Making Midlife Magic

This episode focuses on our nervous system and how it shapes our everyday experience, often before our minds even catch up. I share a helpful way to connect with our nervous system by thinking of it as an animal (such as a hummingbird, turtle, or dog). Thinking of ourselves in this way lets us step away from judgment and move toward compassion. Instead of criticizing ourselves for being “too sensitive” or “not strong enough,” I explore how we can learn to listen, respond, and care for our nervous systems with curiosity. This shift lets us build self-trust and show up more fully for our lives.

🧭 Download your free copy of ⁠The Clarity Compass⁠ — five grounded, soul-supporting questions to help you cut through the noise, quiet your overthinking, and know your next step. Grab it here → ⁠http://compass.coachingwithrachel.com ⁠

Let me know how it works for you! DM me or email me at [email protected]

If you’ve ever said “yes” to something and regretted it later, whether it was a job, a project, or even a social invitation, you're not alone. Me too.

In this episode of Making Midlife Magic, I’m sharing the exact three questions I ask myself before I say yes to anything. These questions have helped me — and my clients — make confident decisions, stop overthinking, and trust ourselves again.

We’ll talk about:

• 🎯 How to tell if something is a true yes or just you trying to talk yourself into it

• 🎯 How to evaluate whether an opportunity aligns with the life you want now, and not just a past version of yourself.

• 🎯 The trade-offs every yes carries (and how to spot them before you commit)

Whether you’re making a big life decision or just deciding how to spend your week, these questions will help you move forward with clarity and confidence.

Free Resource Mentioned in This Episode:
🧭 Download your free copy of The Clarity Compass — five grounded, soul-level questions to help you cut through the noise, quiet your overthinking, and know your next step.
Grab it here → http://compass.coachingwithrachel.com

Let me know how it works for you! DM me or email me at [email protected]

In Episode 159, I talked about "dream shame" -- the shame we feel when we can't dream because dreaming feels too hard. In this episode, I explore the other kind of dream shame, the kind we feel when we do have dreams, but are afraid to admit them. I talk about why dreaming can feel risky, especially when our dreams seem “too big” or “too small” in the eyes of others. . This episode is for you if you need a reminder of why dreaming matters, and why our dreams are worth nurturing and projecting, even if some of our dreams remain unfinished.

In this Episode:

➡️ Why having dreams can make us feel vulnerable and unsafe

I often use a "magic paintbrush" exercise with clients to help them imagine their ideal life, but sometimes, clients don't know what they want. When they try to imagine something different from their current life, they see only a blank canvas. When dreaming feels too far away or too risky, it can bring up discomfort instead of inspiration -- What I call Dream Shame. I explore why it happens and how to address it in ways that make dreaming more possible and less risky, including micro dreams, new feelings, and permission to not have it all figured out. In next week's part two, I'll discuss the other half of Dream Shame -- when we have no problem dreaming but feel embarrassed or hesitant to admit them.

In this episode:

This week's episode focuses on something we all experience: self-doubt. Whether you're in grad school or midlife, trying something new often brings up self doubt and questioning such as, Who am I to do this? I've had my own self-doubt, especially when I try something new, and I share my experiences to show that those nagging thoughts aren’t signs to stop, but signs that we’re being brave. Instead of trying to feel more confident, I explore how being less confident in our self-doubt opens up new possibilities.

In this episode:

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In this episode, I reflect on the life of poet Andrea Gibson, whose vulnerability is an invitation to embrace our own full humanity. Inspired by their passing and my own creative freeze after Trump’s inauguration, I open up about what it means to meet ourselves exactly where we are, without judgment or needing ourselves to be different. This episode is about being with ourselves where we are and meeting ourselves with compassion when we find ourselves in a freeze response.

In this episode:

This week, I’m talking about our inner GPS, that full-body knowing we can use to guide decisions, both big and small. I share a personal experience where I ignored my gut instinct and ended up with a bad taste in my mouth, and contrast it with a powerful coaching session that reminded me how to tune back in. It’s not always about perfect clarity. Sometimes our intuition speaks clearly, and other times it needs conversation among our inner parts. But with practice, we can strengthen this muscle and learn to trust ourselves more deeply, which lets us make better decisions.

In this episode:

Earlier this week I had a chance to give a talk to a group of people in their 80s and 90s. I learned a lot from them! In this episode:

➡️ The importance of a good mindset, and why that doesn't mean we have to ignore the things that are hard

➡️ The role of visualization in growing older

➡️ How to adapt to change and why it's the most important skill we need

Take a listen and let me know what you would add to this list, either from your experience or from learning from people in their 80s, 90s, and beyond!

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In this episode, I talk about what it really means to show up—and why it’s often the missing piece between where we are and where we want to be. In this episode:

➤ Showing up as a commitment to a relationship -- with yourself and your desires

➤ How a "showing up audit" can help you see where you're pulling back

➤ How looking at all the good things our showing up has already created can unlock new courage

➤ Why showing up helps others and how this can increase our desire to be brave

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"I'm not willing to avoid discussing politics"

"I'm not willing to watch my grandchildren every weekend."

What are you unwilling to do?

Being unwilling is a powerful way to set boundaries. We decide what is and is not acceptable to us and decide what we are and aren't willing to do. Doing this often feels great!

But then we have to deal with all the uncomfortable feelings.

"I'm not willing" is inherently paired with "I'm willing." Are we willing to have an uncomfortable conversation? Willing to have people be mad at us?

In this episode I focus on setting boundaries and how we can use "I'm not willing" and "I'm willing" together to powerfully shape our lives.

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