Sara Arnell - There Will Be Lobster: Memoir of a Midlife Crisis

Advance Praise for
There Will Be Lobster

Sara Arnell is the only writer I know who can make self-deprecation and wisdom look like the same thing. There Will Be Lobster is a darkly funny memoir with a big heart, and its the exact comeback story we all need right now.

David Hollander , author of Anthropica and L.I.E.

No matter where you are in lifes journey, there are stories and anecdotes in this book that will confirm what we know but dont always practiceself-care and self-love are the two most powerful healers you have available.

Dr. Gabrielle Lyon

This book is a deeply personal story thats not afraid to show you the crazy moments that we all have, but often dont admit to. Read this memoir if you want to learn how honesty, vulnerability, and sheer perseverance can help you step into your light and illuminate a new pathone that is happy, healthy, and full of hope.

Andr Leon Talley , author of New York Times bestseller,
The Chiffon Trenches and former Vogue editor-at-large

Reading this book makes you want to look more closely at your friendships, ask more real questions, and take the time to truly pay attention to signs and signals that indicate a friend needs help. There Will Be Lobster is a poignant portrayal of a woman in crisis a woman like many of usso used to being the strong one at home and work, that she just doesnt know how to ask for help. Its a must read for anyone who is looking to make a transition to a new chapter in their life.

Christina Juarez , CEO, CJ & Company

This is Saras story, in her own words of how she stepped into her light and illuminated a magical, better world for herself. Its a crazy ride, full of extraordinary characters and events but in the end, her compelling honesty is a lesson in how to help heal yourself and be the best you can be.

Alyssa Duffy , founder, a-listed studio

What an enjoyable read. Sara gives us quite a ride upon the wave of elevational theater in her study of the futility of chasing lasting happiness solely in its external reflections. After decades of winning deserved accolades, Saras belief in herself reaches its lowest ebb when, unexpectedly, she discovers through Vedic Meditation how to turn within and finds what she was seeking: inner contentedness and purpose. Sara skillfully and courageously shares her life experiences with candor and humor. In doing so, she exemplifies a Vedic principle of good citizenship, to make personal experiences relevant socially, thereby making ones growth toward illumination relatable, bringing hope to readers.

Thom Knoles , Vedic Meditation Master

While names and storylines may differ, Saras intimate account of her transformation from seeking fulfillment through others to ultimately finding it within herself is a journey of awakening we all find ourselves on. Through Saras masterful storytelling, we can see that even in moments of struggle, loss, and fear, life will hand us breadcrumbs of hope that encourage us to continue searching for a better way. Regardless of where you are on your journey, Saras story will inspire you to take that next step in realizing your full potential and purpose, with some laughs along the way.

Susan Chen , founder, Meditate With Susan

Sara Arnells memoir There Will Be Lobster is filled with wry self-deprecating humor but equally replete with genuine poignancy. In writing so transparently about the full catastrophe of her midlife crisis, Sara takes us on a journey that arrives at hard -earned resilience and lasting insight. This book is a rollicking account of the human condition written in an authentic, original voice.

Gail Straub , co-founder, Empowerment Institute
and award-winning author Empowerment and The Ashokan Way

I remember Sara Arnell as the tough, polished woman wearing a perfectly chic leather jacket while ruling over the hottest branding agency in Manhattan. Through There Will Be Lobster , I met a frightened, bewildered woman lurching through a terribly dark midlife passage. That both people are the same shows how sharply life can change. Sara shows that our only chance is changing with itand that change is a messy, frightening process best handled with brutal honesty and humor.

Hugh ONeil Gallagher , brand writer and author, Chicken 65

A SAVIO REPUBLIC BOOK

An Imprint of Post Hill Press

There Will Be Lobster:

Memoir of a Midlife Crisis

2021 by Sara Arnell

All Rights Reserved

ISBN: 978-1-64293-926-2

ISBN (eBook): 978-1-64293-927-9

Cover art by Cody Corcoran

All people, locations, events, and situations are portrayed to the best of the authors memory. While all of the events described are true, many names and identifying details have been changed to protect the privacy of the people involved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author and publisher.

posthillpress.com

New York Nashville

Published in the United States of America

To my children

Contents

N ow that I have your attention by using the advertising skills Ive honed over the past thirty years of work in the industry, I want to tell you a bit about what youll encounter in this memoir. And maybe, just maybe, the promise of the headline will come true.

The journey youll be going on in this book is driven by the things I did, thought and thought about over a several year period of disruptive life shifts, stifling anxiety, depression, and a jarring health diagnosis. It was a packed few years and it took a lot for me to unpack them and write them down. I had to face myself and what I did, again . It was hard enough the first time. The second time needed to be for reasons of lessons learned and shared.

Along the way, during the writing of this book, I spoke with a lot of people to help me remember clearly, get the sentiment right, and remind me of the moments I wantedor tendedto forget. My description and explanation about this book was met with very similar responses:

You have money and resources. Couldnt you get professional help?

What was your family doing to help you through this?

I never noticed you were having a hard time.

Who knew?!?

And I would answer

I couldnt buy myself happy, after a while. That I-bought-a-new-bag feeling didnt last very long. I rejected therapy because it felt like an insult to my intelligence.

My family would say they thought I was just a little down and would perk up soon. A lot of internal stuff isnt always outwardly expressed. No one imagined I was beyond anything that a good nights sleep couldnt fix.

I never talked about how bad I felt about myself. I got really good at hiding my behavior or chalking it up to feeling free instead of out of control and self-destructive. Basically, I lied about what I was doing and what it was doing to me.

I went from a CEO to a CE-OH no she didnt. It surprised a lot of people.

But the reason I faced my bad, sad self a second time was because I learned some things that I wantneedto share. I know Im not the only woman who has found herself in a midlife crisis of family, faith, and an uncertain future. I know Im not the only woman who has had too much to drink and made decisions in the moment that didnt look quite as chill or fun or smart in the light of a new day. And I know that Im not the only woman who has searched hard to figure things out, get things straight, set things right, and still struggle to find a way out of a gaping black hole.