Hidden Gems: Meet Cindy Holt of Life Coaching

Today we’d like to introduce you to Cindy Holt.

Hi Cindy, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
There’s a part of my story I don’t often share, but it matters here…
Even though I’ve spent over three decades guiding teams, clients, and individuals, helping hundreds make wise, empowered choices in both business and life…

There was a time when I couldn’t even see a path forward for myself.

From the outside, my life looked stable. But everything changed in 2008 when my husband was diagnosed with Huntington’s Disease and the symptoms began to show. I remember sitting alone in my car after cheerleading carpool heart pounding, hands shaking, tears streaming down my face terrified of what would happen next. I was having the first of many panic attacks. I was married to someone I had loved since I was 15… but now I knew we would never grow old together.

My mind began to race: How was I going to pay for everything? Raise three girls? Work full-time? How would I know how to take care of him? What systems would support us, if any? The future was so uncertain I went into survival mode. Most days felt like crawling out of a pit of mud with no rope while the sides kept caving in. In the darkness, I clung to the hope that maybe, just maybe, the best was yet to come.

That breakdown moment in the car became my wake-up call. I realized I was the only parent my girls truly had, and I needed to be there for them in more ways than the typical parent would be. I had to be both mom and dad, friend and mentor. I was terrified, but that’s when things began to shift.

I started making healthier choices by exercising more, choosing healthier food options and focusing on being the best mother I could be. While I’ve always had The Lord in my life, I doubled down on prayer, A LOT of prayer to which I found an unwavering strength through God. My parents were my rocks by watching the kids and helping with their activities. The Divine connection, small practical changes, and family support helped me put one foot in front of the other and start reclaiming my life.

Even though there was support, I was numb, surviving more than living. After my husband and I divorced, and he chose to move into a nursing home, I had to navigate systems I never thought I’d face: Medicare, Social Security, divorce, single parenting…

In time as the fear turned into calm I started noticing small signs that life was changing: the bills were getting paid without panic, laughter was returning to our home, and the girls were growing into strong young women. I wasn’t just surviving anymore … I was rebuilding. I became financially independent, my kids began graduating high school and college, life started to stabilize, and for the first time in years, I could finally breathe again.

As an empty nester, I began to find things that I enjoyed out of life. At 46, I opened my heart to love again and met my soulmate. He reminded me how to live, to love, to take risks and to dream again.

I’m still my ex-husband’s caregiver, overseeing his well being with love and dignity… but I’m no longer drowning. I’ve discovered who I am and through coaching I’ve found my passion: helping other women rise from their own survival stories, remember their strength, and work towards their dreams.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not been a smooth road. I lost friends, my church, a husband, kids were leaving for college, it was a very difficult time. I felt a lot of guilt and shame for things that were out of my hands. Many friends didn’t know how to handle our situation so they pulled away. I kept a lot of my struggles to myself, because I felt no one cared. I felt very alone. While my parents were huge supporters, they didn’t know what it was like to live with someone so ill who needed care 24 hours a day; the struggles, the frustration, the anger and resentment. I worried about him choking or falling or driving. In my 30’s I learned how to navigate social security, divorce, Medicare, nursing care, neurology appointments all while coaching my youngest daughters cheer squad, working full time as well as making sure my other two daughters were taken care of. I was alone in a big world, newly single for the first time since I was 16. I was flying by the seat of my pants not knowing which direction to go. I know I made mistakes along the way, but I learned from them and kept moving forward.

As you know, we’re big fans of Life Coaching. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
I bring 30 years of professional leadership, team facilitation, and athletic coaching to the table. But my deepest credentials were earned in the trenches of my own life. Having navigated the transition from decades of traumatic caregiving and survival mode, to becoming a financially independent, vibrant architect of my dream life. Now I work with high-achieving divorced women who feel shame, sadness, overwhelm and are disconnected from who they truly are, confidently rebuild their identity and make aligned decisions to live their best life.

Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
The most important lesson I’ve learned is to be vulnerable. The uncomfortable helps us grow and be stronger. Being vulnerable helps others relax and open up about their struggles which is when the magic happens.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://cindyholtcoaching.com
• Instagram: lovemy3grls
• Facebook: Cindy Paul Holt