emotional healing
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Healed People, Heal People: Dating After Doing the Work
There’s a saying floating around these days: “Healed people, heal people.” And listen—there’s a reason it’s trending. In a world where dating apps feel more like vending machines and red flags are often disguised as “quirky traits,” healing before (or while) dating is a full-blown game changer. 💔 The Old…
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Integrity or Bust (Because I’m Too Grown for Anything Less)
Let me just say it plain: I want integrity in my life, and I’m not willing to settle for anything less. At this point in the game—47 years old, freshly navigating a divorce, starting over in just about every area of my life—I don’t have the energy or interest for…
Aunty Christine blog, authentic relationships, boundaries and standards, character over convenience, choosing real, clarity is power, emotional healing, emotional maturity, Gen X perspective, honesty and values, integrity lifestyle, integrity matters, intentional living, life lessons, living with integrity, midlife mindset, midlife wisdom, moral compass, no more settling, personal growth, personal power, protecting your peace, radical honesty, real talk, self worth, self-respect, Starting Over at 47, truth over trends, unapologetic living, values that guide me -
Tiny Wings, Big Peace: How Birdwatching Became My Therapy
I didn’t expect to fall head over heels for a bird feeder. Honestly, I bought it on a whim—just another late-night scroll-and-click moment on Amazon. But what I thought would just be a simple backyard decoration turned out to be something so much more. It became my daily dose of…
Aunty Christine blog, backyard birds, bird feeder blog, bird feeder camera, bird feeder therapy, bird watching joy, birds of Maryland, comfort in routine, daily rituals, emotional healing, feathered friends, finding calm, Gen X wellness, healing after divorce, healing through nature, mental health support, midlife healing, mindfulness in nature, nature as therapy, outdoor joy, peaceful moments, perky-pet bird feeder, personal growth, quirky healing methods, reconnecting with nature, self-care ideas, simple pleasures, solo journey healing, Starting Over at 47, unexpected happiness -
What Mother’s Day Really Means to Me Now
Let’s talk about Mother’s Day, shall we? Every second Sunday in May, the world gets flooded with commercials featuring flowers, brunch menus, and perfect families with matching smiles. And don’t get me wrong—I love a good mimosa and a heartfelt card. But when you’ve lived a few decades, lost your…
Anna Jarvis, Aunty Christine blog, bittersweet holidays, complicated holidays, dog mom life, emotional healing, family traditions, generational love, grief and loss, healing after loss, heartfelt reflections, Honoring My Mom, legacy of love, life after loss, matriarch energy, Midlife Reflections, mom memories, mother-daughter love, Mother’s Day, Mother’s Day history, Mother’s Day meaning, motherhood, motherhood journey, personal growth, real talk for women, remembering mom, sentimental moments, Starting Over at 47, stepmom feelings, women over 40 -
Starting Over at 47 – When Loved Ones Have Secret Lives
One of the hardest things I’ve ever had to come to terms with is realizing that someone I love—someone who is right there, breathing the same air, sharing the same town, the same world—has a whole secret life that I was never going to be a part of. It’s a…
complicated relationships, coping with hidden truths, emotional healing, facing hard realities, family betrayal, healing while staying, learning to trust yourself, life transitions, living authentically, living with betrayal, Midlife Transformation, protecting your peace, rebuilding trust, relationships and truth, secret lives, self-worth after betrayal, setting boundaries, Starting Over at 47, surviving emotional betrayal, trust and resilience -
Starting Over at 47 – Building Trust Again (When You’ve Been Burned Before)
Let’s talk about trust. Not the kind you read about in romance novels, where two people lock eyes and suddenly the world melts away and they just know they can rely on each other. No. I’m talking about real-world, gut-check, shaky-hands kind of trust. The kind you have to rebuild…
boundaries and healing, emotional healing, healing after betrayal, healing journey, inner strength, learning to trust again, life transitions, mature love, midlife relationships, personal growth, protecting your peace, rebuilding trust, relationship wisdom, Second Chances, self trust, self worth, starting fresh, Starting Over at 47, trust after divorce, trusting yourself -
Starting Over at 47 – Making Space for Joy (Even When Everything Feels Uncertain)
There’s something really powerful about the quiet decision to let joy back into your life—especially when everything else feels messy, uncertain, or downright upside down. I didn’t always know how to do that. For a long time, I was in survival mode. Grief had taken up all the oxygen in…
backyard joy, comfort and joy, coping with uncertainty, cozy living, dog mom life, embracing change, emotional healing, finding happiness again, finding peace at home, healing after loss, hyperadrenergic POTS, joy in everyday life, Life After Divorce, life with chronic illness, living with grief, love and loss, Midlife Transformation, mom memories, pet therapy, Starting Over at 47 -
The Art of Letting Go (When You Were Never Taught How)
Nobody teaches you how to let go. Not really. We learn how to hold on—tight. To grudges. To people. To memories. To jeans that haven’t fit since the Obama administration. Somewhere along the line, especially if you grew up in a family that survived more than it thrived, the message…
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Starting Over at 47 – All the Things They Don’t Tell You About Starting Over in Midlife
There’s a lot of talk these days about fresh starts—new chapters, reinvention, living your truth. But starting over in midlife? That’s a whole different kind of journey. It’s not glamorous. It’s not a perfectly filtered before-and-after. It’s raw, quiet, and often happens in moments no one else sees. No one…
emotional healing, finding peace, Fresh Start, Grief and Growth, healing journey, letting go, Life After Divorce, midlife loneliness, midlife reinvention, Midlife Transformation, new beginnings, personal growth, rebuilding trust, reclaiming independence, redefining identity, rediscovering yourself, Second Chances, self discovery, starting fresh, Starting Over at 47 -
Starting Over at 47 – The Beach Is Calling
Somewhere out there, there’s a breeze with my name on it. I can feel it calling me lately—soft and salty, full of second chances and new beginnings. I’ve always loved the beach, but now it feels like something more. Not just a place I’d like to visit. A place I…
beach house goals, beach life dreams, coastal living, dreaming of the beach, emotional healing, finding peace, freedom after divorce, Fresh Start, healing journey, leaving the past behind, letting go, life transitions, midlife clarity, midlife reinvention, moving on, new beginnings, personal growth, rediscovering happiness, starting a new chapter, Starting Over at 47 -
Starting Over at 47 – Collateral Damage
If you’ve ever found yourself hurting over something that wasn’t your choice… I see you. If you’ve had your peace disrupted by someone else’s unresolved chaos—you’re not alone. Starting over in midlife comes with its own set of growing pains. Some are expected, like figuring out your next career move…
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Starting Over at 47 – Making Peace With My Body
Let’s talk about something real for a minute—our bodies. Or more specifically, my body. It’s been through a lot with me. Three marriages, two kids, surgeries, heartbreak, grief, love, stress, joy, moves, dancing, growing babies, growing gardens—you name it. And for most of that time, I talked to it like…
body positivity, emotional healing, healing after divorce, healthy habits, intuitive eating, lifestyle change, loving your body, making peace with your body, Mediterranean diet, midlife health, Midlife Transformation, midlife wellness, personal growth, relationship with food, self-love, starting fresh, Starting Over at 47, sustainable living, weight loss journey, women over 40 -
Starting Over at 47 – Redefining What Home Means to Me
So here I am—47 years old, going through a divorce, and moving back into the upstairs part of my own house. It’s funny, isn’t it? You think you know what “home” is supposed to feel like… until it doesn’t anymore. And then one day, you wake up, and you’re no…
creating new routines, divorce recovery, Emotional Decluttering, emotional healing, Fresh Start, healing journey, home makeover after divorce, letting go, life after separation, Midlife Transformation, peaceful living, personal growth, rebuilding life, reclaiming your space, redefining home, Second Chances, self discovery, starting fresh, Starting Over at 47, women starting over -
Starting Over at 47 – The Hidden Layers of Divorce
Whew. I never thought I’d be here, sitting on my bed, coffee in hand, trying to explain to someone that I’m getting divorced—again. And not just any divorce—this is my third one. And I’m 47, turning 48 this July. Some days I laugh about it, like, “Well damn, third time’s…
divorce after 40, divorce and self discovery, emotional healing, family estrangement, finding peace, healing from betrayal, letting go, life after heartbreak, Life Reset, midlife resilience, Midlife Transformation, Moving Forward, new beginnings at 47, rebuilding after divorce, reclaiming your life, solo journey, starting over in midlife, surviving divorce, third divorce journey, women starting over -
What Losing My Dog Taught Me About Unconditional Love
A love letter to my sweet Lady Let me tell you something—losing a dog? It rips your heart out, tosses it in the dryer with a pile of emotional laundry, and then sets the whole thing on fire. Dramatic? Maybe. Accurate? Absolutely. A few weeks ago, I had to say…
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Starting Over at 47: Learning to Trust Myself Again
Trust isn’t something that magically returns overnight. It’s something you slowly rebuild, moment by moment, especially after years of second-guessing yourself or feeling like your decisions were never fully your own. That’s the season I’m in—relearning how to trust me. Starting over at 47 has meant unpacking a lot of…
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Starting Over at 47 – When They Can’t Handle Your Healing
Not everyone will cheer for you when you start to rise. That’s been one of the hardest and most heartbreaking lessons in this chapter of my life. As I’ve worked to rebuild, realign, and rediscover myself—some of the people I thought would be in my corner have either fallen silent…
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Starting Over at 47 — Releasing Guilt, Shame, and the ‘Should Haves’
Starting over sounds brave on paper. But what they don’t tell you is how often it comes tangled up in guilt, shame, and a never-ending loop of “I should have known better.” I’ve thought it more times than I can count. I should have left sooner. I should have fought…
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The Day I Stopped Caring What People Think (and Got Happier Because of It)
I used to worry a lot about what people thought of me. What I said, what I wore, who I dated, how I lived. It was like carrying around a backpack full of other people’s opinions—and let me tell you, it was heavy. Then one day, something shifted. Maybe it…
Aunty Christine, bold choices, confidence, dropping expectations, emotional healing, empowerment, finding peace, golden hour mindset, grief and strength, healing journey, inspirational blog, letting go, living for yourself, living unapologetically, mental clarity, personal growth, self-acceptance, self-love, stop caring what others think, unapologetic living
