Fully Informed Life

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Fully Informed Life

LIFE COACH | PODCAST HOST helping women reimagine their lives as they write their next chaptHER Explore, dream, and discover your next chaptHER.

As a Certified Professional Life Coach, educator, and storyteller, Andrea Hecht helps women reimagine their lives, reconnect with their inner purpose, and reignite their fire within. Andrea provides individual and group coaching, helping you uncover your next chapter! For personalized guidance from Andrea Hecht, visit Fullyinformedlife.com and schedule your complimentary discovery session today. Now's your chance - step up and reimagine life today. Please scroll down to read an excerpt from Andrea Hecht's book of life and what led to her decision to utilize her skills and follow her passion for serving others.

45 YEARS OF CHAPTERS & STILL WRITING
An excerpt from Andrea Hecht's book of life:

 WELCOME TO THE WORLD: On March 31, 1977, Andrea Phyllis Haron made her grand debut at Sinai Hospital, Detroit, Michigan. Her loving parents and older brother quickly learned that the 3 ½ week delay was well worth the wait. Didn't they realize all good things come to those that wait?

 LAUNCHING MY FIRST BUSINESS: (age 10) My love of jewels inspired me to launch my first custom-bead bracelet business.

 LEAVING ON A JET PLANE: (age 14) Au Revoir, I'm leaving on a jet plane – without my parents – and heading to the south of France to spend the summer as an exchange student. Only having a year's worth of French training didn't stop me from traveling across the Atlantic Ocean.

 IT'S GREAT TO BE A MICHIGAN WOLVERINE: (age 18) For 18 years, I dreamed of being a marshmallow-throwing fan at a University of Michigan game. That goal became a reality after receiving my acceptance letter to the class of 1999.

 NEXT STOP, ST. MALO, FRANCE: (age 19) Time to travel across the Atlantic Ocean again as a proud recipient of a scholarship to study and live with a French family for the summer in St. Malo, France.

 J'ADORE PARIS: (age 20) Holding to my spirit for travel and new experiences, I spent six months living and studying the French language and culture. As a bonus, several weekends were spent experiencing European cities' sights, sounds, and tastes. J'adore Paris and the Eiffel tower view from my apartment window.

 THE CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS: (age 21) 2 weeks after graduating from the University of Michigan, I packed my bags and headed to the City that Never Sleeps! Without a job, I pounded the streets of the concrete jungle, passing out my resume, and quickly landed a career as a Corporate Event Planner at Merrill Lynch. Planning events and traveling worldwide, including the US Open, French Open, and Wimbledon, this 22-year-old loved life.

 IMAGES I WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO ERASE: (age 24) Horrifying images forever engrained in my head…watching from the World Financial Center the United plane crash into the building, climbing down 35 flights of stairs barefoot, trying to make multiple calls to family members, and finally reaching my father after 45 minutes. Images and the urge to do something more socially rewarding are engrained in my brain.

 BACK TO THE CLASSROOM: (age 25) In pursuing a direct contribution to children and their families, I headed to Chicago, Illinois, to receive my Master of Education at Loyola University. While NYC and my career at Merrill Lynch were exciting, it was time to follow my gut feeling of needing to do something different.

 SIDE-HUSTLE: (age 26) I launched my second business, hand-knit purses and custom cigar box purses. My collections were sold in a Chicago shoe store and a clothing store in Michigan. While completing my master's program, I spent my free time knitting and making purses.

 CAREER MAKEOVER: (age 26) After a 2-year stint in Chicago, it was time to head back to New York. Brooklyn was where I would spend my days as a 3rd-grade teacher. After a successful first year of teaching, given the honor, I looped up to 4th grade with my class. I spent the next few years watching my students turn from caterpillars into beautiful butterflies, ready to sore!

 TYING THE KNOT: (age 28) We made singer Chaka Khan proud on July 30, 2005. Ain't nobody else who would do a hip-hop wedding dance with my husband!

 WELCOME TO MOTHERHOOD: (age 30) On July 21, 2008, we welcomed our son to the world. I chose to leave my Brooklyn classroom and be the dedicated teacher to our baby bundle.

 A FAMILY OF FOUR: (age 34) Our family became complete on October 28, 2011, when we welcomed our baby girl.

 THE MANY HATS: (age 34 – 41) I wore many hats throughout these years. Motherhood sprinkled with the launch of my Beautycounter business of educating others to lead a healthier lifestyle, a role as a preschool teacher, carpool driver, and event planner. These years were a time of self-exploration and discovering how I wanted to approach motherhood and beyond.

 FULLY INFORMING OTHERS: (age 41) In 2018, I launched the Fully Informed Life brand to educate others and inspire people to lead an informed lifestyle. I started writing Andrea's Anecdote column for the North Caldwell Magazine.

 SUMMER HAPPY PLACE: (age 44 - 45) Nice People's Place became my summer happy place. As program director and office manager, I spent the entire summer at one of the happiest places on earth, surrounded by people who make me laugh and want to have fun 24/7!

 BACK TO THE CLASSROOM: (age 45) After years of self-reflection, the greatest gift I gave to myself on my 45th birthday was to head back to the classroom. I continued to develop my skills for serving others and started my journey to becoming a Certified Professional Life Coach.

 CHANGING DIRECTION WITH PURPOSE: (age 45 and beyond) I am proud to announce the launch of the coaching division of the Fully Informed Life brand to help others lead a life of purpose and passion as they change directions and write the different chapters in their book of life. While there have been many pages written in my book of life, the one thread that has held is my desire to explore, connect with others, and challenge myself along the way. As each chapter is written, I face the unknowns with curiosity. My question for you is, where are you today? How would you like to write the next pages of your book of life?

03/28/2026

One year ago today, I sat in a parking lot and heard the words that would change my life.

But here’s the part I didn’t know then…

Life doesn’t stop when hard things happen.
You still have to make dinner.
You still show up for your kids.
You still answer emails.
You still go to events.
You still smile and look like you’re fine.

And on the outside, everything can look completely normal…
while on the inside, everything feels very different.

This year taught me a lot about survival, support, setbacks, and community.
But it also taught me something I see with so many women I talk to:

You can be living your life and quietly carrying so much at the same time.

Not just illness.
Change.
Loss.
Kids growing up.
A body that feels different.
A job that no longer fits.
A life that looks fine on paper but doesn’t feel the way you thought it would.

That space… that in-between space… is what I call the messy middle.

What I know now that I didn’t know then is this:
You can walk through something you never would have chosen and still find yourself on the other side and say,
I am still me.

Not the same.
But still me.

One year later. Cancer free. Still processing. Still learning. Still me.

I wrote more about this past year and what I’ve learned in my latest Substack if you want to read it. Link in bio.

03/26/2026

Sometimes you don’t realize how far you’ve come until someone asks you to tell your story.

I was recently featured in New Jersey Voyager, and the interview made me stop and really think about the path that brought me here. The pivots. The messy middle. The moments I didn’t have a plan. The moments that changed everything.

Fully Informed Life and The Next ChaptHER were not created because I had everything figured out. They were created because I didn’t. Because I know what it feels like to be in that in-between space where life looks fine on the outside, but inside you know something needs to change.

That is the work I do now.
I help women navigate that space.
Find clarity.
Find their voice again.
And figure out what comes next.

Thank you to New Jersey Voyager for the conversation and for sharing my story.

If you read the article, I’d love to know what part resonated with you. (link in comments)

03/21/2026

I was a guest on the Mastering Mitzvahs podcast with talking about reducing planning stress around mitzvahs and big life events.

What felt almost surreal was that we recorded this conversation and shortly after I hung up, I learned about the attack at my childhood temple. It was a reminder that these milestone events are about so much more than the party.

They are about family.
Tradition.
Community.
And moments that really matter.

That is the work I do now. Supporting the person going through the experience.

Because sometimes during big life moments, you don’t need another checklist.
You need someone to talk to.
Someone to help you think.
Someone to help you move forward.

I do offer 1:1 support for people who want that kind of space during big life moments.
🎧 Episode link in bio.

03/16/2026

Thirty six years ago, I became a Bat Mitzvah.

March 16, 1990 at Temple Israel.

My childhood temple. The place where so many of my Jewish memories live.

Looking at this photo this year feels different.

Especially after hearing the news on Thursday about what happened at Temple Israel.

Like many of you know, that building will always feel like home to me. So seeing the community come together in prayer and hearing that everyone was safe, and that even the Torahs were protected, brought tears to my eyes.

Looking at this photo now, I keep thinking about the girl standing there.

She had no idea what life would hold.
The chapters ahead.
The challenges.
The strength she would need to find along the way.

As I move through this month, with my 49th birthday coming up and almost one year since hearing the words “you have breast cancer,” I keep coming back to something I say often to the women I work with.

Life keeps handing us new chapters.

But the younger version of us is still in there.

Sometimes we just need to remember her.

I’m curious…
When you look back at your younger self, what do you think she would be most proud of about you today?

03/08/2026

Today is International Women’s Day, and I keep thinking about the women who helped shape my voice.

The ones who encouraged me to speak up.
The ones who showed me strength without even realizing it.
The ones who reminded me that our stories matter.

Our voices aren’t just meant to be heard.
They’re meant to be felt.

And when women share their truth, something powerful happens…
it creates space for other women to do the same.

Happy International Women’s Day.

Tag a woman whose voice has shaped your life.

03/01/2026

March 1.

This picture was taken a year ago.

I remember standing in front of that sign thinking it was cute.
“You are exactly where you need to be.”

A few weeks later, on March 28, I heard the words, “You have breast cancer.”

That was the pause point.

March used to just be my birthday month. I celebrate all month because my birthday is March 31.

Now it also holds March 6, my final reconstruction procedure.
And March 28, the day everything shifted.

Here’s what I know now.

The messy middle is not neat.
It is not a straight line.

It is surgeries and strength training.
It is fear and birthday cake in the same month.
It is learning to trust your body again while still being mad at it.

A year ago I had no idea what was coming.

Right now, I am not at the beginning.
I am not at the end.

I am in the middle.

And maybe that is exactly where I need to be.

If you are in your own messy middle, I see you.

What does March bring up for you?

02/24/2026

She didn’t know it then,
but she was learning more than tap steps.

She was learning discipline.
Confidence.
How to trust her body.
How to keep going even when it felt awkward.

Different chapter now.
Different challenges.
Same capable woman.

Sometimes the reminder we need isn’t motivation.
It’s proof.
What’s something past-you did that reminds you how capable you are?

02/17/2026

I laughed when my physical therapist said we were doing deadlifts this week.

Then she reminded me that I already do this movement every day. I just don’t think about it.

Pain has a way of making you forget what your body is still capable of.
Especially when the pain is unpredictable.
Especially when it shows up in new places.

When she said, “You are so strong. This looks so good,” something clicked.

Pain doesn’t mean incapable.
It means adapting.

Sharing this video as a reminder to myself and anyone else navigating a messy middle that rebuilding trust with your body is a process.

Video courtesy of Dr. Maginnis at Iron PT 🤍
More context and the full reflection is up on Substack, The Next chaptHER.

01/15/2026

I’ve learned that most women don’t need more motivation or a bigger vision.

They need space to pause, listen to themselves, and make honest choices without pressure.

Clarity doesn’t come from pushing harder.

It comes from slowing down long enough to trust yourself again.

12/09/2025

NEW EPISODE...What if the clarity you’ve been searching for is already in your camera roll?

This week’s episode of walks you through the simple exercise I’ve been doing with clients (and in my own life) to help you choose the feeling you want to protect and finally see the patterns that have been shaping your year.

No resolutions.
No reinvention.
Just truth, data, and a better way to move forward.

If December already feels loud or you’re carrying that “I should’ve done more this year” feeling, this episode will ground you.

New episode of The Next ChaptHER is live.
Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

What feeling are you trying to protect this season? Share it below if you want accountability. I’ll go first: strength.

11/25/2025

As we head into Thanksgiving week, I know many of us are holding a lot — the planning, the emotions, the expectations, the “hold-it-all-together” energy that just seems to show up on its own this time of year.
]

I just released a new episode of The Next ChaptHER, and it’s an honest conversation with USA Today bestselling author Cara Lockwood. Even though Cara and I both have a breast cancer chapter in our stories, this episode isn’t about that.

It’s about the moments you don’t plan for — the curveballs and disruptions that make you suddenly aware of the way you’ve been talking to yourself.

We spoke about the inner playlist so many of us run on autopilot… the stories we’ve carried for years… and what happens when life cracks you open in a way that forces you to actually hear it.

If you’re feeling stretched thin or you’re in a season with a lot on your plate (emotionally or otherwise), this conversation will feel familiar in the best way.

🎧 You can listen to the episode on your favorite podcast app.

And if you want the free guide we talked about for looking at your own inner soundtrack, you can grab it here: https://fullyinformedlifecoaching.myflodesk.com/hitplayonjoy

Take care of yourself this week.

Even a few quiet minutes can help reset your mind before everything ramps up.

11/14/2025

Someone asked me this week, “So… what do you actually do?”
Fair question — the past seven months of my life have been a lot of the breast cancer chapter.
But that’s not the whole story.

Yes, I write on Substack.
Yes, I host The Next ChaptHER podcast.
But the real work I do is supporting women 1:1 through my Roadmap Back to J.O.Y. — the Journey of You.

I help women who are juggling a lot, feeling a little lost, or quietly wondering, “What’s next for me?”
It’s the same inner work I’ve been doing myself this year.

If this resonates, I’m glad you’re here.

Address

North Caldwell, NJ

Website

http://www.fullyinformedlife.com/, https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-next-chapther/id1670206410

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