Every so often, you have a conversation that stays with you—the kind that makes you pause, reflect, and appreciate just how far you’ve come. I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Suzanne Smith, founder of Crazy Blonde Life, a lifestyle blog created for women—primarily in midlife, but truly for anyone who’s navigating life’s evolving seasons. Over the past nine years, Suzanne has cultivated a space that encourages women to live their best lives every day, reminding us that we are always becoming more of who we authentically are. Our conversation touched on so many of the things that matter: identity, motherhood, personal growth, and what it means to grow into yourself with grace, courage, and a little wildness. At the heart of it all was authenticity—living in a way that feels true to who you are, rather than who the world told you to be. Suzanne offered so much wisdom—hard-won through her own journey—and I know it will resonate deeply, especially with women of all ages who have weathered storms and come through with stories and strength worth sharing.

Q&A with Suzanne Smith

What are you most proud of so far in your life, and how does it make you feel?

I would definitely have to say my three daughters. They are all so different, but they are all successful in their own way. We are all very close, and I can't imagine my life without them. It's always so interesting to me how children from the same family can be so completely different. My daughters have grown into remarkable women, each with their own path, yet they remain close to each other and to me. My life is truly full now with them and my five grandchildren. 

2. What has been a challenge you’ve faced in your life, and what did you learn from it?

One of my most difficult experiences was when my husband had an affair about eight years ago. It was a moment that forced me to reevaluate everything in my life. But instead of staying stuck in the pain, I chose to grow. I took responsibility for my part in the healing process—not just for myself but as a model for my daughters.

What he did really had nothing to do with me, and that was a hard pill to swallow. Through grief, spiritual guidance, and deep reflection, I became stronger, wiser, and more myself. I grew in ways that I never would have otherwise, and for that, I'm actually grateful now.

It was the biggest challenge ever, and it changed me for the better. It was truly a turning point that taught me to take responsibility for my own life. We're still married, and though the experience was incredibly painful (I'm a Taurus and a crier—my children always tease me about this), it ultimately led me to become more open, honest, and transparent about my journey.

3. What is an important and unexpected change you’ve made in your life?

Sometimes, change isn't something I choose—it chooses me. My healing journey after my husband's affair became an unexpected transformation, leading me to creative expression, spiritual grounding, and new forms of connection. It reminded me that growth often begins in the ashes of what I thought life would be.

Taking responsibility for where I am in my life became crucial because we all create our lives with every decision. I've tried to be an example of someone who's learned and changed, especially for my daughters. We are closer now than we were before, partly because there were things in our relationship that needed to be mended and healed. For them to see me taking responsibility has been huge.

I'm not going to say that I navigated it beautifully—there's no rule book. It took me a good several years to be able to look back and truly see the blessings. I went through all the stages of grief—anger, sadness, bargaining. At one point, I even used the situation as a means of controlling him, which my mentor ever so kindly pointed out to me about two years ago.

The healing process has come in stages. Through this whole renovation of my life, one thing I've really learned to value is the time I was able to spend alone with the dogs—to think, reflect, and listen to mentors like Melanie Layer. I'm also a huge Joe Dispenza girl, and Michael Beckwith feeds my soul. I told my husband just last night that I feel kind of lost right now because I've not been immersing myself in the things that really get me through the day. It's time to get back to that spiritual grounding that helped me transform.

4. When did you first feel truly “seen” and understood for who you are, rather than how others perceived you?

My answer is simple and bold: It no longer matters to me how others see me. That freedom—letting go of outside approval—has allowed me to live more fully in my truth and walk through life with confidence and compassion.

When did I first feel truly seen and understood for who I am, rather than how others perceived me? Oh, gosh, when, when, when... It no longer mattered. That's probably the best answer. I mean, not that I don't care what people think of me, but I can totally handle it if somebody has an issue with me or doesn't agree with me. I don't have to be right.

I have no ego around it, for the most part. I'm not going to say 100% of the time, but these emotions are always right here, which is why I get teary even talking about it. I'm sorry for getting emotional, but this happens frequently—I do this in front of total strangers, too. It's just part of who I am now.

This journey to authentic self-acceptance has been transformative. Not needing everyone's approval means I can show up as my whole self, tears and all, without apology. It's given me a freedom I never knew was possible.

5. In what ways do you feel more authentically yourself now than ever before?

I've learned to disagree without needing to be right. To handle criticism without shrinking. To lead with curiosity instead of control. My authenticity today is the result of decades of inner work—and it shows in my graceful, grounded presence.

It really goes back to losing the worry about what others think. As a projector in Human Design, being seen is important to me, but digging deep into spiritual work has helped me learn so much about myself. Putting it into practice is what matters.

Living in a small town in the South as someone who's not conservative can be challenging. Many people view me as a bit on the fringe, but I don't really care. Things make so much more sense to me now than they did growing up in a very religious home where none of it ever made sense to me. Finding my place spiritually has given me an authenticity I didn't have before.

I've always questioned everything, sometimes not in the nicest way, when I was younger. Now, I can listen to others' perspectives without feeling like I need to argue or save them. People have to come to an understanding in their own time. Why did I waste so much of my life worrying about other people? Age helps you realize you just need to live in the most authentic way possible. Others will see that example. 

I truly believe people come to their own peace more quickly when they don't feel they have to defend themselves. Even with my daughters, I try not to insert my opinion unless they ask. They're all great parents, though occasionally I'm tempted to step in with advice. But it just doesn't do any good—everyone must walk their own path.

6. Is your life what you thought it would be? Why or why not?

Oh my goodness, there was no such thing as being an influencer or content creator or blogger when I was little. I didn't really think about what my life would be—I just kind of let it happen, and that got me into some trouble. It's nothing like I thought it would be, but I'm really glad that I finally started to put some thought into what the next 10 years will be like for me.

I'm very fortunate to be able to get up every day and do what I want to do for the most part. Martha Stewart influenced me tremendously when I was first married at 19—she probably kept me from being completely lost and depressed. She was my idol. I would scrape together money and buy every book, spend way too much on groceries trying to do everything just the way she did it. It made me love to cook, and I even started a catering business later on. I've always aspired to create that beautiful life she represented.

It's humbling to realize that now I might be someone else's Martha Stewart. Social media can be challenging—it's hard not to fall into comparison. But then I'll get a comment from somebody saying, "Read your blog post today. You have no idea how much it helped me" or "Thank you for inspiring me to get dressed in the mornings." Even though my influence is fairly small compared to some people's, it's still important. When I get those comments, it's the projector in me feeling seen, and it's really nice that people take the time to make them.

Like many of us, I didn't envision my life unfolding the way it has. But the beauty lies in the detours. The hard-earned wisdom. The people I've become and inspired. My life may not look like the plan, but it feels rich, meaningful, and mine.

7. What advice would you give to your younger self?

"Stay curious. Everything will work out." That's my loving message to the girl I once was. I believe curiosity is the key to staying engaged, creative, and open—no matter how old we get or how the path twists.

What advice would I give my younger self? You'd think this would be an easy question, but there's so much. I always say, "You're okay, and you will be okay. You can do anything." There were a lot of times when I thought, for years, "I'm not okay. I can't do this anymore. I'm miserable." But for some reason, I never gave up.

I think staying curious is the answer to so many things. Because if you lose your curiosity, then life really gets stale and stagnant and boring. Brené Brown talks a lot about being creative and about being curious, and I think both of those are so important for every age.

Everything works out the way it's supposed to work out because it is what it is right now. That perspective has helped me through the hardest times, when I couldn't see beyond my immediate pain. Looking back, I'm grateful for the journey—even the difficult parts—because they led me to where I am today: still curious, still learning, and still growing.

8. What do you want your legacy to be?

I hope to be remembered for building something from nothing—for my impact on others and for inspiring people to keep going, even when life doesn't turn out the way they planned. My legacy lives in my work, my family, and the quiet strength I share with the world.

What do I want my legacy to be? That I've built something from nothing that I can be proud of. And maybe that I made a lot of money doing it. I'm not going to lie—people say that's not important, but why wouldn't that be important?

I want to encourage women our age to start something new. Why not start something when you're in your 50s? Why not? It's probably the best time to start something.
And of course, that my grandchildren loved me. That's really important too. Our two oldest grandsons stayed with us over the weekend, and we just had so much fun. I played basketball so much my shoulder's sore, but we hung out in the driveway and played basketball. They're amazing kids. I'm really just so proud of them.

My legacy isn't just about what I accomplish professionally but about the example I set—showing my daughters and grandchildren that it's never too late to pursue your passions, to rebuild, to create something meaningful. When life doesn't go as planned, you can still craft a beautiful journey worth remembering.

9. If you had to identify yourself as one of the following, what would it be and why?

I chose the FREE SPIRIT, and I couldn't agree more. I embody that sense of openness, trust in the unknown, and graceful courage. Plus, I've always been accused of being that free spirit. You know, WILD AT HEART and FREE SPIRIT are a little similar, but I have never been one to follow the rules or conform, and I'm proud of that. So, I think I would have to say FREE SPIRIT.