Although HGTV star Erin Napier may appear to have a laid-back life in Laurel, Mississippi, the star of “Home Town” says she is often consumed with worry. The beloved designer and mom of two daughters — Helen, 7, and Mae, 4 — is especially anxious lately about their family’s first trip overseas.
Erin, who has shared about her anxiety before, revealed her travel anxiety during an appearance on Annie Downs’ “That Sounds Fun” podcast on June 9, 2025, bravely admitting that a July trip to Scotland has her twisted up in knots.
Erin Napier Says She’s Nervous About ‘Crossing an Ocean With My Children’
Sitting next to her husband and “Home Town” co-star Ben Napier during the virtual interview with Downs, Erin admitted, “I am such an anxious worrier. I could worry professionally. Someone could pay me a salary for the way I worry and it would be a good salary, too, because I’m very good at it.”
“The best,” Ben lovingly chimed in, and she repeated, “The best.”
“It’s funny though, because you used to worry about the big stuff,” Ben said, “and now you worry about the little stuff.”
“Well, ya gotta worry about something,” Erin smiled.
As an example of how her anxiety can take hold, Erin shared that she, Ben, and their kids are “getting ready to take a trip to Scotland in July to study his family heritage, and I am absolutely terrified.”
“Like, I have so much anxiety about crossing an ocean with my children,” she continued. “I, like, can’t even think about it. I have to just — I’m disassociating from it ’cause I can’t let myself think about all the things that can go wrong. I could list at least 20 things right now if you want to hear what I think could go wrong.”
“And they’re not big things is the funny thing,” Ben said, but Erin countered, “No, they’re totally big things! You cross an ocean and you break your leg, who we calling? Where are we going?”
Downs then chimed in, “Here’s the good news. I used to live in Scotland, so I have friends for you. I have everything you need in Scotland.”
Looking hopeful, Erin asked, “Do you have a friend who’s a doctor in Scotland? Because that’s a big thing.”
“No, but I can get you to doctors,” Downs replied, and Erin immediately looked less convinced. “Also, remember in Scotland it’s free healthcare everywhere, so you can walk in anywhere you want and they’re all great.”
Erin Napier Kept a Daily Journal for 8 Years That Helped Her With Ongoing Anxiety
True to her statement that she had a long list of worries, Erin began to bring up other concerns about her family’s upcoming trip, including, “What do we do if I cross the ocean and something happens to my parents while I’m over there?”
“You’ll go back, you’ll get right on the next plane and go back,” Downs assured her, noting that there are two daily flights out of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, where the Napiers said they’ll be for part of their trip.
Erin had other concerns, from what Mae will be willing to eat to how they’ll manage driving five hours north to where Ben’s ancestors are from. But Downs continually gave her reason to believe it will all be much easier than she’s expecting, and offered to share plenty of tips with her after the podcast.
“Okay, from your lips to God’s ears,” Erin said nervously, and Ben optimistically chimed in, “And if it’s not okay, it’ll still be okay.”
Earlier in the conversation, Erin had explained how a daily journaling habit had helped her with her anxiety. Beginning in 2010, she wrote every single day for eight years about “the best thing that happened” that day, which allowed her to see the good in the midst of all her worries.
She recalled, “Training myself to do that — even on the days when somebody died I had to write about something that was great about that day — and it helped a lot.”
The season finale of “Home Town” aired on June 1. Erin told fans that new episodes will begin airing “this winter.”
Comments
HGTV’s Erin Napier Bravely Admits She’s ‘Absolutely Terrified’ About Family’s Summer Trip