When Plan A Doesn't Work: Sara McDaniel on Starting Over and Rebuilding a Life

What happens when the life you planned doesn’t happen? Sara McDaniel knows what it means to start over. After infertility and a devastating divorce changed the future she had imagined, she eventually moved home to Louisiana and began rebuilding her life. Along the way, she pursued a neglected 1926 cottage that wasn’t even for sale. Restoring that house became part of her own healing — and helped lead her toward a completely different life and career. Today, Sara is the creative force behind Simply Southern Cottage and the author of The Bright Side of the Other Side, a memoir about resilience, faith and second chances. In this conversation, we talk about starting over, grieving the life you expected and taking risks before you feel ready Sara also shares how her background as a teacher and her lifelong love of old houses helped shape an unexpected entrepreneurial path.  Watching her friend and fellow entrepreneur Wendy Conklin take a leap gave Sara permission to imagine a different path for herself. Her story is a reminder that if Plan A doesn't work out — there's always another path forward. In this Episode, you'll hear about ·       Starting over after divorce and infertility — and grieving the life you thought you would have ·       How restoring a 1926 cottage became part of Sara’s healing and a metaphor for rebuilding her life ·       The role of mentors in giving us permission to pursue a new direction ·       Why Sara believes you sometimes have to take the risk before you feel completely ready ·       How mistakes can become opportunities to “monitor and adjust” rather than reasons to quit Memorable Quotes “My Plan A did not work out the way I wanted it to.” — Sara McDaniel “You just have to do it scared.” — Sara McDaniel “If there is a dream in your heart, just do it. And if it doesn’t work, another door will open. But what if it does work?” — Sara McDaniel Guest Bio: After a devastating divorce, Sara McDaniel moved to Minden, Louisiana, and walked away from her corporate career to rebuild her life. Restoring a dilapidated 1926 cottage became a powerful metaphor for her own healing—each nail and brushstroke echoing the faith and hope that guided her forward. Sara now shares this journey of resilience and transformation online, inspiring people to embrace second chances. Beyond renovating homes, she founded Phillip’s Cottage, a transitional haven for women and children in recovery, and opened Purvéy, a vintage and reloved clothing emporium in historic downtown Minden.  Her story proves that from broken foundations, new beginnings can rise. Links: Website. https://simplysoutherncottage.com/ IG: @simplysoutherncottage About Stories of Change Life doesn't come with a roadmap. We're all figuring it out as we go. I'm Judy Oskam, and on Stories of Change, I talk with people about the changes and unexpected turns that have shaped their lives—and what they've learned along the way. Maybe you're navigating a career change, moving through a life transition, or designing your next chapter. Someone else's story might give you a little wisdom to figure out what's next.