Track One: "Take It Easy" by Eagles – The Anthem of First Impressions

Growing up on a ranch, "taking it easy" wasn’t exactly part of the job description. But when I first heard this track—sunlight streaming through the cracked windshield of my dad’s dusty Chevy—it felt like everything I wanted to be. Cool. Chill. Effortlessly confident. You could say it set the tone for my approach to relationships: optimism wrapped in a plaid shirt. It’s the song that reminds you to breathe—even when you’re trying to make the perfect first impression.

Like that one time I spilled coffee on myself during a first date. Picture it: a small café in downtown Jackson, my date mid-laugh, me trying to wield a stack of crumpled napkins while saying something intelligent about Thoreau. It was every kind of awkward, but I laughed through it—and she did, too. There’s a power in showing that you can roll with the punches. First impressions, like great songs, aren’t perfect; they’re human.

The Takeaway: When meeting someone for the first time, give yourself permission to be imperfect. Sure, dress nice, smell good, and aim for your best self—but if life throws in some metaphorical coffee stains, channel the Eagles and take it easy.

Track Two: "Highway to Hell" by AC/DC – The Soundtrack to Mistakes You'll Laugh About Later

Oh, the sweet sound of bad decisions. Nobody grows without a little hard rock chaos, and this banger from AC/DC has been my anthem for those moments when the universe decided I needed a lesson—delivered with a sledgehammer. There was the ill-advised haircut during my Laramie years (it had...layers...but not in the way I intended) or the time I "accidentally" agreed to lead a trail ride for tourists...with zero coffee on board. Miserable as those moments were, they make for the kind of war stories that build depth—the good, bad, and cringe-worthy parts of you.

In relationships, the "highway to hell" moments are inevitable. Maybe you’ve been ghosted in grand fashion, navigated a spectacularly awkward miscommunication, or sent a "funny" text that absolutely bombed. No one escapes unscathed. But those stories, my friend, are the building blocks of resilience.

The Takeaway: Celebrate the mistakes (or at least survive them with dignity intact). They’re the fuel for future growth—and far better dinner table stories than, “I nailed everything, forever.”

Track Three: "Fast Car" by Tracy Chapman – When Things Get Real

If there’s a single song that matches my mindset on a cold winter’s night in the Tetons, it’s "Fast Car." It’s a quiet, aching anthem about wanting, needing, and dreaming of something more. We’ve all been there, whether in life, love, or just staring at a snowstorm, wondering if there’s a way to punch through the whiteout.

Love can feel like that, too. It’s easy to hold onto ideals of perfection, but true connection happens when you’re vulnerable—when you admit you’re not just looking to speed through life, but for someone to ride shotgun and help you map the route.

Case in point: my first real heartbreak. We were wide-eyed college kids, dreaming big and thinking we’d have it all figured out. We didn’t. But the lessons from that relationship—chiefly, the importance of honest dialogue over trying to fix someone else’s problems—are ones I carry to this day.

The Takeaway: Get real about what you want and need—and don’t be afraid to share it. Vulnerability can scare some people off, but the right ones won’t run.

Track Four: "Life’s a Dance" by John Michael Montgomery – Embrace the Cha-Cha of Change

There’s a kind of humble wisdom in this country classic. Life, love, and everything in between rarely plays out in the perfect beats we expect. Sometimes it’s a waltz; other times it’s you trying to line dance when you clearly skipped the tutorial (been there). The people who seem to thrive the most? They’re the ones willing to learn the steps along the way.

When I worked as a park ranger, I saw a lot of this philosophy unfold on the trails. A couple might start their hike completely in sync, holding hands as they navigate the switchbacks. By mile three, though, a wrong turn on the map or a sudden rainstorm throws their harmony into chaos. The strongest pairs were rarely the ones who stayed blissfully in rhythm from start to end—it was the ones who stopped, regrouped, and figured out together how to move forward.

Relationships are like that, too. It’s not about never missing a step but figuring out how to re-align when you inevitably do.

The Takeaway: Coupledom, like dancing, is a constant rhythm of re-calibrating. Be patient with yourself—and each other. Missteps just mean you're still moving.

Track Five: "Don’t Stop Believin’" by Journey – Keeping the Faith (and the Fun)

Don’t let anyone tell you this world-class singalong is a cliché. Sometimes the biggest crowd-pleasers strike that chord because they speak to everyone’s struggles. And if there’s one thing I know about romance, it’s that keeping your sense of humor, and a bit of blind optimism, is invaluable.

The first Valentine’s Day I spent with my now-wife wasn’t flowers-and-candlelight perfect. In fact, it involved a broken-down truck, more than one wrong turn, and a mountain goat who decided the middle of the road was the place to be. By the time we finally reached the quiet overlook I’d planned for, we were laughing hysterically—iced coffees in hand because we’d given up finding an actual meal. What started as a nightmare ended as a memory neither of us would trade for anything.

The truth is, relationships don’t thrive on perfection; they thrive on persistence—and a willingness to belt out your inner Journey on those rougher days.

The Takeaway: Keep believing in the power of the goofy, awkward, and unexpected moments. They’re where real love lives (and thrives).

Encore: Creating Your Own Playlist

At the end of the day, your soundtrack—like your experiences—is yours alone. Maybe it’s a mix of sassy pop tracks from Lizzo, introspective tunes from The Lumineers, or something entirely left field involving jazz flute (hey, no judgment). The point is, music has a way of distilling life’s highs and lows into something tangible you can revisit, revel in, or learn from.

So, my advice? Let your emotional playlist evolve. The song you need right now might not be the one you need next month—or even tomorrow. But lean into it. Play it loud. Share it with someone who deserves to know the soundtrack of you.

Final Takeaway: Life, like a great playlist, is all about variety, vulnerability, and a willingness to try the unexpected. Hit play—and dance anyway.