Abby Wambach and Glennon Doyle: Intimacy, Cheating & Starting Over (Full Episode)

TL;DR

  • Glennon and Abby share their unconventional love story and the courage it took to leave their previous relationships to be together
  • They discuss how childhood trauma and insecurities shaped their approach to intimacy and relationships throughout their lives
  • The couple explores the role of addiction and recovery in their personal journeys and how it affected their relationship dynamics
  • They address the difficult topic of infidelity, including how it appeared in their past relationships and what it taught them
  • Glennon and Abby explain why settling for less than authentic connection is detrimental and how they choose to live without compromise
  • Both guests discuss the transformative power of choosing yourself and your true partner, and how this decision has changed their lives

Key Moments

0:00

Introduction to their love story

12:30

Childhood trauma and relationship patterns

28:45

The decision to leave previous relationships

42:15

Addressing infidelity and trust issues

58:00

Building authentic intimacy and never settling

Episode Recap

In this intimate conversation, Glennon Doyle and Abby Wambach open up about their remarkable love story and the pivotal decisions that led them to each other. The couple doesn't shy away from discussing the complexities of leaving their previous marriages to pursue an authentic connection with one another. They emphasize that this wasn't an easy path, but rather one that required tremendous courage and a commitment to honoring their true selves. Throughout the episode, they explore how childhood experiences and early insecurities created patterns that influenced their relationship choices throughout their lives. Both Glennon and Abby acknowledge that they carried unresolved trauma into their previous relationships, which manifested in various ways including trust issues and avoidance of genuine intimacy. They discuss how understanding these root causes became essential to their personal growth and eventual ability to build a healthy partnership. The conversation takes a candid turn when addressing infidelity and betrayal. Rather than glossing over these painful experiences, they examine what cheating meant in their past relationships and what it revealed about their own needs and boundaries. This vulnerability allows them to discuss how they've rebuilt trust with each other and established a relationship based on radical honesty and acceptance. Both guests also touch upon their experiences with addiction and recovery, framing these struggles not as shameful secrets but as important chapters in their healing journey. Glennon and Abby stress the importance of never settling for a relationship that requires you to diminish yourself or accept less than you deserve. They argue that too many people stay in situations out of fear, convenience, or social expectation, sacrificing their authentic selves in the process. For Abby, this meant walking away from a long-term marriage and a stable life to pursue something that felt true. For Glennon, it meant embracing her identity fully and refusing to hide who she really was. The couple speaks to the transformative power of choosing both yourself and your partner consciously and completely. They describe how this mutual choice has deepened their intimacy and created a relationship dynamic built on genuine connection rather than obligation or compromise. Their story challenges conventional narratives about marriage and commitment, suggesting instead that true intimacy comes from radical honesty, acceptance of each other's whole selves, and the willingness to start over when necessary.

Notable Quotes

We decided that settling was not an option for us anymore.

Authenticity is the greatest intimacy we can offer each other.

Your wounds will either become your wisdom or your weapons.

We chose each other consciously and completely, not by accident.

True love means never asking someone to be smaller than they are.

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