Podcast Summary: The blondEST

Episode: Divorced at 28: Work Addiction, Toxic Relationships & Starting Over
Host: Savanna Boda
Date: February 9, 2026

Overview:

In this candid solo episode, Savanna Boda (“the Dallas Aesthetician”) opens up about navigating post-divorce life at 28, tackling work addiction, recovering from toxic relationships, and learning to start over. With her characteristic humor and raw honesty, Savanna reflects on what it means to find emotional balance, redefine success, and step into newfound personal freedom—all while balancing the demands of a highly successful aesthetics career.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Life & Travel Updates (00:00–03:20)

• Savanna shares personal updates, including Tyler’s Hawaii trip and her upcoming shark diving adventure in the Bahamas with industry friend Candace—reflecting on the importance of recharging by "getting in the water" every quarter.

2. Emotional Balance & Work Addiction After Divorce (03:21–16:10)

• Savanna discusses the tumultuous period post-divorce and the struggle to find her new normal.
• Work as Escapism: She candidly reveals how work became her escape from personal hardships:
  • “I realized a lot of it was an escape. From a very young age I learned just that staying busy and having a purpose really kept me happy and helped with a lot of like my depression and my anxiety.” (07:50)
• She admits to measuring her self-worth by her productivity and others’ praise:
  • “The most highest compliment that someone could give me was my work ethic.” (09:10)
• Therapy revelations and fears about what “healing” would do to her drive:
  • “I told my therapist, I’m like, I don’t even know if I want to heal because I’m scared if I heal, I’m not going to work the way I did.” (09:40)

3. Personal Identity, Freedom, and Dating Post-Divorce (16:11–24:45)

• Savanna discusses her life stage post-divorce—living alone and having autonomy for the first time.
• She explains how previous relationships and family environments left her emotionally stunted, with dating feeling “hard and unlearning certain patterns.”
• Rediscovering Herself:
  • “I literally went from living with my parents to literally being pregnant with a child and living, living in a home with a man. Like I have never once lived alone.” (18:35)
• Revels in the new sensation of “doing what I want,” describing it as both liberating and necessary—even if it led to some questionable choices in the dating scene.

4. Navigating External Judgment (24:46–27:50)

• Savanna critiques societal and industry judgments, particularly around body image and presentation:
  • “Did I look like a hooker at times? Absolutely. And you know what also is annoying to me is that...when I was bigger and I had huge breasts, nobody got mad at my cleavage. But now that they’re fake tits and I’m not as large, it’s a problem.” (26:50)
• She underscores the importance of not letting others’ projections weigh her down.

5. The Value of Support Systems (27:51–29:10)

• Grateful shout-out to her mother, who’s provided significant support through her transition.
• Comments on co-parenting dynamics: “Things with my ex are actually, like, very kosher, which is crazy, because, like, there’s so much trauma there.” (28:30)

6. Business, Spa Updates & Event Reflections (29:11–38:00)

• Savanna updates listeners on the new spa: increased booking demand, event plans, and some humorous fish tank mishaps:
  • “We did have...the clownfish passed away because Carlos, our porcupine puffer, he ate them...” (30:05)
• Reflects on attending her first Face Reality event post-divorce:
  • Struggled with public attention on her personal life, feeling “naked in front of everyone” as people fixated on her divorce instead of professional matters (33:15).

7. Industry Trends & Hopes (38:01–41:00)

• Shares excitement over expanding her practice with new devices, peels, and treatments, expressing a desire for innovation—specifically in chemical peels.

8. Self-Awareness, Growth, and Advice for Others (41:01–End)

• Savanna relates her personal evolution to industry and life lessons, stressing the importance of introspection and meditation:
  • “It really starts with, like, meditation and sitting in silence and letting your highest self come through so you can understand why, you know?” (42:40)
• She cautions against procrastination when it comes to major life changes:
  • “It’s never gonna be easy to leave...I knew that if I hadn’t have left, I’d be 50 years old one day and I would want to strangle 28-year-old Savannah and be like, you fucking knew and your little bitch ass was scared and so you stayed and, and you weren’t strong enough to leave.” (44:05)
• Offers advice for others in toxic or unsupportive relationships: don’t wait for the right time—trust your intuition and act.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Work Addiction and Healing:
  “I told my therapist, I’m like, I don’t even know if I want to heal because I’m scared if I heal, I’m not going to work the way I did.” (09:40)

• On Redefining Freedom:
  “I have never once lived alone. I’ve never, not once in my entire life, not been controlled and had free will ... it’s just been like really liberating.” (18:35)

• On Societal Judgment:
  “Did I look like a hooker at times? Absolutely. And you know what also is annoying to me is ... when I was bigger ... nobody got mad at my cleavage. But now ... it’s a problem.” (26:50)

• On the Difficulty of Leaving Toxic Situations:
  “It’s never gonna be easy to leave ... I’d be 50 years old one day and I would want to strangle 28 year old Savannah and be like, you fucking knew and your little bitch ass was scared and so you stayed...” (44:05)

Important Timestamps

• 00:00 – Opening, travel plans, and friendship update
• 07:50 – On work as escapism following trauma
• 09:40 – Therapy and fear of healing lessening drive
• 18:35 – Experiencing true autonomy for the first time
• 26:50 – Commentary on body image and external judgment
• 28:30 – Reflections on co-parenting relationship
• 30:05 – Fish tank accident and spa updates
• 33:15 – Feeling exposed at first public event post-divorce
• 42:40 – Importance of meditation and introspection
• 44:05 – On making difficult life decisions

Tone & Style

The episode features Savanna’s signature blend of vulnerability, humor, and directness. She swings between introspective moments (“Life’s confusing. You’re hearing my inner monologue...”) and tongue-in-cheek asides (“Did I look like a hooker at times? Absolutely.”), making the episode relatable and engaging for listeners navigating similar life and career transitions.

Conclusion

Savanna invites her audience along for a raw, unfiltered exploration of what it means to rebuild after loss—whether that’s a marriage, self-identity, or old habits. Her stories and insights encourage self-inquiry, authenticity, and courage in the face of big change, all delivered in a charismatic, conversational tone.

Up next: Business tips for career success—rooted in honesty, resilience, and a bit of hard-earned humor.