Saying yes to everyone else gets easier over the years… until one day, you realize how far you’ve drifted from yourself.
In this episode, Scott Asmar sits down with his cousin and longtime confidant, Jacqueline Lion, to talk about what happens when life quiets down and you finally have the space to ask: What do I actually want now? They look back on decades of putting others first: raising kids, caring for parents, showing up in their marriages, and they unpack the difference between being generous and losing yourself. Where’s the line between serving others and people-pleasing? And what does it take to start choosing yourself without guilt?
Jacqueline opens up about a recent turning point: a solo trip to Armenia to support a powerful documentary about the resilience of the Artsakh people. That experience didn’t just reconnect her with her culture. It reminded her of who she is and what she still wants to create. From that clarity came a bold decision to launch a podcast of her own, focused on motherhood, identity, and the messy beauty of midlife.
This episode is full of warmth, honesty, and the kind of insight that comes from lived experience. If you’ve ever felt pulled in every direction but your own, this one will hit home.
Quotes
- “It’s very hard to serve myself. It’s hard because I feel selfish and I feel stingy.” (08:06 | Jacqueline Lion)
- “The first time you say no is so hard, but after that it’s really easy.” (09:39 | Jacqueline Lion)
- “I try to accommodate everyone, but I’m not going to accommodate at the sacrifice of my own happiness anymore.” (10:16 | Jacqueline Lion)
- “It’s really hard to look internally and say, ‘Where am I? What do I want and how can I achieve what I want without feeling bad for it?’” (10:53 | Jacqueline Lion)
- “Every single decade of my life when I have traveled [to Armenia], it has been nothing short of transformative.” (13:46 | Jacqueline Lion)
Links
Connect with Jacqueline Lion:
https://www.instagram.com/jacquelinelion/
https://www.instagram.com/theresnoplacelikehomemovie/
Connect with Scott Asmar:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scottasmar5/
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