147 | Blessings & Bullsh*t – The Top 5 Best & Worst Parts of Small Town Living with Haley Gradert

Listen to Blessings & Bullsh*t – The Top 5 Best & Worst Parts of Small Town Living with Haley Gradert on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Your player of choice

Let’s be honest—small town life is a whole thing. It’s peaceful and isolating. Sacred and frustrating. Full of tradition… and full of things we’d like to burn to the ground. In this episode, I’m joined by my internet-turned-real-life soul sister, Haley Gradert, for a no-filter, heart-wide-open conversation about what it actually looks like to live, work, raise kids, and chase dreams in rural, agricultural communities.

Haley and I love where we live. We’re raising babies and businesses in tiny towns where the sunsets are breathtaking, the grocery options are mid, and the “fun” options often include Casey’s pizza and a prayer. We came into this episode with a shared list of our personal top 5 best and worst things about rural life… but if you know us, you know we didn’t stick to the list.

We talk petty grievances—like sad takeout, spotty internet, and the soul ache of not having Chinese food within 40 miles. But we also go deep: into the grief of outgrowing your hometown’s ideals, the work of raising inclusive kids in homogenous spaces, and the pressure of being the “different” one in a place that likes its norms neat and tidy.

This episode is for the rural woman who adores her community… but also feels like no one quite sees the world the way she does. The one who’s trying to make space for growth in a town that hasn’t changed in decades. The one who’s quietly breaking cycles, questioning expectations, and choosing something more for her kids—and for herself.

It’s funny. It’s heartfelt. It’s a love letter and a call-out. A blend of laughter, longing, and big truth-telling from two women who know what it means to both belong and not quite fit.

So whether you’re tuning in on your way to town, folding laundry during nap time, or taking a solo walk down a gravel road—this conversation is for you. You are not alone. And you’re definitely not the only one craving something deeper in a town that tells you to stay small.

Meet Haley:

Leave the perfectionism, people-pleasing, and hustle culture at the door, girlfriend—Haley Gradert is here to do things differently. Over the last decade, Haley has unapologetically burned down the boxes she was handed and built a life that’s wholly, wildly her own.

Originally from Florida, she left home after high school on a livestock judging scholarship and eventually planted roots in rural Oklahoma in 2017. Since then, Haley has worn many hats in the communications world—both within and outside of agriculture—and now works for a creative advertising agency serving ag-based clients.

But her true passion? Empowering ambitious women to break free from the BS that holds them back. In 2021, she founded the Tough Love Society, a community and mentorship space for go-getter women who are ready to overshare, be seen, and feel a little less alone on the climb. Haley is also a proud mom to a fiery two-year-old son, wife to an ag teacher, aspiring writer and creative, and an outspoken blue dot in a deeply red state. She’s a fierce advocate for inclusion, authenticity, and speaking up for what matters—even when it ruffles feathers.

In this episode, Blessings & Bullsh*t – The Top 5 Best & Worst Parts of Small Town Living, Haley Gradert and I explore:

• Our personal backstories: how two women from Florida & Illinois ended up in agriculture and rural communities
• What qualifies as a “small town” (and the hilarious clout wars that come with it)
• Why we love small town life and still have big opinions about it
• Haley’s “petty grievance” about restaurants and grocery store options
• Emily’s experience navigating childcare and healthcare deserts
• The everyday inconveniences of rural life (like no DoorDash or gluten and dairy free options)
• Cost of living comparisons: rural vs. city life
• The surprising peace of quiet and space
• How safety “feels different” in small towns
• Our love/hate relationship with local businesses and customer service
• The lack of diversity in many rural communities—and why that matters
• Navigating race, religion, queerness, and inclusion as progressive women in conservative areas
• What it means to raise kind, grounded kids in environments that don’t always reflect your values
• Creating intentional home cultures that support curiosity, emotional intelligence, and self-trust
• Unlearning hustle culture, toxic masculinity, and outdated gender norms
• Leaving churches and rethinking belief systems
• Making hard decisions about where and how to raise our kids
• How virtual connection has kept us rooted and expanded
• Why loving your town doesn’t mean you can’t challenge it

If you found yourself nodding along, laughing out loud, or feeling seen in all the best ways—don’t keep it to yourself.

Subscribe, leave a review, and send this episode to your ride-or-die rural bestie (or the one who still thinks Casey’s pizza counts as fine dining).

Your support helps us keep having real, nuanced, hilarious, heart-expanding conversations like this one—and brings more women into the kind of community we all deserve.

Connect with Haley:

• Website: thetoughlovesociety.com
• Instagram: @toughlovehaley
• Threads: @toughlovehaley

Connect with Emily:

Stay connected and keep up with my latest updates, podcast episodes, and personal growth insights:

• Instagram: @emilyreuschel
• Facebook: Emily Reuschel
• LinkedIn: Emily Reuschel
• Email List: join here
• Website  www.EmilyReuschel.com

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• Episode 112 | The Lost Art of Using Your Brain Box: The Unshakable Calling for Diverse Perspectives, Empathy, and Critical Thinking 
• Episode 119 | How to Create Safety Within Yourself, Unpack Fear and Imposter Syndrome, and Tap into Your Unlimited Potential with Tracy Litt
• Episode 131 | Going Beyond the Pale
• Episode 139 | Unraveling & Rebuilding: My Journey Through Faith, Politics, and Personal Growth
• Episode 142 | Star-Spangled Jesus: Deconstructing Christian Nationalism & Reclaiming Faith with April Ajoy

Resources & Links:

• Sign up here to get the inside scoop to my book writing journey!
• Interested in sponsoring Gather in Growth? Apply here
• Book me as a speaker for your next event – email inquiries to emilyreuschel@gmail.com or schedule a call here
• Gather in Growth Podcast – Produced by Jill Carr Podcasting | Learn More

More about the Gather in Growth podcast: 

Gather in Growth is more than a podcast—it’s a sanctuary for women coming home to themselves and each other. A sacred space to expand horizons, reignite our power, and live unapologetically as our fullest, most authentic selves.

Hosted by Emily Reuschel, this is a gathering place for the doers, dreamers, and seekers who crave connection, purpose, and meaningful impact. Through raw conversations and soul-deep reflections, we’ll embrace curiosity, step to the edges of our comfort zones, and defy expectations.

Picture this: women gathered around a fire, sharing stories with open hearts—connecting, healing, and evolving together. That’s the spirit of Gather in Growth. This is our space to awaken and embody the lives we’ve been yearning for—lives rooted in alignment, guided by intuition, and built with intention.

If you’re ready to move beyond limits and labels, cultivate deep inner trust, and courageously embrace the magic of who you are, then welcome home. Together, let’s Gather in Growth.

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