From Fluffy and Tired to Fierce and Free: My Path to Purpose

I used to love writing. I even wrote an entire book once, but never pursued publishing it. Something in me always whispered, there’s more you’re meant to do. I felt that pull from a young age, even though I often felt... average.

This isn’t about seeking validation. I’m just sharing my why, why I wanted to be my own boss. I wanted freedom, the freedom to set my schedule, earn my income, and share my gifts, even if I didn’t quite know what they were at the time. I wanted to figure out my purpose in life.

I was an average student, but I threw myself into extracurriculars, hoping to better myself, to feel like I belonged. I wanted more, even when I wasn’t sure what “more” meant.

My inspiration to chase something bigger came from the strong women around me—my mother, my aunt, my teachers—and the era I grew up in. I’m a child of the '70s (thanks, Gloria Steinem), a time when women were just starting to believe they could have it all. And I believed it too. I tried to have it all—wife, mother, volunteer, career—and honestly? I didn’t balance it all that well. Once again, I lacked purpose.

My mother earned her college degree at 38, then went on to get her Master’s. My aunt? She went back to school in her 30s and got a BA, a Master’s, and a PhD. That lit a fire in me. I went straight to college out of high school, driven by the same pull to do something, but nothing ever quite clicked.

I became a pro volunteer—at my kids’ school, in the community, in the Mom’s Club. My life was full. It was good. Even great. But deep down, I wasn’t satisfied. I still couldn’t see the bigger picture, but I could feel it.  I was chasing it.

Then came the fluffy and tired phase. I was a young mom and felt exhausted, soft, and disconnected from myself. I turned to exercise, not to chase a size, but to chase feeling better. And wow, did it help. It changed everything. I felt stronger, more confident. I started learning how to cook healthy, delicious food that even my kids would eat. This was way before Instagram recipes and YouTube workouts. It was all trial and error, with a few fitness and food magazines as my guide.

At 50, divorced and scared, I took a leap and turned my fitness passion into a career. But, for the first time, I felt truly alone. I struggled. I felt shame, self-doubt, and defeat. But my stubbornness wouldn’t let me quit—and I had a few amazing people who cheered me on when I needed it most.

Eventually, at the age of 60, and  after years of working for others, I finally listened to what so many clients had told me, You should open your own practice. So I did.  My purpose was becoming clearer. I was scared then, too—I had no idea what I was doing (still kind of don’t!). But I knew I needed to do things my way.

Truth is, I’ve had a good life. No big tragedies, no unusual losses. I’m lucky. But what’s gotten me here is my intuition—and my work ethic. And the gift I’ve come to recognize and nurture over the past 8 years? It’s helping women in their 40s and beyond navigate the changes, challenges, and magic of this chapter in life. I want to help them find their purpose, too.  Without one, we chase and chase until we give up and just live.  I want to help women thrive.

And I’m just getting started.