I grew up in New York City—an environment where ambition pulsed through the streets. Add to that a competitive, achievement-focused family, and you’ve got the perfect conditions for what I now recognize as high achiever syndrome . In our world, the unspoken motto was clear: wins mattered most—and so did appearances. For girls especially, success wasn’t just about being smart or accomplished. It was about being beautiful, effortlessly thin, athletic, and polished. Achievement

Birthdays are odd. Let me qualify. Birthdays in midlife are especially perplexing. For most of us, they are a reminder that we are...

When you know your big why, the path forward becomes clear. I’ve found that when I understand why I want something, the journey toward it becomes more focused, more inspired, and much easier to commit to. That clarity gives the process energy and direction. Take my first experience with meditation. I wasn’t just curious—I was searching. I needed relief from the constant loop of overthinking, the emotional turbulence, and the anxiety I felt around my purpose in life. Self-dou