Hi love,

Wow I still haven't recovered from yesterday's incredible Love After 35 story. I have had such a great response from these first four stories, I'm loving to hear in your replies to me which ones are inspiring and expanding you- so please keep sending me your feedback.
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Today's story is actually a re-run from last year's Love After 35 series- but I just love it so much that I had to share it again with you all.
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I am obsessed with Nikki's story, as she is a true example of doing the Turning 30 coaching work, putting into action all of the theories that I teach and share, that finally led her to her "love after 35" love story. Many of you who have been in my community for a while may have met Nikki before, as she is two time podcast guest and has been such a special client of mine over the last five years.

My biggest takeaway from Nikki's journey is how she held onto her vision of becoming a mother and how she finally stopped waiting for love to come and change her life, and she went ahead and changed it herself! She also shifted into dating based on values (something I teach in my programs), which ultimately led her to meeting a life partner that was totally different from past relationships that hadn't worked out.

Her story is one of patience, deep self-work, unexpected twists… and ultimately, love. It's an especially poignant story for those of you that are dreaming of one day becoming a mother and are worried that it might not happen for you.

Here it is, in her own words:

How old were you when you met your partner?

35 (I'm now 39)

Where did you meet?

Through a matchmaker!

How did you feel about your timelines and being single before the relationship began?

I’d been single for about three years before I met Liam, a big part of that time was during the pandemic. Covid gave me the space (and forced pause) to really turn inward. I spent that period working on myself, building confidence, and learning to find contentment in simply being me.

I worked closely with Emma, my life coach, and that support was instrumental in helping me reach a place of acceptance- realising I was exactly where I was meant to be, even if it didn’t look like I’d imagined.

That said, it wasn’t always easy. There were moments that felt deeply lonely, uncertain, and isolating. It was hard not to feel left behind as I watched friends getting married, starting families, and buying homes.

I did what I could to take control of my own path, which included going through three rounds of egg freezing just before and during Covid- a decision that gave me a sense of agency in a time when so little felt within my control.

What felt hard about love before it happened for you? How did you stay hopeful?

I was scared of getting hurt, scared of being let down, scared of being alone forever. I felt so left behind vs my friends who all seemed to have the fairytale I was craving.

But working with my coach helped me to shift from a victim mindset to acceptance and also to help me value the things in my life that I did have- a great job, amazing friends and family, freedom to travel, financial security, etc. In turn, this took my focus off what I didn’t have and made me feel more confident in myself and more optimistic that things would work out- I just had to trust that.

The one thing I really craved was someone telling me exactly when it would work out, but no one could.

I focused on doing the things that I’d almost stopped doing due to not having a partner. So I travelled solo (and had such amazing adventures), I bought a house that was perfect for me right then, I focused on my career and made new friends.

How did you meet your partner?

Liam and I met through a dating agency we had both signed up to. I was completely over the dating apps and craving something more real- a genuine connection. We were matched based on our profiles and set up on a blind date. Liam wasn’t my usual ‘type’, but that was exactly what intrigued me. From the start, I could tell he was kind, authentic, and genuinely caring.

Our second date took a while to happen- I had to cancel a couple of times because I caught COVID and then it was Christmas. But we finally managed to meet again at the end of December and ended up spending New Year’s Day together, which felt like such a lovely way to start the year.

Ironically, I had just bought a house outside of London, deciding it was time to stop waiting for ‘Mr Right’ and the family I’d always hoped for, and instead start building a life that made me happy on my own. So, for the next few months, I found myself regularly driving between London and St Albans to spend time with Liam as we got to know each other better.

Fast forward five months, and we got quite the surprise- I found out I was pregnant. It was a lot to process so early in our relationship, and it led to some very honest, brave, and vulnerable conversations. I’d always dreamed of becoming a mum, but I imagined it would follow the usual sequence: a couple of years of dating, then engagement, marriage, and finally a baby. But life clearly had other plans.

The way Liam approached those conversations- so grounded in kindness, calm, and integrity- reassured me completely. Those were the qualities I’d always wanted in a partner and in the father of my children.

Not long after, we moved in together and welcomed our first baby boy in January 2023. I’d actually spent more of our relationship pregnant than not!

2023 brought even more unexpected twists: Liam was offered a new job opportunity in Singapore, we got engaged, then legally married six weeks later, and relocated in September to start a whole new chapter abroad. And now, we’ve just welcomed our second baby boy and have been living in Singapore for nearly two years.

It’s definitely not the story I ever imagined writing- but I’ve learned that life doesn’t have to follow a conventional timeline to be meaningful. You can still find deep joy, love, and fulfilment even when the path looks nothing like you expected.
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What would you tell someone who is 30 single in their thirties and feels like it’s too late?

It’s not too late, I promise life will work out exactly as it’s meant to. Focus on doing things that make you happy, find friends who are in a similar situation to you as that helps to feel less alone.
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Nikki’s story is such a beautiful reminder that there’s no “right” way to find love. It’s not always linear. It’s not always on your schedule. But it is still possible- especially when you decide to do the deep, inner work to open your heart and your life to the version of love that actually fits you.

Even more than this, Nikki was not willing to give up. She felt that this was such a priority in her life, that she decided to explore all different options for meeting someone and found a matchmaking service that ultimately led her to love. I always think there is some sort of taboo about 'going out of your way' to find love- but why wouldn't we? Our partner is one of the most important choices we will ever make in our lives, and if you make it as a priority- it will pay off.

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If you loved Nikki's story and want to hear about it in more detail, you can listen to the podcast episode we recorded together where she shares her love story in more juicy detail. Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcast or YouTube.
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​There are only TWO days left to join the Turning Community using your Love After 35 special discount. ​
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​Turning is a sacred online space for women in their thirties navigating single life whilst doing the inner glow up to attract the right partner on their own timeline. Inside, we support each other, work on ourselves, and learn how to date with confidence and clarity - just like Nikki did.

Turning is the space to be in when you want to try again. When you're feeling like you're never going to meet your person, but you also know that you have the power to turn it around. There are over 100 women already inside doing this work- and you can join them now (you get immediate access once you sign up).

As you signed up to the Love After 35 special series you get a $50 discount when you sign up for the Quarterly option- which gives you the option to join for as little as $66 a month for the first three months! (the usual price is $99). Use code LOVEAFTER35 at the check-out page. Reminding you that this offer is only valid for three more days (until the end of the Love After 35 email series).

If you have any questions about joining Turning- please reply to this email, I'm here reading all of your replies and can't wait to meet properly inside the community platform.

Tune in tomorrow for day six of the series, where we have a VERY SPECIAL STORY to celebrate it being the last day of this special edition of Love After 35: any guesses whose Love After 35 story will finally be in the spotlight?!

With Love, ​
Emma x

Turning 30 Coach​
​www.turning30coach.com ​

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