You Sold the Business, You Retired Early — So Why Does It Feel So Heavy?

❤️ A Personal Letter to Anyone Who Feels Lost in Their Next Chapter

I see it all the time — and maybe this is where you are right now, too.

You did everything “right.”

You built the career. You scaled the business. You made the impact, the income, the name for yourself.
And now… it’s over.

Maybe you retired early.
Maybe you sold your company.
Maybe you were handed a package and shown the door.

And while the world expects you to feel free, grateful, even lucky…

You feel something very different:

Restless.
Disconnected.
Uncertain.

And maybe even a little ashamed for not “loving” your new life.

Let me be the one to say this:
You’re not broken.
You’re just grieving.

What No One Tells You About Retirement or Exit

When a career ends — especially one that shaped your identity — it can feel like the ground disappears beneath you.

You wake up without meetings.
No deadlines.
No pressure, no rhythm, no recognition.

Suddenly, your calendar is wide open… and your sense of purpose is nowhere to be found.

It’s not about being bored.
It’s about not recognizing yourself anymore.

You go from CEO to… who?

You go from constant connection to a strange silence.

Sometimes, you even go from partnership to being on your own — physically or emotionally.

This isn’t just retirement.

It’s a full-blown life transition.
And most people aren’t prepared for the emotional side of it.

Reinvention Requires More Than a Hobby

I know this because I’ve lived it — more than once.

At 36, I had to sell my shares to my booming telecommunications construction company.
I was the hotshot CEO of a business with over 65 employees and two locations. My head office and operations in Gormley, ON and a staff and crew of 12 in Oshawa, ON.
I had status, structure, money and purpose.

And then… I didn’t.

I was grieving a business, a relationship, and a version of myself I no longer recognized.
I went from being important… to invisible.

From 12-hour days to staring into space.
From being surrounded by people to having no real friends — I was a workaholic, and it had caught up to me.

Suddenly, I was wandering the self-help aisle at Chapters with a latte in hand, searching for answers.

Who was I now?

How could I go from being so successful to feeling so lonely, bored, and inadequate?

I did what I now help others do:
I hired a coach.
Someone like me.
Someone who could help me rebuild from the inside out.

Back then, I rode a motorcycle — and let me tell you, there were board meetings happening in my head while I rode.
Sometimes full-blown battles.

Did I do the right thing?
Is this it now? Is this my lonely life?

What am I going to do next?

How am I going to figure that out?

I wasn’t built to work for someone else — I’m an entrepreneur to my core.
So I rode, I flew planes, I volunteered.
I gave back.
And slowly, I started to reinvent.

That was 2008.

Now, I’m in a new chapter once again.

This past Christmas, I closed down my counselling and coaching practice in Sudbury.
I just couldn’t do the weekly drive through snow squalls and whiteouts on Highway 69 anymore.
So I moved to Collingwood to start fresh where my husband and parents live.

I left a city of over 166,000 people where I was well-known, and never had to advertise, to a small town of just under 25,000, where no one knows me yet. I left my friends that I adore who feed my soul, and my social network.

No reputation.
No network.
No familiarity.

Just me, my husband, my mother, and my father — who lives in a nursing home and often times doesn’t remember who I am since a recent second stroke.

Believe me, I am deeply grateful to have them.
But life is different now.
Business is different.
And I’m once again asking:
Who am I becoming now?

My business is evolving — shifting toward more online work and transformational retreats. But I’m also open to aligned opportunities.

Whether it's consulting for startups, guiding teams through transition, or bringing mindset and communication coaching and workshops into the corporate space — I bring something few can:

An entrepreneurial lens.
A therapist’s toolkit.
And the lived experience of building and losing… and building again.

If your company or project could use someone like me, I’m open to conversations.

You’re Not Done. You’re Just Ready for What’s Next.

If any of this speaks to you — if your heart aches as you read this — know this:

You are not alone.

That’s why I created the Retire with Purpose Retreat — a 4-day private, transformational experience designed for people like us:

✅ To process what’s ended, emotionally — not just logistically
✅ To reclaim who you are, beyond the titles and roles
✅ To redefine success, purpose, and contribution in this new chapter
✅ To map out your living legacy, and create a path that excites you

Because this ending?
It’s not the end.
It’s the invitation to become who you were always meant to be next.

A New Chapter, a New You

I’m rebuilding again — and this time, I’m doing it with more wisdom, more boundaries, and a deeper knowing that the best is still ahead.

Being a Rotarian brings me purpose.
Volunteering grounds me.

My friendships feed my soul.
Helping others navigate their transitions gives this chapter meaning.

And I trust that, in time, I’ll build new friendships here.
New memories.
New roots.

But for now, I’m standing in the messy middle — and I’m here to help you through yours.

➡️ Ready to explore your next chapter?

Learn More About the Program or Retreat

💬 Or just message me — I read every one.

You don’t have to figure this out alone.
Let’s build the next version of you — together.

💔Healing from Toxic Love

A Letter to the Ones Who Survived (And the Ones Still Trying To)

You never forget the feeling.

The exhaustion. The confusion. The fear.

You second-guess everything. Your memories. Your instincts. Your worth. And maybe, like I did, you wonder: Was it really that bad?
Maybe it was me. Maybe I’m just too sensitive. Maybe if I had just said it differently, done more, stayed quieter, kept the peace…

But deep down, you know the truth.

And if you’re reading this, I want you to know:
You are not alone.
I’ve been where you are. And I survived.

The Truth About Narcissistic Abuse

Narcissists leave a mark — not just physically when they lose control, but emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually.

For a long time, I didn’t even realize what I was in. I was a high-functioning executive running a successful company, admired in my industry. I thought I was too strong, too smart, too in control to ever be in an abusive relationship.

But abuse doesn’t always look like bruises. Sometimes it looks like silence. Gaslighting. Blame. Walking on eggshells.

The truth hit me hardest when I tried to leave.

When the Mask Comes Off

There was infidelity. Again.

One day, I picked up my office phone — something I rarely did late in the day. Something told me to answer. A stranger informed me of the betrayal.

That was the moment I emotionally checked out.

I calmly went home, cooked dinner, and said:
"It’s over. We can figure out logistics."

At first, everything seemed calm…
Until the reality hit.

That’s when things became scary. Unpredictable. Dangerous.

When I returned from a weekend away, the house was empty. My files and personal items — gone. I tried to resolve it peacefully. I didn’t want to involve legal authorities. But in the end, I had no choice.

A single police phone call helped me recover what I could. Over the next few months things got scary, and then criminal charges were laid.

"No piece of paper will keep you safe from someone who doesn’t want to be reasoned with."
— Officer’s words I’ll never forget.

The Textbook Pattern

Toxic relationships don’t just hurt.
They erase you.

• Verbal abuse becomes mental manipulation.

• Financial control becomes economic abuse.

• Charm and charisma become isolation and confusion.

• Threats become real. Sometimes deadly.

There were devastating financial losses. Flashbacks. Insomnia. Constant hypervigilance. I kept protection beside my bed for months.

But still — I survived.

Healing Takes More Than Time

It takes tools.
It takes support.
It takes someone to remind you who the hell you are.

I worked with a professional trained in NLP and Timeline Therapy. That helped stabilize my nervous system, process the trauma, and reclaim my sense of self.

Even after leaving, the wounds linger:

• Is this a red flag — or a trauma trigger?

• Am I overreacting — or finally aware?

• Will I ever feel safe with someone again?

Yes, You Can Heal. And You Can Love Again.

It took years before I felt safe enough to open my heart.

I protected my solitude. It was sacred.
My peace? Hard-earned.

But now, I’m married to a kind, steady, emotionally available partner. An empath. Someone who makes safety feel like home.

This isn’t about luck.
It’s about healing, boundaries, and trusting that not everyone is like them.

If you’re still in it — I see your courage.
If you just got out — I see your strength.
If you’re healing — I see your wisdom.
And if you’re still scared — that’s okay too.

You Deserve a Life That Feels Safe, Peaceful, and Free

There are strategies to get out safely.
There are tools to heal what happened.
There is hope for a peaceful life after trauma.

I say this not just as a therapist and retreat facilitator — but as a survivor.

You are not broken. You are rebuilding.
And I am here to walk beside you.

➡️ If you need someone who understands, you can start here:

Or just message me. You don’t have to share your story all at once.
You just have to know you’re not alone.

Because you’re not. Not anymore.

Note: The experiences shared in this post reflect the personal journey of the author and are not intended to describe any specific individual.