Live Life Without Regrets

(Updated January 25, 2026)

Do you ever think about how to have a life without regrets?

I do.

All the time.

This is one of the reasons I made the bold move to radically change my life.

So I quit my job. And I moved. Over 1000 miles away.

You did what?

Yes. I did this.

And no, I wasn't running from the law or fired from my job.

I had a very nice real estate career in the Austin, Texas area, and I had the life I had always dreamed of . . . well, mostly.

Sounds crazy, right?

So why did I do it?

Why I Quite My Job and Moved 1,134 Miles

I lived on a beautiful (and I mean gorgeous) piece of land in Central Texas where I could watch the most stunning sunrises and sunsets from my back deck. The back deck was such a great place to take in nature that I often even slept under the stars out there.

We were living a simple life, nothing fancy: a modest home, lots of country critters running around everywhere, and great friends, co-workers, and neighbors. Our little slice of heaven next to a creek was a favorite retreat for friends of all ages.

But I had a calling laid upon my heart. A calling to serve in a different and much bigger way.

But First, the Struggle

You see, life had thrown me a series of curve balls. And I don't mean little curve balls. Or just one or two.

Lots of them. Big ones. I'm talking about giant, whopper, knock me down, kick dirt on me, grind it into my face kinda stuff.

And for a long time, I struggled. I didn't have the tools, resources, or knowledge to know what to do. I mean, no one teaches you this stuff in school or in most places in life.

We get really good at things like penmanship, conjugating verbs, and algebra in school. But it's rare that we are taught about things like how to be a single parent, how to navigate relationships, how to love yourself, how to ask for help, or how to deal with difficult people.

In addition, we often aren't taught how to find our purpose, how to be emotionally intelligent, how to raise great kids, or how to make better choices when it's not modeled so well around us.

What do you do with broken pieces, broken hearts, broken dreams, fatigue, burn-out, stress, and sadness when everything goes to hell and doesn't work out the way you planned?

So I spent years--decades, really--studying everything I could get my hands on. Reading every spiritual, psychology, business, personal development, leadership, and self help book out there.

Attending every lecture, course, and seminar I could find. Being counseled, advised, mentored, and coached by wise and wonderful souls, teachers, and leaders. Then leading my own groups, mentoring others, and learning from those having similar struggles.

I asked a lot of questions. And paid attention to what the answers revealed.

I stumbled. Fell down. Got back up again. And fell again.

But I was determined to keep getting back up, no matter how many times I got knocked down. Until I figured out some strategies and solutions that work. And work well.

It took me years of research, learning, personal experience, and leading others, and I'm cracking the code to being happier, more content, and more equipped for navigating life better.

The Wisdom

I learned so much from these tough experiences. And I learned from the ensuing journey it took me on and found the answers that I had not been previously given in my upbringing or education.

Then it hit me: there was a reason why I had gone through hardship. A reason much bigger than me.

The reason was this:

I had to be taken through the journey of hardship so that I could turn around and share what I learned with others and empower them with better tools, knowledge, and habits to live a better life. . . and get there much faster and easier than I did.

This is my purpose. To serve others from a place of knowledge and experience so that they can have more in life: more happiness, more confidence, more purpose, and more life tools.

So that you have less stress, anxiety, confusion, worry, disconnection, and struggle.

My life in Texas was good.

But I wanted to live my best life possible, and I had learned how to go after that.

The Move

I had always wanted to live in the mountains, so I packed up my critters and I trucked over 1000 miles (the theme song to Beverly Hillbillies comes to mind) across the country to Asheville, North Carolina.

With two horses, 3 rescue cats, and 3 rescue dogs on the road.

By myself.

To go to a city where I knew no one.

I have never regretted it.

There was one night about a month in, alone and cold and sleeping on the floor of my new home, that I asked myself, "Oh holy heck, Annie, what have you done? You are not brave; you just made the biggest mistake of your life."

One night.

And then the sun came up, and I refused to give up or give in.

The Dream

I was determined to make my dream a reality.

I went to California and studied to become certified as a coach. While coaching my first rounds of High Performance clients, I started building my new business and The Smart Better Life™️ products and programs.

(In 2026, we completely rebranded to The Sovereign Mind™️, where the focus is on neuroscience and psychology-based brain training.)

Come along the journey with me.

Join me as my life and business unfold. You'll get to see my triumphs and mistakes, what works out . . . and what's a little messy or doesn't work out at all.

But together, it's gonna' be a very fun ride.

I'm glad you're here with me, friend.

About the Author

Annie Bauer is the founder of The Sovereign Mind™, a lifestyle, coaching, mentoring, and educational resource to help people everywhere by giving them the brain-based tools and resources they need to be happier, more confident, live with purpose, have great habits, and live fully into their potential.

Annie's background is in business, health sciences, psychology, teaching, and entrepreneurship. She has previously worked in Fortune 500 companies, built and owned a ranch in Texas, lived in a castle in the south of France doing restoration of medieval architecture, ridden with a mule string into the depths of the Bob Marshall Wilderness in Montana, and traveled extensively throughout the world.

When she's not working or pursuing wild adventures, she loves hiking with her pups and playing with her horses.

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