Midlife Strategies for Badass Women

Welcome back to Midlife Strategies for Badass Women! In today's episode, I am thrilled to chat with fellow podcaster and award-winning writer Angela Briones. Angela hosts "The Gay Podcast for Everyone" and a show about indie podcasting called "Thank You for Joining Me". She shares the unbelievable story of arriving late and sweaty to the Broadway play "Every Brilliant Thing," only to be pulled on stage to perform alongside Mariska Hargitay.

Beyond the glitz of New York theater, Angela gets deeply vulnerable about her personal journey. We discuss the heavy cultural conditioning she faced growing up Catholic and Latina, specifically the spoken and unspoken message that women are prettier when they are quiet. Angela shares what it was like to come out at age 30 after hiding in the closet for a decade, how she navigated conversations with her parents about her "roommate," and why representation matters so much today. We also talk shop about the reality of indie podcasting, battling the inner critic, and why taking a break from your creative passions is perfectly fine as long as you do not quit.

In this episode, we cover:

How Angela accidentally ended up performing on Broadway with Mariska Hargitay.

The inspiration behind "The Gay Podcast for Everyone" and helping parents navigate conversations with their LGBTQ kids.

Angela's experience coming out at age 30 and unpacking her internalized homophobia.

Overcoming cultural "good girl" conditioning and the phrase "Calladita te ves mas bonita".

Why your mindset is more important than your microphone when creating content.

Sue shares her own coming out story at age 17 and discovering her mother was also a lesbian.

Connect with Angela:

Podcast: https://www.thegaypodcastforeveryone.com/

Website: https://www.angelabriones.com/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/thegaypodcast_foreveryone

and https://www.instagram.com/angbriones.mp3/

FOLLOW and CONNECT with Sue

If you want to start your own podcast feel free to reach out to me. I would love to help you on your journey to sharing your story and passion.

#LifeWorthBeing #Transformation #LifeCoach #Women #Empowerment #PersonalGrowth #InnerStrength #PurposefulLiving #MidlifeTransformation #Mindfulness #Mindset #SelfDiscovery #WomenEmpowerment #midlifestrategies 

🔥 Welcome to Midlife Strategies for Badass Women 🔥

I’m Sue Willoughby—Badass Midlife Strategist, life coach, and your partner in breaking rules, rewriting the script, and thriving unapologetically after 40.

This channel is for women who are DONE playing small. If you’re ready to ditch the “shoulds,” reclaim your power, and live a bold, joyful, purpose-driven life—you’re in the right place.

Each week, you’ll get real talk, raw stories, and badass strategies to help you:

This isn’t just a podcast—it’s a movement. A community of women who are tired of waiting and ready to step into their next-level life, unapologetically.

👉 Hit subscribe and turn on the bell so you never miss an episode. Let’s rise, rebel, and reinvent midlife—together.

Welcome back to Midlife Strategies for Badass Women! Today, host Sue Willoughby sits down with Natalie Nicholas, the owner of OsteoStrong in Reno, Nevada, to discuss a foundational pillar of aging fiercely: our skeletal system.

At 39 years old and freshly divorced, Natalie suffered a severe spinal injury from a ruptured disc that required a microdiscectomy and left her dependent on a catheter for nine months. Faced with a diagnosis of severe arthritis and a loss of confidence in her physical abilities, Natalie began searching for ways to heal. That search led her to OsteoStrong—a global franchise utilizing "impact emulation" to safely trigger bone growth without the risks of heavy lifting or high-impact jumping. She opened her own center in 2020 and has completely rebuilt her body, even joining a flat-track roller derby team at age 48!

If you have been told you have osteopenia or osteoporosis, or if you simply want to prevent bone density loss as you age, this episode unpacks exactly how you can stimulate new bone tissue safely.

In this episode, we cover:

Resources & Links Mentioned:

Chapters:

FOLLOW and CONNECT with Sue

If you want to start your own podcast feel free to reach out to me. I would love to help you on your journey to sharing your story and passion.

#LifeWorthBeing #Transformation #LifeCoach #Women #Empowerment #PersonalGrowth #InnerStrength #PurposefulLiving #MidlifeTransformation #Mindfulness #Mindset #SelfDiscovery #WomenEmpowerment #midlifestrategies 

🔥 Welcome to Midlife Strategies for Badass Women 🔥

I’m Sue Willoughby—Badass Midlife Strategist, life coach, and your partner in breaking rules, rewriting the script, and thriving unapologetically after 40.

This channel is for women who are DONE playing small. If you’re ready to ditch the “shoulds,” reclaim your power, and live a bold, joyful, purpose-driven life—you’re in the right place.

Each week, you’ll get real talk, raw stories, and badass strategies to help you:

This isn’t just a podcast—it’s a movement. A community of women who are tired of waiting and ready to step into their next-level life, unapologetically.

👉 Hit subscribe and turn on the bell so you never miss an episode. Let’s rise, rebel, and reinvent midlife—together.

Welcome back to Midlife Strategies for Badass Women! Today, host Sue Willoughby sits down with Preeti Suri, the founder and CEO of AdventureTripr.

Growing up in India and building a fast-paced corporate career in finance in London, Preeti spent the first 35 years of her life believing she simply wasn't an outdoorsy person. After relocating to Seattle with a six-month-old baby, she found herself battling severe postpartum depression and carrying an extra 60 pounds. Looking for a way to heal, she started going on short neighborhood walks with her baby on her back. Those walks turned into hikes, and eventually, Preeti found herself standing at the summit of Mount Rainier on her son’s second birthday!

Realizing that moving her body in nature was the ultimate tool for processing trauma and burnout, Preeti founded AdventureTripr—an online platform connecting beginner adventurers with vetted local guides for curated multi-day trips. In this episode, Preeti breaks down the social, cultural, and economic barriers that keep women from exploring the outdoors and shares her ultimate badass philosophy: don't wait until you're ready; just sign up.

In this episode, we cover:

Chapters:

Resources & Links:

Website: https://adventuretripr.com/ 

If you want to start your own podcast feel free to reach out to me. I would love to help you on your journey to sharing your story and passion.

#LifeWorthBeing #Transformation #LifeCoach #Women #Empowerment #PersonalGrowth #InnerStrength #PurposefulLiving #MidlifeTransformation #Mindfulness #Mindset #SelfDiscovery #WomenEmpowerment #midlifestrategies 

🔥 Welcome to Midlife Strategies for Badass Women 🔥

I’m Sue Willoughby—Badass Midlife Strategist, life coach, and your partner in breaking rules, rewriting the script, and thriving unapologetically after 40.

This channel is for women who are DONE playing small. If you’re ready to ditch the “shoulds,” reclaim your power, and live a bold, joyful, purpose-driven life—you’re in the right place.

Each week, you’ll get real talk, raw stories, and badass strategies to help you:

This isn’t just a podcast—it’s a movement. A community of women who are tired of waiting and ready to step into their next-level life, unapologetically.

👉 Hit subscribe and turn on the bell so you never miss an episode. Let’s rise, rebel, and reinvent midlife—together.

Welcome back to Midlife Strategies for Badass Women! Today, host Sue Willoughby is joined by professional photographer and entrepreneur Scott Proposki. Over 27 years, Scott built a massive, highly successful event photography business, working with heavy hitters like Tom Brady, Miley Cyrus, Google, and the White House. But when the pandemic halted live events, Scott lost a $4.2 million client overnight.

Instead of walking away, Scott leaned into a late-in-life ADHD diagnosis to entirely reimagine his future. He realized the very traits he once brushed off were the superpowers that built his empire. Now, Scott runs the Photography Business MBA Operating System, a 50-week intensive program helping midlife creatives stop winging it and start building sustainable, profitable businesses.

In this episode, Scott shares wild stories from his career, breaks down why creatives need to view AI as "gasoline" rather than a threat, and explains why consistency will always win the game.

In this episode, we cover:

Scaling a top 1% event photography business and securing contracts with National Geographic and the White House.

Navigating the devastating reality of losing a $4.2M client overnight during the pandemic.

Getting diagnosed with ADHD in your 50s and reframing neurodivergence as a business superpower.

Why creative professionals struggle with business systems and how to define your unique dominant position.

How to use AI as "gasoline" to speed up your creative workflows and stay competitive.

The power of Bill Belichick's ultimate advice: "Stay the course."

Chapters

Resources & Links Mentioned:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/scottproposki

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FOLLOW and CONNECT SUE

If you want to start your own podcast feel free to reach out to me. I would love to help you on your journey to sharing your story and passion.

#LifeWorthBeing #Transformation #LifeCoach #Women #Empowerment #PersonalGrowth #InnerStrength #PurposefulLiving #MidlifeTransformation #Mindfulness #Mindset #SelfDiscovery #WomenEmpowerment #midlifestrategies 

🔥 Welcome to Midlife Strategies for Badass Women 🔥

I’m Sue Willoughby—Badass Midlife Strategist, life coach, and your partner in breaking rules, rewriting the script, and thriving unapologetically after 40.

This channel is for women who are DONE playing small. If you’re ready to ditch the “shoulds,” reclaim your power, and live a bold, joyful, purpose-driven life—you’re in the right place.

Each week, you’ll get real talk, raw stories, and badass strategies to help you:

This isn’t just a podcast—it’s a movement. A community of women who are tired of waiting and ready to step into their next-level life, unapologetically.

👉 Hit subscribe and turn on the bell so you never miss an episode. Let’s rise, rebel, and reinvent midlife—together.

If the thought of meal prepping for the week makes you want to immediately order takeout, this episode is for you. Host Sue Willoughby sits down with Britney Holmes, co-founder of Axios Wellness and the brains behind Whole Food Freedom, to break down how you can prep a week's worth of healthy lunches and dinners in just 90 minutes.

Britney shares her incredible personal health journey. In 2017, she and her husband Ed were both over 300 pounds. Suffering from intense brain fog, unexplained tingling, and debilitating fatigue, Britney eventually discovered functional medicine and was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s, leaky gut, and candida overgrowth. Told she had to completely eliminate grains, dairy, and refined sugar, Britney—a self-proclaimed foodie—refused to live on bland food. Instead, she developed a mix-and-match cooking system that prioritizes flavor and ultimate time efficiency.

Tune in to learn how to master active versus passive cooking, why coconut aminos are a must-have pantry staple, and how to finally make a grain-free, dairy-free pizza that actually tastes good.

In this episode, we cover:

Britney's transformative health journey, overcoming Hashimoto's, and losing weight alongside her husband.

The critical difference between conventional and functional medicine when treating root-cause symptoms.

The "Mix-and-Match" meal prep method: making four different proteins and versatile sides to prevent food boredom.

Active vs. passive cooking: How to maximize your oven, Instant Pot, and air fryer simultaneously while chopping vegetables.

Simple ingredient swaps, like using coconut aminos instead of soy sauce to support hormone and thyroid health.

How to whip up healthy, homemade mayonnaise in just 30 seconds using an immersion blender.

Chapters:

Resources & Links Mentioned:

Connect with Britney via email at [email protected] to learn more about the 6-Week Reset program.

Healthy Costco Guide: https://stan.store/axioswellness/p/get-my-healthy-costco-guide-now

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

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/britney.mac

FOLLOW and CONNECT with Sue

If you want to start your own podcast feel free to reach out to me. I would love to help you on your journey to sharing your story and passion.

#LifeWorthBeing #Transformation #LifeCoach #Women #Empowerment #PersonalGrowth #InnerStrength #PurposefulLiving #MidlifeTransformation #Mindfulness #Mindset #SelfDiscovery #WomenEmpowerment #midlifestrategies 

🔥 Welcome to Midlife Strategies for Badass Women 🔥

I’m Sue Willoughby—Badass Midlife Strategist, life coach, and your partner in breaking rules, rewriting the script, and thriving unapologetically after 40.

This channel is for women who are DONE playing small. If you’re ready to ditch the “shoulds,” reclaim your power, and live a bold, joyful, purpose-driven life—you’re in the right place.

Each week, you’ll get real talk, raw stories, and badass strategies to help you:

This isn’t just a podcast—it’s a movement. A community of women who are tired of waiting and ready to step into their next-level life, unapologetically.

👉 Hit subscribe and turn on the bell so you never miss an episode. Let’s rise, rebel, and reinvent midlife—together.

Welcome back to Midlife Strategies for Badass Women! Today, host Sue Willoughby sits down with Crystal Felice, a licensed pharmacist who successfully transitioned into a functional medicine practitioner.

After experiencing crippling migraines, intense bloating, night sweats, and driving panic attacks due to extreme workplace stress, Crystal realized that traditional medicine wasn't offering her real solutions. After discovering functional medicine and healing her own body in just six weeks, she went back to school to help other women do the same.

Now affectionately dubbed "The Gut Whisperer," Crystal explains why functional medicine treats symptoms—like headaches and heartburn—as "gifts" that signal a deeper imbalance. From the startling truth that stomach acid actually decreases as we age to the downstream effects of a leaky gut, Crystal unpacks the digestive issues plaguing midlife women. She also shares her expert, unfiltered thoughts on the GLP-1 weight loss craze, why custom poop-testing supplement subscriptions are often a waste of money, and how to choose the right form of magnesium.

In this episode, we cover:

Crystal's journey from a highly stressed float pharmacist to a functional medicine practitioner.

Why 70-80% of your immune system and 80% of your serotonin are produced in the gut.

The myth of high stomach acid and why acid-blocking PPI medications can make digestion much worse over time.

Leaky gut, histamine intolerance, and how bacterial overgrowths cause unexpected symptoms like anxiety, joint pain, and sun intolerance.

A pharmacist's honest take on GLP-1 medications, the absolute necessity of strength training, and why you still need to eat food to prevent hair loss and fatigue.

Supplement safety: why you should strictly avoid buying vitamins on Amazon and how to pick the right magnesium (glycinate, malate, and threonate versus oxide and citrate).

Resources & Links Mentioned:

Chapters:

0:00 Introducing Crystal Feliz and gut health

If you want to start your own podcast feel free to reach out to me. I would love to help you on your journey to sharing your story and passion.

#LifeWorthBeing #Transformation #LifeCoach #Women #Empowerment #PersonalGrowth #InnerStrength #PurposefulLiving #MidlifeTransformation #Mindfulness #Mindset #SelfDiscovery #WomenEmpowerment #midlifestrategies 

🔥 Welcome to Midlife Strategies for Badass Women 🔥

I’m Sue Willoughby—Badass Midlife Strategist, life coach, and your partner in breaking rules, rewriting the script, and thriving unapologetically after 40.

This channel is for women who are DONE playing small. If you’re ready to ditch the “shoulds,” reclaim your power, and live a bold, joyful, purpose-driven life—you’re in the right place.

Each week, you’ll get real talk, raw stories, and badass strategies to help you:

This isn’t just a podcast—it’s a movement. A community of women who are tired of waiting and ready to step into their next-level life, unapologetically.

👉 Hit subscribe and turn on the bell so you never miss an episode. Let’s rise, rebel, and reinvent midlife—together.

Welcome back to Midlife Strategies for Badass Women! Today, host Sue Willoughby sits down with somatic coach and author Lori Montry to dismantle the heavy, lifelong belief that you are the problem.

Many of our most stubborn habits—like emotional eating, people-pleasing, or overworking—are actually brilliant childhood adaptations designed to keep us safe when our core needs were not met. Lori explains that believing we are the problem gave us a false sense of control as children, but in midlife, it keeps us stuck in survival mode. To truly adapt and change, we don't need more willpower; we need nervous system safety, the capacity to hold change, and cellular energy.

Sue and Lori also explore the danger of constantly overriding our bodies with "no pain, no gain" mentalities and how we can learn from horses, who naturally process external threats and release them without emotional overfunctioning. If you are ready to stop fighting your habits and start tuning into your body's compass, this episode is a must-listen.

In this episode, we cover:

Why adopting the belief that "I am the problem" was a childhood survival tactic, and how to release it in midlife.

The three essential conditions required to create lasting change: nervous system safety, capacity, and cellular energy (ATP).

Lori’s personal journey with emotional eating, which started at age four as a response to trauma, and how she broke the binge-diet cycle.

Why willpower fails when the prefrontal cortex goes offline during states of nervous system dysregulation.

How to stop "hacking" your nervous system and start listening to it using Lori's daily check-in strategies.

Chapters:

Grab Lori's free guide, Your Nervous System Is Talking, Learning to Listen, at https://www.lorimontry.com/guide

Read Lori’s book, You're Not the Problem, to dive deeper into somatic healing. https://a.co/d/04L29KiR

Website: https://www.lorimontry.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/yourenottheproblem

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

FOLLOW and CONNECT with Sue

If you want to start your own podcast, feel free to reach out to me. I would love to help you on your journey to sharing your story and passion.

#LifeWorthBeing #Transformation #LifeCoach #Women #Empowerment #PersonalGrowth #InnerStrength #PurposefulLiving #MidlifeTransformation #Mindfulness #Mindset #SelfDiscovery #WomenEmpowerment #midlifestrategies 

🔥 Welcome to Midlife Strategies for Badass Women 🔥

I’m Sue Willoughby—Badass Midlife Strategist, life coach, and your partner in breaking rules, rewriting the script, and thriving unapologetically after 40.

This channel is for women who are DONE playing small. If you’re ready to ditch the “shoulds,” reclaim your power, and live a bold, joyful, purpose-driven life—you’re in the right place.

Each week, you’ll get real talk, raw stories, and badass strategies to help you:

This isn’t just a podcast—it’s a movement. A community of women who are tired of waiting and ready to step into their next-level life, unapologetically.

👉 Hit subscribe and turn on the bell so you never miss an episode. Let’s rise, rebel, and reinvent midlife—together.

Welcome back to Midlife Strategies for Badass Women! Today, host Sue Willoughby sits down with Julian Kolbrand—better known as Jewlz the Budget Nerd—for a fiercely honest conversation about money, debt, and the neurodivergent brain.

Despite having an economics degree, Jewlz accumulated over $107,000 in consumer debt one small swipe at a time. After receiving a midlife ADHD diagnosis, everything finally clicked: trying to apply standard, neurotypical financial advice to an ADHD brain is like trying to mix oil and water. Now, as a financial coach and host of The Debt Rebel podcast, she helps ADHD women and moms navigate their day-to-day finances without the crushing weight of guilt and shame.

In this episode, we explore the emotional side of money, how conditions like Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD) can lead to overspending just to "keep up with the Joneses," and highly practical impulse control strategies—like why you might need to cut up your credit cards or switch strictly to curbside pickup! If you have ever felt like a square peg trying to fit into a round financial hole, this episode will give you the tools and the grace you need to take back control.

🔥 In this episode, we cover:

Chapter:

🔗 Resources & Links Mentioned:

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FOLLOW and CONNECT

If you want to start your own podcast feel free to reach out to me. I would love to help you on your journey to sharing your story and passion.

#LifeWorthBeing #Transformation #LifeCoach #Women #Empowerment #PersonalGrowth #InnerStrength #PurposefulLiving #MidlifeTransformation #Mindfulness #Mindset #SelfDiscovery #WomenEmpowerment #midlifestrategies 

🔥 Welcome to Midlife Strategies for Badass Women 🔥

I’m Sue Willoughby—Badass Midlife Strategist, life coach, and your partner in breaking rules, rewriting the script, and thriving unapologetically after 40.

This channel is for women who are DONE playing small. If you’re ready to ditch the “shoulds,” reclaim your power, and live a bold, joyful, purpose-driven life—you’re in the right place.

Each week, you’ll get real talk, raw stories, and badass strategies to help you:

This isn’t just a podcast—it’s a movement. A community of women who are tired of waiting and ready to step into their next-level life, unapologetically.

👉 Hit subscribe and turn on the bell so you never miss an episode. Let’s rise, rebel, and reinvent midlife—together.

Welcome back to Midlife Strategies for Badass Women and the grand finale of our Summer Reset Reboot!

A massive thank you to everyone who has joined us on this 5-part journey to reset and reclaim our lives. In today’s final installment from the vault, host Sue Willoughby is guiding you through the ultimate "Midlife Edit." It is time to stop waiting for "someday" and start taking your dreams off the back burner!

We all have physical and emotional "junk drawers" filled with projects, expectations, and commitments that we've been holding onto for far too long. Sue challenges you to finally release what no longer fits and make space for what truly matters. Remember: you don't need more hustle. You need more clarity, more courage, and less of everything else!

Chapters:

🔥 Special Announcement:

Fall Lineup Kickoff: Next week, we are back to fresh guest interviews! Join Sue as she welcomes Julian Kohlbrand (AKA Jewlz the Budget Nerd), host of the Debt Rebel podcast, for an amazing conversation about ADHD-friendly money management.

🔗 Connect & Take Action: For your final piece of homework, grab an accountability buddy and start clearing out those closets—both physical and emotional! Tag Sue on Instagram at @sue_willoughby, and use the hashtag #MidlifeReclaimed to declare what you are letting go of today.

Are you Pod Curious? Check out my new audio course -  "Podcast Authority Blueprint" and get off the marketing hamster wheel! 

FOLLOW and CONNECT

If you want to start your own podcast feel free to reach out to me. I would love to help you on your journey to sharing your story and passion.

#LifeWorthBeing #Transformation #LifeCoach #Women #Empowerment #PersonalGrowth #InnerStrength #PurposefulLiving #MidlifeTransformation #Mindfulness #Mindset #SelfDiscovery #WomenEmpowerment #midlifestrategies 

🔥 Welcome to Midlife Strategies for Badass Women 🔥

I’m Sue Willoughby—Badass Midlife Strategist, life coach, and your partner in breaking rules, rewriting the script, and thriving unapologetically after 40.

This channel is for women who are DONE playing small. If you’re ready to ditch the “shoulds,” reclaim your power, and live a bold, joyful, purpose-driven life—you’re in the right place.

Each week, you’ll get real talk, raw stories, and badass strategies to help you:

This isn’t just a podcast—it’s a movement. A community of women who are tired of waiting and ready to step into their next-level life, unapologetically.

👉 Hit subscribe and turn on the bell so you never miss an episode. Let’s rise, rebel, and reinvent midlife—together.

Welcome back to Midlife Strategies for Badass Women and Volume 4 of our Summer Reset Reboot!

In today's deeply empowering episode from the archives, host Sue Willoughby tackles the often-taboo topic of midlife desire. Whether you are craving more freedom, love, creativity, or adventure, society often conditions women over 40 to believe that their desires are "too much" or that it is simply "too late" to chase after what they really want.

Sue challenges you to stop judging your own desires and start viewing them as profound inner wisdom. When you allow yourself to get curious about what you actually want—and stop worrying about whether it makes other people uncomfortable—you open the door to incredible new opportunities. If you have been suppressing your dreams because you feel like you missed the boat, this episode is your wake-up call to start taking small, bold steps toward your true calling today.

🔥 In this episode, we cover:

Chapters:

FOLLOW and CONNECT

If you want to start your own podcast feel free to reach out to me. I would love to help you on your journey to sharing your story and passion.

#LifeWorthBeing #Transformation #LifeCoach #Women #Empowerment #PersonalGrowth #InnerStrength #PurposefulLiving #MidlifeTransformation #Mindfulness #Mindset #SelfDiscovery #WomenEmpowerment #midlifestrategies 

🔥 Welcome to Midlife Strategies for Badass Women 🔥

I’m Sue Willoughby—Badass Midlife Strategist, life coach, and your partner in breaking rules, rewriting the script, and thriving unapologetically after 40.

This channel is for women who are DONE playing small. If you’re ready to ditch the “shoulds,” reclaim your power, and live a bold, joyful, purpose-driven life—you’re in the right place.

Each week, you’ll get real talk, raw stories, and badass strategies to help you:

This isn’t just a podcast—it’s a movement. A community of women who are tired of waiting and ready to step into their next-level life, unapologetically.

👉 Hit subscribe and turn on the bell so you never miss an episode. Let’s rise, rebel, and reinvent midlife—together.