I decided to work part-time, take out student loans, and go back to college and get a degree so that I could provide financially for my family. While working in corporate America was not really my thing, I had one main priority, to make sure my family was well taken care of and had a good life. 

Somewhere along the way, without even knowing it, I bought into the Dream. Education, Career, Marriage, Family, Home, all the things. That was the path to happiness right?

Days and years consisted of a job, managing a home, managing family and kid activities. But over time, I started living on auto-pilot.

Always busy and putting myself, my health, and my needs dead last.  If there was time, but there rarely was. Waiting for someday, when things would not be so hectic.

What is success?…

Many years later, I suffered several losses. My father, brother and ex-husband died in a very short time period. Both my brother and ex-husband were in their 50’s. It really shook me to my foundation. 

Still living the busy lifestyle. Still spending the majority of my time making sure others were taken care of, I began to question my priorities. Is success all of those material things? All that doing? Is my time here limited? When will it slow down so I can enjoy life? 

I became aware that I wanted to make changes, but had no idea where to start. I didn’t know the way out. I wanted to stay comfortable. I didn’t know then that putting myself in the driver seat of my life instead of bouncing along with the circumstances and same old same old was an option. I started exploring and doing self improvement work. Searching for clarity, direction, and answers. 

Defining Moment…

One day a few years ago, a normal day really, I had a defining moment. After a stressful day at work, an evening running errands, walking into a messy house with hours left to go in the day, I had a meltdown.

I sat down on my back steps, in tears, hungry, stressed and exhausted and said to myself..

There has got to be more to life than this!

I was just burnt out. It became clear that something needed to change.

I was successful by most standards…yes, but what was this lifestyle costing me? There were health issues and persistent anxiety. My relationships were suffering. I was continually tired and overwhelmed. I was overspending to medicate. I was looking for fulfillment in all the wrong places with the little time I had left for myself.

I was no longer feeling vital and fulfilled AND I wanted that back!

I started on a journey to take back my life.

And frankly, all those people that relied on me to do all the things were not too happy about it.

Along the way, someone asked a very basic question that hit me right between the eyes.

What do you want?

You will never have what you want until you know what you want.

What do I want? What do I want?

I realized that I hadn’t even contemplated that in any real fashion in a very long time. For years, it did not seem to matter what I wanted. There was laundry to do, meals to make, cleaning to be done, a job to go to and endless to-do list. The only thing I wanted when I was done doing all that was two minutes of peace and quiet AND I felt guilty taking that! Now, sandwiched between aging parents and children that weren’t quite self-sufficient, the patterns of do, do, do still hadn’t let up at all.

I had somehow lost myself along the way. 

I began my own journey towards creating my one unique life.

Along the way, I discovered that the answers were not out there.

The answers were inside me.

I just needed to be asking and truthfully answering the right questions and taking courageous action

In my 50’s, through trial, error, help and guidance, I started over and began being the curator of my life. 

I began restoring my health

I began making self care a priority

I starting setting boundaries

I gained clarity on the direction of the lifestyle I wanted to live

I started adding in the juicy things that fueled me

I cleared out habits and clutter that no longer served me

I began to live with intention

and more…

Part of that path was to become a Life Coach to help others through this transition. Most women I know, of all ages, are struggling to stay true to themselves, to realize their aspirations, and to live a life of alignment while balancing all the other elements of life. There is no one right way. There is your way.

It is my passion and gift to offer other midlife women the opportunity to design and live their own created life. To guide and witness them through this intimate journey to connecting back to themselves, making themselves a priority, and finding the life and fulfillment they desire.

It is a messy, fun, and rewarding journey!

I am glad to be on it with you!

With love and grace,

Karen