The Power of ‘No’: 10 Steps to Build Unbreakable Boundaries
We each have a story—a history filled with heartache, devastation, joy, aspirations, and hope. Your feelings are yours; they are valid, and they are your right. It has taken me decades, but the most profound and raw self-work I’ve done has been over the last nine years. It’s painful and difficult, but it’s so damn rewarding.
Holding On and Letting Go: The Duality of Family Ties and Personal Freedom
I sat in my apartment, alone, in silence, coping with family separation, knowing that I wouldn’t see my family again for months. I knew this when I moved. I’ve known this every day since my arrival, but on that day, after a happy full home, I was left alone with my thoughts, navigating life’s transitions to push through and to continue to push forward for the life I truly want.
I Am Enough: Redefining Success Beyond Society’s Standards
While watching a video of a 36-year-old woman who embraced her independence by moving abroad and leaving a past relationship behind, I felt a deep connection to her story. Her newfound empowerment was inspiring, but the negative feedback she received about her life choices—being childless and unmarried—stung deeply. At 38, single, and confronting the reality of possibly not having children, I grapple with similar feelings. However, I focus on the joy and fulfillment I’ve built in my life, knowing that I am responsible for creating my own happiness. This journey has taught me that I am enough just as I am, and I continue to find joy and purpose through travel, meaningful connections, and personal growth.
Designing Your Freedom: My Personal Blueprint for Building a Life You Love
I often think back to all the things I had been asking for. The common denominator on every one of my wish lists over the years, the one constant was and still is “freedom.” I think it’s fair to say that word represents something different for each of us. For me, it’s freedom of time. To choose where I go, when I want, and with whom I want; to be able to come and go as I please from any location and to feel peace around me. Stillness, nature, people enjoying life. To look around every day and be mesmerized by what surrounds me. Pride in the life I have created. That’s my freedom.
From London to Self-Discovery: What My First Couple’s Trip in Years Taught Me About Love and Loneliness
Going to London with a partner who in the end simply wasn’t a good fit made me feel incredibly lonely, even though we were together constantly. I realized that the feeling of loneliness while being in that partnership was far more unbearable than being single at 38.