Trailblazers’ Stories: not-your-average Blog

Here you’ll find more than 450 full-lenght articles, most 4000 words+, about subjects that would interest people who are navigating huge life changes, challenges and crises and are starting the next chapters in their lives. Most articles feature the story of someone who had to cope with a life-altering crisis. Maybe you’ll find the story of someone who survived the exact same crisis as you are facing? You can use the search function below to find inspiring stories:

Here are the main themes:

1. Retreats – Stress Dissolvers & Direction Finders – The transformative power of retreat experiences for people navigating major life transitions, career pivots, and personal crossroads. Explore how stepping away creates space for clarity, renewal, and intentional next chapters.

2. Horses – Partners in Transformation – How equine-assisted learning can accelerate emotional healing, build self-awareness, and guide stressed professionals toward their next chapter with wisdom that only horses can provide.

3. Navigating Life Changes, Challenges & Crises – Practical strategies and emotional support for weathering life’s storms—from unexpected upheavals to planned transitions. Learn to navigate uncertainty with resilience and emotional adaptability during pivotal life moments.

4. Burnout & Stress Management in Transition – Understanding why life transitions amplify stress and burnout risk. Science-backed approaches to managing acute and chronic stress when you’re already navigating significant personal or professional change.

5. Life Purpose – The Foundation of New Beginnings – Discovering and reconnecting with your deeper purpose during times of change. Explore why clarity of purpose is essential when reinventing your life, career, or identity.

6. Emotional Intelligence, Empathy, Self-Awareness & Mindfulness – Developing the inner resources that make transitions smoother. Cultivate emotional maturity, self-compassion, and mindful practices that support you through life’s most challenging passages.

7. Reinvention and Reconstruction after a Major Life Change – Navigate relationship shifts, empty nests, health scares, career pivots, redundancies, retirement, relocation, professional success without fulfillment, and find clarity for your next chapter.

8. Grief, Loss & Legacy – Honouring what’s been lost while creating meaningful legacy. Process grief from death, relationship endings, or life chapter closures, and discover how loss can transform into purposeful living.

9. Nature, Sustainability & Slow and Solo Travel – Reconnecting with natural rhythms as an antidote to modern overwhelm. Embrace sustainable, intentional living that supports well-being during life transitions and beyond.

10. Writing, Reading & Storytelling – How words heal and transform during major life changes. Explore writing your story, reading for solace and inspiration, book reviews, and storytelling circles as powerful tools for processing transition.

Role Models as Lanterns Through Life Quakes: Finding Stability When Everything Changes

Margaretha Montagu

The most important role models in people's lives, it seems, aren't superstars or household names. They're "everyday" people who quietly set examples for you-coaches, teachers, parents. People about whom you say to yourself, perhaps not even consciously, "I want to...

How do You Answer the Question: Who Am I? Without Saying What You Do

Margaretha Montagu

(Part of the Post-Crisis ReConstruction Protocols series) INTRODUCTION: THE IDENTITY CRISIS NO ONE TALKS ABOUT Who am I? Not the Instagram bio version. Not the résumé bullet points. Not the person people politely applaud at a fundraiser. I mean the...

The “Purpose-Driven Profit” Model

Margaretha Montagu

Building a Business That Makes a Difference #LifeTransitions: Employee2Entrepreneur: Of the whole series, this is my favourite post. I hope it will inspire you too. Introduction Let’s be honest: the word “profit” has had a bit of a PR crisis....

The Return and Revive Option: Building Your Business with a Corporate Safety Net

Margaretha Montagu

#LifeTransition:FromEmployee2Entrepreneur Introduction: The Strategic Value of Maintaining Corporate Connections Ah, the corporate world—a place of stability, predictable paychecks, and the occasional office birthday cake. It's a comfort zone that many successful professionals find hard to leave behind, even when the...

The “Intelligent Risk” Road Map: Navigating Uncertainty with Confidence.

Margaretha Montagu

Introduction Imagine standing at the edge of a cliff, the wind whipping around you, and the vast expanse of the unknown stretching out before your eyes. This is the exhilarating and often terrifying reality of entrepreneurship. The path is fraught...

The “Anti-Retirement” Revolution: Redefining Work and Purpose in Your Next Chapter

Margaretha Montagu

Reinventing Your "Retirement": Purpose-Driven Careers After 60, 70, 80 (and Beyond!) Introduction: the "Anti-Retirement" Revolution Does the notion of "retirement" conjure up images of beige cardigans and endless daytime television, a kind of elegant fade to invisibility? A gold watch,...

The “Second Act” Advantage: Leveraging Your Network and Capital for Exponential Growth

Margaretha Montagu

“In the world of business, it’s not who you know; it’s who knows you.” – Jeffrey Gitomer Introduction There’s something magical about a second act—especially when the lead character already knows the ropes. You’ve been around the block (possibly a...

The Myth of “Perfect Timing”: Why Now Is the Right Time to Launch

Margaretha Montagu

The "Someday" Syndrome and Procrastination Right, let's tackle the inner critic in our potentially entrepreneurial minds: the myth of "perfect timing." You know, that elusive moment in the cosmos when the stars align, the economy hums just right, and your...

The Alchemy of Transition: Turning Your Expertise into Innovative Entrepreneurship

Margaretha Montagu

I'm a physician. I've been blessed with ideas and resources to use technology to make the world a better place. That's what I would like to leave behind. Patrick Soon-Shiong Introduction I recently read a book about the ancient art...

Golden Handcuffs and Gilded Cages: Trading Comfort for Conviction

Margaretha Montagu

Escaping the Illusion of Security to Redefine Success on Your Own Terms #Post-Crisis Reconstruction Protocols Introduction A penthouse suite, the kind where the city lights twinkle like a million tiny, envious eyes. Inside, a gathering of the usual suspects –...

Secure Your Future

Margaretha Montagu

Invest in Yourself I'd like to update my book, "Secure Your Future" - I thought that might be a good idea in the current unpredictable political, economic and well, general climate, so I've compiled a list of suggestions to include...

Can Imposter Syndrome Cause Burnout?

Margaretha Montagu

“What if the very thing that made you successful is also what's driving you to the brink of burnout?” Introduction What if I told you that your relentless drive, your impeccable work ethic, and your ability to power through exhaustion...

A Mentor Can Help You Get Rid of Imposter Syndrome—For Good

Margaretha Montagu

Success Doesn’t Silence Self-Doubt—It Amplifies It “When I won the Oscar, I thought it was a fluke. I thought everybody would find out, and they’d take it back. They’d come to my house, knocking on the door, “Excuse me, we...

Money Talks: A Comedy in 4 Acts

Margaretha Montagu

How a Shift in Perspective Turns Cash into a Catalyst for Change and Connection Introduction: Money—The Frenemy We Can’t Escape Ah, money. That one friend who’s always either making your life easier or dramatically ruining your plans. One day, it’s...

Am I too Old to Start Over?

Margaretha Montagu

Reframing Success in the Second/Third/Fourth Act Jason sat at his desk, staring at the framed photo of his family. The clock on the wall ticked away the seconds, each one echoing loudly in his mind. Thirty years in the corporate...

Why I Wrote “After the Divorce: A Survival Manual for Successful Professionals in Crisis – For Men”

Margaretha Montagu

I have just published After the Divorce - The Ultimate Roadmap to ReConstructing Yourself: For Men. Why did a woman write a book about divorce for men? In this post, I'll tell you. Introduction: Divorce Doesn’t Care About Your Resume...

AI/AI Algorithms and Writers – What You Should Know

Margaretha Montagu

How it all began I sat at my desk, fingers hovering over my keyboard. I had been wrestling with my latest blog post for what felt like an eternity. My mind was a whirlwind of half-baked ideas and thoughts that...

The Rebel’s Guide to Starting Over (After Your Perfect Life Imploded)

Margaretha Montagu

10 Irreverent Ways to Rebuild When “Resilience” Feels Like a meaningless Buzzword Anna: Rebellious, and relentlessly hopeful Anna sat at her kitchen table, staring at her untouched cup of tea. The morning light filtered through the window, casting soft shadows...

Finding My Footing: Leaving Political Uncertainty Behind

Margaretha Montagu

A French Escape from Life's Uncertainties Posted March 18, 2025 I'm sitting on a weathered stone bench in the garden of this ridiculously charming cottage, watching the afternoon sun cast long shadows across the countryside. Five days in Gascony in...

In a Changing World, those who Innovate Thrive

Margaretha Montagu

In a world that’s rewriting itself in real-time, there’s never been a better moment to ditch the script and design a life that fits who you are now. There’s a moment in every good disaster movie when the main character...

Breaking the Rules: Why Now Is the Perfect Time to Do Things Differently

Margaretha Montagu

Chaos as the Ultimate Muse Let’s face it: Between economic plot twists, climate curveballs, and the ever-looming “AI will steal your job” headlines, uncertainty has become our collective roommate. And let’s just say, it’s not great at doing the dishes....

Calm in the Eye of the Storm: Cultivating Inner Peace in a World Gone Mad

Margaretha Montagu

The secret to staying calm when everything else is falling apart. The world right now feels like someone handed the steering wheel to a caffeinated squirrel. Political tension? Check. Economic turmoil? Double check. Environmental disasters, AI meltdowns, conspiracy theories, inflation,...

Decision Fatigue Is Disastrous during Life Transitions: Protect Your Mental Energy When It Matters Most

Margaretha Montagu

How to Think Clearly When Everything Feels Unclear Introduction Why your brain has decision fatigue—and how to fix it. In a world where even deciding whether to stockpile pasta feels like a monumental life choice, our brains are screaming for...

The Ten Terrifying (Yet Terribly Common) Stages of Life Transitions, Chanlenges and Crises

Margaretha Montagu

Survivor's Guide Life transitions are not linear but nonlinear, and highly individualised. They involve both external changes and internal psychological adjustments. Effective navigation often requires resilience, adaptability, social support, and reflective practices to integrate new identities or roles successfully. Currently,...

Decision Fatigue and Its Far-reaching Consequences

Margaretha Montagu

How to Think Clearly When Your Brain Feels Foggy Why your brain is tired—and how to fix it. Let’s be honest: in a world where even deciding whether to stockpile pasta feels like a sensible life choice, our brains are...

Friendship in Times of Turmoil

Margaretha Montagu

Sustain Your Support System Because no one should try to navigate chaos without snacks and someone who gets your memes. If there’s one thing the last few years have taught us, it’s that life is unpredictable. Political unrest? Check.Economic uncertainty?...

The Great Unplugging: Intentionally, Strategically, and Unapologetically

Margaretha Montagu

Surviving a 24/7 news cycle without losing your mind. Let’s be honest: if the world gets any more chaotic, I may have to take up knitting just to feel like something is still holding together. Every time you open your...

Walking out of the Maze of Uncertainty

Margaretha Montagu

Discover how walking can help you process uncertainty and reveal the next version of you. You know the phase:You’re standing at some metaphorical crossroads (or actual kitchen counter), half-seriously asking your cat if you should quit your job, end your...

Why Holding On Is Overrated: The Secret Power of Letting Go

Margaretha Montagu

If your old plans don’t fit this new world, it’s time to upgrade. Let me say the quiet part out loud:Some of the stuff you’re still gripping onto for dear life?It’s not working anymore. Your five-year plan written in 2019?...

Reinventing Yourself in the Midst of Chaos: The Art of the Pivot

Margaretha Montagu

When life throws you lemons, start a lemonade (or limoncello 😏) empire. Let’s be honest: the world’s current vibe is less “easy breezy” and more “what fresh hell is this?” Between political circus acts, economic mood swings that rival a...

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