A Pause at 55: Living with Intention, Compassion… and a Little Fire

There’s something about milestone birthdays that quietly ask us to stop and take stock, and sometimes, if we’re paying attention, they also give us a gentle nudge (or a not-so-gentle kick!) to step forward with renewed energy.

As I approach my 55th birthday on 18th February, I’ve been reflecting not just on age, but on meaning. And when I looked a little deeper, I smiled, because the symbolism around this year feels beautifully aligned.

In numerology, 55 is the number of freedom, expansion, and change. It’s associated with adventure, personal evolution, and breaking free from old limitations. It’s not a number that whispers - it invites you to live more boldly, more authentically, and more in alignment with who you’ve become.

That feels about right.

This birthday also arrives during the Year of the Horse, which begins on 17th February, just one day before I turn 55. The Horse symbolises independence, vitality, courage, and forward momentum. It’s about trusting your own rhythm, following your inner knowing, and moving forward with heart rather than force.

And perhaps unsurprisingly, this year is also calling me back to something deeply meaningful.

In April, I’ll be returning to walk the Camino, almost eight years since I last did it. The Camino has a way of meeting you exactly where you are, not where you were, not where you think you should be.

Eight years ago, I walked it as a very different version of myself. This time, I return with more softness, more trust, and a deeper respect for my body, my pace, and my inner voice. I’m not going back to recreate the past, I’m going back to honour who I am now.

This past year has invited me to re-evaluate many things:
my work, my time, my energy, and where and with whom I choose to invest them.

I’ve reflected on the connections that nourished me, the conversations that stayed with me long after they ended, and the opportunities that arrived sometimes quietly, sometimes unexpectedly. I’ve also met challenges that stretched me, slowed me down, and reminded me to listen more carefully to myself.

Some lessons arrived gently.
Others arrived with clarity I couldn’t ignore.

At this stage of life, I’m learning that success isn’t about doing more, it’s about doing what matters. It’s about sustainability, integrity, and creating a life and body of work that doesn’t cost you your wellbeing.

Perhaps the greatest lesson of this year has been the reminder to be kinder to ourselves.

To rest without guilt.
To honour our energy.
To allow ourselves to change direction - even when the old path once fit perfectly.

There is a quiet confidence that comes with age. A knowing. A sense that you don’t have to prove yourself anymore - only to be honest with yourself.

So as I step into this new chapter - guided by the freedom of 55, the forward-moving energy of the Horse, and the steady footsteps of the Camino, I do so with gratitude for the years behind me, compassion for the versions of myself that were still learning, and curiosity for what lies ahead.

If there’s one thing I know for sure, it’s this:
It’s never too late to realign, to reclaim your energy, and to walk your path in a way that feels deeply true to who you are now.

So I’ll ask you what I’m asking myself:
Where in your life are you being invited to move forward with more freedom, more trust, and a little more joy?

A Special Birthday Bonus ✨

As a way of saying thank you for the connections, conversations, and shared moments along the way - I wanted to offer something special as I step into this new chapter.

🌿 Weekend Retreat – Delphi Resort
To celebrate my birthday, I’m offering a discounted rate on my upcoming weekend retreat at the beautiful Delphi Resort in Co. Galway.

This retreat is an invitation to step away from the busyness of everyday life, to pause, rest, and reconnect with yourself, your energy, and what truly matters to you.
✨ [Click here for full details and booking]

💗 Heart Space Gathering – Claregalway, Co. Galway
On Saturday 14th February, I’ll be hosting a Heart Space Gathering in Claregalway - a gentle, heart-led space for connection, reflection, and presence.

To honour friendship and shared growth, you’re invited to bring a friend for half-price. Because some journeys are meant to be shared.

✨ [Click here for full details and booking]

If either of these offerings speaks to you, you’ll be so welcome. And if not, simply know how grateful I am to be walking this path alongside you.

💗Gift Vouchers - 10% discount if bought before the 13th February - Contact Sharon

About Sharon

Sharon Fitzmaurice is a holistic wellness coach and well-being practitioner with over 18 years’ experience supporting individuals and groups in their well-being. She is a Reiki Master Teacher, clinical hypnotherapist, mindfulness & meditation teacher, author of Someone Please Help Me, So I Did and Awaken Your Wellbeing, speaker, and host of The Sharon Fitzmaurice Podcast, as well as the founder of Soulful Journeys.

Through her work, retreats, and community spaces, Sharon creates compassionate, grounded environments that support healing, reflection, and sustainable personal growth.

Finding our Creative Path

This week on The Sharon Fitzmaurice Podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with Leslie A. Rasmussen, a woman who truly understands what it means to start over and to keep rediscovering herself through the seasons of life.

Leslie’s journey is one of courage, creativity, and reinvention. From writing beloved sitcoms like Roseanne and The Wild Thornberrys in Hollywood, to running her own nutrition business, to becoming a novelist and speaker, Leslie has lived many creative lives - each chapter guided by a deeper sense of curiosity and authenticity.

Leslie’s honesty about how life’s transitions can be both daunting and defining. She began her career wanting to be an actress, but when the industry’s treatment of women dimmed her spark, she chose to pivot rather than lose herself. That decision led her to writing comedy - a space where her voice could flourish without compromise. Later, as a mother, she made another heartfelt shift, training as a nutritionist so she could nurture both her family and her own interests.

And then, as life gently nudged her once more, she returned to her first love - writing. With humility and determination, she began again: reading, learning, researching, and taking baby steps toward a dream that had never truly left her. Today, Leslie is the author of three novels, including her latest, When People Leave (May 2025), a moving exploration of family, forgiveness, and the quiet resilience of women navigating loss.

What I find so inspiring about Leslie’s story is that it reminds us creativity isn’t a straight path - it’s a living, breathing journey that evolves as we do. Every turn, every pause, every new beginning is part of finding the rhythm that feels most true to who we are.

Sometimes we think we’re moving away from our purpose, only to find that we were actually circling closer to it all along. The careers we choose, the roles we play, and the shifts we make are not detours - they are pathways toward self-discovery.

Leslie’s story is a beautiful reflection of how we learn who we are through the choices we make, and how we shine brightest when we align our lives with what we love.

We don’t have to have it all figured out. We just need to listen to the gentle callings of our soul, to the quiet excitement that comes when we do something that feels right, to the creative spark that asks us to begin again, no matter how many times we’ve already started over.

Because, in truth, starting over is not about beginning again from nothing. It’s about beginning again from wisdom.

Sharon Fitzmaurice

Holistic Wellness Coach, Author & Podcast Host

When life changes, so can you - Redefine Freedom and Balance

Through Chuzeday, Deborah is helping solo business owners reclaim their time, honour their wellbeing, and build a life that truly fits.

There are moments in life that change everything. For Deborah Jordan, that moment arrived in 2019 when she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. It brought her busy world to a standstill - and at the same time, opened the door to a more intentional way of living and working.

But Deborah’s story of strength and compassion began long before that. As a young girl, she cared for her father who had brain cancer. That experience taught her resilience in a way few childhoods do. It shaped her understanding of time, empathy, and the invisible strength it takes to hold space for others.

A third-generation hair stylist, Deborah had built and managed a thriving salon, doing everything herself - the appointments, the business, the care. But like so many solo business owners, the endless demands eventually took a toll. When illness came knocking, it forced a vital question to the surface: What if business could support your life, instead of consuming it?

In her healing, Deborah envisioned something new. A platform that would give her, and others like her - the flexibility and freedom to run a business in a healthier, more sustainable way. And so, Chuzeday was born.

But Chuzeday is more than just an app. It’s a lifeline. A sanctuary. A growing community built on the belief that your time is sacred, your wellbeing matters, and your business should work for you. It empowers solo entrepreneurs to set boundaries, manage time intuitively, and reconnect with the joy and purpose behind their work.

Deborah shared this powerful journey on her very first podcast appearance in The Sharon Fitzmaurice Podcast, and it was an honour to witness her passion shine through. Her voice is calm, but her message is bold: you can change, you can choose again, and you can rebuild a life that fits who you are now.

Chuzeday reflects that wisdom. It’s a platform born from personal transformation, and one that invites others to make space for theirs. In every feature, every conversation, and every client supported, there is Deborah’s quiet strength and deep respect for what it means to be human - especially when you're walking the entrepreneurial path alone.

Her story is a reminder to us all: when life changes, so can you. And sometimes, the most meaningful work we do is the kind that sets others free.

Sharon Fitzmaurice

Holistic Wellness Coach, Author, Speaker & Podcast Host