What if you let go of the rulebook and gave yourself permission to create a life that feels like a dream you actually want to be living? This week on the School of Midlife podcast, we’re talking to Wendy Harrop—a retreat host, event planner, and farm-dwelling dream-weaver—who did just that.

After years of living the good-girl life, checking the boxes, and doing what was expected of her, Wendy woke up to a deeper longing: one where she gets to be the main character. She didn’t burn it all down in a blaze of midlife crisis. Instead, she took one brave step after another—choosing joy, curiosity, and adventure over obligation.

In this powerful conversation, Wendy shares the story of how she moved from California to a 200-year-old farm in Massachusetts, why hosting retreats for women is her calling, and what it means to live with delight, even when things don’t go according to plan. Whether you’re feeling stuck, restless, or just quietly wondering “is this all there is?”—this episode will remind you that midlife isn’t a dead-end... it’s a damn invitation.

👂 In this episode, we talk about:

• Letting go of shoulds and embracing your actual desires
• What it looks like to be the curator of your own life
• The power of women gathering in intentional, beautiful spaces
• Living with delight—even when life throws curveballs

📌 Mentioned in this episode:

• Wendy’s upcoming retreats
• Her dreamy Airbnb on the farm in Massachusetts

📩 JOIN MY MAILING LIST
https://www.schoolofmidlife.com/newsletter

👉 CONNECT WITH LAURIE:
📩 Email Laurie

💻 Website

On Instagram

On LinkedIn

Work with Laurie

Pack your bags and your big midlife dreams—we’re going to Paris, baby

In this very personal (and slightly jet-lagged) episode, Laurie shares her reflections from a solo trip to Paris and announces an exciting new adventure for 2026: The School of Midlife Study Abroad Retreats. Imagine sipping wine in sidewalk cafés, sketching in the Luxembourg Gardens, and talking legacy, purpose, and joy with like-minded women.

You’ll get the inside scoop on what these upcoming international retreats will look like, why they're tailor-made for midlife women craving more out of life, and how Paris itself reminded Laurie what it means to come home to yourself.

This isn't a vacation—it's an immersive, soul-shifting experience. And it’s designed for you.

🗝️ In This Episode:

• Laurie's personal experience traveling solo to Paris (and why it wasn't scary after all)
• The backstory behind the Study Abroad idea and why midlife is the perfect time for it
• A sneak peek into what the Paris retreat could include—from morning walks to art classes to Best Life coaching
• How you can get on the VIP list to be the first to hear retreat details

📩 JOIN MY MAILING LIST
https://www.schoolofmidlife.com/newsletter

👉 CONNECT WITH LAURIE:
📩 Email Laurie

💻 Website

On Instagram

On LinkedIn

Work with Laurie

What if midlife wasn’t a crisis… but a dress rehearsal for how you actually want to live?

Episode Summary:

In this episode of The School of Midlife Podcast, Laurie sits down with Francine Azel, a woman who is embracing midlife not as a breakdown, but as a dress rehearsal for her next chapter. Fran gets real about the intentional work it takes to keep a long-term marriage alive—and why it's worth it. She talks candidly about the growing importance of friendships, the value of play and curiosity, and the permission she’s given herself to experiment with how she wants to live.

From honoring alone time in a house full of people, to making her relationship with her husband a living, breathing priority, Fran reminds us that midlife is the moment to stop going through the motions and start intentionally shaping what comes next.

This isn’t about burning it all down. It’s about tending to the flames that keep your soul lit.

What We Talk About:

• Why Fran sees midlife as a dress rehearsal—not a crisis
• The myth of “coasting” in long-term relationships
• How she and her husband are reinvesting in their marriage
• The growing significance of friendships in this stage of life
• Why you don’t need to “figure it all out”—just commit to the practice

Connect with Fran:

Fran is a powerhouse midlife woman living this journey in real time. You can find her on Instragram as pocketsized_fran.

📩 JOIN MY MAILING LIST
https://www.schoolofmidlife.com/newsletter

👉 CONNECT WITH LAURIE:
📩 Email Laurie

💻 Website

On Instagram

On LinkedIn

Work with Laurie

What flying solo—literally—to France taught me about courage, clarity, and creating the life you actually want in midlife.

Episode Summary:

In this deeply personal and unscripted episode of The School of Midlife Podcast, Laurie records from the Delta Sky Club just before boarding a solo flight to France—her first international trip alone. It’s raw, honest, and packed with midlife truth bombs.

Laurie explores what it really means to live your adult dreams instead of just talking about them. From speaking only a little French to managing the jitters of international travel solo, she shares the messy beauty of stretching outside your comfort zone in pursuit of the life you actually want—not the one you were taught to want.

She also unpacks:

• Why “good enough” isn’t enough anymore
• How midlife can (and should) be your dress rehearsal for the next chapter
• The importance of doing the things you coach others to do
• How writing down her best life goals—like “I vacation annually in Europe”—created a ripple effect that led to this exact trip
• The role of vision boards, retreat invitations, and that red bicycle in the south of France

This isn’t a trip to check a box. It’s a powerful reminder that claiming your life starts with one brave decision at a time.

📩 JOIN MY MAILING LIST
https://www.schoolofmidlife.com/newsletter

👉 CONNECT WITH LAURIE:
📩 Email Laurie

💻 Website

On Instagram

On LinkedIn

Work with Laurie

What if the best part of your life was still ahead of you?

In this inspiring conversation, Laurie sits down with Kathi Holzer—a 67-year-old retiree who stumbled into painting after retirement and is now an award-winning artist. Kathi shares how she went from never having painted to creating pieces that now hang in homes across the country. This episode is a powerful reminder that your creativity doesn’t expire with age—and your next act could be your most fulfilling one yet.

Kathi gets real about:

• Feeling creatively “late to the game”… and doing it anyway
• How retirement can be the start of something, not the end
• Why she followed a nudge of curiosity—and how it changed everything
• What midlife women need to hear about starting new things later in life

Whether you’re standing on the edge of a new idea or feeling like your time has passed, this episode will remind you: it’s never too late to surprise yourself.

📩 JOIN MY MAILING LIST
https://www.schoolofmidlife.com/newsletter

👉 CONNECT WITH LAURIE:
📩 Email Laurie

💻 Website

On Instagram

On LinkedIn

Work with Laurie

You don’t get what you don’t claim—so what are you ready to stop whispering about and start declaring?

🎙 Episode Summary:

Midlife isn’t the time to keep performing, people-pleasing, or pretending. It’s the moment to finally get honest about what you actually want—not what you've been told to want, conditioned to want, or praised for wanting.

In this fiery solo episode, Laurie drops the mic on why high-achieving women feel stuck, even when their lives “look good on paper,” and reveals the powerful shift that happens when you stop waiting for clarity and start claiming your desires.

We’re talking about the difference between passive wishing and bold ownership. Why claiming what you want feels selfish (spoiler: it’s not). And why you don’t need to blow up your life to start living differently—you just need to stop outsourcing your happiness and start making small intentional moves that align with the woman you are now.

If you’ve been craving more clarity, more direction, and more you in your life, this one’s going to light a fire under you.

🔥 In This Episode:

• Why claiming is different from wishing or hoping
• The fear of “burning it all down” (and why you don’t need to)
• The problem with living a life someone else defined as “successful”
• How to start flexing your “claim it” muscle with tangible tools like the Morning 5-10-5
• Why waiting for permission is keeping you stuck

💬 Memorable Quote:

📌 Links and Mentions:

• Ep. 143. You're Not Here to Be the Martyr: Reclaiming Your Life in Midlife
• Best Life Planner 
• Best Life Planning Day – Boise 

📩 JOIN MY MAILING LIST
https://www.schoolofmidlife.com/newsletter

👉 CONNECT WITH LAURIE:
📩 Email Laurie

💻 Website

On Instagram

On LinkedIn

Work with Laurie

What if you could use “weight release” to get back to who you were always meant to be?

💬 Episode Summary:

In this empowering conversation, I sit down with Juliana Leamen, Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner, podcast host, and bestselling author, to explore a radically different approach to weight loss and wellness in midlife.

Juliana brings the receipts—blending science, functional genomics, and feminine wisdom—to help high-achieving women in their 40s, 50s, and 60s ditch the punishment-based wellness playbook and reconnect with their bodies. She shares how unlocking her own DNA helped her release over 30 pounds—and how you can do the same, without self-abandonment or shame.

We dive into:

• The difference between weight loss and weight release—and why it matters
• Why so much wellness advice feels like a full-time job for midlife women
• The hidden masculine energy driving burnout in your body
• How functional DNA testing can help you customize your health strategy
• Why trying to "fix" your body is a losing game—and what to do instead

This is your permission slip to stop hustling your way to health. There's a smarter, softer, science-backed path—and Juliana is here to walk you through it.

🧠 About Juliana Leamen:

Juliana is the founder of Naturally Joyous Inc., host of the Confidence From Within podcast, and author of the bestselling book Release – A Woman's Guide to Releasing Weight in Midlife Through Becoming Your Body’s Best Friend. She holds a Master’s in Science, is board-certified by The American Association of Natural Wellness Practitioners, and specializes in functional DNA testing for weight management and longevity in perimenopause and post-menopause.

After releasing 30+ pounds by applying what she teaches, Juliana helps other high-achieving midlife women shift to a functional and feminine approach to wellness—one that works with their bodies instead of against them.

🔗 Links & Resources:

• Learn more about Juliana’s work: naturallyjoyous.ca
• Grab her bestselling book: Release – A Woman's Guide to Releasing Weight in Midlife

📩 JOIN MY MAILING LIST
https://www.schoolofmidlife.com/newsletter

👉 CONNECT WITH LAURIE:
📩 Email Laurie

💻 Website

On Instagram

On LinkedIn

Work with Laurie

What if being called “selfish” was actually your first clue that you’re finally doing it right?

Episode Summary:

We’ve been taught our whole lives that putting ourselves first is selfish. That the gold star goes to the woman who juggles all the balls, sacrifices the most, and never drops a single one—especially not the ones tied to motherhood, marriage, or work. But what if that’s the exact mindset that’s keeping you stuck?

In this episode, we’re flipping the script on what it means to be “selfish.” Laurie shares how embracing this misunderstood word is actually the gateway to living your best life in midlife—not someone else’s idea of it. You’ll hear how the conditioning of self-sacrifice shows up in sneaky ways and how reclaiming your energy, your time, and your identity isn’t just okay—it’s imperative.

This episode isn’t about blowing up your life. It’s about choosing yourself—without apology. Because the truth is: no one’s going to give you permission to prioritize yourself. You have to take it.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why “selfish” isn’t the dirty word you’ve been taught it is
• How societal and cultural conditioning keeps high-achieving women stuck in people-pleasing cycles
• Real talk about what it means to reclaim your energy in midlife
• What choosing yourself actually looks like—without burning it all down
• Why the feminine energy of receiving and resting isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity

If you’re ready to stop asking for permission and start living like your life belongs to you again, this one’s for you.

📩 JOIN MY MAILING LIST
https://www.schoolofmidlife.com/newsletter

👉 CONNECT WITH LAURIE:
📩 Email Laurie

💻 Website

On Instagram

On LinkedIn

Work with Laurie

This is the story of what happens when a woman finally says: enough.

In this deeply moving episode of The School of Midlife, Laurie is joined by Megan Hodgdon—a survivor, entrepreneur, award-winning food artist, and living proof that it’s never too late to rewrite your story.

Megan’s journey includes surviving two abusive marriages, navigating the court system, rebuilding trust, reclaiming her identity, and eventually launching a thriving charcuterie business—Boise Beauty Boards—that’s earned her recognition as a top food influencer and local favorite.

You’ll hear how Megan’s business started as a graduation party Pinterest idea and became a full-fledged career that’s not only provided for her family, but also helped her rebuild her confidence, her community, and her voice.

This conversation is about pain—but even more about power.

If you’ve ever felt stuck in a life that doesn’t reflect who you really are, Megan’s story will remind you: you can walk through fire and still come out whole—and better than before.

⚠️ Content Note:

This episode includes discussion of domestic violence, including physical and emotional abuse. Please take care while listening.

💡 In This Episode:

• Why it took Megan nearly 15 years to leave—and what finally changed
• The real challenges of navigating the court system as a survivor
• How charcuterie boards (yes, really) became her creative outlet and calling
• The power of saying YES to yourself—and creating Act 3 on your own terms
• Advice for women considering entrepreneurship in midlife
• How she handles internet trolls (and goes viral anyway)

🔥 Favorite Quotes:

📩 JOIN MY MAILING LIST
https://www.schoolofmidlife.com/newsletter

👉 CONNECT WITH LAURIE:
📩 Email Laurie

💻 Website

On Instagram

On LinkedIn

Work with Laurie

In this episode, host Laurie Reynoldson dives into a truth many high-achieving women avoid admitting: the discomfort, guilt, and conditioning around prioritizing ourselves.

We’re in midlife—when everyone wants us to believe we should be winding down, focusing on others, or finally feeling “settled.” But what if this is actually the season when you’re supposed to become more of yourself? What if the life you've built isn't the life you truly want?

Laurie unpacks:

• Why we wait for a crisis to finally make a change
• The cultural conditioning that tells women they should be grateful, not hungry for more
• The mindset shift that turns midlife from a “meh” season into the main event
• Why "I should be happy" is not the same as I am fulfilled
• The power of asking: What do I want now?—without apology or explanation

If you’ve been feeling the quiet nudge (or loud scream) that something needs to shift, this is your reminder: You don’t need permission to want more. You just need to stop pretending you don’t.

LINKS + MENTIONS:

Email Laurie with Retreat Yes!

Essentialism, by Greg McKeown

📩 JOIN MY MAILING LIST
https://www.schoolofmidlife.com/newsletter

👉 CONNECT WITH LAURIE:
📩 Email Laurie

💻 Website

On Instagram

On LinkedIn

Work with Laurie