The New Unstoppable 50+ Woman All Trending Articles Second Act 06/20/202206/23/2022 Share on Facebook Share Share on TwitterTweet Share on Pinterest Share Share on LinkedIn Share Send email Mail Print Print Views: 2,205 by Leslie Farin Table of Contents “The person I thought I was turned out to be just a character I played to be accepted.”“I felt unloved and unlovable”“I didn’t know who I was”Healing and next stepsWhat Now “The person I thought I was turned out to be just a character I played to be accepted.” Lana McAra, the host of the Awake TV show called, “Now It’s My Turn! Where the 50+ Woman Awakens her Spark and En-Joys her Life.”, is everything you might envision in a talk show host. She embodies confidence, authenticity and a sincere warmth. These qualities, though now so much a part of her persona, were not fully realized until well into adulthood. Lana was, in her words, “a very different person during her first 50 years”. “I felt unloved and unlovable” The oldest of five children, Lana’s mother expected her to care for the house, her siblings, and an elderly disabled relative living with the family who was a known pedaphile, starting at age six. Her father left when she was young, and when Lana was 13 her mother married a man who controlled the family with threats of violence. To gain approval and avoid negative consequences, she became a massive overachiever in all areas of her life. She lived in a hypervigilent state, always on the lookout for hidden dangers, both real and presumed. Lana found safety and solace in an independent Baptist church as a teen, but continued her quest for perfection and validation. She finally left her abusive and dysfunctional family behind at age 18, putting herself through college out of state. After she graduated with a degree in education, Lana married a minister she knew would provide her with a secure and stable life. In return, Lana partnered with him to grow a vibrant congregation. Together they became missionaries in the jungles of the Caribbean, where Lana raised and home-schooled their seven children for many years until they returned to the U.S. As a result of her difficult childhood, Lana was a resilient, resourceful and tenacious individual. These characteristics helped her juggle her large family and the church, in addition to her job as a writer. She became an award winning, best-selling author, publishing 18 books during her marriage. “I didn’t know who I was” Lana played the role of the minister’s wife very well for three decades. Her husband was a beloved minister who served his congregation well, but had little, if any, energy left for family. He was emotionally unavailable and too tired to help with the house or the kids.To the outside world, Lana’s life was enviable, but it was a facade. She was lonely and depressed, especially after the children left home. The constant pressure to compromise who she was to keep everyone else happy exhausted her. It all became too much. Lana finally left him with a grand total of $200 in her pocket and no idea what the future might hold. She was, however, determined to start a new life, one where she felt comfortable to be her authentic self. The divorce turned out to be devastating. The church frowned upon marital break-ups and Lana’s friends did not support her. Most of her children sided with her husband who they viewed as a victim. Lana lost her community and her family, but held her head high and continued to move forward. To protect her children, she did not verbalize her reasons for leaving, hoping they would eventually understand her decision. Healing and next steps It took a good number of years and a lot of hard work to heal, but Lana was strong. Hypnotherapy helped, so much so she became certified as a clinical hypnotherapist to help others. To support herself during this time, Lana started a small marketing business. In 2015, she met a women at a networking conference in Las Vegas who introduced herself as an agent for ghost writers. This chance meeting changed her life. Lana found she had a gift for capturing the voice of her clients. This new opportunity led to others, including inspirational speaking engagements around the world and a radio show. What Now Lana’s life experiences fueled a passion to help other 50+ women to live authentic, productive and happy lives. She helps heal others with her Gentle Flow Technique–a combination of brain science and energy healing. Lana’s positive energy is contagious, as is her unshakable belief that a woman’s second act can be the best years of her life. On a personal note, Lana reconciled with her children and is living the life she always wanted. Life is good. Contact Lana originally posted 11/10/2019 updated 6/20/2022 Share this:PrintFacebookLinkedInTwitterPinterestEmail Related Share on Facebook Share Share on TwitterTweet Share on Pinterest Share Share on LinkedIn Share Send email Mail Print Print