I feel deeply.

I used to believe that feeling this intensely was a curse.

It was painful. It was exhausting. It was a struggle.

From heartbreaks to personal and professional disappointments. From super highs to super lows.

I was told to feel less. To feel less for others. To feel less excited. To feel no sadness or pain.

I was told to be tougher, more independent, think more with my head than my heart.

But it turns out, that’s bullshit.

The feelings aren’t the problem. The struggle to not feel is the problem. Fighting those feelings is the problem. Feeling shame for those feelings is...

Midlife gets no respect, let me tell you. And on first look, it doesn’t deserve it either. It's the stage in life where things start falling apart and we desperately cling to the pieces, trying to keep it all together.

But I’ve learned something along the way: it’s in vain! We can’t stop this.

I faced menopause, my health started to decline, my kids left home, friends and family members have passed away, jobs changed, and marriages have gone through seismic shifts. Suddenly, we find ourselves questioning past choices and the very meaning of life.

Does any of this sound familiar?

It's like ...

For most of my life, the biggest and scariest monster under my bed was LONELINESS.

I remember feeling it as a kid. It was a result of feeling left out. Of feeling unworthy and inadequate.

This monster accompanied me for most of my life.

I was a people pleaser because I wanted to belong so I did not feel lonely.

I was always super nurturing because taking care of others made me feel needed, which made me feel less lonely.

I had almost weekly dinner gatherings at my house because having my kitchen filled with friends was one of my greatest joys. It made me feel less lonely.

As a business o...