What’s a moment in your life that made you feel truly alive?
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I feel truly alive standing at the threshold of change.
There is something powerful about admitting, “This is no longer working for me,” and finding the courage to move in a different direction. That first step can be frightening, but so can staying where you are, knowing that something needs to change.
I find it devastating to believe we cannot grow or begin again. Why should the life we have today be the only life available to us? What holds us back—fear, obligation, or the belief that it is too late?
Change does not have to be selfish. We can care about others while recognizing that our own well-being matters. Sometimes, changing direction is an act of self-preservation.
Several decisions in my life have made me stronger and helped me preserve my sanity.
One of the most important was deciding to leave home. Living within a dysfunctional family had become destructive, and I feared that staying would lead me to take my own life. Leaving meant giving myself a chance to survive and build a life of my own.
Another turning point came when I chose to undergo gastric bypass surgery. At five feet tall, I weighed 318 pounds. I was deeply concerned about the direction my health was taking, and I made a decision that changed my life.
At 48, I retired early from the Postal Service. That decision helped me reclaim my time and explore my creativity. I went on to work as a graphic designer, giving a different part of myself room to grow.
Each of these choices began with recognizing that I needed something to change. I could not know exactly what would happen next. I had to decide that my future was worth the uncertainty.
Now, at 70, I am making room for new possibilities again. I am writing and blogging, teaching myself AI filmmaking, and running a YouTube channel. I also create puzzle books that I sell on Amazon. There is so much to learn, and I enjoy discovering what I can do.
Looking back, I am grateful to the woman who was brave enough to leave, to protect her health, and to begin again. Her decisions gave me the chance to be the woman I am today—still curious, still creating, and still willing to change.
If something in your life is no longer working, give yourself permission to acknowledge it. You may need support, a plan, or time to prepare. Your first step may be small. It still counts.
I do not know everything this next chapter will bring. But standing here at its threshold, I feel truly alive.
What change would give you more room to live?
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