist
If this episode was valuable, share it with a friend and let’s bring more women into this wild, unapologetic space.
Until next time...
Stay wild ⛰️💫🌵

27. How to Spend Time Alone (and Actually Enjoy It)

Have ever eaten dinner alone?Gone to a movie by yourself?Taken a trip solo - not because you had to, but because you chose to?
Most women say they want “me time,” but the second they get it, they reach for their phone.Because silence feels uncomfortable.Stillness feels unproductive.And being alone in public? That feels downright awkward.
But what if that discomfort isn’t the problem, what if it’s the doorway?
In this episode, we’re talking about why being alone feels so foreign in a world that’s constantly connected, and what that discomfort is really trying to tell you.You’ll learn how to stop filling every quiet moment, how to actually enjoy your own company, and how solitude can help you reconnect to your own voice again — the one that gets buried under everyone else’s opinions, expectations, and noise.
This isn’t about being single.It’s about being self-connected.It’s about realizing that “alone” doesn’t mean lonely, it means free.
So if you’ve been afraid to slow down, to sit with yourself, or to take that solo day you keep putting off, this one’s for you.
And if you’re craving more moments that help you reconnect with yourself, surrounded by women who get it, I have a few adventures coming up in 2026 that might be exactly what your soul needs.
✨ Women’s Trips🗻 Alaska: June 30 – July 6 (sold out - waiting list)⛰️ Machu Picchu: October 12 – 19 (13 spots left)🌴 Thailand: November 29 – December 6 (4 spots left)
Each trip is designed to push you outside the noise, bring you back to yourself, and remind you that you’re capable of more than you think.
💬 Let’s Stay Connected:
Check out my Women's Group Trips
Subscribe to UA Wild Chronicles (weekly newsletter)
Connect with me on Instagram
Follow me on Substack
Subscribe to my Spotify Playlist
If this episode was valuable, share it with a friend and let’s bring more women into this wild, unapologetic space.
Until next time...
Stay wild ⛰️💫🌵

26. Why Balance Is Bullsh*t : And What to Chase Instead

You’ve been told your whole life the secret is balance.Work-life balance. Balanced schedule. Balanced everything.
But if balance really worked… why are so many women still exhausted, guilty, and feeling like no matter how much they do, it’s never enough?
Here’s the truth: balance doesn’t give you peace, it gives you pressure. And the harder you chase it, the more fractured you feel.
In this episode of Unapologetically Wild, I’m breaking down:
Why balance is bullsh*t and why it sets you up to fail
The hidden emotional cost of chasing balance: guilt, shame, and living small
What you can chase instead if you want actual freedom and peace
Three simple questions that will shift you out of guilt and into something better
If you’ve ever gone to bed thinking, “I did so much today, but it still wasn’t enough,” this episode is for you.
💬 Let’s Stay Connected:
Subscribe to UA Wild Chronicles (weekly newsletter)
Check out my Women's Group Trips
Connect with me on Instagram
Follow me on Substack
Subscribe to my Spotify Playlist
If this episode was valuable, share it with a friend and let’s bring more women into this wild, unapologetic space.
Until next time...
Stay wild ⛰️💫🌵

25. Why 80% Beats 100% Every Time

What if the version of you that isn’t "all in" is still exactly what you need to move forward?
In today’s raw and powerful episode, I’m flipping the script on perfection, consistency, and the lies we’ve been fed about what it takes to really make progress.
You’ll learn why aiming for 100% is secretly sabotaging your results, why starting over all the time keeps you stuck, and how the 80% zone is where true change actually happens, the kind of change that lasts.
This episode is a wake-up call for every woman who’s ever ghosted herself because she couldn’t keep up with a plan that didn’t fit her real life.
It’s not about doing more.It’s about doing it differently.
In this episode, we’ll cover:
The real reason perfection keeps you from making progress
Why showing up a little still rewires your brain for self-trust
The difference between “discipline” and identity
How to know when you’re in a dip, not a downfall
What it looks like to build consistency without burning out
You’ll walk away with a new definition of success - one that leaves room for the messy, unpredictable, very human version of you. And a reminder that your 40% still counts.
🎯 Journal prompt to take this deeper:
Where in your life have you been chasing perfection instead of progress?What would 80% look like — and feel like — if it was enough?
💬 Let’s Stay Connected:
Subscribe to UA Wild Chronicles (weekly newsletter)
Check out my Women's Group Trips
Connect with me on Instagram
Follow me on Substack
Subscribe to my Spotify Playlist
If this episode was valuable, share it with a friend and let’s bring more women into this wild, unapologetic space.
Until next time...
Stay wild ⛰️💫🌵

24. International Travel: The Prep No One Tells You About

This one’s a full-on travel prep episode.
As you’re hearing this, I’m just getting home from hosting my third women’s group trip which took place Banff - Canada! But just a few months ago, I was across the globe in Bali with another incredible group of women.
Between those two trips, and over a decade of international travel, I’ve learned a lot of things the hard way.
So today, I’m walking you through the exact steps I take before every international trip... from what to pack to what to download to what to leave the hell behind.
This isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being prepared enough to actually enjoy the experience.
✈️ What we cover:
✅ The documents no one thinks about (and how I store them)💳 What I do with my money, cards, and cash before I leave📲 How I use tech + eSIMs to stay connected abroad🧼 What’s always in my personal care kit💊 Health and safety prep (including the emergency coverage I swear by)🧳 My carry-on setup + how I actually packed for Bali vs. Banff📷 My gear recs for content creators—and why I ditched the DSLR⏳ My 7-day countdown: what I double-check, download, and prep before takeoff
🔗 Resources & Links Mentioned:
📝 Download the Free International Travel ChecklistGrab the full checklist with everything I mentioned (so you don’t have to take notes): 👉 GET IT HERE🥾 My Gear Closet (links to all my favorite things)👉 https://app.rockporch.com/Profile/unapologeticallywild
🌍 U.S. State Department Country Info & Travel Advisories👉 https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel.html
📬 Register Your Trip with STEP (U.S. Citizens)👉 https://step.state.gov
💊 Check Medication Legality Abroad👉 https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages.html
🚘 Driving + Auto Insurance Abroad (IDP Info)👉 https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/transportation/driving-and-road-safety-abroad.html
💱 XE Currency App👉 https://www.xe.com/apps/
📶 Airalo eSIM Data Plans👉 https://app.rockporch.com/mlink/943?userId=140054
🩺 Medjet Emergency Evacuation Coverage👉 https://www.medjet.com
💬 Let’s Stay Connected:
Subscribe to UA Wild Chronicles (weekly newsletter)
Check out my Women's Group Trips
Connect with me on Instagram
Follow me on Substack
Subscribe to my Spotify Playlist
If this episode was valuable, share it with a friend and let’s bring more women into this wild, unapologetic space.
Until next time...
Stay wild ⛰️💫🌵

23. If You Feel Behind in Life, This Is for You

Ever looked around and thought, “I should be further along by now”?
This episode is the reminder you didn’t know you needed.
We’re unpacking the shame spiral that comes with feeling “behind” in your career, your relationship status, your bank account, or your purpose, and calling out the timeline lie that’s been running the show.
Because midlife isn’t a crisis.It’s a reset.A return.A rebellion against everything you were told you “should” want.
In this episode, I share what it really looked like to walk away from a 13-year nursing career at 42 with no backup plan, no blueprint - just a gut-deep knowing that I couldn’t keep living on autopilot. And the truth? The scariest part wasn’t starting over. It was letting go of the life that no longer fit.
We talk about:
Why “catching up” is a trap that keeps you stuck
How to redefine progress when there’s no external proof
What it means to sit in the messy, uncomfortable in-between
How to trust yourself when the clarity isn’t there yet
Tangible steps to start moving forward without needing a full plan
This isn’t a feel-good moment.It’s a turning point.
So if you’re in the fog right now... questioning everything, second-guessing your choices, unsure what comes next - you’re not behind.
You’re rebuilding.And that changes everything.
 
CONNECT WITH ME:
Subscribe to UA Wild Chronicles (weekly newsletter)
Check out my Women's Group Trips Banff 8/25
Connect with me on Instagram
Follow me on Substack
Subscribe to my Spotify Playlist
If this episode hit home, share it with a friend and let’s bring more women into this wild, unapologetic space.
Until next time...
Stay wild ⛰️💫🌵