Driving the Wrong Way Saved My Life: Diane Hartman on Getting Lost in Ireland and Healing Through Grief

If you’ve ever wondered how facing fear head-on could change your life, episode 374 is for you. Author Diane Hartman shares how solo trips through Ireland’s backroads—complete with wrong turns, roundabouts gone wrong, and deep solitude—help her confront decades of buried grief. Through journaling and courage, she turns loss into resilience and shows how getting lost can sometimes be the exact path to finding yourself. In This Episode, You Will Learn:  (01:00) Diane’s path from librarian to writer and her call to Ireland (03:46) How her first solo trip tested her courage behind the wheel (07:59) The lifelong impact of losing her father to suicide at age ten (12:56) Supporting grieving children as a school librarian (14:15) Choosing to transform trauma into empathy and purpose (16:23) The role of self-talk, compassion, and counseling in her healing (21:14) How daily journaling shaped her memoir (22:46) A teacher grant, writer’s retreat, and the push to publish (25:24) Writing for travelers, grievers, and anyone seeking resilience (26:53) Where to find Getting Lost on My Way and follow Diane’s journey In today’s episode, I’m joined by Diane Hartman, an author and retired school librarian from Indiana. Her memoir, Getting Lost on My Way: Self-Discovery on Ireland’s Backroads, draws from her solo journeys through Ireland after the early loss of her father to suicide and the end of a long marriage. Through travel and journaling, she discovers resilience, courage, and healing, transforming her grief into a story of self-discovery and gratitude. Passionate about inspiring others to face fear with courage, Diane shows how even life’s deepest losses can become gateways to growth and renewal. Throughout this episode, she shares how traveling alone through Ireland’s winding backroads—often lost and confronting challenges like driving on the opposite side of the road—forces her to confront fear, grief, and self-doubt. By embracing the discomfort of solitude, she learns the power of self-talk, compassion, and courage, uncovering lessons that shape both her memoir and her life. Her story is a reminder that solo journeys can spark profound healing, self-trust, and empathy, offering hope to anyone navigating grief or searching for a deeper sense of self. Connect with Diane Hartman: Website Substack Instagram Facebook Book: Getting Lost on My Way Let's Connect:  Website LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Twitter The Grief and Happiness Alliance Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.