Today I finally realized—I’ve been the hero of my story all along. My mentor helped me see that everything I’ve been creating—podcasts, journals, paintings—is the business, and that it’s okay to get paid for being me. I had my first lightbulb moment at 45 years and 11 months old, and it changed everything. Between a lymphatic drainage massage, washing the dog, painting, and eating my first chopped cheese on a hero roll, I remembered: I’m allowed to take up space, be seen, and call it success