Turning 40: The Grit, The Grace, The Growth

Turning 40: The Grit, The Grace, The Growth

Turning 40 is a milestone for anyone. A moment that invites reflection on where we’ve been and where we’re headed. Celebrating the fact that you have had the opportunity to make it this far. For me, this birthday isn’t just about the usual “midlife” musings. It’s a marker of survival, transformation, and a new beginning shaped by a journey far more challenging than expected, as I approached my 30th birthday, 10 years ago. 

18 Years in Education: The Foundation

For nearly two decades, education was my world. Eighteen years of dedication to teaching, mentoring, and guiding young minds. It wasn’t just a career; it was a passion that defined me, it was my identity. Through the highs and lows of classrooms, late night lesson planning,  IEP writing and school communities, I learned patience, perseverance, and the power of connection. I thought for sure I would retire after 30 years in this career. 

But life had other plans.

This September will be the first time in my life, I will not be involved in education in one form or another. No entering classrooms with fresh beginning of the year decor. And I am okay with that!

22 Months on Dialysis: Facing the Unknown End

For those new here… a sudden turn in my health, right at my 30th birthday, led me to very unexpected dialysis. It was a long 22 months, tethered to a nightly machine for up to 13 hours at a time, that sustained my life but challenged my spirit every day. The routines, the limitations, and the constant reminders of fragility through multiple hospital admittances tested my resilience. Yet, those months also deepened my appreciation for every moment of strength and clarity I could find, in keeping life as ‘normal’ as possible and making memories in the moment. 

Kidney (Post) Transplant Life : A Battle Within

Receiving a kidney transplant should have been the turning point toward normalcy, but complications followed and the life of 'post-transplant,' that is not talked a lot about after the gift is received. No two days are the same. For the seven years following transplant, there were some years filled with chronic fatigue and others that made dialysis seem like it was only a bad dream. Having hope tattooed on my wrist, is a daily reminder that no matter the situation, there is always hope.

Cancer from Anti-Rejection Meds: The Unexpected Fight

Then came the 2024 bingo square none of us saw coming…the C word. A cancer diagnosis, a consequence of the very medications (anti-rejections) meant to keep me alive. Suddenly, my fight extended beyond the world of kidneys and transplant to facing lymphoma, a rare and aggressive form, only happening in 3% of kidney transplant patients and usually within their first 7 years of transplant. My symptoms and lab work showed something was up in October, the month of my 7th year kidney transplant anniversary, with the news hitting the afternoon before Thanksgiving. The chemotherapy, the fatigue, the uncertainty...this was a battle on a new front, demanding every ounce of grit and grace I could muster. Knowing from the start, feeling a unique peace, that all would be okay and I could only navigate what was in my control. I could not control that I had cancer, but I was not going to let it control me. 

Where I Am Today: Strength, Purpose, and Renewal

Now, as I turn 40, I stand at a crossroads shaped by survival and transformation. My journey through education, illness, and healing has given me a profound perspective on what matters: resilience, authenticity, and the courage to start fresh.

I’ve traded the traditional path for one of purpose-driven entrepreneurship, helping others simplify and thrive in their own ventures through my business, Simplicity with Sarah Holtz. My story fuels my passion to guide others through complexity and challenge, proving that even the toughest battles can lead to new beginnings.

Why I Share My Story

I absolutely don’t share this journey for sympathy (and don’t like the light of attention centered on me) but do so to give hope to others. To remind anyone facing hardship that they are not alone and they have the grit to get through it all. That life’s toughest chapters can be the foundation for our most meaningful stories. Turning 40 isn’t just about age or a new decade, it’s about the courage to keep moving forward, no matter what and be reminded how lucky we are to have made it this far. 

So here’s to the grit, the grace, and the growth. To 40 and beyond.