Three years ago, I experienced a dramatic wake-up call — one of the most devastating events of my life. 

I rarely talk about it publicly. It was too painful. The shame and embarrassment kept me quiet, hesitant to share the whole story.

Many of you know that I took a sabbatical in 2022. You may have also heard from me that in the same year, my seven-year relationship ended, and I stepped back from career opportunities to focus on healing.

What I haven’t often shared is the deeper loss behind it all: a cyber theft that wiped out more than half of my savings. 

At the time, I was traveling in the Czech Republic. Last I looked, I had a large sum of money in a targeted investment account — more than enough to buy a home. 

On June 4th, when I tried to log in — nothing. It was gone.

Fear. Shock. Betrayal. Anxiety. 

A full body jolt with long-standing reverberations. 

I had carefully researched the investment, and I thought I was being cautious.

I initially planned to keep the money in for one year, max.

But I let myself be swayed — by convincing voices, by the lure of big returns, by a hopeful fantasy of more wealth.

I even had a dream that warned me to withdraw the initial investment and my significant gains… and I ignored it.

When I realized that the account had been hacked, the surge of adrenaline, the pounding heart, the disbelief — it’s hard to describe. 

And yet, in that massive overwhelm and rush of remorse, something opened.

Something cracked. 

Something sacred poured over me. 

That loss catapulted me into truth.

It called me home to my Soul. 

A Soul Reckoning

I had to get radically honest with myself:

Who am I without the money I’d lost, without a current career focus, without a home? 

What do I hold most sacred in life? 

What do I truly want? 

I realized I didn’t want the sabbatical travels and studies — more workshops, airports, and group dynamics.

I didn’t want to chase expansion.

I wanted to land. 

I wanted home, nature, and real rest. 

I wanted to end a relationship that was not aligned with my vision.

I wanted to create, serve, and share my gifts.

And somehow, that massive financial loss became a soul reconciliation — a cosmic course correction. 

It led me to fierce truth. To clarity. 

It asked me to let go of old identities and trust in something deeper.

It asked me to grieve — and to rise.

I’m still grieving. And I’m still rising. 

A Life Aligned

Three years later, I am living a life that feels aligned.

I’m in a beautiful partnership with my beloved husband, Gavin.

We own an exquisite home in Mt. Shasta and are diligently doing the work we love.

And I’m deeply grateful — for the humility, the compassion, and the unwavering devotion to live with love and truth in equal measure.

For Those Walking Their Own Road

I’m sharing this part of my story today to celebrate my healing and coming clean with all of you. I hope it inspires you when a significant loss, challenge, or heartache arises.

We can consciously let these life-changing events teach, soften, and grow us. 

Thank you for being part of my community.

Thank you for walking this road with me

With love and truth,

Joy 

P.S. I’d love to hear from you — when have you let the ‘worst thing’ become the ‘best thing?’