During this episode of Raw and Real, host Linda Piazza discusses loss of self, and the concept of “free to be me.” Linda talks about various live events that commonly lead to a loss of self, such as divorce, empty nesting, and parenthood. Linda also shares ways people can work on finding themselves again, and that everyone needs to be free to find themselves. Episode Highlights:  If you have suffered a loss, such as a death, divorce, career or family change, etc. you may feel like you are losing part of yourself. Many people don’t realize how much a loss can change you. It’s important to find the things in your life that do not change you. Linda hopes that this podcast will help you recognize yourself after loss. Linda shares an experience where she felt like she lost herself, and changed as a person, after the loss of someone close to her. Divorce often leads to people losing their sense of self while they try to navigate their new identity. Divorce has a trickle effect that leads to little pieces of you going away every day. Changing jobs or losing a job is another life event that can cause you to lose your sense of self or go through a personality change. Empty nesting - especially for single parents - can be incredibly difficult. Parents going through a divorce often do not realize the full impact it is having on their children. In the midst of child-rearing, many parents put their own needs on the back-burner. When those children grow and leave, parents may not know what to do with themselves, or may not recognize themselves or their spouse. Linda talks about how her relationship with her own children has changed as they have grown and moved out of the house. New moms and moms of young children also frequently struggle with a loss of self. Moms of young children may lose their sense of self as they try to handle having less time for themselves or time with their partner. There are steps to take on the path to finding yourself, and the first is to let go. Grief and mourning are important, but once you’ve walked through them you have to let them go to move on. Linda has been using time to herself recently to gain perspective, especially about connections with people she has lost over time. Take the time to find yourself and get yourself grounded. Linda does her segment “taking the call.” Take a picture of yourself that represents the real you, put it somewhere you will see it, and make it a priority every day to be that person. 3 Key Points: There are many different life events that can cause a person to lose their sense of self. Empty nesting, especially for single parents, can be very difficult as people try to navigate their new roles and figure out who they are now. Letting go is the first step to finding yourself again. Resources Mentioned:  Linda’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/sassy_yankee Raw and Real Podcast: https://rawandrealpodcast.podbean.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/podcastrawandreal