April 2, 2025 • 37 mins
In this inspiring episode of Aging With Purpose and Passion, Caren Paskel shares her extraordinary transformation from a shy, anxious teenager to a woman of unshakable self-belief. Her journey began with yoga, a practice that sparked a spiritual awakening and became her anchor through life’s storms. When she met David—her soulmate and a bold dreamer 12 years her junior—Caren’s world expanded. Together, they built a life and businesses filled with purpose, defying doubts about their age gap.
Facing Terminal Illness with Courage
Everything changed when David was diagnosed with brain cancer. Caren opens up about the raw reality of caregiving, running businesses during a pandemic, and leaning on community support to survive. “When you share what’s really going on, people know how to help,” she says. After losing David, Caren channeled her grief into action—selling their home, letting go of possessions, and moving across the country to pursue dreams she’d long deferred, honoring his legacy by living boldly.
Finding Purpose After Loss
Caren’s philosophy of seeking “blessings in disguise” offers hope to anyone navigating life after loss. “When I choose to see the blessings, more keep coming,” she reflects. Her story is a powerful lesson in resilience, especially for women over 50 facing grief, transitions, or the urge to rediscover purpose. Caren proves it’s never too late to reinvent yourself and live with passion.
Get Inspired Today
If Caren’s journey speaks to you, subscribe to Aging With Purpose and Passion for more stories of midlife transformation, or visit ReinventImpossible.com to learn how you can ignite your own purpose-driven life.
Have you enjoyed this episode? Please drop a review and share this episode with a friend.
For similar episodes on grief and loss check out Episode 108 and 121 of aging with Purpose and Passion. And Catherine Marienau and Gail Zelitzky co-host their weekly podcast, Women Over 70-Aging Reimagined, where vital women ages 70-110 change the narrative about aging . Listen here: www.womenover70.com
Resources:
Caren Paskel
https://www.facebook.com/carenpaskelselfevolution/
https://www.instagram.com/carenpaskel/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/caren-paskel/
https://www.youtube.com/@carenpaskelyoga6711
Beverley Glazer
https://reinventimpossible.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/beverleyglazer/
https://www.facebook.com/beverley.glazer
https://www.facebook.com/groups/womenover50rock
https://www.instagram.com/beverleyglazer_reinvention/
Schedule to see how Bev can help you
🎁 BONUS: Take your first step to clarity, courage and momentum. Your free checklist: → From Stuck to Unstoppable – is here.
https://reinvent-impossible.aweb.page/from-stuck-to-unstoppable
Have feedback or a powerful story that's worth telling? Contact us at info@Reinventimpossible.com
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
Welcome to Aging with Purpose and Passion, the
podcast designed to inspire yourgreatness and thrive through
life.
Get ready to conquer your fears.
Here's your hostpsychotherapist, coach and
empowerment expert, BeverleyGlazer.
Beverley Glazer (00:30):
Are you ready to embrace your inner strength
and step into the next chapterwith new purpose?
Well, welcome to Aging withPurpose and Passion.
I'm Beverley Glazer and I'm atransformational coach and
catalyst for women over 50 whoneed confidence to take that
leap and create the life theyknow that they deserve.
(00:51):
And you can find me onreinventedpossiblecom.
In today's episode, I'm joinedby Caren Paskel, a best-selling
author, speaker and founder ofKaren Paspo, self-evolution,
youthful Longevity and theSelf-Evolution Education
(01:12):
Foundation.
Karen has dedicated her careerto guiding others towards
self-mastery.
Get ready to be inspired bythis conversation and learn how
to live with intention.
Embrace your inner strength andstep into your next chapter
Welcome.
Caren Paskel (01:31):
Caren Welcome.
Thank you so much, Beverley.
It's so great to be here.
Beverley Glazer (01:38):
It's terrific to have you and your story is so
empowering, particularly forolder women who go through a lot
of this.
So, karen, you started yourjourney very young in spiritual
growth.
What attracted you to that?
Caren Paskel (01:57):
I was an introvert and the baby in the family as
well.
So there was a lot of commotion, having an older brother and
sister of eight and 10 years anda lot of you know teenagers in
the house and I'm this baby, soit was really loud and there
were, you know conflicts and allthis stuff going on in the
(02:20):
house.
So I kind of stayed to myselfand watched.
I was called the little pitcherwith big ears and I kind of
took everything in.
I was very quiet and I also mynature was artistic.
I was creative as a child and Iloved projects and arts, doing
things on my own versus playinggames with kids so and I was
(02:42):
also athletic.
Those were the two things, butI loved doing things by myself.
So you know, it was pretty easyto be in my little creative
zone and that's kind of.
You know where that started forme.
And could you ask the questionagain?
Beverley Glazer (03:05):
And could you ask the question again your
journey to yoga and spirituality.
Caren Paskel (03:08):
Yes, so that that I was thinking yoga,
spirituality they're one in thesame.
But yoga came to me because,during all of the stuff going on
in my house when I was about 16, I started to have panic
attacks and anxiety.
And that's when my mom said hey, you might really like this
(03:30):
yoga class.
It was a friend of the familywho had a studio and I went and
took the class and it was reallyoutstanding.
So I don't think I had muchspiritual understanding before
that, even though I went toSunday school, even though I,
you know, we went to temple.
That didn't draw me in.
(03:50):
It wasn't until yoga class thatI met myself in a different way,
and so that's when thespirituality began.
It was like I had thisintroverted nature, I had this
creative side, but the spiritualpart and aspect from within
wasn't recognized until I wasabout 16.
(04:10):
And immediately when that wasturned on, that really shifted
me inward.
I just wanted more and more ofthat peacefulness and I was
drawn to kind of questioningwhat is this and where can I
find it outside of the yogaclass, you know?
So that opened me up to thiswhole new world.
(04:33):
And you got married, and it wasa short-lived marriage, and
then you found your soulmate.
Tell me about that.
So, and yes, I wasn't fully evolved enough.
You know, I mean this is alifelong journey of evolution.
(04:53):
But at the time of my firsthusband I really didn't love
myself.
My self-worth was so low and so, because there was this other
person who loved me so much,that was why I said yes to being
in a relationship with thatperson, even though it was so
unhealthy for me.
It filled the void of I don'tlove myself, but this person
(05:15):
does.
I was really on the spiritualjourney.
So I grew a lot in thatrelationship and I outgrew the
relationship pretty fast,especially when I got into the
philosophy of yoga andunderstanding the universal laws
of life.
Of yoga and understanding theuniversal laws of life.
That really changed everythingfor me and I realized I no
longer could be in an unhealthyrelationship if I wanted to love
(05:38):
myself and grow and that wasstunting my growth.
So that was a big let go andrelease for me.
That took over eight yearsbecause I knew this person was
wrong for me at the verybeginning.
And so now in my life, if Iknow anything is out of
alignment, I don't wait eightminutes, I know right away,
because that will take evenlonger and get harder the more
(06:01):
you keep it, you know.
So when I was free for a while,single, it allowed me to really
learn how to love myself, to bemore independent in my love.
I went through a dating phaseand I kind of got over it and
was like you know what I justenjoy being on my own.
I'm not going to do these appsand people setting me up and all
(06:24):
the things and meeting allthese people, my yoga students
not a good idea.
I'm just going to, I'm happyalone.
Like this is frustrating andit's kind of stressful.
And as soon as I had thatdetached mentality, that's
exactly when I had one more datelined up from maybe a month ago
, where I had met someone whoseemed nice and we had planned
(06:47):
to meet.
I kind of forgot about it andhe reached out and was like hey,
we were supposed to meet.
I kind of forgot about it andhe reached out and was like hey,
you know we were supposed tomeet, do you still want to?
And I was like, yeah, okay,Because it was.
It was in a public event, itwas an arts event, like a music,
and it would be fun anyways,just to go, and I just didn't
care anymore if.
If it worked out or not, I'mlike I'm just going to go have
(07:07):
this experience and if itdoesn't, if it's not good, then
I'll just enjoy the day bymyself and say goodbye.
Well, what happened was heappeared.
I remember seeing him a littlebit of distance off and I think
he saw me and we met eyes andhis face just lit up.
His smile was so big and I justgot a smile on my face and the
(07:30):
first thing he said to me wasthat you look way better in
person.
So it was just really funny.
And he had this confidence inthis air about him that I
recognized the energy from afar,this belief in himself.
That's all I can say.
You know this, thisdetermination and this
(07:52):
perseverance within, and it wasso, um, it was radiating and it
was just I wanted to be aroundthat and I knew that that was
something I was lacking thatself-confidence and that, um,
that just that drive.
He had it and that belief inhimself.
(08:13):
So it was really love at firstsight.
I mean, I've never experiencedanything like it from that
moment on.
That was it.
We were together all the time.
Within one year, we wereengaged.
Within two years, we weremarried and we, like we, I think
we prolonged the engagement.
He just wanted to take me offthe market.
But this man came fromcompletely different side of the
(08:36):
tracks, very differentupbringing.
He was 12 years younger than me, so huge differences.
But the main thing that theboth of us had was that we both
just wanted to keep growingourselves, even if it was in
different ways or differentmodes, or maybe he listened to
(08:57):
different speakers and podcastsand teachers, but we had those
elements in our life and we justconstantly wanted to keep
expanding ourselves.
And for me, I knew that Ineeded someone like him to do so
, to move me in some of the waysthat I was hiding and staying
really small.
And I know that he needed me ina lot of ways to have that love
(09:20):
and support from somebody thathe didn't really have from kind
of a broken up family and be onhis own, so young, having to
take care of his brothers andsisters.
So I was really stable andgrounded for him and I think he
needed that source of love andlight.
So we were really.
We complimented each other andit was.
We were just off to the races.
(09:41):
I mean, it was just a fairytale.
You know all of it, all ofevery part of the beginning
stages and our wedding, and, andit just was incredible, and our
businesses, we were openingbusinesses at the same time.
So wow, wow, wow, and then youknow we'll get to the next part.
I'm sure you have a questionabout it.
Beverley Glazer (10:02):
Oh, yes, for sure.
He became your business partnerand he became your everything
and what happened.
Let's get to the next part,because I'm sure everybody is
listening.
Caren Paskel (10:16):
Well, interestingly enough, we were in
totally different businessesbut we helped each other go our
separate ways, because I wasinto yoga, he was in real estate
, all of these things.
So we had our independence,which was really beautiful.
So we weren't together all thetime, which is why we were both
so happy, because then when wewere together, it was quality
(10:36):
time.
So we had a really incrediblerelationship and I don't think
either of us had everexperienced anything like it and
everything was going so well.
My business was going so well,his business was going so well
and we were both in thebeginning stages.
We bought our first hometogether and we were living in
that home.
We actually he surprised me.
(11:02):
He wasn't really a big dog lover.
I had two dogs One of thempassed away and he surprised me
with a Great Dane puppy.
This is my all time likefavorite fantasy dog and he's
actually with me right now.
He's still alive, onyx.
So that's really lovely that Igot to have him and Onyx was
only two weeks I think webrought him home.
He might have been 10 weeks old, so two weeks been with us and
my husband came inside fromgrilling some chicken.
(11:25):
He had told me that he feltweird, like his right hand felt
a little numb or tingly and youknow he worked out a lot.
Also, like the night before itwas Father's Day, we had a lot
of company, it was hot outside,he had some drinks, so I thought
maybe he was a littledehydrated and I said, well, you
(11:46):
know, it's Sunday, it'sFather's Day, you know, let's
wait a minute, I'll get out ofthe shower.
And if you're not feeling well,we know it's Sunday, it's it's
father's day, you know, let's,let's wait a minute, I'll get
out of the shower and if you'renot feeling well, we'll go to
the hospital.
So when I came downstairs, hecame inside and he just, I
remember I was on one side ofthe gated kitchen and he was on
the other, bringing the tray,the kind of passing it to me he
started convulsing and I, yeah,and I just I thought it was a
(12:09):
joke.
Like I said to him are you, isthis a joke?
Like, are you joking?
And because I was, did not, youknow, I didn't know what was
happening, I managed, I don'teven know how it was like
subconscious mind just came overright and acted.
It was like I grabbed the traysomehow, put it on somewhere.
I had my phone in my hand, he Icouldn't catch him.
(12:31):
He was over 200 pounds.
He smashed into the wall andfell.
His nose was bleeding, hismouth was foaming and he was
hardly breathing.
It was like a like a forcedbreath.
I thought I thought he wasdying.
So I had I called.
I said Siri, call 911.
And I got 911 on the phone.
She guided me through somesteps.
(12:52):
By the time EMS came he wasregaining consciousness.
And so then they had said theythought it was a seizure.
I thought still dehydration, Ihad no idea what was coming.
We went to get you know, wentto the hospital.
He got a CAT scan and they saidit showed a mass in his brain.
(13:15):
And at the time the only personwho was available was his best
friend, matt, who lived nearthat hospital.
And he came and met me and hesaid to me Karen, I think I know
what this is.
And he said my mom died ofbrain cancer.
And I just said no, that's notit, that's there's no.
(13:36):
Like I didn't believe him, Istarted panicking and crying and
I just said no.
I called my sister.
She said Karen, just take abreath, you don't have any
information.
He got an MRI and it showed anorange size tumor in his brain.
So we didn't know if it wascancer.
We didn't know anything more.
We just had to get the braintumor removed.
(13:58):
So he had the surgery and thenwe found out that it was not
benign, but it wasn't the worstgrade or stage either.
It was called brain cancer, butit was a grade two.
I think it was an astrocytoma,and what they said is it was
kind of confusing, but they saidwe will just monitor it, he
doesn't need any treatment,let's see how things go.
(14:20):
He'll have to be onanti-seizure meds.
You'll have to drive him forsix months and if he doesn't
have a seizure then he can driveall this stuff.
So the surgery went well and heactually.
I mean, it was complicated,there was so much healing to be
had and so much to deal withwith the medications and the
rehab.
But he did really well becausehe was young and he was strong,
he was only 28.
And so he really was fightinghard to get his life back and
(14:46):
his health back.
And and then you know, wethought everything was going to
be good and we were hoping forthe best, because every MRI
showed better and better resultsand the tumor shrinking and
shrinking to the last little bitwhich they thought might've
just been scar tissue, and atthat one year mark he started to
(15:10):
have some symptoms and hestarted not to feel right.
He didn't want to get an MRI.
We had planned a huge tripoverseas and he just said I'm
going to call the doctor and seeif I can postpone the MRI
because if something's wrongwe're not going to go on this
trip.
And I want to go on the trip nomatter what, because that's how
he was right Live your life toits fullest.
(15:32):
Kind of a person.
Every day matters and it couldbe your last.
So we went on this trip to SouthAfrica.
We started in Amsterdam, weended in Paris and it was very
chaotic.
He was struggling and the wholetime having seizure symptoms.
He had a seizure at one point,scared me to death.
I had to drive.
(15:52):
I had to learn how to drive astitch shift there.
He taught me because hecouldn't use his right hand and
I was basically just stressed insurvival mode.
The whole trip I did my best totake care of myself but there
was no one we knew there.
There was no help anywhere.
No hospitals, nothing, nodoctors that I knew to help him.
(16:14):
So, if anything happened, Ijust felt very, very alone, and
so a matter it could have beenweeks, and that was you know had
(16:36):
to be taken out immediately.
Another surgery, and the newswas the worst news, at least
that's what you know.
We were told hey, this is agrade four glioblastoma, you
have nine to 12 months to livewith treatment, and so that was
(16:56):
pretty much, I think, the mostdevastating life-shifting moment
that I had, because it was justnothing I had ever thought
could ever happen, especiallyhim being so young and having no
prior health issues andeverything going the way that it
(17:18):
was.
So that really jolted us evenmore.
And, yeah, so that's.
Beverley Glazer (17:26):
Yeah, but you had businesses together.
So, besides the health issues Imean the health issues take
priority, but you had businessestogether you had to keep your
life together.
How were you able to managethose both sides of what was
going on?
Caren Paskel (17:44):
So I had my own business.
I did.
I had two yoga studios and Ialmost had a third one, but one
of the decisions I made when hefirst got diagnosed is to not
open the third one.
We spoke about that and wereevaluated our lives and we
said putting more on our plateeither one of us is not smart.
(18:05):
So I got out of that lease.
I lost, you know, maybe 10grand, because I'd already put
money down, and it was worth it,though, to not have that extra
stress and work.
We didn't know the pandemic wascoming either, so when, when
David got diagnosed only a fewmonths into this with the second
(18:27):
tumor, the pandemic hit, so Ihad to shut down my studio.
I ended up closing another one,the one that was open.
It was almost easier because Ididn't have to manage so much
with the pandemic.
The studio was closed down andI taught yoga classes online,
and that's just how I kept itgoing classes online, and that's
(18:54):
just how I kept it going.
But there was, you know, a lotof people forego all their
responsibilities to take care ofsomebody, and that can actually
be more stressful, because youneed to keep yourself focused on
some other aspect other thanwhat's going on.
That's a challenge, becausethat will help you face the
(19:14):
challenge.
So when I taught a yoga class,it saved me.
It helped me refocus on thefact that this isn't my only and
everything that I have.
I also have my own life.
I also have these abilities toteach and help others and I have
(19:35):
, you know, talents and gifts toshare, and that was a way of
caring for myself.
So I asked for a lot of help.
Lots of teachers took myclasses, but I wanted to still
do work, and when I could, I did.
And when I needed to take sometime and he needed more of me or
(19:56):
we had to travel because we hadto go to Duke University, then
I did that.
So I really.
It was, you know, juggling, butI learned so much about
self-care that, even though itchanged, even though I couldn't
have a five-hour morning like Ihave now, to just take as much
time as I need with all myspiritual disciplines, I still
(20:20):
managed to practice mymeditation and my movement and
my studies in the morning, evenif it was 20 minutes or five
minutes.
And then I also have dogs, soit forced me to go outside and
walk and breathe the fresh airand make sure that I kept myself
(20:40):
up, because, you're right,there were so many things on my
plate that he couldn't even helpwith anymore and I was really
just navigating alone.
And so one of the things I hadto open up to is asking for more
help than I even wanted,because I didn't want to be
bombarded by the families, andthere's just so many families.
(21:02):
He had two sides and I havemine.
I have Jewish families, so youknow what that's like, and it's
just lots of everyone wants toknow everything every second,
and so I had to start sendingemails and just say please stop
texting me.
So I set a lot of healthyboundaries.
That was one way to help myselfthrough.
All of this is to say when youtext me and say, how are you?
(21:23):
That makes me feel overwhelmedbecause I'm never just doing
great here and so I don't knowwhat to say to that.
Or when you say how's Daviddoing?
Let me just send you an emailand give you an update weekly
when I have time, so all of youare in the loop.
Please don't send me questions.
Please don't send me anythingsad, that doesn't help me.
(21:43):
Funny things.
I asked for what I needed.
I was really strong, and Davidhelped me with that because he
was that epitome of self-belief.
So there was this shift thatstarted to happen when he got
sick and he couldn't be all thathe could be.
I kind of decided okay, I'mgoing to tap into this
confidence, this belief inmyself.
(22:04):
I can do way more than Ithought, I can be way more than
I thought, and I'm just going totap in to this ultimate
resourcefulness within me, butalso the network that I have
around me.
Because why is it, why is anetwork important if you don't
ever call onto your network whenyou really need it right?
Beverley Glazer (22:25):
Oh yeah, oh yes .
And how did the yoga communityand your community support you,
karen?
Caren Paskel (22:32):
Oh my gosh, that was the greatest blessing.
So I think one of the thingsthat people love about my yoga
classes because I'm not like oneof the greatest, you know,
technical anatomical yogateachers but it's my
authenticity anatomical yogateachers but it's my
(22:54):
authenticity and I really sharemy story and I share the truth
about what's going on to helpconnect with my students,
because I know they're universalthemes and so I never held what
was going on in, I just let itall out.
I really became more visibleand transparent in my teaching.
I talked about what washappening with me, what was
(23:16):
happening at home, and everyoneknew what was going on.
So instead of like kind ofpretending that everything was
okay or saying, oh, I don't wantto like burden anyone, I shared
the truth and people weregrateful and thankful.
But what I noticed the most isthat when you share what's
really going on, that's howpeople know how to treat you and
(23:40):
know how to help you, becauseyou've let them know.
And so I was out in the openand I felt so much more loved
and supported, rather than likeholding it all in and then
dumping it out in other ways orjust you know, that was my way
of releasing and it felt good,but it also helped other people.
(24:03):
I got so many people to saythank you for sharing.
I'm going through the samething, or I didn't even know
people were in the samesituation that I would have
never known, or they just lost aloved one, or wow, your
resiliency, you're inspiring me,or how can I help?
So the community was a lifeline, it always has been, and I had
(24:27):
that before he even got sick,which was vital, and I held on
to it even through the pandemic.
I'm still.
I still have my community, I'mstill creating community, so it
is a huge aspect for healing andsupport in my life.
Beverley Glazer (24:44):
What you've also done since David has died
is you've gotten rid of all theclutter, everything around you,
and completely reinvented yourlife, your location, everything.
Now, many women, particularlyolder women, going through what
(25:07):
you've gone through, would neverdo that.
They want to hold on to thememories.
They don't want to changeanything.
They don't even want to scaledown from their homes to an
apartment.
How did you get your headaround letting go?
Caren Paskel (25:25):
Well, david inspired me to think bigger.
I was a smaller thinker because, as going back to my initial,
your initial question, where Iwas talking about being
introverted, so it's just reallyinteresting I was so small to
(25:46):
stay safe.
That's what I thought.
Right, if I'm in this bubble,I'm protected.
So when David came along, hejust he didn't gently like, he
like really, because I didn't, Ithe gentle wouldn't have worked
for me.
He had to put his foot down andjust say you need to go do this
(26:07):
, like.
Or if I was complaining aboutsomething, he'd just be like
stop complaining and go do this.
He was a doer in the sense ofnot like busy, busy, hurry,
worry.
He was just like this is mydream, so I'm going to go take
action to get it and make ithappen and I'm not going to
procrastinate and hesitate.
So I used to just be like Ireally want, you know, to be
(26:29):
this amazing person and to reachmy potential and to live in
Colorado.
But I stayed small because itprotected me.
I wouldn't get hurt, I wouldn'thave to deal with this
uncertainty, the unknown and allthe things right that I have to
now work through, because therewas so much dealing with
David's businesses when he diedwas.
(26:51):
I mean, that took years to dealwith.
And then the house was not eventhe house that we were supposed
to stay in and we were supposedto flip this home.
So I ended up with this huge,huge, massive house with both of
our businesses that we closeddown stored in the house.
So it's taken me well a fullyear just to remove all of that
(27:15):
from my home, layer after layerafter layer, and dealing with
the house and all the problemsthat it had to even put it on
the market and sell it.
Most people would just be likeI'll just stay put, you know,
and but I believe in myself somuch that's really what it is
that I know that I'm worthy ofliving my dreams and I know that
(27:37):
my soul, that's what my souldesires.
So, tapping into that andthinking about always, I think
about what would David say, whatwould David do?
Because when he was with me itwas so much easier to go big
because I had a partner.
So that's what I have to reallyenvision as I meditate on it
(27:58):
and I talk to him all the time.
He gives me signs all the timebecause I'm tuned into it and so
I don't feel alone.
I feel like we're doing thistogether and now even more so, I
really have a desire to liveout my full potential.
For him, to honor his life,because I'm like he had 30 years
here how can I honor those 30years?
(28:19):
He wanted to really change theworld.
How can I honor that?
By being the best version andliving the best life and
inspiring others.
So if I don't move myself,that's the question really how
can I move someone else?
So, making these bigger moves?
I feel empowered to share that.
You can do it too.
If I did this, so scared I'mall alone.
(28:42):
Somehow, some way, I made thismove happen.
I got rid of everything.
I only brought my clothes.
I have nothing so that I couldjust move into a fully furnished
rental, because simplificationit's.
It is easier and more conduciveand enables freedom, and that's
that's the ultimate.
I just want freedom, right, Ithink we all do, and that comes
(29:04):
from within you andunderstanding what you need to
really thrive, and it could be awhole different environment,
and if it is, I encourage you.
It's not going to be easy, butwhen you get there I could cry
because I'm here right, becauseI spoke to you, beverly.
We had our little intro meetingbefore I was here.
So now we're meeting and it'slike that just a few weeks.
(29:27):
And I made it.
And when I step outside and Isee the mountains, I cry,
because this is always a place Iwanted to be.
And I stopped waiting for thepermission and what everyone
thought and wanted of me and Ijust said no, if David was here,
he would say I don't reallycare about what anyone else
(29:49):
wants me to do or thinks we'regoing to do this, because this
is what we know is right for us.
And so that's what I did.
And again, it's about expandingmyself and I felt that where I
was in my environment, I hadoutgrown it, I knew it and I was
stuck, like you were saying.
(30:10):
I felt like I couldn't growfuller and be healthier and
happier.
I never I don't set a bar formy happiness and healthiness.
I threw the bar away.
There's no more bar.
It's just.
Every day there's more room togrow till the end.
If tomorrow's my last day, thenso be it, but today I'm going
to grow, and so that's just.
(30:31):
That's just how I roll now.
Beverley Glazer (30:34):
Erin, you said so much in this short time that
we spoke, but what comes through?
In spite of the pain, there'sno anger.
There's so many women that gothrough this kind of pain, and
then, when they have to get ridof three businesses that they're
left with, et cetera, et cetera.
There is so much stress, somuch anger, but what you have
throughout this whole thread islove, love, love, love, love,
(30:59):
and so what you've done was turnthese difficult times into
blessings.
And how can you encourage otherwomen to do the same?
Caren Paskel (31:09):
Well, I will recommend my book, the Power of
Self-Belief, because it reallyshares the story about how
someone who has that power ofself-belief can inspire yours.
And so, now that I've beeninspired, now I can inspire
someone else's and the story isjust incredible.
But there's a lot of teachingsthat I believe will be very,
(31:31):
very helpful, and one of thepower thoughts in my books is
seeing the blessings that are indisguise.
And so I have been in aposition where I haven't seen
the blessings and in thatposition I am stressed, I am
sorrowful.
There is lack of luster and joyin my life and I decided that's
(31:57):
not how I want to live.
When I choose to see theblessings in life, it's amazing
how many more blessings comefrom that.
And now that's all I see.
Even in the challenge, even inthe chaos, even in the storm, I
always know there's a silverlining.
I'm always grateful becausethere's pairs of opposites and
that challenge I'm going to growfrom, I'm going to learn from,
(32:19):
I'll be guided in some way,shape or form.
I just see life as anopportunity.
Now there is no challenge, it'sjust okay.
What do I have to learn here?
And I'm so thankful for thisopportunity to grow.
So I just made a choice and youknow, I think anybody can,
that's how I mentor my clientsis just to help reframe the
(32:40):
brain, the neuroplasticity, tochange how we look at it,
Because usually people grow upand they're, you know, in lack,
and when you're in lack all thetime you don't see the blessings
.
You're in that scarcity andthat shuts down your reception
and your abundance.
But as soon as you come intothat gratitude, it's like you
(33:02):
start to become grateful forjust everything.
Beverley Glazer (33:06):
Wonderful, thank you.
Thank you so much, karenPaschal.
Karen Paschal is a best-sellingauthor, speaker and founder of
the Karen Paschal Self-EvolutionYouthful Longevity and the
Self-Evolution Education SEEFoundation.
She has dedicated her career toguiding other people towards
(33:30):
holistic transformation,empowerment and self-mastery.
Here are a few takeaways fromthis episode.
First, believe in yourself.
It's the key to overcomingchallenges and creating lasting
change.
Balance set boundaries mind,body and spirit.
(33:51):
This builds for resilience andwhenever life goes up and down
and life's toughest moments,open up opportunities for growth
.
If you've been relating to thisepisode, think of one small
thing that you can do tobrighten up your life.
(34:12):
Perhaps it's writing positiveaffirmations, embracing a hobby,
learning a new skill,practicing yoga and meditation,
just to give yourself somebalance and calm.
For similar episodes onreinventing yourself after grief
and loss, please check outepisode 108 and 121 on aging
(34:33):
with purpose and passion.
And if you've enjoyed thisepisode, you may also like Women
Over 70 Aging Reimagined.
These are stories that shatterthe myth that we become
irrelevant as we age.
That link, by the way, it's inthe show notes too.
So, karen, where can peoplelearn more about you and find
(34:56):
out about your book?
Caren Paskel (34:58):
What are the links ?
Thank you so much.
So you can go to my website,karenpaschalcom.
That pretty much has everythingthere.
You can find my email, get intouch with me.
My book is on Amazon.
It's in bookstores as well thePower of Self-Belief I would
love you to have it and also onFacebook.
I have a wonderful communitywith so many beautiful
(35:20):
opportunities ageless healthtips, youthful longevity
masterclass.
So please find me.
It's called the Community forSelf-Transformation and Beverley
will have the links for you.
And, yeah, I'd love to connectwith anybody who's interested.
Beverley Glazer (35:38):
Yes, if you didn't get those links Caren
said it they will be on my sitetoo.
That's reinventimpossiblecom,and they'll also be in the show
notes right beneath this episode.
And now, my friends, what'snext for you?
Are you going through themotions or are you really
passionate about your life?
(35:59):
Get from stuck to unstoppable.
A free checklist to unlock yourfull potential and that link is
also in the show notes too.
You can connect with me,Beverly Glazer, on all social
media platforms and in mypositive group of women on
Facebook.
That's Women Over 50 Rock.
(36:19):
And if you're looking forguidance in your own life, I
invite you to explorereinventedpossiblecom.
Thank you for listening.
Have you enjoyed thisconversation?
Please drop a review, share itwith a friend and always
remember that you only have onelife, so live it with purpose
(36:41):
and passion.
Speaker 1 (36:49):
Thank you for joining us.
You can connect with Bev on herwebsite, reinventimpossiblecom
and, while you're there, joinour newsletter subscribe so you
don't miss an episode.
Until next time, keep agingwith purpose and passion and
celebrate life.
Welcome to Aging with Purpose and Passion, the
podcast designed to inspire yourgreatness and thrive through
life.
Get ready to conquer your fears.
Here's your hostpsychotherapist, coach and
empowerment expert, BeverleyGlazer.
Beverley Glazer (00:30):
Are you ready to embrace your inner strength
and step into the next chapterwith new purpose?
Well, welcome to Aging withPurpose and Passion.
I'm Beverley Glazer and I'm atransformational coach and
catalyst for women over 50 whoneed confidence to take that
leap and create the life theyknow that they deserve.
(00:51):
And you can find me onreinventedpossiblecom.
In today's episode, I'm joinedby Caren Paskel, a best-selling
author, speaker and founder ofKaren Paspo, self-evolution,
youthful Longevity and theSelf-Evolution Education
(01:12):
Foundation.
Karen has dedicated her careerto guiding others towards
self-mastery.
Get ready to be inspired bythis conversation and learn how
to live with intention.
Embrace your inner strength andstep into your next chapter
Welcome.
Caren Paskel (01:31):
Caren Welcome.
Thank you so much, Beverley.
It's so great to be here.
Beverley Glazer (01:38):
It's terrific to have you and your story is so
empowering, particularly forolder women who go through a lot
of this.
So, karen, you started yourjourney very young in spiritual
growth.
What attracted you to that?
Caren Paskel (01:57):
I was an introvert and the baby in the family as
well.
So there was a lot of commotion, having an older brother and
sister of eight and 10 years anda lot of you know teenagers in
the house and I'm this baby, soit was really loud and there
were, you know conflicts and allthis stuff going on in the
(02:20):
house.
So I kind of stayed to myselfand watched.
I was called the little pitcherwith big ears and I kind of
took everything in.
I was very quiet and I also mynature was artistic.
I was creative as a child and Iloved projects and arts, doing
things on my own versus playinggames with kids so and I was
(02:42):
also athletic.
Those were the two things, butI loved doing things by myself.
So you know, it was pretty easyto be in my little creative
zone and that's kind of.
You know where that started forme.
And could you ask the questionagain?
Beverley Glazer (03:05):
And could you ask the question again your
journey to yoga and spirituality.
Caren Paskel (03:08):
Yes, so that that I was thinking yoga,
spirituality they're one in thesame.
But yoga came to me because,during all of the stuff going on
in my house when I was about 16, I started to have panic
attacks and anxiety.
And that's when my mom said hey, you might really like this
(03:30):
yoga class.
It was a friend of the familywho had a studio and I went and
took the class and it was reallyoutstanding.
So I don't think I had muchspiritual understanding before
that, even though I went toSunday school, even though I,
you know, we went to temple.
That didn't draw me in.
(03:50):
It wasn't until yoga class thatI met myself in a different way,
and so that's when thespirituality began.
It was like I had thisintroverted nature, I had this
creative side, but the spiritualpart and aspect from within
wasn't recognized until I wasabout 16.
(04:10):
And immediately when that wasturned on, that really shifted
me inward.
I just wanted more and more ofthat peacefulness and I was
drawn to kind of questioningwhat is this and where can I
find it outside of the yogaclass, you know?
So that opened me up to thiswhole new world.
(04:33):
And you got married, and it wasa short-lived marriage, and
then you found your soulmate.
Tell me about that.
So, and yes, I wasn't fully evolved enough.
You know, I mean this is alifelong journey of evolution.
(04:53):
But at the time of my firsthusband I really didn't love
myself.
My self-worth was so low and so, because there was this other
person who loved me so much,that was why I said yes to being
in a relationship with thatperson, even though it was so
unhealthy for me.
It filled the void of I don'tlove myself, but this person
(05:15):
does.
I was really on the spiritualjourney.
So I grew a lot in thatrelationship and I outgrew the
relationship pretty fast,especially when I got into the
philosophy of yoga andunderstanding the universal laws
of life.
Of yoga and understanding theuniversal laws of life.
That really changed everythingfor me and I realized I no
longer could be in an unhealthyrelationship if I wanted to love
(05:38):
myself and grow and that wasstunting my growth.
So that was a big let go andrelease for me.
That took over eight yearsbecause I knew this person was
wrong for me at the verybeginning.
And so now in my life, if Iknow anything is out of
alignment, I don't wait eightminutes, I know right away,
because that will take evenlonger and get harder the more
(06:01):
you keep it, you know.
So when I was free for a while,single, it allowed me to really
learn how to love myself, to bemore independent in my love.
I went through a dating phaseand I kind of got over it and
was like you know what I justenjoy being on my own.
I'm not going to do these appsand people setting me up and all
(06:24):
the things and meeting allthese people, my yoga students
not a good idea.
I'm just going to, I'm happyalone.
Like this is frustrating andit's kind of stressful.
And as soon as I had thatdetached mentality, that's
exactly when I had one more datelined up from maybe a month ago
, where I had met someone whoseemed nice and we had planned
(06:47):
to meet.
I kind of forgot about it andhe reached out and was like hey,
we were supposed to meet.
I kind of forgot about it andhe reached out and was like hey,
you know we were supposed tomeet, do you still want to?
And I was like, yeah, okay,Because it was.
It was in a public event, itwas an arts event, like a music,
and it would be fun anyways,just to go, and I just didn't
care anymore if.
If it worked out or not, I'mlike I'm just going to go have
(07:07):
this experience and if itdoesn't, if it's not good, then
I'll just enjoy the day bymyself and say goodbye.
Well, what happened was heappeared.
I remember seeing him a littlebit of distance off and I think
he saw me and we met eyes andhis face just lit up.
His smile was so big and I justgot a smile on my face and the
(07:30):
first thing he said to me wasthat you look way better in
person.
So it was just really funny.
And he had this confidence inthis air about him that I
recognized the energy from afar,this belief in himself.
That's all I can say.
You know this, thisdetermination and this
(07:52):
perseverance within, and it wasso, um, it was radiating and it
was just I wanted to be aroundthat and I knew that that was
something I was lacking thatself-confidence and that, um,
that just that drive.
He had it and that belief inhimself.
(08:13):
So it was really love at firstsight.
I mean, I've never experiencedanything like it from that
moment on.
That was it.
We were together all the time.
Within one year, we wereengaged.
Within two years, we weremarried and we, like we, I think
we prolonged the engagement.
He just wanted to take me offthe market.
But this man came fromcompletely different side of the
(08:36):
tracks, very differentupbringing.
He was 12 years younger than me, so huge differences.
But the main thing that theboth of us had was that we both
just wanted to keep growingourselves, even if it was in
different ways or differentmodes, or maybe he listened to
(08:57):
different speakers and podcastsand teachers, but we had those
elements in our life and we justconstantly wanted to keep
expanding ourselves.
And for me, I knew that Ineeded someone like him to do so
, to move me in some of the waysthat I was hiding and staying
really small.
And I know that he needed me ina lot of ways to have that love
(09:20):
and support from somebody thathe didn't really have from kind
of a broken up family and be onhis own, so young, having to
take care of his brothers andsisters.
So I was really stable andgrounded for him and I think he
needed that source of love andlight.
So we were really.
We complimented each other andit was.
We were just off to the races.
(09:41):
I mean, it was just a fairytale.
You know all of it, all ofevery part of the beginning
stages and our wedding, and, andit just was incredible, and our
businesses, we were openingbusinesses at the same time.
So wow, wow, wow, and then youknow we'll get to the next part.
I'm sure you have a questionabout it.
Beverley Glazer (10:02):
Oh, yes, for sure.
He became your business partnerand he became your everything
and what happened.
Let's get to the next part,because I'm sure everybody is
listening.
Caren Paskel (10:16):
Well, interestingly enough, we were in
totally different businessesbut we helped each other go our
separate ways, because I wasinto yoga, he was in real estate
, all of these things.
So we had our independence,which was really beautiful.
So we weren't together all thetime, which is why we were both
so happy, because then when wewere together, it was quality
(10:36):
time.
So we had a really incrediblerelationship and I don't think
either of us had everexperienced anything like it and
everything was going so well.
My business was going so well,his business was going so well
and we were both in thebeginning stages.
We bought our first hometogether and we were living in
that home.
We actually he surprised me.
(11:02):
He wasn't really a big dog lover.
I had two dogs One of thempassed away and he surprised me
with a Great Dane puppy.
This is my all time likefavorite fantasy dog and he's
actually with me right now.
He's still alive, onyx.
So that's really lovely that Igot to have him and Onyx was
only two weeks I think webrought him home.
He might have been 10 weeks old, so two weeks been with us and
my husband came inside fromgrilling some chicken.
(11:25):
He had told me that he feltweird, like his right hand felt
a little numb or tingly and youknow he worked out a lot.
Also, like the night before itwas Father's Day, we had a lot
of company, it was hot outside,he had some drinks, so I thought
maybe he was a littledehydrated and I said, well, you
(11:46):
know, it's Sunday, it'sFather's Day, you know, let's
wait a minute, I'll get out ofthe shower.
And if you're not feeling well,we know it's Sunday, it's it's
father's day, you know, let's,let's wait a minute, I'll get
out of the shower and if you'renot feeling well, we'll go to
the hospital.
So when I came downstairs, hecame inside and he just, I
remember I was on one side ofthe gated kitchen and he was on
the other, bringing the tray,the kind of passing it to me he
started convulsing and I, yeah,and I just I thought it was a
(12:09):
joke.
Like I said to him are you, isthis a joke?
Like, are you joking?
And because I was, did not, youknow, I didn't know what was
happening, I managed, I don'teven know how it was like
subconscious mind just came overright and acted.
It was like I grabbed the traysomehow, put it on somewhere.
I had my phone in my hand, he Icouldn't catch him.
(12:31):
He was over 200 pounds.
He smashed into the wall andfell.
His nose was bleeding, hismouth was foaming and he was
hardly breathing.
It was like a like a forcedbreath.
I thought I thought he wasdying.
So I had I called.
I said Siri, call 911.
And I got 911 on the phone.
She guided me through somesteps.
(12:52):
By the time EMS came he wasregaining consciousness.
And so then they had said theythought it was a seizure.
I thought still dehydration, Ihad no idea what was coming.
We went to get you know, wentto the hospital.
He got a CAT scan and they saidit showed a mass in his brain.
(13:15):
And at the time the only personwho was available was his best
friend, matt, who lived nearthat hospital.
And he came and met me and hesaid to me Karen, I think I know
what this is.
And he said my mom died ofbrain cancer.
And I just said no, that's notit, that's there's no.
(13:36):
Like I didn't believe him, Istarted panicking and crying and
I just said no.
I called my sister.
She said Karen, just take abreath, you don't have any
information.
He got an MRI and it showed anorange size tumor in his brain.
So we didn't know if it wascancer.
We didn't know anything more.
We just had to get the braintumor removed.
(13:58):
So he had the surgery and thenwe found out that it was not
benign, but it wasn't the worstgrade or stage either.
It was called brain cancer, butit was a grade two.
I think it was an astrocytoma,and what they said is it was
kind of confusing, but they saidwe will just monitor it, he
doesn't need any treatment,let's see how things go.
(14:20):
He'll have to be onanti-seizure meds.
You'll have to drive him forsix months and if he doesn't
have a seizure then he can driveall this stuff.
So the surgery went well and heactually.
I mean, it was complicated,there was so much healing to be
had and so much to deal withwith the medications and the
rehab.
But he did really well becausehe was young and he was strong,
he was only 28.
And so he really was fightinghard to get his life back and
(14:46):
his health back.
And and then you know, wethought everything was going to
be good and we were hoping forthe best, because every MRI
showed better and better resultsand the tumor shrinking and
shrinking to the last little bitwhich they thought might've
just been scar tissue, and atthat one year mark he started to
(15:10):
have some symptoms and hestarted not to feel right.
He didn't want to get an MRI.
We had planned a huge tripoverseas and he just said I'm
going to call the doctor and seeif I can postpone the MRI
because if something's wrongwe're not going to go on this
trip.
And I want to go on the trip nomatter what, because that's how
he was right Live your life toits fullest.
(15:32):
Kind of a person.
Every day matters and it couldbe your last.
So we went on this trip to SouthAfrica.
We started in Amsterdam, weended in Paris and it was very
chaotic.
He was struggling and the wholetime having seizure symptoms.
He had a seizure at one point,scared me to death.
I had to drive.
(15:52):
I had to learn how to drive astitch shift there.
He taught me because hecouldn't use his right hand and
I was basically just stressed insurvival mode.
The whole trip I did my best totake care of myself but there
was no one we knew there.
There was no help anywhere.
No hospitals, nothing, nodoctors that I knew to help him.
(16:14):
So, if anything happened, Ijust felt very, very alone, and
so a matter it could have beenweeks, and that was you know had
(16:36):
to be taken out immediately.
Another surgery, and the newswas the worst news, at least
that's what you know.
We were told hey, this is agrade four glioblastoma, you
have nine to 12 months to livewith treatment, and so that was
(16:56):
pretty much, I think, the mostdevastating life-shifting moment
that I had, because it was justnothing I had ever thought
could ever happen, especiallyhim being so young and having no
prior health issues andeverything going the way that it
(17:18):
was.
So that really jolted us evenmore.
And, yeah, so that's.
Beverley Glazer (17:26):
Yeah, but you had businesses together.
So, besides the health issues Imean the health issues take
priority, but you had businessestogether you had to keep your
life together.
How were you able to managethose both sides of what was
going on?
Caren Paskel (17:44):
So I had my own business.
I did.
I had two yoga studios and Ialmost had a third one, but one
of the decisions I made when hefirst got diagnosed is to not
open the third one.
We spoke about that and wereevaluated our lives and we
said putting more on our plateeither one of us is not smart.
(18:05):
So I got out of that lease.
I lost, you know, maybe 10grand, because I'd already put
money down, and it was worth it,though, to not have that extra
stress and work.
We didn't know the pandemic wascoming either, so when, when
David got diagnosed only a fewmonths into this with the second
(18:27):
tumor, the pandemic hit, so Ihad to shut down my studio.
I ended up closing another one,the one that was open.
It was almost easier because Ididn't have to manage so much
with the pandemic.
The studio was closed down andI taught yoga classes online,
and that's just how I kept itgoing classes online, and that's
(18:54):
just how I kept it going.
But there was, you know, a lotof people forego all their
responsibilities to take care ofsomebody, and that can actually
be more stressful, because youneed to keep yourself focused on
some other aspect other thanwhat's going on.
That's a challenge, becausethat will help you face the
(19:14):
challenge.
So when I taught a yoga class,it saved me.
It helped me refocus on thefact that this isn't my only and
everything that I have.
I also have my own life.
I also have these abilities toteach and help others and I have
(19:35):
, you know, talents and gifts toshare, and that was a way of
caring for myself.
So I asked for a lot of help.
Lots of teachers took myclasses, but I wanted to still
do work, and when I could, I did.
And when I needed to take sometime and he needed more of me or
(19:56):
we had to travel because we hadto go to Duke University, then
I did that.
So I really.
It was, you know, juggling, butI learned so much about
self-care that, even though itchanged, even though I couldn't
have a five-hour morning like Ihave now, to just take as much
time as I need with all myspiritual disciplines, I still
(20:20):
managed to practice mymeditation and my movement and
my studies in the morning, evenif it was 20 minutes or five
minutes.
And then I also have dogs, soit forced me to go outside and
walk and breathe the fresh airand make sure that I kept myself
(20:40):
up, because, you're right,there were so many things on my
plate that he couldn't even helpwith anymore and I was really
just navigating alone.
And so one of the things I hadto open up to is asking for more
help than I even wanted,because I didn't want to be
bombarded by the families, andthere's just so many families.
(21:02):
He had two sides and I havemine.
I have Jewish families, so youknow what that's like, and it's
just lots of everyone wants toknow everything every second,
and so I had to start sendingemails and just say please stop
texting me.
So I set a lot of healthyboundaries.
That was one way to help myselfthrough.
All of this is to say when youtext me and say, how are you?
(21:23):
That makes me feel overwhelmedbecause I'm never just doing
great here and so I don't knowwhat to say to that.
Or when you say how's Daviddoing?
Let me just send you an emailand give you an update weekly
when I have time, so all of youare in the loop.
Please don't send me questions.
Please don't send me anythingsad, that doesn't help me.
(21:43):
Funny things.
I asked for what I needed.
I was really strong, and Davidhelped me with that because he
was that epitome of self-belief.
So there was this shift thatstarted to happen when he got
sick and he couldn't be all thathe could be.
I kind of decided okay, I'mgoing to tap into this
confidence, this belief inmyself.
(22:04):
I can do way more than Ithought, I can be way more than
I thought, and I'm just going totap in to this ultimate
resourcefulness within me, butalso the network that I have
around me.
Because why is it, why is anetwork important if you don't
ever call onto your network whenyou really need it right?
Beverley Glazer (22:25):
Oh yeah, oh yes .
And how did the yoga communityand your community support you,
karen?
Caren Paskel (22:32):
Oh my gosh, that was the greatest blessing.
So I think one of the thingsthat people love about my yoga
classes because I'm not like oneof the greatest, you know,
technical anatomical yogateachers but it's my
authenticity anatomical yogateachers but it's my
(22:54):
authenticity and I really sharemy story and I share the truth
about what's going on to helpconnect with my students,
because I know they're universalthemes and so I never held what
was going on in, I just let itall out.
I really became more visibleand transparent in my teaching.
I talked about what washappening with me, what was
(23:16):
happening at home, and everyoneknew what was going on.
So instead of like kind ofpretending that everything was
okay or saying, oh, I don't wantto like burden anyone, I shared
the truth and people weregrateful and thankful.
But what I noticed the most isthat when you share what's
really going on, that's howpeople know how to treat you and
(23:40):
know how to help you, becauseyou've let them know.
And so I was out in the openand I felt so much more loved
and supported, rather than likeholding it all in and then
dumping it out in other ways orjust you know, that was my way
of releasing and it felt good,but it also helped other people.
(24:03):
I got so many people to saythank you for sharing.
I'm going through the samething, or I didn't even know
people were in the samesituation that I would have
never known, or they just lost aloved one, or wow, your
resiliency, you're inspiring me,or how can I help?
So the community was a lifeline, it always has been, and I had
(24:27):
that before he even got sick,which was vital, and I held on
to it even through the pandemic.
I'm still.
I still have my community, I'mstill creating community, so it
is a huge aspect for healing andsupport in my life.
Beverley Glazer (24:44):
What you've also done since David has died
is you've gotten rid of all theclutter, everything around you,
and completely reinvented yourlife, your location, everything.
Now, many women, particularlyolder women, going through what
(25:07):
you've gone through, would neverdo that.
They want to hold on to thememories.
They don't want to changeanything.
They don't even want to scaledown from their homes to an
apartment.
How did you get your headaround letting go?
Caren Paskel (25:25):
Well, david inspired me to think bigger.
I was a smaller thinker because, as going back to my initial,
your initial question, where Iwas talking about being
introverted, so it's just reallyinteresting I was so small to
(25:46):
stay safe.
That's what I thought.
Right, if I'm in this bubble,I'm protected.
So when David came along, hejust he didn't gently like, he
like really, because I didn't, Ithe gentle wouldn't have worked
for me.
He had to put his foot down andjust say you need to go do this
(26:07):
, like.
Or if I was complaining aboutsomething, he'd just be like
stop complaining and go do this.
He was a doer in the sense ofnot like busy, busy, hurry,
worry.
He was just like this is mydream, so I'm going to go take
action to get it and make ithappen and I'm not going to
procrastinate and hesitate.
So I used to just be like Ireally want, you know, to be
(26:29):
this amazing person and to reachmy potential and to live in
Colorado.
But I stayed small because itprotected me.
I wouldn't get hurt, I wouldn'thave to deal with this
uncertainty, the unknown and allthe things right that I have to
now work through, because therewas so much dealing with
David's businesses when he diedwas.
(26:51):
I mean, that took years to dealwith.
And then the house was not eventhe house that we were supposed
to stay in and we were supposedto flip this home.
So I ended up with this huge,huge, massive house with both of
our businesses that we closeddown stored in the house.
So it's taken me well a fullyear just to remove all of that
(27:15):
from my home, layer after layerafter layer, and dealing with
the house and all the problemsthat it had to even put it on
the market and sell it.
Most people would just be likeI'll just stay put, you know,
and but I believe in myself somuch that's really what it is
that I know that I'm worthy ofliving my dreams and I know that
(27:37):
my soul, that's what my souldesires.
So, tapping into that andthinking about always, I think
about what would David say, whatwould David do?
Because when he was with me itwas so much easier to go big
because I had a partner.
So that's what I have to reallyenvision as I meditate on it
(27:58):
and I talk to him all the time.
He gives me signs all the timebecause I'm tuned into it and so
I don't feel alone.
I feel like we're doing thistogether and now even more so, I
really have a desire to liveout my full potential.
For him, to honor his life,because I'm like he had 30 years
here how can I honor those 30years?
(28:19):
He wanted to really change theworld.
How can I honor that?
By being the best version andliving the best life and
inspiring others.
So if I don't move myself,that's the question really how
can I move someone else?
So, making these bigger moves?
I feel empowered to share that.
You can do it too.
If I did this, so scared I'mall alone.
(28:42):
Somehow, some way, I made thismove happen.
I got rid of everything.
I only brought my clothes.
I have nothing so that I couldjust move into a fully furnished
rental, because simplificationit's.
It is easier and more conduciveand enables freedom, and that's
that's the ultimate.
I just want freedom, right, Ithink we all do, and that comes
(29:04):
from within you andunderstanding what you need to
really thrive, and it could be awhole different environment,
and if it is, I encourage you.
It's not going to be easy, butwhen you get there I could cry
because I'm here right, becauseI spoke to you, beverly.
We had our little intro meetingbefore I was here.
So now we're meeting and it'slike that just a few weeks.
(29:27):
And I made it.
And when I step outside and Isee the mountains, I cry,
because this is always a place Iwanted to be.
And I stopped waiting for thepermission and what everyone
thought and wanted of me and Ijust said no, if David was here,
he would say I don't reallycare about what anyone else
(29:49):
wants me to do or thinks we'regoing to do this, because this
is what we know is right for us.
And so that's what I did.
And again, it's about expandingmyself and I felt that where I
was in my environment, I hadoutgrown it, I knew it and I was
stuck, like you were saying.
(30:10):
I felt like I couldn't growfuller and be healthier and
happier.
I never I don't set a bar formy happiness and healthiness.
I threw the bar away.
There's no more bar.
It's just.
Every day there's more room togrow till the end.
If tomorrow's my last day, thenso be it, but today I'm going
to grow, and so that's just.
(30:31):
That's just how I roll now.
Beverley Glazer (30:34):
Erin, you said so much in this short time that
we spoke, but what comes through?
In spite of the pain, there'sno anger.
There's so many women that gothrough this kind of pain, and
then, when they have to get ridof three businesses that they're
left with, et cetera, et cetera.
There is so much stress, somuch anger, but what you have
throughout this whole thread islove, love, love, love, love,
(30:59):
and so what you've done was turnthese difficult times into
blessings.
And how can you encourage otherwomen to do the same?
Caren Paskel (31:09):
Well, I will recommend my book, the Power of
Self-Belief, because it reallyshares the story about how
someone who has that power ofself-belief can inspire yours.
And so, now that I've beeninspired, now I can inspire
someone else's and the story isjust incredible.
But there's a lot of teachingsthat I believe will be very,
(31:31):
very helpful, and one of thepower thoughts in my books is
seeing the blessings that are indisguise.
And so I have been in aposition where I haven't seen
the blessings and in thatposition I am stressed, I am
sorrowful.
There is lack of luster and joyin my life and I decided that's
(31:57):
not how I want to live.
When I choose to see theblessings in life, it's amazing
how many more blessings comefrom that.
And now that's all I see.
Even in the challenge, even inthe chaos, even in the storm, I
always know there's a silverlining.
I'm always grateful becausethere's pairs of opposites and
that challenge I'm going to growfrom, I'm going to learn from,
(32:19):
I'll be guided in some way,shape or form.
I just see life as anopportunity.
Now there is no challenge, it'sjust okay.
What do I have to learn here?
And I'm so thankful for thisopportunity to grow.
So I just made a choice and youknow, I think anybody can,
that's how I mentor my clientsis just to help reframe the
(32:40):
brain, the neuroplasticity, tochange how we look at it,
Because usually people grow upand they're, you know, in lack,
and when you're in lack all thetime you don't see the blessings
.
You're in that scarcity andthat shuts down your reception
and your abundance.
But as soon as you come intothat gratitude, it's like you
(33:02):
start to become grateful forjust everything.
Beverley Glazer (33:06):
Wonderful, thank you.
Thank you so much, karenPaschal.
Karen Paschal is a best-sellingauthor, speaker and founder of
the Karen Paschal Self-EvolutionYouthful Longevity and the
Self-Evolution Education SEEFoundation.
She has dedicated her career toguiding other people towards
(33:30):
holistic transformation,empowerment and self-mastery.
Here are a few takeaways fromthis episode.
First, believe in yourself.
It's the key to overcomingchallenges and creating lasting
change.
Balance set boundaries mind,body and spirit.
(33:51):
This builds for resilience andwhenever life goes up and down
and life's toughest moments,open up opportunities for growth
.
If you've been relating to thisepisode, think of one small
thing that you can do tobrighten up your life.
(34:12):
Perhaps it's writing positiveaffirmations, embracing a hobby,
learning a new skill,practicing yoga and meditation,
just to give yourself somebalance and calm.
For similar episodes onreinventing yourself after grief
and loss, please check outepisode 108 and 121 on aging
(34:33):
with purpose and passion.
And if you've enjoyed thisepisode, you may also like Women
Over 70 Aging Reimagined.
These are stories that shatterthe myth that we become
irrelevant as we age.
That link, by the way, it's inthe show notes too.
So, karen, where can peoplelearn more about you and find
(34:56):
out about your book?
Caren Paskel (34:58):
What are the links ?
Thank you so much.
So you can go to my website,karenpaschalcom.
That pretty much has everythingthere.
You can find my email, get intouch with me.
My book is on Amazon.
It's in bookstores as well thePower of Self-Belief I would
love you to have it and also onFacebook.
I have a wonderful communitywith so many beautiful
(35:20):
opportunities ageless healthtips, youthful longevity
masterclass.
So please find me.
It's called the Community forSelf-Transformation and Beverley
will have the links for you.
And, yeah, I'd love to connectwith anybody who's interested.
Beverley Glazer (35:38):
Yes, if you didn't get those links Caren
said it they will be on my sitetoo.
That's reinventimpossiblecom,and they'll also be in the show
notes right beneath this episode.
And now, my friends, what'snext for you?
Are you going through themotions or are you really
passionate about your life?
(35:59):
Get from stuck to unstoppable.
A free checklist to unlock yourfull potential and that link is
also in the show notes too.
You can connect with me,Beverly Glazer, on all social
media platforms and in mypositive group of women on
Facebook.
That's Women Over 50 Rock.
(36:19):
And if you're looking forguidance in your own life, I
invite you to explorereinventedpossiblecom.
Thank you for listening.
Have you enjoyed thisconversation?
Please drop a review, share itwith a friend and always
remember that you only have onelife, so live it with purpose
(36:41):
and passion.
Speaker 1 (36:49):
Thank you for joining us.
You can connect with Bev on herwebsite, reinventimpossiblecom
and, while you're there, joinour newsletter subscribe so you
don't miss an episode.
Until next time, keep agingwith purpose and passion and
celebrate life.
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