Sunday Edit, Vol XIII
on friendship, Second Chapters (a new series), retreat prep, and the kind of women I hope we’re all becoming.
It’s Saturday night. JP and I have a date night scheduled for 7 pm, but it’s 5:38, and I haven’t showered. I just cracked open a cold DC (don’t judge), and I’m sitting down here at my desk to chat with all of you. I have a feeling the date will not be had, and in an hour we’ll be eating pizza with our kids (which, to be honest, sounds wonderful).
JP has been traveling all week, and I’ve been pulled in a million directions as well. I’m leaving for our Panama Retreat next week, and between prepping for the retreat, keeping up with the podcast, my 1:1 coaching clients, and just the day-to-day life of raising four kids, I’m pulled as thin as possible right now. Since the start of the year, I’ve worked every weekend (which I’ve made a commitment to myself that I won’t be doing anymore). So, by Saturday night, I’m ready for a bath, a movie with my kids, and doing nothing. I swear I’ll be fun again (just not this month…lol).
I have so much on my mind that I want to share with you. I have an idea for a new series on here, and to be honest, I’ve already started working on it (but I’d still love your thoughts). I’ve been putting myself out there with new friends and joined a very cool new group (that I think more women should copy). Thoughts on kindness and success after a podcast interview with someone fairly well-known. How I’m prepping for our retreat, and of course, what I’m reading, wearing, and loving.
Lots to talk about tonight (instead of going out to dinner…lol). So let’s get into it….
Starting A New Series,
on dusting off careers, passions, and starting second chapters.
One of the most common themes I see with the women I work with is how many of them are asking the question “what’s next?” Many are dusting off old careers, looking at going back to school, starting new chapters, and asking themselves the question (maybe for the first time ever), “what am I going to do with this one wild and precious life”….now that the kids are gone, the divorce went through, or simply….I think I want more.
Having something of “our own” is so healing for women in midlife, and I often think the thing missing when it comes to our wellbeing. I know for me, starting a career that felt truly fulfilling and rewarding has helped heal so many parts of myself that I didn’t know needed it. It helped me build confidence. It’s been a creative outlet and has helped me awaken parts of me that were asleep for far too long.
But starting can often feel really hard - especially if that part of us has been asleep for a while. So this series is going to explore everything from dusting off an old career to finding a new one, to simply rediscovering your passion. I’ll share everything from what’s worked for me, how I make money (yes, this is actually a career for me), the tools I use, and what I’ve learned. I’ll bring in guest writers as well, since I don’t have all the answers and am still learning as I go as well.
Curious, is this something you’d be interested in? What topics would you love to see discussed? Let me know in the comments (and always, thank you).
Putting Myself Out There With Friends
For as public as I am about many parts of my life, in a lot of ways I’m actually quite private and tend to keep to myself - even with friends. I have my handful of women I’ve known for years who are my ride-or-die. But in my late 30s and early 40s, I haven’t been very good about investing in new friendships.
Part of it is simply that I’m in the busiest season of my life and, if I’m being honest, I just don’t always feel like I have the time. But another part of me knows it’s probably also a bit of a defense mechanism.
Over the past year or two, I’ve been making a more conscious effort to invest in new friendships. Scheduling walks. Saying yes to girls’ dinners. Accepting invitations, I probably would have passed on before.
Recently, a newer friend here in Manhattan Beach connected me with a group of really interesting women who were starting a bi-weekly meet-up centered around personal growth and spirituality (my love language. I don’t do small talk well - but if you want to talk about inner child work, let me grab a chair).
Every other Thursday, we gather at someone’s home and talk about everything from meditation to astrology to vision boards to inner child work. The host chooses the theme, sometimes bringing in an expert, sometimes simply sharing what she knows, and then we sit around for an hour or two over coffee and tea and talk it all through.
It’s honestly so beautiful. We laugh, cry, and share things we probably wouldn’t say out loud at school pick-up.
I hosted at my house a few weeks ago, and it was really special. The whole experience has shifted the way I think about friendship later in life. It’s been deeply nourishing for my soul and has even healed a small part of me that quietly wondered if I belonged.
For a long time, I struggled with friendships and assumed the problem was me. But now I wonder if part of it was simply that I wasn’t in the right place within myself to meet the right people. There’s something new about me lately - an inner confidence. I’m not trying as hard, and I think that’s felt. The women I’m meeting seem to be showing up with that same kind of energy.
Long way of saying: friendships can be hard. I get it. Same, friend. Same. But I think they’re out there. Don’t give up.
Planning For Panama
I’m leaving for our women’s retreat in Panama at the end of the week. I’m leaving on Sloan’s birthday, and it’s kind of killing me. Oh, motherhood. I fought for years to have my own space and time, and now that I do, all I want is to be there for the birthday cake. Life is all so bittersweet.
I spent all day today (and have been for weeks) planning out content for the retreat. I don’t take it lightly that 22 women are flying to another country and taking 8 days away from their families to spend a week in a remote location with strangers. It’s all so surreal to me. That women say yes, that this is my job, that I get to do any of this. So I take it all as the serious work that it is.
Unexpected Kindness
I had the pleasure of interviewing someone for the podcast this week who is fairly well known, and she could not have been more gracious, open, and warm (her episode is coming out shortly - I’ll let you guess who it is). This same week, I went to an influencer event where I had a very similar experience. Women who, if I’m being honest, I might have expected to have a bit of an ego… didn’t. And then, equally, there are women you wouldn’t expect it from, who somehow do.
I think women get a bad rap sometimes. There’s this narrative that women are unkind to each other, competitive, or catty. And of course that exists. But to be honest, the more I move through the world—traveling, working, meeting new people—the more I find the opposite to be true.
The women who are the most confident in themselves, the ones I’m naturally drawn to, are almost always the kindest and most gracious in the room. They’re generous with their energy. They’re curious. They don’t need to posture or prove anything.
And I’ve started to notice something else too: when a woman is really at peace with who she is, there’s space for everyone else to be themselves too. That kind of confidence is magnetic. And honestly, it makes me want to be that kind of woman even more.
What I’m loving
I wore this white pant suit to a recent event in Beverly Hills and received so many compliments on it. I’ve had it for years, and it’s held up so well (plus, I machine wash the pants - and it comes in multiple lengths!). Such a good value for a gorgeous suit.
I just got this white sapphire tennis necklace for my birthday and have been wearing it nonstop. I’m usually not a jewelry person - but it’s so classic and gorgeous. I love it with a white t-shirt and jeans.
I have been obsessed with Love Story, and I’m sure you have too. That first scene where CBK walks out of her NYC apartment and lights up a Parliament. Ugh. I die. (back in the day, Parliament was my cigarette of choice - can you even picture me smoking now… lol).
I’ve been reading this book every am with Asher (my 17-year-old). We both have copies and read them together over coffee (him) and tea (me) in the am before school. It’s not so much the book I love, but rather that I have something special just for him and me. A part of me thinks he’s just appeasing me. I’m not sure. Either way, I’ll take it.
I just got this book as well and am devouring it.
I was recently gifted this skincare from a brand (being totally transparent). I was skeptical at first (especially gifted items), but I’ve been using it for over a month, and I genuinely love it.
I wore this wrap coat throughout our trip out east a few weeks ago, and then back in LA on cooler evenings (before this heat front came through), and it’s gorgeous. Looks way more $$ than it is. Great quality.
Ok, off to try and make our dinner reservations. Have a great week, kids, and I’ll talk to you all after Panama!
xoxo
