She Quit at 47, Chose Herself, and Built a Life She Loves

What does it look like to walk away from a nearly decade-long career — no backup plan, no degree, just a gut feeling that something had to change? For Sarah Magnoni, it looked like burnout, a text sent on a Saturday morning, six months of napping, and eventually... a sold-out trip to France in 18 hours.Sarah is the founder of Cobblestones and Castles, which runs small-group trips to Europe for women — curated around historical feminism, literary icons, and the kind of immersive travel that changes how you see yourself. In this conversation, we talk about the long, slow drain of doing everything right on the outside while running on empty inside, and what it actually took to choose differently.In this episode:Why burnout can look like "having it all" — and what finally made Sarah actThe golden handcuff feeling, and how she moved through itHow a healing journey into intuition and self-love became the foundation for a businessWhat makes women-only group travel so different — and why it mattersThe trips she has scheduled in 2026 (there are still spots!)Her answer to what "choosing yourself" really meansAbout Sarah: Sarah Magnoni is a travel advisor and writer who creates small-group women's trips across Europe. Her immersive journeys blend historical feminism, literature, and culture. After a career in leadership development, she began coaching women — and it was that career change that led to hosting retreats and ultimately founding Cobblestones and Castles. Sarah is a pilot wife, mom to 4 amazing adults and 2 furbabies, and Mimi to 3.Connect with Sarah:https://www.cobblestonesandcastles.com/Facebook Community: The Cobblestone CollectiveInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/cobblestonesandcastles/Resources mentioned:Mary Magdalene Revealed by Megan WattersonHow to Kill a Witch by Claire Mitchell, Zoë Venditozzi (featured on the Scotland trip)Ready to stop waiting for your own life to begin? Done Waiting is a 14-day audio course designed to help you finally take the leap — on your own terms. https://stan.store/eimearzone/p/done-waiting-Share Your ThoughtsCONNECT WITH EIMEAR Free Resources and More: https://stan.store/eimearzoneExplore Working With Eimear: Book a Call: https://eimearzone.as.me/breakthrough📱 Instagram: @eimearzonecoach 💻 Website: eimearzone.com 📧 Email: [email protected] Subscribe to Girl, Choose Yourself on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. © 2026 Eimear Zone Coaching. All rights reserved.