The Kettle with Meagan Francis

When it comes to midlife health and wellness, it's easy to internalize a "no pain, no gain" mentality. But what might our relationships with our bodies look like if we were able to truly accept ourselves while also making positive changes? Today I’m excited to bring Rachel Hughes back to the show for a deep dive into some of the more touchy-feely aspects of health. We explore the questions: can changing the way we eat be fun? Can physical activity feel good? And, how can discipline and contentment co-exist?

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About Rachel Hughes

Rachel is a graduate of Vassar College and received a MSEd from Bank St. College, NYC, with a focus on Museum Education. She later received her license in nutritional counseling and worked with chronic pain patients for over 10 years at the New England Center for Chronic Pain in Greenwich, CT.

After finding that her own perimenopausal symptoms were disruptive to her life, Rachel launched her own platform, The Meno Memos, a landing spot she hopes to be a lively, engaging and relatable feed for women of all backgrounds to be inspired to live a healthy, vibrant second season of life.  Rachel is also the host of “Perry Talks” a series of live interviews with physicians, experts, thought leaders and inspirational voices on all things peri/menopause, exclusively on the @ohhelloperry app and now also a podcast, Perimenopause WTF?

Episode Links:

Listen to Rachel on the Mother of Reinvention Show in 2021!

Instagram- R A C H E L H U G H E S (@themenomemos)

Other Resources- Rachel Hughes, Author at Perry (heyperry.com) 

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The traditional narrative looks something like this: start work in your 20s, spend your 30s raising a family (while also working), and ramp up even more at work in your 40s as your kids grow more independent. But what would it look like to flip the script, spending your 20s traveling, your 30s building a business, and then your 40s scaling back at work to focus on a young family? That's reality for Maureen Fetscher, founder and Managing Partner at Mata Traders, an ethical fashion company whose products I love. Maureen started the company at 28, had her first child at 35, and then when she added twins in her early 40s, was able to scale back her involvement in the business in order to focus on her busy family. In this episode Maureen and I talk about her life as a mid-40s mom of young kids including twin toddlers, the growth of her business, Enneagram and personal development, and what "ethical fashion" means to Maureen and at Mata Traders.

About Maureen Fetscher

Maureen Dunn Fetscher is a social entrepreneur, textile-phile and mom of 3.  In 2006 she founded Mata Traders, a design-driven fair trade fashion company. Mata’s colorful, craft-forward clothing and accessories are designed in Chicago and produced in India and Nepal by fair trade organizations. For the last decade and a half, Mata has been a pioneer in conscious fashion, with a focus on worker well-being, gender equality, and handmade artistry. For Maureen the work has always been about creating connections to the places where our goods are made and the people who make them.

These days Maureen is most busy chasing around her twin toddlers (quite a feat in the mid-40’s!). She’s had the unique opportunity to grow a social enterprise business from the ground up, and currently oversees a talented team taking Mata Traders into its next phase.

Episode Links:

Meagan's Mata Traders design-inspired tattoo

Instagram- Mata Traders (@matatraders)

Facebook- Mata Traders

Twitter- Mata Traders (@MataTraders)

Pinterest- Mata Pinterest

Website- Mata Traders: Consciously Crafted Ethical Fashion

Blog- Ethical Fashion Blog - Explore the Fair Trade Movement | Mata Traders

Meghann McNiff Coaching: https://www.athenaplace.com/

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Laura Cepeda grew up immersed in tea culture. Her grandmother Modestine modeled a respect for tea and rituals around serving it on the Caribbean island where she grew up, but it took Laura a while to see past what she considered "stuffy" tradition and really recognize the power of a tea-based self-care ritual. Now, as a certified tea sommelier and the founder of Modestine®️, Laura is making the magic of tea ceremony accessible to contemporary women.

In this episode, Laura shares how her Carribbean upbringing - and her grandmother’s approach to community and wellness - have influenced her, tells about her experience of becoming a tea sommelier, and explains just why tea, and rituals around tea, are so powerful.

About Laura Cepeda

Laura Cepeda is the Founder and CEO of Modestine®️, a lifestyle tea brand promoting wellness through the power of Celebration, Connection, Self-Love and the magic of tea rituals.

As a Certified Tea Sommelier, Laura is passionate about helping individuals understand the foundation in the history, production, classification, identification, traditions, preparation and health benefits of tea.  Laura hosts regular tea rituals and wellness workshops throughout New York City.  

When Laura isn’t working on tea blends and wellness-related projects, she can be found tending to her plants, spending time in nature, and practicing yoga and meditation.  She finds relief from everyday stress through dancing to soca, calypso, Afro beats and bachata.

Episode Links:

Instagram: MODESTINE®️| ORGANIC TEAS (@modestineteas)

Facebook:  Modestine Tea | Facebook

Website: Modestine® Tea: A Ritual-focused Wellness Brand (modestinetea.com)

Watch Laura and Meagan chat about tea and learn how to prepare a proper pot of tea on Instagram Live on Sunday, June 14 at 9 AM EST!

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/mother-of-reinvention-with-meagan-francis/donations

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Is sending your only child far away to college supposed to be devastating? Not for Karen Walrond, whose daughter Alex just graduated and, this fall, will be heading from the family's home in Texas to art school in Chicago. As the parents of an only child, Karen and her husband Marcus are facing down an empty nest, and honestly...they are feeling pretty good about it. Karen and Meagan (whose son Will is also heading some distance away in August) have a chat about what the college-selection process looked like in each of their homes and what they expect they'll feel when the kids actually head off, as well as reminisce about their own college days and share some things they hope their kids will remember about this time of life. Karen also shares what it was like letting her hair go gray and talks about the new book she's working on about joyful aging.

About Karen Walrond

Karen Walrond is a lawyer, leadership coach, photographer, author and activist.  Her latest book, The Lightmaker's Manifesto: How to Work for Change Without Losing Your Joy, beckons readers toward lives of integrity, advocacy, conviction and joy.  She is a Certified Dare to Lead™ Facilitator, trained in Brené Brown's research on empathy, courage and vulnerability, and serves on the board of the Houston Coalition Against Hate.  Karen and her work have been featured on PBS, Huffington Post, CNN.com, and The Oprah Winfrey Show.  She curates the award-winning blog Chookooloonks and is the author and photographer of The Beauty of Different.  Karen and her family live in Houston, Texas.

Episode Links:

Karen was a guest in season 1 of Mother of Reinvention. Check out her interview on joyful activism.

Instagram- Karen Walrond :: Chookooloonks (@heychookooloonks)

Facebook- Karen Walrond

Twitter- Karen Walrond (@Chookooloonks)

LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenwalrond

Website-  chookooloonks.com

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Tara Garrison is a living embodiment of tapas - the Yogic concept of the "burning enthusiasm" that's associated with discipline and, well, sweat. As a mom of four and a holistic health and fitness coach, Tara does not gloss over the fact that she works HARD in the gym. But it's also evident how much she loves it - and the life she's created through it. Listen on to hear Tara share her thoughts about the hormonal benefits of strength training, how (and why) to try intermittent fasting, incorporating Keto on a short-term basis, and how, when you really commit to showing up for yourself and working your edge, it can change everything.

About Tara Garrison

Tara Garrison is the founder of HIGHER, a High Performance Health Coaching company that includes training, nutrition, biohacking and mindset coaching. She has helped many celebrities, professional athletes, and top executives optimize their health. Tara is also the creator of the popular Keto In & Out System, in which she teaches how to “Do Keto. Not Forever” to optimize metabolism, brain power, athletic performance and physique.

Her new book, Short-Term Keto, explains this concept of metabolic flexibility in detail.

She is the host of the Inside Out Health Podcast, in which she interviews world-class health experts from all over the world.

Tara is a mom of 4, avid weightlifter, Boston Marathoner and lover of nature. You can find her daily on Instagram as @coachtaragarrison, where she shares the inner workings of her life, health education and motivation.

She is certified through the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), International College of Applied Nutrition and Strength (ICANS), is a Certified Functional Strength Coach (CFSC), Certified Neurotyping Coach and a Metabolic Analytics practitioner.

Episode Links

Website: taragarrison.com

Instagram: instagram.com/coachtaragarrison

Facebook: facebook.com/coachtaragarrison

YouTube: youtube.com/coachtaragarrison

Twitter: twitter.com/coachtarag

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/coachtaragarrison

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Taking a business from bootstrapped beginnings to multi-million dollar acquisition may seem like a dream, but it really happened to Julie Cole: mom of six, speaker, author and co-founder of Mabel's Labels. In this episode Julie and I discuss the business's trajectory from its humble start in her sister's basement (then, a slightly bigger basement), through the major decisions the founders had to make in order to ensure its lasting success. Julie also shares honestly about the need for humility and flexibility in the entrepreneurial world, as well as what she's loving about being a mom of a big family full of bigger kids.

About Julie Cole

Julie Cole is a recovered lawyer, mom of six and co-founder of Mabel’s Labels. She has helped her company bring their product to a worldwide market, gain media recognition and become a multimillion dollar business and household name. Cole is an award-winning entrepreneur, published author, regular television contributor, keynote speaker and engaged community member and volunteer.

Episode Links:

Instagram: Julie Cole (@juliecoleinc) • Instagram photos and videos

Twitter:Julie Cole (she/her) (@juliecole) / Twitter

Julie's Book: Like a Mother: Birthing Businesses, Babies, and A Life Beyond Labels

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What if the key to aging well is simpler than we thought - and available to everyone? Dr. Lisa Leslie-Williams began her career as a pharmacist, where she noticed that many customers were filling prescriptions to treat chronic illnesses that were preventable by making different lifestyle choices. She found that she felt more called to help people live healthy, thriving lives by getting in front of those diseases and conditions rather than defaulting to treating them chemically - or as she puts it, “on the back end.” Dr. Lisa now provides encouragement, education, and inspiration toward living a healthier life at The Domestic Life Stylist. Her approach is based on her island upbringing where she learned to look to nature for nourishing and healing. Dr. Lisa also knows that what we eat is only part of the equation - mindset is also key. If we stay curious, keep learning, and find ways to make lifestyle changes fun and exciting, we’re so much more likely to succeed and actually enjoy trying new things. Listen on for an inspiring and entertaining episode of The Mother of Reinvention Show!

About Dr. Lisa Leslie-Williams

Planted on the nature island of Dominica West Indies and natured in America's Paradise, the United States Virgin Islands, Dr. Lisa Leslie-Williams grew up with the notion that food was medicine and that nature was a resource best tapped into first.  

A registered pharmacist by trade, Dr. Lisa traded her script pad for a keypad and never looked back. Inspired by her own changes in her diet and health, her blog, the Domestic Life Stylist, offers educational and inspiring posts on healthy and intentional living where food and lifestyle habits not pharmaceuticals, are first line to attaining optimal health and wellness.

The veteran homeschooling mom lives in the Washington Metro DC area with her husband and two kids.

Links Mentioned In This Episode:

Free eBook-10 Easy and Healthy Recipes that Your Family Will Enjoy (thedomesticlifestylist.lpages.co)

Instagram- Dr. Lisa, Wellness Expert (@drlisalesliewilliams)

Facebook- The Domestic Life Stylist by Dr. Lisa Leslie-Williams

LinkedIn- Lisa Leslie-Williams, B.S., PharmD. | LinkedIn

Website- About | The Domestic Life Stylist™

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Have you ever felt ignored - or worse, condescended to - by ads for the products you use every day? While there's been an influx of indie brands and direct-to-consumer companies specifically targeting midlife women in their product lines and advertising, as a whole, big brands - and their storytelling - haven’t quite caught up with the reality that women over 40 are stylish, energetic, opinionated consumers with money to spend.

Katie Keating, cofounder and co-CCO of Fancy, a New York-based advertising agency, wants to change that with creative campaigns that tell stories women over 40 identify with, created by talent who gets it. Listen for an insightful conversation about the obstacles Katie and her colleagues faced as women in advertising, which led to them starting their own boutique agency; the flexible, lifestyle-friendly work environment they’ve created for their team; and the impact they’ve been able to help brands make - starting with taking our demographic seriously.

About Katie:

In 2011, Katie Keating co-founded the 100% women-owned, operated, and focused advertising agency, Fancy. With a mission to elevate what’s important to women, Fancy breaks taboos around aging, pleasure, sexual health, bodily functions, mental health, even finance and moves the cultural needle forward with every assignment. Prior to founding Fancy, Katie worked her way in, up, and around the big-name, blue-chip agency world: Saatchi, Publicis, JWT, Grey, Wells Rich Greene, and even a stint on the client-side at Clinique. Campaigns for Olay, Tide, Garnier, Delta Air Lines, Pantene, Clairol and more all bear her hallmark copywriting style of thoughtful words delivered with a wink.

Links:

Survey: Fancy's Research On Advertising To Women Over 40

LinkedIn: Katie Keating

Instagram- Fancy, LLC (@fancynyc)

Twitter: Fancy (@whatwefancy) / Twitter

LinkedIn:  Fancy, LLC

Website- Fancy—the women-owned, operated, and focused advertising agency (fancynyc.com)

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Prior to the pandemic, Tracey Tee's career - as co-creator and co-star of the nationally-touring The Pump and Dump Show - was on fire. But after COVID-19 brought live performance to a halt, for a moment Tracey felt more like a dumpster fire. While Tracey made tough decisions about her future, she began to feel she was either having a spiritual awakening...or losing her mind. The questioning and self-discovery sparked by this stressful and overwhelming time led Tracey to explore plant-based medicine, specifically psilocybin, or "magic mushrooms." Now, she shares what she's learned about microdosing 'shrooms with other moms, through her online course and community, M.O.M. (or, "Moms On Mushrooms.") In this frank and funny conversation, Tracey and Meagan explore pandemic-inspired pivots, the hard truths of midlife motherhood, and just what those magical little mushrooms can do for moms who are ready for something more in their lives. (Hint: It's not about getting high or "tripping", but a much more subtle, introspective experience.)

About Tracey:

Tracey Tee has been actively involved in the momosphere for over 10 years, first co-creating and staring in the nationally touring cult-hit comedy show for moms: The Pump and Dump Show while simultaneously co-producing Band of Mothers Podcast and serving as co-founder and CEO of The Pump and Dump Show’s umbrella brand: Band of Mothers Media. During the pandemic, and during her own journey with psilocybin Tracey began to feel called to support moms in a deeper and more meaningful way. In 2022 she launched an online microdosing course, Moms on Mushrooms (M.O.M.), created exclusively for moms. Tracey’s goal is to bring moms together through the sacred use of plant medicine for a shared journey of personal growth and healing. Tracey lives in Denver, Colorado with her husband and tween daughter.

Find Tracey Online:

Instagram: @momsonmushroomsofficialWebsites: momsonmushrooms.com, bandofmothers.com

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Have you ever found yourself reaching for a glass of wine when you're stressed or bored - even though you aren't sure you actually want it? Has alcohol become a habit in your life, rather than something that's mindfully chosen? Or have you worried about the health affects of alcohol (or just find that your hangovers are getting worse!) in midlife, and want to cut back - but aren't sure how? In this episode of Mother of Reinvention I talk with Megan and Holly, the founders of Dry Together, an alcohol-free community for midlife moms. Megan and Holly share why they started the community, what led to their own decisions to reexamine their relationship with alcohol, and why they believe women and moms in midlife are particularly poised to make positive changes in this area. We also discuss mocktails, of course! Tune in for a judgment-free, inspiring conversation about just what possibilities can open up when we rethink old patterns and assumptions.

Links Mentioned In This Episode:

Check out the Dry Together community: Welcome to Dry TogetherFollow Dry Together on Instagram, Facebook, or TwitterMeagan will be doing a dry week starting this Saturday - follow along on her Instagram. Also keep up with all the new episodes as they drop, @MotherOfReinventionShow!

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