Blueprint Breakers

What happens when the life you were promised never shows up, even after you followed every rule?

In this episode of Blueprint Breakers, I sit down with Trilby Johnson, known as The Energy Architect, to explore what many Gen X women experience in midlife: the quiet collapse of old stories, the rise of loneliness, and the moment when self-help, hustle, and “doing the work” stop working.

Trilby shares her own Blueprint Breaker story: growing up hyper-vigilant, deeply sensitive, and feeling fundamentally different, and how those early survival strategies shaped her adult life, relationships, and health. We talk about how the body holds truth long before the mind catches up, why loneliness isn’t something to fix, and how energy recalibration helps women reconnect with their own internal authority.

This conversation isn’t about self-improvement. It’s about self-recognition.

About Trilby Johnson – Breakthrough Savvy

When nothing you know works any more, Trilby Johnson — the Energy Architect — guides midlife Gen X women through pivotal internal shifts to gain unique clarity, self-trust, and autonomy, so they no longer feel frustrated or at the mercy of circumstances and design their own personal toolkit for living life fully on their terms.

Drawing on decades of integrative holistic therapies, corporate experience, extensive studies in cognitive and alternative modalities, and her own personal evolution, she brings deep insight and practical wisdom to her work. She is also the author of Fearlessly Alone – Finding You Happy No Matter What, among other titles. To connect with Trilby: https://linktr.ee/fearlesslyme

About Amy Palmer

As host and facilitator for the Blueprint Breaker podcast, Amy is dedicated to expanding and amplifying the voices of women over 45 who are living a “non-traditional” lifestyle. She believes there is more than one way to do life and we all deserve to be seen, heard, understood and represented.

After a lifelong struggle with feeling “outside” the societal norm and longing to live up to perceived expectations, pardon Amy’s French as she says fuck the blueprint! She has found peace, acceptance, and joy as she embarks on the next era of her life as a digital nomadic entrepreneur.

Amy was formerly a senior corporate executive, a nationally recognized sales and operations expert, an award-winning actress, a resident of 13 different US cities, and a prize-winning DC blogger. Amy has a vast network of friends and colleagues with whom she enjoys travel and adventures and a close family including six niblings (nieces & nephews), the loves of her life!

Amy's Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @amypalmer.today

Join our Community: https://linktr.ee/amypalmer.today

In today’s episode of Blueprint Breakers, I’m joined by Debbie Harris, Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, Certified Hypnotist, author, and founder of Maynestreet Weight Loss, for a deeply honest conversation about why dieting truly does suck for women over 40, and what actually works instead.

Debbie shares her personal journey as a lifelong dieter who hit a wall during menopause, struggling not just with weight but with inflammation, bloating, hormone imbalance, and eventually an estrogen-based breast cancer diagnosis. That experience became a turning point, one that led her to completely rethink diet culture, food rules, and the way women are taught to relate to their bodies.

We talk about:

• Why weight loss becomes harder during perimenopause and menopause—and why it’s not your fault
  

• How hormones, cortisol, sleep, and stress all impact weight and inflammation
  

• Breaking free from food guilt and perfectionism
  

• What an 80/20 lifestyle really looks like (and why it’s more sustainable)
  

• Why support and accountability matter just as much as information
  

• How to define your “why” without shame—even if it starts out feeling shallow
  

• Learning to stop comparing yourself to other women and tune into what works for your body
  

• Creating peace with food instead of fear, rules, or restriction
  

Debbie also talks about her book, Dieting Sucks for Women Over 40, which includes a practical, food-based program (no drugs), self-hypnosis tools, journaling prompts, and guidance for balancing hormones and maintaining weight loss long-term. She shares why community is such a core part of the process and how her Balanced Warrior membership provides ongoing support, accountability, and encouragement for women navigating this phase of life.

This episode is compassionate, empowering, and refreshingly real. If you’ve ever felt like your body betrayed you—or like you’re doing everything “right” and still not seeing results—I hope this conversation helps you feel less alone and more hopeful.

You can find Dieting Sucks for Women Over 40 on Amazon and learn more about Debbie’s work, free resources, and community at 30toLife.org. https://30tolife.org/

About Amy Palmer

As host and facilitator for the Blueprint Breaker podcast, Amy is dedicated to expanding and amplifying the voices of women over 45 who are living a “non-traditional” lifestyle. She believes there is more than one way to do life and we all deserve to be seen, heard, understood and represented.

After a lifelong struggle with feeling “outside” the societal norm and longing to live up to perceived expectations, pardon Amy’s French as she says fuck the blueprint! She has found peace, acceptance, and joy as she embarks on the next era of her life as a digital nomadic entrepreneur.

Amy was formerly a senior corporate executive, a nationally recognized sales and operations expert, an award-winning actress, a resident of 13 different US cities, and a prize-winning DC blogger. Amy has a vast network of friends and colleagues with whom she enjoys travel and adventures and a close family including six niblings (nieces & nephews), the loves of her life!

Amy's Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @amypalmer.today

Join the Blueprint Breakers Insiders Network: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Community.BlueprintBreakers.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this episode of Blueprint Breakers, I sit down with Lauren Francisco — global curator, emotional mastery coach, and author of COMPOSED: The Art of Directing Your Emotions. The timing of this conversation couldn’t be more aligned. I just returned from Thailand, where I was navigating my own wave of emotions, and now we’re heading into the holiday season: a time that amplifies stress, joy, nostalgia, anxiety, and everything in between.

Lauren and I talk about what it really means to pause and how that pause gives us the power to position ourselves for the life we want. We explore the difference between reacting and responding, how to hear your intuition when the world feels loud, and why solitude isn’t loneliness, it’s where truth and clarity finally have room to land.

Lauren also shares how her upbringing shaped her worldview, the moment she learned to take control of her emotions instead of letting them control her, and how travel, service, and connection across cultures have become the core of her mission.

This episode is grounding, clarifying, and deeply human. If you’re feeling stretched, overwhelmed, or in need of a reset as we head into the holidays, I think you’ll find something here that meets you right where you are.

About Lauren Francisco

Lauren Francisco, MSW, is a global curator, emotional mastery coach, mental health professional, and founder of Life Coach On Demand, where she helps high-achieving individuals lead their lives with clarity, intention, and emotional truth. With a background that spans psychology, clinical social work, therapy rooms, boardrooms, and rural villages around the world, she has dedicated her life to helping people rewrite their stories from the inside out. She is also the founder and executive director of DiverseCity, Inc., a global nonprofit that highlights everyday heroes through storytelling and service. Known for her calm, grounded voice and her gift for making complex emotional concepts feel accessible and transformative, Lauren brings a rare depth to her work. Her debut book, COMPOSED: The Art of Directing Your Emotions, reflects her mission: to help people lead with peace rather than pressure.

Connect with Lauren, including links to her book & her podcast: https://www.laurenfrancisco.com/

About Amy Palmer

As host and facilitator for the Blueprint Breaker podcast, Amy is dedicated to expanding and amplifying the voices of women over 45 who are living a “non-traditional” lifestyle. She believes there is more than one way to do life and we all deserve to be seen, heard, understood and represented.

After a lifelong struggle with feeling “outside” the societal norm and longing to live up to perceived expectations, pardon Amy’s French as she says fuck the blueprint! She has found peace, acceptance, and joy as she embarks on the next era of her life as a digital nomadic entrepreneur.

Amy was formerly a senior corporate executive, a nationally recognized sales and operations expert, an award-winning actress, a resident of 13 different US cities, and a prize-winning DC blogger. Amy has a vast network of friends and colleagues with whom she enjoys travel and adventures and a close family including six niblings (nieces & nephews), the loves of her life!

Amy's Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @amypalmer.today
Join the Blueprint Breakers Insiders Network: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Community.BlueprintBreakers.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this episode, I sit down with Andie Eggimann—an artist, a move-abroad mentor, and a woman who has rebuilt her life more than once in pursuit of what feels true and alive.

Andie spent years trying to fit into a version of womanhood that didn’t match who she really was. Eventually, she found her way back to herself: downsizing, traveling internationally with her family of seven, and finally following a long-held dream of living abroad. But the path wasn’t smooth. Plans fell apart, jobs changed, borders closed, and she and her husband had to start over multiple times.

What inspires me about Andie is how she held onto her dream anyway, and how she kept pivoting, adjusting, and creating something beautiful out of circumstances that could have shut everything down.

Today, she lives by the sea in Portugal and helps others reconnect with what lights them up and explore what moving abroad could look like for them.

In this conversation, we talk about:

• Breaking free from the blueprint you were handed

• Relearning how to trust yourself

• How travel can wake up parts of you that have been quiet for years

• The mix of joy and sorrow that comes with big change

• Staying flexible when the dream keeps evolving

• Creating goals that align with your values, not pressure

• The emotions behind wondering if life might be better somewhere else
  

About Andie Eggiman

Andie Eggimann is an artist and move abroad mentor helping people reconnect with what makes them feel alive. After twenty years of shelving her dream, she decided to prioritize her own joy, downsize, and travel internationally with her family of seven. When their move-abroad dream exploded more than once, she and her husband rebuilt from scratch with a stubborn belief that it’s possible to create something beautiful after loss. From her seaside home in Portugal, she makes maps to follow towards hope. 

Connect with Andie on Instagram: @ onedaringadventure

For Andie’s book, Benediction, and information about upcoming workshops:  https://linktr.ee/onedaringadventure

About Amy Palmer

As host and facilitator for the Blueprint Breaker podcast, Amy is dedicated to expanding and amplifying the voices of women over 45 who are living a “non-traditional” lifestyle. She believes there is more than one way to do life and we all deserve to be seen, heard, understood and represented.

After a lifelong struggle with feeling “outside” the societal norm and longing to live up to perceived expectations, pardon Amy’s French as she says fuck the blueprint! She has found peace, acceptance, and joy as she embarks on the next era of her life as a digital nomadic entrepreneur.

Amy was formerly a senior corporate executive, a nationally recognized sales and operations expert, an award-winning actress, a resident of 13 different US cities, and a prize-winning DC blogger. Amy has a vast network of friends and colleagues with whom she enjoys travel and adventures and a close family including six niblings (nieces & nephews), the loves of her life!

Amy's Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @amypalmer.today
Join the Blueprint Breakers Insiders Network: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Community.BlueprintBreakers.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

So many of us have been taught to think of menopause as the end of something - the end of youth, energy, possibilities. But what if it’s actually the beginning of one of the most powerful chapters of our lives?

In this conversation with Julie Gordon White, Founder and CEO of MenoWell, we discuss how menopause can become the spark for transformation and reinvention. We talk about how to navigate this season with more confidence, how to support your body and mind with simple lifestyle shifts, and why it’s never too late to pivot into something new- whether that’s a business, a dream, or a whole new version of yourself.

We also explore the importance of education, advocacy, and community when it comes to menopause, and how sharing our stories not only helps us feel less alone, but also empowers other women to do the same.

This conversation is real, honest, and deeply hopeful. If you’ve ever felt like midlife was “too late” for a comeback, this episode is your reminder that your next chapter might just be your best one yet.

About Julie Gordon White

Julie Gordon White is the founder and CEO of MenoWell Menopause Fiber + Protein Bars, an Oprah Daily Best Menopause product. Julie advocates for women in all stages of "The Pause". Julie is also an award-winning entrepreneur, bestselling business author, and TEDx speaker. In 2023, Julie launched MenoWell after struggling with "Menopause Middle" and watching her friends suffer in silence as their symptoms and increasing weight gain were robbing their confidence. Not letting a pandemic get in her way, she decided to do something about it and created delicious plant-based, nutrient-dense, and low-calorie energy bars with all the goodness a menopausal body needs, along with a MenoLounge community to support women with advice from expert guests! MenoWell Bars are available online on Amazon and www.mymenowell.com. 

About Amy Palmer

As host and facilitator for the Blueprint Breaker podcast, Amy is dedicated to expanding and amplifying the voices of women over 45 who are living a “non-traditional” lifestyle. She believes there is more than one way to do life and we all deserve to be seen, heard, understood and represented.

After a lifelong struggle with feeling “outside” the societal norm and longing to live up to perceived expectations, pardon Amy’s French as she says fuck the blueprint! She has found peace, acceptance, and joy as she embarks on the next era of her life as a digital nomadic entrepreneur.

Amy was formerly a senior corporate executive, a nationally recognized sales and operations expert, an award-winning actress, a resident of 13 different US cities, and a prize-winning DC blogger. Amy has a vast network of friends and colleagues with whom she enjoys travel and adventures and a close family including six niblings (nieces & nephews), the loves of her life!

Amy's Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @amypalmer.today

Join the Blueprint Breakers Insiders Network: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Community.BlueprintBreakers.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

This episode is especially meaningful for me because my guest, Lizzie Merritt, is not only a brilliant life and weight loss coach- she’s also my personal coach.

Like many midlife women, I used to believe weight loss was only about eating less and exercising more. Lizzie helped me see that the real change comes from mindset, self-compassion, and learning how to handle stress and emotional eating. With her support, I’ve discovered how to:

• Release shame and guilt that kept me stuck

• Celebrate small, consistent wins (even just 10 minutes of movement)

• Plan for my natural cycles of energy and rest instead of fighting them

• Understand why my nervous system takes over when I’m stressed

• Approach health with an anti-diet mindset that feels realistic and kind
  

If you’re a midlife woman who’s tired of the all-or-nothing cycle of dieting, or if you’ve ever felt like you “know what to do” but can’t seem to do it, this conversation will give you hope, tools, and a fresh perspective.

About Lizzie Merritt

Lizzie is a Martha Beck Certified Wayfinder Life Coach and professional weight loss coach specializing in helping people figure out why they don’t do the things they think they *should* do in order to lose weight and feel happy.

She believes that diets are just the worst; the only way to lose weight is imperfectly; and that weight loss is much more about what’s between your ears than what’s on your plate. Check out her book You Are a Miracle to learn about all the things that diets don’t tell you.

She also runs Spartan races, cries at cheesy commercials, and is a huge Marvel movie nerd. 

confidentbody.coach  ✵  @coachlizzie.merritt

About Amy Palmer

As host and facilitator for the Blueprint Breaker podcast, Amy is dedicated to expanding and amplifying the voices of women over 45 who are living a “non-traditional” lifestyle. She believes there is more than one way to do life and we all deserve to be seen, heard, understood and represented.

After a lifelong struggle with feeling “outside” the societal norm and longing to live up to perceived expectations, pardon Amy’s French as she says fuck the blueprint! She has found peace, acceptance, and joy as she embarks on the next era of her life as a digital nomadic entrepreneur.

Amy was formerly a senior corporate executive, a nationally recognized sales and operations expert, an award-winning actress, a resident of 13 different US cities, and a prize-winning DC blogger. Amy has a vast network of friends and colleagues with whom she enjoys travel and adventures and a close family including six niblings (nieces & nephews), the loves of her life!

Amy's Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @amypalmer.today
Join the Blueprint Breakers Insiders Network: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Community.BlueprintBreakers.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Join me as I sit down with Angel James, former Emmy-award winning television news producer turned content creator, whose work has inspired hundreds of thousands of Gen X women to embrace midlife with joy, music, and unapologetic authenticity.

Angel spent more than 20 years in local TV news, booking and producing live segments for one of the most-watched morning shows in the country. But in true midlife reinvention fashion, she walked away: without a plan, but with a desire to rediscover herself. 

In this conversation, Angel and I talk about:

• How she made the leap from TV producer to social media creator.
  

• The freedom and joy she found in showing up authentically online.
  

• Why midlife can be the ultimate call to adventure- whether it’s starting over in your career, taking a solo trip, or simply daring to explore your own city.
  

• The importance of human connection, rest, and giving ourselves grace in a culture that glorifies hustle.
  

• How loss, family, and friendship have shaped the way she’s choosing to live the second half of life.
  

If you’ve ever wondered what it really looks like to let go of titles, embrace reinvention, and start again in midlife, this episode is for you.

About Angel James 

Angel James is a former television news producer-turned-content creator. Angel spent more than 20 years in local news, where she spent a majority of her time as the supervising producer— booking segments for a live, 6-hour, 5-day a week Emmy-award winning morning show— and the most-watched local morning news in the country at the time. Since then, she has grown small businesses by up to 60% by ideating, producing, shooting & editing organic social media content for business categories that include fitness, jewelry, restaurants, non-profits & even one of the most respected model scouts in the business. Now based in the NJ/NYC area, she’s also grown a following of her own on social media— a 215,000 member community comprised mostly of powerful GEN X women. With 5.5 million likes and counting— all going through midlife together, not just surviving, but thriving… with the help of some 80s music. Because… well, it helps. 

TikTok: ajgirl1

Instagram: angelmjames

The book Angel referenced: Learning to Love Midlife by Chip Conley

About Amy A. Palmer

As host and facilitator for the Blueprint Breaker podcast, Amy is dedicated to expanding and amplifying the voices of women over 45 who are living a “non-traditional” lifestyle. She believes there is more than one way to do life and we all deserve to be seen, heard, understood and represented.

After a lifelong struggle with feeling “outside” the societal norm and longing to live up to perceived expectations, pardon Amy’s French as she says fuck the blueprint! She has found peace, acceptance, and joy as she embarks on the next era of her life as a digital nomadic entrepreneur.

Amy was formerly a senior corporate executive, a nationally recognized sales and operations expert, an award-winning actress, a resident of 13 different US cities, and a prize-winning DC blogger. Amy has a vast network of friends and colleagues with whom she enjoys travel and adventures and a close family including six niblings (nieces & nephews), the loves of her life!

Amy's Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @amypalmer.today

Join the Blueprint Breakers Insiders Network: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Community.BlueprintBreakers.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this inspiring episode of Blueprint Breakers, I sit down with Jackie Dunn, copywriter, coach, and fellow blueprint breaker, to talk about big life pivots, starting fresh in your fifties, and navigating the challenges of perimenopause and menopause while building a business you love.

Jackie shares how the pandemic sparked her journey from a 9-to-5 in Germany, to launching her own online business. She walks us through her early days in copywriting, the leap into coaching, and how she now helps women 40+- many navigating ADHD or menopause- start and grow businesses that align with their passions.

We talk about:

• How a rainy summer day in Germany and a Brazilian dance became a reminder of joy and connection

• Jackie’s step-by-step transition from full-time employment to full-time entrepreneur

• The realities of perimenopause and menopause, and the tools, lifestyle changes, and treatments that made a difference for her

• How to simplify goals, overcome overwhelm, and find clarity when you’re in the middle of life changes

• Why it’s never too late to start something new

If you’ve been feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure if it’s “too late” to make your next big move, Jackie’s story will remind you that reinvention is always possible (and worth it)!

Jackie Dunn is a business coach for women 40+ navigating perimenopause, menopause, or ADHD — helping them turn brain fog and burnout into clarity, confidence, and clients. 

After rebuilding her life and business in her 50s, she now guides other late bloomers to start or grow freedom-driven businesses that work with their energy, not against it.

She’s also a copywriter and AI trainer — but her real mission? 

Helping women realize they’re not behind. They’re just getting started.

Connect with Jackie:

• Instagram: @itsjackiedunn

• LinkedIn: Jacqueline Dunn

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live a nomadic lifestyle?  In this episode, I answer frequently asked questions about my experiences from the last 3 years. From how I decide where to go next and manage logistics to how I handle financial stability and personal well-being, I share all the details. Whether you're curious about the nomadic lifestyle or seeking inspiration for breaking free from traditional blueprints, this episode is filled with valuable insights and practical tips. 

About Amy A. Palmer

As host and facilitator for the Blueprint Breaker podcast, Amy is dedicated to expanding and amplifying the voices of women over 45 who are living a “non-traditional” lifestyle. She believes there is more than one way to do life and we all deserve to be seen, heard, understood and represented.

After a lifelong struggle with feeling “outside” the societal norm and longing to live up to perceived expectations, pardon Amy’s French as she says fuck the blueprint! She has found peace, acceptance, and joy as she embarks on the next era of her life as a digital nomadic entrepreneur.

Amy was formerly a senior corporate executive, a nationally recognized sales and operations expert, an award-winning actress, a resident of 13 different US cities, and a prize-winning DC blogger. Amy has a vast network of friends and colleagues with whom she enjoys travel and adventures and a close family including six niblings (nieces & nephews), the loves of her life!

Amy's Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @amypalmer.today

Join the Blueprint Breakers Insiders Network: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Community.BlueprintBreakers.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The Strategic Spotlight Studio is NOW OPEN!

If you’re not religious… but you still believe… what exactly do you believe in?

Welcome to this Bonus Day of Reflection: Faith.

This is the part of my lifestyle blueprint that’s quiet.
Not because it’s unimportant—because it’s complicated.

I was raised Catholic. I followed the rules. I found comfort in the structure.
But as life got more complex, that framework didn’t quite fit anymore.
Still… I’ve always believed in something.

✨ A higher power.
✨ A connected source.
✨ A knowing.
✨ A soul-level truth that we are all part of something greater.

I’ve just never found a church—or label—that fully matched the way I experience it.

So now, faith for me looks like quiet journaling that feels like prayer.
It looks like sitting still and listening.
It looks like trust, even when there’s no proof.
And it looks like choosing love and openness over fear and judgment.

I’m not religious. But I am spiritual.
And I believe in honoring the many ways people connect to the divine—without gatekeeping or shame.

So now I’ll ask you:
🌀 How does faith show up in your life today?
🌀 Do you nurture it, question it, avoid it… or something else entirely?

There’s no one right way to believe. But there is value in asking the question.

📲 Follow the full reflection series on Instagram: @amypalmer.today

🎙️ Listen to deeper conversations on the Blueprint Breakers podcast

🔔 Subscribe for honest, unfiltered content about building a life outside the traditional blueprint

#BlueprintBreakers #5DaysOfReflection #FaithInMidlife #SpiritualButNotReligious #WomenOver45 #ThirdActLiving #SelfDefinedFaith #UnfilteredReflections #SpiritualGrowth #RedefiningBelief