I have been holding this one close for a long time.

You've been asking. Every week, in my DMs, in the comments, in voice memos from strangers who somehow feel like old friends, what's the story? How did you two actually meet?

Well…Today is the day.

This is Part 1 of how Ryan and I found each other, and I'll warn you, we don't even make it to the first date. Because when two people who have lived a lot of life try to trace it back to the beginning, you keep finding more beginning.

What I can tell you is this, he almost unfollowed me!!! I almost never replied!!! I thought he was a woman…lol… And somewhere in the middle of all of that, the universe had other plans. :)

We talk about:

• What it really feels like to go through separation and the first holidays alone
• What it means to be in a relationship where you feel so safeThe darkest stretch of Ryan's life
• The last-minute trip to Costa Rica that changed everything, and the DM sent from a dirt road in the middle of nowhere that started it all

There's also a lot of laughing. Ruby has a proposal for Ryan that left us both speechless. And Keira shows up at the end and says something so beautiful it might just break you open.

Grab your coffee. Get on the couch. Part 2 is coming soon.

Here are the key moments from the episode:

00:00 Why This Love Story Feels Different

03:57 The Relationship Shift That Made Heidi Feel Safe

09:20 The Hidden Cost of Fame and Starting Over

13:23 Separation, Divorce, and Why Timing Mattered

16:34 The Post About Divorce That Stopped Him Cold

22:22 The DM She Almost Missed and Why It Landed

25:25 Why Heidi Started the Podcast in the First Place

27:57 The Divorce Lesson That Only Pain Can Teach

32:07 How They Healed Each Other’s Trust Issues

35:10 The Upbringing That Shaped His View of Masculinity

39:16 The Question Every Woman Should Ask About a Man

45:31 Why He Never Unfollowed Her

47:24 The Costa Rica Trip That Happened During a Breaking Point

53:40 The First Real Texts That Changed Everything

59:35 When He Realized Heidi Was Different

01:01:01 The IUD Appointment Story She Never Posted

Connect with Heidi:

Website:⁠ https://heidipowell.net/⁠

Email: podcast@heidipowell.net

Instagram: @realheidipowell

Facebook: Heidi Powell

YouTube: @RealHeidiPowell

Train with Heidi on her Show Up App:⁠ https://www.showupfit.app/