Living fully in the Life you didn't plan

Life doesn't always unfold the way we imagined. Sometimes, it unravels. And in those unravelings, we are called to find a deeper strength, a more rooted grace, and a new way of living.

Recently, I had the honour of speaking with Rebecca Galli, an inspiring author and speaker from the United States whose life story is a remarkable testament to resilience, purpose, and the will to live fully in the face of unimaginable challenges.

Rebecca’s journey includes the sudden death of her 17-year-old brother when she was just 20, raising her children - two with special needs, and the devastating loss of her son at just 15. As if that weren’t enough, just nine days after her divorce, she was paralyzed by a rare spinal cord inflammation that began as the flu. In an instant, her life changed forever.

But this is not a story about tragedy.
This is a story about transformation.

Through all of this, Rebecca fostered an unexpected but deeply meaningful writing career, becoming a powerful voice for hope and healing. A phrase that helped anchor her in her darkest times came from a therapist many years ago:

“Live fully in the life you didn’t plan.”

These words became her mantra. They guided her through grief, uncertainty, and physical limitation. And today, they serve as a light for others walking through their own unexpected journeys.

What Does It Really Mean to Live Fully?

To live fully in a life you didn’t plan is:

• To accept what has happened without letting it define you.

• To seek out beauty, even when the heart is broken.

• To create new meaning, even when old dreams fade.

• To show up every day—not perfectly, but wholeheartedly.

• To fuel yourself with purpose, connection, and self-compassion.

Rebecca reminds us that healing is not a destination, but a way of being. And even when we lose what we thought our life would be, we can still choose to show up, to love, to give, and to live—fully, honestly, and courageously.

Her story is a beacon for anyone who has ever whispered, “This wasn’t supposed to happen.”
Because while the life we planned may be gone, the life we’re living now still holds extraordinary potential.

If you’re navigating unexpected change or loss, may Rebecca’s journey remind you that you’re not alone, and that your story, too, can become a source of strength for others.

You can listen to our heartfelt conversation on The Sharon Fitzmaurice Podcast, where Rebecca shares her wisdom, and the practices that keep her soul fuelled daily.
You won’t want to miss this one.

Sharon Fitzmaurice

Holistic Wellness Coach, Author & Podcast Host

And Now, Back to Me

Embracing the Empty Nest with Grace, Laughter, and Love

This week, I had the joy of speaking with Rita Lussier on my podcast - an honest, funny, and deeply touching conversation about something that resonates with so many of us: the empty nest.

Rita, a long-time columnist for The Providence Journal, has recently published her beautiful and soul-stirring book, And Now, Back to Me. It’s a title that says it all. After dedicating decades to nurturing others - her children, her marriage, her career - Rita found herself standing at a new beginning when her youngest child left home for New York City.

And suddenly, the house was quiet. Familiar routines faded. And like many of us, she was faced with the question: Who am I now?

We laughed together during our chat - because there is laughter in this part of the journey. The awkwardness of getting to know our partners again (“Do I even like you still?”), rediscovering how much joy we can share when the distractions of parenting fall away. And perhaps most tenderly, we explored the inner journey of rediscovering ourselves.

This isn’t just a “chapter two” - it’s an entire new book.

For nearly 40% of women in their late 50s, the experience of empty nest syndrome is more than just a transition - it’s an identity shift. So much of our sense of purpose, rhythm, and even self-worth has been tied up in being the anchor for our children. And when they grow their own wings (as they should), we’re left not empty - but open.

Open to rediscovery.
Open to reawakening.
Open to reinvention.

Rita shares so beautifully the hidden challenges we don’t talk about enough - the emotional waves of grief, pride, loneliness, and relief. The bittersweetness of watching our children flourish while we tend to the spaces they once filled. She speaks openly of the “sandwich” role many women now hold - supporting grown children from afar while stepping into care for aging parents. It’s a delicate dance of holding space for others while trying to carve out space for ourselves.

And that’s what makes And Now, Back to Me so special - it’s not just about nostalgia, but about possibility.

This time of life invites us to rekindle not only our relationships with those we love, but with ourselves. What brings us joy? What dreams were placed on pause? What passions are stirring again? Whether it’s reconnecting with creativity, investing in our physical health, tending to our emotional wellbeing, or simply learning how to be again - this is sacred ground.

We are not losing ourselves.
We are returning to ourselves.

If you’re reading this and feeling the pangs of that empty chair at the kitchen table, know this: you’re not alone. And you’re not done. You are stepping into a vibrant, vital season of life - one that holds laughter, new love, deep reflection, and unexpected freedom.

I encourage you to explore Rita’s book, And Now, Back to Me. It’s a heartfelt guide, a companion, and a mirror for the millions of women walking this path.

And as always, I am here - walking alongside you.

Sharon 💛

The Voice of the Child

Honouring children’s inner worlds through presence, understanding, and connection

This week on The Sharon Fitzmaurice Podcast , I had the joy and privilege of connecting with the deeply compassionate and insightful Aisleen Harte - a devoted mother, experienced Early Years Educator, and Preschool owner in Co. Meath. With almost 20 years of experience guiding and nurturing young hearts and minds, Aisleen radiates a sincere passion for helping children feel safe, seen, and heard.

Her debut book, My Voice, My Choice, is a powerful and tender offering that beautifully captures her philosophy: empower children by listening to them, by meeting them where they are, and by allowing them the space to express their truth. Through rich storytelling and emotive illustrations, the book speaks directly to the heart - reminding us that when children feel heard, they begin to understand their own worth and identity.

As we spoke, I found myself deeply reflecting on the psychology of a child’s early years -those formative moments where connection becomes their language, and the world is something they are constantly trying to make sense of. Children aren’t just learning to walk, talk, and play - they are learning how to connect, how to feel safe in their bodies, how to regulate their emotions, and how to trust the adults around them.

So often, their behaviour is their communication. A tantrum is not defiance - it is unmet needs, overwhelming feelings, or simply the only way they know to say “I need you.” Aisleen's message echoed this truth with clarity and compassion: children are always trying to connect, even when they don't yet have the words.

Listening to a child is about more than hearing their voice - it’s about reading between the lines, noticing the silence, and tuning into their energy. It’s about seeing the world through their eyes and honouring the sacredness of their perspective.

With two more books already written, Aisleen’s vision for her “Voice of the Child” series is a deeply healing one - not just for children, but for the adults who care for them. It is an invitation to slow down, to remember what it felt like to be a child, and to become the kind of adult we all once needed.

This conversation reminded me that our greatest role as adults is not to shape children into who we think they should be - but to hold space for who they already are, and allow them to bloom in their own divine timing.

Let’s continue to create a world where every child feels heard, valued, and emotionally safe to grow into their truest self.

Sharon Fitzmaurice

Author, Speaker, Holistic Wellness Coach & Podcast Host

Love Beyond Vision: A Father's Journey Through Grief, Awakening and the Power of Presence

Some conversations stay with you long after the recording ends, echoing not just in your mind, but in your soul. My recent guest on The Sharon Fitzmaurice Podcast Mohan Ranga Rao, shared one such story. A story not of overcoming, but of becoming. Not of fixing, but of feeling. A story shaped by profound loss, and an even deeper love.

Mohan’s life changed irrevocably with the birth, and devastatingly, the loss of his beloved daughter, Yogita. Born blind, Yogita’s presence shattered everything Mohan thought he knew about fatherhood, strength, masculinity, and identity. Just four days after her birth, when he learned of her blindness, something within him cracked open. Not just his heart, but his very worldview.

What followed was not just a medical journey, but an emotional and existential one. He had to unlearn the idea that to love meant to protect and to fix. He had to let go of the illusion of control. And in doing so, he began to understand what it meant to love someone purely, without condition or expectation, a love that transcends even time and space.

His first book, Inner Trek: A Reluctant Pilgrim's Journey to Tibet, emerged from a spiritual reckoning. What began as a physical trek through the Himalayas became a soul-deep pilgrimage - an inner awakening that helped him begin to make sense of the unimaginable. The mountain path became a metaphor for the rugged terrain of his heart: unpredictable, painful, sacred.

His newest book, Myopia: A Father's Journey into Love, Loss and Sight Beyond Vision, is even more intimate. It does not tie grief up in a neat bow. It doesn’t offer hollow comfort. Instead, it gives us something much more powerful: truth. Raw, unfiltered, beautifully human truth. It is a meditation on pain as transformation, love without form, and seeing not with the eyes, but with the soul.

Reading it and speaking with Mohan, invites us into a space we often avoid: the space of suffering. But what if suffering, rather than something to escape, was something to engage with? To sit with, breathe into, learn from?

That is the philosophy behind Amopia, a community and conscious framework Mohan has founded. Blending science, spirituality, and resilience, Amopia teaches us not to fear suffering, but to see it as a wise teacher. It offers courses, workshops, and a deeply supportive community for those navigating grief, change, or simply the deeper questions of life.

As I reflected on our conversation, I felt so moved by the sacred vulnerability Mohan embodies. It reminded me how many men, fathers especially, are never given the space to grieve out loud, to cry, to fall apart, to speak of their pain without shame. Yet grief lives in all of us. It is not bound by gender. It is not something to be hidden. It is a sacred rite of passage, and it deserves to be witnessed.

For anyone who is grieving, feeling lost, or walking through the wilderness of emotional pain, know this:

You are not broken.
You don’t have to have answers.
Grief is not a problem to solve, but a journey to honour.
There is still beauty in the world, even if you can’t see it right now.
You are allowed to love and mourn at the same time.

Here are some holistic tools that may gently support you on this path:

✨ Mindful Presence – Allow yourself to feel without needing to fix. Simply being with your emotions can begin the healing.

✨ Breathwork & Meditation – Even a few minutes of conscious breathing each day can create space between you and your pain, helping you ground and soften.

✨ Creative Expression – Whether through writing, music, art, or movement, let your grief have a voice. It doesn’t need to make sense. It just needs to be heard.

✨ Spiritual Inquiry – Whether through journaling, prayer, sacred texts, or silent reflection, let your heart ask the big questions. Answers may not come, but peace often does.

✨ Connection with Nature – The natural world holds us without words. A walk among trees, sitting by the sea, or watching a sunrise can return us to the rhythm of life.

✨ Community Support – Surround yourself with those who honour your process without rushing it. Connection is medicine.

Mohan’s journey is a reminder that we cannot always choose what happens to us, but we can choose how we walk through it. And sometimes, the most courageous act is simply to keep our hearts open, even when they’re breaking.

To Mohan, thank you for reminding us that vision is not always about what the eyes can see, but about what the soul can feel. That love endures beyond all loss. And that grief, when held with tenderness, can become a sacred teacher.

With deep reverence and love,
Sharon

Reflecting on Loss and Growth

Rings of Time

Last week, I had the privilege of sitting down with Byddi Lee – Author, Playwright, and Screenwriter on my podcast - after reading her profoundly moving book Barren. It tells the story of a grieving woman who connects with the spirit of her miscarried child, unveiling the story of an ancient Irish woman navigating a climate catastrophe. As I turned the pages of Byddi’s story, I found myself deeply touched, not only by her beautiful writing but also by the tenderness with which she brought the unseen into the light.

Her story stirred something within me. It opened a quiet space in my heart where I reflected on my own journey through baby loss and miscarriage - two precious souls who came briefly into my life and who now live on in Spirit. I feel their presence with me every day. Though not here in the physical world, they are part of my story - woven into the fabric of my past and my present, guiding me in gentle ways I cannot always explain but deeply feel. They remind me daily of the love that never leaves and the connections that transcend form.

As Byddi and I spoke, our conversation flowed into the wisdom of trees and the stories they hold in their rings. We explored how the natural world mirrors our inner landscapes -how each tree ring, like each experience, tells a chapter of growth, struggle, resilience, and renewal.

When I reflect on the inner rings of a tree, I see the echoes of my own life. Each ring, a year lived. Each ring, a layer of who I’ve become. There are wide rings, representing times of flourishing, times when I stood rooted in purpose, sharing my heart’s work as a wellness coach, Reiki master, and clinical hypnotherapist. These were the seasons when healing felt expansive, and I witnessed both myself and others blossom.

And there are the narrower rings - those tender, more difficult years shaped by grief, uncertainty, and personal healing. The times when I had to pause, listen deeply, and gather strength from within. Losing those babies, moving through that silent grief, was part of those rings. Yet, even in sorrow, growth found a way. Like the tree that keeps reaching for light despite harsh seasons, I, too, found resilience I didn’t know I possessed. These sacred, quiet rings became the soil of my deepest empathy and the foundation of the support I now offer others on their healing paths.

The passage of time becomes visible in the rings of a tree, and in the same way, I see how the unfolding of my life has shaped me. Healing is not linear, it spirals, circles, and returns, just like those rings. And in each return, I gain new understanding, not only of myself but of the strength that comes from loving deeply, even when that love is carried in Spirit rather than in arms.

As I continue to reflect, I honour the stories of those I’ve worked with and walked beside. Their journeys, their trust, and their healing are woven into my own rings, just as mine are woven into theirs. We are all part of a greater forest, each tree individual, yet deeply interconnected. Our roots meet beneath the surface, where compassion and shared experience grow.

The resilience of the tree through storm and drought reminds me of the strength within all of us. Every challenge, every joy, every soul we’ve loved and lost adds to the layers of who we are. And just as the tree stands tall, its story etched in every ring, I, too, stand with my story - proud, grounded, and ever-growing.

In the end, I hope that my journey, my words, and the love I carry will encourage others to honour their own rings, to recognise the beauty in their growth, the sacredness of their pain, and the unbreakable bonds that endure beyond time. Like the tree, may we all leave behind a legacy of resilience, wisdom, and love.

You can watch my beautiful conversation with Byddi HERE on YouTube

Sharon Fitzmaurice

Author, Wellness Coach & Podcast Host