Years ago, I used to make this divine chocolate bundt cake. Moist, rich, just the right amount of decadence. The finishing touch? A light dusting of powdered sugar. It was a showstopper.

Until I made it as a birthday cake.

Picture it: candles lit, everyone gathered, we sing the song, the birthday person takes a deep breath… and poof. A cloud of powdered sugar erupts like a sugar-scented mushroom cloud, covering the cake, the table, the birthday girl, and most of the guests in a fine white dust.

Lesson learned. The hard way.

No powdered sugar on birthday cakes. Ever again.

It’s funny in hindsight—but in the moment? Total mess. And that’s how most of life’s best lessons come, isn’t it? Not from perfect planning or gentle guidance, but from the oops, the chaos, the cleanup. The “oh no, never again.”

For high-achieving women—especially those who've faced something as life-altering as cancer—this pattern probably feels all too familiar. We like to think we’re smart enough to learn from other people’s mistakes. But so often, it takes the hard lesson—the metaphorical (or literal) sugar—or in the case of cancer, the full-blown shit explosion—to really drive it home.

We ignore the signs. We push past the warnings. We keep overcommitting, under-resting, and telling ourselves we’ll slow down after this week, after this month, after this year.

But what if we didn’t have to wait for the mess to learn?

You already got the “STOP” message from cancer. Did you listen? Or did you run right back into the fire after treatment? Or maybe even during treatment?

What if we could take the lesson without the wreckage? What if, just this once, we could decide we’ve had enough hard ways—and we’re ready for the wise way?

You don’t need another mess to prove you’re strong and capable of cleaning it up.

You’ve already earned your stripes. Now it’s about doing things differently.

If you’re tired of cleaning up after the cake—or the shit—maybe it’s time to try something new.

Something with fewer surprises—and a whole lot more ease.

Enjoy your cake. Just with less clean-up.

And if you’re ready to stop driving yourself into the ground and finally live life on your terms? Let’s talk.

To receive the blog and content like this right to your inbox, click here:

Write to me at [email protected] to let me know what you'd like help with, or book a call:

Click here to book a "From Surviving To Thriving" Breakthrough Call

Thriving Beyond Cancer Facebook Group:

Stress-Free Professionals and Entrepreneurs Facebook Group: