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.
Learn More About Alicia Holdaway:
You’ve heard the story before, right!? The grueling challenges of the Himalayan Mountains, consisting of years of preparation, physical beating and mental exhaustion one takes on to have the incredible honor of joining the small group of Humans to have ever made it to the peak of Mt. Everest. And although there may only be time for just a moment of absolute elation atop Mount Everest to celebrate, the truly life-changing sense of accomplishment one gains by making this climb can change the course of one’s entire life and legacy. None of which could ever be accomplished without the experienced guidance of a Sherpa. Sherpa’s are the quintessential necessity through this journey as they know the terrain, what pitfalls to watch out for and which routes to take.
To those going through the life-event of buying and/or selling a home, it may just feel like a climb up the Himalayan’s at times. While your body may not take the same beating, it certainly is no small feat and can absolutely change the trajectory of your legacy. There are often months of preparation that goes in to preparing your home for sale and financially preparing to purchase a home. This is where Alicia Holdaway, your very own “Sherpa Guide' comes in. Alicia is passionate about changing the real estate experience for her clients. Buying and selling your home is not merely a transaction of checklists to be completed, it is a life event and one that deserves to be handled with care. Just as you wouldn’t dream of climbing Mt. Everest without a Sherpa helping you prepare for and guiding you through your journey, she hopes you never take this real estate climb without her guidance and care.
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:
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