Julianne Hough Emotionally Reveals The Heartbreaking Way Her Beloved Dogs Died

We've all heard of the spiritual concept of "leveling up," right? When the obstacles seem to come pouring in, that's when you're on the brink of success.

But it seems the Universe might have taken that concept a little too literally when it comes to Dancing with the Stars host Julianne Hough.

Back in 2019, Hough was on the brink of launching her fitness program with Oprah Winfrey. KINGRY was a mind and body experience meant to put those in the program in alignment with their highest selves, in a mental, spiritual, and physically fit sense. But despite being the founder of the program, Hough was feeling less aligned with herself than ever before.

In a multi-part interview conducted just days ago on The Jamie Kern Lima Show, Hough shared that while she was preparing to launch the program, her life was essentially falling apart, and she felt like a fraud.

She had an unhealthy, "enmeshed" friendship with her former assistant, so she had to end that partnership, which effectively ended the friendship. She and her husband decided to separate.

Then, just ten days later, her two beloved dogs were killed by coyotes.

Hough reflected:

"I started this program called KINRGY, and it was all just this beautiful, pure intention of helping people connect to themselves and heal."

"So [as I was going] on this journey, all of these things started unraveling."

"My relationship with my old assistant. ... We decided to part ways, so that was the first part of the unraveling. That was a relationship. That was eight years with someone."

At the same time as her friendship unraveled, so did her marriage.

"It had also already been two years since my ex and I had been going through this different time of our lives and moving away from each other."

"So there was this long time of questioning, 'Is this working? Is this not working? We're going in different directions'... And so I asked for a separation, with the intent to work through it."

Losing her dogs was the final straw for Hough during that time.

"Ten days later [after I asked for the separation], my dogs were killed by coyotes."

"So that happened, and it was right at the time I was getting ready to launch KINRGY on tour with Oprah, and I felt so out of integrity, or out of alignment."

"I was about to start this company, which is all about helping people connect to themselves and living their most expanded, free selves, and I've just got, you know, my assistant and I are breaking up, I'm asking for a separation from my husband because something's not working, and my dogs that represented unconditional love and safety were gone."

"I'm like, 'What am I doing? I'm blowing up my life.'"

You can watch the interview here:

- YouTubeyoutu.be

Despite all of the turmoil and the heartbreak, Hough decided to trust herself that she could persevere and launch a successful program alongside Winfrey.

Jamie Kern Lima applauded Hough for sticking to her goals:

"There was all of this loss all around you, all of this unraveling, and you still decided, 'I want to go through with it,' because you decided to trust yourself that it was right for you, even in the midst of everything else."

Hough recalled:

"Yes, I still was like, 'I have this knowing. I know,' and I had never felt more clear about how I could not abandon myself in this moment. I have to stay true to myself, and this is the first time I've ever done that."

Fans applauded Hough for being so honest about her experiences and felt inspired by her perseverance.

Jamie Kern Lima Show/YouTube

Jamie Kern Lima Show/YouTube

Jamie Kern Lima Show/YouTube

Jamie Kern Lima Show/YouTube

Jamie Kern Lima Show/YouTube

Jamie Kern Lima Show/YouTube

Jamie Kern Lima Show/YouTube

Jamie Kern Lima Show/YouTube

Jamie Kern Lima Show/YouTube

Jamie Kern Lima Show/YouTube

We all go through difficult times, and it can feel counterintuitive to imagine that there might be something amazing waiting for us on the other side.

By trusting herself that she could make it through, Hough grew a successful company and was able to heal beyond the hardships, which is surely something we can draw inspiration from.