Design Your Life, Your Way - Strategic Growth for the Conscious Midlife Entrepreneur

What if you created space for a spiritual awakening during the holidays by giving yourself permission to fall apart, instead of holding it together? In this raw and restorative episode, I give you permission to fall apart, rest, and release what no longer serves you. Through my stories of loss, reflection, and divine renewal, you'll discover how unraveling can spark rebirth and lasting peace.

This episode is for every woman, especially those over 50, who feels the weight of being “the strong one,” through the holidays. You’ll discover how burnout can become a breakthrough, and why your tears, pauses, and quiet moments might be the holiest thing you offer yourself this season.

Show Notes | Transcript

What you'll learn:

How to turn holiday burnout into sacred awareness.

Why rest is not weakness, but wisdom.

How grief, stillness, and surrender lead to midlife reinvention.

Steps toward living intentionally after 50 and reclaiming joy on your own terms.

The spiritual link between burnout recovery and authentic fulfillment.

Reflection Questions

1. What expectations am I ready to release this holiday season?

2. Where is my soul asking for rest or simplicity?

3. How might redefining success help me experience deeper peace?

Resources:

Join the Soulful Women's Network: https://www.facebook.com/groups/soulfulwomensnetwork

Receive daily inspirational email messages: bit.ly/LoveLightNotes

Need support? Go to engagewithgloria.com to schedule a call.

Schedule your light language session: tidycal.com/gloria3/single-light-language-session

Connect with Live Love Engage:

Send Gloria Grace a message

☕ Support the podcast

❤ Love this episode? Leave us a review and rating

LinkedIn: Gloria Grace Rand

Facebook: Gloria Grace Rand

YouTube: Gloria Grace Rand

TRANSCRIPT

Permission to Fall Apart: Spiritual Awakening Through the Holidays

Opening: The December Business Burnout Cycle

Namaste.

Am I the only one who wants to throw it all away every December? Now, I don't mean cleaning out the junk so the house is clean for the holidays. I'm actually talking about scrapping the business and walking away. You see, this week's episode is supposed to be about managing seasonal triggers like they're items on a to do list. You know, check your boundaries, practice self care, set realistic expectations.

But here's what I really want to say. What if the trigger is the business itself? What if every December you remember who you were before you became this entrepreneur version of yourself and you're not quite sure you'd like the trade you made? That's what we're really talking about.

So not we're not going to be sharing tips or strategies, but the raw nerve underneath all of it. But as always, first, I do want to welcome you to Live Love Engage. Especially if this is your first time joining us. I really want to welcome you and introduce myself. I am Gloria Grace.

I'm a confidence catalyst and self love advocate. And I empower the mission driven women over 50 through my signature love method, L-O-V-E method and energy healing to boldly live life on their terms.

Now, I just realized I forgot my water today, but I'm just going to keep on rolling because that's what I'm going to do. I'm going to. I'm going to do this episode without water. So. So there you go.

The Reality of Running a Business as a Woman Over 50

And see, that's what I think. This is what it is. I mean, this is what December feels like when you're a woman over 50 running a business. While, I don't know, it seems like the whole world is ending around you. Or maybe it's just your world or somebody else's world just ended.

Or maybe you're watching everything you've built feel suddenly pointless.

The Rage: When Everyone Else Checks Out But You're Still Showing Up

You know, there you might be feeling a lot of rage, you know, that everyone else gets to check out for the holidays, but you're still showing up, still performing, still holding space for other people's transformations while yours is on hold. Maybe you're feeling some rage as your family still doesn't understand what you do, that you spent 30 years becoming someone else's definition of successful. Now you're finally doing your thing and it's frankly exhausting and lonely and nobody's throwing you a parade, for crying out loud.

The Shame: The Hidden Feelings Entrepreneurs Don't Talk About

Maybe there's some shame, you know, for not wanting to decorate, for resenting the clients who ghost you in December or for looking at your revenue and feeling that old familiar pit in the pit of your stomach, you know, am I worth anything if I'm not producing? Maybe it's for being spiritual but wanting to really just, I don't know, hit the next person who tells you to just surrender and trust, even if that's your higher self. Because I tell you, that's the message I've been getting for the last, I don't know, two years now. Ah, I know, I know, I know. I need to do that, right?

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

The Futility: When Your Business Feels Pointless

Maybe it's that futility of sending another email or creating another offer or showing up on another zoom call when your, I don't know, mother, sister, best friend, marriage, body is falling apart. And then there's this voice that's whispering to you, what is the point? Who cares? Why am I doing this?

The Truth We Can't Say Out Loud in Our Businesses

And underneath all of it, the thing we absolutely cannot say in our businesses where we're supposed to be healed and empowered, is this.

What if I don't want to keep going now? Not in a scary way, but just what if the version of success I've been chasing feels like a cage I built myself? What if I'm tired? What if I need to stop? But stopping feels like failure and I've already failed and at so many things.

And this was supposed to be the thing.

Getting emotional here.

Oh, gosh.

My Sister's Story: Running a Business While Grieving

Yeah, I'm getting emotional because I'm thinking about, let's see, nine years ago.

Okay, so I'm recording this in November. Well, actually, it's still the end of October. Wait a minute. It's still the end of October. This is going to be airing the beginning of November.

The Phone Call That Changed Everything

But nine years ago at this time, I was in Tucson, Arizona. I was at a hospital where my sister was dealing with complications from the cancer that she'd been battling for the last year and a half almost.

And I had rushed out there in October, at the end of October, because I'd gotten this call from the nurse saying that your sister's. We're not sure she's going to make it. You need to come out here right now. So I hopped out of a plane. Thank God for Southwest Airlines at the time.

They were really great and got me on a plane right away. And I even got TSA pre check, so I didn't even have to stand through the line, which was wonderful. And luckily she rallied. My sister did rally, but she also, you know, we just knew. It was like, you know, this is it.

You know, the end is coming. And she'd already stopped Chemo going through any more radiation therapy just wasn't going to do anything anymore for her, for the tumor that she had. And so we opted to go get her into hospice care. And so she was in, in a, in a hospice facility for a little while. And then on November 11, I remember that it was Veterans Day, she went home.

Balancing Business and Being Present During Grief

They, the hospice people brought a bed to her home, which we set up in the living room. And that's where she stayed until the end of December. A couple days after Christmas was when she transitioned. And all the while that this was going on, you know, I'm running a business, I'm trying to run a business. Anyway, I mean, thankfully the fact that I'm a solopreneur and that I was doing digital marketing really at the time, as long as I had computer connection, I was able to do that.

And I was also in the middle of, and I remember like recording videos while she was sleeping. You know, I would go out in the backyard and record a video because I was promoting a three day workshop that I had already postponed once due to a hurricane. And now it was going to happen in January.

And like at the end of January was when the hotel was able to, to be open again. And so I was promoting this workshop, trying to keep the, keep things together, you know, keeping the word out all the while. My sister is starting to fade and man, oh man, let me tell you, the tension, you know, between grief and then, especially then the grief of losing her and then having to put this workshop on a month later.

How Grief Changed My Business Forever

Wow. It was, you know, it was not easy. You know, I, ah, I, you know, and I'm like, I'm looking at my notes right now and I'm not even sure what I want to say. But it just, you know, it was just realizing that trying to do all of this, it's just, it's just, it sucks. And, and I gotta tell you is that, you know, every year when, you know, the holidays come around, you know, I'm reminded of, of that time, you know, and, and just, yeah, just trying to do this.

So, so I guess maybe this is the real holiday trigger that I'm trying to, trying to talk about today. It's not the past trauma, but it's, it's that present day realization that you've become someone who can function and you're not really sure that's a superpower or prison.

What Do We Do With This? Permission to Fall Apart

So what do we do with this? Because I can't just leave you in the pit with me. Even though part of me thinks there's something honest about staying here together for a minute. But first, and I mean this, stop trying to holiday proof your business like it's a house you're weatherizing. Your business is you.

And if you're falling apart, it gets to fall apart, too.

Because I tell you,...

If you've ever wondered how to grow your spiritual business without sacrificing your soul or burning yourself out, this conversation will feel like a breath of fresh air. In this episode, I sit down with Shilpa Lewis, AI strategist and host of the Omni Mindfulness podcast, to talk about how we can align our purpose with technology to amplify our message authentically. We dive deep into practical ways to use AI tools that enhance rather than replace your authentic voice. You'll learn how to create a symbiotic relationship with AI, training it to truly understand and reflect your essence.

Show Notes | Transcript

"We each have something so special - not just one thing, multiple things - and it's just often dormant for various reasons." - Shilpa Lewis

As women over 50, we often feel conflicted about embracing technology while staying true to our spiritual essence. Shilpa shares her journey from corporate AI expert to spiritual entrepreneur, revealing how she harmoniously marries tech savvy with soul wisdom.

We explore:

What it means to be visible without being "on" all the time time

How to honor your energy while sharing your gifts

Why your lived experience is your most powerful marketing strategy

Shilpa also shares her Omni Method, a beautifully grounded approach to staying aligned while you grow. It’s a conversation about purpose, pivots, and the quiet courage it takes to keep evolving. If your soul’s been whispering that there’s a gentler way to share your light, this episode is your invitation to listen.

Resources:

Join the Soulful Women's Network: https://www.facebook.com/groups/soulfulwomensnetwork

Receive daily inspirational email messages: bit.ly/LoveLightNotes

Need support? Go to engagewithgloria.com to schedule a call.

Connect with Shilpa

Website: omnimindfulness.com

Podcast: Omni Mindfulness

Connect with Live Love Engage:

Send Gloria Grace a message

☕ Support the podcast

❤ Love this episode? Leave us a review and rating

LinkedIn: Gloria Grace Rand

Facebook: Gloria Grace Rand

YouTube: Gloria Grace Rand

TRANSCRIPT

Introduction: Amplifying Your Authentic Message Without Burnout

GLORIA GRACE RAND: Namaste. Would you like to know that you could actually grow your spiritual business online without sacrificing your soul or burning yourself up in the process? Well, stay tuned because that's what we're going to be talking about today, because my guest has a revolutionary approach for using AI and social media tools to amplify your authentic message while also staying completely aligned with your purpose, which is what I'm all about. So I love this, and I'm so excited to have her.

But first, I do want to welcome you to Live Love Engage, especially if this is your first time joining us. I am Gloria Grace, founder of Align to Shine Academy, and I empower women over 50 to overcome life's challenges so they can embrace who they are, lead boldly, and shine their light in the world.

And joining me today is a wonderful woman that I've known for a little while now. Her name is Shilpa Lewis, and she is known as your Go to Streamlining with System Sage. She's an AI and social media strategist meets spiritual strategist, and she helps soulful solopreneurs amplify their presence without burning burnout. As I mentioned, she's also a podcast host like I am. Her show is called the Omni Mindfulness Podcast, and she's creator of the Amplify Authentically series, which blends mindful tech with grounded, soulful strategy. And see, that's what being authentic is about, is, you know, making mistakes sometimes. So without further ado, I'm going to bring Shilpa up here and welcome you officially to Live Love Engage.

SHILPA LEWIS: Well, namaste, Gloria, and thank you so much for this sweet, lovely, thoughtful introduction. And I'm so grateful to be here.

What Does It Mean to Amplify Authentically?

GLORIA: Oh, well, I'm really, you know, we've known each other for a little while, and actually, I was wonderfully invited me onto your podcast, and I appreciate that as well. So thank you for that. And I, you know, we're aligned in a lot of respects because we're, you know, we have this spiritual and then we have the practical side, but we'll kind of get into that a little bit more. But I do want to figure we just jump right in and talk about what does it mean to have amplify authentically. Now I can say it in a world where, you know, everyone's telling us to be louder or post more often. In fact, I know I wonderful, wonderful person that I follow is like, yeah, you can go ahead, post, post all the time if you want. Now it's like, oh, my goodness. So, yeah, what do you think about all of that?

SHILPA: Absolutely. What a lovely question. I believe that Amplify Authentically really talks to the heart of what a lot of us feel when we want to step into the space that can be very intimidating, which is social media, and utilizing it to further our business. And we might be soulful solopreneurs, where being so present on camera and being so present in social media all the time can feel a little bit jarring, intimidating. And quite frankly, if you're spiritual, you find it energetically draining. So I always say you don't have to be louder to be present and allow people to know the value you provide so you can amplify those natural gifts and you can do it with authenticity.

GLORIA: Sorry, I didn't mean to put that bug in your hand.

Finding Your Authentic Voice in Business

SHILPA: Certainly I'm yawning. Also, I feel like—and I always speak from the heart—is that many of us, as we become a little more jaded in the world of, say, corporate. I come from corporate, is that you start censoring everything you say and the pauses, the giggles, the stumbles on the words. And as I started to establish my business and establish my podcast, I had that little voice in my head and I had to, like, learn to tame it down and say, just be yourself. Because at the end, what marketing teaches you is that you want to attract what they call your ideal client avatar, and you probably don't want somebody who's always looking overly polished and has it all supposedly figured out. So one day I just had this, like, what you call it? Download. Why don't you call it Amplify Authentically? Which is essentially the way in which I'm delivering my service now within the umbrella of Omni Mindfulness. Omni Mindfulness is the podcast and business name. But what it is that I do, where I combine the tech with the spirituality, it comes through through Amplify Authentically.

Why Your Soul Has a Strategy

GLORIA: I love that. I want to ask you about how you actually decided to kind of put that together, but even before that, I think I'd about because there's some people out there who might be listening to this or watching us on YouTube who maybe have never really thought about bringing business and spirituality together. And you talk about, you know, that our soul has a strategy. So can you help someone out and maybe even just explain to them maybe why it's a good idea?

SHILPA: Yeah. Let me put it this way. I feel like the reason why we do what we do at the end of the day is because we are on our spiritual journey to grow and get connected to whatever you want to call it, the universe or God. And when we lose ourselves, whether it's in our 9 to 5 job or in building a business, and trust me, I have—it is very easy to slip. But when we lose ourselves in that, we have lost our sight of the North Star. Why we're doing what we're doing, what is our purpose? What is our ultimate why? Maybe the smaller why is I want work-life balance. I want a job where I get to call the shots or do things on my own term. But maybe it's even slightly higher. I want to be more present for my family, my son. It could be even higher. I want to be the kind of soul who feels at the end of her life, she's truly put all of her energy into realizing who she really is and her connection to the universe.

GLORIA: Yeah, I like that. That resonates with me a lot. And so I think that's so helpful.

Shilpa's Journey: From Corporate to Spiritual Entrepreneur

The Path from Computer Science to Spiritual Strategy

GLORIA: Yeah, we're going to have you go through the Omni method, but let's keep talking a little bit about you. So I want to focus on you because, again, how did you—you mentioned that you come from a corporate background. So how did you wind up deciding to marry spirituality with sort of practical social media marketing?

SHILPA: Yeah. To get a little bit boohoo, I also believe that we all have a soul strategy. You mentioned that just moments ago. Like an imprint, like we sort of have a calling and we are given the tools to be on that path. And in my case, I was born in a very traditional Hindu family where spirituality and meditation rituals were just part of what I was around all the time. So that was just an imprint in me. Whether or not as a young adult I was embracing it as effectively is another thing. You know, because I was born and raised in the States. I then lived in India during my very formative years as a teenager and then returned and immediately dropped straight into the very cerebral part of the brain. I joined a very challenging computer science program and had it set in my head. I will go off and get my PhD, which I went and got my master's, left without the PhD but it was a super driven and ambitious.

And in those days computer science was like kind of like the new thing. Not a lot of women in particular were studying it. And I ended up focusing on AI well before it was trendy and ended up combining that with software engineering and design. Practiced something very different than AI, but came full circle in the last few years, realizing that it's something now that's becoming more utilized to streamline your efforts. And that was intersecting with when I was developing my ow

What if networking didn’t have to feel like a performance? In this heartfelt episode, I sit down with Jen Fort, author, encourager, and creator of "Connectworking," to reimagine what connection can look like when it’s rooted in generosity, presence, and truth. Together, we explore how letting go of the “perfect pitch” and embracing authenticity leads to more meaningful relationships, both personally and professionally.

Show Notes | Transcript

"You have to get into a right mindset, I believe, when you start those conversations, because if not you'll come across as if you've got that loop playing in your head of well, why would somebody want to spend time talking to me?" - Jen Fort

If you've ever felt like networking is one more thing you're supposed to be good at but secretly dread, consider this episode your permission to do it differently.

You'll discover:

Why the word "networking" itself makes people recoil—and what to call it instead

The one question that opens doors without feeling salesy or awkward

How to walk into a room where you know no one and become the person everyone wants to talk to (hint: arrive early)

The "safari strategy" for reaching out to people without making them—or you—anxious

Why leading with generosity isn't just nice, it's strategic

A simple spreadsheet system for staying in touch without turning into a robot

The power of a handwritten note in a world drowning in emails

We also talk about something unexpected: how a LinkedIn connection led to a conversation that changed my health. It's evidence that real connections don't just help your business. They can also change your life. This isn't about collecting contacts. It's about building a circle of people who actually matter to you, and letting yourself matter to them.

If you've been showing up to networking events with a knot in your stomach, or avoiding them altogether because they feel fake, this conversation might be the reset you need.

Resources:

Join the Soulful Women's Network: https://www.facebook.com/groups/soulfulwomensnetwork

Receive daily inspirational email messages: bit.ly/LoveLightNotes

Need support? Go to engagewithgloria.com to schedule a call.

Connect with Jen

Website: jen-fort.com

Website: wisdomandwarnings.com

IG and Facebook: @wisdomandwarnings

Connect with Live Love Engage:

Send Gloria Grace a message

☕ Support the podcast

❤ Love this episode? Leave us a review and rating

LinkedIn: Gloria Grace Rand

Facebook: Gloria Grace Rand

YouTube: Gloria Grace Rand

TRANSCRIPT: From Performing to Connecting: Finding Authenticity in Networking

Guest: Jen Fort

Host: Gloria Grace Rand

Podcast: Live Love Engage

Introduction: Moving Beyond Forced Networking

Gloria Grace (Host): Namaste. Are you tired of networking that just feels forced and fake? Well, stay tuned because my guest and I are going to be talking about how asking the right questions and leading with generosity can actually transform that awkward small talk into powerful connections that actually help your business and soul thrive.

But first I do want to welcome you to Live Love Engage, especially if this is your first time joining us. I am Gloria Grace, founder of Align to Shine Academy, and I help women entrepreneurs like you. I'm assuming that you are a woman entrepreneur listening to this, but I help you turn your inner critic into your greatest marketing asset.

And joining us in just a moment is Jen Fort, and she is an author, encourager and creator of Connect Working, a new take on networking. That's all about real connection. She shares wisdom for life's milestones with heart, humor and honesty. And whether you're starting fresh or reaching out, Jen helps you grow your circle and your courage. One meaningful convo, she says in her bio at a time. So without further ado, I'm going to bring her on and welcome you, Jen, officially to Live Love Engage.

Jen Fort (Guest): Well, hello, great to be here. Thanks for having me.

Gloria Grace: Well, I am delighted to have you because I have been a networker now for well let's see, I guess well over 15 years, since I started my business way back in 2009. And it's been an interesting journey. Some days I like it, some days I don't. I even founded my own networking group in the past couple of years and so, but I know definitely, as an entrepreneur, it's not always easy. So I loved the name of your or how you phrase this as connect working. So I'm wondering what caused you to come up with that way of referring to networking. Did you have some type of, you know, bad oh, should we say experience that's the word I'm looking for that led to that. So I'm curious.

From Corporate Career to Connect Working: An Unexpected Journey

Jen Fort: Yeah. So this all came about? I had been working in the corporate world for almost 20 years and I had what I call an unexpected departure and which that caused a 180 degree pivot in my career and it landed me in the role of a career transition coach. So I catch people when they get laid off, help dust them off, figure out where they need to go next and I send them on their merry way with some tips and tricks and tools.

And one thing I learned through those conversations because networking is such a big part of finding your next job or anything related to business but every time we talked about networking it almost looked like the person felt like they were going to go into a root canal. They just got that awkward, cringy kind of feel and look and they're like, oh, it's the last thing I want to be doing.

So through those conversations I just thought you know, networking is really just about human connection view of what networking is. So it's really about human connection and, yeah, there is a bit of work to be done when you're trying to make those human connections. So I just kind of it just came to me one day. It's like it's connecting, it's working, it's connect working, and that's just kind of how the concept came up.

Building Real Connections Through Authentic Conversation

Gloria Grace: Well, I love that because, you're right, it is all about building connections, and I know one of the networking groups that I had joined years ago. What I loved, what made it different from some of the other groups that I had been attending in, was the fact that they would do masterminds during our luncheons and where we could talk not only about issues that were going on in our business but even in our personal lives and we and you know and that was encouraged that we could, you know, talk about and to really be real and Women's Prosperity Network. I will tell you that that's what. What the name of the organization was and is, and I'm still a member.

Yeah, there were other networking groups that I've gone to where it was just you know people, just oh, here's my business card and you know, and it's like that's not really you know, I'd like to maybe get to know you. So, you know, I mentioned in the lead in here is that it's about asking right questions. So what's maybe like a favorite question that you have that you would like to ask people when you are first connecting with someone?

The Power of Asking Better Questions

Jen Fort: Well, if it is in a, especially if it's in a business scenario, I like to ask them what's the most interesting thing you've done this week? And it just gets off of the. It gets them curious about what's lighting them on fire. Because, if you think about it, when are people most open and engaging and wanting to have a conversation? When they're talking about themselves, right. So by you opening up a conversation with something that helps them share something they're passionate about or they're excited about, that just opens the door to a bit of a more genuine conversation, and then you can take and pivot a conversation in any direction pretty much, but it's really about getting them to talk about themselves really about getting them to talk about themselves.

Common Networking Mistakes That Kill Connection

Gloria Grace: Well, and actually I want to kind of go back here because I know I explained part of what the reason why I get turned off at times from networking Maybe. What are? Because, like I said, I think that's a huge mistake that people make is thinking they can just walk up and hand you their business card. What are some maybe other key mistakes that people might make when they do go networking that you've seen them make? That is going to maybe stop that connection from happening.

Jen Fort: It's the intimidation factor of thinking that folks are higher in the food chain than they are. Because when you walk into, or whether it's virtually or in person, the automatic assumption that this person is out of touch, out of reach, that they are of an executive level and I am only a lowly manager or that. Why it's a little bit of that. It's the cliche term right now the imposter syndrome. Why would somebody want to talk to me? I'm just a blank, there's nothing interesting about me.

So it's. You have to get into a right mindset, I believe, when you start those conversations, because if not you'll come across as if you've got that loop playing in your head of well, why would somebody want to spend time talking to me? It comes out in your mannerisms, your eye contact, your body language. So sometimes you just need to kind of pump yourself up a little bit and I kind of like having people practice casual, small conversations outside of a typical formal networking environment just to get comfortable with having random conversations with random people.

Networking Tips for Introverts: Arrive Early and Be the Greeter

Gloria Grace: Yeah, I think that's a really good suggestion for people to be able to do, because it does, it takes that intimidation factor away and it takes your nervousness away because especially and I go, I know, for me I'm I'm an introvert in some situations and and

What if the key to finding purpose after 50 wasn’t about doing more, but about being still? In this soulful conversation, I sit down with Larry Weingarten, author of The Philosopher’s Wrench, to explore how stillness, curiosity, and perspective can transform not only how we work but how we live. Larry’s story -- part contractor, part philosopher -- reveals how fixing what’s “broken” on the outside often begins with quiet repair on the inside.

Show Notes | Transcript

You’ll hear practical and profound insights on:

Why stillness is a radical act of self-leadership after 50

How perspective can turn life’s breakdowns into breakthroughs

What intentional living really looks like when you stop chasing and start listening

Larry also shares lessons from his cat – namely, what our feline friends understand about life that humans have forgotten.

If you’ve built, led, and served, and now feel called to redefine fulfillment on your own terms, this episode is your invitation to pause, breathe, and come home to yourself.

Resources:

Join the Soulful Women's Network: https://www.facebook.com/groups/soulfulwomensnetwork

Receive daily inspirational email messages: bit.ly/LoveLightNotes

Need support? Go to engagewithgloria.com to schedule a call.

Connect with Larry

Website: www.larryweingarten.com

Book: The Philosopher's Wrench: Using Your Creativity, Heart & Tools to Fix the World

Connect with Live Love Engage:

Send Gloria Grace a message

☕ Support the podcast

❤ Love this episode? Leave us a review and rating

LinkedIn: Gloria Grace Rand

Facebook: Gloria Grace Rand

YouTube: Gloria Grace Rand

TRANSCRIPT

Host: Gloria Grace, Founder of Align to Shine Academy

Guest: Larry Weingarten, Author of "The Philosopher's Wrench"

Episode Focus: How problem-solving mindsets can heal spirits and transform businesses

Episode Introduction

Gloria Grace: Namaste. Are you tired of seeing problems as roadblocks when they could actually be doorways to deeper wisdom? Well, stay tuned as I chat with a master problem solver who's going to share how the same mindset that fixes broken things can actually help to heal our spirits and businesses, too.

Welcome to Live Love Engage, especially if this is your first time joining us. I am Gloria Grace, the founder of Align to Shine Academy, and I empower women over 50 to step into their highest potential with clarity and confidence.

My guest today is Larry Winegarden, author of "The Philosopher's Wrench." He's a contractor who's been working with his hands for over 50 years, learning about fixing problems—both technical and human. He enjoys helping people and animals and respects the land that raised him.

From Physical Tools to Life Tools

Gloria: I'm really interested to talk with you because this has been a fascinating book so far. You're not the typical contractor I've encountered—you're much deeper. I'd love for you to share how you started making that connection between fixing physical objects and fixing human issues and emotional things.

Larry: Well, if I look at tools, the word "tools," what comes to mind first is a pipe wrench, metal tools, power tools. But there are bigger tools if you think of it. Hope, particularly—very powerful tool. If you look at what hope can do versus what a pipe wrench can do? Hope can save lives. I've used it to prevent suicides. It's a very powerful tool.

Acceptance is a tool. Being present or presence is a tool. So I had to step out of my comfort zone, which was just playing with pipes and metal things, and learn how to be of greater service. That's where working with the bigger tools has let me do a whole lot more.

A Water Heater Story: Doing What's Right

Gloria: Can you share a story about maybe fixing something like a water heater that taught you an unexpected lesson about life?

Larry: There was a client who had a gas-fired water heater in his crawl space. It was unsafe in so many ways:

Not properly vented—the vent pipe just went up against wooden floor joists and stopped

The temperature and pressure relief valve had been capped off

Not properly earthquake strapped (I'm in California where this is important)

There were at least three different ways this water heater could kill the owner. I wouldn't leave the place until I had fixed all of that. I wasn't going to expose him to that risk. He wound up getting mad at me for basically not allowing him to be killed by his water heater.

Gloria: Why do you think he got mad?

Larry: Plumbers have a bad reputation—"what can I do to increase the bill?" But I like to be the plumber that goes around and saves people money by making their water heaters last five times the normal lifetime. I think he was scared, and justifiably perhaps. He may have been burned in the past by somebody else.

Using Hope as a Tool: Preventing Suicides

Larry: I was part of an investment situation where I lost a lot of money, and a number of other people lost all of their retirements. They were seriously talking about suicide because they had no idea how they could keep going.

So I gave them different perspectives to play with, different points of view, and said, "How about if we did this or went down this road?" I know for certain that I prevented four suicides in that case because I helped them figure out a way to see hope. Hope is a really powerful tool.

The Power of Quiet Mind and Business Success

Gloria: You mention in your book about the power of openness and a quiet mind. How can our audience—women entrepreneurs who watch this show—apply those principles to business challenges?

Larry: I try to find at least 30 minutes a day to have quiet—meaning no outside noises, influences, or electronics. But also making my mind still, letting my subconscious come up. Getting rid of all the noise so that what's been hiding in my subconscious can come up and be seen. My best ideas show up when I quiet my mind.

Gloria: How did you develop this practice?

Larry: As a five-year-old, I was told that my mom would very likely die of cancer. Before that, I was just a happy kid. After that, I couldn't even speak—I had to write notes to people. I was so anxious.

I learned how to speak again by figuring out almost a little self-hypnosis trick of making things quiet inside so I could get past that block. Once I could do that, I thought, "Let's see if I can be quiet for longer." I found that if I could get that same quiet and expand it out for half an hour, all kinds of neat things happened. Things I forgot to do would pop up. My subconscious would present whatever I'd been missing—whether new business ideas or who I should be getting in touch with.

From Law to Trades: Following Logic

Larry: My father was a lawyer and really wanted his sons all to be lawyers. I saw what a messy trade that is—it involves people who make no sense at all. No logic. Everything is different. You can't trust what judges do.

I thought physical things I'm pretty good at, and I like to deal with physics. It's concrete—you know what's going on. It all makes sense if you take the time to understand it. I can see corrosion processes in my mind or heat transfer going on. It just all makes perfect sense.

Living Off the Grid: Efficiency and Independence

Gloria: You live off the grid, which is something my daughter used to talk about doing. What's that been like for you, and how does it inform what you do in your life?

Larry: I built this house you see around me and finished it roughly 20 years ago. It's off grid. The way to make that happen is to make it really energy efficient. This house uses about a tenth as much energy per square foot as the standard American home.

I would have had to run 2/3 of a mile underground power line to get to the house—that would have been roughly $75,000 at the time. Instead, I spent about $5,000 to build a small solar system with battery storage. I saved $70,000, and my power doesn't go out.

The going rate for housing in my area was around $250 per square foot. This house cost about $100 per square foot to build. Being efficient and off grid can actually cost substantially less.

Practical Energy Efficiency Tips

Gloria: How can we start moving towards being more self-sufficient and energy efficient?

Larry: Start with what you can do with your own house to make it much more efficient. [Shows thermal camera image] This is a cat walking on carpet, taken with a thermal camera—a little plug-in device you can add to your phone called a FLIR one. Those footprints you see show how sensitive it is to heat.

Imagine looking at your house with a camera like that, both inside and outside. You can see where the heat is leaking out and tell exactly what needs to be fixed—whether it's air leaks, thermal bridges, or whatever.

For apartment dwellers, there's been a movement called "Guerrilla Solar" where you put your own photovoltaic panels in a window or on a porch and create your own power. Also explore whether your power company offers energy audits and tool lending programs.

Life Lessons from Cats

Gloria: You mention cats in your book, and I can see you're a cat lover like me. What lessons have you learned from being around cats?

Larry: I have a cat named Prince who teaches me all kinds of things. Whatever he needs shows up for him. If he's hungry, food shows up. If he wants to play, everything is a cat toy. Life is real simple for him.

If he wants my attention, he zigzags in front of my feet as I'm walking. I've never tripped over him or kicked him—I'm careful that way. He acts on what can go right. Humans act on what can go wrong. We think the saber-tooth tiger is lurking around the corner, but Prince knows his basic premise: "What can go right? I want the human's attention, so I'm going to zigzag in front of him." Always works.

I've rescued kittens that were like a month old,...

You're sitting across from a potential client or a new acquaintence at a networking meeting when they make the most casual invitation: "So, tell me about yourself." And your mind goes blank. Not because you lack accomplishments. Not because your life hasn't been full, complex, and worth talking about. But because somewhere along the way, you stopped knowing how to answer that question without listing your roles, your résumé, or what you do for others.

Dr. Dianne Olvera has spent decades studying why so many people, especially women who've spent years filling a variety of supportive roles, struggle to define themselves in midlife. What she's discovered and shares during our interview will make you rethink everything about how you communicate with others AND yourself.

Show Notes | Transcript

This episode is about reclaiming your voice that has gotten buried under decades of being told what to do, how to respond, and who to be. Dianne shares the subtle communication patterns that either drain your energy or fill your cup. And why the words you use (and the ones used on you) have shaped your reality more than you may have realized.

You'll discover:

Why self-awareness isn't selfish, and how asking yourself simple questions can rebuild confidence that external achievements never could

The eye contact technique that shifts power dynamics instantly, whether you're dealing with a difficult person or standing up for yourself

How the words you heard as a child are still running the show in your business, your relationships, and your internal dialogue

Why "people become our words" and how to use this knowledge to transform the way you show up for clients, partners, and yourself

The generalist vs. specialist framework that will help you stop butting heads with people who drive you crazy and start leveraging their strengths instead

How to have empathetic conversations with teens (or anyone, really) that don't devolve into lectures or door-slamming by flipping the script on who does the talking

Dianne doesn't deal in spiritual bypassing or toxic positivity. She's spent years as a diplomat navigating volatile conversations with controversial figures, raised a family across continents, and built a practice helping everyone from toddlers to executives learn how to define themselves, instead of being defined by others.

If you've ever walked away from a conversation feeling smaller or caught yourself apologizing for emotions you have every right to feel, this episode might just be the permission slip you didn't know you needed to start speaking differently. To yourself, first and then, to everyone else.

Resources:

Join the Soulful Women's Network: https://www.facebook.com/groups/soulfulwomensnetwork

Receive daily inspirational email messages: bit.ly/LoveLightNotes

Need support? Go to engagewithgloria.com to schedule a call.

Connect with Dianne

Website: drdianneolvera.com

Book: "The Power of Connection: Understanding Individual Differences to Uplift and Empower"

Connect with Live Love Engage:

Send Gloria Grace a message

☕ Support the podcast

❤ Love this episode? Leave us a review and rating

LinkedIn: Gloria Grace Rand

Facebook: Gloria Grace Rand

YouTube: Gloria Grace Rand

TRANSCRIPT

Communication Strategies That Build Real Connection After 50

Full Episode Transcript

Introduction: Why Some Conversations Energize While Others Drain Us

Gloria Grace Namaste. Have you ever wondered why some conversations leave you energized while others drain your spirit completely? Well, today we are diving into the incredible power of connection that can actually transform your business relationships and personal relationships and maybe, maybe even in the process, bring some more abundance into your life. But first, I do want to welcome you to Live Love Engage. If this is your first time joining us, I am Gloria Grace, founder of Align to Shine Academy, and I empower women over 50 to step into their highest potential with clarity and confidence. And joining us in just a moment is Dr. Diane Olvera, and she is an amazing lady. She's an educator, an author, an expert in empowered education whose work was shaped by years of living in Argentina and Mexico during political and economic instability. And she's got a book called the Power of Connection, Understanding Individual Differences to uplift and empower. And it combines over four decades of personal experience with scholarly insight, providing practical tools for fostering more meaningful and effective relationships. And I know we can all use some of that. So without further ado, I'm going to bring her up and welcome you officially to Live Love Engage. Oh, good grief. I cannot hear you all of a sudden. That is strange. Oh, there we go.

Dr. Dianne Olvera Thank you. It's pleasure to be here.

From Stewardess to Diplomat: Dr. Olvera's Journey

Gloria Grace Well, I am happy to have you here. And I. Yeah, you know, going over some of your bio, you certainly have led an interesting life. And I'm curious to know what actually first sparked your interest in really studying the power of connection and communication.

Dr. Dianne Olvera Well, I moved to Argentina. I married an Argentine. I was a stewardess with TWA. And he that marriage didn't work out, but I stayed because we had a son. And then I was also teaching at the American School, and I met this lovely man who was a diplomat, and we both became diplomats for the American Embassy. And I had an opportunity to meet people in very high places that were sometimes very controversial. And I just couldn't understand how on one side they could be doing very devious acts, and on the other side, they could be speaking to me, and I could be completely blown over by how wonderful they were. So when we completed our work, I also needed to use a lot of my new strategies with these people because sometimes you did have some controversial issues that needed to be discussed. And the only way that we could do that would be to be very honest and open with each other. And there were times that you had to really maintain your integrity. So after we left Argentina, then we went to Mexico and became diplomats there, and they were having an economic crisis and so when you're a diplomat, you meet people from all over the world, and that's how. I don't know if you've seen, you know, Netflix the Diplomat, but it's. It's a way that we can create companionship and friendship across lines, and sometimes we may need each other in the future. So there, again, that involved a lot of important conversations that sometimes could be very volatile.

Overcoming a Strict Upbringing to Find Better Communication Methods

So when I got back to the States, you know, I came from a family where we were very. They were very strict, and we weren't allowed to talk. I got soaked behind my front teeth. If I answered back, I got the belt, I got the whip. So I finally said, there's got to be a way that we can learn to connect with anyone and be able to do justice and empower them and help these people be able to feel that they are worthy of our interactions. And so I spent the next 12 years in graduate school. I got a couple doctorates in bilingual special education and cultural differences. And I used much of my time after graduation to teaching college students. But then I also had a private practice, and that's where I developed my strategies on how anyone, from the most neurodiverse to the most gifted to the youngest, let's say two years old up to my age and more, how we could learn to talk with each other. It literally improved my marriage. My husband and I had a child. He was in middle school, and it improved our relationship with him. He is now an adult, and he uses it all the time in his work with his family. It's very powerful. And what he said to me the other day is, mom, this is very subtle. You don't know. People don't realize what you're doing. But you are able to literally turn relationships around just by the power of how you speak with them and how you look at them, how you use your body language.

The Modern Communication Crisis: Why We're Not Listening

Gloria Grace Wow, that's a really good thing to have. And I tell you, it's so important. Seems like even more these days where we've got so many. We're so caught up in indifferences and not listening to one another and not just wanting to, you know, everybody wants to be heard. We all want to be seen and want to be heard, but we don't necessarily then want to extend that to the other person because they feel the same way. And we can't be able to have a good, you know, communication if we're not willing to listen and let them be seen and heard as well.

Dr. Dianne Olvera Yes.

The Power of Eye Contact: A Diplomat's Secret Weapon

Gloria Grace I want to get into your strategies in a moment, but I wonder if you could share with us first maybe a story about a time when effective communication really transformed a challenging situation.

Dr. Dianne Olvera Oh boy, there have been so many. One time as a diplomat I was taken aside by someone and they're always testing you to see if how vulnerable you are to receive and to provide information. And I was very uncomfortable. And so I as this person spoke with me I lowered my eyes and then when the moment was right I raised my eyes. I looked him straight in the eye and I said we're done here. And I walked away. And I realized after going to graduate school that our eyes have power. And so I mean I use it all the time. I use it in my graduate classes. It was funny because one day I actually I was teaching a law class and one of my students was providing some very interesting information and I was listening to him and then I looked him straight in the eye and I said tell me more. And he just apologized. I am so sorry. And I said why are you sorry? I want to know more.

...

Does it sometimes feel like you're pushing a boulder up hill when it comes to achieving entrepreneurial success? As a confidence catalyst and self-love advocate for women over 50, I understand the rollercoaster of emotions that come with building a business and midlife reinvention. In this episode of Live Love Engage, I'm getting real about the messy, frustrating, and sometimes painful process of growth.

I'm sharing a personal story about a business partnership gone awry and the valuable lessons I learned from that experience. It's a reminder that even when things don't go as planned, there's always an opportunity for growth and self-discovery.

Show Notes | Transcript

"You're allowed to be messy. You're allowed to stop, to rewrite. You are allowed to yell and still keep showing up for you because you are worthy, you are loved." - Gloria Grace Rand

Embracing Your Natural Rhythm

As mission-driven women, we often push ourselves to conform to societal expectations of productivity and success. But what if I told you that honoring your own unique rhythm could be the key to unlocking true fulfillment in your business and life?

In this episode, you'll discover how to:

Why respecting your emotional and physical cycles is crucial for success

How to identify energy drains in your business and reclaim your time

The importance of balancing masculine "doing" energy with feminine "allowing" energy

A simple exercise to uncover your natural daily rhythm and boost productivity

Women over 50 have a secret superpower: our emotions. Instead of seeing them as a hindrance, I'll show you how to harness your emotional intelligence to:

Make better business decisions

Connect more authentically with your audience

Navigate challenges with grace and resilience

Resources:

Join the Soulful Women's Network: https://www.facebook.com/groups/soulfulwomensnetwork

Receive daily inspirational email messages: bit.ly/LoveLightNotes

Need support? Go to engagewithgloria.com to schedule a call.

Connect with Live Love Engage:

Send Gloria Grace a message

☕ Support the podcast

❤ Love this episode? Leave us a review and rating

LinkedIn: Gloria Grace Rand

Facebook: Gloria Grace Rand

YouTube: Gloria Grace Rand

TRANSCRIPT

Embracing Your Natural Rhythm for Entrepreneurial Success

Host: Gloria Grace Rand, Confidence Catalyst and Self Love Advocate

Introduction

Namaste and welcome to Live Love Engagement! If this is your first time joining us, I'm Gloria Grace, a confidence catalyst and self love advocate. I empower women over 50, especially mission-driven women, to boldly live life on their terms through my LOVE method and energy healing.

The Reality of Midlife Reinvention

Midlife is often thought of as this great time for reinvention. But if you think it's going to happen in a neat and clean way, forget about it. For many women over 50, reinvention can be messy and frustrating. And that's because we are emotional beings—which, as I'll reveal today, is actually our superpower.

When Business Partnerships Go Wrong: A Personal Story

The Challenge of Growing a Business Solo

Some days, growing a business is not for the faint of heart. There are days when I just want to throw in the towel and get a freaking job. I bet many of you feel that way too.

Sometimes it's because you're trying to do everything on your own. Sometimes it happens when you partner with someone and it doesn't work out as planned.

My Partnership Experience

A few years ago, I was approached by someone from my local networking circles. She connected with my Facebook videos and suggested we explore partnering together. At the time, I was in the middle of reinventing myself—pivoting from online marketing to focusing more on spirituality and self-love.

We started meeting regularly, planning events, and recording videos together. We created a free Facebook group and were growing it slowly. Things seemed to be going well until she got involved in another challenge and unilaterally invited a large number of people into our group without discussing it with me first.

The Lesson Learned

This hurt my feelings because we were supposed to be partners. Rookie mistake: we did not set up a partnership agreement beforehand.

Key Takeaway: If you're going to partner with someone, formalize the arrangement. Have something written down that outlines what each person will do. Don't be as "loosey goosey" as we were.

I ultimately gave her the Facebook group and walked away from the partnership. That night, I was so upset that I wrote a poem—it just spilled out of me with all my hurt and pain. But it was a good lesson that prepared me for future partnerships.

Embracing Your Natural Rhythm in Business

Understanding Your Body's Wisdom

Reinventing ourselves and growing our businesses isn't easy. It's like a roller coaster with lots of ups and downs. So what do we do about that?

Honor yourself. Honor your feelings, honor your rhythm—your natural rhythm for how you go about life.

As women over 50, even though our bodies might not be going through menstrual cycles anymore, I believe we still have natural rhythms that can affect us emotionally. I often find my rhythm is affected by lunar cycles—new moons, full moons. (Hospital workers will tell you that emergency rooms are much busier during full moons!)

Designing Your Daily Schedule Around Your Energy

Are you a morning person or an evening person?

Morning people: Schedule creative and productive tasks early, then handle less demanding work in the afternoon

Evening people: Handle administrative tasks (invoices, emails) in the morning, save creative work for when your energy peaks

This applies to monthly cycles too. Plan certain tasks for the beginning of the month, others for the end, and always ensure you get enough rest along the way.

The Importance of Self-Care

You can't serve from an empty cup. You've probably heard that expression before—it means you can't keep running on empty. You've got to recharge your batteries.

Introverts need long periods to recharge

Extroverts get recharged in group settings

Figure out what works for you and plan accordingly.

Breaking Free from the "Go, Go, Go" Mentality

Masculine vs. Feminine Energy in Business

There's this idea, especially in Western culture, that we have to just go, go, go and get things done—constant meetings, constant push, push, push. This is a very masculine way of being.

We all have both feminine and masculine sides. Sometimes we need to lean into our masculine energy to get things done, but don't do it at the expense of your feminine side—that softer, allowing, surrendering side that honors your natural rhythm.

Reframing Failure

That failed partnership could have really brought me down, but I recognized it as a sign from my inner compass that this person wasn't the right business partner for me. Failure is not a setback—it's a signal offering you an opportunity to reinvent yourself or do things differently.

Practical Exercise: Identifying Energy Drains

The Key Questions

Ask yourself: What parts of your business are stealing your energy?

Is it:

Content creation?

Balancing books?

Scheduling social media posts?

Something else?

Once you figure that out, ask yourself why you're letting that happen.

The Time and Energy Tracking Exercise

Here's a powerful exercise I learned from a coach years ago:

Track everything for a full week (including weekends)

Write down the time and activity for every task from morning to night

Add this innovation: Note your emotions at each moment

Are you tired?

Excited?

Feeling "I have to do this but don't want to"?

This can be incredibly eye-opening for identifying where your energy leaks are happening.

The "Ignore the Clock" Experiment

If you could run your day without worrying about all the things you "should" do, and if you could ignore the clock, what would your day look like?

Would you be stressed because you're used to running on schedule?

Or would you be able to get in flow and not obsess about time?

Try handling your essential tasks first, then forget about the clock for the rest of the day. See how it feels.

A Moment of Reflection

Right now, as you're reading this, what are you feeling?

Anxious, thinking "I don't want to do this"?

Or excited, thinking "This sounds great! I want to get in flow and make midlife exciting"?

Feel your feelings. Honor what's coming up for you.

Energy Healing and Light Language

[Note: At this point in the original podcast, Gloria shares a light language healing session. She offers free 15-minute introductory light language sessions for listeners.]

Final Thoughts: Permission to Be Human

You're allowed to be messy. You're allowed to stop and rewrite. You are allowed to yell and still keep showing up for yourself because you are worthy, you are loved. You are allowed to design your life your way.

So be bold, be brave, be seen. The world needs you right now.

Key Takeaways

Midlife reinvention can be messy—and that's okay

Always formalize business partnerships with written agreements

Honor your natural daily and monthly rhythms

Balance masculine "doing" energy with feminine "allowing" energy

Track your time and emotions to identify energy drains

View failures as signals, not setbacks

You can't serve from an empty cup—prioritize self-care

You have permission to design your life and business your way

Next Episode Preview

Join us next week for an interview with Dianne Olvera, educator, former diplomat, and author of "The Power of Connection: Understanding Individual Differences to Uplift and Empower." We'll explore the art of meaningful connection.

Subscribe to Live Love Engagement on your favorite podcast platform or YouTube to never miss an episode. New episodes release every Tuesday.

...

In today's fast-paced world, the key to transforming your life into one filled with peace and abundance may lie in following Taoist philosophy. That's what our guest, Gerard Wouters, has discovered in his work as a Taoist therapist.

Show Notes | Transcript

"Success is that everything is going your way, that you hardly have any setback. And when you have a setback, you know what to do, you know what action you need to take to turn it around. That's what success is all about." - Gerard Wouters

Gerard shares his fascinating journey into Taoist philosophy, including a serendipitous encounter with his teacher that led to years of intensive study. We discuss how this 2,600-year-old life philosophy can be applied to modern challenges, especially for women entrepreneurs seeking balance and fulfillment.

In this episode, you'll discover:

How to interpret setbacks as valuable messages from the universe

The surprising connection between physical and emotional healing

Why fear is the biggest obstacle to personal growth and success

The power of creating emptiness to manifest your desires

Key insights include:

The importance of unlearning societal conditioning that no longer serves you

How to recognize and decipher signs from the universe

Why addressing physical issues is crucial for mental and emotional healing

The true meaning of success from a Taoist perspective

Gerard also introduces his unique approach to therapy, combining physical techniques with profound psychological insights. He explains how this method has helped countless individuals, including those struggling with depression and long-standing emotional issues, achieve remarkable transformations in just a few sessions.

Whether you're grappling with fear, seeking to simplify your life, or simply curious about alternative approaches to personal growth, this conversation offers valuable insights and practical strategies. Tune in to learn how embracing Taoist principles can help you create a life of simplicity, joy, and genuine success.

Resources:

Join the Soulful Women's Network: https://www.facebook.com/groups/soulfulwomensnetwork

Receive daily inspirational email messages: bit.ly/LoveLightNotes

Need support? Go to engagewithgloria.com to schedule a call.

Connect with Gerard

Website: https://gerard-wouters.mykajabi.com/taoist-way-for-leaders-and-teams

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

Connect with Live Love Engage:

Send Gloria Grace a message

☕ Support the podcast

❤ Love this episode? Leave us a review and rating

LinkedIn: Gloria Grace Rand

Facebook: Gloria Grace Rand

YouTube: Gloria Grace Rand

TRANSCRIPT

How Taoist Philosophy Can Turn Setbacks into Success Signals with Gerard Wouters

Introduction

Gloria Grace: Namaste. Today we're going to be diving into ancient Taoist secrets that can transform your hectic life from... into... well, yeah, transform your life from being one that's hectic into one that's filled with simplicity, joy and success. And our guest today is going to explain how letting go of behaviors that no longer serve us can actually create space for the abundance and peace you've been searching for.

But first, if this is your first time here, I would like to welcome you. I am Gloria Grace, founder of Align to Shine Academy. And I empower women over 50 to love themselves and the life they're living and to really be empowered with, to go forward with clarity and confidence.

And I am so delighted to have an international guest joining us in just a moment. His name is Gerard Wouters and he is a Taoist therapist from Holland. He's an author, he's written seven books and been interviewed frequently on Dutch national TV. And his mission in life is to help people heal from mental issues and show how they can embrace the Taoist way to be happy and successful.

So without further ado, I'm going to bring him up here and welcome you, Gerard, officially to Live Loving Age.

Gerard Wouters: Thanks for the invite.

Gerard's Journey into Taoism

Gloria: Well, I'm glad to have you here because I think this topic is really interesting and I love exploring different spiritual philosophies. And so I'm really curious. I thought we could actually start off by asking, just finding out from you what actually first drew you to Taoist philosophy and maybe even also explain for those who are listening who may not know exactly what that is. I know we'll get into it more, but what drew you to that and how did it change your life before you started sharing it with others?

Gerard: Taoism is a life philosophy and it's already 2600 years old. And I met my teacher at a business meeting. He was staring at me, very annoying. And as soon as the business meeting ended, I walked up to him and to my big surprise, he told me who I was, what my problem was, where it came from, etc. etc.

That got me flabbergasted and very curious as to what this little man was. So I took him home and he stayed at my place for about five weeks or so. And of course he tested me like crazy because he wanted to know if I had the thing that he needed to absorb and implement this knowledge. Because like you said, it is very ancient and also very secret knowledge.

And after five weeks he asked me, "Well, you know, do you want to learn this?" And I said, "You know what? You better believe it. I've seen so many funny things, strange things that I just cannot grab. And I just want to get to the bottom of this. So, hell yeah, I want to know everything."

And so he started to travel up and down to my country, had a big house at that moment, and he had his own room. And he stayed with me for months and then went back again and then gone back for months. And after about four and a half years, five years, I asked him, "You know what? This knowledge is so incredibly valuable. It shouldn't stay in the monastery, it should be out there. So is it okay if I turn this into a professional treatment?"

And he says, "Okay, that's good. And I'll check on you and see how you do it, how you implement this. But on one condition. I don't want to be a tourist attraction, so you do it without me and don't ever mention anybody where I am, who I am, because I want my peace."

And I said, "Okay, if that's the only condition, there's no problem there." So from that moment, I started treating people this way. And I've been doing it for 28 years now. And this treatment is so incredibly effective that I can help people recover and cure in four two-hour sessions or a two-day workshop, which I would love to do in your country because I found out that 54 million people in your country suffer from depression. And that's incredible.

The Power of Reading Body Language and Facial Expressions

Gloria: Well, it is. I want to ask because I'm going to follow up with this in a second, but you mentioned something that intrigued me because you said that when you were first having him stay with you, that there were some things that were surprising. Could you maybe share another example?

Gerard: Well, like him, I can say I'm specialized in facial expressions and body language and trust me, it goes a lot further than you think. So I had one situation with him. We were in a hotel, in a bar hotel, and at one moment there was an old couple passing by and he addressed her and told her, "I see you have cancer." And I said, "What?" And she immediately confirmed this. And he gave her some suggestions, some food suggestions. And then he said goodbye again.

And I almost fell off my chair. I said, "You can't do this. What the hell are you doing out here?" He says, "You know, there's so many things that you don't know yet, but it's visible. Everything is visible in body language, in facial expressions." And he says, "I know you've got it too, but it needs to be fine-tuned."

Gloria: Wow. Amazing. Oh my goodness.

Gerard: And now when people come into my practice, I put them on the couch, give them a drink, and I immediately tell them what I see. I see you're a warrior, you've been abused, you have relationship issues. Everything is visible. And I surprise everybody with that.

Gloria: Wow. Yeah, that's amazing.

Gerard: And that's it. I don't have to give them a diagnosis. I just know. I see this, that's that and 99% accurate.

Understanding Setbacks as Messages from the Universe

Gerard: We all go through all kinds of processes, life processes. But the problem is a lot of people don't learn from it. And there's one very important thing. We all get setbacks. That's part of life. But you know what? A setback is nothing more than a clue or a sign that you are doing something that's not in order with your path. And I deciphered that. I learned people how to decipher setbacks. So it becomes a message that you can work with.

You know, for example, when you've had an argument with somebody months ago, and at one moment you think, "You know what, let's have a talk and let's meet." So you call this person up, make an appointment, and a few days afterwards you drive up to him and on your way to him, you get a flat tire. There's your sign.

Now there's two things you can do. Either you repair the flat and go to your friend, and I can assure you that you will not have a fine day because there are always new things happening. But what I learned people, is to turn around and walk away. So what you can do, and that's the Taoism philosophy, what you can do is you call your friends and you say, "You know what? I've got a flat tire and an incredible bad mood. So maybe you can understand that I don't want to come anymore, but maybe you can call me coming week and then we make a new appointment." So you leave it at him. You give him the choice and you leave it at him.

When he doesn't call you after five weeks, you know that this is not a friend. Call you the next week. And this way, walking,...

Have you ever found yourself mindlessly scrolling through social media, only to realize you're feeling more anxious than before? If so, you're not alone. As someone who's recently fallen into the trap of "doomscrolling," I understand how easy it is to get sucked into the vortex of negative news and heated debates online. In this Live. Love. Engage. episode, I'm sharing my personal struggle with social media doomscrolling and offering practical strategies to break free from this harmful habit. As a Midlife Empowerment Guide and Self-Love Advocate, I believe it's crucial for mission-driven women over 50 to protect their mental health and cultivate positivity in their lives.

Show Notes | Transcript

"Be honest about your behavior. If you find that this (doomscrolling) is becoming a habit, ask yourself, what's going on? Why am I doing this?" - Gloria Grace Rand

Why Breaking Free from Doomscrolling Matters

Studies have shown that excessive consumption of negative content on social media can:

Worsen depression and anxiety

Exacerbate obsessive-compulsive tendencies

Trigger post-traumatic stress symptoms

As empowered women seeking to make a positive difference in the world, we need to be mindful of how we engage with social media and protect our mental well-being.

Practical Strategies to Escape the Doomscroll Prison:

I've compiled a list of 15 actionable tips to help you regain control over your social media habits. Here's a sneak peek at some of the strategies we'll explore:

1. The 5-second rule for breaking the scrolling cycle

2. Setting intentional time limits for social media use

3. Curating a more positive feed

4. Practicing mindfulness while engaging online

5. Using digital wellness apps to support healthier habits

If you're ready to reclaim your time, energy, and peace of mind from the clutches of doomscrolling, this episode is for you. Tune in for practical wisdom, spiritual insights, and a touch of humor as we navigate the challenges of modern technology together.

Resources:

Join the Soulful Women's Network: https://www.facebook.com/groups/soulfulwomensnetwork

Receive daily inspirational email messages: bit.ly/LoveLightNotes

Need support? Go to engagewithgloria.com to schedule a call.

Connect with Live Love Engage:

Send Gloria Grace a message

☕ Support the podcast

❤ Love this episode? Leave us a review and rating

LinkedIn: Gloria Grace Rand

Facebook: Gloria Grace Rand

YouTube: Gloria Grace Rand

TRANSCRIPT

Mindful Scrolling: How to Use Social Media Without Losing Yourself

Opening Confession

Gloria Grace: Namaste. I've got a confession to make. I have fallen into a terrible trap lately of going out to Facebook first thing in the morning, getting sucked into posts about politics and arguments and endless updates about things I just can't control. If you're like me and you have entered doom scroll prison, then today's episode is for you because we are going to plot our escape together because it's got to stop. And actually today I did better doing one of the things we're going to talk about today.

But first, I do want to welcome you to Live Love Engage, especially if this is your first time joining us. I am Gloria Grace, midlife empowerment guide, confidence catalyst and self love advocate. And I empower mission driven women over 50 to boldly live life on their terms. And I do it through my signature love system and energy healing.

The Problem with Social Media

So it's interesting this idea about social media—it can be really great and it really helps bringing people together, and it's natural to want to go there to seek information and stay informed. But when it gets into a habit of where you're wasting time or spending too much time reading negative stories, studies have shown it can actually harm your mental health. It can worsen problems like depression and certainly cause anxiety, or worsen things like obsessive compulsive disorder and PTSD.

As I said, the tool is not inherently bad. It's that unfortunately, as we all know, the algorithms love to serve up stuff that kind of gets you going.

I want to share with you a bunch of ways that we can stop this doom scrolling because it's not good for us. And if we want to be empowered women and we want to be able to make a difference in the world and to make a positive difference—I know that you are here to make a positive difference in the world. And the more that we can fill our lives with positivity instead of the negativity, then that vibration will go out in the world.

And even though right now it seems rather dicey at times, especially here in the United States, but even around the world, there's lots of sadness and chaos and violence and war—we've all been here before. Maybe not me, but our ancestors have all lived through this stuff before. And we will get through this too. We will. Because love always wins. Light always shines out of the darkness.

Strategy #1: The Five-Second Rule

So here's number one—you might want to get a pencil and piece of paper and write these down. The first one is to use the five second rule. So when you notice that you're starting to keep going and going and going and you're scrolling and it's like, "Oh, wait a minute, do I really want to do this?" just stop, take a breath, count to five. Well, count down from five—five, four, three, two, one. And then close out of your phone, or if you're on your computer, close out of that window and go do something else. I'm sure you have something else that you could be doing, whether it's in your work or your family life, whatever it is.

Strategy #2: Set Time Limits

Number two is another time related one, which is to just set a time limit. Set a timer and just do that so that when the timer goes off, if you want to set a timer on your phone or you can set a timer wherever else—my mother used to have actual real timers, remember those actual timers that you would turn? I used to have one of those to help me do laundry. Now it's like our phones, but the old analog days.

Set a time, and then when that timer goes off, you're done. You gotta stop. Don't keep going. Honor yourself. Keep your commitment to yourself—that's one of the four agreements. Be impeccable with your word. So if you're telling yourself, "Okay, I'm going to honor that, I'm only going to spend 15 minutes on Facebook today," maybe just 15 minutes of going through the newsfeed—probably less than that might be better. Maybe five minutes might be enough, frankly. But then when that timer goes off, then say, "Okay, I'm gonna honor, I'm gonna be impeccable with my word, and I'm keeping my commitment." That's it. I'm done.

Strategy #3: Seek Out Positivity

Number three: seek out positivity. You get into this negative stuff. All right, you know what? Take a break and go find a funny video to watch on YouTube instead. Cat videos, baby videos. Oh, babies are so sweet. They always make you laugh. Read something good. Maybe find a spiritual passage to read. I subscribe to the Daily Word from Unity, and I always get them in my phone. So I have the Daily Word message. And those are really uplifting. Something to read. Practice gratitude. Say, "Okay, I'm off of this now. Let me just be grateful that I had a phone to use. I am grateful that I'm alive. I'm grateful that I can see or hear or whatever it is."

Strategy #4: Notice Your Body

Number four is to notice your body. If you're gonna go through social media, be mindful about it and pay attention to how your body is feeling. I know for me, when I get upset, my stomach starts to tighten up. So that might be something for you. Or maybe your neck tightens or your shoulders get tight. Pay attention to your body because your body is giving you a signal, and it's a wonderful thing.

[Note: Gloria becomes emotional here, mentioning seeing her late sister Michaela in her reflection]

Pay attention to how your body's feeling. And pay attention to what's your mind doing? How's your mind reacting? And if you don't like how you're feeling, that's your signal to say, "Okay, I think we're done. Let's take a break and go do something else."

Strategy #5: Avoid Catastrophizing

Number five is to avoid catastrophizing. Isn't that a lovely big word? Which basically means instead of jumping to "Oh my God, the world's gonna end, this is terrible," be more discerning and use your critical thinking skills and question what is a more realistic outcome of this situation rather than just immediately going to worst case scenarios. Instead maybe even ask, "Okay, what could be the best outcome of this happening?" Let your imagination run wild and try to think of something more positive about it.

Strategy #6: Engage in Thought Stopping

Number six is to engage in thought stopping, which means to pick up the phone consciously and with purpose. Just say, "Okay, I am consciously going to go in, I'm going to just review, scan a little bit just to see what my friends are up to on social media, or just do it for business for a little bit. I'm going to be really purposeful about what I'm using social media for right now." Approach it from that aspect because when you, as opposed to just going on and being mindless about it, we want to be more mindful and purposeful and say, "Okay, I'm going to go in and I'm going to comment on a bunch of posts. I'm going to check in with my Facebook group if you have one, or if you are a member of Facebook group, I'm gonna just go in the Facebook group. I'm not gonna go on the news feed, frankly."

Strategy #7: Slow the Pace of Scrolling

Number seven is to slow the pace of scrolling. So instead of just going blah, blah, blah, looking, looking, looking—no, focus on quality of content. So if you see something that catches your eye, then actually really stop and read it and then sort of take a moment to digest the information and again,...

What does it really take to improve mental health? In this powerful episode, visual artist and psychiatry professor Meghan Caughey shares her incredible journey from surviving schizophrenia to thriving as an educator and advocate.

Show Notes | Transcript

"Sometimes you just go through the fire, and then there you are, in the middle of the fire, and you deal with that. That might be your path." Meghan Caughey

Meghan discusses the science behind art therapy, the concept of "making art from the edge of the bridge," and how creative expression can transform trauma into healing. She offers a unique perspective on recovery that combines lived experience with scientific understanding.

In this episode, you'll discover:

How creative expression can serve as a powerful coping mechanism during times of emotional turmoil

The surprising scientific evidence supporting art's ability to rewire the brain and promote healing

Why embracing your unique artistic voice is more important than technical perfection

The potential of art as a complementary approach to traditional mental health treatments

Key insights include:

The measurable impacts of various art forms on brain chemistry and stress reduction

How Meghan's Buddhist practice intertwined with her artistic journey to foster resilience

The importance of challenging limiting beliefs about recovery and personal potential

Why being present and supportive can be more powerful than having all the answers when helping someone in crisis

Meghan also introduces us to the concept of "free drawings" - a technique that allows the unconscious mind to express itself through art without judgment or planning. This approach offers a gateway to self-discovery and emotional processing, even for those who don't consider themselves traditionally artistic.

Whether you're navigating your own mental health journey, supporting a loved one through challenges, or simply curious about the healing power of creativity, this conversation offers valuable insights and practical strategies. Tune in to learn how tapping into your creative side might just be the key to unlocking greater mental wellness and personal growth.

As German artist Gerhard Richter said, "Art is the highest form of hope." So why not pick up that paintbrush, pen, or instrument today? Your brain - and your spirit - might thank you for it.

Connect with Meghan

Art website: https://meghancaughey.com/

Memoir website: https://mudflowerbook.com/

Resources:

Join the Soulful Women's Network: https://www.facebook.com/groups/soulfulwomensnetwork

Receive daily inspirational email messages: bit.ly/LoveLightNotes

Need support? Go to engagewithgloria.com to schedule a call.

Connect with Live Love Engage:

Send Gloria Grace a message

☕ Support the podcast

❤ Love this episode? Leave us a review and rating

LinkedIn: Gloria Grace Rand

Facebook: Gloria Grace Rand

YouTube: Gloria Grace Rand

TRANSCRIPT

Live Love Engage Podcast: Lotus Blooms from Darkness: Finding Hope in Mental Health Challenges

Guest: Meghan Caughey - Visual Artist, Cellist, and Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Oregon Health and Science University

Host: Gloria Grace, Founder of Align to Shine Academy

Episode Topic: Art as a Pathway to Mental Health Recovery and Brain Healing

Introduction

Gloria Grace: Namaste. Are you ready to discover how creativity can literally rewire your brain and become your secret weapon for mental wellness? Well, stick with us because we're going to be exploring how making art from the edge of the bridge isn't just a metaphor. It's a powerful pathway to healing that can actually help entrepreneurs like you move from surviving to thriving.

But first, I do want to welcome you to Live Love Engage, especially if this is your first time joining us. I am Gloria Grace, founder of Align to Shine Academy, and I empower women over 50 to step into their highest potential with clarity and confidence.

And my guest today is an amazing woman. Her name is Meghan Caughey, and she was an artist and cellist from an early age. But then Meghan developed schizophrenia when she was a freshman in college. But she has recovered and now is a visual artist and assistant professor of psychiatry at Oregon Health and Science University. And I really looking forward to having her join us and talk to us a little bit about her journey and about art and the brain. So welcome, Meghan, to Live Love Engage.

Meghan Caughey: Thank you so much, Gloria. I'm really happy to be with you today.

Early Discovery of Art as Healing

Gloria: I thought we'd actually start if you can maybe kind of take us back to when you first discovered this healing power of art, especially during your journey with schizophrenia.

Meghan: Okay, well, can I go back even before that? This will date me, but I just want to say I have made art all my life, and I come from a family of musicians, and I had a great uncle that was a painter.

But when President Kennedy was shot, I was in elementary school, and I think I was like 9 or 10 years old, and it was awful. And everyone was crying and it was tragic. And my response was to get a piece of paper and some pencils and draw a picture about it. So even then I knew that if there was something terrible and awful in our environment, something awful that happened to us that we didn't know how to handle emotionally or psychologically, that by making a picture about it, that that was the way to deal with it.

And by the same token, when I was about the same age I had my Uncle Gene who worked in construction, and he had a terrible accident and had to be in the hospital and he died. And my response was to write a poem about it for him and that way helped me emotionally connect with him and it was healing for both me and my mother read it to him.

That's just an example of before I even developed this hard to deal with psychiatric illness known as schizoaffective disorder or schizophrenia. I was making art from early, early on because it works, because it's powerful.

The Onset of Schizophrenia

Gloria: What happened when you were diagnosed then? Were you able to start kind of again going back to using art to be able to help?

Meghan: Well, I was 19. I was a freshman in college at a school in Colorado. I went to Colorado not because I thought the school was any good, but because I wanted to be able to go backpacking in the Rockies. So that was my priority. And I got to school, new freshman and immediately took off backpacking. And this was the 70s.

And then I was going to study art. I had gone back and forth between would my major be cello or visual art, and I decided on visual art. So I was taking an art history class. And one day early on I was in this big cathedral, big auditorium like classroom, and I had seats all the way back to the ceiling in the back. I was up by myself on the top row.

And during the lecture when the professor was lecturing about famous artists, I started hearing something very small in the back of my brain. I didn't pay attention to it, but it got louder gradually during the course of the class. And I remember the teacher was showing work by Francesco Goya, if you all are familiar with his paintings. But I started listening more and more because I just couldn't tune it out. And then suddenly I realized that it was telling me I was bad. It was talking to me and telling me I was bad. And I didn't know what it was. It was awful.

And so soon the class was over and the lights came on and I went running out of the classroom. I went going across the main campus, and there was this woman, this other student, walking towards me. It was a woman with blonde hair, blonde ponytail and a red sweater. And when she got up close to me, I looked at her face, and her face looked like a giant insect.

Gloria: Oh, my goodness.

Meghan: I was terrified. So I went running to get to my dormitory, running up to my room. And then when I was in my room, I went to the mirror and I looked at the mirror at myself. And I wasn't myself, was no longer a young woman. I was a beast with holes for nose and blood dripping down my mouth and awful eyes. It was the scariest. I can't really say how awful it was. And I saw that, and I thought my life would never be the same. I knew on some level that I had changed in a way that I just couldn't explain, couldn't understand. It was terrible.

The Long Journey of Recovery

Meghan: So I went through that year. When the snows came, this was Colorado, when the early first snows came, I'd been having these hallucinations. That's what they were, hallucinations. And I went out when the first snow came, and I was looking up at the snow, and it was such a relief to have the beautiful snow coming down. And some students came and said, you don't have your coat on, you don't have your shoes on. We're taking you to the student health center. They knew I was not doing well.

And that was the beginning of being hospitalized many times through my life for the symptoms of schizophrenia and later schizoaffective disorder. I've been hospitalized over 100 times.

Gloria: Wow.

Meghan: But I'm over that now. But it's not like everything is totally simple, but my life has—no one ever thought that I would be able to have a career and a life that has meaning and I'm respected in my work and I love my life. And yet sometimes things are just better than we could ever imagine.

The Lotus Revelation

Gloria: What helped you to finally start being able to be where you are today?

Meghan: Well, it's not a simple path. But when I was in high school, before I was even ever diagnosed with schizophrenia, I started studying Buddhism and started meditating. And then later, after I became symptomatic of schizophrenia, I had this kind of real strange life because on one hand I was having these terrible hallucinations and mind states....

If you're like some female entrepreneurs who cringe at the word "sales," this episode is for you. As someone who used to dread making sales calls because I was afraid of coming on too strong, I understand the discomfort. But what if I told you that sales could be an act of service rather than manipulation?

Show Notes | Transcript

"When you approach sales from that heart-centered way of being able to offer service, then it's easy to make a sale. It really is." - Gloria Grace Rand

In this episode of Live Love Engage, I'm sharing my journey from sales-averse to sales-embracing, and how you can do the same. We'll explore why women over 50 have unique advantages when it comes to heart-centered selling. We'll also address potential hurdles like ageism and self-doubt, offering strategies to turn these challenges into opportunities.

Discover how to:

Approach sales conversations with genuine curiosity

Use active listening to uncover client needs

Offer solutions that truly serve your audience

Handle "no" with grace (it often just means "not yet")

Key insights include:

How my first "sale" as an entrepreneur came from a place of genuine desire to help

Why women over 50 are twice as likely to create successful businesses

The importance of listening deeply in sales conversations

Reframing sales as a sacred offering to serve others

Practical tips for overcoming sales-related limiting beliefs

A Gift for Your Energy Field

As a special bonus, I'm offering a brief light language transmission to help clear any unconscious blocks holding you back from sales success. This energetic gift is designed to resonate with your DNA and open new pathways of abundance.

Ready to reclaim sales as a heartfelt way to serve others? Tune in for practical wisdom, spiritual insights, and a dash of humor as we navigate the beautiful world of conscious selling.

Resources:

Schedule a free introductory light language session: https://tidycal.com/gloria3/lightlanguageintro

Join the Soulful Women's Network: https://www.facebook.com/groups/soulfulwomensnetwork

Receive daily inspirational email messages: bit.ly/LoveLightNotes

Achieve emotional balance with a personalized 30-minute light language session: https://gloriarand.com/light-language-healing/

Need support? Go to engagewithgloria.com to schedule a call.

Connect with Live Love Engage:

Send Gloria Grace a message

☕ Support the podcast

❤ Love this episode? Leave us a review and rating

LinkedIn: Gloria Grace Rand

Facebook: Gloria Grace Rand

YouTube: Gloria Grace Rand

TRANSCRIPT

Heart-Centered Selling: Top Strategies for Female Entrepreneurs 50+

Host: Gloria Grace, Confidence Catalyst and Self-Love Advocate

Introduction: Reframing Sales

Gloria Grace: Namaste. If you're like I was a few years ago and you hear the word sales and you go "ah," well, you're in the right place because today we are reclaiming sales as an act of service, not manipulation, which I think is one of the connotations that sales has.

But first, as always, I want to welcome you to Live Love Engage. I am Gloria Grace, confidence catalyst and self-love advocate. And I empower women over 50 through my signature LOVE method and energy healing to boldly live life on their terms.

As I mentioned, sales—sort of like systems a couple of weeks ago—not exactly my favorite subject. And I've been procrastinating on doing this episode because even though I know and I understand now that sales really is a service, there's still part of me at times that just feels icky about it. I'm just going to be honest, and that's a problem frankly, because it makes it challenging when you're in business if you've got this limiting belief about sales.

My Sales Background

That's what I did. I mean, when I first started my business way back in 2009 as an SEO copywriter, helping write content for business websites, that was what I decided to do. Before that I was an employee—I worked in television. I worked for a long time at the public television station down in Miami, Florida on the staff of the Nightly Business Report. Then I left that for a while and worked part-time at another television business news organization, and then finally became a stay-at-home mom for a while.

So my previous experience of selling before that was: right after high school I sold shampoo door-to-door as a fundraiser for our band. I was a Girl Scout, so I sold Girl Scout cookies and did well with that. Although truth be told, it was really my mom who did well because she would sell them at work. I sold the most cookies in our troop one year because of that—where she worked, they were hungry for Girl Scout cookies and so I was happy to oblige.

I even sold Tupperware for a little while when I was in my twenties, mostly because I had a good friend who was trying to get a Tupperware business going. Since I'd used Tupperware for years—my mom was a Tupperware customer—I thought, "Oh, okay, how hard can it be to sell Tupperware?" Direct sales and me are not a good fit, especially selling physical products. I didn't enjoy that.

My First Real Sale: A Heart-Centered Approach

Now when it came to promoting my business as a copywriter, I realized, "Oh, crap, I have to sell, don't I?" And what I discovered—and this is sort of the crux of what we're going to get into today—is that my very first sale came about as a result of hearing a presentation by a couple of life coaches.

I belonged to a women's group at the time called Mothers and More. They gave this presentation to our group called "No is a Complete Sentence." I think I've talked about boundaries on the show before and how important they are for men and women, but especially women, because we tend to be caretakers. But we also have to learn to take care of ourselves, and that's where boundaries come in. We need to learn to say no. Even in business, sometimes we need to say no as well.

So anyway, I'm listening to this presentation, and what was going on in my life at the time was that I was taking a course on SEO copywriting. I was studying with Heather Lloyd Martin—she was an SEO copywriter and had a course that I was taking. I was learning about this stuff, and I thought, "Well, you know, just for giggles, I'm going to Google this company and see if I can find them."

They were life coaches in Orlando, and I knew enough about keywords to look for that. So I went to Google and searched for "life coaches Orlando," and I couldn't find their company. I looked and looked—went past page one, page two, nothing. Then I finally typed in the name of their company, which was Creating Your Masterpiece. Then they came up on Google.

I said, "Let me look at their website. Let me see what the deal is here." What I found was that they did not have "Orlando life coaching" as a keyword phrase in the back end of their website. Even though I wasn't done with the course yet, I knew that I could help them. I suspected that if I was able to do this optimization, I had a good feeling that I could help them get onto page one of Google. This was way back in 2009, and it was much easier to get on page one of Google at that time. Now there are billions of websites, so it's a little more challenging.

Overcoming Fear to Make the Sale

So I called them up on the phone—no, wait. Did I call them? No, no, no, no. That would be too bold for this introverted girl. No, I sent them an email thanking them for their presentation. I said, "I noticed I was trying to find your website and I couldn't find it online. This is the reason why I think it's not showing up."

Then I paused. I didn't send the email because fear came up for me. I'm like, "Oh, you know, what are they going to say? Are they going to respond positively? Who am I? I'm not even an official copywriter yet. I'm still just taking the course."

All these thoughts started coming into my head, and I was like, "No, I really know what I saw on their website. I know what I saw on the code. I'm sure I could help them." And so I hit send.

I got a call maybe the next day, or maybe later that day. They were like, "Oh my gosh, thank you so much! We just had this website designed and we don't understand why nobody is calling us. When can we hire you? How can we hire you?"

They did hire me to do the work. Sure enough, they showed up on the first page of Google and their phone started ringing. As a result of that, one of the women belonged to a networking group, and she invited me to join it as well, which I did. She would constantly sing my praises, and I was able to get more business that way.

The Key Lesson: Sales as Service

The lesson I want you to take away from this story is that when you approach sales—and I wasn't even really thinking of making a sale, I wasn't really thinking of them being my first customer—I was just coming at it from "Oh my gosh, I need to be able to help these people. They're not showing up on Google. I know what can be done. I know I can fix it."

When you approach sales from that heart-centered way of being able to offer service, then it's easy to make a sale. It really is.

Advantages for Women Over 50

Now, for those of you who maybe have been listening to my podcast for a little while, you might have noticed that I changed my intro a little bit. I've been going through a program where I've been upleveling my brand and really honing in on who I want to serve. I really want to serve women over 50.

Women over 50 have advantages when it comes to selling because by now you've got decades of business experience or even just industry experience that helps you with relationship management. Whether you've always been an entrepreneur or you've been in the corporate arena, or maybe you haven't even done that—maybe you've held jobs or maybe you've been a stay-at-home mom and now that your kids are out of the house,...