77. Finding Joy & Meaning in Midlife
Wendy Valentine says her mess is her message. Six years ago, at age 45, she had a midlife meltdown. She was in debt, unemployeed, going through a divorce, grieving the death of her brother, suffering from anxiety and chronic illness, and emotionally paralyzed. Today, Wendy is financially and emotionally liberated. She's enjoying her life traveling across the country in an RV, living part-time on the Portuguese island of Madeira, and spreading the message that you can survive the midlife madness and come out the other side better than ever. On today's epsisode, Wendy and I talk about the techniques she employed to dig herself out of her depression, turn her financial situation around, and create the kind of life she was craving for herself.
We also discuss:
- How Wendy overcame loneliness and learned to fall back in love with herself
- How she let go of most of her material possessions, moving from a 5,000-square-foot house into a 150-square-foot RV
- Why learning how to play again is crucial to aging well
- Why your life's purpose may not be what you think it is
- the difference between happiness and fulfillment—and why you should be seeking one more than the other
- How you know when something isn't right for you—and let it go
- (*my personal favorite) Why Wendy leaves her finished journals in airports for strangers to pick up!
Wendy's message: I did it, so you can too. You can savor life instead of sleepwalking through it. You can become your own best friend and enjoy every drop of this beautiful life. This inspiring conversation is one you don't want to miss! Full show notes available at Morebeautifulproject.com.