Hey Reader,

Yesterday, I shared the story of my Moscow moment - when my body literally shut down in a hotel room, forcing me to face the truth about my "successful" corporate life.

But that's not actually the interesting part of the story.

The interesting part is what happened next.

For 9 months after Moscow, I did something that felt completely foreign to my achievement-oriented brain: I slowed down. Way down.

No more 60-hour weeks. No more "powering through." No more ignoring what my body was trying to tell me.

Instead, I worked with therapists and coaches to ask myself the questions I'd been too busy to consider:

• What if success didn't require sacrifice?
• What if my immigrant parents' story of "work twice as hard" wasn't the only way?
• What if all those hours climbing the corporate ladder... I was actually climbing the wrong mountain?

Here's what I discovered: That anxiety in Moscow wasn't a breakdown. It was a breakthrough.

My body was trying to tell me something my mind wasn't ready to hear: The environments I was in, the people I was working with, what I was working on – none of it aligned with who I really was or how I wanted to live.

So I made a decision that terrified my "responsible" self: I started an agency in my familiar industry. Nothing revolutionary, just taking what I already knew and reshaping it on my own terms.

(Plot twist: My former employers became my first clients. Turns out, you don't have to burn bridges to build something new.)

But here's where it gets really interesting...

When I actually did the math on my "impressive" six-figure corporate salary, factoring in the 60+ hours I was working and the 40% tax bracket... I realized I was making less per hour than my assistant. 🤦🏻‍♀️

That realization changed everything.

I started questioning other "truths" I'd accepted:

• That success had to look a certain way
• That stability only came from a corporate job
• That taking risks meant being irresponsible

Today, I'm writing this from Bali, running a business that energizes me instead of depleting me. I work with clients who are redefining success in their own incredible ways - like one who doubled her corporate income while having time for her passion for burrow racing (yes, she's literally a donkey racing champion!). This is what becomes possible when we stop following someone else's rulebook.

And now? I get to help other corporate escapees discover their own version of freedom - whether that's starting a passion business, having time for family, or yes, even becoming a champion in unexpected ways.

For the first time in a while, I'm opening up 3 spots in my private coaching program.

IMAGINE...

→ Defining success entirely on your own terms

→ Building something meaningful that energizes rather than depletes you

→ Creating a life where work fits around your priorities, not the other way around

The old rulebook isn't working anymore. And maybe that's exactly the permission you needed to hear.

If this resonates, here's your next step:

Reply to this email with "Ready for my breakthrough" and tell me:

1. What's your current definition of success, and where did it come from?
2. What would you do differently if you didn't have to follow the "rules"?
3. What's the cost of staying where you are? (Be honest)

I read every reply personally because I remember exactly what it feels like to be where you are - successful on paper but knowing, deep down, that there's another way.

​

To breakthroughs (without the hotel room drama),

Lydia

​

P.S. After sharing yesterday's email, I've already received several responses from people ready to rewrite their success story. If you felt a spark reading either of these emails, don't wait to reach out - let's explore if one of these coaching spots is meant for you.