Dear Midlife...

Hey, hey Cronies! I know you're probably thinking, "bitch, who you calling 'cronie'?" But, in today's episode, we learn the word "Crone" is the honorific way to refer to a woman standing in her power in midlife! Thank goodness for our next guest, Pia Antico, who is a Crone Life Joy Reboot Mentor (say that 5 times fast). She's not only here to give us a little history lesson, but also intuitively guides single, empty-nest women over 40 to ditch their regrets and live unapologetically.

She is definitely our kind of woman! Our girl, Pia, helps women to age "disgracefully" and quit being unwilling bystanders in their own lives. Embracing a Crone Life™️ is all about revolutionizing our experience of midlife, Menopause and beyond by dismantling the internalized misogyny and ageism (ever watch a Disney movie and seen an "older" female portrayed as a "witch" or "evil") that prevents us from living unapologetically authentic, carefree lives of joy and passion.

And talk about living...Pia suffered 'three near deaths before thirty, navigated two abusive marriages and suffered a major head injury but chooses to help herself AND others get past their darkest moments by tapping into their innate well-being. So that they can shine the light of their radiant, joyful wisdom & step into their dreamed-of future; no matter their current circumstances.

In this episode, Pia teaches us that:

1. Crone (or hag) are term that's once referred to a revered elder female. Over time, society has shifted the meaning of these terms to one of derision and this societal definition is ingrained in us over time (think the evil "hag" in the fairytale Snow White).
2. Just like our body is designed to heal an outer wound, our psyche is designed to be resilient! We CAN heal our mind.
3. Sometimes we have to learn to forgive ourselves and others.
4. Our true guidance lies in our heart and gut...it is our inner intuition that we need to learn to tune into and allow it to guide us. Too often we ignore our own intuition
5. Contrary to Descarte's statement, "I think therefore I am" Pia believes only in the "I Am". It is not the 'thinking' that gives us life and existance. it is the knowing that we are enough.

You can find Pia at:

Website | essentialawakeningmentoring.com

Podcast | @croneliferevolution.podcast

Make sure we're connected: FB | Dear Midlife and IG | @DearMidlife

If our content really resonates with you, please leave a review on your podcast platform of choice and share an episode with a friend. We genuinely want to expand our reach and share the wisdom of our guests with as many women just like you that we can! We can't do it without your help and support.

Our next guest, Brooke Ritchie, has led a full and diverse life. From living in a trailer park to becoming a nanny to some of the wealthiest people. And, Shelby, we've talked about this before.... the hard thing is...being surrounded by wealth, knowing what IS possible, but then we allow our limiting beliefs to hold us back!

Girlfriend....we KNOW you are out there struggling with some of these same limiting beliefs. We love Brooke's vulnerability to share her story and how she's had to overcome her own limiting beliefs to live her best life as a coach and therapist. And Brooke will say that being a coach and therapist has been her life’s work. It chose her. This calling has now allowed HER to help countless people to embody their true selves and achieve things they had feared were out of reach. 

The good news is: You can change. But, girl...you have to take charge of interrupting old patterns and narratives by committing to doing the deep inner work. As a trauma-informed mindset coach and therapist Brooke helps people overcome self-worth issues & mindset blocks so they can make quantum leaps in every aspect of their lives. Imagine what your life would look like if you actually felt worthy. What conversations would you have? And with who? What kind of money could you make? Where would you spend your vacations? And who would you wake up next to? 

Brooke has a Master’s degree in Somatic Psychology and works as a Registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist. She is certified as a Neuro-Linguistic Programming Practitioner and is trained in The Mastery Method Coaching, Deep Transformational Coaching, EMDR Therapy, & Regenerating Images in Memory.

Let's just say girl has done it all and in this episode, she walks us through some of the tools and techniques she uses to help her clients achieve the freedom and transformation they seek. In this episode, Brooke teaches us:

1. When we experience a trauma, it leaves an open loop in our brain. So, each time the brain experiences something similar it catalogues it as a comparable experience and triggers the same feelings as we had during the initial experience...creating these repetitive narratives. We can identify the open loop and reparent that inner child to provide them what they need to close the loop.
2. We can use hypnosis to down shift our brain waves into a slower theta state, taking the frontal cortex offline, so that your brain is operating at the same wave length that it is between the ages of 0-7. In this way you can dig into your subconscious and repeater neural pathways.
3. You are already in hypnosis 2x a day. Right as you are falling asleep and then as you wake up in the morning. These become opportunistic moments to do some. your inner work.
4. EMDR stands for eye movement desensitization reprocessing and is a therapeutic method of using bilateral stimulation of the brain to help the individual reshape the way they think about the traumas that happened to them.
5. In order to expand your thinking and vision a future that is even broader that you know today, you can evaluate who you're spending time with. You absorb the mindset of those you spend your time with. When you expand your circle of friends, you expand your mind.
6. When facing a block or limiting belief, ask yourself: "Is (this block) true?" Then, "Can I absolutely believe it's true?" "How do you react when you think or hear this thought" "If it is not true, what could be possible and who could you be without the thought?"

If you love this show....please.subscribe and leave us a review. I keep getting notes through our FB page and email that people are loving this show...but, girl when you leave us a review here it helps boost our show so that other women out there, just like you, can find us.

You can find Brooke at:

Facebook | brookieritchie

IG | brookieritchie

LinkedIn

Website Offer| https://www.brookeritchiecoaching.com/

Make sure we're connected: FB | Dear Midlife and IG | @DearMidlife

Our guest, Philippa Robinson, was under so much stress and pressure that it actually caused her to lose her eyesight!  But, you know....we ALL do it. As women, we put everyone else's priorities ahead of our own. Our needs are ALWAYS the last to be fulfilled...If at ALL, right?!? To our listener out there...we've said this before and we'll say it again...stress and trauma can LIVE in your body and cause all kinds of ailments. In this case, childhood trauma and a hectic career as a lawyer threatened to permanently blind Philippa.

She studied law at university and she spent most of her life and career exploring the UK, while subconsciously seeking "home". I know I'VE felt that way. She thought she'd found her "home" as she settled into a busy law career and homelife in which her hubby, 2 boys and Bob the dog became her priorities. It wasn't until life tapped her on the shoulder and said "hey honey! It's time you took a break and stop living your life to serve everyone else" and sent her a signal she could no longer ignore.

During her own personal transformation, through healing childhood trauma and learning to love and live for herself, she arrived at her soul's mission to guide people to be the truest versions of themselves because she believes that is the greatest gift we can give ourselves. Philippa's message is that she was 47 when she got started!  She wants people to know it's never too late and you're never too old. There's no quick fix but it's worth it.

Understand that your past is most likely affecting how you behave now. The small wounded part of you needs healing so work out what they needed then and how to give it to them now. Pull the inner child close, love them and your life will change. There is freedom and joy on the other side of healing your wounds. 

In today's episode, Philippa reminds us: 

1. Stress and trauma can remain stuck in your body and can cause physical and mental pain.
2. When you do something new for the first time, it will be uncomfortable. Start small and continuously communicate your needs and intentions with loved ones and friends as likely your new choices may be disrupting their lives too
3. It is never too late to heal your trauma and live a life you love. Again, there is no quick fix, but taking bold steps may save your sanity or even your quality of life.
4. You are the only person you will be with for the whole of your life and the greatest gift is to know ourselves, what we love, what makes us tick, what is our purpose.
5. To find a bit of joy everyday.

You can find Philippa at:

Website | https://Safeandsupported.co.uk

IG | @safeandsupportedcoaching

Please make sure we're connected at: FB | Dear Midlife and IG | @DearMidlife

Dear friend! If you're loving this show, please leave a review and share the show with a friend. We rely on your support and feedback to continue to bring you amazing content. xo

Our guest today was born into the circus and became the youngest paid clown at the age of 3, survived a near death experience being mauled by a puma, was bullied throughout his life, attempted suicide and overcame series of addictions.

Holy shit...Jonathan Royle has lived like 10 lifetimes in just the short span of 47 years...yes, ladies. He's right here with us all smack in the middle of life! Through the lens of levity and experience, Jonathan shares with us some profound insights as we talk about his personal trauma and what he did to overcome his own challenges.

Jonathan brings both humor and a wealth of knowledge to the show as a celebrity hypnotherapist, Master NLP hypnosis trainer and author of the book "Shitnosis" which helps readers "get over the shit in their life and get their shit together".

Today, Jonathan joins "our circus" and teaches us:

1. Hypnosis is when a pattern interrupt disorients the pre-frontal cortex or logical mind so that suggestion can slip past into the subconscious
2. Hypnosis is the correct use of verbal and non-verbal communication techniques to emotionally and psychologically manipulate people into stopping doing the things they DON'T want to do or to START doing the things they do.
3. To heed how your brain processes the information you give it. The law of reversed effort which says that what resists, persists. You get more of what you focus on in life. Also, mind the "order principle" which says do or do not...there is no "try".
4. You don't have your "critical thinking faculty" until about teenage years...so all traumas get beyond that rational mind before it is fully formed and are embedded in the subconscious
5. You cannot delete the negative memories, but CAN delete the negative charge associated with these negative memories and traumas

Girl...if you have your own shit to get over, this episode is for you. And now we will use Jonathan's persuasive techniques to "will" you to leave a review for this show and let us know what shit you want to get through and how this podcast inspires you!

You can find Jonathan at:

Website | https://www.magicalguru.co.uk

(seriously...check out Jonathan's website and some of his old stage videos)

Twitter | @roylehypnotist

Make sure we're connected at: FB | Dear Midlife and IG | @DearMidlife

Have you ever been asked to go out to a club or dinner with a friend on a Friday night...and there was a part of you that wanted to go and a part of you that wanted to stay home? Sometimes on Friday night...we are so exhausted and just shut down, but then equally want to get out of the house! Both of us spend so much time working from home...that sometimes we can feel physically torn about staying home or going out.

Raise your hand if you feel the same way?! Today our guest, Maureen Clancy helps us understand that this is because that there are, in fact, different parts within us. These "parts" were created (typically in our younger years) to protect us from trauma because we didn't have the external support or tools to manage some situations which were too much, too fast, too soon or too long.

And, sometimes these parts rule our lives and don't realize that we are now grown and capable women. When our survival response gets triggered, they can continue to try to protect us when our, sometimes to our detriment. Ladies...these "parts" or old narratives that you used in childhood to protect you no longer serve you in adulthood and could be the VERY things holding you back from living a life you love! What is your inner critic saying to you?

Maureen Clancy is a licensed therapist, group therapy practice owner, and trauma expert who, for the past 21 years, has been helping women who’ve experienced childhood trauma heal the past and fully embody the present.

She’s the creator of the Gate Passages Framework, a structured, bottom-up approach to healing trauma. She’s certified in a variety of healing modalities and in this episode, we spend time discussing Internal Family Systems, and her practice of combining therapy with Reiki, Tarot, and flower essences to heal the energetic body.

She’s presented on trauma and self-care at Rutgers University Graduate School of Social Work and Limerick Institute of Technology School of Social Care (County Clare, Ireland).

This episode is soo juicy as Trinity comes to a fascinating realization about herself. And in this space, perhaps this recognition is the first step to her own healing journey.

In this episode Maureen teaches us to: 

You can find Maureen at:

Website | maureen-clancy.com

IG | @themaureenclancy

TikTok | @maureen.clancy

And we'd love YOU to join us on this journey as well! Leave us a review. Tell us about your inner critic (another one of our damn parts that we all have!). What's her name? What does she say to you that holds you back?

Make sure we're connected: FB | Dear Midlife and IG | @DearMidlife

Perhaps, you resonate with our guest today, Clarissa Castillo Ramsey who is a self-proclaimed "Serial Pivoter". The reason for this because, you see, she was constantly living her life seeking the approval of others rather than doing what made HER happy.

As the daughter of Philippino immigrants, she was always striving for the approval of her parents...until in 2018 she looked around and thought to herself "What the fuck am I doing?" It was then she started what she's called her "multi-year pivot". It began with her book called "Painting Your Path™" that she published in 2020. In this book she interviewed women who had successfully started living life on THEIR terms and used their stories as an inspirational case study for how she could live the life she always dreamed of as an entrepreneur.

THAT was the catalyst for deciding that it was time she become her own boss after dreaming about it for years and holding herself back. During this time, she created the 5-step Paint Your Path framework that she now uses with her clients to help THEM live a life they love.

Dive into this episode with us as we explore how Clarissa made the leap from a high-powered corporate career to successful entrepreneurship.  In this episode, she shares with us how to:

1. Not be afraid to pivot...and then pivot again! Start taking small steps towards a larger goal.
2. Develop a long-term exit strategy and then establish a resignation date and write that resignation letter!
3. Avoid a fixed mindset, which is thinking you have a finite set of skills. Instead, practice using a growth mindset and evaluate the evidence that shows how much you've grown and are capable of growing. Keep a hype file of the evidence that shows how strong and capable you are (customer testimonials, emails/texts from friends, a glowing performance review)
4. Use the "Paint your Path" framework to manifest your goals. 1) Dream 2) Decide 3) Plan 4) Be Brave 5) Reflect.
5. Ask those closest to you to define what they see as your top three strengths when formalizing your vision for the future. Define the things you're passionate about and ask yourself how you can use your strengths to solve a problem related to this passion.

If you resonate with Clarissa's story and want to make the leap to entrepreneurship, leave us a review and let us know! We'd love to hear how Clarissa inspirted your exit plan.

You can find Clarissa:

https://Clarissastudio.com

https://www.instagram.com/ccr_sunshine

Make sure we're connected at: FB | Dear Midlife and IG | @DearMidlife

Tell me if this story resonates with you...Boy meets girl, girl puts boy on pedestal, boy and girl have ___ kids (fill in the blank), girl makes herself the lowest priority, girl loses herself and her power, girl hits crisis point...

This was us! Hell, we STILL have mama guilt any time we do something for ourselves and our kids are independent now! It's like there's this feeling as though you're doing something WRONG if you go on a date, spend time with friends or do something for yourself. If this sounds familiar that doesn't have to be the end of the story. Our guest today Tanya Maree Biddle puts a stop to this age old narrative and instead (in her own words) grew a set of balls, learned to ask for what she needs, fought against internal and external resistance and has now become a coach to help other women this her position!

Tanya Maree now holds space for women everywhere as a coach and mentor to working mums while they rediscover who they are as their growing children no longer need or want them around anymore and supports them to create the next season of their lives.Tanya is an avid planner and organiser and mentors her clients through a process of planning their personal development so they can create habits, rituals and routines that will move them to action. 

She is an Accountability & Self Empowerment Mumma Coach (#mouthfull) and is a professionally trained coach for working mums with teenage kids. She specialises in holding space for these beautiful Mummas while they rediscover themselves and supports them to LIVE life on their own terms.

In tihs episode, Tanya teaches us to:

1. Stop deprioritizing ourselves. When we make ourselves our last priority we also teach the people around us that we are the lowest priority. BUT, you CAN choose a different path!
2. Understand that reversing the habits that you've created can take time. It's not just training your children and family that they are capable...its also training yourself.
3. Set effective boundaries consistently over time, which requires a lot of gentle reminders and sometimes reevaluation to determine if shifts or adjustments need to be made.
4. Reflect on who you were before you were in your partnership or had children. Ask yourself what were your dreams and aspirations? What did you enjoy doing then. This is a good starting point for rediscovering who you are today.
5. Learn to celebrate when our children reach an age of independence and become self-sufficient. It means we've fulfilled our role as mom and taught them well!

I, literally, had a conversation with my sister just last night about the importance of setting boundaries and THIS episode. If this episode resonates with YOU, please share it with a friend. Leave us a review to share with us a boundary you set and how you grew as a result!

You can find Tanya at

Website | tanyamareecoaching.com

IG | @tanyamareecoaching

Make sure we're connected: FB | Dear Midlife and IG | @DearMidlife

So, NOBODY likes change, but frankly it's the only constant in life. Today’s world is always shifting, evolving and pushing our personal and business visions into new territory. So, girl, we gotta move forward and embrace the unknown, because that is where the true magic lies... BUT....what if the unknown wasn't so unknown? What if you could have insights into the future that would guide your decisions? Would the idea of change and life feel less intimidating? Our guest today, Sam Plovie or Qi (prounounced Chi) Pro Sam, has over 10 years experience in transforming peoples lives by helping them to navigate the turbulent waters of change to bring clarity and purpose forward so they can make more informed and sound life decisions.

Sam is the ultimate ‘Guide by your Side’ removing the barriers that sabotage your success! With unparalleled expertise in Chinese Astrology and Metaphysics, Sam assists people through their life transitions, career redirects, home harmonizing, optimal office work flow, staff alignment and corporate strategies.

Sam's philosophy is success is science. If you have the conditions, you get the results” and she strives to help people attain those conditions and live their life at full potential by aligning people to their environment, tapping into their true skills at the right time, with the right strategy, life is smoother, simpler and more purposeful. 

Sam is schooled in the Five Arts of Chinese Metaphysics, and today she demonstrates how she can harness the power of these tools to paint a roadmap of my future for the year 2023. And, girl, when I say she paints a roadmap, she pretty much predicts my future with a (almost) creepy degree of accuracy. BUT, she reminds me she is just laying out what COULD be, it is up to me to make my own choices and, ultimately, shape my future. Take this walk with me and see how powerful these tools can be.

In this episode, Sam begins by orienting us to some key components of the BaZi chart within Chinese Astrology:

1. The BaZi chart can be utilized to provide an "external" point of view for the timing of key decisions and personal strengths that can be capitalized on.
2. The "year" Pillar is about relationships and connection ancestors, parents and workplace from a perspective of time and distance. In short, the focus is on the future. The "day" pillar is all about you...your health, your significant other, who you are and this is the center of chart. The "hour" pillar is where we find relationships with money, children, intimacy.
3. An annual update (as we discuss in this episode) provides a comprehensive overview of all of these things and starts with a review of a hexagram that provides a predestined theme. Career, Health, Money, Relationships, what is occurring and what decisions can be made in awareness of these key areas. It's like a puzzle of probability.
4. Your BaZi chart provides you awareness or a roadmap of what is to come. You can look at the roadmap and still be in control of the direction you choose to take and can make these choices in an informed way. Having visibility into what is to come should not raise concern, but can simply make known what may happen so that you are better prepared to navigate the path forward.
5. Halfway through the year, go back and review the annual overview to see how things have played out over time.

If you enjoyed this episode, we encourage you to find Sam at the link below and have your own BaZi chart read. If you do, leave us a review! Let us know one interesting tid bit of information you received and how that shaped a decision in your life.

To find QiPro Sam:

Website | QiProSam.com

Make sure we're connected! FB | Dear Midlife and IG | @DearMidlife

Let me share with you some pretty astounding statistics about our topic today. This causes 81% of people to feel a loss of personal power after this experience. 94% deal with painful triggers. 71% have low energy. 47% have weight changes. 84%...Have an inability to trust. 67% Prevent themselves from becoming involved in deep relationships.

Today we're here to discuss the topic of betrayal and its IMPACT. Betrayal is a trauma unlike any other because betrayal happens when those you are closest to and trust the most BREAK that trust...it becomes so personal and is, therefore, extremely difficult to heal from and can cause a tremendous feeling of loss and sense of self.

The reality is that trust CANNOT be repaired...it can only be REBUILT. Our guest today, Dr. Debi Silber, is the founder of The PBT (Post Betrayal Transformation) Institute and is a holistic psychologist, a health, mindset and personal development expert, and 2-time #1 International Bestselling Author of "Trust Again", "The Unshakable Woman: 4 Steps to Rebuilding Your Body, Mind and Life After a Life Crisis" AND "From Hardened to Healed: The Effortless Path to Release Resistance, Get Unstuck, and Create a Life You Love". and her podcast "From Betrayal to Breakthrough" is also globally ranked.

Dr. Debi has completed a PhD on how we experience betrayal and has made 3 groundbreaking discoveries that change how long it takes to heal. We'll share these discoveries with you in our podcast today.

In addition to being on FOX, CBS, The Dr. Oz Show, TEDx (twice) and more, she’s an award-winning speaker and coach dedicated to helping people move past their betrayals as well as any other blocks preventing them from the health, work, relationships, confidence, and happiness they want most.

So buckle in, girl. This is a JUICY episode in which Dr. Debi teaches us to:

1. Look at trust like a brick wall. Trust cannot be repaired. It CAN be rebuilt...brick by brick by brick. It it the betrayers job to rebuild that brick wall...not the person who was betrayed.
2. Learn that betrayal is not our fault, it IS our opportunity. In every betrayal, we learn something about the negative narrative that we are telling ourselves perhaps, unknowingly. Until that lesson is learned, you may experience repeat betrayal. If nothing changes...nothing changes.
3. Betrayal is a different type of trauma. When a betrayal happens, your world is shattered...your ability to trust, your sense of self and worthiness. This type of trauma requires a complete rebuild or transformation that is deliberate and intentional.
4. There are 5 predictible stages to betrayal and healing:

• Stage 1 events leading up to the betrayal that can be mired in the neglect of spiritual and emotional connection. 
• Stage 2 the actual receiving of the news of the betrayal...D-Day. Your stress response has been triggered and you're in a state of overwhelm
• Stage 3 Survival Mode...this is where most people feel stuck and stay. This is where the numb, avoid, and distract ourselves with food, work, alcohol etc...
• Stage 4 recreating a new identity...taking with you on this journey of transformation the best parts of you and leaving behind the parts that are no longer serving you
• Stage 5 healing, rebirth. and new world view. If you understand the "roadmap" you can navigate the healing process in a faster, better way.

  5. Face it...Feel it...Heal it... The only way is through it. It may be easy now...but, hard later. Hard now...and easy later. Either way, you must navigate all of the steps to be healed.

If you've suffered a betrayal, leave us a review and let us know what you've done to become stronger. Share this episode with a friend! We truly apprciate your ongoing support!

You can find Dr. Debi at:

Website | ThePBTInstitute.com

tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@debisilber 

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DebiSilber

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debisilber/

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

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/debisilber

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/DebiSilber/

Make sure we're connected: FB | Dear Midlife and IG | @DearMidlife

Perhaps, you know by now that I've struggled my whole life with the feeling that I'm not worthy of love. So, I'm sure it is no surprise to our listener that I fell into a toxic relationship. I stayed in that relationship for 16 years until one day I realized I had spent so much time being accommodating my spouse's needs to avoid an argument that I'd lost myself and didn't know who I was or what made me happy anymore. The loving relationship I thought I was in, was a facade.

I know that I'm not alone. So many women find themselves in my shoes, being manipulated into believing they are in a loving relationship, while slowly losing themselves without even realizing it. Our guest, Lucy Price, helps us to identify the characteristics of a toxic or narcissistic relationship so we can come to our own truths and find a new path forward.

But, this episode isn't only about the toxic relationships we find ourselves in, it's about reclaiming your power and finding yourself afterwards. When I walked away from my relationship with my ex, I realized I had a LOT of work to do to reclaim my relationship with MYSELF. I didn't know who I was, what I liked or where to start.

Lucy supports women in moving on from toxic or narcissistic relationships so that they can heal, fall madly in love with themselves, and create the love and life they desire. she specializes in mindset, emotional intelligence, and relationship building skills. She talks about how to shift the story you are telling yourself about you and your life, how to become aware of subconscious beliefs, the 7 layers of why, and micro-mindset changes that lead to big results.

In this episode, Lucy teaches us:

1. It is easy to lose ourselves in a toxic relationship. Healing starts with awareness. Consider what are you feeling and thinking? Then ask, is that serving you and helping you get where you want to be?
2. Your thoughts create your feelings...your feelings drive your actions/patterns of behavior and, therefore, your results. If you find yourself in a pattern of toxic relationships, you first have to change the way you think about yourself.
3. Sometimes we have to step back and ask ourselves what behaviors has society normalized as acceptable in men and then really get in touch with your interests and needs. Ask yourself if this the way you want to be treated?
4. I love this...ask yourself the question, "what do I want the culture of my relationship to feel like?" Then work to develop the skills to create the culture you desire in your relationships.
5. Don't speak in definitives. Talk about "being in the process of". Make the micro-mindset shift from "I'm unworthy" to "I'm in the process if discovering my worth" or "I'm in the process of learning to love myself". Doing so moves your mind from static to momentum and forward growth.

You can find Lucy at:

Website | https://Shiftyourstory.net

IG | @Lucy.M.Price

Make sure we are connected: FB | Dear Midlife and IG | @DearMidlife

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