Life’s a Blog: Rebuilding After Betrayal

Trina Stewart
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  • Mental Health

Life doesn’t fall apart at 50. It gets real. After a 24-year marriage ended in betrayal, I found myself starting over in a way I never expected. This podcast is where I talk about that. The truth of it. The grief, the anger, the healing, and everything that comes with rebuilding a life when the one you knew is gone. I talk about relationships that look solid but aren’t. The disappointment when people don’t show up the way they said they would. The work it takes to stop chasing, set boundaries, and finally choose yourself. There’s a lot out there about dating, confidence, and “moving on.” This isn’t that. This is about doing the real work so you don’t repeat the same patterns. If you’re over 40, over 50, divorced, starting again, or just tired of pretending you’re fine, you’ll get it. We’ll get into:  betrayal and what it actually does to you  healing without shortcuts  dating later in life  learning to be on your own without feeling alone  recognizing red flags and trusting yourself again  building a life that finally feels like yours  Most episodes are just me. Some include conversations. All of it is honest. Because starting over isn’t the end of your story. It’s where you finally start living it. New episodes weekly.

  1. 1h ago

    Taking Chances and Starting Over at 53: What I Know for Sure

    Send us Fan Mail What happens when you stop waiting for someone to choose you and start taking a chance on yourself? At 53, I’m learning that you can understand all the advice about healing, boundaries and self-worth, but living those lessons is something else entirely. You can know you deserve better and still spend years accepting less. You can love someone and still have to walk away. And you can be scared about what comes next while being absolutely excited to find out. This week on Life’s a Blog, I’m sharing what a year of healing after heartbreak has taught me about relationships, friendship, business and the way I spend my time. I’ve spent enough evenings waiting for a phone call, questioning where I stood or trying to understand why someone wasn’t choosing me. I don’t want to keep doing that. I want to build a life I’m happy to wake up to. And this week gave me a lot to be happy about. Within 24 hours, I attended Damenfest with a room full of women, potentially came face to face with someone connected to a painful chapter of my past, and learned that Living Local Magazine is getting its own space in downtown Galt, Cambridge. A place to work, create, connect with the community and share locally made products. Something I’ve wanted for a long time, and something I almost stopped looking for because someone told me I wouldn’t find it within my budget. Well, I found it. And I’m so excited. I’m talking about setting boundaries even when there could be a financial cost, recognizing the people who show up for you, and realizing that something that once would have ruined your day no longer has the same hold on you. There are still bills to pay and plenty of things to figure out. As I said this week, the money might not be aligning, but so much else feels like it is. Inspired by Beth Nielsen Chapman’s “Sand and Water,” I’m also reflecting on grief, how quickly time passes and what I want to do with the years ahead. I want time with my children and grandson. I want friendship, laughter, creativity and more evenings watching the sunset at my trailer. I want to give this magazine everything I’ve got and see where it can go. If you’re healing from a breakup, learning to stand up for yourself or wondering whether you’re too old to try something new, this episode is for you. There isn’t an expiration date on having dreams. I’m 53, and I have things I still want to do. What do you know for sure today that you didn’t know a year ago? Support the show Just a quick note! I’m not a therapist, counsellor, or mental health professional. I’m simply sharing my personal experiences, reflections, and the things I’ve learned while navigating my own healing journey. Everything discussed on this podcast comes from my perspective and is meant for conversation and storytelling purposes. It should not be taken as professional advice. If you’re struggling or working through something difficult, I always encourage you to seek support from a qualified professional. This podcast is intended for entertainment, reflection, and shared human experience.

  2. Oct 9

    When Healing Brings Back the Past: The Thoughts We Can't Always Explain

    Send us Fan Mail Have you ever thought you were completely over a relationship, only to find yourself lying awake at night, questioning everything that happened? You can be happy, independent and moving forward with your life, yet still have those nights when the past comes back. Is it overthinking, or are you finally understanding what you went through? In this episode of Life's a Blog, I'm talking about healing after divorce, betrayal, grief, loneliness and the years we spend putting everybody else's happiness ahead of our own. At 53, I've learned that moving on doesn't mean you'll never revisit the past. Sometimes those difficult nights bring the greatest realizations. I'm sharing some very personal experiences, from relationships I stayed in too long and learning to trust my gut, to making difficult decisions in business, recognizing my own worth and finally putting my dreams first. We'll also talk about the fear of trusting again, why some people stop living after heartbreak, and the little things that help me through those emotionally exhausting nights. Inspired by Lee Ann Womack's I Hope You Dance, this episode asks a question I've been asking myself lately. Am I going to spend the next seven years looking backward, or am I going to make the most of the life I have ahead of me? I'm not a therapist. I'm a woman who's been through it, is still learning from it, and hopes that sharing my experiences might help somebody else. What are you dreaming? And can you make that dream come true? Of course you can. Trust your gut. Fear nothing. Support the show Just a quick note! I’m not a therapist, counsellor, or mental health professional. I’m simply sharing my personal experiences, reflections, and the things I’ve learned while navigating my own healing journey. Everything discussed on this podcast comes from my perspective and is meant for conversation and storytelling purposes. It should not be taken as professional advice. If you’re struggling or working through something difficult, I always encourage you to seek support from a qualified professional. This podcast is intended for entertainment, reflection, and shared human experience.

  3. Oct 1

    How Taylor Swift’s 'Patient Zero' Video Hit Home

    Send us Fan Mail Everyone seems to be trying to decipher Taylor Swift’s “Patient Zero” video. That car scene? It was so my life. After a 24-year relationship, I understand how gaslighting can leave you questioning yourself and accepting blame that was never yours to carry. Rereading a message from my ex-husband’s girlfriend helped me see those years differently. I also share why my last partner’s constant apologies felt familiar, including the moment I told him, “You don’t always have to say you’re sorry to me when you don’t do anything. I’m safe.” This episode of Life’s a Blog is about recognizing what happened, helping friends who are still in it, and finally making room for my own life again. Support the show Just a quick note! I’m not a therapist, counsellor, or mental health professional. I’m simply sharing my personal experiences, reflections, and the things I’ve learned while navigating my own healing journey. Everything discussed on this podcast comes from my perspective and is meant for conversation and storytelling purposes. It should not be taken as professional advice. If you’re struggling or working through something difficult, I always encourage you to seek support from a qualified professional. This podcast is intended for entertainment, reflection, and shared human experience.

  4. Sep 23

    You Wanted Him to Choose You. Would You Choose Him Now?

    Send us Fan Mail Sometimes the hardest part of heartbreak isn’t losing someone. It’s wondering why they didn’t choose you. In this episode of Life’s a Blog, Trina talks about a conversation with a friend that brought up rejection, betrayal, boundaries and the things women sometimes tolerate while waiting for someone’s actions to finally match their words. She shares why a small incident with an old Chromecast unexpectedly brought back anger from a past relationship, and how she caught herself before letting someone else’s past behaviour take over her present. Using “Better Man” by Little Big Town as the musical thread, Trina explores the difference between missing someone and missing who you hoped they would become. She also talks about rejection and abandonment wounds, the importance of spending time alone after a relationship, and the practical steps that can help you stop looking backwards and start rebuilding your own life. Because eventually the question changes from: Why wasn’t I chosen? to: Would I choose them now? And sometimes that answer tells you everything you need to know. Support the show Just a quick note! I’m not a therapist, counsellor, or mental health professional. I’m simply sharing my personal experiences, reflections, and the things I’ve learned while navigating my own healing journey. Everything discussed on this podcast comes from my perspective and is meant for conversation and storytelling purposes. It should not be taken as professional advice. If you’re struggling or working through something difficult, I always encourage you to seek support from a qualified professional. This podcast is intended for entertainment, reflection, and shared human experience.

  5. Sep 16

    Betrayal Trauma & Starting Over: Trusting Yourself After a Toxic Relationship

    Send us Fan Mail What happens when your desire to move forward becomes bigger than your fear? In this episode of Life’s A Blog, Trina gets personal about betrayal trauma, silent abuse, leaving a marriage, what our children learn by watching us love, and rebuilding trust in yourself after life pulls the carpet out from underneath you. She also shares why, after experiencing both death and betrayal, the two created very different kinds of grief. Inspired by Dolly Parton’s words about desire being larger than fear, Trina asks some uncomfortable questions: Are you making decisions from wisdom or fear? Are you showing your kids the kind of love you want them to accept? And what are you still afraid to do? Plus, a personal look at Alanis Morissette’s “You Learn” and why the song means something completely different after you’ve actually lived, loved, lost, failed and started over. You can sink in fear. Or you can swim in fear. Either way, fear may be there. The question is whether you keep moving. Support the show Just a quick note! I’m not a therapist, counsellor, or mental health professional. I’m simply sharing my personal experiences, reflections, and the things I’ve learned while navigating my own healing journey. Everything discussed on this podcast comes from my perspective and is meant for conversation and storytelling purposes. It should not be taken as professional advice. If you’re struggling or working through something difficult, I always encourage you to seek support from a qualified professional. This podcast is intended for entertainment, reflection, and shared human experience.

  6. Sep 8

    How To Stop Building A Museum For Your Mistakes

    Send us Fan Mail Your brain can turn one bad morning into a full disaster trilogy by lunch and I just proved it. My Meta Business Suite gets hacked and someone burns about $1,000 on ads I didn’t create, in a language I don’t speak, selling scissors I don’t even own. Then my camera is stolen out of my car. Then the magazine I publish shows up a full week late. Real problems, real stress, real consequences and a whole lot of anxiety I add on top. I walk through what “failure amnesia” means to me after hearing Mel Robbins and Benny Blanco talk about it: not pretending the mess didn’t happen, but refusing to build a condo inside it and live there forever. We get into the difference between failure and finality, why “no” from a big company doesn’t have to be surrender, and how quickly we start building a prosecution case against ourselves even when someone else is the one who did wrong. The turning point is simple and usable: three questions that cut through the spiral. What actually happened? What am I making it mean? What can I actually do next? If you’re tired of suffering through reactions nobody has had yet, or you’ve been waiting for permission to move, start over, or try again, this one is for you. Subscribe, share it with a friend who overthinks like we do, and leave a review telling me what “next shot” you’re taking. Support the show Just a quick note! I’m not a therapist, counsellor, or mental health professional. I’m simply sharing my personal experiences, reflections, and the things I’ve learned while navigating my own healing journey. Everything discussed on this podcast comes from my perspective and is meant for conversation and storytelling purposes. It should not be taken as professional advice. If you’re struggling or working through something difficult, I always encourage you to seek support from a qualified professional. This podcast is intended for entertainment, reflection, and shared human experience.

  7. Sep 1

    What Dolly Parton Taught Me About Love, Boundaries and Starting Over

    Send us Fan Mail Dolly Parton’s death made me rethink a moment I witnessed at CMA Fest — and what I completely misunderstood about a woman who was still excited about what came next. From Dolly’s marriage to Carl Dean and the story behind Light of a Clear Blue Morning to my own experiences with betrayal, control, motherhood and starting over at 53, I’m talking about the difference between loving someone and losing yourself in them — and the difference between controlling someone else and finally setting a boundary. If you’ve ever made yourself smaller for love, struggled to let someone make a choice you hated, or found yourself wondering what the hell comes next after life blows up, this episode is about taking your life back and asking a much better question: What do I want to happen next? Support the show Just a quick note! I’m not a therapist, counsellor, or mental health professional. I’m simply sharing my personal experiences, reflections, and the things I’ve learned while navigating my own healing journey. Everything discussed on this podcast comes from my perspective and is meant for conversation and storytelling purposes. It should not be taken as professional advice. If you’re struggling or working through something difficult, I always encourage you to seek support from a qualified professional. This podcast is intended for entertainment, reflection, and shared human experience.

  8. Aug 24

    Starting Over Without Starting From Zero

    Send us Fan Mail I’ve started over more times than I ever expected to. After a 22-year marriage. After loss. After another relationship ended. After leaving homes I had poured myself into. And now, once again, I’m unpacking boxes and trying to make a place I never imagined living in feel like mine. But this time I realized something: I’m not actually starting over. I’m starting from experience. This episode began with something ridiculously ordinary: pressure washing the front porch of my new place. It’s not glamorous. It’s not my dream home. Quite frankly, it’s a little sketchy. But standing there looking at that cleaner porch made me think about every house I’ve lived in and every version of myself that lived inside them. The house where I raised my children. The homes that came after my marriage ended. The house I helped make beautiful with another partner. My trailer at Lake Huron, where I finally learned how much I enjoy my own company. And now this little place that represents something completely different. For years, I thought starting over meant I had somehow ended up back at the beginning. I don’t believe that anymore. I know more now. I know what I will tolerate and what I won’t. I know I can support myself. I know I can be alone. I know I can lose people, relationships, homes and versions of my life and still find my way forward. And maybe that’s what rebuilding really is. Not creating some impressive new life overnight. Sometimes rebuilding looks like downsizing. Making the practical decision. Choosing purpose over comfort. Leaving somewhere you love because something else is asking you to grow. Making one little thing better today and another tomorrow. This week on Life’s a Blog, I’m talking about homes, divorce, grief, relationships, Lake Huron, nostalgia, starting again, and the realization that you can miss a place without wanting the life you lived there back. Because we don’t start over empty-handed. We bring every lesson, every scar, every mistake, every boundary and every bit of strength we earned along the way. This week’s song: “The House That Built Me” by Miranda Lambert. Support the show Just a quick note! I’m not a therapist, counsellor, or mental health professional. I’m simply sharing my personal experiences, reflections, and the things I’ve learned while navigating my own healing journey. Everything discussed on this podcast comes from my perspective and is meant for conversation and storytelling purposes. It should not be taken as professional advice. If you’re struggling or working through something difficult, I always encourage you to seek support from a qualified professional. This podcast is intended for entertainment, reflection, and shared human experience.

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Life doesn’t fall apart at 50. It gets real. After a 24-year marriage ended in betrayal, I found myself starting over in a way I never expected. This podcast is where I talk about that. The truth of it. The grief, the anger, the healing, and everything that comes with rebuilding a life when the one you knew is gone. I talk about relationships that look solid but aren’t. The disappointment when people don’t show up the way they said they would. The work it takes to stop chasing, set boundaries, and finally choose yourself. There’s a lot out there about dating, confidence, and “moving on.” This isn’t that. This is about doing the real work so you don’t repeat the same patterns. If you’re over 40, over 50, divorced, starting again, or just tired of pretending you’re fine, you’ll get it. We’ll get into:  betrayal and what it actually does to you  healing without shortcuts  dating later in life  learning to be on your own without feeling alone  recognizing red flags and trusting yourself again  building a life that finally feels like yours  Most episodes are just me. Some include conversations. All of it is honest. Because starting over isn’t the end of your story. It’s where you finally start living it. New episodes weekly.

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