Summary:
In this episode of Pieces of a Woman, DeAnna and Cristie sit down with their dear friend and powerhouse real estate agent, Alicia Holdaway, who did something most people only dream about: she left work, packed two suitcases, and traveled the world with her husband for nearly six months. But this conversation goes far deeper than travel tips. Alicia shares the raw story of how burnout, a son’s mental health crisis, and years of achievement-based identity led her to plan this sabbatical, what it actually cost her financially and emotionally, how her marriage was tested, and who she became on the other side. From Norway’s Lofoten Islands to a coffee shop in Finland where she cried for hours after devastating family news, this is an honest, inspiring, and deeply human story about choosing your life before it chooses for you.
Key Takeaways:
- Introduction to Alicia Holdaway, real estate agent, empty nester, and the woman who actually took the sabbatical most people only dream about
- How the idea was born, not from wanderlust but from burnout, a son’s mental health crisis, and years of chasing external accolades while crumbling inside
- The years of preparation behind the dream, building a referral-based business with systems that could run without her, saving her husband’s salary, and doing couples therapy before they ever left
- What the trip actually looked like: two suitcases, seven outfits, three pairs of shoes, and six countries, including Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Norway, Finland, Sweden, and Copenhagen
- When life interrupted, coming home early after a family member’s terminal diagnosis, the relationship moments that surfaced without the distractions of daily life, and what it revealed about codependency and identity
- Who Alicia is now: a regulated nervous system, a life-first philosophy, a 33-hour work week, and her advice for anyone dreaming of doing something this bold
Resources Mentioned in This Episode:
- Alicia Holdaway, Real Estate Agent
- Alicia Holdaway LinkedIn
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