When was the last time you did something simply because you wanted to? Not because someone needed it, or expected it, or because it was one more thing on the list.

I recently sat down with Maria Rowbotham, the host of She’s Smart, for a conversation about exactly that, and I’m so happy to share it with you.

After 18 years as an English teacher, I walked away from a stable career to build Living Well. It was exciting, and it was also scary, uncertain, and nowhere near perfectly planned. Looking back, the hardest part wasn’t the logistics. It was letting go of everyone else’s expectations (and the ones I’d placed on myself) so I could hear what I actually wanted.

We also talked about:

• Why women put themselves last, and the difference between self-care and truly valuing yourself

• Why we look to everyone else for validation

• Strengthening self-worth like a muscle, by keeping promises to yourself, making time for what you love, and releasing other people’s expectations.