Becoming Your Best Version

Gail Marlene Schwartz is a relationship artist, musician and dual U.S./Canadian citizen. Gail uses her writing as a way to explore who she is and to connect with others. All of her writing has emotional resonance with her. My favorite line from our interview: "Mess and success can co-exist," she said, as she defined what she believes to be a healthy family, i.e., one whose members are willing to be introspective, create trust and be vulnerable with each other. She strives to become her best version by keeping a focus on her own choices in any situation, asking herself, "What can I do to grow?"

An award-winning author, Gail has penned a new Jewish, queer, coming-of-age novel that fearlessly explores the difficult topics of mental health, suicide and addiction. Inspired by her own journey with anxiety and healing from childhood trauma, “Falling Through the Night” (Demeter Press, Feb. 25, 2024) captures many of the growing pains of young, queer folks as they struggle to find their footing and independence in adulthood, to which much of Gail can deeply relate. In this episode and in her latest book, Gail touches on:

--How the story takes inspiration from Gail’s own relationship with her mother, her personal struggles with anxiety, and the suicide of her childhood best friend 

--The ways in which classification and labeling can be helpful and harmful in terms of mental illnesses 

--The importance of found family and how the LGBTQ+ community as a whole has redefined what it means to choose your family 

--The complex decision to put a child up for adoption or to adopt a child, and the trauma that can come with those decisions

--The representation of Judaism, a faith that Gail shares with her main character

Falling Through the Night is a deeply moving novel aimed to empathetically demonstrate the complexities when healing from trauma while also showcasing the joy and community of queer folks, topics that I think are in alignment with Becoming Your Best Version podcast listeners.

Gail is co-author of the books My Sister’s Girlfriend and The Loudest Bark (Rebel Mountain Press) and co-editor of the forthcoming essay collection, Boyhood Reimagined: Stories of Queer Moms Raising Sons (Motina Books). She is a founding editor of Hotch Potch Literature and Art, a collaborative online magazine, and also a freelance editor, writing coach, and writing instructor at the Community College of Vermont. Gail lives in Montpelier, Vermont with her partner, Erin; she spends every other weekend in Montreal with her ex, who is still her best friend, Lucie, and their teenage son, Alexi.

Twitter: @GSchwartzauthor

Instagram: @gailmarleneschwartzauthor

Email: [email protected]

Gail Taylor is extraordinary! She found her purpose in midlife and found a way to build her finance career around that purpose. She then pivoted full time into a career helping others full time, using her passion for music and "superpower" of songwriting to help others meet life's challenges with grace and intention.

In this episode, Gail shares the story of her midlife reinvention, in which she traded a successful finance career to help others become their best selves. Her unique public speaking approach harnesses her songwriting talent to motivate and inspire. She became a songwriter at age 62, as well as a keynoter speaker, entrepreneur and passionate advocate for the power of music to inspire change. Her catalog of 13 published songs (produced and recorded in Nashville) draws from her life experiences and imparts invaluable messages, taking center stage in her speaking engagements. She considers songs to be stories, and she uses her powerful songs drawn from her personal experiences to help others re-write their own stories.

For the past 35 years, Gail has stood on stages and spoken about finance and socially responsible investing. Her journey began in the business world, where she honed her skills and expertise. She attained her Certified Investment Manager Analyst (CIMA) designation from Wharton University, acquired her MBA at Queens University, and underwent executive training at Harvard Business School, all while building a successful Investment Advisory practice. 

In the late 1970s, she embarked on a parallel journey, one dedicated to personal betterment and the art of setting and achieving goals. Then she started learning and playing the piano at age 58! Music flooded into her life, and she retired at 61 to begin studying music in earnest (including at Berklee School of Music--my son's alma mater). She reinvented herself as a musician. She is currently penning her second book, Curve Balls, which contains personal stories and tools to inspire folks to take action in designing their own lives. She started a kickstarting campaign (see below) to help her continue to get her messages out and be on stage in the empowerment world.

She observes that the Covid pandemic and opioid crisis presented both challenges and opportunities for people to consider reinventing their lives. Her primary speaking topics are mental health and addiction; empowering women, having worked in a male-dominated industry for most of her career; and tools for leveling up one's life. Her mission is to help as many people as she can to deal with life's curveballs.

You can learn more about Gail, support her and follow her work at the links below. Her current Kickstarter campaign (ending 12/22/23) will help her help others and includes clever rewards, like digital access to her upcoming book and the music that accompanies the book, an autographed copy of her book, having your name in her book, an inspirational pendant necklace (which include messages like "Be Your Own Wings"), public speaking discounts and private mentoring sessions with tools to uplevel your life. Gail will even write an acoustic custom song and create a photo video (at $1,000 off her customary price) for someone a donor loves, interviewing the donor and using personal stories to write the lyrics. Those who donate to the campaign can keep the rewards or gift them to others. Listen to this episode and be inspired!

Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/gailtaylormusic/curve-balls-an-inspirational-book-speaking-circuit

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/gailtaylormusic

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/gailtaylormusic

TikTok: http://www.tiktok.com/gailtaylormusic

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/gailtaylormusic

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1IpG4HEUG1OPL5bOtUgZhx?si=MG_ySn6aS0eHDO9-AKsaGQ

Speakers Bureau of Canada: https://speakerscanada.com/keynote-speaker/gail-taylor/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gailtaylor1/

Sally Jean Fox, PhD is the author of Meeting the Muse After Midlife (2023), a memoir about finding hope and meaning in the second half of life—particularly through creative expression. She is a writer, performer, artist, and coach who supports midlife-plus adults to shape their narratives about the future and design more artful and creative lives.

An engaging and dynamic speaker, Sally shares in a way that feeds the spark in others. She has helped hundreds of clients find their authentic voices, share their stories, and design their lives. Her long-running weekly Engaging Presence blog offers hope and inspiration to those who want to live meaningfully in changing times. Her "Vital Presence" podcast highlights those who are “Shaping the stories that are shaping the world,” with a focus on becoming more creatively expressive in the second half of life.

In her earlier career, Sally directed innovative leadership programs, both as a consultant and a university professor and department chair, training hundreds of professionals, from all walks of life, to lead with passion and presence.

She holds a doctorate from the Fielding Graduate University and an MBA from Yale.

ABOUT THE BOOK: Meeting the Muse After Midlife: A Journey to Meaning, Creativity, and Joy

Sally Jean Fox’s memoir about using creative expression as part of a path to hope and meaning in the second half of life offers readers a bold new narrative about aging, presenting the gifts and joys that can occur without sugarcoating possible hardships. Aging, Sally discovered on her journey, opens up great new possibilities for creativity when we let go of old beliefs about what we can and cannot do. Going far beyond concepts of “retirement” and “rewirement,” Sally offers her readers a way to authentically thrive creatively during their last, most precious decades.

Learn more at: EngagingPresence.com

Instagram:  @Sallyjeanfox   

https://www.instagram.com/sallyjeanfox/

LinkedIn:    @SallyJeanFoxphd

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sallyjfoxphd/

Facebook: @Sally.j.fox.1         https://www.facebook.com/sally.j.fox.1

Dr. Cathleen Brown, fondly known as Dr. Cat, is an incredible board-certified OB/GYN who is leading the charge at Winona, a company dedicated to revolutionizing women's health. Winona is committed to providing comprehensive support to women suffering from menopause-related symptoms. Their approach includes plant-based Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) treatment, compounding pharmacies, free bi-monthly webinars, and personalized online patient care and support groups.
Dr. Cat's journey in the field of women's health is remarkable. She served on army bases for 12 years, offering vital care to female soldiers and dependents of active-duty soldiers, an experience that has deeply enriched her understanding of the unique health needs of women. Dr. Cat has also been instrumental in educating fellow physicians in the realm of women's health. Currently, she serves as the site director and obstetric hospitalist at Chester County Hospital in West Chester, PA. All this, and she is a single mother of three children!
One of the unfortunate aspects of menopause is the stigma that sometimes surrounds it. Some women aged 45-55 (and 35-59 for perimenopause) carry feelings of shame connected to their menopause symptoms, which can be wide-ranging and debilitating. These symptoms may include weight gain, anxiety, depression, low libido, hot flashes and mood swings.
To provide much-needed support, Dr. Cat actively participates in hosting biweekly Winona Webinars, where she answers questions and addresses concerns about menopause symptoms and treatment options. She also participates in Winona's quarterly-themed webinars that address women's issues. In addition, she co-moderates a membership-free support group on Facebook called Winona Women, which boasts an engaged community of more than 8,500 members.
Dr. Cat covers:

Dr. Cat helps to break down barriers surrounding menopause, empower women to seek help (even online--check Winona's free visit offering on their website) and promote a more compassionate understanding of this crucial phase in a woman's life.

Learn more and connect at:

https://bywinona.com 

https://www.linkedin.com/company/bywinona
https://www.instagram.com/bywinona/

https://www.tiktok.com/@bywinona
https://www.youtube.com/@bywinona
https://www.pinterest.com/bywinona
https://twitter.com/by_winona

https://www.reddit.com/r/Winona

Dr. Cat’s IG: @drcatobgyn

I feel so blessed to have met Keli Carpenter! Keli helps so many embrace the ebbs and flows of life, including its messiness. "The ultimate act of love," Keli says, "is to embrace this moment" and to "see someone in their wholeness." She observes that every human wants to be seen, held and loved, and she helps people access this ability, holistically, and with conscious support.

Keli is a gifted healer, who is based in British Columbia, and conducts retreats and other healing offerings in Canada, Mexico and Europe, both online and in person. Keli started practicing transcendent meditation at the age of six, following the lead of her mother who was a seeker. Keli could feel the pain her mother was carrying and how it impeded her mother's ability to love and be loved. Keli used transcendent meditation to heal herself. She was able to pass the healing gifts of meditation to her three adult children, who range in age from 19 to 24. She now trains other healers, and focuses a good part of her practice on healing other mothers.

Keli is a Chopra Center Certified Transcendent Meditation (PSM®) Instructor, Conscious Relationship, Uncoupling and Parenting Coach and Conscious Connected Breathwork Facilitator, Mentor and Trainer. Keli is also a published author, has professionally studied with Gabor Maté and is the founder of both The Other Side of Average – Therapy for the Soul and the TOSA Method. Keli has trained, mentored and guided more than 100 breathwork facilitators and organized and supported five breathwork retreats/graduation training events. 

Keli's commitment to conscious living has allowed her to raise three beautiful children with mindfulness, overcome limiting self-concepts, heal her body of disease, and accomplish pain-free childbirth. Pain-free childbirth! She shares in this episode how she was able to do that, and offers expecting moms a resource to access the wisdom in their bodies.

With well over 25 years of both meditation and somatic healing experience, her gift is in holding sacred space and helping clients learn and master the three most essential tools that help align us with our soul’s purpose — one's essential nature and the truest expression of one's self — all while healing and transcending past resentments and stories that have kept us stuck and in pain. It is then that we experience the miracles and fulfillment of life in every moment and embody the presence to hold safe space for others to evolve beyond their story. 

Keli’s philosophy is not to become your guru or healer but rather to hold the space needed for you to bring light to your darkness, helping you awaken the power you already have.

Keli speaks about breaking cycles of trauma; how every challenge has a gift with it; where trauma and consciousness meet; the utility of different types of meditation; therapy for the soul; mental emotional patterns that can fall away; imagining a world where moms are held; learning how to transform her own mental and emotional patterns and reclaim her voice; and the impact on children when their mothers are able to access their compassion and inner wisdom.

It is never too late, moms out there, to do the work Keli offers. In fact, Keli's work is primarily with mothers and training other facilitators/therapists. As Keli says, "No matter what your age, think of how you would feel if your mom became more compassionate and was able to truly see you? What impact would that have on you?"

Learn more:

https://theothersideofaverage.com 
https://www.instagram.com/theothersideofaverage/ https://www.facebook.com/theothersideofaverage https://www.youtube.com/@TheOtherSideofAverage

Rachel Freiman wants to reveal the truth about health, fitness and the bullsh*t that is holding us back. She wrote the Amazon bestseller, Becoming MindStrong (#1 on Entrepreneur.com's Must Reads of 2021), and is the CEO of MindStrong Fitness. Rachel invites us to stop cutting carbs and giving up our favorite foods, while showing us how to hit weight loss goals eating the foods we love. Rachel demonstrates how to fire up our metabolism at any age.

Her website is filled with testimonials and before and after photos from some of the more than 2,500 women she has helped get fit. One liked Rachel's approach so much that she joined Rachel's team as a coach. This woman says, "I went from post-menopausal grandma to now living as the healthiest version of me, physically and mentally!"

Rachel was a professional jazz trumpet musician in New York City, and then a middle school science teacher in South Florida (she is a self-professed science nerd), until she married her love of fitness, science and teaching to start MindStrong Fitness. The more she learned about the fitness industry, the more the teacher in her was flabbergasted. She felt that most weight loss programs were designed to keep people in the dark about the science involved. "The world needs an educator in this field," Rachel said, "not another personal trainer." She designed a science-based approach that has helped clients lose pain, gain energy and definition, improve their sleep and skin tone, and feel great, using the neuroscience of nutrition, which she learned primarily from a Princeton University neuroscience professor.

Rachel has certifications in personal training, sports nutrition and behavior modification. She is passionate about helping others unleash their strongest, most empowered selves through education and mindset training. Rachel laughs that hers is the worst sales pitch in the world: You only need her services once. Hers is an education-based company that teaches nutrition as a lifelong skill, and helps women discover what their individual bodies need. She employs the neuroscience of habits, helping clients form new neural connections in their brains that lead to intuitive, healthy eating. She developed MindStrong Fitness with an inside-out approach, to focus on both physical and mental attributes in building healthy, sustainable habits.

Rachel's podcast, Becoming Mindstrong, includes episodes that discuss such matters as living life in alignment. "Life will always happen around us, much of which is out of our control," Rachel observes. "So, how do we stay in our center no matter what's going on around us? We're digging deep into my top five steps for living life in alignment...no matter what."

When she’s not in the gym, Rachel enjoys exploring the world, snuggling with her puppy, Charlie, eating and thinking about the next time she'll be eating.

Learn more:

Website: https://www.mindstrongfitnesscoaching.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindstrong/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/mindstrongwomen
Podcast: Becoming MindStrong
Book: Becoming MindStrong: The Truth About Health, Fitness, and the Bullsh*t That's Holding You Back

Chelsea Riffe is an industry-renowned Podcast Coach, helping creatives, coaches, and entrepreneurs launch, grow and monetize their podcasts. She blends her 10+ years of digital media, content marketing, and storytelling expertise to find the golden ticket strategy for her clients. Chelsea offers one on one coaching and classes to uplevel one's creative endeavors.

She's also a full-time digital nomad and hosts the top-rated podcast "In My Non-Expert Opinion," covering the rollercoaster of entrepreneurship, the fun and chaos of travel, internet culture, and the mindset B.S. we all go through. The podcast has garnered over 150k+ downloads and continues to grow each week.

Chelsea shares some valuable tips on this episode for podcasters and social media influencers. Her dynamic personality and offerings sparkle in numerous ways, and will make you want to learn more. Although she has many interests and talents, she continually works to stay true to herself.

For all the spiritual peeps - she's an Aquarius Sun, Virgo Moon, Virgo Rising and Reflector in Human Design - meaning her genius lies within finding innovative, out-of-this-world ideas, and bringing them into reality through practical action and detailed planning.

You can catch Chelsea on a flight, working at a local cafe, or running her podcast weekly! She joined us to record this show from the U.K.! Learn more at https://www.chelseariffe.com/

Listen to her podcast, In My Non-Expert Opinion on Spotify or Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/in-my-non-expert-opinion/id1309417352. In it, you will find tips on podcasting, travel, beauty, lifestyle and more. She is a true pro, and entertaining, too!

Follow Chelsea at https://www.instagram.com/chelseariffe/

Kelly Howard is the Fitness Consistency Expert with a touch of Adventure and the author of FIT: Active & Ageless for Life (2023). For more than 25 years, Kelly has helped thousands of women prioritize their fitness so they can feel great and have more fun in this second half of life. She invites women to adventure out of their comfort zones by trying new experiences. Her Fit is Freedom Podcast, coaching, online courses, and retreats have changed the lives of thousands of women. She’s a frequent guest on podcasts and television, and the creator of the FOX TV Outdoor Houston Adventure series. She currently calls Houston, Texas, home but can often be found kayaking rivers and traveling trails worldwide.

Kelly believes that "the miracle is the movement." She asserts that mobility is even more important than any stretching. If we stay active now and mobile now, we are likely to have greater ability to move as we age.

Kelly helps people determine why they want to get fit, which leads to more commitment. For example, when a client said she wanted to to look good at her daughter's wedding, Kelly asked why that was important to her. The client wanted to feel better about herself and had not in a long time. Kelly helped her find her why, and the client successfully reached her fitness goals.

Kelly's own goal is to live very well for as long as she can. For her, that means doing the things she loves without having to have people take care of her. She was the caregiver for her best friend, her mother, who took up karate in her 50s and lived into her 90s. Kelly wants to thrive for as long as she possibly can, and she helps others do the same.

Kelly launched the SuperFIT initiative on November 1! It provides two months of support, community, accountability and coaching during the holiday season to keep people on track, but not feel like they are under the thumb of a taskmaster. Learn more at

Kelly encourages us to start, re-start and start small, if necessary. Make a plan every week, or it may be too easy for life to get in the way. I was inspired and will start this Sunday!

Kelly graciously offered our audience free access to her ebook:

Learn more at FitisFreedom.com.

Follow Kelly at the links below:

https://www.facebook.com/kelly.howard.790/ (personal profile)

https://www.facebook.com/FITisFREEDOMNow (public page)

https://www.facebook.com/groups/kellyhoward (private group)

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-howard-fitisfreedom/

https://www.instagram.com/fit_is_freedom/

Laura Widney is the visionary behind Soaak Technologies, a healthtech company dedicated to transforming well-being through innovative digital solutions. As the Chief Information Officer of Soaak, Laura brings her passion for personal growth, holistic wellness, and the power of sound frequencies to the forefront. With a deep understanding of the transformative potential of mind-body connections, Laura has curated a range of scientifically proven therapies to help individuals reduce stress, increase energy, and achieve optimal vitality. Drawing from her own experiences and journey towards holistic well-being, Laura is committed to empowering individuals to unlock their full potential and lead happier, healthier lives.

Soaak Technologies is an AI-enabled health-tech company using a "whole-person" approach to help reduce stress, decrease anxiety, and boost energy. Soaak grew out of a holistic clinic specializing in sound frequency therapy and has provided over 15 million minutes of sound therapies in 133 countries. The Soaak mobile app contains 30 unique sound frequency compositions tried, tested, and true as an effective holistic therapy method. Each sound therapy composition has been uniquely designed with a layered frequency approach that took five years to develop. For 8+ years, Soaak's team of esteemed medical doctors, holistic practitioners, and seasoned in-office therapists have used all 30 compositions during their time in-clinic. The company just locked a Phase 1 contract with the U.S. Air Force to use their sound frequency therapies for pilot's overall wellness, focus, and more. Sound therapy can be used for anxiety, improved sleep, stress relief, focus, mental clarity, cardiovascular health, accelerated learning, digestion support, headache and migraine support, sexual health, PMS support, memory support, mood boost, and more. Ninety-five percent of Soaak's users say the technology has improved their lives in positive ways.

To learn more and to read reviews:

https://www.soaak.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DailySoaak

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dailysoaak/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/soaak/

Roberta S. Kuriloff is a speaker, community activist, former attorney and the author of Framing a Life: Building the Space to be Me (She Writes Press, July 18, 2023). With humor and poignancy, her memoir takes readers along an inspiring journey of self-discovery as Roberta finds that home is less a physical place than an intrinsic sense of self, an unshakable foundation of the heart and soul. She also published “Everything Special, Living Joy, Prose and Poems to Inspire,” and a short story she wrote, “Unearthing Home,” was published in Yellow Arrow Publishing Journal. An essay called ‘Musings on the Word Atonement’ was published in “Art In The Time of Unbearable Crisis; Women Writers Respond to the Call” published by She Writes Press June 2022.

As a child living in an orphanage, Roberta dreamed of being Superman’s daughter flying above Earth to save the world’s disenfranchised children, or being the Pied Piper leading the other kids back to their family homes. In later life, her legal work centered on families in emotional and financial crisis. She is a founding member of two domestic violence projects as well as an elderly services organization, and was a hospice patient-volunteer and bereavement workshop facilitator. In between her community work, she makes time to enjoy her passions for writing and dance.

In Framing a Life, Roberta explores how those losses shaped the woman, lawyer, and activist she’d become. As she cleared land, hammered nails, lifted beams, and shivered in her rented mobile home, the answers came to her. Roberta’s journey of self-discovery is truly inspiring as she finds that home is more than just a physical place; it’s an intrinsic sense of self, an unshakable foundation of the heart and soul.
Roberta speaks about:

Follow Roberta at:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RobertaKuriloffAuthor/