At 45, I hit rock bottom. I had a thriving career, a beautiful home, and a family I loved. But within the span of just a few months, I lost everything. My job was downsized, my marriage ended in a painful divorce, and the home I had worked so hard to build was sold out from under me. I was left with nothing but a pile of bills, broken dreams, and a sense of failure that weighed heavily on my heart. It felt as though I was standing on the edge of an abyss, unsure of how to move forward.
For months, I wallowed in self-pity, unable to see any way out of the darkness. I tried to get back on my feet, but every attempt seemed to fail. It was a time of despair, and I wasn’t sure how I could recover from the mess my life had become. But as I sat one evening, staring at the blank walls of my small apartment, something inside me shifted. I couldn’t stay in this place forever. I knew deep down that if I didn’t take action, I would spiral further into despair. So, I made a decision that would change everything — I was going to take a bold journey, and I was going to do it alone.
I didn’t know what this journey would look like, but I knew it had to be something completely different from what I’d been doing. The next morning, I packed a bag, withdrew the last of my savings, and bought a one-way ticket to a place I had always dreamed of visiting — Peru. I had no real plan, no connections, just a desire to break free from my old life and embrace the unknown.
The moment I stepped off the plane and breathed in the crisp mountain air, something inside me awakened. I joined a group of travelers on a trek to Machu Picchu, not as a tourist, but as someone who needed to rediscover who I was. Each step I took on that ancient Incan path brought me closer to understanding myself. The silence of the mountains, the beauty of the landscape, and the camaraderie of the people I met along the way gave me a sense of peace I hadn’t felt in years.
At the summit, standing in the shadow of Machu Picchu, I felt an overwhelming sense of clarity. For the first time in months, I realized that I hadn’t lost everything. In fact, I had everything I needed right in front of me: the courage to start over, the strength to face my fears, and the hope that I could build a new life from the ground up.
Returning home, I started small. I began freelancing, offering my skills to small businesses, and slowly rebuilt my financial stability. I also embraced the lessons I had learned on my journey — the importance of taking risks, staying open to new experiences, and finding peace in the present moment. My life no longer revolved around material success or the idea of “having it all.” It was about embracing who I was and what truly brought me joy.
Now, at 50, my life is richer than I ever could have imagined. I’m not where I thought I’d be, but in many ways, I’m far happier. I learned that losing everything was not the end. It was, in fact, the beginning of something beautiful — a journey that transformed my life forever.
