Turning 50 and Counting What Truly Matters: Connection, Community, and Chosen Family

There’s something about a milestone birthday that invites reflection. Turning 50 last month gave me the chance to pause, look around, and really take in the people who have shaped my life, both personally and professionally. And what stood out most? The depth of connection that has come from this business.

Real estate is often described as transactional… but for those of us who truly care, it becomes anything but.

Over the past few weeks, I had the opportunity to celebrate in a few very meaningful ways. I spent time with some of my oldest girlfriends; women I met more than 20 years ago while working in commercial real estate. The kind of friendships that have seen every season of life and still feel as easy as day one.

I also carved out some quiet time with my partner - someone I met through this industry in a way that still makes me smile. (He was actually my parents’ Realtor over two decades ago… proof that real estate connections have a funny way of coming full circle!)

And then, we headed to Toronto to celebrate with 25 of my closest colleagues and trek mates. These are people I’ve literally walked alongside across different corners of the world, all united by a shared commitment to raising funds and awareness for the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation. What struck me most wasn’t just the celebration itself, but how genuinely excited everyone was to be together. These relationships, built through shared purpose and experience, run deep.

It reminded me that the bonds we form in this business often go far beyond the work itself, because real estate is deeply personal. It’s about trust, vulnerability, and being part of some of life’s biggest transitions (something I doubt AI will ever replace, but that’s a blog post for another day). And when you approach it with care, those relationships naturally grow into something more: deep friendships, connections, and in many cases, chosen family who spend Christmases, weddings and milestone birthdays together, to name a few.

As I step into this next chapter, I feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the clients who have trusted me, the colleagues who have supported and collaborated with me, and the friendships that have grown along the way.

This business has given me so much more than a career—it’s given me a community. And for that, I am incredibly thankful.