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Deals that look done can vanish overnight, and the silence that follows can rattle your confidence. I share the unvarnished story of trying to sell my retail store three times, paying for fresh legal packs and profit and loss statements, and being ghosted at the death knock. When the numbers stopped making sense and the joy had already left the building, I chose to close, carry the lease, and fight for a transfer. After false starts and corporate landlord hurdles, a Pilates studio finally took over — and the relief was immediate.

Behind the spreadsheets sat something bigger: an identity unspooling. I’d been the buyer and merchant for years, certain on the shop floor and quick on decisions. Letting go pulled me into a midlife reset shaped by sobriety, changing values, and the need to feel rather than outrun grief. That’s where burnout crept in. I had joined masterminds — some genuinely supportive — but also found myself in rooms selling bro marketing shortcuts and “10k months” timelines. The highlights praised wins from people in different markets, and I slipped into comparison, doubled down on perfectionism, and worked harder without gaining traction.

I dig into what helped me step out of that spiral: filtering advice by business model, capacity, and season; choosing fewer, better actions; and redefining success beyond other people’s dashboards. I’ve shifted my creative focus to Instagram at Sparkle underscore sisterhood, back to community, play, and content that exists because it’s fun. Interviews are on the horizon via Instagram Live, a calm fit for my current bandwidth. If you’re navigating small business pressure, rising rents, and the myth of instant growth, this story offers practical relief and a reminder that closing a chapter can be a strategic win, not a loss.

If the journey resonates, follow along, share this with a friend who needs the sanity check, and hit follow or subscribe. Your reviews and messages keep this space real — what hard choice are you glad you made?