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 con

as told by Gee Sylvestri 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 w

As told by Cynthia Conti Chabre. I was a hair stylist for years doing really well, but then my back began hurting me. I was diagnosed...

as told by Barbara Scholer Brown. Leilani swam into my life 33 years ago, 1991. I was 33 and on my honeymoon. My husband, Randy, and I...

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 Rimac I became a quadriplegic on a Thanksgiving holiday in a car accident. I was twenty-three. It was rehab for six months...

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...