We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Annette Whittenberger. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Annette below.

Alright, Annette thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

I retired from the Army on November 1, 2016, and experienced a profound sense of loss. The absence of the uniform, the title, the rank, and the camaraderie left me grieving in a way I had never felt before. Unable to process this grief on my own, I turned to social media, seeking solace and understanding from others who had navigated a similar journey.

After months of isolation, deep depression, and a feeling of failure, I decided to channel my experiences into a blog. Teaming up with a fellow veteran, I created a website that I envisioned as a safe space for individuals like me, struggling with the loss of identity beyond the uniform. “A Wild Ride Called Life” emerged from a dark place, with the intent of offering hope to others. Through conversations with fellow service members who shared my feelings of loss, I realized that this blog could be the catalyst for our collective healing journey, breaking the silence surrounding mental health issues.

In the rigid military environment, discussing stress and vulnerability was discouraged. Emotions were suppressed, and we were conditioned to be resilient, showing no signs of weakness. Once removed from this environment, many of us grappled with rediscovering our true selves, as the uniform, rank, and title had defined us for so long.

“A Wild Ride Called Life” evolved over the past six years, expanding into various platforms that serve as safe havens for us to voice our experiences. We launched a podcast called “The Truths We Hide,” which, thanks to overwhelming support, transcended its military focus, featuring stories from a broader community. In 2020, we were recognized among the top 13 Best Veteran Podcasts.

I authored a book titled “The Wall Between Two Lives,” sharing my personal journey of trauma and mental health diagnosis, emphasizing my path towards acceptance and resilience. Additionally, I co-authored six other books, gaining international recognition as a best-selling author and speaker.

in 2020, I was awarded the Military Spouse of the year award for Nothern Virginia for my efforts in the mental health space. This was one of the most humbling experiences as a military spouse and gave me more of the drive I needed to continue my work within the space.

In 2022, I embraced a new role as Ann Whitt, a music artist, songwriter, and producer, using music as a healing platform. Through songs like “Cold Thoughts” and “Tomorrow,” I encourage those suffering to find their voices through music, available for streaming worldwide.

The overwhelming response to our mission reinforced the importance of addressing mental health and combating the stigma surrounding it. Bridging the gap between the military and civilian communities became our top priority. We continue our tireless efforts to make this connection, striving to create understanding, empathy, and support for all those affected.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am a mental health advocate, speaker, podcaster, author, mentor, and music artist, all centered around the crucial themes of mental health and suicide prevention. These roles hold immense significance for me because I’ve walked the path of personal experience in each of them. My journey began as a means of self-healing, a process I initiated to overcome my own challenges. Now, I am dedicated to assisting others in discovering their voices and empowering them to wield their strength, whether through public speaking, podcasting, or writing. I offer them a sanctuary, a safe space where they can explore their purpose.

As a military spouse, part of a dual military family, a mother, and a grandmother, I take great pride in giving back to my community in ways that extend far beyond our individual experiences. It brings me immense joy to offer support, understanding, and empathy to those who need it most. I am deeply grateful for the opportunities that have allowed me to embark on my personal healing journey, and I am equally grateful for the chance to create secure environments for others to do the same.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

Building my audience on social media was very rough. When I made my first posts about my struggles, I received backlash with some negative comments. This was one reason why I decided to create my website and blog. I wanted to be able to write my story and share it beyond just Facebook. I decided to create a newsletter, which then turned into receiving stories from others who wanted to use the safe place that I had created. I then started a business Facebook and Instagram page where I could reach a wider audience. Now, I am on TikTok and YouTube, creating videos. I knew that I wanted to expand my reach because there is always someone watching, listening, or reading. The authenticity, realness, and raw content that I share are what have proven to be the most effective in reaching the type of audience I have now.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I am a suicide attempt survivor, and I often find myself reflecting on how many times God has given me the chance to start over and be better. I never truly appreciated that until my daughter and I were in a very traumatic car accident in 2018. The car accident became a true testament to what we were both able to come back from. We suffered injuries that required 6 surgeries and months of rehabilitation, and it showed me that I was a lot stronger than I had ever imagined.

Through this experience, I began to slowly realize that my time was not over and hadn’t been over for a very long time. I had to learn that my trauma, in whatever form, does not define me. I had to answer the question of what I was going to do with yet another chance at life.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.awildridecalledlife.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/a_wild_ride_called_life/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnnetteWhittenbergerSpeakerPodcasterAuthor
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annette-whittenberger-a-wild-ride-called-life-/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOl9HoRZ3NFBpUV5zcOyetg
• Other: https://www.facebook.com/annwhittofficial https://www.instagram.com/annwhitt_official/ https://www.instagram.com/thetruthswehide_podcast/

Image Credits
music image photos: Green Beret Media, Christopher McPhee music artist cover: Bradley Nelson A Wild Ride Called Life logo: Barbara Carlson