Starting Again in Your 30s: When The Life You Planned No Longer Fits

In this episode, I sit down with Tez, a Vietnamese-Australian optometrist, eldest daughter of immigrant parents, and someone who has rebuilt her life more than once.We talk about what it really feels like to “start again” in your 30s, not from a place of failure, but from a deep knowing that the life you were living was no longer true to who you are.Tez shares the story of ending her engagement, navigating cultural and family expectations, building a business from scratch, and ultimately choosing to let it all go when it no longer aligned. We explore what happens when self-trust breaks, how to rebuild it slowly, and how to recognise the difference between staying because you’re scared to leave… or leaving because you’re finally ready to choose yourself.This is a conversation about the quiet turning points.The ones no one applauds.The ones that change everything.If you’ve ever felt like you’re “supposed” to have it all figured out by now or that you’ve built a life that looks right from the outside but doesn’t feel right on the inside, this one will meet you exactly where you are.Connect with Tez: @teatalkswithtez @eyelaboptometristWant the quick takeaways?Read the blog post for a full breakdown of the episode. https://podcast.trueformpodcast.com/blog🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube or wherever you listen to your podcasts. Watch me on YouTubehttps://youtu.be/3CNb3cdaJDQ Support the showWant to put what you just heard into practice? I've distilled the biggest lessons from 287 episodes into a free guide, 9 strategies to boost your performance without working overtime. No fluff, no gimmicks. Just the fundamentals that actually work. Grab it at https://www.trueformpodcast.com/true-form-guide Take the first step toward better recovery and overall health with Lumaflex.Use code TRUEFORM for 10% off:https://lumaflex.com.au/TRUEFORM Most people don't struggle because they lack motivation. They struggle because they've been given the wrong approach, too much focus on extremes, not enough on sustainability.True Form Coaching is different.This isn't a generic program. It's personal coaching built around you, your schedule, your goals, your life. Together, we work across three areas that drive real, lasting change:Mind - how you think, focus, and manage stressBody - how you train, move, and fuel yourselfIdentity - who you become through the processhttps://www.trueformpodcast.com/about