The patriarchy isn’t just politics or headlines — it’s the air midlife women have been breathing for decades. And once you see it, you can’t unsee it.

Karen and Lisa pull back the curtain on the quiet, insidious ways the patriarchy shapes women’s lives — from being told to be “likable” and low-maintenance, to carrying the emotional load at home, to shrinking our ambition so everyone else stays comfortable. Using Taylor Swift’s fight to own her masters, the public scrutiny of her success, and the cultural double standards she faces, they unpack how powerful women are still policed — and why that hits so close to home in midlife.

This isn’t about blaming men. It’s about exposing the system. It’s about recognizing the conditioning, questioning the roles we inherited, and reclaiming financial autonomy, emotional truth, and the right to want more.

If you’re in your 40s, 50s, or 60s and feeling exhausted, restless, or quietly pissed off… this conversation will feel like someone finally turned the lights on.

For listeners who are done shrinking, done apologizing, and ready to own their next chapter — this one’s for you. Cheers. 🍸

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🍸☕ What We Were Drinking:


Whalebird Kombucha - Lavender Lemonade

Recess Zero Proof Lime Margarita

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💬 Takeaways — What Do YOU Think?

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You still love to dance — you just don’t want to stay out until 2AM.

Somewhere between raising kids, caregiving, running businesses, and rebuilding ourselves, joy started coming with a curfew. But what if midlife fun didn’t have to mean exhaustion the next day?

This conversation dives into the magic of the Early Bird’s Club — a women-centered dance movement created for those of us with real responsibilities and early mornings. But this isn’t just about dancing. It’s about reclaiming the version of you who moved freely before everyone needed something from her.

Karen and Lisa explore the emotional shift that happens when women gather without performance, without pressure, without the male gaze — just nostalgia, sweat, laughter, and pure, unfiltered joy. They unpack what it means to carve out space where you don’t have to manage anyone else’s needs — where you show up exactly as you are and move your body because you can.

From conversations about invisible labor and midlife identity to the power of women-only spaces and rediscovering fun on your terms, this episode is a reminder that reinvention doesn’t always look like a new career or relationship. Sometimes it looks like 6PM on a dance floor with women who get it.

If you’re a woman over 40 craving connection, permission, and a little rebellion before bedtime — this one is for you.

Because joy doesn’t expire. It just gets scheduled differently.

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🍸☕ What We Were Drinking:


Pocket Espresso☕️

Starbies Grande Peppermint Mocha, Half Sweet, w/Oatmilk🥤

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💬 Takeaways — What Do YOU Think?

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You look in the mirror and think, When did I disappear?

Somewhere between raising kids, managing relationships, building careers, and being the “low maintenance” one, you stopped centering yourself. You became productive. Reliable. Easy.

And now? You’re not so sure who you are anymore.

This Valentine’s week, Karen and Lisa get real about what self-love actually means for women in midlife — and it’s not bubble baths and spa days.

It’s boundaries.

From hilarious holiday meltdowns to vulnerable stories about divorce, good girl conditioning, surfing at 35, and being praised for having “no needs,” this conversation explores the slow burn of self-abandonment — and the courage it takes to reclaim your voice.

They unpack why women over 40 struggle with self-worth, the difference between self-care and real self-love, and why choosing yourself in midlife can feel rebellious — and freeing.

This episode is for the woman in her 40s, 50s, or 60s who feels disconnected, exhausted from people-pleasing, or ready to stop shrinking.

Because loving yourself isn’t indulgent.

It’s overdue.

Grab a drink and join us. 🍸💗

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🍸☕ What We Were Drinking:


Kevita Probiotic Refresher Lemon Ginger

Arbonne Cleantox Tea

Email me for 35-45% off here.

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💬 Takeaways — What Do YOU Think?

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America feels louder, harsher, and more unsteady than ever — and midlife women are carrying the weight of it all. The fear. The anger. The exhaustion. The constant question of how much more can we hold?

Karen and Lisa pull up their chairs for a raw, honest conversation about what it actually feels like to live through this moment in the U.S. as women in our 40s, 50s, and 60s. No debating. No talking points. Just real talk about political overwhelm, doomscrolling, nervous systems on edge, and the emotional labor women absorb every single day.

They share deeply personal stories — from setting boundaries with the news, to navigating silence versus speaking up, to the very real fears around safety, citizenship, and protecting our families. Along the way, they offer grounding perspectives, humor when it’s needed most, and permission to care for yourself without checking out completely.

This episode is for listeners who feel anxious, angry, heartbroken, confused, or just plain tired — and who need to know they’re not alone. If you’ve been wondering how to stay present, protect your mental health, and keep moving forward without losing yourself, this conversation is for you.

Pull up a seat. Take a breath. We’ve got you. 🍸

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🍸☕ What We Were Drinking:


Culture Pop Probiotic Soda Fizzy and Gutsy - Ginger, Lemon, and Turmeric

Diet Coke: The Millennial Cigarette

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💬 Takeaways — What Do YOU Think?

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Speaking your truth after 40 often feels like breaking rules you were praised for following your entire life. In this episode of Drinks With the Girls, Karen and Lisa unpack the unspoken expectations midlife women are finally questioning — from people-pleasing and emotional labor to staying comfortable instead of honest.

This conversation explores midlife reinvention, gaslighting ourselves into staying unhappy, motherhood, caregiving, divorce, and the exhaustion that comes from carrying invisible responsibility. We talk about the difference between being comfortable and being stuck, why choosing yourself can feel radical, and how speaking your truth reshapes relationships, identity, and self-trust.

If you’re navigating midlife change, questioning old roles, or feeling ready to stop minimizing what you want, this episode will make you feel seen — and less alone.

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🍸☕ What We Were Drinking:

Starbies and Water🥤💧

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💬 Takeaways — What Do YOU Think?

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Why does money feel so complicated, especially in midlife? Because it is. And yet, as Karen Van Voorhis gently reminds us in this episode, that doesn’t mean it’s impossible—or that we’re behind.

If you’ve ever stared at your pay stub, shrugged at your 401k, or avoided eye contact with your Fidelity login like it’s an ex at the grocery store… this episode is your financial permission slip to get curious, not critical.

Karen Van Voorhis, our favorite no-nonsense, ultra-compassionate financial planner, is back. And she’s bringing the clarity, calm, and a dash of humor to the kinds of money questions that keep us up at night. Roth vs. traditional IRAs, new retirement options inside employer plans, what to do if you’re newly single or starting over in your 50s—she covers it all. And spoiler alert: if you’re not “maxing out” your contributions or don’t even know what you’re contributing… you’re not alone.

We also dig into the emotional side of money—the blame, the shame, and the “why didn’t I know this sooner?” spiral so many of us fall into. Karen V. offers a refreshing reframing: this isn’t a failure—it’s just a chapter. And we can learn this, one month, one question, one login at a time.

💸 For every woman who’s ever felt intimidated by her finances…

Pour a drink (even if it’s cranberry ginger ale) and join us for a conversation full of real talk, relief, and a few laughs about the big, messy topic of money in midlife. Your future self will thank you.

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🎙️Guest:

🍸☕ What We Were Drinking:

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💬 Takeaways — What Do YOU Think?

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When Jane Fonda tells you to get your shit together—you listen. That’s exactly how Chelsea Handler’s latest book kicks off, and trust us, it only gets juicier from there. This week, Karen and Lisa crack open I'll Have What She's Having and find way more than celebrity gossip or comedy—they find a woman doing the deep, uncomfortable, glorious work of coming home to herself.

From therapy breakthroughs to choosing solitude over settling, Chelsea’s story is a love letter to living life on your own damn terms. And the girls don’t just review the book—they reflect on their own midlife pivots, from embracing quiet mornings alone (finally!) to dreaming up a Drinks With the Girls retirement compound where your chosen family does life together.

Karen and Lisa are your trusted guides through the messy middle—wise, hilarious, and never afraid to go deep. Whether you’re recovering from a breakup, reevaluating your life goals, or just wondering when it’s your turn to come first, this conversation will leave you laughing, thinking, and maybe even planning your own solo trip with a side of sushi.

This episode is for every woman in her 40s, 50s, or 60s who’s ready to stop shrinking and start showing up—boldly, beautifully, and without apology.

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📖Book Review

🍸☕ What We Were Drinking:

Cab Franc

The Millennial Cigarette

🎧Podcast Episodes:

Smart Financial Moves Pt 1

Buy the F*cking Lillies Episode

📖Books

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💬 Takeaways — What Do YOU Think?

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If you’ve ever been told your labs are “normal” but you still feel exhausted, anxious, inflamed, or just off, this episode is for you. We sit down with Dr. Tracy McCarthy, a functional medicine physician who helps women understand what’s really going on beneath the surface in midlife. From hormone shifts and thyroid dysfunction to gut health and the long-term effects of stress and trauma, Dr. McCarthy explains how the body and brain are deeply connected—and why so many women feel dismissed by conventional medicine. We talk about the difference between functional and traditional approaches, how mental health symptoms often have physical roots, and why tuning in to your body’s signals is the first step toward healing. This is a must-listen for anyone navigating perimenopause, mood changes, fatigue, or feeling like a stranger in their own skin. You’ll walk away feeling informed, validated, and more equipped to advocate for your own well-being.

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🎙️Guest:

💬 Takeaways — What Do YOU Think?

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A job gone. A marriage ended. A role you gave everything to—vanished. In this raw and unfiltered episode, Karen and Lisa unpack what happens when midlife reinvention isn’t a choice—it’s a reckoning.

This isn’t the “vision board” version of starting over. This is the kind where your world gets pulled out from under you, and you're left staring at the pieces, wondering who you are without the title, the partner, the plan.

Through real-life confessions, hard-earned wisdom, and one hell of a rage room fantasy, we talk about what it means to survive the collapse—and still believe in your own comeback.

You’ll hear:

What it’s like to be let go… and still expected to show up

The grief of losing identities we didn’t realize we built our lives around

How a therapist’s brutal truth bomb cracked one of us wide open

The messy but honest truth about rebuilding self-worth from scratch

By the end of this episode, you’ll feel seen, validated, and maybe even a little less alone in your own midlife plot twist.

Perfect for anyone who’s tired of pretending they’re fine and ready to find what’s real—even if it’s still a little broken.

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🍸☕ What We Were Drinking:

💬 Takeaways — What Do YOU Think?

📲 Stay Connected

💌 Reach Out

🌿 What if the “New Year, New You” mindset is actually making you feel worse — not better?

If you're over 40 and exhausted by toxic wellness trends, diet pressure, and the constant demand to “fix” yourself every January… this episode is your reset.

We’re tossing out the guilt, the grind, and the goals that don’t serve us — and replacing them with something radical: self-trust. Lisa and Karen dive into what real wellness looks like in midlife, from body image and movement to motivation that actually lasts.

💬 Real talk moments include:

Why rage rooms (yes, literal rage rooms) are helping us reset

How to stop measuring your worth by productivity

The surprising mindset shift that brings peace and momentum

Letting go of “before and after” thinking — especially when it comes to your body

✨ You’ll walk away feeling grounded, seen, and ready to embrace the New Year without betraying yourself.

Perfect for women over 40 who are done with perfection, craving permission, and ready to redefine what thriving looks like — on their terms.

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🍸☕ What We Were Drinking:

Trader Joe’s Tangerine Probiotic Sparkling Beverage

Squirt

🎧Show Notes

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