How to Reclaim Your Power and Reinvent Yourself at Any Age

After surviving trauma that shattered her identity, Eleni Anastos faced a choice: collapse… or reinvent.
 She chose power.

In this moving episode, Eleni shares her blueprint for rebuilding after life knocks you down at any age.
 From creating your "badass list" of hidden talents to rewriting what success means, Eleni proves it's never too late to begin again.

💥 How forgiveness helped her take back her power
 💥 Why "settling serves no one" and what to do instead
 💥 The secret to discovering your true value (even if you feel stuck)
 💥 How small actions create massive ripple effects
 💥 Her practical guide to reinvention without starting over

If you're standing at a crossroads, wondering if it's too late—this is for you.

🎧 Listen now and take your first step toward a life that lights you up.

🔗 Full episode here → https://risefromtheashespodcast.com/Home
📱 Download on Apple + leave a review → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rise-from-the-ashes/id1705986815
🚀 Apply to A Million Dreams Success Circles → https://milliondreamscommunity.com/success-circles-membership-page

Chapters

• 0:00 Reclaiming Power Through Forgiveness
• 2:23 Serving Entrepreneurs and Executives
• 3:53 Creating Your Personal Badass List
• 7:40 My Reinvented Life Book
• 10:56 Being an Agent of Hope
• 15:12 Small Changes Create Ripple Effects

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:02

Ladies and gentlemen, we're back for part two of this episode. I had to think then. It's been a whirlwind of a week and I'm still here with Eleni, who is an amazing human being. She forgave herself, she forgave others, she rose from near death, in fact, an event that really changed and shocked and rocked her life. However, she took it all recalibrated, reset and then rebounded. What we're about to go into now, after going that horrific journey from on the floor lying in a school, in the school with that experience, into forgiveness and into the ascent of where you are today. What was the pivotal moment for you to go? I'm not going to be that person. What was that cornerstone like for you, that decision?

Speaker 2: 1:11

Knowing that once I went through the whole forgiveness process others and myself that I was taking my power back and we can't control when or how often somebody might be victimized, at least not to a degree and knowing that I could take my power back was really uplifting. And then it was time to recreate. Now I was already in my 50s and I knew that I had to be of service because I was born that way Helping people from special education students on up is in my DNA. So when I knew that if I stayed stuck I wouldn't be of service, I wouldn't reach the people I was meant to reach, and that was heartbreaking to me because, at the risk of being very cliche, I want to leave people better than when I found them. So that meant I had to get myself in gear. I had to keep moving forward. I had to figure it out.

Speaker 1: 2:16

I love that and talking about who you serve who is it that you really thrive and who are your ideal clients? You really thrive and who are your ideal clients.

Speaker 2: 2:25

Work with the two different lanes. One, entrepreneurs who either have already started their business but they've plateaued, they're not sure how to market themselves or they don't feel confident in a sales conversation. They don't know how to reach income goals and, truthfully, we all need another set of eyes on our work and on our business. So I help the entrepreneur start and grow businesses. And then I've also worked with corporate executives who are brilliant and successful in many arenas but they've come to that point where they want to be, do or have something different. But they think, why bother? Why should I leave this six, seven-figure job? But they have that tugging at them. So I help them reinvent their lives and start that business or go on a different path. Because, again, to me, settling in life serves no one, settling serves no one.

Speaker 1: 3:23

So being able to work with entrepreneurs and executives reach those goals personally and professionally, I'm incredibly grateful, love that when you are serving people and you want to elevate their lives, can you share a couple of tips with the audience? That will have an impact, but it's I can take that now and do something with it, so they just have an idea of how you work, if that makes sense.

Speaker 2: 3:54

Yes, first and foremost, start with and I love the shirt that you're wearing I am enough. Too many people keep looking for something externally to initiate that change process, and we know change is inevitable. Look at these last five years. It's been a roller coaster for countless people all over the planet, but purposeful reinvention is a vital part of navigating that change. To move forward, you've got to be able to pivot.

Speaker 2: 4:25

So when someone comes to me that maybe your business shut down, you were laid off, something happened and you feel lost because, again, what was available to you yesterday is no longer available to you today, then I please ask you. I want you to literally like this incredible reporter is interviewing you because you got the goods. I want you to write down your skill sets. I want you to make like your own badass list of all these things you've accomplished, because most people do not give themselves enough credit. So start by really going over and make a book of your own experience, skill sets, things you've accomplished. I promise you they can be applied in multiple arenas.

Speaker 2: 5:10

So, even if this no longer works, you can move those things into a different situation and create a new chapter, and most people disqualify themselves, they take themselves out of the game and most people disqualify themselves. They take themselves out of the game and I don't want to see anyone quit on themselves. I'm too old. This is all I've ever done. I think that's the one I've heard the most, but it's all I've ever done. If you hear nothing else from me today, it's not all that you are. It may be all you've ever done, it's not all that you are. So, literally, please tonight, grab a journal, something, and write down all the skill sets you've used in all the different jobs you've had, all the experience and I do calling it the badass list. You've, I'm sure, overcome a lot that you're not giving yourself credit for, and there's going to be some gold in there that we can use to help you create another chapter.

Speaker 1: 6:13

I love that. I think that's great advice. To add on to that, if I may, there's a concept called the Sprint concept. It's called the Sprint concept because Sprint airlines was the first person to the first airline to actually do this or implement it, and they analyzed every touch point a passenger went through, because believe it or not.

Speaker 1: 6:37

Airlines don't make a lot of money from actually flying people. They make a lot of money from the little bits that you pay for the food, the seat changes, the Wi-Fi, et cetera, et cetera. And they added on surcharges, with a 2% rise in tax onto everything. So every touch point you have, every skill set you have, is something that you can benefit from and it just gives you a different context. So when you're going for your next flight in the next airport, just remember someone's earning money, but equally, someone could be earning money off your knowledge, and your knowledge is valuable. So don't ever think you're not valuable, you're not worth it. You can. You are enough. If you're in this, if you're in this having a conversation with yourself. You're listening to this podcast. Share it. Implement what's been said here. Implement the advice from people like eleni, because they are real world advice and I believe you're an author, amongst other things. Can I just go into what the book's about and where you can get it please?

Speaker 2: 7:52

yes, my book is my reinvented life, finding purpose in the pain. And I, for almost four years ago, I released, it was published and I was at the point where I remember hearing person after person when they'd say, oh, how did you end up doing what you're doing? And I'd share the Reader's Digest version. They're like you need to write a book. You need to write a book. You started over in your 50s. What? Yes, I lost count of how many people said why don't you just retire? Aren't you too old? You should do this. I'm like you should shut up because it's not your life. So that to me, it was important to me to write the book and I will share.

Speaker 2: 8:37

The subtitle is Finding Purpose in the Pain and a little known secret it was.

Speaker 2: 8:43

My original title was Finding Purpose in the Pain, and I just kept thinking about it and thinking about it and I went no, I do share the graphic details of the school assault and the betrayal I went through.

Speaker 2: 8:56

That's the first quarter of the book, but then I build on how I moved through each difficulty, how I began again and dealing with concepts like worthiness and gratitude and abundance and timelessness. No, you're not too old, you know you are worthy and because I wanted people to see that they can get to the other side. And I know that you can appreciate doesn't mean we have to have the same experiences, but everybody's had their world leveled in some way at some point in time and I want them to know they can get to the other side. And I also share examples in the back of the book about exercises that I've taken clients through so they can begin the reinvention process. It's not over until to me, until you say it's over, so I don't want people to quit on themselves. And it's available on amazon, barnes, noble, all the major book retailers I love that, I'm gonna.

Speaker 1: 10:03

I've actually I've got a copy in order, I think somewhere I know it's on the way anyway. Everything is a vibration, everything is attached at some level to a frequency, and what people I think miss, especially in the entrepreneurial world, the business world, especially the corporate world. It's just a mess for many reasons, but they have a little buzzword in there and it's about and vision. But it goes deeper than that, I believe. In your own words, can you explain not just what you're doing in the short term, but what your true, what your true impact, what you want that to be and what it could possibly look like in your future?

Speaker 2: 10:56

Yeah, I was absolutely born a teacher, without question. I remember when I was in sixth grade and I'd finished my work early. I was always a very good student and paid attention, followed the rules. I loved going to school. I was excited to go to school and my sixth grade teacher didn't know what to do with me because I kept getting done with the work so quickly. She sent me to there was a wing for orthopedically impaired students in the school I grew up in, so I would go down there and I would get to help them.

Speaker 2: 11:20

So, knowing that teaching was like literally in my blood, I feel like it's in my DNA. But I believe my legacy started then. When you can give someone hope, I feel like I'm an agent for hope. When someone thinks game over, why bother, I've got this disability or I went through this trauma game over. No, I want to be your agent for hope and to let you know that you still have a skill in you, you still have a soul in you, you still have something within you that we can all use to help you move forward and that, to me, is the best legacy.

Speaker 2: 12:05

I don't want to ever see someone quit on themselves, because there's going to be plenty of people. You're not smart enough, you're not pretty enough, you're not talented enough, you're not whatever you know by whose standards? But are we going to keep giving our power away? And it doesn't mean you have to be somebody with 10 million followers or be a global sensation. I also like to think of the ripple effect. There might have been somebody you crossed paths with that was at the end of their road, but because you saw something in them that, of course, was a reflection of yourself, they chose to keep going. I think that's the best legacy to have.

Speaker 1: 12:54

I agree with everything you've just said. And to that last point, many years ago most people would know that I was a DJ and I was actually DJing. It was before social. I knew how to manage or use social media. I used to put motivational quotes up and leave them. It was on Instagram, I think, before my account got hacked. I was on Instagram, I think Before my account got hacked. I had over 100,000 followers. It was just insane.

Speaker 1: 13:23

But I was DJing one night and someone came up to me. I'd never met them before, never understood who they were. He said I'm the reason, you're the reason I'm here tonight. And I was like what, yeah, you've walked to the bar, I'm DJing. And I was like what, yeah, you've walked to the bar, I'm DJing, go and get a drink. He went. She went no, I saw your quote on Instagram and it made me not take my life, wow. And I was like what, I'm just a DJ. So you, you to your point, elena. You don't know the power of a message and the ripple effect that you can create by one positive action yes, and so many people feel disconnected disconnected from, disconnected from others.

Speaker 2: 14:20

And if they can find a connection in something you've shared, like that person saw in the inspirational post you had put up, that makes all the difference in the world. Because then who knows who that individual went on to impact and that ripple effect keeps going. And it's about having hope. And you and I are both business people. We know hope in and of itself is not a strategy. But let's be honest when everything is upside down or you're in pain or you've just been traumatized, if you don't have any hope in your heart, how the hell do you get out of bed? I just believe that we somehow have to instill the hope so people don't quit on themselves.

Speaker 2: 15:07

And that doesn't mean like I had somebody ask me, does that mean I have to start completely over reinvention? I have to turn my world all upside down? I said no reinvention could be as simple as adding one simple habit to your day that lightens you up, that makes you feel good, or releasing a habit that no longer serves you. So I'm not expecting anybody to completely. You don't have to overall your whole life, but if you feel like you've settled, especially where the pain is concerned, then think about purposeful reinvention. Think about even one little habit, even if it's speaking up for yourself and you've never done that before. It doesn't mean you have to move across the country or to another continent.

Speaker 1: 15:58

never done that before Doesn't mean you have to move across the country or to another continent, but do something that your future self is going to be grateful, for I think that's great advice for anybody who's listening to us now, before we wrap up this last portion of the part two. It's been a long week. Where can people go, apart from the book? Where can people go to have a conversation with you, to find out more about you and possibly to have a book, a call or whatever that is the links will be below. So if your listeners go no, I need a conversation with this, but the links are below. But just so people can hear it as well, where do they go?

Speaker 2: 16:35

Yes, and my name is Eleni Anastos and my business is branded under my name, so you can find me at elenianastoscom. I'm on LinkedIn, I'm on Instagram, I'm on Twitter and you can reach out in any capacity. You can send me an email through the website and I promise you any questions you ask. And I'd love it if you mentioned that you connected with us originally by mentioning Baz's name, so I have more context. But I respect anybody that has the courage to reach out because they want to make a move, they want to keep growing and to me, if we can and I know you're wonderful at this help people get fired up about their future. The whole world is a better place.

Speaker 1: 17:24

I agree. Thank you very much for your time, melanie. You've been amazing and I want to continue our conversation offline and see what we can do, collaborate and how to get you, your message, out to more people, because I think that's very important. Thank you for your time. I love what you do. Keep on doing it For my listeners. I love you being here. I love having your support. Please share the message. I promise you will change someone's life. A quick text message share a social media share, mention me in it, mention Elena in it. Do something positive today because you are amazing. Ladies and gentlemen, this was Rice from the Ashes, burnout from Brilliance. Thank you very much Until next time, which will be next week. See you soon and have an amazing day.