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Sometimes the bravest thing we can do is step back and breathe. After releasing episodes consistently for almost three full years, I found myself at a crossroads when Neliya – my late friend Gina's mother and someone who had become like a second mom to me – entered the hospital with sudden liver failure.

The physical and emotional toll of hospital visits, coupled with the ordinary responsibilities of life, created an extraordinary weight. Neliya's quick decline took about a week before passing peacefully surrounded by her daughter and close friends. This loss reopened the wound of losing my friend Gina years earlier. Losing Neliya meant losing another connection to Gina's memory, another keeper of stories that only she could tell.

During this episode, I share glimpses of Nelia's remarkable life as a Miss Universe runner-up in the 1950s and actress in "The King and I," alongside her marriage to artist Mario Zamparelli. For my fellow overachievers, I offer permission to occasionally set down our self-imposed obligations when life demands space for grief and processing. The podcast serves as a reminder that sometimes, the most productive thing we can do is simply pause.

Join me for this vulnerable conversation about loss, links to our past, and learning when to give ourselves grace. And stay tuned for news about my upcoming guest appearance on another podcast in early August – I can't wait to share that experience with you all. Have you ever struggled to give yourself permission to pause? I'd love to hear your stories of balancing achievement with self-care.