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In this episode, I am joined by Gretchen Ritter.

Gretchen recently lost her home and all of her belongings in the Palisades fires in Malibu, California.

She has also been navigating a difficult divorce for the past couple of years, and the fire and the loss of the home complicated that matter further as well.

In the face of all of it, Gretchen has landed on her feet, as she always does.

Gretchen and I have been close friends for over 30 years, since we were college roommates back in the 80’s. Since I met her, I have watched her constantly find ways to help and contribute to others, and she is continuing to do that now for her devastated community in California.

She has also had to learn, during this time, how to be on the receiving end of the contributions and the generosity that people have given her, something she is not used to.

We spoke about all of this in this episode, and so much more.

If you are wanting to learn from and be inspired by someone who finds a way to thrive in the face of the most challenging situations, and to remember that you never have to see yourself as a victim, this episode will help you.

Enjoy the episode!

Gratitude gets me present to what I have right now. The grief is about the past.- Gretchen Ritter
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Don’t ever apologize for making sure that you’re safe. Trust your instincts. Your intuition is always right.
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Surviving is not the bar I set. Thriving is the bar I set. Surviving is kind of boring. Thriving is exciting.
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We are always changing. The ground is always moving beneath our feet. So why not reach a little higher? Why settle for the bare minimum?
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Don’t become the thing that happened to you.
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I’m not a victim. I can do something with this. Let me show you what I can do.
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Quotes From This Episode

• Gratitude gets me present to what I have right now. The grief is about the past.





• Don’t ever apologize for making sure that you’re safe. Trust your instincts. Your intuition is always right.





• Surviving is not the bar I set. Thriving is the bar I set. Surviving is kind of boring. Thriving is exciting.





• We are always changing. The ground is always moving beneath our feet. So why not reach a little higher? Why settle for the bare minimum?





• Don’t become the thing that happened to you.





• I’m not a victim. I can do something with this. Let me show you what I can do.

Here are some of the topics that were covered in this episode:

• 0:00 Intro/ Intro to Thrive- a Community for Women Over 50





• 2:00 Gretchen’s background





• 5:00 Gretchen’s experience with losing her home and all of her belongings in the Palisades fires in Malibu a few months ago





• 15:00 How Gretchen has been navigating a tumultuous divorce during the fire devastation





• 22:00 What it’s been like for Gretchen to learn how to receive instead of being the one giving like she’s used to.





• 27:00 The new relationship that showed up for Gretchen in the face of the fire and the divorce





• 28:00 Gretchen’s advice for anyone dating through the online dating sites





• 32:00 How Gretchen built a new community for herself around learning to play pool





• 35:00 How Gretchen transitioned into the fitness industry





• 43:00 What’s next for Gretchen after losing her home in the fire





• 1:03:00 The importance of supporting each other in our own decisions, even if we don’t necessarily agree with the choice someone is making





• 01:16:00 Invitation to join Thrive- A Community for Women Over 50.





• Donate to Gretchen’s GoFundMe page

About Jenn Cohen

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Gretchen Ritter is a mother of 2 successful sons and a 25-year veteran of the Fitness & Wellness space who has lead numerous teams & hundreds of fitness professionals nationwide for EōS Fitness, The Bay Club Company, Town Sports International, Sports Club/LA & Spectrum Athletic Clubs.

As an entrepreneur, she opened a boutique studio & created a new multi-family fitness amenity management company. 

She’s a proven leader with a passion for sales and service, a sales educator who transforms product enthusiasts into powerful revenue producers, and an industry thought leader utilizing an innovative approach to the membership model.

She’s also a connector and a visionary; driven to identify opportunities and find solutions that improve the lives of others. 

Gretchen has been a Malibu resident since 2008 and recently lost her home in the Palisades Fire. 

Please make sure you subscribe to the podcast (this way you can listen from anywhere) and leave me a review! That will help others to be able to find the podcast as well.

Items mentioned in this episode include:

• Donate to Gretchen’s GoFundMe Page





• <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/thrivecommunityforwomen" rel="nor