as told by Julia, Growing up in Hong Kong, I helped my mother take her goods to the market to sell. I was only a tiny little girl, but we pushed and pulled heavy boxes using a long rope. During droughts, I had to fetch water from the public well, carrying two full buckets balanced on a bamboo pole across my shoulders. Maybe that’s how I became so strong. As an adult, I never exercised. Then, in 2002, I landed a fabulous job with Emirates Airline in Perth, Australia. The frequ

As told by Daniela, From Florence, Italy, I came to the United States as a tourist in 1967. I lived with a wealthy couple in Atherton. The husband was crippled. Except for shopping and bringing the husband to physical therapy, I was free. I loved California. At one of their dinner parties, I met my husband and became a housewife, as was expected. Then he passed away and I was left with three girls. They were three, four and six years old. With two not even in kindergarten we

as told by Kathie Jim and Kathie I’m 84 now. At age 80 I became a widow. It never occurred to me that love would find me again. Then my good friend Barb died. Barb had been tied at the hip to her husband Jim. I heard he was in deep throes of grief, so I contacted him, though we had never met. His response was short, “Thanks for reaching out.” Some time later, I heard again, “Jim’s not doing well.” I reached out again, “I lost my husband three years ago. Perhaps we could meet

As told by Nikki Lastreto. I come from a fourth generation Italian American family in San Francisco and went to an old-fashioned, all-girls private Catholic school. The nuns were my heroines. I went to mass five times a week and collected statues of saints. The nuns were convinced I was going to be one of them. The head nun had favored me since I was a baby. They were ready for me. But I couldn’t avoid what was going on in the ‘60s. We got the San Francisco Chronicle with

as told by Joe Price The police were at our house every week breaking up fights between my mother and stepfather. Both had issues with drugs and alcohol. When I started high school, my sister, my guardian angel, told me I needed to go live with my dad, a police officer. He lived in Lake Forest, Illinois, a very wealthy community, the Beverly Hills of the Midwest. Starting over! That did give me a thirst to be financially prosperous. My father didn’t really know how to be a

as told by Rachel Radway In 2014, I was director of a global team at a Fortune 500 company in San Francisco and was totally burned out. Brain fog. Chronic pain. Not sleeping. And where had my sense of humor gone? I needed a big change. I wanted to do something special for my 45th birthday. I found a creative/spiritual journey in Peru—a place I’d always wanted to visit. While planning the trip, I realized I didn’t want to come back. I could actually move to Peru. I put my cond

as told by Gee My dad was hours upon hours working. He busted his ass to provide for a wife, four kids, and a house. He built the family trucking business from a couple of trucks to a fleet of about 20. His business didn’t allow him to just clock out at 5 p.m. It also meant he was not there for my football games, my baseball games or the soccer matches. Mom let us know he loved us even though he was not able to be there. And I got it, but still. . . I got married when I turn

As told by Cynthia I was a hair stylist for years doing really well, but then my back began hurting me. I was diagnosed with an autoimmune spinal thing. I quit doing hair with no idea how I was going to make money. All I knew was that standing all day was killing me. I always wanted a restaurant, but when I saw a restaurant rescue show where people were losing millions, I said, “That’s not happening.” One day we were in Napa and saw this guy making breakfast pizzas at a farme

as told by Barbara Leilani swam into my life 33 years ago, 1991. I was 33 and on my honeymoon. My husband, Randy, and I were snorkeling in Maui when we met Leilani and her husband, Andrew. We just hit it off and got to talking for over two hours. When we parted, we exchanged home addresses. I don't remember who sent the first postcard. But from then on, every time we went somewhere, we'd send a postcard sharing personal tidbits. “I’ve come up to Baltimore to see my sister.”

as told by Duffy Jennings “My journalism career was significant. It wasn’t the LA or NY Times, but The Chronicle was the 9th largest...

as told by David Coleman I am 70 and all my money’s gone. If I wasn't smart, I'd be standing at the Wal-Mart door greeting people until I...

as told to Kristin Delaplane & Duffy Jennings Timing is critical when a massive ship arrives within 12 miles of the Golden Gate Bridge....

as told by Jim I became a quadriplegic on a Thanksgiving holiday in a car accident. I was twenty-three. It was rehab for six months and then I moved into my parents’ home in Chicago. It would take a decade for me to feel I was going to be okay and start my road to independence, the end goal being to move out on my own. I started by cathing myself and taking care of my toileting, all of which was quite difficult. Then I asked my parents to go out for an evening. They would go

as told by Rae Oquirrh Dial There's a clear distinction between the moment Brad died and all my following life chapters. I was...

We are so happy to announce our new website- www.startingover.site ! In our dual memoir, a hippie and a yuppie reveal our Starting Over...