Somewhere Over the Rainbow: Finding Peace in the Midst of Challenge

Is anyone else feeling challenged today?

Life feels heavy sometimes. For many of us… that time is now

Maybe you’re under the weight of life circumstances—financial headwinds, caregiving responsibilities, an ongoing health challenge of a loved one. Or perhaps it’s the heaviness of geo-political storms, climate-related disasters, or simply the relentless pace of a busy schedule. That sense of holding space between too much and too little.

Or maybe, just maybe... it’s all of the above?

Judy Garland’s rendition of Somewhere Over the Rainbow is playing in my head this morning. For much of my life, I’ve been searching for that elusive Pot of Gold. I held onto the belief that once I get there, then I’ll be happy. Sound familiar?

But somewhere along the way—somewhere in mid-life—I got curious about what “over the rainbow” really meant. As I witnessed the aging of my parents, the loneliness of widows, and the rise of grey divorce all around me, I began to wonder if that happy place was even real... or reachable. A quiet dread began to rise. Was the dream just an illusion?

It would’ve been easy to spiral into helplessness. Even then, a quiet voice reminded me: There has to be more than this.

Like most people, I thought my heavy feelings—discontent, discouragement, sadness, even hostility—were caused by my circumstances. The increasing demands, the negative energy around me. And so, to save myself, I believed I needed to change my circumstances. That was the way to peace. That was the road to my Pot of Gold.

And so the adventure began—getting curious and charting a new course toward hope and possibility. A future where “somewhere over the rainbow” isn’t just a dream, but a lived experience. A place of peace and calm. A lightness of spirit. A life where needs are met, desires fulfilled—not someday, but woven into the fabric of daily living.

And then… something funny happened.

As I shifted my focus from what was disturbing to what could be liberating, teachers began appearing. Mentors. Guides. Voices with new perspectives and fresh paradigms for transformative change.

Viktor Frankl. Esther Hicks. George Kinder. Richard Rohr. Eckhart Tolle. Albert Einstein. Pema Chödrön. Byron Katie. Michael Singer. Caroline Myss. Rob Bell. Arthur Brooks. Brooke Castillo. Rhys Thomas. Jim Dethmer. Shirzad Chamine. Sam Horn. Due Quach. Alison Armstrong. Amanda Blake. Stacey Boehman.

Each one pointing to a higher view. A greater wisdom. A deeper knowing of our innate power—our capacity to choose, to create, to elevate our lives. Not someday. But today.

They helped me understand that we are not just at the mercy of our circumstances. We are wired with the power to choose new perspectives—ones that are calming, energizing, hopeful. That Pot of Gold energy? It’s available now. Even in the midst of hardship. Even when life feels like it’s spinning out of control.

So here I am this Sunday morning, my nervous system’s threat response quietly flaring—and I pause. I remember what my mentors taught me:

I am so much bigger than this moment in time.
My power can be cultivated.
My capacity can grow.
And my happiness… is still mine to choose.

Somewhere over the rainbow isn’t out there—it’s here. Right now. I get to be in charge of the peace, the calm, and the gold. It’s mine to mine. I get to dig deep and shape the paradigms that allow me to have what I most long for. Even in the chaos. Even through the challenge.

Because it’s all available—in this very moment.

It’s the stuff of quantum physics, the matrix, infinite reality.
And it’s what’s mine to do.
Today. Tomorrow. One day at a time.

If you're navigating a season of change and want to feel more calm, capable, and connected to your purpose—let’s talk.

I offer support for women ready to grow through what they’re going through.