Meet Sophie Wade

We were lucky to catch up with Sophie Wade recently and have shared our conversation below.

Sophie , we are so appreciative of you taking the time to open up about the extremely important, albeit personal, topic of mental health. Can you talk to us about your journey and how you were able to overcome the challenges related to mental issues? For readers, please note this is not medical advice, we are not doctors, you should always consult professionals for advice and that this is merely one person sharing their story and experience.

In 2021, my best friend, Daniella, unexpectedly and tragically passed away. I had never lost a close friend my age before, so I ended up in the worst place mentally I’ve ever been in. I lost my motivation to pursue my passions, stay connected with others, and be hopeful for my future. When I took the time to stay close to God, educate myself on grief, go to therapy, and slowly open up to people/opportunities again, I began to see myself slowly heal. I was able to overcome a lot of anxiety about being unexpectedly heartbroken again in the future and worked through the depression of grieving my life when Daniella was there. Now, I feel motivated by Daniella to continue creating, having fun, and sharing beautiful moments with the people who are still in my life today. I’ve learned that there’s still tough days, but my resilience has allowed to keep going in spite of that.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I love to share stories that are intentional and hopeful for young adults who want to yearn to feel seen, heard, and understood. Whether that’s through podcasting, content creation, or filmmaking, I create safe spaces for building genuine community in a world that is constantly changing and growing. My debut podcast “andsoph” explores the in-between period of our 20’s that’s often filled with ambition, healing, and heartbreak. A lot of my podcast highlights themes like self-worth, faith, friendship, and the complexity of showing up for yourself while still showing up for others.

Right now, I’m focused on developing the third season of andsoph where I get to blend laughter and deep reflection that feels like sitting in on a coffee catch up or a FaceTime with friends. What makes my work feel special to me is the opportunity to carry on the legacy of love, laughter, and comfort I shared with my late best friend, Daniella. The podcast title “andsoph” is inspired by our old YouTube channel together that now holds memories of our banter, hugs, and smiles. The videos weren’t polished, but the friendship reflected through our content was beautiful. Today, I encourage my listeners to post their content online as beginners, since they never know the beauty and impact that can follow.

I previously was in CSUN’s Film Production program and worked in social media for companies to highlight important stories that needed a platform. I believe that’s shaped the storyteller I am today and helps me feel more confident in my own content creation journey.

Looking ahead, I’m expanding the podcast by collaborating with new creatives and faith-driven voices, and exploring more in-person events to bring this growing community together offline.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Resilience, self-awareness, and humility helped me keep going when doubt crept in about becoming a podcaster as an introvert. There were so many moments where I felt like the least qualified person to start a podcast and my insecurities of being perceived sometimes felt louder than my calling to take a leap. Learning to do things scared and letting the confidence build as I go allowed me to show up for myself when I didn’t know how things would go.

Resilience through the technical difficulties, burnout, and emotional episodes allowed me to stay rooted in my faith in God and confidence in my ambition to bring this podcast dream to life. Self-awareness gave me clarity in many conversations with guests about areas I thought I was more healed in, but needed to take more time off the podcast to reflect on. Humility was essential for accepting my imperfections as a podcast host and human being while embracing my willingness to grow in front of others. There can be so much noise internally and externally when you first start something new. But it’s important to protect your peace since it’s YOUR podcast at the end of the day.

As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?

If you’ve never read “Seeing Beautiful Again” by Lysa TerKeurst, I’m about to put you on. This faith-based book gives little nuggets of hope to read daily when grieving loss or recovering from heartbreak. I ordered this book when I went through one of the most heart shattering losses I’ve ever experienced when my best friend, Daniella, passed away unexpectedly. I learned that joy and heartbreak can coexist, and that there is beauty worth fighting for after hopelessness. Even when healing felt messy, I trusted God’s reminders of the beauty still left in my life and believed I still had purpose to push through in unexplainably deep pain. I’ve now come back to this book during heartbreaking seasons to remind myself to be gentle with myself and others as we go through our own unique journey’s of heartbreak. I’m grateful that God’s given me the courage and confidence to share my stories of grief and heartbreak with others close to my age who still want to be open to life even when they don’t feel like being strong. (Also Lysa, if you’re reading this, I’d LOVE to have you on the podcast. No pressure queen, but we would have the most iconic episode. Just saying).

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/andsoph
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andsophpod/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAn_uRP-J4vWav0D2NanaCQ
• Other: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/48lb9uPMdtstIUu2KTxVKr?si=554c52cfbdce44de
  Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/andsoph/id1728975957