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149. The Courage to Begin Again: How Jackie Das Rebuilt Her Life Abroad
I think at some point all of us have fantasized about what it would be like to leave everything and start over with a clean slate. I know I have. But not many of us actually do it. Let me introduce you to Jacqueline Das who at the age of 54 realized that her life no longer felt like hers. There was so much more that she wanted to do and experience so she made a bold midlife pivot to leave everything and move across continents to Budapest to start over. After moving, she took a full year “off” — no job, no safety net, just space to breathe, explore and re-center. She calls her gap year the most transformative time of her life — giving her confidence, resilience and a renewed sense of identity. In this episode we dig into what it means to step out of your comfort zone mid-life, learning to trust yourself, and how to embrace the unknown as fertile ground for transformation. We also talk about the gifts of getting out of you comfort zone and what she has gained from this experience: A broader worldview — immersing herself in a new culture, making friends, building community among people she initially didn’t know and didn’t speak the language. Adaptability and what she calls “FIO” — “Figure It Out” — skills that forced her to get resourceful and rise to unknown challenges. A deep re-connection with self-belief, confidence, and freedom. As she says: “the more we get out of our comfort zones, the more confident and liberated we feel.” If you’ve ever asked, “Is this all there is?” or “What if I started over?” — this conversation may just give you the courage to try.
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148. How Wisdom Shapes Who We Become
The word WISDOM is used so often when we talk about this midlife chapter. Bit what is wisdom? Do we all have it? Can we learn it? And how does it impact our lives? In this episode, I sit down with Common Wisdom author and ER physician-turned-researcher Dr. Laura Gabayan for a soulful deep dive into what wisdom really is — and why it might just be our greatest superpower in midlife. We unpack the eight elements of wisdom (think resilience, kindness, curiosity, spirituality, and more), how life experiences shape us, and why self-awareness is the doorway to a wiser, more grounded life. This conversation is a beautiful reminder that every challenge carries a lesson, every emotion has information, and every one of us can grow wiser with time. You’ll hear about: Why wisdom is your greatest life asset The 8 elements that make up wisdom How to reframe hard experiences as growth Why kindness is strength, not softness The role of emotions in decision-making How to tap your inner knowing for the answers you seek ---------- Dr. Laura Gabayan is a world-renowned physician, scientist, researcher, Psychology Today Contributor, and Award-Winning Author of 2 books: “Common Wisdom: 8 Scientific Elements of a Meaningful Life” (March 2024) and “Common Wisdom Journal” (December 2024). To help others, the author created The Wisdom Research Project in 2013 to study wisdom after many medical obstacles forced her to change course. Using applied science and objectivity, Dr. Laura Gabayan developed a clear path to gaining wisdom that can help you live your best life, which is summarized in her books. Dr. Gabayon has received multiple research grants and awards for her work. Dr. Gabayan has also published dozens of academic manuscripts cited by hundreds of researchers. Dr. Gabayan and her work have been featured on FOX News At Night, FOX 11 Los Angeles, KTLA, ABC 8 Dallas / Good Morning Texas, KFMG 98.9FM The Culture Buzz, Jewish Journal, The Eden Magazine, Authority Magazine, BookLife Reviews, Great Books Great Minds, ShoutOut LA, Palisadian-Post, Leader Magazine and many top podcasts and radio shows. https://lauragabayan.com Author Website- https://lauragabayan.com Wisdom IQ Test (free) - https://lauragabayan.com/wisdom-iq-test/ SOCIAL MEDIA Linked IN- https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauragabayan/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/l.gabayan/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/DrLauraGabayan
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147. When Will I Finally Feel Like I’m Enough?
Pretty much every woman I know struggles with her own version of enoughness - pretty enough, smart enough, good enough, nice enough, thin enough. Myself included. It’s not a coincidence that so many women feel this way - new live in a whorl that profits from it. We’ve been conditioned that way for centuries. Were influenced by it every day in no many ways. In this episode I sit down with Barbara Burgess, author o of the book Enough. We go deep on what it really means to feel enough—and why so many of us spend half our lives chasing it. We unpack the sneaky ways society teaches women to prove themselves and the comparison trap that steals our joy. And also how we find peace in ourselves exactly as we are Barbara opens up about her own enoughness journey and the fears and doubts that Alamos kept her form writing this book. She shares how setting boundaries helped her finally live unapologetically and feel confident in her choices. This chat is equal parts soul-food and truth-bombs—a reminder that life’s way too short to keep waiting for permission to be who we are and want what we want. So grab your coffee and settle in for an honest, heart-warming talk about finding peace with who you already are. 📝 Show Notes What “enoughness” really means—and how to start feeling it now How comparison quietly erodes confidence (and what to do when it hits) The surprising power of saying no and why it’s not selfish Barbara’s behind-the-scenes story of writing her book and finding her voice Reclaiming your right to joy, rest, and play The freedom that comes from living unapologetically Simple ways to begin honoring your own journey, one choice at a time __________ Barbara Burgess is an author, mother, executive, and unapologetic dark-chocolate addict who’s learned (the hard way) how to make peace with the messy, beautiful journey of life. She founded Corluma (cor = heart, luma = light), a Chicago-based consulting, training, and executive coaching firm, to help people and businesses navigate life in ways that feel honest, values-driven, and refreshingly real. Her book, Enough: Finding Peace in a World of Distractions, Hustle, and Expectations, isn’t about having it all figured out—it’s about learning to listen to the voice of ENOUGH and take small steps toward more joy, more connection, and more room to breathe. Barbara didn’t get here by following a straight path (does anyone?). Website: www.corluma.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/barbaraburgess1 Book: www.beenough.com Listeners who sign up for Barbara's weekly inspiration at beenough.com will be entered to win a copy of her book, Enough.
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#146. The Gift of Menopause with Jennifer Arthurton
This week I've got a solo episode for you. I was feeling FIRED UP when I hit record on his one, and honestly? I’m not sorry about it. I’m so tired of the narrative that menopause is something to dread, avoid, or quietly endure. It’s time we flip the script entirely. In this episode, I dive headfirst into why society has got it completely wrong about menopause. I’m calling out the toxic messaging that tells us aging women lose their value, and I’m here to tell you why that’s complete BS. This isn’t just a biological process – it’s a rite of passage. It’s your entrance into the most powerful phase of your life, and I’m here to explain why you should actually be celebrating it. We’ve been fed lies about what it means to be a woman moving through menopause. Society’s backwards cultural narratives are literally stealing our power. This episode is for every woman who’s been made to feel like her best days are behind her. For everyone who’s been told to quietly manage their symptoms and fade into the background. For anyone who needs permission to see menopause as the gift it actually is. If you’re approaching this transition, in the thick of it, or already on the other side – this one’s for you. And if you’re not there yet? Listen anyway. Consider it your prep for the most empowering phase of your life.
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#145. Making Peace with Your Mid Life Body with Nina Manolson
If you’ve ever looked in the mirror and wished you could just divorce your body—this episode is for you. In this soulful and eye-opening conversation, I sit down with the incredible Nina Manolson, a body peace coach and therapist who helps women move from body shame to deep, nourishing self-connection. We talk about the messy middle of midlife—the changes, the cultural conditioning, and the quiet wisdom our bodies have been trying to share with us all along. Nina and I explore what it really means to have body peace (hint: it’s not about loving your thighs 24/7). It’s about building trust, compassion, and a genuine relationship with the body you’re living in right now. You’ll hear: Why midlife is such a powerful time to rewrite our body story How emotional eating is actually a signal, not a failure The difference between body positivity and body peace Simple practices to reconnect with your body from a place of curiosity, not criticism Why your body is your greatest guide (yes, even now) This episode is your permission slip to stop the war with your body and start tuning in to the wisdom it’s been holding all along. Because when we feel at home in our skin, we show up differently in the world—and that’s where the magic begins. 💫 🎧 Hit play and come join this powerful conversation. Your body will thank you. --------- Nina Manolson is a Body-Peace® coach. She helps women end the war with food and body and finally feel truly at home in their body—as it is. She is known for her deeply feminist, anti-diet, body-peace approach. She brings her 30 years of experience as a therapist, Body-Trust® Guide and Psychology of Eating Teacher to helping women create a respectful and trusting relationship with their food and body. Nina’s Body-Peace work is all in service of helping people get off the diet roller-coaster, and into a compassionate and powerful way of eating & living which creates a positive long-lasting change in and with their bodies. Her courses, coaching, poems and Body-Peace APP positively change the conversation that women are having with their body. Learn more about Nina: https://ninamanolson.com/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/NinaManolsonBodyPeace INSTA: https://www.instagram.com/ninamanolson/ The Body-Peace® APP: https://thebodypeaceapp.com FREE Practicing Body-Peace® Journal: https://ninamanolson.com/practicingbodypeace/ Free Body-Peace Masterclass https://ninamanolson.com/free-body-peace-masterclass/
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