154. How To Find Purpose During Life Transitions & Mourn The Life You Planned (Guest: Andrea Smith)

You know that feeling when you look around at your life and think, "This isn't what I pictured at all"?

Maybe you imagined climbing the corporate ladder while being the Pinterest-perfect mom. Or maybe you thought you'd have more control over how things turned out. But here you are—juggling a demanding job, feeling guilty about missing bedtime stories, and wondering if this chaos is just "your season" or if there's actually a way through it.

Andrea Smith gets it. She went from successful corporate executive to full-time caregiver overnight when her son developed severe OCD. Twelve years later, she's not just surviving—she's thriving and helping other parents do the same through her podcast "This Way Up."

Here's what you'll walk away with:

🎯 The permission slip you didn't know you needed: How to actually mourn the life you planned (and why this one step changes everything)

🎯 The real secret to finding purpose: Spoiler alert—it's not about having it all figured out or becoming Mother Teresa

🎯 Tiny self-care wins that actually work: "Snack-sized" self-care for when you literally have zero time but need to stop running on empty

The transformation waiting for you:

Instead of feeling guilty about where you "should" be in life, you'll feel peace about where you actually are. You'll stop waiting for the "perfect" season to prioritize yourself and start making tiny choices that give you energy back. Most importantly, you'll realize your purpose doesn't have to be this huge, spotlight-worthy thing—it can be as simple as helping one person, including yourself.

This episode will help you stop feeling like you're just surviving your days and start feeling like you're actually living them. Because here's the truth: you don't need to burn it all down to feel fulfilled. You just need to stop fighting what is and start working with it.

Perfect for the working mom who's tired of feeling like she's failing at everything and ready to find her way up.

Resources Mentioned:

This Way Up Podcast with Andrea

Connect with Andrea: https://www.thiswayuppodcast.com/