For Laurie James, giving birth to four daughters in five years called for necessary life changes. Leaving her career as a recruiter, she took on the role of a full-time mom. “My third pregnancy were a set of identical twin girls,” she says, “so that was a pretty big shock to the system.” An even bigger shock came when her mother developed dementia. This meant Laurie now found herself raising four children while also managing her mother’s care. “I became one of the first people in my friend group to enter into the Sandwich Generation.” The Sandwich Generation, Laurie says, is described as having at least one child you are supporting and at least one parent that’s over the age of 65. Her attention diverted, Laurie also found her marriage struggling. Turning to therapy and yoga for support, she was inspired when an acquaintance suggested she write a book. Laurie James talks to CoveyClub founder, Lesley Jane Seymour about how she poured her struggles, her accomplishments, and her lessons along the way into Sandwiched: A Memoir of Holding On and Letting Go. The book chronicles her personal journey through the sandwich generation while also revealing many of the dangerous flaws within the caregiving industry. As a result of writing the book, Laurie found new strength in the power of writing and reflection. “Find that time to reflect,” Laurie advises us, “because that’s where our growth happens.”
FREE GIFT! Don’t start your reinvention without downloading CoveyClub’s starter guide called “31 Badass Tips for Launching Your Reinvention Without Fear!”
#144 Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder atAge 31 (Sarah Nannery)
#143 From PR to Tony-Nominated Broadway Producer (Robin Gorman)
#142 From Acting to Making Wishes Come True (Alexa Fischer)
#141 Sometimes You Have to Make Sacrifices to Start a New Dream (Tammi Leader Fuller)
#140 The Power of Uber-Positive Thinking (Ashley Miles)
#139 Going from Invisible to Visible When Taking Over the Family Business (Azra Khalfan-Kermali)
#138 From Women’s Rights to Animal Rights (Tharaka Sriram)
#137 Finding a Lucrative Hole in the Dying Journalism Market (Tharaka Sriram)
#136 Grabbing Coffee with Strangers on LinkedIn ‘till She Found Her Bliss (Kate Isler)
#135 Using Generosity and Altruism to Transform the World’s Health (Danielle Butin)
134 Reinventing the Way the World Thinks About Imperfect (Emily Rapp Black)
#133 When Trying CBD is Your Aha Moment (Kerrigan Behrens)
#132 It Gets Greater Later (Bevy Smith)
#131 Breaking Down So You Can Break Through (Laila Tarraf)
#130 When Getting Laid Off is the Biggest Shock of Your Life (Linda Fears)
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#128 From Lawyer to Walking Guru (Joyce Shulman)
#127: Rebecca Moses (Pivoting in a pandemic from fashion designer to covid community builder)
#126: Dara Kurtz (When letting go of grief lets you move on)
#125: Leisa Peterson (Using spirituality to reinvent your relationship to money)
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