The End of My Unexpected \"Eat, Pray, Love\" Solo Season

It was the strangest feeling at first. But there is a unique kind of grace in knowing a situation is temporary - it gives you permission to lean into it completely.

I began by sleeping. When you do not share a house with anyone (but a snuggly Italian Greyhound), the quiet is absolute. I slept to recover from the exhaustion of my past agency years, and a female narcissist. I slept to reset my nervous system. And when I finally woke up feeling like myself again, I started rearranging the apartment to fit my new routines. I reorganized the cupboards. I changed the flow of my days. I made the space entirely my own.

Then, Sid and I took up walking. What started as simple strolls turned into our "live Florence walks", which quickly became the very essence of my life here. Without intent, our routes got longer and longer, until we were suddenly clocking 10 kilometers a day. It became a loved need - a daily routine that anchored both my body and my mind.

I also realized that living in Italy is very different from vacationing in Italy. To thrive here long-term, I had to change how I fueled myself. I went back to a keto lifestyle. Italy is a culinary masterpiece, and learning to safely navigate past the delicious scent of slow-cooked food and freshly baked pastries to focus on the incredible, fresh local keto food became its own kind of art form. Enjoying by looking and smelling, knowing that during my husband's vacations here I could indulge in it all.

Today, eight months later, I have lost 10 kilos (22 lbs) and gained a tremendous amount of muscle and energy. It feels like a new me at the age of 57, what a surprise. During this quiet time, I finally off-boarded some more agency clients, keeping only a few, and gave the Midlife in Italy project the space to become a reality. I built the systems. I found my voice. I proved to myself that the Handbag Office works exactly as I designed it to. And because my business is fully portable, I had the freedom to fly home to Sweden for Christmas when tickets were at their absolute lowest, returning in early January to continue my work.

Now, the rhythm is about to shift again.

I am so looking forward to spending these next few weeks with Emma. Then, in mid-June, Sid and I will board a flight to Sweden. We will leave the heavy Florentine summer heat behind to enjoy a fresh Scandinavian "coolcation" - oceans of wild summer flowers, crisp mountain air, the cool arctic lake, properly brewed Swedish morning coffee on the porch and, most importantly, time with my beloved husband, son and dear ones, celebrating Midsummer.

I will be coming back to this attic in late August for yet another season. But this time, I will not be a solo resident. I will be returning as a roommate to my 26-year-old daughter.

That is the true beauty of this digital foundation. It does not lock you into one place, one identity, or one season. It simply gives you the freedom to choose how you want to experience the next one.

If you are wondering if it is too late to build this kind of autonomy, let me share the math that changed my perspective:

• The e-learning and online knowledge industry is projected to reach $1 trillion by 2028.

• The market for women traveling solo is expected to pass $118 billion by 2033.

• And perhaps the most powerful metric of all - women around the age of 50 are now the fastest-growing demographic of new entrepreneurs, with twice the success rate of average founders.

You are right on time.

If you want to see how I built the digital systems that run in the background of this Italian life and solo seasons, you have two ways in:

1️⃣ Find your next chapter in Seven Days and get my free "But How?" toolbox here ›› Seven Days to Find Your Next Chapter here →

2️⃣ Download my free Digital Renaissance Blueprint. It is the exact framework I use to power my Handbag Office, step by step, find it here The Digital Renaissance Blueprint →

With love from Florence,

Pernilla

Midlife in Italy 🍋