For as long as I can remember, I have loved birthdays. The symbolism of the start of a new chapter is a powerful reminder to acknowledge how far we’ve come and to get excited for future opportunities that still lie ahead.

The Big 4-0 milestone was a significant and pivotal birthday for me. It was a turning point that made me want to re-assess everything. It made me question if I was truly living a life that was impactful and had meaning,  or if I was simply marking off checkboxes and going through the motions, day in and day out.

Like so many other professionals, I was feeling burnt out, unfulfilled, and stuck in a rut. I also experienced a series of tragic and abrupt losses, amongst peers in my own age range, that forced me to reflect on my own mortality. I finally reached a breaking point where I knew that I could not waste another minute of my life discussing the merits of lipstick at my then glamorous yet soul-sucking job in the beauty industry. I quit, booked a one-way flight to Asia and never looked back.

I then embarked on the journey of a lifetime, rediscovering myself as I traveled to over 30 countries across three continents, and emerging as an established wellness coach and certified Thanatologist (mastery in the Art of Dying). I promise it’s not as morbid as it sounds.But it is a reminder that at 40, our lives are half over, statistically speaking. Which is why I believe the time to start truly living is NOW!

My message to you simply is that it is never too late to make huge change, find yourself, take a new path, alter your course ...  why settle for a sub-par life when an extraordinary one is within your reach?!

So really think about what a meaningful and authentic life looks like to YOU specifically. Life is short and fragile, so don't let another year  pass you by,  as you continue to simply check off boxes, operate on autopilot or conform to society's expectations instead of your own. TRUST ME, your future self will thank you for it!