This is Not Your Mom's Midlife
When I started the To 50 & Beyond podcast in 2018, I had a tagline that read: This Is Not Your Mom's Midlife. I wanted to start a podcast for women over 40 to talk about topics that are typically hush-hush like aging, menopause, weight, over-drinking, and so on. To put an end to the stigma and stereotypes that say women are irrelevant over a certain age.
I've created a podcast that represents women in the middle of life because, let's face it, it's a challenging time, and it's a joyful time. I talk about the midlife umbrella and all of the topics that fall underneath like:
Perimenopause Anxiety
Fulfilling Careers or shifts in careers
Menopause support
Nutrition and weight management
What kind of exercise we should be doing
Aging Gracefully (I'm still figuring this one out)
Empty Nest
Financial loss and gain
Sadness and grieving
Beauty and skincare
Overall health and wellness so we thrive
Relationships and divorce
Addiction
The list goes on!
Now, there is a reason that I left addiction at number 10. I wanted it to be the last topic you read. I know that addiction is a hush-hush topic and will always be for most. I respect the privacy of others and have chosen to talk about my addiction openly because it is part of my healing process.
Aging and addiction do go together - don't kid yourself that they don't.
I started drinking at fourteen, and since I opened the discussion on the podcast, I have heard for women - dozens and dozens of women who also began drinking as a teenager. We are not alone, and aging and addiction is a topic that must be shared.
The reason I got into this "niche" of helping women over 40 is that I know how hard it was for me to get not only sober and completely change my life in my late forties, but also how life-changing aging sober has been.
There is no need to tiptoe around topics such as addiction, menopause, or how we feel about aging in general. Women of age are gritty and have vigor! We are not fragile or delicate; we can talk about our lives openly without feeling shame or embarrassment.
I want to lead the conversation and go deeper with each podcast episode that airs.
I want you to know that you are not alone in your thoughts and feelings; I am here with you, and so are other women from all over the world. We all have our unique feelings about aging and our changing minds and bodies. We come together twice a week on To 50 and Beyond, and we get down to the nitty-gritty of midlife.
Your mom's midlife didn't have access to the interwebs!
Imagine going back in time to when our moms were going through perimenopause and drinking more than they should have. They truly felt alone unless they were talking about how they felt with other women, but I know my mom wasn't.
You have the opportunity to listen to podcasts and follow social media accounts on Instagram that empower you to thrive as you age! You have access to tools and resources to quit drinking, lose weight, make money, and get daily support because of technology.
How lucky are we!
I remember when I worked in an office in the late eighties, and we got a fax machine; I thought, what will they think of next? We have phones that are not attached to the wall that can take pictures! Amazing!
I want to empower you to see how much is possible as you age because of where you've come from and what you've accomplished, and technology is a bonus. You can change your life all from the comfort of your home by:
Working with a health coach to lose weight and change your nutrition
Joining an online support group like AA, Weight Watchers, or Al-Anon
Working with a Sober Coach (like me) to change your relationship with alcohol
Doing online fitness programs or working with a personal trainer via Zoom
Learning how to change your hairstyle, makeup, and wardrobe through countless YouTube videos
Getting creative through virtual craft groups, knitting groups, and painting classes
Free podcasts that talk about every topic that you can think of at the ready
Your possibilities are endless!
I've gone through my nutrition certification, joined my coach through finding her on her podcast, and led my group coaching program, ELEVATE while wearing yoga pants and a cute top via video conferencing.
Seriously, if I had an online option when I quit drinking, I would have jumped at the chance to be able to talk to someone once a week. I felt alone, and that is one of the main reasons I do what I do via the podcast and my coaching packages.
Look back on how far you have come and how much times have changed. Practice gratitude and use your experience, wisdom, and grace to move forward unapologetically. There is not a day that goes by that I don't thank my past for my present; without it, I would not be here talking to you.
Go after your big, bold, dreamy life with vigor and grit because you deserve it all! Your mom is cheering for you, and I am too!