The Kettle with Meagan Francis

When you think about "menopause" what comes to mind? Is it "something that happens to women wayyy older than me?" If so, you may want to think again. While the average age of completing menopause is 51, most of us start the process much earlier than that - and perimenopause, the period of gradual changes leading up to menopause, often starts in the mid-30s. In today's episode I speak with integrative healthcare practitioner Arianna Sholes-Douglas, MD, about the signs and symptoms of menopause, what doctors often miss, and why this big life change can be an opportunity for women to live more fully and freely.

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About Dr. Arianna Sholes-Douglas

Arianna Sholes-Douglas, MD, FACOG is board certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology and Maternal-Fetal Medicine and has been practicing medicine for three decades. She is the author of the best-selling book, The Menopause Myth: What Your Mother, Doctor and Friends Haven’t Shared About Life After 35. Dr. Arianna specializes in integrative women’s health, intimate wellness, and hormone replacement therapy.

Dr. Arianna is the founder of and visionary behind Tula Wellness and Aesthetics, a unique medical practice in Tucson, Arizona focusing on women’s health and beauty. Dr. Arianna, her husband, and their two children live in Tucson, Arizona.

Episode Links:

To learn more about Dr. Arianna and her coaching program, visit her website.You can also learn more about The Menopause Myth, Dr. Arianna's book.Love this podcast episode and wanting more? Click here for all our past episodes.

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As someone who is coming to grips with the fact that I'm now firmly in my mid-40s, I want to feel healthy, active, joyful and vibrant for as long as I possibly can - so it’s time to get serious about taking care of my whole self: body and soul. And that’s the journey Season 2 of the Mother of Reinvention podcast will be taking us on together, talking about things like functional medicine, nutrition, fitness, mental health, spirituality and more. Today's expert, Dr. Vonda Wright, is an orthopedic surgeon and an expert on active aging and mobility as well as the author of several books on the topic of staying healthy, mobile, and vital as we move into our 40s, 50s, and beyond. 

Our conversation today is full of practical and encouraging tips you can put into practice right away because they’re simple, sustainable, and intuitive. 

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About Dr. Wright:

Dr. Vonda Wright is a double boarded orthopedic sports surgeon, internationally recognized authority on active aging and mobility, and focused on optimizing personal and professional performance at every age. She serves as the inaugural Chief of Sports Medicine at the Northside Health System in Atlanta.

In addition to her surgical practice, Dr. Wright regularly contributes to national TV shows including “Dr. Oz,” “The Doctors” and the “Today” show. She has been featured and quoted in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, USA Today and U.S. News & World Report, as well as in magazines such as Maxim, Prevention, Fitness, Runner’s World, Best Life, and Arthritis Today and numerous online publications. She serves on the Sharecare Medical Advisory Board, the Atlanta and Pittsburgh Ballet boards and is President-elect of the American Heart Association Atlanta.

Dr Wright has written 4 books on topics surrounding active aging and precision longevity, and also started the private membership community, Ajles. Ajles is dedicated to 40-60+ women who are in the passionate pursuit of the Best in Life.  

Check out all of Dr. Vonda Wright's books here.

Episode Links:

Learn more about Dr. Vonda Wright, including information about her books, on her website.Want to hear more from Dr. Wright? Listen to her podcast!Check out the Ajles Life Community

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"Wow, none of the things I do are actually FOR ME!" That's what our guest, Dagmara Kokonas, found herself feeling at the age of 40: filling many roles for others, but without a clear sense of herself. Then she decided to go on a solo trip that happened to include daily hikes...and that changed everything. Now, along with her business partner Jenny, Dagmara leads other women in transformative outdoor adventures via her business Top Set Trekkers. In this episode of Mother of Reinvention, Dagmara and I discuss how to face and conquer fear, what it's like when you start embracing more adventure and challenge, and how to make sure you don't lose yourself amid all the roles you play.

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About Dagmara:

In 2009, at the age of 40, Dagmara Kokonas took a transformative solo trip that changed her mindset on life. Before the trip, Dagmara referenced her life to being like living in a mine: sending resources to the top, always keeping herself down below, always searching for the next fruitful vein. This all changed after her trip, when she began to look upward, outward and inward. Now, she encourages others to "take a risk on an opportunity to encounter a bit of your best self, in a neutral zone somewhere between Real World and Ideal World" and helps women transform their lives through guided, female-focused adventures as one of the Co-Founders of Top Set Trekkers.

Episode Links:

Read Dagmara's adventure blog.Check out Top Set Trekker's photo blogs and join the Top Set Trekker community.Follow Top Set Trekkers on Instagram @topsettrekkers and Dagmara's personal account @dagmara.kokonas. Read Meagan's post about her transformative solo hiking and camping adventure at age 42.Mother of Reinvention Season 2 is in the works! You can help by offering your feedback about Season 1.

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Have you ever found yourself thinking it's "too late" to start a new career path or passion project? (Guilty.) If you can relate, you NEED to listen to this episode with Angeline Boulley, author of the runaway bestselling novel Firekeeper's Daughter. Angeline had the idea for her book at 18, and then, as it does, life happened. She started a career and raised three kids, all the while the story was taking shape in the back of her head. At 44, she finally decided it was time to sit down and get the story down on the screen, and she spent the next ten-plus years honing her craft and shaping her story. In March 2021 - when Angeline was 55 - the book was published and has been on the New York Times bestseller list ever since, has received incredible critical acclaim and was recently optioned by Barack and Michelle Obama's production company Higher Ground to be turned into a Netflix series. ) This interview with Angeline is a powerful reminder that it's never too late to jump in, or jump BACK in, no matter how long your passion has been put on pause.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Y7y75ROo4A

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About Angeline:

Angeline Boulley, an enrolled member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, is a storyteller who writes about her Ojibwe community in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. She is a former Director of the Office of Indian Education at the U.S. Department of Education. Previously, Angeline was her tribe’s Education Director/Assistant Executive Director and served on the Board of Regents at Bay Mills Community College. Angeline lives in southwest Michigan, but her home will always be on Sugar Island. Firekeeper's Daughter is her debut novel.

Episode Links:

Visit Angeline's website to learn more about her book, speaking engagements and more. Follow Angeline on the socials: @angelineboulley and @fineangelineFind all of the Mother of Reinvention Episode links here!

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Have you ever noticed how all the pieces of your life seem to go together? When your house is a mess, your head feels like a mess; when you're worried about your relationships it's hard to focus on work or play, and all of it can drain your energy and leave you spiraling downward into negativity. In this episode of the Mother of Reinvention Show, I talk with Meaghan Murphy, Editor-In-Chief of Woman's Day Magazine, about what she learned about positivity, energy, productivity and more while writing her book Your Fully Charged Life. She's full of practical and doable ideas that will help you "charge up" all areas of your life, from health and relationships to work, family, and more. We also talk about changes in the publishing industry and what it's like to completely revamp and run a major newsstand magazine from a home office in the middle of a pandemic. Meaghan's energy is infectious and I know you're going to love this conversation!

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About Meaghan:

Meaghan B (no period) Murphy is an author, editor, on-air personality, lifestyle and health expert, a home-hack master and certified trainer. Meaghan was recently named Editor-in-Chief of Woman’s Day, charged with re-energizing the brand across print and digital. This follows a 6-year stint as executive editor at Good Housekeeping. Meaghan promotes Woman's Day in the media as a regular guest expert on shows like the Live with Kelly & Ryan, Today, and The Dr. Oz Show.

In addition, Meaghan shot a year-long series for NBC News titled “A Better Way,” in which she shared MacGyver-style home hacks and shortcuts, which led to a column in GH. She joined the fourth season of “Small Business Revolution” (Hulu) as an expert in building community spirit — something she effectively did as Chief Spirit Officer of her own suburban town of Westfield, New Jersey. 

A New Jersey native, Meaghan married her younger brother’s best friend, Patrick, and together they live in Westfield with Team Murphy: Charley (10), James (8), Brooks (7), and labradoodle Dempsey, where just released of her debut book Your Fully Charged Life with Penguin Random House.  

Episode Links:

Visit Meaghan's website, to learn more about her and her book, Your Fully Charged Life: A Radically Simple Approach to Having Endless Energy and Filling Every Day with Yay.You can find Meaghan on social: @meaghanbmurphy, @theyaylist, @bestfieldnj, @offthegrampodcastFind all of the Mother of Reinvention Episode links here.

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What if, in your mid-40s, you realized that the very way you've been trying to present yourself to the world all along...wasn't actually YOU? That’s the story you’re about to hear from today’s guest, Leah Blooms. Leah is a mentor, a writer, and artist focusing on intimacy, mental health, gender, sex, and practical self-care. Growing up in a conservative Mormon family, Leah initially follow the expected path, getting married and starting a family young. After struggling with health and wellness issues for decades and searching for answers through a variety of methodologies, Leah (with the help of her now-ex-husband, Joe) finally settled on a missing piece that had been left unexplored: gender. Exploring the expectations of gender and how gender identity can impact health, wellness, and healing has changed everything. Leah and I discuss gender, health, chronic illness, sexuality, kink, body image, embracing being a late bloomer, and so much more in this can't-miss episode of Mother of Reinvention.

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About Leah:

Leah Blooms, he/they/she, is a Seattle based mentor, writer and artist who is passionate about learning, sharing and above all, empowering others to live their best lives. Leah's mentoring practice focusing on intimacy, mental health, gender, sex, and practical self-care using a variety of healing modalities with including energy work, practical self-care/self-discovery, kink, mind/body connection, craniosacral, emotional processing, and aromatherapy. Leah uses writing and painting as healing art, similarly, Leah encourages clients to find and blend modalities that work for them.

Episode Links:

Check out Leah's new Patreon community.Learn more about Leah's workshops and mentoring. Explore Leah's writing and art. Find all of the Mother of Reinvention Episode links here.

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"Self care" is often associated with pampering practices like pedicures and retail therapy. But what if getting really acquainted with your finances - and what they can do for you - is one of the most important ways you can care for yourself and your future? No matter what you hope to do, be, or accomplish in the "what's next" of your life, the fact is that having a good grasp of your finances opens up a world of options. In this episode of Mother of Reinvention I talk to Certified Financial Planner Melissa Joy about the many reasons women put off financial planning - but why NOW is the right time to start. Our conversation is a compassionate yet no-nonsense look at why there's no reason to wait to get acquainted with your money and create a plan for what it can do for you - now and for your future.

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About Melissa:

Melissa lives in Michigan with her husband Jeff and children, Gus and Josie. In 2018, she founded Pearl Planning after working in the world of financial planning for over 20 years. She is a Certified Financial Planner as well as a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst. Her company specializes in working with executives, entrepreneurs, and those needing help with transitions such as retirement or divorce. Pearl Planning is based in Michigan, but has clients coast-to-coast.

Melissa is a frequent speaker at financial conferences and has been awarded recognition on the Working Mother Magazine & Shook Research 2017 & 2018 Top Wealth Advisor Moms List. She has also been quoted as an investment and financial planning professional in publications such as Financial Advisor Magazine, Yahoo! Finance, Money Magazine, Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune, Financial Planning Magazine, and Morningstar Advisor.

Episode Links:

Learning more about Melissa's company, Pearl Planning.Check out MORFaves to see what I'm loving these days!

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When you're already juggling a dozen projects, how do you make space and time for something new - especially if you have no idea how it's done? That's the dilemma author, podcaster, business owner, designer, and all-around renaissance woman, Christine Koh, found herself facing when she decided to add "getting bylines in major publications" to her repertoire. There was just one problem: Christine didn't actually know how to do that. But by getting intentional about her goal and reaching out to her network for help, she quickly added "published in the Boston Globe, CNN, and The Washington Post" to her already-illustrious bio. In this episode of Mother of Reinvention, Christine and I discuss her many career pivots and projects, her recent decision to reclaim the "Dr." in her title, why taking chances pays off, why it's so important to reach out to your community for help, and more.

Left to Right: Christine Koh, Meagan Francis, Sarah Powers

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About Christine:

Christine Koh is a music and brain scientist turned multimedia creative. She is also a fierce believer in the power of humans, small moments and actions, and vulnerable, authentic storytelling. She communicates on these beliefs through her work as a writer (her latest work is at the Washington Post, Boston Globe Magazine, and CNN; co-author of Minimalist Parenting; and founder of the award-winning blog Boston Mamas), podcaster (Edit Your Life, Hello Relationships), designer (Brave New World Designs), and creative director (Women Online).

Christine lives in the Boston area with her husband Jonathan and daughters Laurel and Violet. She's @DrChristineKoh on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Episode Links:

Learn more about Christine's book, listen to her podcast or learn about her various projects on her website.Read Christine's Instagram post, mentioned in this episode, behind her decision to reclaim the "Dr." in her title.Also, catch her latest newsletter where Christine shares a great narrative on "behind the scenes" of her recent stalled book project and success in getting her byline in major publications.I'd love to hear from you! Send an email to [email protected] and tell me how you're liking the show.

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Injustices seem to be piling up all around us - and yet the noisy, polarized world we inhabit can make it really hard to know how or when to use our voices. So how do we find the courage and conviction to speak up and take action when we know something is wrong, while staying positive and open? Today Karen Walrond, author of the upcoming book The Lightmaker's Manifesto: How To Work For Change Without Losing Your Joy, identifies the formula: courage to be vulnerable (and sometimes, wrong); curiosity to be interested in other people's experiences, and compassion to really listen and build bridges, not walls. If you've been feeling helpless or intimidated in the face of the never-ending news cycle, you won't want to miss this frank conversation about using your voice for good without losing sight of the good in each other. Karen and I also talk about her very outside-the-box career pivots, from engineer to lawyer to blogger and photographer to speaker and coach. It's a meaty, inspiring conversation with one of my favorite people, so be sure to listen.

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About Karen:

Karen Walrond is an author, speaker, and leadership and activism coach. She has been trained in positive psychology coaching and is a Certified Dare to Lead™ Facilitator, having been trained in Brené Brown's work on vulnerability, courage, shame-resilience and worthiness. Karen is a sought-after keynote and TEDx speaker and has appeared on television and other news media including PBS, Huffington Post, CNN.com and The Oprah Winfrey Show. She has won several awards including the YWCA Houston Outstanding Woman Award.

Her latest book, The Lightmaker’s Manifesto: How to Work for Change without Losing Your Joy comes out in fall 2021 and is available to pre-order.

Episode Links:

Pre-order The Lightmaker's Manifest and visit Karen's website to learn more about her work. Please get in touch! Send an email to [email protected] to say hello.And if you’d like to find out more about some of Meagan’s favorite products, head over to the MOR Faves page at MORfaves.com.

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Do you know when you can give more - and when it may be time to hold back? The practice of yoga - and specifically, learning to strike that delicate balance between not giving up when things get challenging, but also resting when it's the right thing to do - has been a big part of my personal reinvention story, so I'm excited today to talk to Lisa Segar, one of my favorite instructors at my local studio, Yoga Life.

For years I mostly knew Lisa as the instructor who taught 4:45 Vinyasa Flow on Thursdays and 7 PM Restorative on Mondays, so it was an honor to get to know her better - and a surprise to find out that she doesn't actually, you know, live on the mat! Lisa has a demanding full-time job as a home health nurse and a new blended family, which includes her husband and stepkids plus two kids from a previous marriage, and her story and mine dovetail in a lot of ways - Lisa and I were going through our divorces around the same time, and she began teaching at Yoga Life right around the time I started stepping up my practice there. Today Lisa and I talk about everything from dealing with out-of-control feelings and perfectionism, and how yoga has helped her embrace her 50s, see her body and health in a new way, and has, in her words, given her a life.

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About Lisa:

Lisa Segar discovered yoga in 2015 during the end of her marriage, and began instructor training in September of 2016. She began teaching at YogaLife, an Ashtanga-based studio in St. Joseph, MI, in September of 2016, where she has been teaching since early 2017. Lisa holds a 500-RYT certification as well as a level one certification in Restorative Yoga. Off the mat, Lisa has been a mom for 22 years to her two boys, Seth and Austin. She recently married her husband Kurtis and has become a stepmom to Summer and Carly. Being a nurse for 25 years, Lisa has worked most of her career in Home Care. Lisa practices as a Certified Wound Ostomy Continence nurse and is also a clinical instructor for the Lake Michigan College Nursing Program.

Episode Links:

Practice yoga with me! YogaLife Studio offers a variety of virtual classes and has a great deal for new students - $25 for two weeks of unlimited yoga. Check out my advice on setting up a home yoga practice and studio.Please get in touch! Send an email to [email protected] to say hello.

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

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